Saturday, October 24, 2015

Athletes on KIND

College athletes are always on the go, it is just that simple. We, me included, are always in a crunch for time whether it is from waking up and getting to class on time to only having five or so minutes to grab something to eat. It is from this constant rush that we sometimes are missing the vital nutrition's that our bodies need. No, I am not talking about our protein intake or major vitamin groups because generally athletes already have a high intake of foods that provide such. The nutrition groups I am speaking of are along the lines of grains. 

As in athlete, I avoid eating things that are bad for me such as food with high sugar counts and what not. The issue that I was having though was when I have an extremely small window to eat something, that attempted avoidance is replaced for quickness. It was not until I was introduced to KIND snacks that made these two factors go perfectly with each other



For those of you who have absolutely no idea what KIND bars are, let me give you some background information on them. KIND bars offer a wholesome and delicious alternative to snacking. The organization is "focused on making the world a little kinder - one act and one snack at a time." Ultimately that simply means it has the consumer at hearth first. 

They pride themselves on the ability to say that they are made from ingredients you can see and pronounce. On a side note, I love this because I have zero idea what half the ingredients are in today's food. Like seriously, what the hell is "Soy Lecithin" or "Inulin?" KIND snacks offers a variety of healthy options such as Fruit & Nut bars, Nuts & Spices bars, KIND Healthy Grains Clusters and Bars, STRONG & KIND, and KIND breakfast bars.

Let us take the Peanut Butter Berry KIND Healthy Grains bar. Within the bar, there are five different types of grains allowing for at least 18g of whole grains to be ingested. This bar has 10 percent of my daily value of dietary fiber in one bar. That also is not to mention is only is 150 calories and only 7g of sugars. As in athlete, I can tell you those numbers are impressive. Rarely would I ever just eat one bar in any situation, so imagine those values doubling maybe even tripling. Therefore, if I am getting a solid amount of my grains within a quick and healthy snack, KIND bars are the way to go. 

As a college athlete and more importantly a college student, KIND snacks are the way to go. All it takes is one person to spread "kindness," which hopefully inspires other people to do the same. 

Until Next Time,
Matt

4 comments:

  1. Matt,

    It is interesting to see the KIND campaign evolve at ONU. In the beginning, not many people were sure the point of KIND products or why they were being promoted so heavily. Like you said, athletes are constantly on the go and are looking for a quick and healthy snack. This is where a KIND bar comes into play. In addition, being able to pronounce the ingredients is amazing. Many times you look at a label and wonder what half the ingredients are and the purpose of them. Overall, I am looking forward to seeing how the KIND campaign evolves throughout the entire ONU community.

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  2. Matt- I agree that college athletes are always on the go. Between balancing school work and practices and games, eating balanced meals can be hard. It is important for student athletes to fuel their bodies with necessary nutrients. Although, KIND snacks aren’t a full meal, they are great snacks for on the go. KIND snacks are a much healthier option than normal granola bar dues to their non GMO “kind” recipe. Hopefully, the KIND team at ONU can inspire athletes and non-athletes to incorporate KIND snacks into their diets.

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  3. Matt -

    Being a former college athlete, I completely agree that sometimes it's hard to schedule time to eat during the day. KIND snacks really are a great solution to this on the go problem that student athletes have. The KIND team at ONU has done a great job spreading information about this campaign and also promoting not only healthy snacking, but also healthy living. The benefits of eating a KIND snack are endless and by choosing this healthy snack, you are taking a step in the right direction for having healthy lifestyle.

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  4. Mr. Hommer,

    As athletes, it is our responsibility to take care of our bodies and treat them with respect. Now that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun, but this snack is definitely a solid solution for dietary reasons to an athlete. Protein, fiber, and low calories. As athletes, we also have a busy schedule and I agree that I will sometimes skip meals to get to practice and everything because I don't have time to make food. KIND bars are a great solution to eating healthy on the go and putting a substantial energy source in your body. Nice post Matt.

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