Nutri-Genetix: DNA Testing & Nutrition - How Did I Get On?

*I was sent a Personal Nutrition Report, BodyFuel & Flavour Booster to try by NGX. They were sent to me for free and I don’t get paid for reviewing them but I was asked to pop a review on for them. It’s an unbiased review – I’m saying exactly what I think as usual …!*

NUTRI-GENETIX: WHY?

Everyone has their own thoughts and opinions on nutrition and calorie control. I've used a calorie deficit to lose weight successfully and keep it off and I'm also aware that I need to balance the calories I consume with the exercise I do and the amount my body needs. Not always the easiest thing to do when ironman training. On top of this, I also have to try and ensure I get the nutrients my body needs and fuel correctly … quite a lot to balance along with family, work and life.

When Nutri-Genetix (NGX) offered to send me a personalised Nutrition Report based on my DNA … I was intrigued. Nutrition is an ongoing battle for me. It's no secret that I was a LOT heavier a few years ago and lost weight with a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD). Then I added in sports and it was a steep learning curve learning to balance nutrients and calories and exercise.

I liked the idea of being able to go faster and better without any extra effort or training just by getting my nutrition right

I was particularly interested to see how looking at nutri-genetics could improve my sports performance and whether the VLCD had affected how my body responded to certain things. I could see no downside to trying this … unless of course I hated it!

NUTRI-GENETIX: HOW?

I took an online quiz on the NGX website which covered a lot of the basic things I expected to be asked e.g. gender, height, exercise and also goals and how my body responds to exercise and illness. Also stress, anxiety,  skincare issues, brittle hair as some of these can be exacerbated by nutritional issues. It also touched on sleep, dietary intolerances and vitamin intake. The quiz gave me an immediate estimate of what I might be lacking and offered NGX products which may help. This was based entirely on my answers to the questions. 

NGX also sent me a DNA Swab kit, which they told me would have a look at my genetic variations to identify which nutrients my body has problems absorbing or processing. This would all be explained in a nutrition report. I hoped it would be written in basic English as I know next to nothing about DNA or genetics! 

NUTRI-GENETIX: WHAT?

I filled out my quiz and swabbed my mouth with the stick they'd sent. This was much less unpleasant than having to do the COVID test and was actually easy to do … no having to peer at my tonsils in the mirror at least! I couldn't have food or drink in the hour before, but that was the worst part! Swab cheek, put used swab in envelope, put envelope in post box. Done.

NUTRI-GENETIX: MY TRIAL

I was sent a plastic shake mixer, a 1kg bag of 'NGX Body Fuel: Daily Meal-Shake' and a 200g bag of 'NGX Flavour Booster: Cacao & Coconut' and a nutritional report was sent to me by email. 

Nutrition Report: 

This was a 30 page personalised report split into headers. This report gave me a brief introduction  to nutrigenetics, how my body uses nutrients, how my genes impact key areas of my fitness, health & wellbeing, personal nutrition recommendations. It also explained what was in my personalised NGX shake, how to use NGX and more detailed results on fat, carbohydrate, protein, vitamin, mineral and food sensitivity flagged up by the test that I'd sent in.

Gosh, a lot to take in!

I liked that the report was set out in a simple way and clearly gave me personal targets for specific things, such as calories, protein needs etc. It also flagged up sensitivities that I wasn't aware of and areas that I could improve my nutrition – and therefore impact my lifestyle and sports performance in a positive way. 

I was surprised by a few things – that I came up as having a sensitivity to caffeine. If you know me, then you know that I am a coffee fiend. I love, love it and don't feel I can function without it. But maybe I'll consider swapping to a few cups of de-caf instead. The report also highlighted that I have a high sensitivity to carbohydrates, which I believed I knew. I put on weight just looking at cake. 

 

The report also had a section on 'Goals You Could Improve By Optimising Your Nutrition' which focused on items such as Energy Levels During Exercise, Endurance Levels, Muscle Quality & Strength, Recovery Speed, Combat Fatigue & Bone Health. This was an important section for me as I do a fair amount of activity; training & racing triathlon and I want to improve my performance and recovery. I'd be very interested to see whether I can improve these things utilising the NGX.

NGX suggested I use this report to identify areas of my diet and lifestyle that I could change to have the biggest overall impact on results. It's a lot to take in.

NUTRI-GENETIX: NUTRITION REPORT SUMMARY

There's a lot of information here and a lot of suggested changes and improvements which I could implement in my lifestyle and training to improve my performance. I like the idea that I can improve my nutrition and get better results from the same amount of training. Working smarter, not harder. NGX offers a section in the report on how to take your NGX shake by goal. For example if you want to lose body fat, it suggests you can replace up to 2 meals with a shake. If you want to improve performance, you can take the NGX shake as an easy protein source. There's an entire section on ways you can incorporate NGX to achieve your goals. I liked this. I want easy solutions in my life.

NUTRI-GENETIX: HOW DID I GET ON?

My life is busy. I work shifts, I have a family and I have a lot of travelling with work and it's not always convenient or appropriate to take food with me. I liked the idea of being able to pop a small sandwich bag of NGX powder in a pocket that I could mix on the go. I decided to test this out.

I was relieved to find the packets came with scoops and I wasn't relying on measuring spoons or scales to weigh out portions. The easier the better. I used coconut milk to mix the powder and I tried the mix in the shaker with just the sieve section – no mixing ball. It mixed better than I expected also some dry powder stuck to the bottom of the shaker but there were no lumps! It was very palatable. There were  coconut granules in the shake so rather than feeling like I was on a diet (which I was worried it might!) , it was like having a smoothie. Like a treat. And the taste was good. 

I used NGX in a few different ways over the few weeks that I tried it out. I used it as a protein supplement after a hard workout – it's easy to mix and chug! I also used it as a meal replacement on days that I was too 'on the go' to cook and it was easy to carry around a small pre-measured bag of the powder ready to mix … although I don't think I'd be brave enough to walk through customs with a bag of powder in case I was suspected of being a drugs mule! I also used it as a stop-gap and had NGX instead of an unhealthy snack. The calories in a shake are about the same as a pack of pre-made sandwiches from a supermarket and the nutrition is far superior, so I felt quite confident that I was making a better choice.

NUTRI-GENETIX: SHAKE & PRODUCT SUMMARY 

I really loved the taste of the mixer powder and it worked well with the texture, but using this long-term, I would definitely need a couple of different flavours. I have a low food-boredom threshold – I can easily eat the same thing for dinner for a week, but even I get bored eventually. Long-term, I'd probably get a sweet flavour so I felt like I was having a sweet treat. Might be nice mixed with natural yoghurt.

I also really liked that I had a more structured, scientific approach to my nutrition. I found having the NGX shake took the guesswork out of planning my nutrition. My only concern with this is that I just don't know enough about nutrient-genetics to know how valuable the research is. For instance, they could be telling me anything and I wouldn't know enough to challenge it. NGX seem a very authentic and well-respected company but I don't have the scientific background to query anything they've said. However, this can be true of any expert from my dentist telling me I need a filling to an financial advisor telling me the best way to invest.

I appreciated that the personalised nutrition report gave me things that I could action and change easily that could make a real impact on my life and training performance. Even on the days that I couldn’t use the NGX shake (for instance travelling), being more aware of my nutritional needs and making good nutrition a priority meant that I was less likely to make bad food choices overall. 

I think that I will probably use NGX as a supplement to my nutrition going forward. I've planned another Ironman this year and the long training sessions and double training days mean that recovery and endurance will be a priority this year. And if I've got a product that helps me do this? Fantastic. 

Want to take a look and make up your own mind? Have a look here.

Want £20 off a trial? Use this link

ASICS GEL-FujiTrabuco SKY: The Next Big Thing for Trails & Swimrun!

As I stood on the edge of Lake Windermere, dripping wet, I realised that I had chosen the perfect shoes to swim in. 

The arrival of these gifted shoes from ASICS FrontRunner was timed perfectly with the start of my swimrun season. I hadn’t planned it and had expected to wear the shoes I’d worn for my last swimrun (ASICS Dynamis 2) but these had performed so perfectly on the trails and drained so well in the wet, I hadn’t been able to resist wearing them in the lakes as part of my training. After the first couple of swims in them, I’d made my mind up … these were to be my 2021 season swimrun shoes! 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 

The new versions were lighter than the versions 5 and 7 of the FujiTrabuco by quite some way …  although I have to admit there was quite a bit of mud on these previous versions … what can I say? I like to be thorough with my shoe trials!

The FujiTrabuco SKY is a lot more streamlined and even looks lighter than the FujiTrabuco versions 5 & 7. In fact, it’s a pretty good looking shoe. The colour I’ve got is the uniquely named ‘Digital Grape/Baltic Jewel’ which is a black and purple shoe with an orange sole and turquoise highlights. It looks good and it looks fast. 

There are drainage holes in the shoe sides and a holed sole to allow drainage of water. The sides of shoe are made of netted fabric so this looks lightweight and looks like it would drain water quickly. 

The FujiTrabuco SKY has similar lugs to the FujiTrabuco 5 - not too aggressive but looks a good sole for mud with the option of running on some road or harder surfaces if required.

The fastener system is similar to the Salamon Speedcross shoes rather than the laces of the FujiTrabuco SKY  5 & 7 which is a bonus for me. The fasteners don’t come undone unlike laces and no-one wants to stop to sort out laces halfway through an event or training run. Plus if laces come unfastened during a swimrun I might end up losing the shoe! Another thing which gave a good first impression is that the fasteners are looped through the tongue of the shoe to avoid any movement here which is good. I had issues with the early Speedcross shoes where the tongues would slide sideways and the thin fasteners would chafe the foot. This won’t be a problem in this shoe due to the looping. There’s also a pocket in the shoe tongue to tuck the fasteners into to avoid these getting clogged with dirt or bumping against the shoe.

I think I’d use them for trail parkruns, ultras and trail events and I’d definitely trial them for swimruns.

ACTUAL IMPRESSIONS AFTER USING THEM

What have I used the FujiTrabuco SKY for?:

Trails runs of all distances from short 5km trails to 10 mile+ runs and swimruns of varying distances from 1km to 21km! 

What I liked:

Easy draining if I step in a puddle or swim in a lake, they drain almost straight away and I don’t have any of the squishing noises! 

The shoe is incredibly comfortable. I don’t have to think about it at all while I’m running. It’s divine.

Great grip

 In my last swimrun there were slates, pebbles, gravel, rocks, mud, loose soil and shale and it was absolutely brilliant on all of these! No grip concerns whatsoever. 

Fit

My foot didn’t shift around in the shoe at all. I used my usual trainer size so good sizing too. Heel gripped well and toe box fairly roomy but nothing too much space. 

Lacing system

Brilliant for swimrun as it meant I could adjust the tightness and fit really easily. Laces didn’t come loose. 

Water

No appreciable difference in for or grip as the shoe was wet as to when it was dry. 

What I didn’t like

The insole. It came loose and also shifted around when I ran. I removed it from my shoes as I didn’t want it to ruck up and cause blisters mid race. 

Blisters

Got a blister on my right little toe after the 13 mile swimrun but I didn’t wear socks and had taken the insoles out of the shoes so this pretty much par for the course. Probably could have avoided a blister if I’d worn socks this time. However will definitely be wearing these for my next event … but with socks!

I’m definitely going to buy another pair as I found these shoes so versatile. Not only comfortable and high performing for trail running on a variety of surfaces, they were absolutely brilliant for my swimruns. Very versatile, very comfortable. 

NOTE: please be aware that these shoes were sent to me to trial as part of the ASICS FrontRunner program but I have been totally honest and transparent in this review ... if I didn't like them, I would have said so ... and certainly wouldn't be wearing them racing!

If you'd like a closer look there's a full description on the ASICS website here: ASICS.com

Skinny Food Co: Less Calories, Less Taste or Sensational Snacking?

I was sent a box of Skinny Food goodies to try. They sent them to me for free and I don’t get paid for reviewing them but I was asked to pop a review on. It’s an unbiased review – I’m saying exactly what I think as usual …!* 

So … a few years ago I was 5 stone heavier. That’s a lot of excess weight to carry around. And it was definitely excess for me. I’m short and that weight put me firmly in the obese category. I lost the weight using a calorie controlled diet and I’ve tracked my intake ever since. 

I’m not as strict with my food as I was initially coming out of the diet phase, but I’m mindful of what I eat. I’m aware that my idea of portion control isn’t what it should be and keeping an eye on my calorie intake helps me stay on track. Calories aren’t the be-all and end-all … I can be unhealthy at any weight, but it keeps me mindful and aware of fuelling with healthy foods rather than eating empty calories.

This was part of the reason that when Skinny Food Co contacted me to see if I’d like to try a box of goodies, I accepted. That and I LOVE food. I was curious to see what they could offer and whether I could make any healthier swaps. 

First impressions

The items came in a really funky box design and everything was really well packed. Also the box was a small size for a decent amount of items – not a massive box for a shoelace like Amazon tend to send. The items were also packed in REALLY securely – Royal Mail would really have had to go to a lot of effort for anything in the box to get damaged. 

First impressions of the items – the packets and jars looked like premium options. The packets weren’t screaming at me that they were a low calorie option – I didn’t get the feeling that I was going to get a lesser alternative to my normal option, which was good! When I have a treat, I like to have a TREAT!

Then I read the back of the packets … and couldn’t believe the calories. Treats but without burning off the long bike ride I’ve just done or ruining my daily calories! Surely … they couldn’t taste decent with this percentage of the normal calories …?

A nice touch was getting a recipe card in the box with the goodies. I am an APPALLING cook so the more cooking tips I get, the better! My recipe was Bombay Potatoes and while there were sauce options from Skinny Food Co recommended to go on them, the recipe didn’t need any Skinny Food Co products to make them so it wasn’t just a sales tactic which was nice! 

Fake Away Burger Sauce

6kcal per serving 

(For comparison Heinz Burger Sauce contains 56 kcals per serving)

The Fake Away Burger Sauce had the colour and consistency you usually get in a burger sauces. Comparatively, it was sweeter than I’m used to and a little less creamy. I could tell that it wasn’t my  normal burger sauce option but for 6 calories a serving, this would be a very good option particularly if I was focusing on calorie intake. 

Additional Benefits: Gluten free, low sugar.

Skinny Sauce Honey BBQ Sauce

2 kcals per serving

(Kraft Honey BBQ Sauce contains 60 kcals per serving)

I love BBQ sauce and liked that this was a HONEY BBQ sauce too! I added this to some halloumi and was pleasantly surprised. The taste was spot on, consistency was perfect and it was 2 calories compared to the 60 calories and handful of sugar I’d normally get from a bbq sauce. I’d definitely add this to meat or a burger as it was delicious. It was sweet rather than spicy but this was the only difference to my regular BBQ sauce.  

Additional Benefits: Gluten free, fat free, zero dairy, vegan, no added sugar, diabetic friendly.

Barista Hazelnut Creamer 

0 kcals per serving

(Nestle Hazelnut Creamer contains 25 kcals per serving)

This is recommended to add to coffee, tea, smoothies, porridge and desserts. I used this in my coffee as as although I don’t take milk or sugar in my coffee, I love syrup in it as a special treat. The Hazelnut creamer is very sweet – just as if I’d added a syrup. It did initially look like it would curdle but it mixed in well and turned the coffee exactly the right colour. The creamer smelled delicious and it was very tasty. It would be a very good substitute if you’re trying to reduce milk or sugar in your hot drink as I found it was sweet and creamy enough to satisfy a sweet tooth!   

Additional Benefits: Gluten free, fat free, zero calorie, vegan, sugar free, diabetic friendly.

Skinny Strawberry Jam

7 kcals per serving

(Regular Strawberry Jam contains 56 kcals per serving & 10 grams of sugar!)

I found this sweet and delicious and tasty. I wouldn’t be able to tell that this isn’t full calorie or full-sugar jam. It was full of taste and a really lovely consistency. I will definitely buy this again particularly while I’m being a bit more calorie conscious as it tastes like a proper treat while being much lower sugar and lower calorie than traditional jam but with all the taste!

Additional Benefits: Gluten free, fat free, low sugar (85% less sugar) diabetic friendly.

Skinny Golden Syrup

0 kcals per serving

(Regular Golden Syrup contains 60 kcals per serving & 10 grams of sugar!)

I was initially a little disappointed in this as I didn’t get the sugary taste that I’d hoped for. It was a lot thinner than usual golden syrup – it wasn’t the syrupy consistency I’d expected and I managed to squirt it all over the kitchen by mistake. I was quite disappointed with the taste as it tasted very much like I’d expect a spoonful of syrup in a pintful of water to taste – and it had the consistency to match. It was, however, good with pancakes and as a sweet dipping sauce but it’s not really thick enough for ice cream or on fruit. However, I then tried it in coffee ... SOLD! I don't take sugar in coffee but love a syrup in coffee as a treat. And as this was zero calories and sugar-free it felt guilt-free! 

If you don't mind it not being identical to the high calorie, high sugar Golden Syrup then it is a good substitute for most things that you would use golden syrup in. 

Additional Benefits: Gluten free, fat free, zero calorie, vegan, sugar-free, diabetic friendly.

Skinny Low-Sugar Pancake Mix

21 kcals per recommended serving

(Regular pancakes contains 175 kcals per serving)

I found that the recommended portion size was too small for me so I doubled up to bring this to 42 kcals per pancake, however I was massively impressed! Very easy to make and it mixed well and the pancakes came out better than my usual ones! They were delicious with the Skinny Golden Syrup and Skinny Strawberry Jam and even my 11yo also preferred them to ‘normal’ pancakes!

Any down sides to the skinny treats?

LOTS of marketing emails from the company. Really. A silly amount. 11 emails between order being placed and order arriving. 

Not everything tastes exactly the same as a high calorie option. You’ve got to decide whether having zero calories or fewer calories, is worth choosing a different texture. However, I found several of the low calorie products superior to what I’m used to so it is a case of choosing what treats you want and are happy changing.

Summary

The items are very sweet so if you’re on a calorie controlled diet or watching what you eat and have a sweet tooth then they may be a perfect match for you. They taste very close to the full calorie options so definitely a good swap for the these. Low in calories and low in sugar – a good option! I was particularly pleased with the jam – I’m definitely going to try the other flavours and I’ll definitely buy this again! I’m currently training with lower carbs and higher protein so these treats with low sugar and low carbohydrates work well for me as well as being lower in calories. I’ll definitely be buying the jam and the pancake mix again and will be enjoying trying the other options as a low calorie treat.