Hello? Anyone out there?
I am taking a little break from blogging this week. I just seem to need more time than I have and this seems to be the best solution for now.
I hope you are all having a great week!
Few Things Friday + Giveaway Winner
1. The winner of the Bestowed Box is #21- Cathy!
Congratulations Cathy! Please send me an email at jennifer@knackfornutrition.com with your address so I can get your box on the way!
2. Moving right along… TGIF!! I don’t know how things are going on your end but I seriously thought the weekend would never get here. it was one of those weeks that just dragged on and on you know? I feel really behind on things in my life and look forward to having the weekend to catch up and slow down a bit.
3. Ashley gifted me a bunch of spare Vitatops she had laying around her freezer and I can’t stop eating them.
This is my first go-around with the carrot cake flavor as I am more of a chocolate kind of girl but the wheels are already turning as to how I am going to incorporate these into some delicious, low-calorie desserts!
4. I kind of glazed over this week, doing the bare minimum to get by. Therefore meals have been easy, quick, and transportable.
Not my best work but I do what I can. The yogurt, granola, banana concoction has done a great job of keeping my hunger at bay all morning long. Too bad I ran out yesterday because I could really go for some right about now!
With that, I am off for what promises to be a busy day!
Question: What is your favorite flavor Vitatop and/or muffin? I am a classic blueberry kind of girl!
Some weeks are easier than others
Some weeks are easier than others but life has a funny way of balancing itself out. One week you may be a workout feign, sacrificing your social life to make sure you hit the gym X number of times and the next week you may just not really care. I’m currently in the midst of one of the down weeks where my social life, my bed, and work are taking precedence over fitness.
Back in the day this concept used to stress me out to no end. I think I had a bit of disordered thinking in that I sacrificed a balanced life for workouts and meals that gave me feelings of control.
It was a gradual shift to where I am now. Life changes and you have to adapt and stop fighting the things you cannot control. It’s just not possible to work a full job, deal with a long commute, and work out every single day. That rigid of a schedule would eat me alive!
So it’s been a few days since I’ve worked out. I stayed out past my bedtime last night hanging out with my favorite bloggers on a triple date so I skipped my workout this AM in lieu of a bit of extra sleep. It still wasn’t enough but that’s what coffee is for, right? Tonight is solo date night so fitness remains on the back burner.
I still have grand plans of a long run this weekend (hopefully double digits) as my June 1st half marathon is rapidly approaching. But rather than worry about that now I think I’ll just enjoy the rest of this week for what it is.
Have a great Thursday! Don’t forget there is still one more day to enter my Bestowed giveaway! I’ll announce the winner tomorrow!
WTF Wednesday: Caffeinated Gum
Have you guys heard the latest and greatest way to get your caffeine fix? GUM. I know these types of products have been around for a while but it wasn’t until Brian Williams told me all about it last night that my attention was peaked. When this guy talks, you listen.
I digress…so caffeinated gum has recently caught the eye of the FDA as more and more companies have developed products that provide an extra jolt. The abundance of products that are easily accessible is apparently the point at which regulation needs to come into play. The government agency will be investigating the affects of caffeine on teens and kids specifically.
Seeing as a single piece of gum can have as much as 1/2 cup of coffee I can definitely see where the concern lies. It is so easy to become dependent on such an accessible source of energy.
It seems like caffeine is added to just about everything and anything these days. From energy bars to chocolate you can’t help but wonder if we are stretched too thin and reliant on fake sources of energy for a boost. Personally, I see this as the more glaring issue. I am not sure it is the government’s place to regulate what individual’s (kids included) do or do not eat.
Personally, I try to limit my caffeine intake as I see a direct correlation to my ability to fall asleep. But I know others are not so sensitive to a coffee and soda. I am interested to hear your take on this news story.
Questions: Where do you stand? Would you ever purchase caffeinated gum and/or other caffeinated products? Should the FDA get involved?
*Images are from Google
Total Upper Body Workout in 30 Minutes!
Sunday I found it pretty challenging to motivate myself to do any sort of physical activity. That is pretty status quo after my long run on Saturday. That said, I know I should take advantage of the free time while I have it (i.e. not in between working/sleeping hours) so I came up with an upper body circuit and just sucked it up.
The workout is definitely challenging if you use high enough weights. I went with 12lbs on the bicep curls and woodchoppers (click the link for a demonstration) and a 25lb kettlebell on the swings. I felt decent Sunday night and about half-way through Monday until the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) set in. Holy burn! I didn’t anticipate being so sore but that in itself lets me know that this workout needs to go into regular rotation.
I hope you try it out!
Question: What is your favorite upper body exercise?
PS There is still time to enter the Bestowed Giveaway! Check it out!
Favorite Healthy Foods + Giveaway
Let’s start off the week on a good note, shall we? Today I want to talk about some of your favorite healthy food. Not the fresh stuff, because lord knows fresh fruits and veggies never gets old, but the best foodie finds on the market.
Some of my favorites include chia seeds, flaxseed meal, and every kind of nut butter under the sun! What are your favorites?
I wish I had all day to roam supermarkets looking for the next great food find but that just isn’t reality. Who has time for that when you are so busy doing other things? Enter Bestowed: A monthly care-package subscription that sends you the latest and greatest healthy food and lifestyle products on the market with no effort required.
When they reached out and offered to send me one of their boxes to review it was a no brainer. A few days later look at what arrived on my doorstep!
The first thing that caught my eye is the one sheeter of information the company includes in the box. I think this is great so that you can learn more about the products but also be wary in case of food allergies.
So many goodies to try!
I immediately broke into the granola upon taking that picture. I am a granola monster. It is very light, not at all greasy, and packs great flavor. I’m a big fan and will probably end up buying more on my own!
As for the rest of the goodies, well they varied in range from salty to sweet and everything in between.
So, here is where you all come in. Bestowed has generously offered to send one US-reader his or her own box! For everyone else, you can save $5 off your first box by using the code: 5OFFBSTOWED01
To enter, all you have to do is tell me what your favorite non-traditional food item is!
For an extra chance to win, Tweet about this giveaway saying “@knack4nutrition is hosting a giveaway for a chance to win a @bestowed box! Enter here: http://www.knackfornutrition.com“
I will choose a winner on Friday, May 3rd! Good luck!
* I was sent the box for free but all opinions are my own.*
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