15 October 2014 ~ 0 Comments

The Ultimate Shake Lover’s Giveaway: Ninja Blender & Gnarly Supplement Basket

By admin

I love getting gifts but I REALLY love giving.

And today…

Today, I am giving one of you a pretty sweet gift basket. Let’s just say it’s a few of my favorite things.

package

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was really enjoying a new to me protein… Gnarly.

It’s been almost a month and I thought I would share a few things about this protein, and protein in general.

Why use protein powder?

veryberryshake

I know many of my readers are already shake makers, but I also know several aren’t. I was talking to client last week (many who read LiftingRevolution) and I realized something pretty important…

The idea that protein supplements are for people (men) that want to bulk up is still very present. Many women fear taking something labeled as “protein” because of the idea that protein is a muscle builder.

Well, guess what… using a protein supplement won’t bulk you up. But it will do this…

  • When consumed right before, during or immediately after a workout, protein powder can help speed up muscle recovery.
  • Women are notorious for skipping meals, protein shakes give an easy alternative to get a nutritious on the go snack or meal. Of course REAL food is always better, but with the right add-ins a protein shake is real food.
  • And easy tool for weight loss. Calories are easy to log and protein shakes are extremely filling, so you may find yourself snacking less between meals.

Are all protein powders created equal?

No, not at all.

A pour quality protein will be hard for the body to absorb, include lots of add-ins, chemicals and preservatives and could also give some bad side effects such as bloating and gas. <— Kind of counter productive since you’re trying to get your body in awesome shape!

Then it comes down to what kind of protein you would like.

Me personally, while vegan, I was introduced to SunWarrior and Vega Proteins. I loved them both but once I decided to re-introduce meat into my diet I decided to change protein as well.

WB-vanilla

I was happy with our vegan powders, but when clients asked for a recommendation for a non-vegan protein, I had to shrug my shoulders. I needed to experiment to see what worked {and tasted} the best.

Let’s cover (quickly) the most common proteins:

  1. Whey Concentrate: The most basic form of protein. It is often inexpensive and considered “lower quality”. For some people it yields feelings of bloat and gas.
  2. Casein Protein: This is a slowly digested protein. For most people it takes 5-7 hours to fully breakdown, making it a great option for a meal supplement but not a great post workout recovery shake when you want nutrients to be absorbed asap.
  3. Whey Isolates: A very easy to digest whey protein. It’s a higher quality than concentrate and a bit more expensive because of it. It’s low in carbs and sugar and a great option for whey users.
  4. Soy Protein: Of course it’s a vegan protein. Soy is one of just a few plants that contains all essential amino acids (those needed from diet). Of course some people are allergic to soy, and some people (like me) try to avoid it all together because of personal dietary choices. But if you like soy, finding a good soy protein that is all natural is a great choice.
  5. Vegan Blends: like Vega and Sunwarrior. Vegan blends often contain protein from rice, pea, and other plants. They are often low in added sugar, but higher in carbs compared to whey because of the source of their protein. They also generally, have a bit less protein per scoop.

These are just the common options, there are tons and tons of proteins available now.

What I look for in a good protein

So my search for a good, no awesome, protein began.

I had a few search perimeters that had to be met in order for me to hit the “BUY” button:

  • Grass fed whey (whey is derived from milk)
  • Gluten free
  • No artificial ingredients or flavors
  • GMO free
  • Low in carbs <— I like to add in my carbs with frozen fruit!

So the search began. I read, I studied and I finally found Gnarly. And a few others. But Gnarly sold me because they met my requirements and surprised me with other goodies.

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Gnarly Facts

Along with all the stuff above, Gnarly Whey is freaking awesome. No seriously.

  • 25 g of New Zealand grass fed whey <— it’s from NZ, it’s got to be good, right!?
  • 5.5 BCAAs to help muscle recovery
  • Naturally sweetened
  • 4g of Glutamine for muscles and joint health
  • Contains Pre and Probiotics <— THIS IS WHAT REALLY SOLD ME
  • Additional digestive enzymes added

On top of being a protein, it’s an overall nutritional supplement. Great for gut health, join health, exercise recovery and overall Gnarly try to support a balanced diet. It’s pretty cool.

Oh, and they also have a vegan protein, perhaps I’ll try it out next!

proteinstack

Since becoming addicted to their protein, I’ve fallen for their other supplements as well. Their pre workout energizer is the bomb dot com. Does anyone use that any more?

Well and after all the supplement talk, you’re probably wanting a shake right about now, right?

Good… I can help with that.

The Ultimate Shake Lover’s Giveaway: Ninja Blender & Protein

givewaway-blender

I reached out to Gnarly a few weeks ago and asked if they would be willing to do a giveaway here at LiftingRevolution.

They agreed and are offering a discount to all of you guys. Just use the code “LIFTREV” at checkout to receive 20% off.

gnarly-giveaway

But that’s not all…

The awesome people at Ninja Kitchens sent me a single serving blender to giveaway as well!

You might remember that I got this Ninja a few months ago and I love it.

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I keep it at my office so that I can make shakes anytime I want. It’s powerful enough to blend frozen bananas, nuts, seeds, and anything else you toss in your shake.

So now that you know the giveaway… ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
One lucky Lifting Revolution winner will be chosen on Friday! Good luck :)

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