Sink your teeth into the top energy bars

Choose one: a) spend 25 minutes counting calories, measuring protein/carbohydrate/fat ratios, and figuring out how to whip up a snack that satisfies both your palate and your dietary needs; or b) grab a bar and eat it.

Most of us opt for the latter. In doing so, we’re making the folks from Atkins, EAS, PowerBar and ZonePerfect rich.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. For those following high protein, lower carbohydrate diets like Atkins and its variants, spending a few bucks for something that helps our cause is a no-brainer. But despite sharing shiny packaging, clever marketing, and flavors that suggest decadence, not all bars are the same.

Wading through the choices out there can be overwhelming, so we did it for you. We picked four popular bars: EAS Carb Control, ZonePerfect, Atkins Advantage and PowerBar’s Protein Plus. We surveyed the nutritional thinking behind each bar, judged taste, noted the impact each had on a workout, and assessed their digestive qualities. So buckle up – the ride is bumpy.

EAS CARB CONTROL
Those who speak Atkins will appreciate the 4 grams of “impact carbs” in each bar. At 210 calories with 25 grams of protein, 18 grams of carbohydrate and 5 grams of fat, these 60-gram bars are small. You’re not going to replace a meal, but they’ll provide a healthy alternative to the Snickers that usually combats the 3 o’clock fade. And since there’s little sugar or starch to spike and sap your energy levels, you’ll feel good on the way to the gym after work.

Don’t look at the cookies and cream bar as you unwrap it – it bears a sketchy resemblance to a giant yogurt-covered raisin. Once past the lips, though, it’s tolerable. There’s not a lot of cookie texture, but it’s sweet without being overwhelming, and substantial even if it is small. There’s no chalky sensation common to many protein bars. Ditto the chocolate peanut butter. Stay away from the chocolate
strawberry, a testy combination in nature that often fails in performance nutrition.

Size wise, you could put it in your pocket and mistake it for a MagicMarker. And while both the bar and the marker would ruin your pants if they went through the laundry, only eating the marker would ruin your workout. We had no stomach problems on a 45-minute run after eating this. In fact, we felt pretty good.

Bottom line: It’s reasonably tasty and not substantial enough to make or break your workout. But at $18.99 for a box of 12, these bars are expensive.

ZONEPERFECT
Built around the 40/30/30 carbohydrate/protein/fat nutritional ratio created by Barry Sears and popularized throughout the late ’90s, this 210-calorie bar carries 14 grams of protein, 23 grams of carbohydrate and 7 grams of fat. Although similar in size and caloric value to the Carb Control bar, the ZonePerfect feels more substantial and fills the stomach a little better, perhaps because of the greater carbohydrate content.

This bar comes in an impressive array of flavors. We liked some (chocolate mint, chocolate peanut butter, chocolate caramel cluster and strawberry yogurt) and disliked others (double chocolate, blueberry yogurt, caramel apple), but all of the bars share a common texture – and it’s a good one. Remember Rice Krispy treats? Conjure up a slightly denser version of the chewy crunch and you’ve nailed the ZonePerfect bar. The chocolate and peanut butter flavors seem to be more tightly packed than the fruit flavors, making them chewier – but we liked that.

Bottom line: We’ve yet to come across a bad time to eat this bar. We’ve eaten it before, during and after exercise. We’ve even had cravings for the chocolate mint during a long bike ride. It’s small and light, but it stays with you for longer than you’d think, without getting heavy. And while the suggested retail price is comparable to other bars, ZonePerfect is a popular enough brand to be offered at discounts in supermarkets and drugstores. If you can beat the six-for-$5 deal available at most Target stores, let us know.

ATKINS ADVANTAGE
Our impression of the Atkins diet is bacon and eggs packed inside a hollowed-out bagel. This bar follows suit, except that it doesn’t taste nearly as good. With 240 calories and 19 grams of protein, 21 grams of carbohydrate and 12 grams of fat, this bar offers Atkins dieters a guiltless snack with only 2 grams of net carbohydrates.

This tasted a lot like a fattier version of the Carb Control bar, and with good reason: That’s precisely what it is. Having lived on a steady diet of bars during this test, the relatively high fat content of the Atkins offering was immediately apparent in both good and bad ways. The chocolate peanut butter tasted richer and made us feel fuller than other brands in similar flavors, but we felt like we’d eaten a pizza, not a performance nutrition product.

Running after eating the Atkins Advantage bar was a little like running after downing three spoonfuls of super-chunky peanut butter. The bar probably provides long, sustained energy, but we felt too sluggish to run far enough to find out.

Bottom line: Despite having only 30 more calories than the ZonePerfect bar, one Atkins Advantage bar felt heavier in the stomach than two ZonePerfect bars. At anywhere from $21 to $39 for a box of 15, the Atkins Advantage bar will lighten the wallet, if not the stomach.

POWERBAR PROTEIN PLUS
Finally, a bar we can sink our teeth into. And if you want to eat this 290-calorie brick – and the 24 grams or protein, 38 grams of carbohydrate and 5 grams of fat that come with it – you’ll to need to chew. The Protein Plus bar is based on the simple idea of balanced nutrition: You’re getting protein, but not just protein. PowerBar is an endurance athlete’s company, and it shows.

Somewhere between a snack and a meal, this bar tastes closer to its assigned flavors than anything else we tried. Chocolate peanut butter tastes like a denser, less-sweet chocolate and peanut butter brownie. Chocolate fudge brownie is almost too heavy. Any stronger and it would taste closer to a desert than a piece of smart nutrition. Cookies and cream might be the best bet, since its cookie crunch adds a little texture to an otherwise dense, chewy bar.

Eating an entire bar is its own jaw workout, which might be a good thing since you probably don’t want to exercise immediately after ingesting one. They feel slightly heavier in the stomach than other bars do, which is nice if you’re looking to supplement or replace a meal with one. And they stay there longer – the higher quantities of protein and carbohydrate make it slower to digest.
 

Bottom line: You’re better off using this for meal replacement or recovery.

We’re not into radical approaches to dieting and exercise, and we like food that tastes good. That said, we found the ZonePerfect bar ideal for fueling up before and during workouts, and the PowerBar Protein Plus optimal for recovery or meal replacement nutrition. 

The Elite 8

Coulda-shoulda-woulda-dunna. Words you don’t want to be uttering when the gig is up. There’s a world of sports out there, and you’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to seeing the sights.

But you’re practical. You’ve seen the prices for Super Bowl tickets on eBay. You know how much time and effort it takes to get Final Four tickets. And while you may be able to make one World Series game and a really good matchup from your alma mater, chances are you’re falling short of the ultimate sports experience.
 

So look at your list differently.
 

Instead of targeting games, why not target venues? Why not partake in the passion and pageantry of the sport without worrying about the particular game or time? The following list targets sports venues near and far. The top criteria: uniqueness and practicality of destination. You may have to do a little work for the Masters and a little saving for the trip to Wimbledon. But for the most part, these venues will give you the right taste for the sport in question, without going for broke landing the toughest ticket in town.
1. LAMBEAU FIELD (GREEN BAY, WIS.)
Synonymous with: the Frozen Tundra, Vince Lombardi, Brett Favre, Cheeseheads.
Why you should go: The Green Bay Packers are everything that’s right about professional football: a small-market team with fervent fans and freezing temperatures. That makes Lambeau Field a less-than-hospitable stop for opposing teams – especially in the crucial months of November and December.
Great moments: The Ice Bowl, 1967. With only 16 seconds left on the clock and the NFL championship up for grabs, Packers quarterback Bart Starr went for all the glory, punching in the game-winning touchdown from the one-yard line, beating the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 in minus-13-degree temperatures.
Hottest ticket: Unless you married into the right family, season tickets in Green Bay are next to impossible to get. The rights to those tickets are often in family wills. During the
season, Cheeseheads come out in full force for division rivals Chicago and Minnesota.
Best bet: Test your mettle by scalping tickets at a game against a lower-tier team in freezing temperatures, or try your luck at a much warmer pre-season game.
Official site: www.packers.com.
Local info: www.packercountry.com.

2. WIMBLEDON
Synonymous with: grassy lawns, tiebreakers, dress codes.
Why you should go: Tradition. Wimbledon’s courts have stayed grassy while the three other Grand Slams of tennis went for hard-court and clay. You’ll find plenty of green, plenty of tennis and plenty of past champions mulling around – but not a hint of commercialization.
Great moments: John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg put on a match for the ages, going five sets, including a ridiculously long 22-minute tiebreaker in the fourth before Borg closed out the last set 8-6 for the title.
Hottest ticket: The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, get top billing on the women’s side. Andre Agassi is always a crowd favorite, and American ace Andy Roddick is fast becoming the new thing on the ATP tour.
Best bet: Definitely the earlier rounds.
Official site: www.wimbledon.org.
Local info: www.wimbledonvisitor.com.

3. BOSTON MARATHON
Synonymous with: Patriot’s Day, thousands of sneakers.
Why you should go: It’s the Super Bowl of running, with the notable exception being that you can participate. The 26-mile, 385-yard course mixes a who’s-who of runners with doctors, lawyers, shoe salesmen, college students, etc.
Great moments: Most runners must deal with dehydration during the race. Greek runner Stylianos Kyriakides battled that and malnutrition from a lifetime of hardship. He caught front-runner John Kelley a mile-and-a-half out, and crossed the finish line in honor of all emaciated Greeks in 1946. The victory spotlighted Greece’s food shortages, and not long after Kyriakides’ win, food and aid poured into his native country.
Hottest ticket: The Boston Marathon may be the only race where the spectators outnumber the runners, so naturally the starting point in Hopkinton and the finish line down Boylston Street will be heavily congested.
Best bet: Pick a spot along Heartbreak Hill and see who has the intestinal fortitude to push the limits.
Official site: www.bostonmarathon.org.
Local info: www.boston.com.

4. TIGER STADIUM (BATON ROUGE, LA.)
Synonymous with: Death Valley, Cajun food, Bayou Bengals.
Why you should go: The Michigans and Notre Dames up north may have a little more tradition, but when the sun goes down on the bayou, there isn’t a louder college football venue in the country. It’s Mardi Gras every home game.
Great moments: In a 1986 showdown, the Tigers trailed archrival Auburn 6-0 late in the fourth quarter when LSU quarterback Tommy Hodson found running back Eddie Fuller open in the end zone for a score. The eruption from the crowd was so huge it registered as an earthquake in LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex nearby.
Hottest ticket: conference rivals Florida, Alabama and Auburn.
Best bet: Tailgate with some Cajun food while the Tigers roast a cupcake like Troy State or Houston in September.
Official site: www.lsusports.net.
Local info: batonrouge.com.

5. YANKEE STADIUM
Synonymous with: the Babe, the Boss, baseball’s Mecca.
Why you should go: Love ’em or hate ’em, the center of baseball’s universe has a hint of pinstripes, which makes “The House That Ruth Built” a must-see for baseball fans.
Great moments: Talk about clutch. In game six of the 1977 World Series pitting the Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Reggie Jackson (aka Mr. October) belted three home runs off three consecutive pitches to secure an 8-4 win and seal the Yanks’ 21st championship.
Hottest ticket: Tempers flare and tickets fly when the Boston Red Sox come to town.
Best bet: Take the missus to the Big Apple for a summer getaway and make a midday game your to-do for the trip.
Official site: www.yankees.com.
Local info: www.nyctourist.com.

6. THE MASTERS (AUGUSTA NATIONAL, AUGUSTA, GA.)
Synonymous with: green jackets, Bears, Tigers, high cotton.
Why you should go: It’s the only chance you’ll get to walk among the world’s most exclusive golfing fraternity at the world’s most exclusive golf club.
Great moments: The greats become legends on this course. But in 1986, Jack Nicklaus was already a legend, and possibly past his prime in his 40s. Well, the Bear charged the back nine on Sunday with a fury, sinking the winning putt on the 18th for his sixth green jacket (a record), becoming the oldest Masters champion in tournament history.
Hottest ticket: Unless you’ve got a friend at the club or 10 grand to shell out, you’ll probably be sitting at a bar five miles from the 18th green on Sunday.
Best bet: If you know a friend who knows a friend who knows where to score some tickets, avoid the rush by shadowing a few of golf’s superstars during the practice rounds.
Official site: www.masters.org.
Local info: www.augustaga.org

7. CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM (DURHAM, N.C.)
Synonymous with: Cameron Crazies, Coach K, college dynasties.
Why you should go: Duke knows all about home-court advantage. The men’s basketball team has won more than 80 percent of its games at Cameron Indoor since it opened more than 60 years ago. The hallowed halls are nearly brought down each game by the
constant cheering.
Great moments: Even in a down year, the Blue Devils gave archrival North Carolina a run for its money. In 1995, the rivals went the distance and then some, going into double-overtime after Duke’s Jeff Capel sank a half-court shot in the waning minutes of the first overtime. North Carolina would go on to a Final Four that year, but not until escaping Durham with a 102-100 win.
Hottest ticket: The Tar Heels, bar none.
Best bet: Pick a cookie-cutter game at the beginning of the season, or one of those breathers around mid-February.
Official site: www.goduke.com.
Local info: www.durham-nc.com.

8. MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
Synonymous with: The Knicks, some checks, great knockouts.
Why you should go: The Garden has hosted some of sports’ most famous athletes, teams and events.
Great moments: Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali went 15 rounds in “the match of the century” in 1971, with Frazier getting the win, the belt and a $5 million purse.
Hottest ticket: It’s been a down time for the New York franchises, so you shouldn’t have a hard time finding a nosebleed ticket for Rangers or Knicks games.
Best bet: Take a week off in the winter or spring and see two sports in one stop.
Official site: www.thegarden.com.
Local info: www.thegarden.com.

9 Dead-on Routines to Build Your Back

1. V-BAR ROW
Equipment: free-motion machine, physioball.
The setup: Sitting on the physioball with arms extended straight out, grasp the free-motion grips, remembering to keep thumb over forefinger; this helps disengage the biceps and forearm flexors. Arch the back and extend the chest 30 degrees forward. Leaning forward will inadvertently work the trapezius muscles; you want to work only the back muscles.
The motion: Squeeze the muscles and draw the arms back slowly and evenly. Repeat for four sets of eight to 15 reps, depending on fitness level.
Trainer’s tip: The thumb-over-forefinger grip helps to better isolate the back muscles by not allowing you to rely on your biceps. Posture is key, providing stability throughout the body. Be careful not to lean forward during the exercise.

2. VIPERS
Equipment: physioball, free-motion machine.
The setup: Sit on the physioball at a 90-degree angle. Elbows should be engaged and close to the body. The top half of the body should be forming a “Y.”
The motion: Slide elbows alongside the body until they’re about two inches behind your back. Torso should now be forming a “W.” Repeat for four sets of eight to 15 reps, depending on fitness level.
Trainer’s tip: Keep the back arched and the chest out; this disengages the trapezius muscles.

3. BELLY ROPE PULL
Equipment: physioball, multi-station machine.
The setup: Sit on the physioball with back straight and chest out. Align elbows so their even with the bellybutton and the rope angles up; maintain proper grip with thumb over forefinger; keep a slight curl to the wrist.
The motion: Keep elbows close to the body while drawing the weight up; engage the abs and core. Concentrate on breathing as you pull the ropes toward the belly and slowly pull the hands away from one another, widening the rope around the midsection. Repeat for four sets eight to 15 reps, depending on fitness level.
Trainer’s tip: How much muscle you build and fat you burn depends on the tension you exude, not the number of reps you do.

4. ONE-ARM CABLE ROW
Equipment: physioball, cable cross.
The setup: Sit on the physioball with chest forward.
The motion: Row the weight back with back arched and shoulders disengaged; bring elbow two inches behind the back. At the top of the row, move the body back with the weight, keeping chest out and shoulders back. Repeat for three to four sets (minimum) of 12 to 15 reps, depending on fitness level.
Trainer’s tip: Rowing motion should follow a straight line.

5. LONG BAR WITH V-BAR
Equipment: long bar, V-bar grips, desired weight.
The setup: Position feet even with shoulders.
The motion: Row the bar with the
V-bar grip upwards, with elbows tight to the sides; bend knees slightly. With arms down and slightly bent, bring the weight straight up and arch the shoulders, isolating them to lift the weight at the peak of the exercise. Repeat for three sets (minimum) of 12 to 15 reps, depending on fitness level.
Trainer’s tip: This exercise is best done with a spot. It helps develop extra muscle thickness in the middle and lower back.

6. LONG BAR ROW
Equipment: long bar, desired weight.
The setup: Stand with back at
90 degrees and arched out, knees and butt out.
The motion: Row the elbow up for movement along the side. Keep elbow two inches behind the back at the peak of the contraction. Repeat for four sets of eight to 15 reps on each arm, depending on fitness level.

7. HYPEREXTENSIONS
Equipment: None.
The setup: Hold hands behind head with elbows level with head.
The motion: Start at 45 degrees and be sure to initiate controlled breathing reps. As you exhale, raise up and move your head and shoulders up. Repeat for four sets of eight to 15 reps, depending on fitness level.
Trainer’s tip: This exercise incorporates two separate positions for activating muscles in the lower back, lumbar area.

8. CABLE PULLOVERS
Equipment: Flat bench, cable cross.
The setup: Place bench parallel with cable machine. Rest shoulders on the bench with abs, chest and shoulders engaged. Keep the pelvis low.
The motion: As you raise the bar, keep shoulders flat on the bench. Arms should stay straight out, with a 5-degree bend at the elbows. Always keep arms directly overhead. Repeat for three to four sets (minimum) of 10 to 15 reps, depending on fitness level.
Trainer’s tip: The movement should flow from behind the shoulders with a motion that puts them straight out above the chest.

9. INCLINE DUMBBELL ROW
Equipment: Dumbbells, incline bench.
The setup: This exercise targets the upper lateral muscles of the back. To target the highest laterals, kneel on the bench with the back arched. With your stomach flat on the bench, hold the weights low as if preparing to do a fly.
The motion: As you raise the weight, twist the wrists as your row up. The final position should put the elbows two inches behind the back. When at the row’s peak contraction, slightly raise the chest up off the bench and arch the back higher. This helps target the lower back, providing tension to burn fat and build muscle. Repeat for four sets of 12 to 15 reps, depending on fitness level.
Trainer’s tip: You can vary the exercise by placing the feet in different positions to target other areas of the back.

Guide to low-carb fast-food

Isn’t it ironic that fast-food chains have become some of the loudest advertisers in the world of low-carb diets?

One out of every 10 Americans has gone “carbavoid,” avoiding carbs in the name of Atkins or South Beach. In case you’ve been living in a cave, these diets call for high fat and protein intake. The plans forbid most starches and milk products, but make exceptions for cheese, cream, nuts and guacamole. Add to that an all-you-can eat approach to the preferred items, and the resulting weight loss seems almost paradoxical. South Beach allows unlimited vegetables, which explains why it’s far less popular.
 

The recent addition of so-called low-carb items to the menus at Burger King, Hardees/Carl’s Jr., McDonald’s, Subway and other fast-food joints is more a marketing ploy than anything else. Way before their multi-million- dollar television campaigns, these greasers were serving sandwiches without bread upon customer request. But now you don’t have to sound like a wuss when ordering, since you can just say “low-carb.”

Furthermore, advertisers have raised awareness to the point that you can score low-carb products in restaurants that haven’t spent a single penny promoting themselves as such.
Carbs for most of these options clock in at about 5 grams, so you can turn them into your entire meal plan – one for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack – which is good news for the recently divorced or dumped.

By now, you’re wondering whether this stuff tastes any good. Luckily, we’ve sampled it all and lived to tell about it.

Burger King: Order a low-carb burger and you get a bread-less, cheese-less Whopper served in a container that looks like it was meant for a Wendy’s baked potato. If you want cheese, bacon or chicken, you’ll have to explain yourself, even though the promotional material touts these options. (Now you know why the “Have It Your Way” ads were discontinued.)

Carl’s Jr.: Though beefier than the rest, Carl’s is just as confused. The $6 Burger comes in four flavors – chili cheese, bacon cheese, guacamole bacon and Western bacon – all but the Western (which has onion rings on it) is Atkins friendly without a bun. But when you order a low-carb $6 Burger, you get a standard cheeseburger patty swaddled in dressings and lettuce. Even more confusing, the $6 figure is a bit of a misnomer, since it includes fries and a beverage. The fries can be swapped for a crappy side salad – whoops, the dressing is full of sugar. The soda options don’t work either, since sugar and caffeine are no-nos. We say rename it the $4 Burger and get Hugh Hefner to advertise it.

McDonald’s: Bun-less beef, and no Hamburglar. The Quarter Pounder on lettuce is tasty – remember to ask for cheese, or you won’t get any – but the Big Mac equivalent just isn’t the same. Even more diet-friendly are the premium salads, if you don’t mind skipping the dressing and croutons.

Subway: The so-called Atkins-friendly wraps are wolves in sheeps’ clothing. By making the tortilla wrap out of whole grains and fiber, Subway can claim that the “net effective carbs” total 8 grams – which, even if it were true, doesn’t leave you much room for breakfast and dinner. More importantly, eating one of these wraps is like trying to take just one drink after you’ve been in Alcoholics Anonymous for a while: It will trigger cravings for more starch. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Just AskRestaurant workers across the U.S. now know what “low-carb” means, so go ahead and ask for it.

Arby’s: Hold the bun and you’ve still got plenty to eat here, since Arby’s really piles on the flesh. Just make sure they hold the sauce, too.

Boston Market: Absolutely foolproof if you stick to the roast chicken and avoid the starchy side dishes.

In-N-Out Burger: This California staple offers the maximum bang for the buck. The servers do a nice job of wrapping lettuce around their hamburgers and cheeseburgers – even the doubles.  

Coming Soon? It’s only a matter of time before other fast-food fatties get on the low-carb bandwagon. Many of the laggards probably can’t afford to get rid of the bread, because then we’d all notice how small the meat portions really are. Even so, we’re stuffing the suggestion boxes.

Domino’s: Rumor has it a low-carb pizza is in development, using an extra thin crust with a nutritional profile similar to the Subway wrap. We’d rather see Domino’s get rid of the bread altogether – especially in their new cheese dots.

KFC: Crust sticks to the Colonel’s breast no matter how hard you try to peel it off. Try grilling that bird and serving it on skewers – a Thai specialty that would lend some diversity to this all-American chicken spot.

White Castle/Krystal: Lose the bun, and there’s nothing left. The only way for either to pull off a low-carb offering would be to raise prices – and that would defeat the purpose.

Taco Bell: Add more friables to the fajitas and do away with the tortilla. The same goes for the taco salads, which ought to have a more nutrient-rich green like romaine rather than iceberg.