ShapeUp Shenanigan's: August 2013

In the beginning of the summer I received a package in the mail containing a sampling of Honey Stinger products for me to review. I was so excited; however, I received it the day before leaving for vacation so it had to wait. Well now a month and a half later, I am finally posting my review of this sampling.

I'm not a professional and when I think of a review I think, "What would I want to know about these things?"

I want to know:

How sturdy are they?

How transportable are they?

Will they make me feel weighed down?

Can I continue to run, cycle, or workout after eating them?

Are they made with good ingredients?

These are a few of the questions I want to know and these are a few of the questions I look for.

Honey Stinger Honey Waffle

I was introduced to the Honey Stinger Honey Waffle a few years ago and I absolutely love them! They are great on a bike ride as they fit perfectly into your jersey or bike fanny pack. These waffles are light and give you just what you need in the middle of a workout without giving you that weighed down heavy feeling that some products do.

I consistently have these during my long rides.

They are light on your stomach and you will have no problem fueling up on one of these and going right back to your workout. They are fairly fragile though. They will basically melt in your mouth so expect them to crumble in your pocket. If you want these for a run I suggest that you store the in a fanny pack. It may be possible that they could survive in some of the new fitness belts that are out there. I always have one in my bike fanny pack!

http://shop.honeystinger.com/products/Honey-Organic-Stinger-Waffle.html

Blueberry Buzz Energy Bar

Now I am not a fruit person, but I loved this bar!!

I did a video review of this one, sit back watch and enjoy the paddle board float as you are introduced to this great bar!

Now I loved this bar. I know that everyone has their own opinion when it comes to ingredients so I wanted to post them here. This is a bar that I would personally eat on occasion. It was light and flavorful and I could see me taking it in my bag on a day that I may need to do a lot of running and a little eating. I would give this to my boys for between school and extra curricular activities as well.

http://shop.honeystinger.com/new-blueberry-buzz-energy-bar/

Dark Chocolate Mocha Cherry Pro

Here is another video review for the Dark Chocolate Mocha Cherry. This one with a friend while walking during our normal Tuesday run.

This bar I would definitely invest in for those workout days for the week of and the prior to Shark Week (and I'm not talking the discovery channel ladies.) There are just times when you need a little dark chocolate covered love in the form of a protein bar, and this is my new love!

http://shop.honeystinger.com/caffeinated-dark-chocolate-mocha-cherry-protein-bar/

Cherry Cola Energy Chews

So by now you guys know that I am not a fruit person, or at least I didn't think I was a fruit person. Well Honey Stinger has gone and made me a believer yet again. I don't like chewy candy, gummy animals, jelly beans, or anything that sticks to my teeth, it's just not my thing. Well these energy chews are something else.

First off, they do not stick to your teeth like those other chewy candies. In fact they are rather soft. They hold their consistency in heat and fresh from the fridge they are not to hard.
Second, they are delicious. I was, yet again, pleasantly surprised by Honey Stinger with these chews. I seriously thought about not including them in my review because I was sure I wouldn't like them; however, they are light and fruity. Not to mention that these are certified Gluten free!

"Caffeinated with 32mg of white tea extract per package, comprised of 95% organic ingredients and sweetened with organic honey, these chews provide a natural and sustainable source of energy with that extra boost of caffeine." http://shop.honeystinger.com/caffeinated-cherry-cola/

Now as far as the energy part goes, I am not sure how to gauge that. I brought these to the gym on my bike one evening. It had been a long day and I was tired and hungry when I got there. It was also "pizza night" (yeah, I go to that gym). Had I known it was that night I would have opted for a different workout setting but, luckily I had brought a snack. I popped a few of these in, here and there through my workout and loved them. The fact that they didn't stick to my teeth was amazing!! I didn't spend extra time picking gloppy gummy funk from my teeth, that is a MAJOR PLUS for me. They are small little bite sized balls of flavor and they satisfied me through the smells of pizza as I finished my leg day routine.

If you asked me to recommend a good chew, I honestly would not be able to give you a fair answer. I have only ever tried one other that a friend gave me and they stuck to my teeth, so I didn't like them and haven't tried any others besides these. However, if you asked me "Are Honey Stinger Chews good?" I can tell you "Yes! They are rest and fruity and I love them fresh from the fridge!" I may even buy them on occasion. (My heart is sold on the waffles.)

I am absolutely sold on these products. I was pleasantly surprised by what I received in my sample box and I will definitely open my choices beyond the Honey Stinger Waffles in the future. The ingredients of these products are, in my opinion, top notch. I know some people don't do caffeine of any kind and that everyone has an opinion of ingredients so I provided the list from the honey stinger site directly, except the chews and I unfortunately did not think to take a picture of it before I tossed the bag. I hope that you guys enjoyed my first review and I hope to bring you more reviews in the future. Until then…

Peddle on my friends and may the Shenanigan's be full of laughs!