Tag: built bar

June 2022 FITNESS AND LIFESTYLE FAVORITES

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on June 2022 FITNESS AND LIFESTYLE FAVORITES

I’m so excited to share my fitness and lifestyle favorites now already more than a week into July. I spend most of my time outside of work and testing beauty products training for powerlifting competitions (see my last competition recap here) and am very into fitness and health. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

A7 Bar Grip Crops – I work out in a commercial gym that doesn’t allow chalk, so you’ll always find me wearing a bar grip shirt. I’ve written about the A7 Bar Grip shirts and tanks before, but I specifically have been loving the women’s crops. A7 Bar Grips have a silicone grip on the back that is designed to help with slippery commercial benches and bars, including helping you stick to the bench during bench press and anchoring the barbell to your back when squatting. Now that it’s getting much hotter, the crops have been amazing. They fit so well (I wear a small) and are the perfect length. I appreciate that they also come in lots of fun patterns and colors!

Buff Chick Supplements Intra – I have been working out so hard now that I’m prepping for the WA States Powerlifting Competition, and this has made such a huge difference. This basically super levels up the water I drink during a workout and helps with recovery on my days off. Both flavors are delicious, but I prefer the fruit punch. I’m so glad I picked this up! More info on Intra from the Buff Chick site: “12 grams of BCAAs (2:1:1 of 6g leucine : 3 g isoleucine : 3g valine), our formula supports muscle building while reducing the perception of fatigue and exercise-induced muscle soreness. Our combination of electrolytes and ElevATP® supports strength and power output while promoting optimal electrolyte balance.”

Wearing the Black Bossy Legacy Shorts

Buffbunny Legacy Shorts – I honestly can’t imagine wearing any other 4″ shorts except for these. They’re made with Nubre fabric – the softest, most buttery fabric of all time (really). They don’t roll or move while I’m working out, and the mediums (a size up from my BuffBunny legging size) are perfect for me. Every time I wear other shorts, I miss how I feel in the Legacy Shorts. The back has a cool butterfly seam detail that is such a nice touch. Unlike most of BuffBunny’s items, there are still plenty of colors left in these shorts if you’re interested in grabbing a pair!

Caramel Brownie Built Bars – I’m still shocked at how good these are considering the macros (these have 17g of protein for 130 calories!). II have been loving microwaving them for 15 seconds, and they turn into a gooey cake-like dessert that I wouldn’t know is a protein bar if it was a blinded taste test. Even though I own a ton of flavors now, these have been my favorite lately because they are so close to a “real” brownie. There’s almost always a 20% off code going around and free shipping which helps with how expensive they are. That said, at about $1.8 a bar, they’re still less expensive than other bars like Quest ($2.25 a bar plus shipping from their website) and taste way better to me, so I’m really excited to have found these.

What would you like to see next on LiftBakeLove? Let me know in the comments below, and thanks as always for being here! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

January 2022 Fitness & Lifestyle Favorites

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on January 2022 Fitness & Lifestyle Favorites

Here are my fitness faves and lifestyle favorites that I wanted to share to kick off February to get everyone excited about working out, being hydrated, and flossing (really!). I spend most of my time outside of work and testing beauty products training for powerlifting competitions (see my last competition recap here) and am very into fitness and health. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new post! Some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

A7 UBag – I’m using a powerlifting specific program where I squat and bench every workout (and deadlift every other workout), so I need a lot of equipment with me in the gym every time I go. I bring my squat shoes, deadlift slippers, belt, liquid chalk, a variety of bands, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and snacks. This all fits so well in the UBag, and I love that there’s a separate pocket for shoes, for small items like chalk and wrist wraps, and for snacks. There’s also room for a water bottle on the side and a laptop sleeve (which I use as another pocket). There’s also a belt loop in the front which is really convenient for easy access to my super bulky belt. One of my favorite things is that it’s super comfy to carry even with how big and heavy it can get with everything I’m carrying. It’s expensive, but tailor made for someone who powerlifts, and I’m so glad I have it.

Glossier Water Bottle – I know this is just a water bottle, and that I’ve written about it before, but this is honestly one of my favorite “fitness” items I got in 2021. If you’re a long-time reader, you know I’m awful at staying hydrated and had once posted about how I regularly have 1 cup of coffee and 1 cup of water a day. As a competitive athlete, this is not enough, and it’s been a huge issue for me. The Glossier bottle is the first bottle I’ve had that I’ve used every single day since I got it, and have still used every day since I got, and it’s meant that I’ve had a full 32oz of water without fail every single day. Because I love it, I’ve usually been able to get through 64oz of water a day, which I have never been able to do before. I’ve also still been using this for my daily mix of Gatorade Zero Powder and Buffchick Creatine, and because it’s pretty wide, it’s really easy to clean even mixing so many powders in it every day. I have the special Seattle version you can only get here that holds 32oz (the one on the website is 16oz), so if you’re near a Glossier store, I highly recommend checking it out.

BuffBunny Rosa Bra – This is hands down my favorite sports bra, not just from BuffBunny, but from any brand. They are all made out of their Nubre fabric – the softest, most buttery fabric of all time (really) except for the holo Rosa Bra V2, which is made out of performance material that I also love. They are so comfortable to wear for hours on end, which is important when we have a workout that lasts almost 2 hours and go grocery shopping right after (a very normal occurrence). Even though they are super comfortable, they still provide amazing support and coverage. Because the coverage is almost to the level of a crop top, I have no problems wearing the Rosa Bra without a shirt on top. This style comes back during most of BuffBunny’s launches in different colors, and it’s definitely the sports bra I’d most highly recommend from them.

BuffBunny Rosa Bra V2 in Holographic Black and Rosa Pocket Leggings in Secret Garden Dark Teal
BuffBunny Rosa Sports Bra and Jewel Joggers in Secret Garden Dark Teal

Built Bar Strawberry Puffs – Important context for this one is that I know it’s not everyone’s thing, but I’m a big fan of strawberry marshmallows. We make strawberry marshmallows for the holiday season every year, and they’re one of the only holiday foods I can’t stay away from. So, when I discovered strawberry protein marshmallows, I was beyond excited. And honestly, if I didn’t know better, I would swear these are regular chocolate-covered marshmallows. They’re 17 grams of protein for 130 calories (as a comparison, that’s about 5 marshmallows worth of calories but 17g more protein). I have a bunch of different Built Bar products and flavors now, so let me know if in the comments if you’d like a full run down, especially because it looks like Puffs are currently out of stock.

Cocofloss (affiliate link)- Anyone who’s known me for a long time knows how obsessed I am with Cocofloss, but I wanted to share how much I’ve been loving the Cara Cara Orange and Strawberry flavors. The only reason I floss every day is because of Cocofloss, and these flavors make it even more fun. It reminds me that spring is coming eventually and just makes me happy. If you’re not familiar with Cocofloss, it’s a floss made from recycled water bottles and infused with coconut oil which makes it both sustainable and very effective. I’ve honestly tried to go back to regular floss after using this, and I can tell the difference in how much better it works. I can’t wait to see what flavors they come out with for spring and summer this year!

What would you like to see next on LiftBakeLove? Let me know in the comments below, and thanks as always for being here! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.

December 2021 Fitness & Lifestyle Favorites

by liftbakelove2 Comments on December 2021 Fitness & Lifestyle Favorites

Here are my fitness faves and lifestyle favorites that I wanted to share to kick off the year! I spend most of my time outside of work and testing beauty products training for powerlifting competitions (see my last competition recap here) and am very into fitness and health. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

Friction Labs Secret Stuff Liquid Chalk – I’ve tried a few different styles of wraps and types of chalk, and while nothing compares to actual chalk, this is my favorite so far. I can’t use chalk in the commercial gym I workout in but need some help with my grip on my heavier deadlifts (usually above 225lbs), and this stuff is great. It dries pretty quickly and works so well for deadlift grip. It also lasts through multiple sets without rubbing off and doesn’t dry out my hands like other chalks do. It’s $19 but I’ve used this a bunch and the bottle still feels full and hasn’t dried out at all.

A7 Black Cone Knee Sleeves – I feel a huge difference while squatting with these verses without them. I use knee sleeves knee warmth, compression, and rebound for heavy lifts (for me, above 195lbs on squats which is almost all workouts now). I love how easy these are to get on vs my SBD ones which I always struggle with no matter what I do because the SBDs are so stiff. They still provide all of the support I’m looking for even with how easy they are to get on. Plus, they’re easy to adjust if I don’t get them on right the first time.  It’s approved for USAPL meets, so you’ll see them on me in any of my meet recaps, and it’s the only pair of sleeves I’d trust on meet day to help me lift the heaviest I can. They feel brand new from having used them every time I squat for about 2 years now (obviously on and off because pandemic gym closures, but I’m still very happy with their durability).

Built Bar Candy Cane Brownie Stix  – Important context for this one is that I know it’s not everyone’s thing, but I’m a big fan of peppermint and chocolate together. It’s one of my favorite holiday flavor combos, and I absolutely love things like Thin Mints, Peppermint Patties, etc.. I was so excited when these candy candy brownie stix came out that I bought two boxes of them, and I have no regrets. It honestly tastes exactly like a mint brownie, except they are only 80 calories and have 9 grams of protein. This has been the perfect snack for me that’s just as good as “the real thing” but helps me hit my daily protein target. These were seasonal, but Built has bites in different brownie flavors if you’re looking for something similarly small.

Adidas Powerlift 4 Weightlifting Shoes – I decided not to pack my squat shoes on a recent trip home and immediately regretted it. I really missed having the extra stability and hard soles that keep me firmly planted and supported when squatting. I hadn’t realized how much of a difference these shoes made until I didn’t have them, and I’m so happy I have them back in my life. I also started using these for benching and have noticed a big improvement in my leg drive because of being able to really push into the floor with my feet. They only come in men’s sizing, but I found a size that fits my feet perfectly.

Alphalete Surface Pocket Leggings – I picked up a few things from Alphalete’s Black Friday sale because I’ve been wanting to try their activewear out for awhile now and knew it would be better to wait for one of their sales. While I got and do really like the famous Amplify leggings, the Surface Leggings really pleasantly surprised me. They have no front seam and deep side pockets. They fit incredibly well without being too tight and are really flattering. They’re pretty high rise (in a good way) and supportive. The thing that stood out to me was the performance material – they’re cool to the touch, light-weight, and stretchy. I love these especially for squat and leg days when I need to be able to move around and move heavy weights without overheating.

What would you like to see next on LiftBakeLove? Let me know in the comments below, and thanks as always for being here! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.