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August 09, 2004
CLIF BAR, ENERGY BAR
It’s interesting to actually read the back of the package sometimes to see what it is we are eating. In the case of Clif bars, all the nutritional information is there but there is also a fun little story. It reads:
“Clif Bar is named after my father, Clifford, my childhood hero and companion throughout the Sierra Nevada mountains. In 1990, I lived in a garage with my dog, skis, climbing gear, bicycle and two trumpets. The inspiration to create an energy bar occurred during a day-long, 175 mile ride with my buddy, Jay. We’d been gnawing on some “other” energy bars. Suddenly, despite my hunger, I couldn’t take another bite. That’s the moment I now call “the epiphany.” Two years later, after countless hours in Mom’s kitchen, Clif Bar became a reality. And the mission to create a better-tasting energy bar was accomplished. thanks, Mom!
Clif bar has grown since 1990, and still the spirit of adventure that began on that ride continues to thrive each day. As the company evolves, we face many choices, yet we always do our best to take care of our people, our community and our environment.
- Gary, Owner of Clif Bar Inc.”
The package says “To learn more... visit http://www.clifbar.com “
It’s an interesting story, which may or may not be entirely true or even relevant. There are several energy bars and drinks on the market. And the ingredients and Nutrition facts listed are confusing to the novice athlete like me. I have learned by experience what it feels like to run out of energy on a bike ride. I know that athletes eat energy bars and drink energy drinks to give them the energy to perform their best.
From talking to many people, I discovered that a lot of us are doing what I started doing: Throwing things at our bodies to compensate for our exercise, without really understanding our needs and the nutritional value of things. As an example, I now eat an energy bar about a half hour before I go on any ride that will be over 20 miles. Now I’m reading about sports nutrition and I’m finding out about carbohydrates and protein and how they effect our energy use, and how they help rebuild our muscles.
In life we are bombarded with a lot of choices. We know that we need to take better care of ourselves but are not technically fluent in the intricacies of how it works. We start throwing things at it that we have heard are good for us.
Spiritually we are also faced with a lot of choices. We often take the ‘prepackaged’ energy bar approach to our spiritual health without really understanding the inner workings of our soul. We start throwing things at our spirits to see what happens, in the hope that it will renew our strength and help us reach our full potential. Then somewhere along the ride after we have gnawed on some energy bars we can’t take another bite. We then become disillusioned with the product. Then we look for something more palatable. That doesn’t mean we can stop caring about our well-being, it means we really need to understand what it is we are throwing at our spirits and why. Then we have the power to create proper balance in our lives.
I’m still trying to figure out what my body really needs and when. But spiritually, I know that one ingredient we all need is love. This is like a palatable energy bar that we never get tired of. Unlike the many choices we have for nutrition, like the energy bars and drinks, fruits and vegetables, protein, carbohydrates, etc., the more love thrown at our souls, the better we perform. Then we discover that for maximum fulfillment the more we give to others , the more we get in return.
Posted by carl1236 at August 9, 2004 10:27 PM | Balance