BCAA's: The Ultimate Muscle Building, Soreness Reducing Supplement

What if I told you there was a supplement that could help YOU pack on huge new slabs of muscle, maintain that muscle mass while dieting and doing cardio, and also reduce post-exercise muscular soreness...all without any side-effects or negative health impact. Interested?

Take BCAA's. They'll change fitness and weight-lifting as you know it.

The branched chain amino acids (BCAA's) are a group of three essential amino acids: l-leucine, l-valine, and l-isoleucine. An essential amino acid (there are 9 of them in the body) is any amino acid that can't be made by the body naturally, which means that they have to come from dietary protein. BCAA's are the only amino acids that are metabolized in the muscle itself (all of the others are metabolized in the liver), and make up about 35% of muscle tissue.

During intense training the BCAA's serve as a major source of fuel for the body--when you're BCAA stores are depleted your body starts breaking down precious muscle tissue...no bueno. BCAA's also signal the release of insulin, which allows the body to absorb any circulating amino acids and glucose for energy. They're absolutely critical for the development and maintenance of muscle tissue. I can't stress that enough.

You've probably been ingesting BCAA's longer than you ever would've thought...they're a component of most foods that have protein. Although the protein you eat throughout the day provides a decent amount of BCAA's, that's not nearly enough to get a significant benefit.

I'm talking about supplemental amounts flooding through the blood stream, filling up all of the thirsty muscles that are craving some BCAA love...I want a BCAA TSUNAMI!!

The Benefits:

• Better Recovery, Less Soreness - No one likes being sore after a crazy intense workout...it sucks. One of the most powerful effects of BCAA's is their ability to drastically decrease muscle soreness and increase recovery time. A recent study from the University of Birmingham tested the impact of BCAA's on muscle soreness and found that "ratings of muscle soreness in the quadriceps muscle were significantly lower 48 to 72 hours after exercise in the BCAA group." (1) I take BCAA's religiously...It's insane how much more sore I get when I run out.
• Enhanced Protein Synthesis, Bigger Muscle Gains - Protein's pretty much useless if the body isn't able to effectively digest, absorb, and synthesize it into muscle/other tissue. When the body's under immense stress (i.e. during a workout) it calls on BCAA's to be released for fuel, which stops protein synthesis. By supplementing with BCAA's, especially during a workout, you can eliminate the need to release BCAA's from muscle tissue, therefore keeping protein synthesis revved up at a high gear. 
• More Muscle Gain... - BCAA's increase levels of testosterone, HGH, and insulin -- all of which are extremely anabolic (they promote the development of new tissue). That means new muscle. HGH and testosterone are also responsible for reducing levels of body fat.
• Prevent Muscle Breakdown (Catabolism) - Plain and simple, when you supplement with BCAA's your body doesn't have to break down muscle tissue for energy. The BCAA's are a major source of fuel during intense exercise, especially after glycogen stores (stored carbohydrates in the muscles) have been completely emptied. Drinking BCAA's before/during exercise is a great way to ensure that your hard-earned, beefy muscle isn't being broken down for fuel.
• A lot of people who "cut" (diet and do a lot of cardio to reduce body fat %) typically have tremendous difficulty maintaining their muscle mass while losing fat. Supplementing with BCAA's is a phenomenally effective way to preserve muscle while burning fat, especially if you do long cardio sessions.
• Boosts Endurance - Once glycogen stores (stored carbohydrates) are depleted the body starts to get really weak and it fatigues. Fortunately, BCAA's can be quickly converted into glucose, stored as glycogen, and then used as energy to bang out the last few sets.
• Another cool benefit. In the body, BCAA's and tryptophan fight for the same receptors in the brain. If levels of BCAA's in the body are low, more tryptophan is able to enter the brain as a result. This is really important because tryptophan is a precursor to seratonin -- a neurotransmitter that causes people to feel relaxed, sleepy, and weak. Supplementing with BCAA's = more BCAA's = less tryptophan & serotonin = awake, alert, and strong. 
• Increased Immunity - Noone likes being sick. BCAA's can help preserve stored glutamine, an amino acid that's critical to immune function.

In short...BCAA's are the key to entering BEAST-MODE. Unleash the beast!!!!

How Much and When Should I Take BCAA's?

BCAA's are optimal directly pre-workout, during a workout, and anytime later in the day post-workout. I highly recommended drinking BCAA's during any workout session that lasts longer than 1 hour, as you'll start breaking down muscle tissue to be used as fuel.

Take 3-10g of BCAA's split-up throughout the course of the day, in addition to your daily protein requirement. BCAA formulas should always be in the ratio of 2:1:1 (leucine:isoleucine:valine).

I'm currently using Scivation Xtend...it's a phenomenal product and by far the best BCAA brand I've ever used. It tastes awesome (watermelon's the best), it's inexpensive for a BCAA product @ ~ $50 for 90 servings, and it works stupidly well. It also has l-glutamine, another amino acid that's really strong at decreasing soreness/enhancing recovery...the BCAA/Glutamine 1-2 punch is potent. It's also nice that they don't add in any unnecessary filler ingredients or stimulants.

Optimum Nutrition's BCAA powder is another solid option that's unflavored, if you're looking to go the super natural route. Just mix it with water or add it to a protein shake.

1. Med Science Sports Exercise; 2010, Vol. 42, No. 5, 962-70  7KYKDPZ2ETMM

Build Muscle and Blast Fat with Protein Powder

Ph721 asked, "What are your thoughts on protein powder?"


Protein powder's pretty much a must-use if you're at all concerned with building muscle or maintaining the muscle you already have. Honestly, I even recommend drinking protein shakes if building muscle isn't your concern. Assuming you choose a protein powder that's low in artificial additives, fat, carbs, and sugar (I love Optimum Nutrition's Chocolate Whey Protein), a protein shake makes a phenomenal low-cal snack. Not only are shakes low-cal, but the high protein content reduces hunger levels and creates a powerful thermogenic effect--protein burns about 30% of its calories simply through digestion!

Drinking a protein shake right before bed is also a great way to elevate your metabolism and prevent muscle catabolism (muscle breakdown) while you're sleeping. Woo...more calories burned! Oh by the way...shakes with milk taste pretty freaking delicious and you can customize them in realistically any way you want, try adding a banana, fresh fruit, or some natural peanut butter...mmmm heavenly and healthy.

For everyone else whose primary concern is building new slabs of muscle, protein powder offers a ton of awesome benefits:

• Convenience. Throw one scoop in a shaker bottle, mix it with water and you've got all the protein you need to refuel post-workout.
• Affordable. Most standard protein powders offer about 72 scoops @ 24g of protein per scoop for about $40, canned tuna and eggs are the next cheapest forms of protein, while chicken and beef are the most expensive. That's about 2 cents per gram...
• Complete. Protein powder offers the full spectrum of amino acids, which is critical for muscle growth, muscle recovery, and a variety of other important bodily functions. Other sources of protein, typically veggies, are incomplete protein sources and contain only a few of the amino acids.
• High-quality. I think the coolest thing about whey protein powder is that it's higher in quality than any other protein source. Compared to every other protein source, whey protein is the best absorbed and utilized by your body...perfect for building new tissue, bone, and muscle. If you're curious about numbers and ratings (the biological value) of specific types of proteins check out http://www.bodybuildingpro.com/proteinrating.html.
• There are different types for different purposes. The two major types of protein powders you'll see marketed are whey and casein, or some blend of the two. Put simply: whey is fast digesting/absorbing, casein is slow digesting/absorbing. Whey is the way to go right after a crazy intense workout as a way of shuttling protein to your hungry muscles as fast as possible. Casein is ideal as a snack or before bed--casein clumps up in your stomach and provides a slow release of amino acids over a couple of hours. That slow release of amino acids is ridiculously powerful at suppressing appetite and keeping your muscles nourished for a few hours. 

With all of that said there are two really important things to remember about protein:

1. Protein powder is still a supplement, it's not a substitute for real food. Try to make at least half of the protein you eat every day come from whole food sources. 
2. You only need 1 scoop at a time. Your body can only biosynthesize about 30g of protein at any one time...there's no need to drink a shake with 2 or 3 scoops. Using any more than one scoop is overkill and the excess protein will just be converted into fat 

I personally use and love Optimum Nutrition's Whey Protein. It's high-quality, low on carbs/fat/sugar, inexpensive, has no artificial flavors, and has very few additives...it's pretty much as natural as you're gonna get when it comes to protein powder. It tastes really good too. Cytosport's 100% Whey is also another great option. Happy protein-ing and packing on muscle soooooooooo much more easily than you ever knew you could!

What's Hot: Neuro Drinks

Whenever I think about sports performance drinks, Vitaminwater is always one of the first brands to pop into my head. I love the stuff, especially the zero-cal version. Interestingly though, just a few years ago Vitaminwater was a relatively unknown brand that was giving out free samples just to gain visibility and acceptance. Look how much it's exploded since then...it's already entered the top-5 selling sports performance drinks worldwide. Lets be serious, you know you're popular as hell when you're using The Situation in your commercials (if you haven't seen it yet click to watch the commercial here). Looking back at Vitaminwater's ascension to the top of the sports drink world, its one of those things that you look at and tell yourself: "man, why didn't I jump on board sooner."


With Vitaminwater's explosion in mind, I think I've found the next HUGE drink on the market. If you've never had a Neuro, or don't know what Neuro is, keep listening. This stuff is going to blow up, and it's going to blow up in a big, big way.

Neuro Drinks is a new line of low-calorie, lightly carbonated, functional drinks that serve to elicit a wide range of effects, including heightened mental functioning, sexual performance, and better sleep. I LOVEEEEEE me some Neuro. Not only are there only 35 calories per bottle, but the stuff tastes incredible with only a minimal amount of added sugar. More importantly, Neuro works for each of its intended functions. I can't think of another product that so perfectly blends low calories, amazing and unique taste, and such powerful functional performance...it's pretty magical. Neuro's cool, really different and unique from other drinks available, and the bottle's straight up awesome. The fact that they're using JT, Amanda Beard, and Lady Gaga to embody the essence of their brand is just too cool, literally. 

Neuro currently comes in 7 flavors, each of which has its own unique blend of scientifically-backed ingredients to produce a very different functional benefit. The flavors include: Bliss, Gasm, Sonic, Aqua, Sport, Sleep, and Trim.

• NeuroBliss: Bliss does what it's name says...it promotes happiness, relaxation, and stress reduction. It contains hydroxytryptophan (tryptophan's in turkey, which is why eating it at Thanksgiving always makes you drowsy) and L-theanine, amino acids that promote relaxation and a calm feeling. I've used Bliss before big presentations to chill out and relax, it's definitely helped me present in a more calm, more controlled way.
• NeuroGasm: Gasm promotes better sexual health, but it also supports better circulation and blood flow. In effect, Gasm is basically a less intense pre-workout drink. It has l-arginine, l-citrulline, and l-norvaline which all enhance blood flow, as well as caffeine and l-carnitine to boost energy levels. Carnitine also increases lipolysis, which helps your body burn more calories from fat. Gasm's a great option before a killer workout to increase strength and endurance. Oh yeah, it's good before sex too...can someone say liquid viagra? Stuff works well. 
• NeuroSonic: Sonic is probably my favorite Neuro, it's so functional and works incredibly well. It's intended to boost memory, concentration, cognitive performance, and attention. Sonic contains taurine, caffeine, carnitine, and theanine for enhanced mental function, as well as resveratrol for heart health (it's one of the antioxidants in wine). It's basically a less intense energy drink, but with the same effects and no crash. I've used Sonic a lot to study for tests, to enhance focus during a workout, or just as a pick-me-up...it's powerful and puts you IN THE ZONE. It really makes you feel incredible. 
• NeuroSleep: Sleep promotes better sleep quality. In my experience, Sleep knocks you the hell out and you stay out. Sleep contains magnesium, hydroxytryptophan, theanine, and melatonin--four powerful ingredients that increase relaxation, sleep quality, and normalize sleep cycles. If you're having problem sleeping, NeuroSleep is definitely worth a shot.
• NeuroTrim: Trim is designed as a solution for healthy weight loss. It works by significantly curbing appetite, revving up metabolism, blocking the absorption of sugar into fat cells, and increasing the usage of body fat for energy. Drinking Trim before meals is a great way to reduce the amount of calories you eat.
• NeuroAqua: I've never had Aqua, so I can't comment on its flavor, but for the most part it seems like purified water.
• NeuroSport: Sport is Neuro's version of Gatorade. Sport has the ideal level of sugar for an intra-workout drink, plus it contains the electrolytes calcium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, and potassium, which help support healthy fluid balance and hydration. Interestingly, Sport also has calcium which can help increase the strength of muscle contractions. Sport's great for anyone who participates in athletics and wants that extra burst of energy, an extra bit of strength, or the hydration to keep you going and going. 

Whether you're trying to get pumped up for a kickass workout, studying endlessly for a test, trying to get a good nights sleep,  or just want a delcious, low-cal drink, Neuro is the way to go. Go pick up a Neuro and join the phenomenon that's about to hit the nation, if not the world, hard.


You can get more info about Neuro at their site, http://drinkneuro.com. Amazon also sells Neuro cheap here.

Product Spotlight: Naturally More Peanut Butter

If I were ever to have a love affair with a food, I think Naturally More would probably be one of my top choices. This stuff is HOT baby!

Choosing a healthy, but delicious peanut butter is a really sticky topic. Most processed PBs like JIF and Skippy are loaded with added sugars and partially hydrogenated oils (aka trans fats), but they taste ridiculously good and are easy to spread. Adding all that crap is a great way to turn an extremely heart-healthy food into a dessert. On the other hand, If you're trying to be healthy and go for the natural kind you often have to deal with an oily mess that doesn't taste all that great. What's a PB connoisseur supposed to do? 

BAM...enter Naturally More. Not only is this stuff uber healthy, even more so than completely natural PB, it's probably the best tasting PB I've ever tried...even better than the sugary, processed brands.

Normally, PB is a fantastic source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and fiber (complements of the peanuts). Naturally More takes heart health to a new level by adding in my favorite food...dun dun dun...flaxseeds! (If you don't know much about flaxseeds or why I absolutely love them you can check out my post about them here). Flaxseeds contribute high fiber content, disease-fighting antioxidants, and really high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids--fatty acids that lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), raise HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), and lower blood pressure. They're best known for their high levels in salmon and oily fish.

I also love how egg whites and wheat germ are a part of the ingredient blend. What a unique combo. The egg whites bump up the protein content to 10g per serving!! That's almost double the amount of protein in typical peanut butter brands. Additionally, wheat germ provides over 50% of the DV for folic acid, which is critical to new cell development and growth. 

All in all Naturally More is as good as it's gonna get when it comes to peanut butter. Not only does it have powerful omega-3s + 6s, antioxidants, fiber, folic acid, and a ton of muscle building protein, but it also tastes awesome. It's got a hearty, smooth, lightly sweet taste with a delicate crunch. It's pretty much perfection in a jar.

If there was one problem with Naturally More it would be that it's a little tricky to find. Some supermarkets carry it and others don't, I really can't figure it out. Look in the PB aisle of random supermarkets and you'll find it eventually. If you happen to come across it magically, take it as a sign from me and pick up a jar. 

iFitness, Your Workout Buddy

I'm about to introduce you to your very own personal workout buddy. If you haven't already heard about it, the iFitness app for the iPhone/iTouch is one of the best complements to any workout program. It offers a complete workout encyclopedia that's portable, electronic, and easy to use. 

One of the most important principles of weight training is the principle of progressive resistance. In short, the only way for your body to get stronger and/or build more muscle is if you challenge it to lift more than it's accustomed to. For example, if every time you bench you lift 150 pounds, never any more, your body would get really freaking good at benching 150, but you wouldn't get any closer to hitting 160. Your body adapts to lifting 150 pounds, but it won't get any stronger/bigger in the process. This is commonly referred to as a plateau.

A workout log is the best way to ensure that you're constantly progressing and lifting more weight. Typically I advocate bringing a notebook to the gym and writing down all of the exercises, sets, and the weights you've used. By writing everything down you can refer back to it during your next workout and build off of your past workouts. But lets be realistic, no one wants to carry around a stupid notebook and write everything down...it's just not practical or easy. That's where iFitness comes it. 

Functions + Features

Home Screen with Muscle Diagram

1. Design your own workouts. iFitness contains a library of over 100 different exercises searchable by body part. It also gives you the option to add your own exercises that may not be in the database. Using these exercises you can build and store custom workout programs that precisely fit your exercise needs.

2. Exercise pictures and videos. For each pre-programmed exercise, iFitness provides a picture and video demonstrating the proper form. If you ever forget how to do an exercise correctly you can quickly pull up a picture/video to refer to.

3. Log your workouts. iFitness lets you log every single rep, set, and exercise electronically. It also gives you easy access to past exercise logs so that you can quickly view how much you lifted for a specific exercise in past workouts. 

Log your workouts

4. Track and analyze your progress. Aside from simply looking at past logs, iFitness has built in graphs so that you can visually see how much you've progressed over the course of a few workouts. It also offers an export to excel feature if you wish to analyze the logs further. 

5. Rest timer. iFitness has built in rest timers for 60 and 180 seconds directly on the exercise tab.


6. Library of routines. iFitness comes pre-programmed with 20 different exercise programs aimed at a variety of different goals. Programs include: ab defining, weight loss, muscle building, strength building, business travel, expert golf, baseball conditioning, and others.  


7. Weight and body measurements tracker. Track your weight, body fat %, and body part measurements electronically. It also allows you to upload photos for "before and after" use. 


8. BMI calculator. Easily enter your height, age and sex, and weight to get your BMI. 

Track your progress

In my experience iFitness is the most comprehensive and versatile workout app available. Get it on iTunes here for the low price of $1.99.

Study on the Effectiveness of Toning Shoes

Have you ever seen the wacky commercials for Sketcher's "Shape-Ups" with Joe Montana. They're pretty funny, and they seem to promise a good product. Shape-Ups, and other toning shoes such as MBT's Masai Barefoot Technology and Reebok's EasyTone make claims such as: 

"burn more calories, tone muscles, improve posture, reduce joint stress" and "it's the shoe proven to work your hamstrings and calves up to 11 percent harder. And tones your butt up to 28 percent more than regular sneakers just by walking." 

Toning shoes function based on an unbalanced sole design, which forces the wearer to work harder to stabilize their body and balance. This theory is strikingly similar to the concept of using free weights vs. machines. Lifting free weights actually requires more force output and activates more muscles because it requires the lifter to balance and stabilize the weight, whereas with machines there is no stabilization or balance component. Regardless, I'm skeptical of any "magic exercise device" that promises extraordinary results and wanted to investigate further. Come on, shoes that are specifically designed to tone your ass and legs, reduce cellulite, improve posture, and burn extra calories? Sounds like bulls!*% to me. Luckily, my personal training organization, ACE, recently published a study looking at the effectiveness of these shoes.


The Study:
ACE compared Shape-Ups, EasyTone, MBT, and running shoes across five criteria: muscle activation in six regions of the body (gastrocnemius-calves, rectus femoris-quads, biceps femoris-hamstrings, gluteus maximus-butt, erector spinae-spine muscles/posture, and rectus abdominis-abs), caloric expenditure, heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion (subjective evaluation of how hard you think you're working, scale from 1-10) and oxygen consumption. ACE conducted two sub-experiments, the first testing muscle activation and the second testing the other four criteria. Twelve physically active females aged 19-27 were selected for each study (24 total) and were each required to complete twelve, five-minute exercise trials. Subjects walked on a treadmill for five minutes wearing each type of shoe at random under three conditions: 3.0 mph with no incline, 3.5 mph with no incline, and 3.5mph with a 5% grade incline. Muscle activation was measured in each location using electromyography (aka electrodes). 

Results: 

The results from the first test revealed no statistically significant differences between the four pairs of shoes. Under each of the three exercise conditions heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (VO2, an indicator of how hard you're working), calories burnt (kcal/min), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were nearly identical across the four types of shoes. 

The second test measured muscle activation based on MVIC (maximum voluntary isometric contractions). Although some individual muscle groups showed minor differences, as a whole muscle activation was identical across the four types of shoes. At times the results favored running shoes, and at times they favored different toning shoes, but none of the results were statistically significant enough to prove effectiveness.

Although the study only tested 24 subjects, the results showed virtually no differences between different types of toning shoes and running shoes. Typically toning shoes can run $100-$250. Save your money and invest it elsewhere, toning shoes aren't worth it.


If you would like to see the full study report please visit:
http://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/720/will-toning-shoes-really-give-you-a-better-body/?utm_source=Certified%2BNews&utm_medium=email&utm_term=July%2B2010&utm_campaign=Certified%2BNews&CMP=EMC-CertifiedNews_0710#

Larabars Vs. Clif Bars, What's Healthier?

Every month Men's Health magazine features a segment called "Eat This, Not That!," which puts two similar foods or beverages  into a head-to-head battle royale, and compares them based on their health benefits. I love this article because it exposes an unhealthy food and simultaneously unveils the health benefits of an extremely similar alternative. These subtle differences often go unnoticed, but realistically they can make a huge difference. For example, look at Vitaminwater Zero vs. Gatorade G2. Although both are low-calorie thirst quenchers, the first is sweetened with all-natural Stevia and is loaded with B vitamins and vitamin C, while the latter is virtually all sugar. Switching to Vitaminwater Zero can have a big impact on your health and weight.


In the spirit of Men's Health I'm going to do my own "Eat This, Not That!"


The contestants? Larabars vs. Clif Bars. In our rapidly changing, fast-paced world the importance of supplements, bars, and other meal replacements has skyrocketed. The problem with the majority of these products is that they're loaded with sugar, fat, artificial sweeteners, and other crap that can reak havoc on human health. Everyone is bound to rely on bars, drinks, and supplements at some point--it's simply not practical to eat whole food at every meal. Meal replacements can be healthy in moderation, the key is finding which one's are truly good for you. They're out there, you just need to do a little searching.


"Larabar vs. Clif Bar"

What the hell is a Larabar? Larabars are all-natural bars made from a combination of unsweetened fruits, nuts, and spices--and nothing more. Larabars are made from 100% whole foods, and contain no added sugar, preservatives, or artificial flavors. Each bar has no more than 8 ingredients. Another plus is that they're suitable for any lifestyle; they're gluten free, dairy free, soy free, kosher, vegan, and non-gmo (genetically modified). They're the gold standard of the pre-packaged food market.

What about Clif Bars? Clif Bars are high performance energy bars designed for long lasting performance in athletic events, specifically cycling, climbing, and other outdoor endurance sports. They're made from whole, all-natural, organic ingredients, and contain over 20 vitamins & minerals.

Overall Grades

Categories	Larabar	Clif Bar
Health, Satiety	X
Performance/Energy		X
Taste	X
Flavors		X
Consistency	X
Cost	X	X

1.  Health - Larabar



Larabar Label (Apple Pie)















• Larabar, 9/10. What's not to love about the Larabar? The only ingredients in the apple pie version are dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon. There are no artificial sweeteners, added sugar, preservatives, chemicals..NOTHING!! The energy provided is 100% all-natural, straight from real food. Larabars are loaded with heart-healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats, 4g of protein, as well as 5g of dietary fiber. Although the sugar content is fairly high, it's derived from unsweetened apples. Larabars also contain a nice blend of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, folic acid, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, and copper. For only 190 calories Larabars are incredibly filling and can help control blood sugar levels.
• Clif Bar, 5/10: Although Clif Bars are marketed as a health food, realistically they're closer to a candy bar with a health kick. On the positive side they're made from whole, organic ingredients, have high fiber content, and have a plethora of vitamins and minerals. That sounds really nutritious, but when you dig a little deeper you start to figure out where Clif went wrong. Take a look at the ingredient list:
• (Organic Brown Rice Syrup, ClifPro® (Soy Rice Crisps [Soy Protein Isolate, Rice Flour, Barley Malt Extract], Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour), Walnuts, Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Toasted Oats (Organic Oats, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice), Organic Diced Bananas (Organic Bananas, Organic Rice Flour), Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Chocolate Chips (Evaporated Cane Juice, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors), ClifCrunch® (Organic Oat Fiber, Inulin [Chicory Extract], Organic Milled Flaxseed, Organic Oat Bran, Psyllium), Organic Banana Powder, Organic Soy Butter, Organic Date Paste, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Cinnamon.) 
• There are over 30 ingredients, most of which are sugar, sugar, and more sugar! Compare that to Larabars which are made from only 3-8 ingredients and have zero added sugar. The first ingredient is sugar (which means that sugar is the primary ingredient), there are at least three references to organic evaporated cane juice (sugar), and it's even topped off with chocolate chips.  Although some of the ingredients are healthy on their own, the entire concoction has far too much added sugar and soy, which is anything BUT a health food. Soy is GMO, pumped with hormones, has been shown to increase estrogen levels, inhibits the body's uptake of nutrients, and in some cases is loaded with toxic metals left behind in the manufacturing process. 240 calories is fairly high for a bar that is not all that filling.
2. Performance/Energy - Clif Bar
• Larabar, 6.5/10. Larabars are a good source of sustained energy that can help bridge the gap between meals or prep for an endurance sporting event. They're great for curbing appetite. The one drawback is that they're not great for sports performance during or post-exercise.
• Clif Bar, 9/10. Clif Bar's blend of sugar, complex carbs, and protein is a great combination before, after, or during exercise. Eating a Clif Bar before/during a long run, bike ride, or whatever else is a great way to get a quick surge of energy to power you through whatever fatigue you're facing.
3. Taste - Larabar
• Larabar, 9/10. Larabars consistently taste great across all of the flavors. I've enjoyed every single one I've tried. For only having 3-8 ingredients they taste remarkably similar to the flavor they're advertised as. I love the banana bread, cashew crunch, peanut butter cookie, and key lime pie. I'm thoroughly impressed.
• Clif Bar, 5/10. In my experience Clif Bars are completely hit or miss. Some of the flavors are so nasty that I can't even finish half the bar, while some of them are somewhat decent. They taste too fake and too sweet. I prefer the taste of a Larabar to any of the Clif flavors. 
4. Flavors - Clif Bar
• Larabar, 8.5/10. Larabar has 19 flavors including PB & J, Apple Pie, Coconut Cream Pie, Key Lime Pie, Peanut Butter Cookie, Cinnamon Roll, and more. The flavors are all based on foods that have nuts, fruit, or spices. I like the variety, but the flavors are largely traditional and not overly creative. 
• Clif Bar, 10/10. The one thing I do like about Clif Bars are that they have very unique and inventive flavors. Like the Larabar, Clif Bars come in 19 varieties. Some of the flavors include: Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch, Cool Mint Chocolate, Iced Gingerbread, Maple Nut, and Cranberry Apple Cherry. They even release seasonal flavors around the holidays.
5. Consistency - Larabar
• Larabar, 8.5/10. Even though there are no preservatives, Larabars always manage to taste gooey and fresh. They're not too chewy, but chewy enough so that you don't gobble them down.  At times the bars can fall a part a little bit. The bars also tend to be fairly small.
• Clif Bar, 3/10. I personally think the consistency of Clif Bars is gross. They're overly sticky and chewy, taste chalky, and easily break apart. They taste really, really fake. 

Conclusion:
Go with Larabars. Stick to Larabars during your every day life--they're extremely healthy, can help curb appetite, and best of all they're delicious! Clif Bars have their place immediately before or after, or during a workout, but nowhere else in the diet.