Anyone consistently use Larabars during training? I love the real food ingredients, size, taste and they don’t melt. However, my concern is that fat content, I road 100 miles today and had 2 Penaut Butter Larabars which is 26g of fat. Is that too much fat intake for an Ironman bike leg? With that quantity do I risk stomach issues and am I bettee of getting those calories from carbs and go lower fat? Stomach felt fine today but didn’t do transition run which is the real test on how the bars would settle in stomach.
Yes during training. Too much fiber (not too much fat) for use during racing, IMO. I’d avoid the peanut ones as well if you are going to eat a lot as peanuts are common allergen. Stick with the simple ones. I like cashew cookie a lot (cashews are a better source of calories than peanuts, speaking very generally). The pistachio ones are also good.
I used them at IMoo on the bike (5:49 bike split) and had absolutely no GI problems whatsoever. I really like to eat solid foods on the bike and definitely got sick of gels a long time ago. After the race, I was able to eat whatever I wanted (gluten free pizza from Uno’s) and didn’t have any issues that night or the next day. They were very satisfying, but I couldn’t eat all four bars that I packed (that might have been a little ambitious to begin with). I probably ate two whole peanut butter and jelly bars. I also don’t remember bonking. I supplemented these bars with Honeystinger chews. Larabars are a little on the dry side, but it worked out well because it forced me to drink water, which I also needed.
As far as fat content is concerned, I think as long as you are used to taking it in, you should be ok. I absolutely love peanut butter and find that I digest it really well. It is metabolized a little slower than sugars, but too much sugar may wreck your appetite for more calories. I noticed that even drinking the Gatorade was a little too much sweet for me. Also, don’t eat them too close to T2- maybe give yourself about a half hour or so. Practice it!
coconut cream pie for me! What is your concern with the fat content? You do realize for an ironman you should be burning mostly fat, not carbs.
Good point about the fiber from the dates, I think I might have felt that a little bit during my ride but per bar they have less fiber than say a Clif Bar.
MSUGUY- You eat them during training rides or races as well, no issue with the fiber for the run?
Make your own, that way you can have whatever you want in them:
http://bunnyfoot.blogspot.com/2006/02/homemade-lara-type-bars.html
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love em!!! Use them in training and races to. IMFLA last year, and two half’s this year.
Ingredient list is nice and simple, how I like it!
How many Larabars did you have during IMFL and which kind? Do you find some flavors easier on stomach than others?
they are supposed to be very low glycemic index, anything with nuts slows down carbs getting to your system, why would this be good during a workout or race?
this isn’t a 5k, why would you not want low GI
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this isn’t a 5k, why would you not want low GI
last time i checked the aid stations at races had high glycemic things like gatoraid, if you think you should be having low glycemic during a race then i’m guessing you race with milk and almonds?
Wouldn’t the dates raise the GI Index rating of the Larabars since it is a very high sugar fruit?