*Now please remember that I'm not a doctor by any means so always consult your physician before trying any kind of new product*
I was introduced to Arbonne back in January and I knew nothing about them. A bunch of friends met up for a happy hour a one of my favorite hotel restaurants so my fellow marathon runner, Lisa, could share these amazing products with us. A little background on Arbonne is that they are a 36 year old Swiss company that makes lifestyle products: skincare, hair care, baby care, nutrition care, and more. What peaked my interest was that all their products are vegan (so no animal byproducts either); made with all non-GMO ingredients; contains no dairy, gluten, soy, or refined sugars; and no artificial anything, just good plant-based products.Now I am not a vegan in any sense however I do respect the philosophy. I limit red meat consumption and try to eat as many vegetables as I can because I know that's going to be beneficial. I was vegetarian for over two years, but once I started running I knew I was going to need to start eating meat again to help my muscles repair. I know being a vegan marathon runner is totally doable, but it just wasn't my thing.
What's awesome about these products are that they can be bought together for one complete set or individually. There is the Prepare & Endure, Complete Hydration, and After Workout. So I tend to use more Prepare & Endure than Complete Hydration, so it's nice that I can just buy more of one without having to buy them all.
The Prepare & Endure, tropical berry flavored, is used to maintain energy levels throughout your workout, and tastes like Orange Pineapple. It has good carbohydrates in it that release slower into your body to prevent the ups and downs of energy crashes. Amino acids are added to help support the production and circulation of nitric oxide so that your organs can get more of what they need and get rid of what they don't. It also contains a mixture of Cayenne (no spice flavor at all!), ginseng, turmeric, and pomegranate which are all antioxidants to help prevent free radical damage during exercise.
The Complete Hydration is designed to be consumed during or after exercise. These are pre-portioned packets that you mix into water. I like to mix mine in warm water that way it will dissolve better. It contain 6 electrolytes to support optimal hydration in muscles, as well as Vitamin C to prevent free radical damage, and good carbs to sustain energy levels. I will take it with me while I run most of the time because I'm running in the Maui heat so I need the extra electrolytes. However I do drink it after a shorter run when I'm not exposed to the elements.
The After Workout is my favorite of the three products. Its a delicious mixed berry flavor and the pomegranate really comes out. This one is also super essential after a long run too because it has a 2-1-1 amino acid chain to help start the recovery and repair process right away. Again the ginseng, turmeric, and cayenne are added to help relieve muscle soreness and prevent free radical damage.
The first race I ran while using these products was the Run for the Whales 10K back in January. If you've read my race review at the following link :http://www.bibrave.com/races/run-walk-for-the-whales/4539#.VtyDDfkrKhc then you will know that this was an intense race for me. I missed the halfway point turnaround and returned with a vengeance finishing 11th overall and 1st in my age division. I can honestly say that these products kept my body working and running properly the whole time. I even managed a PR of 48:19 as well! So that was enough for me to put my faith in these products.
If you're interested in these products you can find them using the following link: http://ChristopherMcmanus.arbonne.com/ then in the nutrition tab. on the website.
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