Project Description
Q&A with PB2 lover and fitness fan, Mae Elizabeth Gurene
- Tell us about yourself and your background.
Hi! I’m Mae, a fitness instructor, lifestyle blogger (@MaeElizabethG), and dog lover based right outside of Atlanta, GA. I share pretty much my whole life online including food recipes, fashion finds, and even what it’s like building a house. More recently I’ve started sharing more personal things like my journey with Hashimoto’s Disease and my infertility journey so come on in and let’s be friends!
Tell us about your fitness journey.
Let me start by saying that I’m very passionate about encouraging people to incorporate fitness into their lifestyle no matter their age because I did not grow up knowing anything about healthy eating or exercising (besides occasionally playing school sports for fun). It was very eye-opening to see both of my parents suffer from heart attacks when I was younger which really motivated me to educate myself and make changes in order to lower my risk of cardiovascular disease. That being said, it wasn’t until 2013 that I caught the bug and started cycling for fun, which turned into racing bikes at a local level, and then becoming a fitness instructor in 2016! Trust me when I say that no one would have ever put “Mae” and fitness in the same sentence prior to 2013. It was a journey to get where I am now and I will say that I fully understand when people feel intimidated or confused on where to start because I know that feeling so well. Just remember that some progress and a step forward is better than not starting at all.
What do you typically look for in an ingredients list when shopping for a product?
So much! My husband is vegan, I’m pescatarian, and currently I’m trying gluten-free to try and help my Hashimotos so food is a MASSIVE topic in my life. After I weed out everything we can’t eat, I look for a minimal list of ingredients. I’ve learned to always read the ingredient list and not to trust the healthy catch phrases put on the front of packaging. I’d love to say that I always eat super clean, but I’m human and live a busy life so if you ever see a girl reading the back label of packaging in the grocery store it’s probably me.
In your opinion, how does PB2 go hand-in-hand with fitness?
PB2 is perfect because I have a lot of food restrictions so PB2 checks the list of being something I can actually eat – it’s vegan and gluten free which is awesome! When I’m working out I’m usually squeezing it in before I have to work or I’m commuting to a studio so getting 20g of protein from their Performance Protein Powder is perfect. I can either take my time and add it to a recipe at home or mix it with almond milk for a quick shake. Lastly, I don’t personally count calories, but I know plenty of people who do and PB2 offers that low-cal option.
Why is PB2 powdered peanut butter a game changer? What’s your favorite thing about PB2?
PB2 checks the list of both mine and my husband’s dietary restrictions which is hard to find in a product. A product that is vegan, GF, and tastes good? That is a game changer and hard to come by. I love that not only does it taste good, but I can find it at my local grocery store. Unfortunately, I don’t live near a fancy health foods store so I love how accessible PB2 is for everyone.
How does PB2 help you in the kitchen? How does it help you in the gym?
PB2 is versatile! I can make something easy like a smoothie or incorporate it into a full-blown meal in the kitchen. When it comes to the gym, PB2 is perfect because I always need something on the go so I can either bring the powder and mix it with water for a shake after a workout or pre-make protein balls ahead of time and bring them with me.
What’s your favorite PB2 product?
Hmm, that’s a hard one! I would say either the Almond or Peanut Protein. I love the protein benefits, the added flavors of vanilla and cocoa, and the use of monk fruit as the sweetener!
What’s your favorite PB2 recipe?
Well, not that I’m biased, but I am very proud of my gluten-free, vegan Berry Crepes recipe. Too often gluten-free things are gummy in texture, and then making it vegan really throws you for a loop. It took a few tries to get it right, but I finally nailed it using the PB2 Performance Peanut Protein. I HIGHLY recommend it!
To learn more about Mae, visit her website here. You can find a full list of all PB2 products available for purchase here.
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