Review for ALARM Pre-Workout Formula

So as many of you know I am a health & fitness coach for Team Beachbody. I fully back our products 110% and they are my first choice not just because I sell them, but because I have tried a lot of other products (being the gym nut that I was) and I just find Beachbody's products to work best for me, personally.  HOWEVER! My "followers" and customers are not me, and therefor I decided to take on the task of exploring other products, as well. I figured, it's fine to back my own product, but I want to be able to back it after trying other things that are on the market. I want to be able to speak with more knowledge about WHY our products don't even compare to the others out there.

A few weeks ago, the lady at GNC was kind enough to load my bag up with free samples of everything under the sun.  I was looking at this stuff and kind of laughed to myself, wondering who actually takes this crap...and then I realized that a lot of people do. So here I am, sampling it for you in order to give you my honest thoughts.

The first product is ALARM. What can I say about ALARM....

Let's start off with what it is. It is a small-dose powder that you mix with 6-8oz of water about 30 minutes before your workout. It is said to give you increased endurance, energy, and stamina to get through your hardest workout days. After reading the back of the package I learned it has the caffeine of 3 cups of coffee, and should not be taken for longer than 8 weeks (..odd.) It also contains creatine to further boost your energy and stamina, Beta-alanine to reduce the build up of lactic acid, arginine to allow nutrients to flow through the body faster, guarana to stimulate you even further than the caffeine, and finally Heliopsis longipes to use as a painkiller.**

So let's start with the flavor: I had fruit punch and it smells like Hi-C. The taste is like Kool Aid if you had way too much Kool Aid and too little water. It was a bit of an intense taste, but I like my things more watered down so to each their own. The consistency was non existent because the product mixed very well with water. It was like drinking juice.

Thirty minutes after drinking it I noticed nothing and I thought to myself, "This product is crappier than I thought!"  I got into my workout (ChaLEAN Extreme Burn It Off) which typically is able to raise my heart rate on its own by combining short high intensity cardio bursts with light weight endurance sets; however, when adding in the Alarm I did notice there were times where I felt like there was TOO much going on inside. I guess this stuff activates AS you are working out.  While I did not feel like I could workout forever while physically working out..I did notice a bit of tunnel vision while doing something of the exercises that typically gets my heart rate up anyway (that was the first thing I didn't like).
**Note: I was going to edit this portion after proofing it and seeing that it was just ALL over the place, but I think it is important that you all see just what I mean when I said I was rambling and my mind was going faster than my body could catch up....so this part is 100% organic...and at times probably makes NO sense..and that's the point I am trying to convey. Yes, I do know how to proof, spell, and put together a complete thought :) **

After my workout I felt tired, but wound up at the same time (if that makes sense).  I don't think this made me workout any harder, faster, or stronger than I would have without it...but there are effects AFTER the workout that I want to focus on.

I'm sitting here, typing this blog, with extreme finger fatigue.  Why? Because I feel like I'm on speed. NOW I feel like I could go run a half marathon, after sprinting a couple of hills with 10 lbs weights in each hand.  Honestly, I think my mind is going faster than my body can catch up.  If I'm going to be 100% completely honest I just want this stuff to run its course and get out of my system.  I must say, if I am this amped up while the product is running through me, I'm not looking forward to the crash that's going to come later (I'll make sure I comment and let you know how that goes).  This stuff is ...wow.

To sum it up, I'll give ALARM points for taste and consistency...and I guess if you like the feeling of being on speed then you would probably rate this stuff an easy 10.  Personally, I do not like the feeling of being on speed so this product just isn't for me; I'm looking for a more natural wake up.  While I ramble (thanks, ALARM!) I should also mention that I don't know what the hell kind of coffee they are comparing this to, but I have drank three cups of coffee before and it's nothing like this!!!!  I give it a 6 for it's claim to increase endurance and stamina only because I didn't notice those effects until about 15 minutes after stopping. I noticed nothing except the tunnel vision while actually working out.

I'm not saying to use this product or not to use it, but personally...I will not be purchasing it anytime soon and will stick to what I know. If you are looking for alternative options to what you typically find at GNC, please head over to my site www.beachbodycoach.com/Nik4213 and browse the area marked Supplements which includes our pre-workout formula: Energy and Endurance (E&E).

**Information pertaining to ingredient list and what the ingredients actually do was taken from musclebuildingsupplements.net**