Many years ago some friends gave us a beat up rebounder. You probably remember when they were the rage. Basically, it is a miniature trampoline that you are suppose to jog or jump on to get your exercise. 26" surface. Poor man's compact treadmill. Most are relegated to garages or basements now. They have a padded vinyl fabric spring and rim cover. Dangerous without it. Mine was so beat and torn up that I patched it with about a roll of duct tape. It's too bad it is nearly impossible to get new covers.

One of the big problems was to avoid breaking an ankle if you deviated much from your position and either hit the springs or bounced onto the rim.  A couple of years ago I saw that newer rebounders had incorporated a railing to help keep position. I tried to come up with a way I could make one out of electrical conduit, but never worked it out. Back into the corner. Fortunately, it dawned on me that all I had to do was set it in front of my power rack and set a bar at the right height. Instant railing. It makes using the rebounder so much safer and easier.

I have tried to run on it but the motion is less jogging than a bouncy knee-up. Vertical jumping with good knee action will get your heart moving. Alternate with with a double touch, side to side, boxer's shuffle. Both will keep you going much faster and longer than a jogging motion. The rail makes it a much more mindless exercise that can be done while watching TV. 15 to 30 minutes. I'm going to use it tonight.

Protein Bars 1
There is a rule of thumb often cited in bodybuilding circles that dialy protien intake to insure muscle growth should be somewhere around 1 gram/pound of body weight/day. At best it is a difficult goal to acheive without eating a steak fro each meal. Most of us end up resorting to at least one other form of protein such as whey, or soy in either a liquified from (shake) or a solid form (bar). By far the most portable is a protein bar. While you can mix shake powders however you want, a bar is whatever the manufacturer decides you need. This can be a problem if you are trying to satisfy either a diabetic diet or a low carb/sugar diet regimen.

First a distinction. "Energy bars" are not protein bars. Energy bars (and gels) are meant to load you up with carbohydrates, sugar for quick fuel and fats. They tend to be very high calorie and will send your blood sugar through the roof. Clearly meant for times of high energy demand such as a race or road training session. They rarely have any protein content. At worst they are candy bars foisted by candy companies under the guise of healthy.

A second distinction. "Meal replacement bars" are a supposed mix of sugars, carbs, proteins and fats. They are often marketed as a diet aid and not as a training supplement. Often they are also high in sugar. Remember sugar is a carbohydrate just as much a potato.

A third distinction. Granola bars, fruit and nut bars and cereal bars are pretty much all sugar and carbohydrates. Grainy candy bars. Great portable pick-me-ups for hiking snacks when you are actually expending energy. Otherwise, they are candy bars.

None of these should be confused with a legitimate protein supplement.

Protein bars 2
In trying to adhere to a low sugar, low carbohydrate, minimal blood sugar elevation type of diet I have to scrutinize nutrition labels on many of the foods I eat. One of my quests has been to find a couple of low sugar/low carb protein supplement bars I can use when training. Criteria I use are:

1. Low sugar. These are simple sugars (glucose, fructose or easily metabolized sucrose). There should be less than 10 grams per bar. Something over 10 grams consumed at a setting is high enough glycemic load to send blood sugar rocketing. Below 10 grams can usually be tolerated without undue runaway elevation. It is not unusual to find 25-35 or even 40 grams of sugar in most to mask the taste.

2. Low carbohydrate. Raw carbohydrate,usually from grain sources, are long chain polysaccarides and take a little more time to break down into simple sugars. The presence of protein slows their metabolism.

3. Limited fats. Under 10% if possible.

4. 20-30 grams of protein.

5. Taste good. Some have medicine (vitamin pill) flavors or metallic aftertastes or artificial sweetener odd flavors. Even chocolate and peanut butter fails to mask. If it tastes like crap, who wants to eat it. Yeah, your mom said it was good for you. Didn't convince you then and still won't.

6. Doesn't cost an arm and a leg. It amazes me how much many bars cost. $2-3 each. Wow.

Note that many low sugar foods use sugar alcohols as sweeteners. Sugar alcohols (malitol) do not elevate blood sugar. Beware that over consumption can cause stomach upset, gas, or diarrhea. Splenda has less chance of side effects.

Protein bars 3
I have tracked down a couple acceptable protein bars.

Pure Protein brand.

This is my favorite. 50 gram bar. 20 grams of protein, 1-3 grams of sugar (depending on the flavor), 5 grams of fat, 200 calories, $1.25 or so each from WalMart, available in 5 bar boxes. Peanut butter, chocolate chip, chocolate chocolate chip, blueberry. Actually tastes good.

Detour brands.

Detour has a fairly wide nutrition supplement bar line. Some meet the criteria, some do not. You have to read carefully.

Their Lower Sugar series 85 gram bar has about the 30 grams of protein, has 5 grams of sugar, 34 grams total carbs, 340 calories, 9 grams of fat. Also available in a 15 gram of protein, half size bar. Chocolate chip caramel, peanut butter and caramel peanut. 15 gram bar is comparable cost to Pure Protein bars.

Their Lean Muscle series 90 gram bar has 32 grams of protein, 3 grams sugars, 12 grams fat, 33 grams total carbohydrate, 370 calories.

These are newer products. The last time I tasted a Detour bar that had low sugar, it had a slight, but acceptable aftertaste. I should compare these soon.

I have tried several different tacks. I am not a runner. I use weights, cycle and elliptical at home. I always pack workout clothes. If I have to stay in a hotel I look for a one with a gym or at least an exercise room. Some are quite good, others minimal or not in good condition. Best I've been in, Dallas, had a full weight room, several aerobics machines and a nice pool. The worst advertised a gym room and had a clapped out Universal machine with not much else. Driving, I used to pack a couple of 1" dumbbell handles and about 30# of plates. They fit in a small molded plastic, flat equipment case. That got old. I discovered exercise tubing. Tubing is available in different tension ratings. I got mine at Walmart. Everlast has a $20 kit of three tubes and two handles so tubes can be doubled or tripled to vary tensions. A short tube and a long tube and a jump rope will allow you to just about simulate a normal gym workout with less than a half pound of equipment and next to no luggage space. Add some bodyweight exercises, stretches and you can do 45 minutes in your room or wherever. Great for a cold, rainy day when you might not want to run. There are tubing workouts online. Use a hassock for a bench if available. In hotels, at least spread a guest towel on the floor. Run stairs for aerobics and warm-up.