Understand the 3 Phases of Performance Nutrition With ‘Gnarly’

Gnarly Nutrition made Fuel₂O for all phases of a workout, adding it to the brand’s more specialized hydration and recovery formulas for athletes.

Performance nutrition is usually broken down into three phases of a workout (pre, during, and post). Gnarly Nutrition makes drink mixes for each phase, and now, one for all of them.

If you’re careful about what you put into your body, the brand says you can rest assured as its large batches are screened for consistency and contaminants. That way, according to Gnarly Nutrition, you get what you pay for and not harmful extras.

Gnarly Nutrition: What’s Not Inside

Gnarly Nutrition is proud of its quality control, submitting each batch of its formulas for testing. Its products are formulated without gluten, GMOs, and soy. And they are vegan (except for Gnarly Whey Protein and Gnarly Collagen Pro). Additionally, all of its mixes and powders are NSF Contents Certified, with many of those also NSF Certified for Sport.

But what does that mean? NSF Contents Certified Products test label claims and go through a toxicology review to make sure there are no contaminants from heavy metals, microbes, and pesticides. To be NSF Certified for Sport, Gnarly Nutrition products must be free of an additional 270 substances banned by professional sports leagues and doping oversight organizations.

Cover All the Bases With Fuel₂O

The brand’s newest product, Fuel₂O, was “created with fueling, replenishment, and recovery in mind,” Gnarly said.

One reason Fuel₂O targets all three phases is the inclusion of Hydroxy-methylbutyrate (HMB). HMB is made naturally by the body in small amounts. However, studies indicate supplementation of HMB may alleviate muscle breakdown and aid endurance performance.

Fuel₂O balances electrolytes and HMB in each 100-calorie serving for use in endurance efforts. That translates to about one serving every hour for training days or upping it to 200 calories for harder endurance efforts. Like other endurance-minded drink mixes, the goal is to provide sugar for energy without overstimulating the stomach with digestion.

Of course, not everything is an endurance-heavy endeavor. Gnarly Nutrition still makes targeted nutrition mixes for each phase of workouts.

Gnarly BCAAs & Pre Workout (Pre-Workout)

Studies have found that regularly taking BCAAs before exercise can reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and soreness. By reducing damage and promoting muscle synthesis, athletes should be able to return to exercise sooner. There are also amino acids in Gnarly’s post-workout recovery protein powders, so you’ll get more BCAAs in your system too.

BCAAs: Building off that evidence, Gnarly Nutrition includes 5 g of BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio, using leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Available with 35 mg of caffeine from green leaf tea or also in caffeine-free flavors.

All flavors are NSF Contents Certified, and Berry Lemonade is NSF Certified for Sport.

Pre Workout: The goal here is to add pep to your step as well as to offset some of the body’s early symptoms of fatigue and soreness. Gnarly formulates this dietary supplement with (vegan) BCAAs, Citrulline Malate for recovery, and Beta-Alanine to delay fatigue. Additionally, some of the flavors come with caffeine and ginseng to promote energy and intensity during the workout.

All flavors are NSF Contents Certified, and the Strawberry Lemonade is also NSF Certified for Sport.

Which one, though? Don’t stress too much about choosing the right one. In general, you can get the performance benefits with the BCAAs, but if you like an energy boost right before a workout, the Pre Workout may be more to your liking.

Shop Gnarly BCAAsShop Gnarly Pre Workout

Gnarly Hydrate and Fuel₂O (Workout Performance)

Hydrate: A mix of electrolytes and five B vitamins for metabolism, plus a little bit of sugar to hydrate, without triggering stomach distress. Gnarly recommends Hydrate for shorter workouts (less than 2 hours). Both flavors are NSF Contents Certified, and Orange Pineapple is also NSF Certified for Sport.

Fuel₂O: Gnarly recommends Fuel₂O for longer endurance efforts because it has more calories and electrolytes. Additionally, this formula includes HMB, a metabolite of leucine, which could help minimize muscle protein breakdown. 

One 12-ounce serving contains 100 calories from the quickly digested carbs sucrose and dextrose. That serving size targets hourly caloric rates for shorter and middle-distance efforts, while longer efforts may require bumping up to two servings.

Only the Cherry Cola flavor is caffeinated. All flavors are NSF Contents Certified and Certified for Sport.

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Gnarly Whey & Vegan Protein (Recovery)

Whey Protein: This mix provides 25 g of protein per serving, including 5.5 g of BCAAs, and 4 g of glutamine. The whey is sourced from grass-fed cows that aren’t treated with hormones. Additionally, the mix includes prebiotics and probiotics to aid in digestion and promote overall gut health.

Vegan Plant Protein: A mix of proteins from peas, chia seeds, and cranberry seeds combine for 20 g of protein per serving. It also has 14 essential vitamins and minerals, as well as 7 g of fiber, and customers praise the taste.

Both types of protein powders come in Chocolate and Vanilla flavors and are NSF Contents Certified and Certified for Sport.

Shop Gnarly Whey ProteinShop Gnarly Vegan Protein

Gnarly Greens (Everyday Nutrition)

Using Performance Greens is a way to supplement your diet with nutrient-dense “superfoods” associated with improved blood flow. In powder form, you’ll miss out on the fiber. However, supplementation should still garner returns from the micronutrients found in beetroot, tart cherry, cordyceps, turmeric, and vegan DHA.

On top of those ingredients, Gnarly includes organic superfoods like cracked cell wall chlorella and spirulina. Since none of Gnarly’s products contain proprietary blends, the detailed list of ingredients includes these foods (and how much of them) you’ll ingest.

Just like being NSF Certified, having no proprietary blends means that what you see on the label is what you’ll get in the product itself.

Ready to Get Gnarly?

Gnarly Nutrition has covered all the bases for workout nutrition. If you’re lagging in any aspect of your workouts or performance, you may want to examine whether you’re fueling enough before or after. Similarly, you need to allow yourself some true downtime for recovery, too.

For “Long Slow Distance” efforts and all-day adventure, consider the Fuel₂O drink mix. It has electrolytes and other ingredients aimed at keeping you energized throughout your effort while shortening your recovery.

This post is sponsored by Gnarly Nutrition. Find out more about Fuel₂O and other workout nutrition products. The claims and studies herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.