Effective exercise is hard WORK, and the last thing you want to do after a sunny outdoor workout is to undo all of your efforts to become healthier by scarfing a snack that’s not as good for you as its snappy packaging promises. Having fallen victim too many times before ourselves to food pretending to be healthy, we decided to search for some bars that will actually give you the protein your muscles need without processed ingredients and extra sugars. Scroll on to read more about 10 of our tasty, tried and true faves.
1. Coffee Chocolate RX Bar ($26, box of 12): No morning cup of joe? No problem! Get a latte lover’s fix with this great bar, which packs an impressive 12 grams of protein from seven ingredients — including real coffee beans.
2. Julian Bakery Glazed Donut Paleo Protein Bar: This isn’t exactly the same as the donut you’ve been craving, but it should help to take the edge off! Bonus: You definitely don’t need to follow the Paleo diet to indulge in this after-exercise meal replacement.
3. Wild Blueberry Pure Bar ($22, box of 12): The generous portion of blueberries packed into this bar gives it a major boost of antioxidants, which are ultra-healthy for your cells. Berry bliss!
4. Health Warrior Chocolate Peanut Butter Health Warrior Chia Bar ($22, box of 15): This 100-calorie chia bar is light enough to actually serve as a snack, rather than a meal replacement. Don’t be fooled though — it’s still chock full of beneficial ingredients, like 1000mg of Omega 3.
5. Tumeric, Ginger and Beet Lara Bar ($34, box of 15): Tumeric is one of the best things a gal can give her body, with benefits that include an ability to ease PMS pain and act as an anti-inflammatory. Paired with ginger and beets, this raw food bar promises you 200 calories worth of superfoods.
6. Chocolate Coconut Zing Bar ($32, box of 12): Coconut lovers will adore this chocolate-covered bar, which tastes like a decadent dessert. Coated with REAL dark chocolate, this bar also has a mighty 10 grams of protein, which makes it so much better than giving into a candy bar craving.
7. KIND Cashew and Ginger Spice Bar ($100, box of 72): Kind Bars can be high in sugar, but this version has only 4 grams — in addition to cashew and ginger, two ingredients with a ton of health benefits. Though the protein content is lower in this treat than others on our list, the calorie count is too. Have this one with a piece of fruit and you’ll be good to go.
8. Quest Nutrition Cookies and Cream QuestBar ($25, box of 12): We scream for cookies and cream! If you can get over the aftertaste that some find strange, you’ll love this bar, which is incredibly low in sugar and net carbs. Made for athletes and fitness pros, the bar has a whopping 21 grams of protein and is high in fiber too.
9. YAWP! Naked Bar ($34, box of 12): The “Naked” bar is exactly what it sounds like, a nutritious source of post-workout fuel — without much else! Grain-free, this bar’s base is created with just organic dates, sunflower seeds and almonds. It’s also low in sugar and under 200 calories, just like the four other flavors which include our all-time fave, cinnamon.
10. Gutsey Bar New Hampshire — Eat Clean, Live Free or Die — Cashew, Quinoa and Cherry ($35, box of 12): Baked with love on the East Coast, Gutsey Bars are vegan, gluten and GMO free. Repping a few northern states, the healthy bars come in unique flavors like this cashew/quinoa/cherry mix. We love the dark chocolate “Boston” flavor too!
Which of these bars do you think sounds the best? Tweet us about it @BritandCo!
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.