It is amazing to me how few athletes take the time to understand nutrition. Many athletes would discover that with proper nutrition, they will feel much better during training and racing.
Most dietitians recommended that athletes consume 200 – 400 calories per hour during activity. There are a variety of sources, formulas and brands from which athletes can choose to fulfill their nutrition needs. One of my absolute favorite brands for performance nutrition is Clif Bar & Company’s Shot line. Many people know Clif Bar for their, well, bars. But the company has rapidly expanded into a variety of sports related nutrition products.
A few of things I love about Clif Bar & Company as a whole:
- All Natural Ingredients (That means absolutely NO artificial anything).
- They source as much organic ingredients as possible (Usually in the range of 60 – 90%).
- They only put ingredients into their products that serve a nutritional purpose.
- A strong commitment to the environment – protecting the places we love to train and race.
One of Clif’s best performance nutrition products is the Shot Bloks. These Bloks of goodness are like eating candy – seriously. There are 8 delicious flavors to choose from and they come 6 bloks to a pack (2 servings). Shot Bloks are specifically formulated to help replenish your bodies carbohydrates and electrolytes. Like all Clif products, they are made out of all natural goodness and the Bloks are 90% organic.
The Clif Bloks are a great option for the athlete who doesn’t enjoy squirting a gel into his mouth. Many people dislike the gooey texture of a gel, and then having to swallow all that goop is also a little too much to stomach for some. I personally dislike how the gels get all over your fingers, face and jersey pockets. Thankfully the Bloks work exactly the same from a nutritional standpoint – although they do take a little bit longer to get into your system than gels.
3 Bloks is equivalent to a single gel, and has 100 calories. So those that like to be a little O.C.D. about measuring calorie consumption – this is your dream come true. I also like the fact that you can throw them in your jersey pocket and they don’t get sticky or melt. I had a pocketful in a race I did in 90 degree weather, and they didn’t leave stickiness anywhere, it was great.
I also love being able to easily and quickly put them in your mouth with little hassle and mess. It is recommended that you consume the Bloks with water. Each package contains two servings or 6 Bloks. Also, their newer packaging, dubbed the “Fastpak” allows you to quickly and easily get the Bloks out.
The Bottom Line ~
You can’t go wrong with Clif Shot Bloks. This is a great product that you’ll enjoy using in training and racing. They taste great and are made with all-natural ingredients. It comes in 6 great flavors, with several caffeinated options and a 3x the Sodium option – for those who find themselves cramping up more often. Look for Shot Bloks at Amazon, REI, Whole Foods, Running Stores and other athletic shops. They retail for $1.99 (That’s one dollar per serving) so they are very affordable for athlete’s on any budget.
Pingback: Clif Shot Electrolyte Replacement Drink Review « Endurance Reviews | Triathlon, Cycling, and Running Product Reviews
Pingback: Junk Food Nutrition « Endurance Reviews | Triathlon, Cycling, and Running Product Reviews
I used these during the American Birkebeiner XC Ski Race this past weekend. They provided a great boost and the Black Cherry flavor went down well. The only problem I had was during my second serving about 2 hours into the race, the Bloks were a little frozen. I guess that was to be expected with the temperature in the 20s, but they were a little hard to get down. I use them during them during the summer as well during bikes and runs, and I absolutely love them.