Review: LYFT Clean Caffeine Energy Stir Sticks

Review: LYFT Clean Caffeine Energy Stir sticks provide an on-the-go energy boost for runners, athletes and the rest of us.

 

Last week my favorite 20-ounce stainless steel coffee mug spilled and leaked hazelnut java all over the trunk of my car. Did a mocha-scented trunk and sticky mess upset me? No. Did zero caffeine at work upset me? Yup. There are times you need a little (or big) caffeine hit. Sometimes you’re stuck on the job or on-the-go with no access to a coffee machine, a can of soda or a nearby Starbucks. What’s one to do in such a situation?

Enter LYFT Clean Caffeine.

LYFT Energy Stir Sticks are a clever new innovation. Each stick is infused with natural caffeine and A & B vitamins that provide “a sophisticated energy experience.” I’m not sure what a sophisticated energy experience is. I’m just a health-conscious mom from the Midwest. All I want to do is drink something that tastes good, has caffeine, and keeps me awake. As a serial dieter and fitness fanatic, why should I get my caffeine fix from LYFT Energy Stir Sticks? Here are a few of the benefits as I see them:

♥ Zero calories (I’m a chronic dieter - really important)

♥ Subtle clean taste

♥ Easily portable

♥ Can be used with any type of beverage, from water, to smoothies, to adult beverages (hooray a caffeinated cocktail!)

♥ No artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives

♥ Caffeine equivalent to one tall coffee (125mg if you’re into that type of info - and I am)

I see big benefits for runners, athletes and all interested in health and fitness.

I think LYFT has fantastic potential for athletes, whether competitive or just a weekend warrior like me. Here are my Top 5 Ways to Use LYFT Energy Stir Sticks for Athletes:

1. Pre-workout hydration and caffeine kick start. On Tuesday afternoons I have a torture personal training session with Brooke. Wouldn’t she be surprised if I showed up for my appointment lively and energetic??
2. Energy boost pre-race, triathlon or competitive event. Not everyone can handle a cup of coffee before a 5k, 10k, half or full marathon. At least my stomach never could. Just like the pre-workout idea, caffeinate a bottle of water at the race site and begin your race with an edge over the competition.
3. Mid-run energy for runners and endurance athletes. There is a reason that many of the endurance sports energy gels add caffeine – endurance runners and athletes need energy!
4. Post workout reason #1: Replenish glycogen faster. I recently read that consuming caffeine combined with carbs immediately post-workout helps to replenish muscle glycogen faster than without caffeine. Just stir your protein shake with a LYFT stick and drink up!¹
5. Post workout reason #2: Reduce muscle soreness. Studies have shown that caffeine can reduce post-workout muscle pain by 48%. I’m all for “good soreness” 24 hours after leg day, but I wouldn’t mind if my muscles didn’t scream quite so loudly.²

Caffeine without all the crap.

I am hardly the world’s healthiest eater, but I do believe in honoring my body and nourishing it within reason. That means no unnecessary chemical crap. Though I do need my daily caffeine fix, I have never resorted to syrupy energy drinks just because they are icky chemical concoctions. If I want an unhealthy energy jolt I’ll just drink a coke, thank you very much.

That’s why I was intrigued to read that LYFT is made with no artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives. It’s all energy, with none of the junk my body doesn’t need. The caffeine in LYFT is derived from all-natural green coffee bean extract and even contains vitamins A and B complex.

Clean taste for use in any beverage.

As much as I love coffee, I appreciate OPTIONS. How about fresh squeezed OJ with an energy pop? Maybe caffeinated coconut water, chocolate almond milk or even fruit-infused H2O? Some days I’ll start the morning with a green smoothie for my daily dose of fruits and veggies. I love the idea of stirring my smoothie with a LYFT Energy Stick. I’ll have all the health benefits of my green smoothie, PLUS my good morning kick start. This could be promising…

Test #1: Morning Coffee Substitute. My first trial was stirring LYFT into a banana mango green smoothie. I couldn’t detect any flavor, which was no surprise since my smoothie was, well, quite fruity. The goal of this experiment was to feel the “clean caffeine” hit so I didn’t have to drink both my smoothie and a large coffee.

Results: A half hour later I felt, well, normal which was the desired effect. No jitters or anything, but then again I am used to a super large coffee in the morning. I felt appropriately awake, so LYFT passed with flying colors.

Easily portable caffeine.

I can see myself storing a pack of LYFT in my office desk drawer for a post-lunch refresher, in my gym bag as a nice pick-me-up before personal trainer torture time, or even in my carry-on for air travel. It would be refreshing to arrive at my destination alert and awake rather than groggy from a cramped plane, long layovers and the inconveniences of air travel.

Test #2: Pre-Workout Hydration. I generally exercise in the late afternoon or evening. Often I will have a coffee an hour or so before I hit the weights or bust out the cardio because it is pretty unthinkable to work out when I’m asleep. And often I feel like a zombie by mid-afternoon. This time I decided to be brave and try LYFT with only water, because water is generally available. My goal was to test for the “clean taste” or, hopefully, lack of flavor.

Results: There was a little bit of a taste but, since I’m not a foodie, I’m not sure the best way to describe it. There was a slight, perceptible flavor, but it’s possible I wouldn’t even have noticed it except that I was looking for a taste. I asked my husband to take a sip (rather hesitantly since he is even more opinionated than I am) and he said “I don’t taste anything.” After a few sips he acknowledged there was a tiny flavor, but it was very “subtle.” So there you have it. In anything other than water the taste would be undetectable.

TOP 6 Ways to Use LYFT for the Rest of Us:

1. Morning coffee alternative. Go ahead and caffeinate your smoothie!

2. Chase away the post-lunch drowsiness. No more siesta at the computer screen come 2:00pm! (To Employers Everywhere: You’re welcome.)

3. Use before a test or important task when alertness is needed.

4. Stay awake while driving at night.

5. Night on the town/concert. Sometimes even good friends, great music and drinks aren’t enough to keep you wide awake. Stir a LYFT stick into your cocktail and dance the night away!

6. Chase away a headache. For years I I have sworn that coffee and a piece of chocolate will cure a headache. Turns out that caffeine helps reduce headache and/or accelerates the effectiveness of our pain reliever.³ Now LYFT gives you options. Stir a stick into the nearest beverage and kick that headache to the curb

And now the drawbacks…

Nothing’s perfect. What drawbacks are there to LYFT? I could possibly go nuts with the creative stir-in ideas and become too caffeinated, i.e., too energetic and too productive…. Seriously, the price is a little prohibitive for a daily caffeine boost. A pack of two sticks is $5.99, six sticks $15.99 and a pack of 24 sticks is $49.99. I’ll be honest - the price is my limiting factor. I see myself using LYFT occasionally, rather than on a daily basis.

So here’s the deal…

Will LYFT Energy Stir Sticks replace my morning coffee? No. Will LYFT find a place into my gym bag, my purse and my office desk drawer? Absolutely. I love the idea of having a portable, easy-to-use energy stir stick to get a little caffeine hit while still enjoying the healthy beverages I choose to include in my life. No unneeded colors, chemicals or yucky-tasting flavorings.

For more information.

LYFT Energy Stir Sticks are available online at PureLYFT.com . Right now you can use the code WILLRUNSHIPFREE on Purelyft.com for free shipping! Need more information? Follow LYFT on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. SOURCES: ¹ Post Exercise Caffeine Helps Muscles Refuel at ScienceDaily. ² Caffeine Decreases Muscle Soreness at BreakingMuscle. ³Migraines, Headaches & Caffeine at WebMD.

Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary sample of LYFT Energy Stir Sticks thanks to Sweat Pink and Pure LYFT to provide an honest product review. I was not required to give a positive review and, as my husband will attest, I am very opinionated and don’t hesitate to share my thoughts. All opinions and conclusions are uniquely mine. J

 

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