The editors of VegNews Magazine – the leading magazine to focus on a vegetarian lifestyle, offering its more than 195,000 readers up-to-date information on living a compassionate and healthy lifestyle – have honored PureFit Nutirion Bars with a 2010 VeggieAward™ nomination!

Between now and August 31, 2010, you can visit the VeggieAwards website, where among other categories, you can vote for the Energy Bar of the Year. And while we’re not the type of people to beg for your vote or suggest whom you should vote for, we sure could use your support!

Being recognized with a nomination in a prestigious award like the VeggieAwards is honor enough for our team, but if we are fortunate enough to win – which can can only do with your help – we’ll give everyone who orders a box of our bars a FREE sample kit complete with 5 additional bars (certain restrictions will apply, of course).

To check out all the categories and place your vote for Energy Bar of the Year, please visit the official 2010 VeggieAwards website before August 31, 2010.

In this, the first of our Meet the Team blog posts, we’re pleased to introduce you to our VP of Operations, Liz Gustafson, a woman who could easily be the poster child for loving what she does for work. Liz started working for PureFit in February of 2009 and immediately made an impact. Her kind spirit, professionalism, and can-do attitude allow us to operate at levels of efficiency and reliability the likes of which we had not experienced until Liz joined the team.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Liz in person or over the telephone, here’s your chance:

PureFit: What do you to do here at PureFit?

Liz Gustafson: I am a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. Basically, I facilitate the day-to-day operations. From inventorying the warehouse and helping out with growth projections, to account management and assisting my co-workers, I pretty much try to keep a pulse on the operational activities of the office, to make sure we’re on the right track.

PF: What did you do prior to coming to work for PureFit?

LG: While in college, in addition to waitressing and bartending, I worked as a massage therapist and physical therapy technician at a local physical therapy office. After a couple years, I was promoted to director of marketing and ended up changing my major and career path permanently. Since then, I have become quite passionate about business development and strategic planning.

PF: What attracted to you to PureFit?

LG: In addition to our founder and CEO Robb Dorf – he’s a great businessperson who also happens to be genuinely kind – it was PureFit’s commitment to health and wellness that won me over. It’s inspiring to be part of something that helps so many people. How’s that cliché go? “If you love your job you never work a day in your life.” That’s how I honestly feel, and I could tell it would be that way even before I started.

PF: When you’re not working, what do you like to do in your spare time?

LG: I love to run. I’ve completed two half-marathons in the past six months, and I’m training for my first triathlon as we speak. When I‘m not working or training for a race, I am having a blast with my husband and our crazy friends and family (simply put, we have an unbelievable amount of fun… we’re diehard Anaheim Angel fans and we enjoy taking trips to the Colorado River whenever we can). In addition to the people I work with, my friends and family are some of the most amazing people in the world.

PF: What’s your all-time favorite PureFit Bar?

LG: Trick Question! I love, love, love Almond Crunch. Sadly, since Granola Crunch came out, it’s all I seem to eat. I do however feel a certain loyalty to Almond Crunch, because it was my favorite for so long, but I still can’t seem to get enough of the Granola!

PF: If you could take a one-year paid sabbatical from work to set-up your own natural food company, what would you call it what would you sell?

LG: Since I can’t even go away for a few days and not miss the PureFit office, I can’t imagine a whole year! I suppose if I HAD to, I would develop an all-natural, gluten-free beer and call it “Brews of Summer” and go with a baseball theme for the label. I would enjoy my year off with my friends experimenting with recipes and traveling to different marathons trying to “out fun” Michelob 64’s booth (because they are always at the major races), then return to PureFit after the year was up.

If you’d like to ask Liz a question of your own, click on the Comment link below!

Did you happen to catch last Thursday’s episode of Wipeout on ABC? If you’re unfamiliar with the show, Wipeout is a game show that puts contestants through four rounds of a punishing – but hilarious – obstacle course-based competition. The first round features 24 contestants, while only the top four make it the final round called the Wipeout Zone, where the winner earns the title of ‘Wipeout Champion’ and a $50,000 grand prize.

Last week’s winner, Scott Torgan, just so happens to be a PureFit customer. And rather than take our word for what role PureFit Bars may have played in Scott’s training and big win, read what he has to say, in his own words:

Dear PureFit,

I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for providing such a good nutrition bar. I recently had an opportunity to compete on a nationally televised game show called Wipeout, and I truly believe it paid off to have PureFit Nutrition Bars as part of my training regimen, diet, and fuel system.

From the moment I knew I had the chance to compete on Wipeout, one thing was clear: I had to give it my all and I had to train! So train I did… cardio, endurance, and strength were all part of my regimen, as were using PureFit Nutrition Bars. Before and after many of my workouts, PureFit bars helped me prepare and recover, as they did while taping the show itself. (Unlike many of the show’s other contestants, I avoided scarfing down the junk food we were offered. As a result,PureFit played a supporting role in my edge, energy, focus and win.)

As you might suspect, I will continue to use the PureFit line of nutrition bars in my regular workout efforts going forward. Thanks again for making such a great product!

R. Scott Torgan

Thanks, Scott, and congratulations on your big win! To watch some video of what Scott had to contend with, click on the image below:

Click to watch PureFit customer Scott Torgan on ABC's Wipeout!

Robb Dorf with John Wooden

As many of you know, legendary UCLA basketball Coach John Wooden passed away this week. I had the pleasure of meeting him, and working with his grandson, Greg Wooden, for almost six years.

Greg and I worked at Adopt-A-Highway together and often had lunch with his brother, and even his dad Jim — John Wooden’s son. Both are genuine, funny and successful in life. I always enjoyed the time I spent with the Wooden family. I even attended the 2001 John R. Wooden Awards, the year Shane Battier was honored with the John R. Wooden Award Trophy, presented to the most outstanding college basketball player in the United States. The Wooden’s are simply a class act. The entire family treated me like I was a part of their family.

Basketball signed by Coach John Wooden for Robb Dorf

I think the true measure of a man is not what he accomplishes in his professional life, but what he brings to this world in his personal life. The point is, Coach Wooden’s legacy will always be UCLA basketball. I’m not trying to take anything away from that. The point I’m trying to make is that Coach Wooden also did his best to raise his family — to be there for his kids and grandkids. He never lost touch with what’s really important. I think he was equally proud of his accomplishments both on and off the court, and that includes placing a major emphasis on  family.

You can name all the awards, scholarships, courts and tournaments you want after Coach Wooden. But if you want to honor him, be a good person, treat your neighbors well, always do the right thing, and always give 100 percent.

Rest in peace Coach. We will all miss you.

But consider for a moment those runners or exercise fiends who prefer gluten-free foods, are gluten intolerant or, worse yet, suffer from celiac disease – a lifelong intestinal disorder that affects one in 132 people in the United States. Traditionally, there has just not been a whole lot on the typical pre-race menu for these folks.

As many of our customers know, celiacs can’t eat gluten, which is a protein found in grains such as wheat, rye and barley. Some of the most common gluten-containing foods in an athlete’s diet are bagels, pasta, crackers and pretzels. These foods are high in carbohydrates, to be sure, but they can spell race-ruining intestinal problems for some, and for those suffering celiac disease, eating gluten is like ingesting poison.

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, gluten damages the hair-like projections called “villi” that line the wall of the small intestine. If left untreated, it can lead to other health conditions such as anemia, osteoporosis, thyroid disease, and autoimmune reactions. Common symptoms of celiac disease or severe gluten intolerance include abdominal cramping, intestinal gas, distention and bloating, chronic diarrhea or constipation (or both). Less obvious symptoms include depression, dermatitis, bone or joint pain, fatigue and osteoporosis.

The cure is simple: Total abstinence.

Completely removing gluten from your diet allows for healing of the intestine and promotes regrowth of the villi. The time it takes varies and depends on how long the damage has been going on in the intestines. Of course those with gluten intolerance should also follow the same “no gluten is good gluten” regimen. That means no more foods or food ingredients made from grains, including wheat, bran, rye, barley, bulgur, kamut, spelt, wheat germ and semolina.

We said the cure is simple. But it’s not easy – especially if you’re a marathon runner or a triathlete who seemingly requires a diet consisting largely of pasta, bagels and all those aforementioned goodies the night before the big race.

So what’s a dyed-in-the-wool athlete to do?

There are all kinds of gluten-free flours out there, made from rice, soy, corn or potatoes. Most fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes and dairy products are also a pretty safe bet. And fresh meats, fish and poultry that haven’t been breaded or marinated are also good choices for those seeking an alternative to gluten.

Other carb-rich, but gluten-poor foods you can eat include beans, lentils, hummus and fat-free bean dip. There’s millet, amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat, as well as sweet potatoes, winter squash and corn.

And if you’re heading over to that pasta party, bring along your own plateful of goodies.  The folks at Active.com have come up with some delicious gluten-free meals for those on the run – or about to go on a run.

For instance, how about a meal of scrambled eggs with black beans, salsa and a corn tortilla? No gluten in sight. Or try some marinara sauce over spaghetti squash and white beans. How about a salmon salad with grapes, almonds and curry powder?

Enjoy the party. Slowly savor the salmon as your friends dive into pounds of pasta and sourdough bread smothered in grease.

Your stomach will thank you on race day. And of course, don’t forget about the wheat- and gluten-free line of all natural PureFit Nutrition Bars!

Despite that fact that Congress hasn’t taken any action yet on a bill that would officially designate May as Celiac Disease Awareness Month (resulting in, among other things, increased funding for celiac disease research), PureFit is pleased to be participating in efforts that increase the public’s knowledge’s about the disease.

Recently, we donated more than 700 of our wheat- and gluten-free nutrition bars to the Celiac Disease Foundation’s 20th Annual Education Conference and Food Faire (Saturday, May 15, in Los Angeles, Calif.). If you’re in the LA area and have an active interest in issues associated with celiac disease, the CDF’s Education Conference and Food Faire is a must-attend event. If you’re unable to make it to LA, no worries – unofficially, National Celiac Disease Awareness Month runs through May 31, and a simple Google News search for “Celiac Disease” shows you just how much is going on!

As you may already know, celiac disease goes undiagnosed in 98 percent of people who have it. If you or someone you know experience health-related problems which you think might be related to celiac disease, visit the National Foundation of Celiac Awareness website, where you can learn about celiac disease symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, related diseases, facts and figures, and more. And of course, visit your doctor right away if you’re experiencing anything unusual or out of the ordinary.

Here at PureFit, we’ll be marking Celiac Disease Awareness Month all throughout the month of May. In addition to supporting celiac disease-related groups like the Celiac Disease Foundation, we’ll also be posting celiac disease-related news and information here on our blog.

1. Why do some guys ride their bikes with their helmets strapped to their handlebars and not their heads?
2. If the US provides health care to everyone, should everyone be required to quit smoking and take better care of him or herself?
3. Why did Merck pay over two billion dollars in fines for the Vioxx debacle but not a single person was indicted?
4. Why do some people still not use cordless headsets while driving?
5. Would anyone use AT&T wireless if AT&T didn’t have an exclusive arrangement with Apple for the iPhone?
6. Do you really believe chocolate-coated nutrition bar are nutritious?
7. Is Starbucks partially to blame for the growing obesity problem in the US?
8. Why don’t more people stop and help a stray dog or cat? (Just yesterday I returned a beautiful German Shepherd to his home when many people saw him before I did.)
9. Why do people show up to run a marathon without a nutritional plan?
10. Sport Jelly Beans? Seriously?

Help me out here. You don’t have to answer each of these questions but surely, like me, you have an opinion or two that’s worth sharing. Click on the “Comments” link below to get started (and for those of you who are shy or do not want to use your real name, feel free to make one up… the point here is to simply get people talking about some important issues).

Enjoy!

If you are a trusted blogger — someone who has a loyal following and really knows what they’re talking about (especially when it comes to topics of interest to people living with Celiac Disease, vegans, and those of who pursue a gluten-free lifestyle) — we want to talk with you about reviewing our award-winning line of nutrition bars, including our newest bar: Granola Crunch.

If you feel like you’re in a good position to try our bars and write and publish an unbiased review on your website or blog, please contact us at pr@purefit.com. Please be sure to include your name, the name and address of your website or blog, your physical mailing address, and anything else we might need to know about you. In return, we’ll send you a bunch of bars and some additional info about our company.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, we won’t attempt to direct or influence your review. All we ask is that you let people know you received our product for free and that you write an honest review of our bars for your readers.

Click on the image above or link below to watch a 30-second clip from the show featuring our bars:

PureFit and The Real Housewives of Orange County

As a result of the appearance, our office has been flooded with requests for PureFit Sample Kits. Always happy to oblige, we’ve shipped more PureFit Sample Kits since the episode aired than we did during the entire month of January.

On behalf of everyone here at PureFit, thanks, Tamra, for choosing to share our message with so many people. And for all you other  reality television show cast members, feel free to contact us for your very own supply of “As Seen on TV” nutrition bars!

Briefly… Granola Crunch had its coming out party at last week’s Surf City USA Marathon in Huntington Beach, California. To say it was a hit would be an understatement. Every single person who sampled the bar during the marathon’s Active Lifestyle Expo said it was the best tasting PureFit Bar they’d ever tried. So many people purchased boxes of the bars that we ran out well before the Expo ended on Saturday afternoon.

Early feedback from retailers, fitness clubs, personal trainers, and gyms across the country is the same… they can’t keep the bars in stock because customers are already coming back to buy up their remaining inventory.

For a small company like ours, it’s really gratifying to see people reacting so positively to our newest product. Years of planning go into the creation and launch of each new flavor, and with each new flavor we add to the line of award-winning bars, we strengthen our position as the number one selling wheat- and gluten-free sports nutrition bar available today.

If you’re unsure if you’ll like the new flavor, consider trying it out by ordering the PureFit Sample Kit, which includes one of each flavor, including Granola Crunch.