Quick & Convenient Protein On the Go! E-Hydrate Protein and Hydrate Drink Review & Giveaway.

Now that I’m nearly 12 weeks postpartum, I’ve really been trying to get toned up and build muscle again. With spring, comes a few of my favorite things to do: running races and yoga in the sunshine!

I lost a ton of strength and endurance with this last pregnancy. Ever since I was cleared for physical activity post pregnancy, I’ve been hitting the gym 3-4 times a week, incorporating both running and weightlifting to my regimen. With all this activity, I’ve been striving to make sure that I’m still eating enough protein and hydrating, especially since I’m also breastfeeding (nutrition & hydration are SO important at all times, but especially so when nursing).

Protein is incredibly important post-workout for many reasons. Protein helps speed muscle repair after hard workouts, leading to faster recovery. Faster recovery means less muscle fatigue, muscles heal faster and less post-workout exhaustion. Refueling your body with protein and hydration is best done within 30 minutes of ending exercise and then sooner the better.

I feel like I often struggle to maintain a diet with enough protein. That’s why I was so excited to be be able to try E-Hydrate protein and hydration products through Moms Meet. E-hydrate set out to create hydration, nutrition, and energy products that are natural with great tasting, real flavors born in the kitchen, not a laboratory. All E-hydrate products are Kosher and do not contain artificial sweeteners, colors, or preservatives.

E-Hydrate Protein On-The-Go:
This product aims to provide a hefty serving of protein and essential electrolytes in a ready to mix pouch. You simply add water to the fill line, shake vigorously and it’s ready to drink. E-hydrate Protein On-the-Go delivers 25 grams of clean, natural protein with only 150 calories and just four grams of sugar per pouch. I like that they contain potassium and sodium to help with replenishing electrolyte balance after intense sweat sessions as well.

I love the convenience of this product because I can just throw it in my gym bag and fill it with water as I leave the gym. It’s a simple, quick option (quicker is better for protein post-exercise) and since it’s the first thing I do post-workout it’s unlikely that I’ll forget to re-fuel, which happens often if i wait to drink protein until I get home. This would also be perfect to have waiting at the end of a race for a post-race recovery drink. The pouches come in two flavors: vanilla and chocolate. Both flavors taste pretty good, which is a shocker to me because I seriously have a really hard time with most protein drinks. I took a risk and decided to mix the chocolate powder into my coffee (desperately needed a pick me up post-workout), and it was DELICIOUS! Next time I’ll just pour cooled coffee into the pouch, shake and go. It was basically a protein packed mocha with less calories, sugar and tons of yummy goodness.

E-Hydrate Protein Kids:
I think that these would be great to keep in your child’s backpack for a recovery drink following practice or sports games. It has enough protein for their smaller bodies and would help prevent the crash that often happens. Each ready to mix packet contains 10 grams of protein, contains 70 calories and I received cinnamon roll (makes my mouth water thinking about it) and milk chocolate flavors. I think that the pouches are convenient, but are a little difficult to maneuver for smaller, toddler hands. I think that older kids would have no issues with them whatsoever though.

E-hydrate Adult Hydration Drink Mix and KIDS Hydration Drink Mix:

These packets can be added to any liquid to deliver the recommended daily amounts of B, C, and D vitamins, minerals, and more electrolytes than leading sports drinks. Sweetened with all natural Stevia leaf extract, E-hydrate Adult Hydration Drink Mix and Kids Hydration Drink Mix only have one carbohydrate and zero grams of sugar. E-hydrate KIDS Hydration Drink Mix has only 15 calories and is caffeine and taurine-free, while E-hydrate’s Adult Hydration Drink Mix only has four calories and 40mg of caffeine.

The Adult Hydration Drink Sticks comes in lemon-lime, red berry, orange, and grape flavors and the KIDS hydration sticks come in strawberry lemonade, fruit punch, grape, and apple. I LOVE that there is added caffeine (about half the amount found in a coffee so not too much to keep you up all night) in the adult version because I’m a caffeine addict. Ha! These are perfect for the mid-afternoon slump when I need an extra boost to push me through until dinnertime. I drink an insane amount of water daily (breastfeeding and working out has me drinking a gallon a day), so having a sugar free alternative (sweetened with stevia) that also tastes good and provides extra energy for adults and increased immunity in the kids version. One quick tip: drink a few sips of water from your water bottle before adding the sticks because it bubbles upon mixing!

A single pouch of E-hydrate’s Protein On-the-Go retails for $3.49 and a 3-pack box retails for $11.49. A 10-pack box of the Adult Hydration Drink Mix retails for $9.99 and a 10-pack box of the KIDS Hydration Drink Mix retails for $9.99. They’re available at Target stores.

The folks at E-Hydrate were kind enough to extend a discount to my readers. Use code “MOMSMEET” for 20% your first order! Order here.

For more information be sure to find E-Hydrate on Facebook and Twitter.

And here’s the exciting part…

One lucky reader can enter below to win two E-hydrate Ultimate Sample Packs! A single pack is valued at $25, so the total prize is valued at $50. Each sample pack contains:

• 2 Protein On-the-Go pouches (Chocolate and Vanilla)
• 4 Hydration Drink Mix sticks (Lemon-Lime, Red Berry, Orange, and Grape)
• 4 KIDS Hydration Drink Mix sticks (Strawberry Lemonade, Fruit Punch, Grape, and Apple)

E-hydrate Ultimate Sample Packs ($50 retail value)

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program (greenmomsmeet.com), May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.