That's Fit

One the go most of the time? How about all of the time? How about so much of the time that you are surprised you even had the time to get this far in this post? If this sounds like you, just as familiar as trying to squeeze your 20-item To Do list into about 4 minutes of free time is trying to eat healthy even when healthy eating seems impossible. Meal replacement, energy, and protein bars are popular options for the time crunched. But, some people also turn to the liquid shake versions, leaving the bars for people who actually enjoy the taste of chalk covered in chocolate.

But, how do these shakes stack up nutritionally? Which is healthier than the other? Well, to list every single one on the market and analyze and compare it would take far more time than I can offer at the moment, but in the interest of at least a modicum of disclosure, here is a look at three popular shakes.

1 - Slim Fast Optima - Variations of this shake exist (such as, for example, the Chocolate Royale Shake). It contains 414 calories and tastes pretty good, especially the chocolate kind. It's certainly a healthier alternative to regular chocolate milk, in that it contains 7 fewer grams of carbs, 2g less of fat, and 2 more grams of protein.

2 - Naked Protein Zone - You've probably seen these at your local grocery store, most likely in the organic section. The super-smart "Naked" branding is quite the eye catcher. As for the drink itself, it's a tasty mix of coconut, pineapple, banana, apple and orange. Packing in a solid 38 grams of protein (mix of whey and soy), it's a formidable competitor to major protein drinks on the market. But, the downside is that there's also 500 calories in this 15.2-oz bottle, so in this case (and perhaps only in this case), too many Nakeds may not be a good thing.

3 - EAS AdvantEdge RTD - These too can oftentimes be found in your grocery story, only they'll probably be hiding on the shelves near the vitamins and protein/meal replacement bars. I'm personally a big fan of EAS products, as I feel that Bill Phillips (owner of EAS) does a great job putting out quality nutritional supplements year after year. It has a great balance of fat/protein/carbs, making it the most healthy (again, in my opinion) on this list. One pre-packaged shake gives you 3g of fat, 17g of protein, and 28g of carbs. Although I think the protein content could be a bit higher (and is in other EAS brand shakes), this still makes for a very healthy on-the-go meal option. As for the taste -- hmmm...I'll say not bad. Chocolate Fudge is better than French Vanilla, but that's really not saying much since they're both very watery.

Feel free to add any comments on what shakes you've tried and how they stack up against the three I listed above.

One of the more popular supplements to come along in the past five years has been Nitric Oxide (or NO). In fact, I did a post a while back on my experience with one of the more popular NO products on the market: No-Explode. Though I have stopped using this product since (mainly because its very high levels of taurine and caffeine made me a bit jittery), I may try supplementing with the primary active ingredient, which is an amino acid called arginine.

Research out of the Univeristy of North Carolina, Wilmington revealed that arginine can simultaneously help you build muscle while dropping body fat. In their study, fifteen female athletes consumed 6 grams of arginine supplements per day for four weeks. Researchers found that these women lost 2 pounds of body fat while at the same time gained 2 pounds of muscle, all without any change to their diets or exercise programs.

Now, before you rush out to your nearest GNC and pick up some arginine, you may want to first discuss things with your doctor. But, if you've already tried supplementing with this amino acid and would care to discuss your experience with it, we'd love to hear what you have to say.