Hey friend,

I've been sick for about a week and a half now 🫣

Lochlyn brought home some nasty respiratory bug from school and it worked its way through the family one by one until it finally landed on me.

So I haven’t lifted or run in almost two weeks.

And here’s the thing...that’s OK.

Lifting or running while my body is fighting something like this would only drag the whole ordeal out longer. So instead I’ve focused on eating well and hitting my step goal when I feel up to it.

It’s sick season. Most of us are going to get hit once or twice, and when it happens, don’t get down on yourself and don’t freak out.

A couple weeks of downtime will not make or break ANYTHING.

Give yourself grace, recover, then hit it hard when you’re ready.

Now, here’s this week’s newsletter 👇🏻

Costco Has A Ridiculous Deal On The

Best Protein Bar Around

David Bars are relatively new to the protein bar market, and frankly there’s NO other bar that comes close nutritionally.

Around 150 calories with a whopping 28 grams of protein. And they taste amazing.

The downside? They’re usually VERY pricey. Here in Indiana they run about $4.50 at a gas station, and at least $3-$3.50 a bar if you buy a box at Walmart or Amazon.

But while I was shopping at Costco this week, I spotted a 12-count box for $24.99 🤯

That’s $2.08 a bar.

Factoring in price per gram of protein — for a bar that actually tastes good — that might be the best protein bar bargain I’ve ever seen.

So if you want the highest protein, lowest calorie bar on the market, check your local Costco. I seriously doubt you’ll find a better deal anywhere.

4 Low Calorie Beverages To

Keep You From Grazing Between Meals

The time between meals is where a lot of people get tripped up.

Call it boredom, call it real hunger, call it whatever you want — but if you’re not careful you can graze yourself right out of a calorie deficit and undo a whole week of progress.

One of my biggest personal cheat codes has been keeping a handful of great-tasting, near-zero-calorie beverages on hand to lean on between meals. They satisfy me and keep me out of the pantry.

Here are my four:

1️⃣ Coffee with Premier Protein

This is what I start my day with in place of breakfast. I’d rather skip breakfast and enjoy a bigger lunch and dinner, so this gives me a little something in the morning and keeps me satisfied for hours.

All you need is a cup of coffee, a splash of your favorite flavor of Premiere Protein or any other ready to drink protein shake for creamer, and add any zero calorie sweetener as needed.

The caffeine from the coffee also works as an appetite suppressant.  

2. Any Zero Sugar Pop

This one used to be really controversial, but recent studies have relieved many of the concerns that people once had around health risks of the artificial sweeteners and other ingredients in diet pop.  

By and large the entire industry is coming around to the realization that diet pop is an incredibly effective way to stave off cravings while hydrating because they are mostly made up of water.  

Plus, again, the caffiene is an appetite suppressan.  

3. Dirty Zero Sugar Pop AKA Diet Pop + Sugar Free Syprups

Dirty soda has become a bit of a culteral thing as of late with dirty pop stands popping up at most fairs and festivals in my neck of the woods.  

A dirty pop is essentially just a pop with flavored syrups added.

My favorite thing to do is to mix Diet Pepsi or Coke Zero with Jordan's Skinny Syrup's Cherry Syrup.  This combo of zero calorie pop with almost zero calorie flavoring really hits the spot and gives you the taste of something "special".  Jordan's has a VAST array of different flavors to choose from so you can really make just about any zero sugar dirty pop your mind can cook up.  

4. Skinny Mockaritas

Another favorite of mine is to make my own Skinny Mockaritas.  

All you need is diet tonic water, sugar free margarita mix, a packet or two of stevia or Splenda, and a water flavoring packet if you want a special flavor. 

My go to recipe is 1 small can of Great Value diet tonic water over ice, a splash of Jose Cuervo Light Margarita Mix to taste, 2 packets of Splenda, and 1 packet of Strawberry Crystal Light water flavoring for a Strawberry Mockarita.  

It REALLY hits the spot of an evening when I might crave an alcoholic beverage of some kind.