Well, its been one heckuva bumpy ride, and I don’t’ think that we are out of the woods yet, but we have made it this far.  And we are about to put 2020 to bed. And pray that 2021 is more reasonable.
So yeah, like many of the small businesses that we know, we took a pretty substantial hit this year.  Lean operating, reduced revenue, all that stuff.  But we did pick up a few new tricks, and made some new friends this year!

• We figured out how to ship our bars via our buddies at Fed Ex, and that in turn let us make some new friends in California (big shout out to Max Muscle Los Alamitos, Max Muscle Gilroy, and Max Muscle Morgan Hill), and in Florida (thanks, Fernando! At Max Muscle Wesley Chapel).
• We made it out to Rockwall, and met John at Ekin Nutrition!
• We joined the Go Texan movement!
• And we were still able to support a few competitions and events, like the
  • Met Con Mashups (shout out to Okie Crossfit and Crossfit Exile),
  • Garage Games Master Tour (at Crossfit Fort Worth East and 2819 Mission Crossfit),
  • Triple Threat at Crossfit Forney (actually competed in that one!)
  • Watagua Classic at Crossfit Watagua
  • Omega Fit Club at Omega Crossfit
  • NTX Throwdown at Crossfit Lavon. 
  • And we were still able to support the Dallas Five Throwdown, held at some pretty awesome gyms around the metroplex (Crossfit Full Sail, D-Town Crossfit, Rise Up Fitness, 2819 Mission Crossfit, Crossfit Forney, Crossfit Swashbuckle, Crossfit Templum, Crossfit Mexia, Crossfit Ellis, and Crossfit Watagua!!)
• We were given the opportunity to present to a huge corporation for some shelf space in their stores (results pending, fingers crossed!)
• Got some gorgeous new packaging (thank you Jose and team at Optimum Packaging!)
• And even got a couple of new flavors made and tested!
  • No sugar added Vanilla
  • Peach (still needs some work, not going to lie, will get it ready for summer 2021)
  • Peppermint (thanks for the idea and motivation, John and Ekin Nutrition!)

So for you guys that have stuck with us, we really love you and appreciate you.  I’m personally looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and helping folks get fit, in the fun and quirky way that we do.  I mean really, have your ice cream and eat it too?  #winning
One last ask from you guys, though…If you are planning on staying up on New Year’s Eve, can you please make sure that 2020 makes it out the door?
See you soon,
 
Greg

-I originally wrote the majority of this in an email to our partners, but realized that it applies to all of us.  - Greg

My peoples! 

I know that this is a weird time for all of us, and I hope that all of you are doing well despite it all.  Mindset is key, right?  Maybe think of this like one of those long grinder workouts; you know, the chippers that seem like they never end, and then once they are done, you catch your breath, wipe the sweat from your face, and stand up stronger than before, right?

I want to let you know that I’m here with you; gyms are my primary distributors, and when they are shut down, I am essentially shut down too.

That being said, when the storm clears, and our gyms can open up to the public once more, I’m ready to help you make your tribe happy and healthy again.  One of the things that my gym does great is having that strong sense of belonging and community.  I’m missing that; I miss my gym fam, and I know that your tribe is too. 

I see the day when the doors are open, the workouts start, and everyone is happy to see each other and sweat together.  And catch up in person.  Maybe over an ice cream bar, one that is healthy for you and helps you to be happy.  These days are coming, and I know that they will be here soon.

We’ve got some new things in the works; new colorful packaging that makes it easier to see which flavor of bar is there (and looks awesome, by the way) and a new, low carb version of our ice cream (for your peoples that are trying to kick all sugar or stay keto).

In the meantime, I know that you guys are making the most of this “extra” free time.  I’ve seen a lot of your transition to on-line training. I hope that you are enjoying spending your time with family, reading or learning a new skill, or deep cleaning and maintaining your rowers, barbells, and other equipment that needs that TLC.  Since my home gym is kinda light on the weights, I’ve been doing more yoga (I need that flexy work), body weight work, and doing some weighted runs (Murph is coming up, ya know).

So, to wrap things up, once we get the clear to go ahead, let’s get back in the game. 
​
We are stronger together.

Take care, and see you soon,
 
Greg

Guys,

It is a beautiful fall day here, and I wanted to take a moment to enjoy the sunshine and give thanks. It’s officially the season, ya know!

Thanks to all of you guys, first off. We’ve enjoyed getting out and meeting you, making new friends, and sharing some ice cream along the way! It feels good to me to serve someone a food that’s delicious, and healthy too! Not always easy to do with a dessert. So, cheers to all of you!

Id also like to give a big round of thanks and gratitude to my family, especially my wife and co-founder, Jenn. Thank you guys for supporting, critiquing, enhancing, and all of the other things that you do to help keep this dream going. All while attending to all of the other needs of our life and the people in it, makes you nothing less than amazing. So, thank you, for all that you have given me.

There is probably another month or so of the ice cream season, before the really cold temps kick in, and we hope to see you guys around at an event or two. We still have our protein ice cream bars in stock, and will definitely be able to serve you (even if it is a little chilly). The good news is that your Proleta won’t melt as fast !

We’ve got some plans to make the most of the off season, so keep an eye out on the socials for us to see what’s brewing and what’s happening.

I hope that you guys have a great day, and a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Take care,

Greg
​

You know what else is great for your post workout? Other than this amazing protein ice cream, it’s sleep.

In fact, sleep is where the real gains happen.  The exercise, especially the weight bearing ones, break down the muscle tissue.  And sleep is the part of the equation where that muscle is repaired and rebuilt.

Getting the right amount of QUALITY sleep should be a priority for everyone.  That means sleep without interruption.  That means sleep where you actually make it through the sleep cycles.

And just like nutrition, each person has individualized needs.  Some need more, some need less, but everyone needs good sleep.

So here’s some pointers:

• Limit the screen time before bed.  The blue light inhibits the onset of sleep, and the mental stimulation of constantly scrolling makes it harder to wind down.  Set an alarm for an hour before your bedtime, and then turn off the TV, put the device away, and begin to get ready for sleep.
• Make that room DARK.  Anything brighter than starlight can interrupt your sleep.  So all the assorted led power lights, street lamps, whatever, can goof up your sleep as well.  Studies show that even a light, taped behind your knee, can activate the phot receptors of your skin.  Walk through your room, silence the little lights, use room darkening shades, and make sure that your devices don’t go off at night.
• Make a nighttime ritual.  Get ready for bed at the same time everyday, and it will help to normalize out your sleep cycle.  Get your clothes ready for the next day, get a glass of water ready for you to have in the morning; basically, prepare for tomorrow, tonight.  The less that you have to worry about during the night, the better that you will be able to sleep.
• Keep the room cold. The body naturally drops its internal temperature at nighttime, and keeping the room cooler helps it to stay in that relaxed state. 

These are just a few tips to help you sleep better, and in turn, help your body to heal and recover.  That’s only one benefit of good sleep; the mood, energy, and hormonal balancing are a few others.  And there are many other ways to improve your sleep.  Shawn Stevenson’s book, Sleep Smarter, is one great resource.  You can learn more about it here:    https://sleepsmarterbook.com/

Hope they help!  What’s your best sleep hack or habit?
 
Greg

Good evening everybody!  Or morning, or whatever time it happens to be when you check this out.  

It is the week of Thanksgiving, and with that in mind, I wanted to make sure that I told you that I am thankful for you.  No joke, no bs, I'm serious.  I really appreciate you.  Thank you for taking some of your precious time and taking a chance on this new idea.  I hope that you found it as delicious and satisfying on that sweet tooth as I do, and I hope that your body enjoys that extra bit of that muscle building block called protein.
 
So, it has been a little while since the last post, so I thought I’d give you all a quick update of what’s been going on, and what we’ve got planned for the future.
 
For a quick recap of this past year, we have grown from seven locations that carry our delicious protein ice cream bars to forty amazing locations!  We are super excited and proud, and this is all from your support.  Thank you so much! We have gotten some awesome support and made some new friends from some boxes outside of the DFW metroplex, like Crossfit Citadel in Longview, Elevate Crew Crossfit in Abilene, and the Combine Strength and Conditioning in Austin.  You can find all of our locations here:  http://www.proteinpaletas.com/where-to-find-us.html

We’ve also changed some of our recipes over to a new protein powder, so that we can offer a better ice cream.  We are phasing out the protein blend that we were using, and moving over to a whey protein isolate for better digestibility and nutrient absorption.  In the process, we also came out with two new flavors:  dark chocolate (amazing!) and orange (equally amazing!)  This brings our total flavors to six (our staples strawberry, chocolate, cappuccino, and key lime pie).

We also finally developed and brought to market a dairy free, plant based Proleta.  We had been toying with this idea for the past year, but couldn’t really get it where we wanted it.  Apparently, vegan protein powder is an acquired taste, and we went through about twenty of them until we found the one that worked.  But why, though?  Why wouldn’t we just be happy serving up a delicious, high protein milk based ice cream?

Because we met Peyton.  And she deserves ice cream.  In case you don’t know her, Peyton’s is the nine year old daughter of our friends and coaches at Crossfit Terrell.  You can find her story here ( www.peytonstrong.org ).  To make a long story short, she has developed an auto immune disease that manifests its symptoms in her as severe juvenile arthritis.  We personally take offense to that, and wanted to help.  And we make ice cream that happens to be healthy, so we made an ice cream that she could eat, that wouldn’t raise her inflammation levels. 

We are starting to roll this one out to our partners, so be on the look out.  Or heck, email us and tell us where you'd like to try them out at, and we will make sure to get some out there.  A portion of the proceeds from each sale of this one (the Peyton Berry, a mix of strawberry, blueberry, pea protein powder, almond milk, and agave) will go to help pay for her medical expenses.  You can find the rest of the nutritional details about it here (http://www.proteinpaletas.com/flavors.html )

Thanks guys, and hope to hear from you soon,
 
Greg

​So it looks like things just got real…….wait, I mean, who doesn’t have 200 lbs of protein powder just laying around their house?
We’ve partnered with another supplier, and based off of our initial R&D, you guys are going to love this stuff.  This is a very pure, high quality whey isolate, that gives us a little bit more flexibility in our recipes.  It made the key lime pie creamier.  We made a dark chocolate that was decadent (and I don’t use that term lightly). I’m messing around with an orange flavor, and a mango flavor. Once we get those fine tuned (our kids have to like them, or they don’t go out the door), be looking for some of these small batch or seasonal flavors to make it out to your neck of the woods.
Also, we are looking outside of our immediate surrounding area and making some new friends just a few hours south!  We spent all of Friday in Austin, TX, and we were able to visit a few pretty awesome Crossfit boxes; hopefully we will be able to help our friends in the Hill Country enjoy their afterworkout snacks in a cool and refreshing way!
In case you didn’t know, it got HOT here in Texas!  Spring was short (I think it was a Tuesday, maybe a Wednesday) and now its routinely hitting the century mark.  Stay cool, stay hydrated, and we hope to see you guys soon.
 
Take care,
 
Greg

Hello, all!  I hope that you all have been doing well.  I think that we are almost over the winter hump here, which is fine by me, because I am a tropical people.  Cold is not my favorite season.

I will say that things have been relatively busy over here, and as such, I'd  like to welcome and introduce you to our newest partners!

In Longview, Texas, we have CrossFit Citadel!  A full service CrossFit Gym, Tommy and his crew have a huge space, and a uncommon device among many boxes - heating and air conditioning!  Seriously, they have a very nice setup, and the consistent, high level coaching and training that you expect from fitness professionals.  Find them at CrossfitCitadel.com.

In Mansfield, Texas, we have CrossFit Mansfield!  Jared has a deep seated passion for service to others, and that is apparent in the way that he runs his box.  CrossFit Mansfield has a variety of classes and services, from standard general physical preparedness to boot camps to sport specific courses to nutritional counseling.  They are at CrossfitMansfield.com.

In Abeline, Texas, Elevate Crew Crossfit is our partner!  They just recently celebrated their four year anniversary, and we are super proud to be a part of that!  Kristin and her crew offer CrossFit classes, Flex training, and CrossFit Kids courses! They are also constantly hosting seminars, ranging from self defense to nutrition.  Check them out at www.TrainElevate.com.

In Rockwall, Texas, we have partnered up with TJ and his staff at Legends Gym.  Legends is a traditional gym, with a focus on personal training.  These guys are disciplined, and will sit down with you and map out a plan to get you to your goal.  Whether its getting lean, getting big, or getting strong, Legends will find the way to get you there.  Go to Legendsgymrockwall.com to find out what they are about.

In Flower Mound, Texas, we are welcoming Stephanie and co. from Burn Boot Camp - Flower Mound as our newest partner!  Stephanie runs group classes with a focus on women's fitness; forty five minute classes that maximize each individual's effort through a variety of movements. She has built a welcoming and high energy atmosphere, so go see her at http://burnbootcamp.com/flower-mound-tx/

Again, thank you to all of our partners!  We are excited to be able to serve our high protein ice cream to a larger audience of like minded fitness enthusiasts!  Thank you for the opportunity!

​Greg
​

Well, it happened.  I bought a paleta cart.  I hadn’t really planned on getting one, but seriously, how can you be a paletero without a paleta cart?

I found it, secondhand or more, off of the internet, out in East Texas.  And like so many of the things that I come across, this one had a lot of character to it.  It had seen some better days, and I already had my doubts about it.

While kicking the tires (literally), I asked the man selling it about it, and that’s when he got me, hook, line, and sinker.  This gent had traded a lawnmower for it to the guy who had bought a house from him, and told him that this very paleta cart came from the streets of New York, where his father had pushed it, day in and day out, in order to provide a better life for his family.

In that moment, a common bond of love for, and dedication to, family was shared between a man I’d never met and me.  My family is the driving force and reason for being in what I do, and the foundation on which and for which this tiny company is built.
​
And so, Senor Adiel, thank you for your cart.  It will continue on its journey as now I will use it to provide for my family.
                                                       
Greg


​Update:  Anybody know a good wrapper? Like the ones for cars, not like Snoop or Biggie.

​Good evening, all!  I know it has been a minute since I’ve done any work on the blog.  It has been a busy year, and in a good way (much better than last year, that’s for sure!).  This small business has grown a little bit, I’ve met a bunch of great people, and we took the family to Disneyworld (for the first time).  Busy, but good.  No complaints (okay, maybe a few, but it wouldn’t be life if everything was always perfect).

I wanted to bring you guys up to speed with some of the developments that we’ve got going on.  Its getting into the fall season, and there is a rumour that it might actually cool down some.  Then again, this is Texas, so I’m pretty sure that it will be warm enough to wear shorts up to the day before Christmas.  I’m using this time to develop some new Protein Paletas, with the goal of having them ready for you guys by the spring.

The first one that we (Noah, my resident paleta chef and foodie, and also my oldest son) have been working on is a Key Lime Pie flavor Protein Paleta.  We wanted to make another fruity flavor that would really be a hit after a workout, and thought that the twang of the lime pie would do wonders here.  However, this guy has so far been a bit of a bear to work with (the paleta, not my son, although he can be cranky too.  Like his father, I’m sure).  Two batches in, and while the macros look great, the taste is a little…..off. We have been using some ingredients that we haven’t worked with before, and it seems that there is a bit more of a learning curve involved.  No worries, we will just keep on keeping on.

The second one is the first in a series that I want to call the Hardcore Series Protein Paletas.  I’ve had the honor of working at some pretty awesome events (such as The Dallas Five event at Crossfit Heat, The Festivus Games at Ambush Fitness, and soon too at Crossfit Lavon, the Camp Gladiator Games, and the Battle for the Brave at Crossfit Forney, to name a few.  I’ve got to meet a lot of people, and one of the things that I heard a lot was a call for a healthy treat that was (pick one: dairy free, sugar free, paleo).  I looked around, and I didn’t see much there that really fits with what I do here, so I decided to give it a go.

One of the young ladies that I met at the Camp Gladiator Games told me that while my ice cream looked delicious and sounded really good, she couldn’t have one because of a bad food allergy to dairy.  She recounted the headaches, rashes, and malaise that she suffered through until she was able to narrow it down to dairy and red meat.  She also told me that she is now able to control it through her diet, and hasn’t had any outbreaks.  And she is just one of a many who have asked me for something that they could fit into their specific diet.  That completely dovetails with what we do; happy and healthy, right?

So the first in the Hardcore Series of Protein Paletas will be the Power Berry.  It has got a gorgeous purple hue to it, and is made with a vegan protein (a blend of pea, hemp, and rice proteins) with a complete amino acid profile, and mixed berries (raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, and there’s one more but I’m tired and cant remember right now.  Update – its blackberry).   The first round I made looked great! But the taste definitely needed some work to it.  Maybe a little bit too hardcore.  It was very healthy, no doubt, but lacking in the happy section.  I just put the second draft in the freezer, and will have my friends from Ambush Fitness taste test them for me this weekend.  With this round, I’m experimenting with different sweeteners (other than cane sugar) to see if I can offer up a happy and healthy treat for my friends that eat vegan.
​
Thanks for reading, and thank you for your support!
Greg