I have had bad luck with cycling drinks, in particular with recovery drinks. Most of the time they contribute to and exacerbate my "race gut," which is an unfortunate condition that I'll spare you the details of. Endurox R4 almost ended my marriage, as it caused me some of the most disgusting and prolific flatulence imaginable. It was like living in a feedlot. The Negative FX of other drinks have been less dramatic, but nonetheless unpleasant.
Considering my run of bad luck, I was skeptical of Shaklee's Physique. I originally won a tub at Wells Ave as a prime. It sat unused for a month or two as I continued drinking chocolate milk for recovery. Then I won another tub of Physique. My cabinet space is limited, so there was some pressure to disappear a tub.
On returning from a hard Wells followed by a long ride, I found that I had NO FOOD in the house. Hesitantly I mixed a drink, drank it and waited for the rumbling in my belly to begin. Nothing. I showered and then went out for some solid food. Still no rumbling. Later in the day, no gas (or at least no more than normal for me).
I still wasn't sold. I continued to use the Physique, especially when I was away from home and/or food sources. I have consistently found that my system handles the Physique well without turning it into stink.
Nutritional Content: it compares favorably to other recovery drinks. a half cup has 38 grams of carbs, 21 gr sugar (dextrose and maltodextrin) and 14 grams of protein (Milk and Whey protein isolates).
Taste: I have only used the Banana and it tastes fine. Not quite great, but palatable and not unpleasant, even when warm (such as when your water has been cooking in your car for 5 hours in the sun). If you make a shake with some fresh fruit and ice, the Physique tastes great.
Mixablity/Lumps: Even in a water bottle, it mixes quite easily and has minimum lumpiness.
Price: Comparatively high. 1 lb 14 oz is $33 from Tony Vallentine at Wells Ave. You can't really price shop this stuff online, nor can you get a deal on it through your team. While, I am pointing out that the price is high in comparison to comparable products, I have to consider that this stuff doesn't tear my insides apart, which is priceless. If you find that you feel better after drinking this, then you may find the price fair also.
The Verdict: If you are using another recovery drink that is doing the job at a lower price while not blowing you out, then stay with what's working. If you have struggled with recovery drinks in the past or are muscling down some disgusting flatulence fueling glop, then you should definitely hit Tony Vallentine up at Wells Ave or drop him an email (avallentine at verizon dot net) and pick up a tub.
As a sidenote: there is a whole contingent of local sprinters who sit in at Wells waiting for the Shaklee primes. I have become a dedicant of this race strategy, so if you are in the A race and hear the bell with Chris yelling "Shaklee Prime!"you can rest assured I will contest it. In fact the prime with 5 to go is often a Shaklee Prime, which leaves me smoked for the finish. I'd rather get the drink than end up here.
Oh, when you see Mr. Vallentine, thank him for giving out primes every single week at Wells. Of all of the people you meet, he is perhaps the biggest supporter of local racing week in and week out.
3 comments:
until the brown cow stops producing chocolate milk, all recovery drinks will be competing for second place.
Hey there Mr. RMM,
Thanks for the review of Physique. I am sorry you did not try it sooner having let it sit on the shelf. You can get Physique for less than even the 15% member price you think is too high. You can email me. Tony
Tony,
I didn't say that the price is "too high," merely comparatively high. I also noted that since this stuff doesn't rip up my insides, that mitigates the higher price.
Thanks for the heads up on where to get it.
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