Truth2BeingFit.com

THE PROCESS! #What'sBeautiful with #IamEnough!

Wednesday June 19, 2013



All of you know about my I Am Enough project with the Under Armour What's Beautiful campaign. Jody's road to I AM ENOUGH! THIS POST has links to all my other posts on this campaign.

Once again I have to say up front that this is a sponsored post thru my association with FitFluential for the Under Armour Women What's Beautiful campaign. I wrote more of my choice to go with a non physical challenge HERE. I received no compensation but I did receive some free apparel items. All opinions are my own! In fact, I am loving these posts - they are helping me & I hope they are helping others! I have more posts HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE & HERE. 

On to the process of becoming I AM ENOUGH. The main thing I want to say about this up front is that - EVERYBODY'S PROCESS IS DIFFERENT!!! There is no one way. There is no my way or the highway!!!

We all come here with our own life experiences & baggage to be blatantly honest! 

One person may get here quicker than another. Another may push themselves harder from from the get go & get there sooner. Another may fall down & get up multiple times before the light shines bright that they are enough. 

It is like weight loss, many people lose & gain & do that multiple times before they find what works for them & they keep the weight off.



Yes, I am 55 & still working on this! The blog & social media can be good & bad for you on this journey. 

It can be great because there are so many wonderful people to support & help you. It can be great with all the resources that others share. 

It can be tough because there are the trolls that want to bring you down or you begin to doubt yourself because you are not doing or accomplishing what they are doing for themselves.

Some may want you to read certain books or take this course or suggest that you speak to a professional or "just do it - take the step"! 

It is all great in theory but this is your journey! Just because a certain way worked for one person does not mean it will work for you .. OR that it will work for you at this point in time. Maybe you are not ready or that there are too many other life struggles that are taking the attention away from YOU.

I have stepped out when I was not ready & yes, I did accomplish great things.

The internal me though is a much more difficult process & I am getting there & will get there. 

YES, I have made lots of mistakes thru my life. YES, I regret a lot of them but it is all a learning experience. YES, I wish I had done certain things differently. YES, I know this & I am NOT in denial!

I am tired of apologizing for not getting to this better place of I AM ENOUGH sooner!

I have tried & fallen done many times. I may fall again but as I say & I AM PROUD TO SAY, I am always learning & always a work in progress in the best way possible. 

I am doing the best I can with what I have & that is working to be I AM ENOUGH! I loved this from Carla & posted it on Instagram yesterday:



How are you doing on being enough?

Do you feel, like me, that at times you were letting other people down by not getting here sooner? 

Have you accepted that it is OK to be in the process & that is what makes you - YOU?

#IWILL know that #IAMENOUGH  

YOU DON'T NEED TO BE ANYONE ELSE. YOU ONLY NEED TO BE YOU!!!!


Don't forget my Designer Whey Giveaway post from Friday - 6 winners! I added another the way you can enter so you may want to go back & enter again OR just enter!! The addition is under #1 - the first way you can enter. You can enter on Instagram too at truth2beingfit - I have a post up on it so check my Tuesday Instagram posts!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 6/18/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (8) | Add Comment

Gratitude Monday & Dad's Day & Family

Monday June 17, 2013

Welcome to Gratitude Monday. Each Monday, stop by & comment on what you are grateful for & how it will impact you to live a healthier life going forward. How it impacts you does not have to be food or exercise related. It can be in any way, shape or form! If you just want to write a grateful comment & nothing else, that is fine too. If your comment is the same as another one, so be it. Everything goes here.

Happy Dad's day to the love of my life!!! Happy bday to my beautiful youngest stepdaughter. Happy times with hubby's dad & family. Tribute to my dad - still missing him after so many years!

Pics of hubby/me from newest to oldest


    



My dad & siblings
 

Weekend fun - middle daughter flew in but oldest could not make it. It was fun - indoor racing, Downtown Disney, bday celebration & gathering with hubby's bro, wife & dad!











I also am very thankful that my high school friend from Colorado - the one that hosted Girls Gone Wild for us is safe. She & her family home was right on the outside of the mandatory evacuation area & those wonderful Firefighters save their home by slowing & finally controlling that fire. A couple of the posts HERE & HERE & HERE if you want to see pics of us.

Don't forget my Designer Whey Giveaway post from Friday - 6 winners! I added another the way you can enter so you may want to go back & enter again OR just enter!! The addition is under #1 - the first way you can enter.

Posted by truth2beingfit at 6/16/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (26) | Add Comment

Designer Whey GIVEAWAY; #Lift4Life; Happy Bday

Friday June 14, 2013

First things first - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE YOUNGEST STEPDAUGHTER!! She is the one that recently opened her own business, Skinfinity. She is an aesthetician. Read about her experience at the ABOUT tab on her site. Check out her services. If you are in my area - SHE IS AMAZING! She also sells products online & SHIPPING IS INCLUDED! We will see her this weekend along with Father's Day fun!
Jennifer Strout, Owner

On to my post! A GIVEAWAY for SIX (6) winners!!!

Winners will receive their choice of the new Designer Whey Sustained Energy Protein Powder! Flavors are Chocolate Velvet & Vanilla Bean. "Designer Whey® Sustained Energy™ is specifically formulated with our proprietary Endurance Blend™. Designed to give you balanced, stimulant-free, sustained energy through fast absorbing whey protein and slower absorbing soy and casein proteins, giving you a steady supply of essential amino acids while helping you control hunger with fiber.  Packed with 16 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and 19 Essential Vitamins & Minerals and naturally flavored and sweetened – all for only 100-good-for-you calories!"

***Please note that there is Soy Protein Isolate in this product so if you are avoiding soy, you may not want to enter this giveaway.



To enter you can do one or all of the following:

1. Leave a comment with a recipe that you would make with this protein powder to sustain you thru the morning OR afternoon OR workout, depending on when you eat it  OR how protein powder has helped you make your food prep or on the go prep easier Two (2) winners will be chosen from the these entries.

OR

2. Leave a workout tip on how you sustain your energy & mojo & motivation throughout your workout - no matter what you do for that workout! Maybe it is listening to music or a mantra or you cheer yourself on silently in your head (this one is me along with music help) or a pre-workout food or drink .. whatever you do to push yourself thru the workout. Two (2) winners will be chosen from the workout tip/how portein powder entries 

OR

3. #Lift4Life - This is a hashtag I use on Instagram - #Lift4Life. Others may use it but honestly I have never even checked it. I started using it when I joined Instagram as the way I feel about weight lifting... AND I DO FEEL THAT WAY after 30+ years of this! 

ENTRY -Take an  Instagram or FB or just take a pic that encompasses your version of Lift4Life. 

On Instagram, PLEASE TAG ME @truth2beingfit AND #lift4life so I don't miss your entry.  I also will have an Instagram post up that day if you want to tag me there. If you don't do Instagram & decide to put it on FB, just let me know in the comments. Two (2) winners will be chosen from the hashtag entries.

By the way, my version is the pics you see on Instagram with my head cut off. Yours may be crossfit or a class you take or anything that you feel fits the hashtag. Exercise workout bands count too - anything that is resistance training! 


My goal  with #Lift4Life is to get people thinking about how important it is to do some sort of resistance training to maintain your health now AND as you age. Lifting/resistance training strengthens the bones, heart, lungs, balance & more!!! SO VERY VERY IMPORTANT for healthy aging!


*This contest will run through Thursday June 20, 2013. I will announce the winners on Friday June 21, 2013

*Open to U.S. Residents only - sorry!

* I will wait 48 hours for the winners to claim their prize. If nobody comes forward, I will choose another winner.

*I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH COMMENTING ON MY BLOG. If you have issues, please just send an email to jody@truth2beingfit.com.

As many of you know, I am an affiliate for Designer Whey. If you don't want soy protein powder, feel free to check out all their other products HERE. There is also a link to their website on the sidebar of my blog. They are on Twitter, Pinterest & Instagram at designerwhey1.

If you want to order online, use my discount code ZDWHEY4 at checkout for 20% off your total order. Free shipping for all orders over $50.00!

I am really looking forward to some recipes, workout tips AND #Lift4Life pics!!!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 6/13/2013 8:54 PM | View Comments (20) | Add Comment

When NO Means YES - I AM ENOUGH! #IWILL; Plus Entertainment Women Dish on the Pressure!

Wednesday June 12, 2013



I saw the above pic on Instagram from @foodiemcbody. I think many of us can relate to needing this!

So before I start my post - DISCLAIMER!!! This is in no way about any one person or persons! It is directed at no blog or person. I read a ton of blogs & see all of what I am going to write about on many blogs. I have no problem with anyone doing any of these things! In fact, I have mucho respect for what all of you accomplish out there! We all have to do what is right for us! This is more directed at those of us that feel the pressure to do what is NOT right for us!

Onward to my post! Again, I have to say up front that this is a sponsored post thru my association with FitFluential for the Under Armour Women What's Beautiful campaign. I wrote more of my choice to go with a non physical challenge HERE. I received no compensation but I did receive some free apparel items. All opinions are my own! In fact, I am loving these posts - they are helping me & I hope they are helping others! I have more posts HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE & HERE.

Most of us can relate to saying yes when we really wanted to say no due to being overworked or over-scheduled or just need our own personal ME time. We also can feel the pressure of the blog & social media world to try challenges or new food programs or new workouts that maybe are just not right for us - it is just seeing others doing it & we think we need to do it. We need that PROTECTION FROM SELF-SABOTAGE! Sometimes it will just make us feel worse!

Now in no way am I saying we should not challenge ourselves. What I am saying is think deep down if it is really something that you want to try or even care about - do NOT do it "just because others are doing it & you feel the pressure to try it too".

1. Paleo - Whole 30 & other food programs that are very very popular out there: Again, I am not saying anything is wrong with these programs! What you do have to know about yourself is if it fits with your lifestyle, do you even like the food OR want to try to like it. Is it something you think you can manage long term? Heck, try it if you want to see if is right for you but don't feel you need to do it just because so many others are doing it. It is not for me even though I eat a lot of the foods - but I know me & there are certain foods I am just not giving up!

2. No Sugar Challenges: Again, absolutely nothing wrong with this for sure!! People try to stay away from all added sugar for a period of time or maybe longer term. I love this challenge for anyone that does it - we do eat way too much sugar!!! I am pretty good about it & don't add much beyond my stevia & yes, I do use Splenda too ... I am fine with what I do & that works for me!

3. Plank a day OR how long can you hold a plank: HECK, GO FOR IT! I see nothing wrong with that!!! PLANKS ARE GREAT!!! I love seeing people & their planks for sure.  I am just not into trying to beat everyone else out there!

4. Bare Face Challenge: Now I know I might get flack for this BUT again - not meant toward anyone! Many of you see me cut off head! I am 55 - age takes it's toll for those of us that do not have perfect genes even if we do live a healthy life! When you get here - you WILL understand! 

I have seen the hair on my face grow monthly & yearly! YES, I actually could see it taking over more & more of my face & chin & neck & nose & more! I could weave a rug these days! I am not saying everyone my age has my issues but I HAVE THEM! The hair inflames the pores. The hair creates cystic acne & for mine - it is painful! The hair will not pluck out & if you try to pluck it, it leaves a red mark no matter what WITH ME! Your skin is thinner so you can't wax or shave - it becomes more inflamed when it grows back & mine grows back within a couple days!

There are plenty of you out there that are fine with your age & the changes & gladly show pics of yourself - I am sooooo cool with that! I am just NOT GOING TO APOLOGIZE for wanting the age & hormone issues on my face to be gone. I am not going to apologize for wanting to get some fixes on the face - we can still be enough for ourselves & want to do that. We get our hair done & colored. People do their nails & toes. Others get facials & more. Nothing wrong with wanting to clear up some of the ravages of age hormones. As I said, you really will not get this till you get to this age & not everyone has the same issues! I am enough to admit this!  

I actually am going to show you a couple cropped pics of what I deal with & why I have no intention of showing my face without foundation or make-up. This is one of the couple areas of that 5% area I fight the I AM ENOUGH (talked my body image in THIS POST). If I had $$, I would be in a dermatologist office getting help & non-invasive work done for the above & the bags under my eyes & the extra skin on my eyelids & the wrinkles - YES, I would! NO APOLOGIES for me saying that! 


So in the pic above - this started on my eyelids quite a while back... the red marks are just trying to pluck hairs & hairs that now don't want to be plucked! They are much more visible in person ALSO, the frown lines  are from WAY BACK WHEN - I can't even stop doing it. I get asked to relax or are you mad all the time - NO - I have to actually make a conscious effort to try to NOT do that & it is hard - I would love to get rid of those! And yes, have them on my forehead too but you only see one of the 3!


Um, yes - I have these friggin crazy hairs all over my nose now that create havoc & my nose is big enough to be seen without that there!

I have these red marks all over my face from age hormones & friggin age hairs! I showed you  just a little of the problem! UGH! SO NO APOLOGIES FROM ME FOR NOT SHOWING MY BARE FACE! I am not young & I don't look like many that show their beautiful bare faces - more power to you ladies!!!

So, I AM ENOUGH to say that this is how I feel & I am sticking with that! I had more to say but this post is getting long again so stopped here. 

I also wanted to share an article with you on women in the entertainment industry that spoke out about the pressures there! As you know, I have written about this as well - the need to try to somehow change what girls & women see & the pressure it puts on them to look & feel a certain way - it is NOT healthy! 


Thx Ewa!!! I posted this a ways back but then I saw on Ewa's FB page & thought it would be perfect here!

Thx to my sis for passing the article below on to me! It is titled: 5 A-List Stars Get Real about Body Image in Hollywood! Here are pieces from the article - I want to share some because I know many of you are short on time BUT this will make you want to bookmark & go back to read it!

"This is no surprise as being thin has long been the defining feature of beauty in Hollywood, so much so that Jessica Alba recently admitted to wearing a double corset 24/7 for three months to get her body back after having two babies.

After losing a role for being “too fat” post-baby Monica Potter of NBC’s Parenthood had the following to say about the audition:

I went in and thought I did a really good job. I got home and get the call from my agents. I’m like, “I did good, right?” And they say, “You did great. The problem is you’re just…” I’m too fat. “Yeah, we’re just going to wait a little bit.”

I think it’s really important for girls to have people to look up to and to feel good about themselves. I’m never going to starve myself for a part. I don’t want little girls to be like, “Oh, I want to look like Katniss, so I’m going to skip dinner.” That’s something that I was really conscious of during training…I was trying to get my body to look fit and strong, not thin and underfed. “I’d rather look chubby on screen and like a person in real life.”

I think there’s a perception out there that people know me based on these glamorous photos they see of me in magazines, but I have about two hours of hair and makeup and then people to dress me, to make me look even better, in those pictures. There’s really so much more to me than that.

And sometimes (almost always) those pictures are photoshopped and retouched to make them even more “perfect” – and impossible to replicate in real life.

Most models are thinner than 98% of Americans. Instead of trying to change our bodies, how about we try to change our culture?

In an effort to try to change the culture that brought Lovato down the road of self-harm and an eating disorder she allowed cameras to film her journey to recovery in a documentary which aired on MTV called Demi Lovato: Stay Strong.

Women constantly engage in negative self-talk about their bodies, and often too find it as a way to bond with one another. “No, no my hips are huge!” Instead of criticizing ourselves, and each other, we should take some time to do the exact opposite and compliment one another and even ourselves."


I am really enjoying writing these posts & talking about this. Sorry some of them are long but I hope you come back to read later if you can't read now. We are not perfect & I am not by far as I continue this journey to feel as close to I AM ENOUGH as I can - What's Beautiful for me is about me taking control of the I WILL to the best I can but NOT feeling bad if I don't get the 100%. Progress is a good thing & honestly - nobody is perfect! My team is HERE. 


What are some of the challenges you would add to my list above?

Have you taken on a challenge that you regretted later?

Your thoughts on the media part of this & if you got a chance, the article I shared above.

Do you feel the pressure from magazines, media, blogs, social media? If not, have you in the past?

Thank you as always for stopping by & reading my posts!

In memory of my parents whose wedding anniversary is today.

 

I hope my parents are dancing & singing & loving!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 6/11/2013 8:54 PM | View Comments (48) | Add Comment

Gratitude Monday & Contentment

Monday June 10, 2013


Pic seen at Matters of Course

Welcome to Gratitude Monday. Each Monday, stop by & comment on what you are grateful for & how it will impact you to live a healthier life going forward. How it impacts you does not have to be food or exercise related. It can be in any way, shape or form! If you just want to write a grateful comment & nothing else, that is fine too. If your comment is the same as another one, so be it. Everything goes here.

I saw the above over at Matters of Course. She wrote a beautiful post on contentment and being enough called Simple Thoughts on Contentment. She was kind enough to mention my posts on this for the Under Armour Women Campaign. You can read her whole post HERE.

Here is a small bit of it & then go over & read the whole post: 

"We might think of contentment as something we can achieve if we only had ___________. Truthfully, being content with what you have, who you are, and where you’re at in life has little to do with what you put in that blank. Perhaps nothing at all."


Tiffany (Running Hutch) also shared this pic:



Sure, we all strive to be better in certain things - our career or fitness level or writing or any number of things. I think the above quote is not related to that BUT more the pressure we put on ourselves that we are never enough. You have to find that balance of being enough while just doing & being the best you can FOR YOU! You can read Tiffany's thoughts again at her post & her last paragraph sums it up!

As we read so often & I know too well - comparison is the thief of joy.



The above is a very interesting quote as well & something to think about..... We have to learn to be OK for ourselves & not all that we see out there in social media. YOU ARE ENOUGH. I AM ENOUGH!

Of course I am always thankful for my weekend cookie treats! I did have to lighten up this post with my cookies!!!

My beloved Whole Foods Molasses cookie - yup, still eating that dozen I got almost all free from them! I had an oatmeal raisin one too!!!


How was your weekend & what are you thankful for today? Are you enough?

Posted by truth2beingfit at 6/9/2013 8:54 PM | View Comments (38) | Add Comment

NudeFood Review & OhYeah! Victory Protein Bar Review

Friday June 7, 2013

First off THANK YOU for the amazing comments on my Wednesday post!!! I will be responding to them over the next few days but just got behind on getting this post done. It took me way longer than I expected it to take me! If you wonder where I have been in the reading, commenting & tweeting world the past 2.5 days - THIS POST! I AM SLOW!!!

Also, I apologize in advance for the length of this post. It got way longer than expected BUT I knew many of you would be interested in BOTH these products! 

....AND - I published early by mistake so you may have gotten this before I wanted it to go out! DOH!!!!!  There were mistakes in the one that went out early - SORRY!

SO HERE WE GO!!!!



I posted the pic above on Instagram to let you all know I had reviews coming up! I know we are all short on time so I decided to review both in the same post - all the info you need at your fingertips today!

To get this out of the way for the FTC, I received all the items reviewed free of charge but AS ALWAYS, all opinions are my own!


First up -  NudeFood - Nutrient Dense Foods: I received their bars, their cookies and their Ultra-Dense Boost Blends. 

First let me show you a chart below that explains which items are Gluten Free, Soy Free, Vegan, Raw & Dairy Free. They are Non-GMO too! For those of you that look for that - this chart will help! Some are ALL & some are not. Most of the ingredients are organic BUT the almonds are not organic & that is noted in the ingredient list/stats on each item.



Here are a couple pics & some of the ways I used the Ultra-Dense Blends like in oatmeal & in Greek yogurt & on sweet potatoes & on veggies. Use them in smoothies, pancakes, granola, muffins, cereals & more!!! I also have pics of the cookies & one of the bars. They are all similar in look EXCEPT for color based on the flavor. You can see a couple more bars in the pic collage below.

 







Some points on each item:

1. The Bars: 

Each has its own unique taste. These are not bars that are going to taste like candy bars. They are made with natural ingredients. I liked them - some better than others & some are sweeter than others. These are HEALTHY tasting bars but I think a great addition for many of you. I ate them in smaller pieces just because of the calories. I was surprised that I liked the above bar (Walnut Brownie Mint) as one of my favorites. I am not the biggest fan of mint in bars & walnuts are not my favorite nut BUT all of the ingredients together tasted really good!!! 

I also included the ingredients & stats for this bar above. All are similar with slightly more or less calories, fat, fiber & protein... but wanted to give you an idea if you don't have time to click over to the site right now.

I can see them working really well for people that go on longer rides & runs & walks. I think a great addition for hikers & backpackers as well. I also think just for the regular person - especially those that are vegan or vegetarian, a great on the go bar. There is no coating to melt in the heat too.

As we all know, taste buds are individual! Check out the stats & go from there but personally I think these may be great for many of you!

All are over 300+ calories each but are VERY dense. 

They are lower in sodium & no cholesterol.

They all have 20+ grams of fat BUT lower saturated fat - 2-3.5g depending on the bar. There is coconut sugar in some so that accounts for some of the saturated fat.

Sugar grams are higher BUT there is some natural sugar alone with coconut sugar & date sugar & some have cane sugar. You will have to look at each to see the ingredients. HERE is a link to all the items & their stats.

Protein grams are in the 8-9 range depending on the bar.

Fiber is in the 6g range depending on the bar.

IMPORTANT: I taste tested right out of the package (talked about above) AND I heated them up in the microwave & oven - like you Quest bar fanatics! They are all amazing heated up!!! The heating in the oven works great with these bars! I only did 2-3 minutes at 300 - 325 degrees. You will have to test this with your own oven. I used my toaster oven.


2. The Ultra-Dense Breakfast Boosts/Blends: All 3 flavor pics below. 

Once again, the stats are very similar on all 3 blends with slightly higher or lower calories, fat grams, fiber & carbs. Only one blend has a very little bit of sodium & the rest 0. No cholesterol as well. Here are the stats & Ingredients for the Coconut Pecan one - highest in sugars. The other two have 1g or less. In fact, I had this yesterday.



 



I never used a whole packet at once. In fact, I got quite a few uses out of one packet adding them into different foods, yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes & more as pictured in the pic collage at the top of this post.

I LOVED ALL 3 of these!!! The spirulina one does NOT have the taste of spirulina powder - I tried it right on the veggies (pic above) & it tasted great! My favorite was the Coconut Pecan Probiotic Blend but that one does have a few more sugar grams. On the positive side though, when I added it to food, I did not use stevia when I normally would have used stevia.

 

3. The Cookies: OK - they are cookies & you all know my love of cookies! Actually, these do not taste like a treat cookie BUT they are very good. They are small so be aware of that. 

Here is a pic of one next to my 1 TBSP measure:



Here is a pic of all 3 flavors:



Here is a pic of the ingredients & stats. AGAIN, all are very similar with slight variations. CLICK HERE to see more stats. This chocolate peanut butter was my favorite flavor, then cranberry almond & then cherry berry. I think cherry berry was the sweetest tasting to me.

YOU CAN HEAT IN OVEN & MICROWAVE TOO! OMG - really good!!!



Overall, I REALLY LIKED THESE! They are small so it took all my willpower to eat just one! They might be great for kids too - perfect size!

You can check out all the items above, the prices, nutritional stats, ingredients & all about the company HERE. They are also on Twitter and Facebook. I would definitely order these goodies & ESPECIALLY THE BOOST BLENDS!!!!!


Second Up - OhYeah! Protein bars: For this review, I will be doing some comparison to the Quest bars because I know that is what most if you want to know about these bars!

These bars, OhYeah!,  are the competition to the Quest bars that so many of you love.

The stats are very similar BUT the sodium level on the OhYeah! bars are much lower. The sugar grams are higher though - 8 grams per bar.

Each OhYeah! bar has 200 calories, 28g of carbs, 21g of protein, 20-21g of fiber, 6g fat w/1.5 saturated fat.



There are 4 flavors below:

 

About the taste & texture of the bars:

1. The texture is definitely different from Quest bars. These bars are more like a taffy consistency. For this reason, they are also somewhat thinner than the Quest bars. See the pictures below:



This is the OhYeah! vanilla almond bar that I turned into a U shape very easily vs. the Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bar to show you the consistency.


This is the OhYeah! Fudge brownie vs. the Quest Chocolate Brownie.


These below are BOTH QUEST BARS but different flavors to show that some of the Quest bars DO HAVE A MORE TAFFY CONSISTENCY - others DO NOT - depends on the flavor. The Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough & their Chocolate Brownie are the ones with the least taffy consistency.


2. Again - the sodium is much lower in these OhYeah! bars. That is the one thing I definitely would like to see changed with the Quest bars - the sodium level. Saying that, we are all different so.. it is up to you.

3. The sugars are higher in the OhYeah! bars. "The bars are naturally sweetened, so the 8g of sugar in them comes from  agave, honey, and/or evaporated cane juice crystals. Victory bars do not contain any artificial sweeteners and are also free of sugar alcohol. This is the main difference from the Competitor (Quest bars) which are sweetened with erythritol, which is a sugar alcohol. Quest bars are also sweetened with sucralose, an artificial sweetener." 

I am sensitive to sugar alcohols except in small amounts (I bloat like no tomorrow & very very uncomfortable) so I always look for that in bars & food. The non sugar alcohol Quest bars have some sucralose.

Once again, each of you will have to decide what is right for you.

4. The carbs are a bit higher than some of the Quest bars but for me, close enough for comfort - maybe not for others - up to you!

5. The fiber is slighter higher in the OhYeah! Bars - not much so to me it is about even here.

6. Ingredients - I think some of you may prefer the Quest bar ingredients & others may find they are both fine - this is an INDIVIDUAL CHOICE!

7. THE TASTE - what you are all waiting for! I liked the Fudge Brownie the best - in fact really likes it. It was a toss up on taste between OhYeah! & Quest. I think I liked the Vanilla Almond 2nd, & the other two were equal to me.

The Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough was better than OhYeah! to me personally.

I was not the biggest fan of the Quest PB Chocolate bars to begin with & the OhYeah were fine to me.

I think the one issue some of you may have is due to the taffy texture, I could not figure out how to bake or heat in them microwave without them melting into oblivion & getting stuck on any surface I tried to heat them on. Some of you cooks out there may be able to figure this out.

HERE IS THE THING - this always comes down to personal preference & we all have different likes & dislikes. Some may want the lower sodium, some may want to bake them, some may prefer the taffy texture over the other texture.

Also, we are not always going to be able to bake or heat them up SO the bar has to past the test right out of the package. That is why I did my Quest review both ways & this review as well.

This is going to come down to you trying them & seeing which you like best. I prefer lower sodium if I am going to eat a whole bar at one sitting. I thought some of the Quest bars tasted too salty to me - ME - not you!  I also want to know which bar is best right out of the package.

SO THE VERDICT - HONEST - I would buy both - for different reasons & different uses. I know you wanted me to pick one over the other but this is my honest opinion!

You can check out Oh!Yeah Nutrition on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram (OHYEAHNUTR)


OK - any thoughts on the book I wrote above on both product reviews? Any questions?

Posted by truth2beingfit at 6/6/2013 8:45 PM | View Comments (22) | Add Comment

What's Beautiful & Body Image; #IWill Overcome; I AM ENOUGH

Wednesday June 5, 2013



I was writing this post & I took a break to read some blogs. Funny that one I read was Krysten's, The Misadventure's of a Darwinian Fail. She was talking body image in her video - hers is different than what I was already writing below BUT I wanted to share it with you too. 

So, revamping my post to to add the above & still say I am going to chat body image today! I also want to remind everyone that this is a campaign through FitFluential. I was not compensated in money but did receive some free apparel items. All opinions are ALWAYS MY OWN! 

HONEST, I signed up for this thinking it was an apparel only review. I had no idea it was a challenge like this. I typically do NOT do challenges so if I had know, I probably would not have signed up... BUT I AM GLAD I DID because I chose to work on my internal self vs. my workout self & this has been really good for me!

As most of you know, my Under Armour team is I AM ENOUGH. Instead of taking on a physical challenge (I have done plenty of these in my younger days), I decided to take on a personal challenge to get to the point of feeling enough in this world of beautiful bodies & faces plastered everywhere - magazines, TV, movies, internet & more. I wrote about this already HERE & HERE & HERE.

I think we all have our own personal stories & reasons why we may not feel enough. We also may work at it differently to overcome these feelings. That is all fine. Just like exercise & food, we have to find what works for us.

I am betting that many of you may think I do NOT have any body issue problems with all the photos (head cut off) that I post on Instagram & FB. Don't get me wrong, I am very proud of my accomplishments with weight training & that dang cardio!  Very proud! 

BUT.... I still wish I was a bit smaller. What does that mean? When I have gotten sick OR been on the move to the point of not always eating my normal meals, I get down to about the 110 pound range - VERY RARE! My normal weight is anywhere from 113.5 to 115 first thing in the morn. I actually can go up & down in weight 2-3 pounds over the course of a couple hours from eating and/or drinking fluids & up to 4 pounds over that at the end of the day when all my food is in me. . This is normal for my body & been this way my whole life. 

The thing about that 110 weight is ... it is very very very hard for me to maintain it .. not that maintaining my 113.5 to 115 isn't hard! Staying in that 113-115 range is DANG HARD so being at 110 is basically not eating any fun things AND cutting even further back on calories. I would have to eat like I was in the last few days of dieting for a bodybuilding show - NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! 

For the younger ones, even as hard as I work, age still does require adjustments to exercise & food consumption - depending on your goals. I eat at least 800 calories a day less than I did 2-3 years ago. My body fat is also higher at the exact same weight as a younger Jody & the tummy is not as tight - even as hard as I work at it & I am NOT slacking off at all. Still working out as hard as before!  The hormones change my body on a regular basis so I am always learning how to adjust to meet MY NEEDS - REMEMBER THAT - we are all different so what works for me may not work for you & vice versa!

So again, what does this all mean? Heck yes, I would like to be in that 110 range & love how I look at that weight BUT I have accepted that it is just too much sacrifice for a BALANCED LIFE to try to stay there at my age. At a younger age, I would be able to eat more to stay at 110 but not now. I make plenty of sacrifices to stay where I am but I also have been able to work in balanced fun foods for me! 

SO BODY IMAGE WISE, I AM DOING PRETTY GOOD AT ACCEPTING WHERE I AM AT WITH A COUPLE EXCEPTIONS THAT I CONTINUE TO WORK ON. AT 95% ACCEPTANCE ON THAT LEVEL IS HUGE FOR ME SO I AM TAKING IT! 

I kinda just came to this realization the other day looking at some pics of my bod & larger legs & my hips that are a bit more than they were a year ago. What I realized was for my age & how hard I work AND with all the changes I have already made due to aging hormone body changes, it just may not be worth it for me at this point in my life to sacrifice more than I already do to be tighter & smaller. I want a more balanced life so.... I am going to accept that 110 or 111 or even 112 is just not for me at this stage in my life. A freeing feeling!

DISCLAIMER FOR THOSE THAT DO NOT USE THE SCALE: I definitely use clothes to evaluate where I am at BUT I know how my body looks & feels at certain scale wights so that is why I wrote that here.

My UA challenge is more internal about other things (a list is in this post) & feeling I AM ENOUGH emotionally/internally as well as trying not to compare myself to others. This to me is much different than the above. 

I feel I am doing well at working towards it but I know it will go way past the end of this campaign!!! I will continue to write about it too because I know many are dealing with the same issues.

I want to remind you of my goal to also help change the perception of women & girls & even boys & men brought on by social media, TV, magazines & more that I wrote about in this post. Carla wrote a great post on this Monday about empowering girls so check that out! 

We need to change the media to help girls, boys, women & men in my humble opinion. I saw a UA post on Instargam of a very fit & tight lady - nice muscles & abs showing - the number of sexist comments I saw to that post was despicable! We need to change this! I will continue to write about this too long after the UA campaign ends! I honestly do not expect to see huge changes in my lifetime but might as well continue to try to work on it for future generations.

If you still want to get involved, click this UNDER ARMOUR What's Beautiful link to find out more. My team can be found HERE. 

Do you struggle with body image due to media overload?

Are you more like me in that you can accept the body but may have more internal issues to work on?

Anyone want to share a story or struggle? It may help you to unload here & maybe someone has some words that may help you. 

Posted by truth2beingfit at 6/4/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (52) | Add Comment

Gratitude Monday & Plain Gratitude; KindRunner Too!

June 3, 2013



Welcome to Gratitude Monday. Each Monday, stop by & comment on what you are grateful for & how it will impact you to live a healthier life going forward. How it impacts you does not have to be food or exercise related. It can be in any way, shape or form! If you just want to write a grateful comment & nothing else, that is fine too. If your comment is the same as another one, so be it. Everything goes here.

I hope you all had an amazing & fun weekend! To me, even if it is doing nothing & just chilling, that is a good thing. We don't have to run around all the time!

I am grateful for Ellen Dolgen from Shmirshky for this great surprise below. I entered one of her giveaways & she sent the robe as an extra gift - SO SOFT!!! 
I will let you know how those Femenstra work. Us older ladies need help & you younger ones will one day OR have family that might need them! I have only been on them a week so far. Her site has tons of info for perimenopause to menopause ladies so check it out!! Her books are super informative while supplying lots of laughs! I have reviewed them in the past so do a search of my site for more info (search box at the bottom of the side column).



Also thankful for KindRunner! They are live as of today & have an amazing program. I first read about it at Debbie's blog, Live from La Quinta. Check out her post to see what she has to say about it about it! Here is additional information below. They have asked me to be an ambassador! I love that they help others that need shoes while helping to not fill up our trash & landfills! Check out this great program:

-Confident Runner Pricing – An option presented upon checkout which rewards those who know exactly what they are looking for. This option waives the Free Return Shipping but offers the shoe at a below retail price. Shipping of product to customer is still free, as is the return shipping of donated shoes for Kindness Cash Rewards Program.

-Free 3 Way Shipping – Free shipping of your order to you, free shipping of any returns for any reason, free shipping of your donated shoes back to us for re-purposing with Soles 4 Souls or The More Foundation Group.

-Kindness Cash Rewards Program (KCR) – This is what turns your old shoes into credit towards new ones or any product on our website. KCR are available to the customer after any footwear purchase (the idea behind this is to replace your old shoes with new ones, and keep the old ones out of the garbage, landfills, or ones closet… thus why it is available after footwear purchase). Upon receipt of their footwear order, customers have the option to place their old shoes into the KindRunner shipping box and place the pre-paid return label on the box for shipment back to us. Upon receipt of the label, we will scan the bar code and place the KCR onto the customers account for future use. Each return label (whether it contain one pair or 4 pairs of shoes) is worth $10 KCR per new shoes purchased (5 pairs purchased on that order, you can earn up to $50 KCR) or credits towards future purchase. The KCR can be used to purchase ANYTHING that KndRunner sells and will never expire.

--Expert Product Reviews – YouTube page - Each and every product we carry will come with an expert product review video on the same page that the product is listed on. These videos are done by individuals who have worked in the running industry for a number of years either as shoe reps, store owners, or expert shoe fitters at one of the oldest running stores in the nation. We bring the knowledge of your neighborhood specialty run shop to the comforts of your own home!

-Easy 365 returns – A customer has 365 days to return any product, so long as it is in its original packaging and in its original condition. If you are injured and unable to use the shoe, if your doctor wants you in a different model because of orthotics, no worries… no questions asked!

-A nice reward for earliest customers - “Free Socks for Life” to our first 500 customers! Each time one of our first 500 customers returns and purchases a new shoe their order will ship with a free pair of socks of their choice from our sock inventory. As long as this customer continues to run, they will continue to get socks!

Find KindRunner @beAkindrunner on Twitter, their Facebook page and Instagram!


Glad I got a walk in last week.Some of you may have seen the below pic on my FB page.. My goal is to take at least 10 minutes outside each day over & above walking to the mail box to "BE Present"! 



How was your weekend & what are you grateful for today?

Posted by truth2beingfit at 6/2/2013 8:54 PM | View Comments (34) | Add Comment

Am I Enough? The Good, Bad & Ugly of it All

Friday May 31, 2013


Thx to iherb for this great quote!

In the middle of this month, I wrote my What's Beautiful, I am Enough post. I joined this with my FitFluential group & as aFitFluential ambassador I do have to disclose that this is a sponsored post. I am not getting paid but I will be receiving product - well I did get product but it did not fit so waiting for replacements.

For those that don't want to click over there, here is a short description: What I love about this campaign is that it is all about letting women know they are stronger than they think - that they can do so much more than they think - that they are amazing! This is the third year Under Armour is launching this campaign. There are goals & prizes EACH WEEK like Under Armour gear!!! 10 finalists will be chosen after 8 weeks & 3 will win a trip to Costa Rica!!! Very exciting! You can read more if you click the previous link!

Many are doing physical challenges, but my challenge is more a personal & mental one as I wrote about never feeling I am Enough. Apparently this hit home with many of you out there. I am glad to know I am not alone even at this older age!

For me, this is a time to challenge myself to JUST BE ENOUGH NO MATTER WHAT I DO ...  And my challenge for all those that want to join me is the same.

YOU ARE ENOUGH NO MATTER WHAT YOU CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH to running to walking to swimming to racing to yoga to just being kind to yourself..  I am just asking my team members to get up each day & do the best in whatever they want to do & no matter how it ends at the end of the day - they can say - I AM ENOUGH. 

WHAT DO I MEAN BY THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY:

The Good:

1. The people - so many amazing people in this campaign & social media.

2. So much learning & sharing from other bloggers. 

3. Friendships & people reaching out to help you or just be there for you. People wanting to help you even though they don't "know you".

4. More of all of the above - AMAZING PEOPLE!!!

The Bad:

1. You can end up comparing yourself to what everyone else is doing out there. YES, this is about you but let's be honest, many of us start to compare.. then we do NOT feel enough. Yes, this is an issue we have to figure out ourselves but we still do it:

*I should be smarter like...
*I need to be a better writer like...
*I should try to do a cartwheel or a headstand or a handstand or yoga or meditation or Pilates or many of the other things out there that people do well & now we think we should try too... OR DO I NEED TO DO MULTIPLE THINGS LIKE SO MANY DO!!??
*I should try to run or do a challenge because they are all doing it...
*I can't cook or bake like them - maybe I need to be better at that
*My pictures & videos are not as good as all the others
*I am not thin enough
*I don't have enough muscles
*I have too much muscle
*How come others can do FB, blog, Instagran, twitter AND work & I have a hard time just keeping up with a couple of these.. YES, this is one of those that really makes me feel like I can't do enough - weird I know but it does...

HONEST - we can feel like one of these or all of them & there are plenty more depending on your own personal insecurities. Yes, we bring our own problems to the table but sometimes the overload of it all can set us back or make us feel worse. We may even try to do too much OR do things we do not even want to do because others are doing it & somehow internally we feel we should be doing it as well. Sometimes we have to just walk away from it to regroup & be present in the "real world".

That is why MY PERSONAL I AM ENOUGH campaign is so important to me. I need to break thru exiting issues along with some I picked up with social media. 

As I have written about already, the social stereotypes of what "is beautiful", what is "acceptable", what is what "THEY" want out there can can eat away at our self-esteem. That is why I also challenge Under Armour to work to break thru this with their winners. Let's not have all younger people or all attractive people... I know it is hard for a company to do that because most do not but all any of us can do is keep trying to break this cycle!

2. You get sucked in to the time consuming nature of social media & all the different platforms & lose your touch with real life & real people. Yes, I am talking about me doing too much if this! There are so many great things about social media BUT we have to learn how to balance it with life & that is a hard game for me right now! When you lose that touch, that I am not Enough feeling takes over - WHY CAN'T I DO IT ALL like others do it all!

3. #2 leads to this - you lose your BALANCE in LIFE! We all love the interaction & the learning & the fun BUT life is also real people & doing real things outside in the real world.

The Ugly:

1. All the above band together to make you feel... I am not Enough. Add this on to the possibility that you were already struggling with your own "I am not Enough problems" before social media - well, this MAY add up to a recipe for disaster for some. Discussed above in #1 under the bad...

2. Just on a side note, we all know about the trolls out there.. if they find you & make comments, for some, it is hard to not feel bad about them.

WHAT AM I GETTING AT HERE:

1. Yes, I have issues from way back in my childhood about not being enough that carried into adult life. Yes, I had things happen in my adult life that stuck with me all along. Yes, some things in social media may add to the I am not enough...

BUT IT IS TIME TO BREAK IT - My What's Beautiful Team & just honestly for me, it is about getting past this to feel that I AM ENOUGH. I don't expect to be perfect & feel this way all the time but even 75% of the time is going to be a huge accomplishment!



Want to do your own thing? Read more about it at THIS LINK. Be an individual or create your own team!

Please tell me how you feel about all my ramblings here today? Do you have trouble feeling enough? Does the social media part make you feel worse or better or neither? SHARE AWAY!!!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/30/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (37) | Add Comment

Living with Naturally Curly Hair & Products I Use to Control It

Wednesday May 29, 2013



I am sure you recall this pic from Monday's post! I had a whole other post I was going to write for today on my I AM ENOUGH, Under Armour What's Beautiful campaign BUT... 

1. A long weekend means more time with hubby & less time here so my Monday writing time was passed over for hubby & enjoy time.  

2. A friend that moved out of town & is in town now wanted to meet Tuesday so.. with how slow I write AND this other post is a more involved post, I did not want to rush it by writing it Tuesday afternoon. Here she is - this is what 63 looks like when you take care of yourself! She is beautiful inside & out!



3. I have not got a lot of sleep the past couple days & I am pooped! Better wait to write when the mind is better!

SO INSTEAD, I THOUGHT I WOULD WRITE ABOUT MY HAIR THAT YOU ALL SEEM TO LIKE SO MUCH! I am not a big a fan as you are but I have to deal with it vs. just look at it after the hairdresser makes it look pretty!

1. My hair is naturally curly with major FRIZZ!!! This means that if I let it air dry with no product in it, it looks like I either stuck my hand in a light socket OR I live in a climate with 100% humidity! In fact, for my hair not to frizz, EVEN with product & hairspray, it has to be very very very low humidity!

2. If I go to the beach or swim, might as well schedule time to fix the hair after that before heading out for a dinner or anything else because I am going to look like the guy with that rainbow wig at all the sporting events except my hair is not a rainbow color.

3. My hair is NOT wash, air dry & go. I takes a lot of product & diffusing time PLUS stop short of dry, let it dry a bit more before A LOT of hairspray.

I have tried more products than I can count over the years from cheap to expensive & in between.

With age, the hair changes as well so I have been searching for months & months now to find some products that would work decently with my hair.

Again, I have tried inexpensive to very expensive & taken back well over 20+++ products!! I always ask what the return policy is when I buy hair products!

DISCLAIMER: Curly hair has so many different variations & textures. What works for me MAY NOT work for you. I have had people with beautiful curly hair tell me to use this or that & it did NOT work for me. Just like fitness & food - you have to find what works for you! 

Check out NaturallyCurly.com. Lots of info there & a Product Search area as well with reviews!

THIS IS WHAT I AM USING RIGHT NOW:

1. Pureology Nano Works Shampoo & conditioner: Be forewarned - this stuff is EXPENSIVE!!! I put off trying it for months while I continued to take back other products. I use A TON of product in my hair & just short of a quarter size (depending on how much hair & how thick) of shampoo emulsified in my hand will take out all the product! Same with the conditioner! The small bottle will last me a long time because I only wash my hair 3 times a week - YES, even with my crazy workouts!  Seriously - this is the best stuff I have ever used!!!! I did use the Pureology Platinum series a while back & like that too BUT this Nano product - for me - OMG - the best stuff ever!!!

2. Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Styling Gel: This is expensive as well but after taking back so many products, it is worth it to me & I don't get that crunch! I tried creams & mousses & other gels & none worked. This is it for me for now! I do use quite a bit per styling too!

3. Colure Shine Serum Plus: Use a pea size or less (depending on how much hair & how thick) when wet & before my gel & styling. Then during diffusing when it is still a bit damp, I use a little more. When it is completely dry, I use it again if necessary but usually do not need to do that. On NON shampoo days, I will use a little to the hair as well. Again - you only need A LITTLE bit of it! Emulsify on your hands before putting in the hair.

4. Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Working Hair Spray, Ultra-Dry Control: I love this hairspray because it is dryer & does not frizz my hair when I spray it on like so many other hair sprays. It is also workable so you can use a little to a lot depending on your needs. Before I used this, I was using HealthySexyHair Soy Touchable. I liked that one too - both are good. They are dry so will not frizz your hair when you spray it & both are workable sprays so you can use more or less!!!

So, that is my curly hair story!!! Aren't you glad I shared!

Hey, while I am here talking beauty stuff, I will share a couple other beauty items I can't live without. I have tried others & always go back:

1. Secret Clinical Strength Antiperspirant. I have tried other brands of clinical strength & always come back to this one. It works better with my body. I have been using this since it came out!!!

2. Gillette Venus razors: I sure wish these were not so expensive - the replacement blades - Costco does not have the ones I like so... but I never cute myself with these!

OK, anyone want to share their favorite products? 

Do you have curly hair & want to share?

What razor do you use - I go broke with this!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/28/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (23) | Add Comment

Gratitude Monday, Memorial Day, Hair, Family

Monday May 27, 2013



Welcome to Gratitude Monday. Each Monday, stop by & comment on what you are grateful for & how it will impact you to live a healthier life going forward. How it impacts you does not have to be food or exercise related. It can be in any way, shape or form! If you just want to write a grateful comment & nothing else, that is fine too. If your comment is the same as another one, so be it. Everything goes here.

First off, I want to thank all the soldiers, people, volunteers, givers - everyone that has given of themselves for our freedom & country but especially those fighting for us & that have lost their lives or been injured. Let's not forget them!

I know on a lesser note but thankful to get my gray covered last Friday. You may have seen the below pic on Instagram & my FB page.



AND some more fun pics from the weekend!

Hubby's brother's bday yesterday! We enjoyed time with them.










COOKIES!!!!




Great run Sunday fueled with Lindsay's Healthy Bites & Hoka OneOne running shoes (LOVE as you know), pic of my Hoka shirt I wore out & about Saturday & one of my cute Under Armour headbands I got with the What's Beautiful campaign. Click HERE for my original post.



How was your weekend? What are you thankful for today? Want to share what you did over the weekend OR what you are doing today?

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/26/2013 9:52 PM | View Comments (40) | Add Comment

Sony Waterproof Sports Walkman Review

Friday May 24, 2013



So many of you may have seen this pic a while back on my Instagram account. I had received a different version of this Walkman as a Klout perk. I had a few issues with it & reached out to a Sony Instagram contact. He was kind enough to check into this for me AND get a newer waterproof version sent to me to test & review!!! THANK YOU SONY!!!!

So first some pictures to show you:

Packaging was nice & when I opened it up, all the info I needed was right there INCLUDING a "Watch this Video First" sheet to make sure I got the best use of this product! Click on the link.




LOVED that each earbud size had a different color inside. Makes it easy!


My crazy hair after the workout - you can see them in my ears.


See how small - fits in the palm of my hand, yet very easy for not techy me to use the controls!


SO - THE VERDICT: I LOVE THESE!!!!! 

1. I am a MAJOR sweat hog & these did not fail me! They stayed in with all my excessive sweating! 

2. I did HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) & my own special intervals in them. I run mostly on the treadmill in the gym. I warm up & then do bursts of anywhere from 8.0 speed to 9.5 speed... I think that is like a 6.5 to 8 minute mile or something like that. Because I am not a runner, I really don't check that too often - I don't care - I just want to challenge myself.  

I also do hill jogging, high hill walking, StepMill & Ellipticall. They worked great for all but I am guessing that most of you might be interested in the running part.

3. I wore them for weight training. In the past, I have not liked the behind the neck band for weights because when you lie down on a bench, the hard style neck bands would push the walkman off. This flexible band did not fail either - LOVED!

4. The sounds was good to me. Hey, I am not sound expert so if you are, you are just going to have to try them yourself OR READ this review.

5. NO WIRES - enough said!

6. It says you can swim in them - NO OCEAN OR SALTWATER though! You can go in water up to 2 meters or 6 feet. I am not a swim person but the previous linked article said this: "You can actually go 2m under water with the headphones although the sound quality isn't great when submerged. What that waterproofing means in reality, is that you can keep running in the rain, or listen to music in the shower without any worry."

7. Per the video, you get up to 60 minutes playback with a 3 minute charge OR 8 hours on a full charge. I tend to do full charge so... I was OK. Again THIS ARTICLE had good things to say about the charge. You can also see the ease of use for the charging dock too - a better pic than mine so I am sending you there.

8. I had no trouble with using the controls for sound, changing songs, pausing etc. For not so techy me - A BIG DEAL!  Also, I LOVE that they have a lock button so you do not accidentally turn the player on while it is in your bag & run down the charge!

I really had no negatives for this walkman! For those that use running apps, I will quote the article on that: "As a solo device, there aren't really many negatives to put you off. If, on the other hand, you are someone who uses a running app on your phone while you run, or you're already carrying an MP3 player with you then, for extra cash, it doesn't seem worth the hassle."


Something to keep in mind: DO WATCH THE VIDEO!!!! This will help you get the best fit possible so you will not have any issues while you exercise or run.

Has anyone used an item like this before? Did you like it? Do you think this is something that you would try?

FTC: I received this item at no charge but all opinions are my own!!!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/23/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (36) | Add Comment

What is Enough? Can You Win & Still NOT Be Enough?

Wednesday May 22, 2013

I am continuing my discussion of my I AM ENOUGH What's Beautiful Under Armour campaign. Most of you have read my last Wednesday post about being enough. 

Let's talk about American Idol & the winner, Candice Glover. Please look at the pictures below & I will continue my discussion under the pictures.

 

So, if most of you have not guessed what I want to discuss yet - it is the new single cover of her song versus the actual pictures of her from the show & appearances after the show.

YES, I know this is typical out there in media & advertising land. The problem with it is that this lady has an AMAZING SINGING VOICE!!! So winning Idol & having a voice like that is not good enough to put her real face on the cover of her new single with the IRONIC title of I AM BEAUTIFUL! They changed her looks!

How many of you watched Idol & then saw this & thought the same thing I thought about the cover? Honestly, I have not liked Idol the past few seasons but the top 5 ladies were all wonderful singers this year. I did enjoy all 5! The guys were, well, shall I say, less than stellar. A couple good ones but they should have left it to all ladies this year. So many good ones got caught in their effort to put 1/2 guys & gals for the top contenders.

ANYWAY, so, as you can see, Candice is black, not a lighter black but a darker black yet look at the cover of her new single ALONG WITH the shape of her face, the look of her nose, her weight.. all of it has been changed to meet mass appeal. OK, again, I get it BUT WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH of this crap! When is being great at something or even good at something going to be enough.

We sure don't have to wonder why young girls have image, weight & being enough problems with all this going on out there! I know this is nothing new but again, I am so tired of the lip service & mixed messages of the media! 

If you go back to my Wednesday post, I even discussed Disordered Eating which we know many times comes from girls, boys, women, men never feeling ENOUGH due to the media craziness.

If you watch Glee, there was also an episode on there when Amber Riley who plays Mercedes decides not to work with a record promoter because he wanted to change the look of her of the promotional materials to be more provocative & mass media appealing....

I mean, it all adds up! Personally, I don't think I will ever see it change in my lifetime but I will continue to write about it!

So as I wrote last Wednesday, at 55, I continue to try to get past my issues of What's Beautiful, if I am Enough & more. I know there are many that feel the same way.

What are your thoughts on the above?

Did you watch Idol & think the same thing as I did about the new album cover?

Do you think it will ever change?

I have to share this video of Ellen talking about the Abercrombie BS I posted on my FB page Monday - LOVE ELLEN!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/21/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (33) | Add Comment

Gratitude Monday & Blogging Friends; Graduation

Monday May 20, 2013



Welcome to Gratitude Monday. Each Monday, stop by & comment on what you are grateful for & how it will impact you to live a healthier life going forward. How it impacts you does not have to be food or exercise related. It can be in any way, shape or form! If you just want to write a grateful comment & nothing else, that is fine too. If your comment is the same as another one, so be it. Everything goes here.

First off, I have to say CONGRATS to my hubby's nephew. He graduated from college over the weekend! He is hubby's sister's son. He is also a song writer, a singer & a writer. Very talented young man!



I also want to give a HUGE shout out to Jill Conyers at Fitness, Health & Happiness. She is an amazing athlete & fellow FitFluential ambassador! She is also vegan - I think - I am never sure between vegan & vegetarian! Please check her out - especially you runner or ultra runners!

Anyway, as I write about often, I am tech challenged! Many of the Under Armour campaign members were making up Facebook collages. Me, I am useless at this stuff! I made a joke about it on one the the threads discussing this. Without me asking, she messaged me via Facebook & offered to do one for me!!! How sweet is that!!! You can view her handiwork on my FB page. THANK YOU JILL!! Very grateful for her!!!

I am also very very grateful for all the LOVE on my last Wednesday post, I AM ENOUGH - What's Beautiful! All your comments were amazing & thoughtful & beautiful! 

I want to thank the FitFluential group too for reposting it on their own Facebook page. As of writing this post, it had 61 shares!!!! I am humbled & overwhelmed - thank you!!!

I really love this group of people that support one another - very very thankful for them! I have been thinking a lot lately on whether I should pull back more from blogging & this group to focus more on life & other matters. It makes it a hard decision because this group is so wonderful.. thank you all!!! I saw the below over at Tamara's FB page & felt it summed it all up!

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." Anais Nin



How was your weekend & what are you grateful for today?

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/19/2013 8:56 PM | View Comments (39) | Add Comment

What's Coming Up in the Next Couple Weeks: Beyond I AM ENOUGH

Friday May 17, 2013

   

First off, I want to thank you for all your wonderful comments to my What's Beautiful - I Am Enough post Wednesday! You are all amazing!!! 

I wanted to take a second to revisit this I AM ENOUGH & thank YMX by Yellowman for picking so many amazing 2013 Brand Ambassadors - I am one as you know - I mention it a lot! All these women are so real!!! Click on the previous link to reread OR read for the first time about these ladies! I LOVE YMX their love of #lifeartsport - yes, that is their hashtag for this year & pretty much days it all!!!! Showing REAL WOMEN BEING ENOUGH in their own way!

I have written many posts about YMX & posted more headless pics of me than I can count! Ummmmmm, a couple above! I also wrote about them way back when Carla first introduced me to them via her blog! I was lucky enough to win a tank for her! Right after that, they contacted me to do a giveaway & it was love from that point forward!

Here is what I wrote in January of 2012 about YMX:

First, about this company from their webpage:

"YMX offers multifunctional garments that bridge the gap between athletic and fashion garments. Featuring high-comfort, lightweight MadKool fabrics and detailed, original prints, YMX garments can be worn for athletic use, or for casual wear. As a matter of fact, because of the moisture-wicking properties of the fabric, many people wear YMX in both active and leisure activities without having to change!"

FROM ME THEN: The fabric is amazing!!!!!!! MadKool fabric - I have worn nothing like this! I can't wait to try it out in hotter weather! It is as light as a feather & so soft yet wears so well. It drys so fast after my cardio sweating in the gym. It claims to be wrinkle resistant & hold its shape. So far, YES to that! It is machine washable & dryer safe PER THE INSTRUCTIONS but I chose to hang dry mine & I have never had something dry so fast on a hanger! That amazing fabric!

CURRENT UPDATE: I have put in the dyer now & still washes & wears perfectly!!!! I wear all my YMX tops A LOT & THEY LAST!!!! The designs & colors are so fun & different & vibrant! 

I feel "special" when I wear them! 

Just so you know, the MadKool ® fabric is: "100g 88% Polyester12% Spandex and the Properties: UV protection SPF 30+, permanent moisture wicking by yarn, lightweight, soft hand, abrasion resistant, wrinkle resistant, full stretch, holds shape.

ALL THE ABOVE ABOUT THE FABRIC - THE TRUTH!!! I do want to mention that the tops do run small so you may want to size up - check their sizing chart on the site. The bottoms are closer to fit. I got a S in the running shorts but I was actually in between the XS & S on the chart. I might have been able to wear an XS but I don't know for sure.

I have also read many reviews & the price always comes up. I can say that for me, I do think this brand is worth the price. I have never worn anything for my workouts that felt as wonderful & almost like nothing was there!

I just want to say that HONESTLY - I LOVE this brand! I LOVE their clothes. It is hard because now I don't want to wear some of my other really cute tops too because this MadKool fabric is so AMAZING!!!!!

OK - just had to share my love of this company & the brand AND the amazing brand ambassadors!

******************************************************************

ON TO WHAT IS COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS - I will be reviewing a few products. I know some don't like these types of posts BUT I only pick ones that I am truly interested in. I don't say yes just to get free stuff! Even with FitFluential, I only sign up for campaigns with products that I want to know more about! So here is what is coming...

1. Koss FitClips & FitBuds: I am reviewing these for FitFluential. I was not happy with my current earbuds so I really wanted to see what they were all about since it was a partnership with Dara Torres - the Olympic medalist swimmer!


2. Sony Walkman Sports MP3 Player - Waterproof: I received a Klout perk of a model down from this. I has some probs with it & contacted a Sony Instagram friend & he hooked me up with this latest version! Very excited! Liking it so far!


3. OHYeah! Victory Protein Bars: These bars are supposed to compete with the Quest bars I reviewed not too long ago. They are new on the market & only have 4 flavors right now. A very different texture than the Quest bars. More when I post the review.


4. NudeFoods Nutrient Dense Food Bars, Ultra-Dense Breakfast Boosts & Licious Organics Cookies. Super excited to try all these goodies. All are gluten free, soy free & raw. Almost all are Dairy free.  The cookies are NOT vegan but everything else except 1 boost & 1 bar are vegan! I already tried the Coconut Pecan Probiotic blend in my oatmeal & on a sweet potato - OMG -delish!!! This is the one that is NOT vegan or dairy free - sorry for those out there that can't have this one. I will let you know how the other two taste. I met these people at ExpoWest!!!


I hope I am not forgetting anything but that should keep me busy for a bit!

Happy Friday!

Have you tried the YMX brand yet? Do you love it like me???

Anybody tried any of the other goodies I will be reviewing in the next few weeks?

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/16/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (35) | Add Comment

I AM ENOUGH - What's Beautiful

Wednesday May 15, 2013

Love this!

 

For my blog readers, many of you have been reading the wonderful posts about the What's Beautiful Campaign with Under Armour. I joined this with my FitFluential group & as a FitFluential ambassador I do have to disclose that this is a sponsored post. I am not getting paid but I will be receiving product. All my opinions are my own! You will definitely see that if you can make it through this long post AND READ IT ALL!

What I love about this campaign is that it is all about letting women know they are stronger than they think - that they can do so much more than they think - that they are amazing! This is the third year Under Armour is launching this campaign. 

There are goals & prizes EACH WEEK like Under Armour gear!!! 10 finalists will be chosen after 8 weeks & 3 will win a trip to Costa Rica!!! Very exciting!

I wanted to share THEIR words from the website:

Together we're redefining the female athlete by setting epic goals and pushing past where we've ever been and where we thought we could go. Join us. Set your own personal goal. Then document your journey by posting videos and photos that tell your story from start to victory.

We'll continuously post challenges for you. But that's just the beginning. Show us your journey. Show us what makes your story the one that stands out from the rest. If you meet your goal, set a new one. Make it even bigger. Prove to everyone, and yourself, that you have more than what it takes.

THE COMPETITION.

Every week we'll give away Under Armour Swag Bags full of gear to women who are seriously getting it. We'll also feature profiles on our home page and in the "Top Performers" section of women who are really setting an example for all of us.

After 8 weeks, we'll announce the 10 finalists who've documented the most impressive, motivated, monumental stories.

Winners will be announced mid-July.

THE PRIZE.

Three winners will be flown to Costa Rica to attend a four-day yoga and surf retreat. In addition to the lessons led by world-class instructors, winners will be treated to transformative massages, spa treatments and healthy, locally-sourced meals prepared by personal chefs. All while staying in plush accommodations looking out at the ocean. A retreat worthy of the women who earn it.


SO - a little about my team & my goal:  Aging with strength, being proud, being strong, respecting myself! I am enough!!!!! I WILL.. 

So although you all know I LOVE being healthy & fit, that I LOVE LIFTING WEIGHTS & being strong, that I LOVE BEING FIT AT 55 - I also have struggled with being BEING ENOUGH for my whole life.

At 55, I have challenged myself in many ways thru the years. I am not who I was when I was young. My goals & challenges are different than many of the other teams & individuals out there.

1. I was very insecure as a kid yet I pushed myself to try out for sports & cheerleading & drill team in those very tough years. I did well in them BUT I always felt I was not enough even though I was good - I can look back & say that now.

2. I worked at Corporations when I was younger. I challenged myself to do the best I could in an environment that was not women friendly, especially in my younger years.

3. I lost weight in high school - about 35-40 pounds & never looked back. Yes a had a few stumbles but always learning & always a work in progress. Even with weight loss, I was still not enough

4. I started working out in a gym in my early 20's. I was lifting weights when other women were not doing this or VERY FEW. I did the typical aerobics classes but weights were always part of my program from that point on. I wanted some muscle!

5. I ran 5k's in my late 20's to early 30's. IT WAS A CHALLENGE! I did not love running like many but I wanted to challenge myself. I placed & even won a few in my age category.

6. I started lifting heavier in my mid 30's & then competed in small natural bodybuilding contests for 2 years in my late 30's. I was scared "you know what" but I did it & won both years.

I still was not enough....

At this stage in my life, it is being more about BEING ENOUGH! 

I applaud all people challenging themselves right now with this campaign!!! I love anything that shows women that they are strong, independent & AMAZING people! 

YES, people my age & older are challenging themselves with running & hiking & marathons & more. I LOVE THAT!!!!


For me, this is a time to challenge myself to JUST BE ENOUGH NO MATTER WHAT I DO ...  And my challenge for all those that want to join me is the same - YOU ARE ENOUGH NO MATTER WHAT you CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH to running to walking to swimming to racing to yoga to just being kind to yourself.. 

I am just asking my team members to get up each day & do the best in whatever they want to do & no matter how it ends at the end of the day - they can say - I AM ENOUGH. 


ALONG WITH THAT - EACH DAY TO SAY SOMETHING NICE ABOUT & TO YOURSELF - THAT IS MY CHALLENGE FOR MY TEAM. I would love to see each of you & EVERYONE try to post on FB or Twitter or anywhere something good about yourself each day.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING? 

1. I am going to continue to challenge myself in the gym. At 55, things are always changing so every day is a challenge! I love the weights so I will continue to challenge myself there. I am not a cardio fan but I DO IT so I will continue my challenge there.

2. I am going to try each day to either post on FB, Twitter or here at home something kind about myself to show that I AM ENOUGH! It may be my own words or it may be a quote from elsewhere that I share with you.

3. I teased in a comment to a fellow blogger that I was going to try to take a gym picture without my head cut off to prove to myself that I am enough. My readers know I always cut my face off my gym pics! HONESTLY, I am not sure I will get there by 8 weeks but I will try. For me, at 55, I have many face issues due to hormonal stuff. Not everyone gets this but I did so this is super hard for me.. I will try but no promises on the pic! I think at least trying is a step...

4. Being Enough also means trying to bring awareness to companies & the media & other social outlets like this that let's just not have lip service. It does not always have to be pretty people! Don't say or write one thing & then do another. TOO MANY MIXED MESSAGES!


***I also want to challenge Under Armour to go beyond physical beauty & age too! ***

As much as they are doing a great thing, when I look at the pictures of the winners & their advertisements & promotional pictures, these are fairly if not very attractive women that are younger. In addition, I got an early comment on my FB page about boomers & the fact that they are a good % of the money being spent on active & workout wear. Yet, winners of many of these competitions are younger & more attractive people. 

I GET IT! People want to see pretty people & that sells more but I will continue to try to change this attitude which makes people & especially women & young women never feel that they are good enough.

Many women can do a wonderful challenge like this but at the end of the day if the winners still represent younger & more attractive women, well - this still leads other women to never feel as if they are enough. 

YES, it has to come from within BUT when we are saturated from an early age, it is hard to get past it especially when you see it day in & day out on TV, in the movies, in the magazines, in the ads.

This is NOT just Under Armour. This is prevalent across 99.9% of the media. Don't get me wrong! I am thankful for being chosen to be part of this campaign but being part of it also entails this avenue for me - this part of the challenge - #4 above. 

**PLEASE SEE postscript at the end of the post for something I was watching AFTER this post was ready to go live.


SO - I know - a very long post! I ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN ANY TEAM OUT THERE, MY TEAM OR DO THIS ON YOUR OWN (first link)!! PROVE TO YOURSELF THAT YOU ARE ENOUGH & WORTH IT no matter what the outcome.

I also have to say the the technology part of this campaign is making me feel not enough!!! I am not a techy as many of you know so I sure wish this were easier for those of us that are not tech savvy!

OK - let's show them all that YOU ARE ENOUGH!!!!! I know this is a work in progress each day for many out there. I don't expect to get perfect at this BUT I DO HOPE TO BE NICE & KINDER TO MYSELF!!


POSTSCRIPT: 

After I had finished this, I was watching a recorded episode of KATIE from yesterday. Mika Brzezinski was on talking about her new book - Obsessed: America's Food Addiction--And My Own! I watched a professional discuss that there is a disease called Disordered Eating - it is not bulimia or anorexia. It is different. You can go to a doctor & answer questions & walk out being told you are fine because you are not one or the other when in fact you have Disordered Eating. 

Do you wake up thinking what am I NOT going to eat today OR what food should I stay away from OR how much exercise do I need to do to get rid of what I ate.  

WHAT % OF THE DAY ARE FOOD, WEIGHT, BODY IMAGE PART OF YOUR THOUGHTS. Over 50% woke up thinking the above!

I am going now to watch the 2nd half about the dos & dont's of talking to your kids about food & weight. HINT - do not bring physical appearance into it...

You can read more & click on all the links HERE!

SO, WE REALLY NEED TO GET TO A POINT WHERE MEDIA DOES NOT SEND MIXED MESSAGES - AND KATIE MENTIONED THESE MIXED MESSAGES LIKE I WROTE ABOUT ABOVE - saying one thing & doing another, lip service... 

***I am going to try my hardest to BE ENOUGH & I hope you join me with this challenge! I think it is way harder than a physical one! 

Let's do this together!!!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/14/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (44) | Add Comment

Gratitude Monday, Mom's Day & Sarah

Monday May 13, 2013

  
Welcome to Gratitude Monday. Each Monday, stop by & comment on what you are grateful for & how it will impact you to live a healthier life going forward. How it impacts you does not have to be food or exercise related. It can be in any way, shape or form! If you just want to write a grateful comment & nothing else, that is fine too. If your comment is the same as another one, so be it. Everything goes here.

Yesterday was Mother's Day! I hope those of you who are mothers AND men who are taking the place of moms had a wonderful day! I know sometimes most of the time you doing stuff that the kids want to do. I remember my days as a kid even as old as I am now!

Either way, I know it is special just to be able to spend time with family. Many do not have family or moms or dads or anybody so we have to be grateful for those we have NOW & the wonderful memories of those no longer with us.

I also have other wonderful moms in my life like my sisters & stepdaughters & my 1 surviving Aunt & friends that are moms & blogging friends that are moms ... just many many wonderful moms out there!

Tomorrow is also my mom's bday so I will remembering her for Mom's day & her bday - not posting tomorrow.. 

I am also thankful to a wonderful blogging friend, Sarah from Ingredients of a Fit Chick! For those that follow me on Instagram or look at my FB page, you saw pics of the wonderful package she sent me. It had the most amazing Sweet Potato Raisin Bread in it. IT IS SOOOO DELISH! The nutritional stats are perfect for me! Click that link for the recipe & stats but let's just say 109 calories, almost 10g of protein, 14. 6g of carbs, 1g of fat - OMG - delicious plain OR toasted!!! She has a lot of wonderful healthy recipes so check her out & this recipe!!! This package same with such a beautiful card & note - HUGS Sarah!

She also sent me some of her Cellucor PB Marshamallow whey protein!! It has great stats for me & she wanted my opinion on the flavor. I liked it mixed in food & mixed with water & frozen like an ice cream BUT just the powder & water together, NOT frozen, had a bit of an aftertaste to me.  Not nearly as good as her Sweet Potato Raisin Bread! Here are a couple pics if you missed my Instagram & FB ones:

 

Look at this most adorable envelope she sent it all in - When I saw the package - I was enthralled with the envelope - sooooooo cute!!! YES that below is a envelope that came in the mail!!!



Last but not least, a warm weekend but still pretty:



So.. I am just grateful & thankful for it all - memories that live on, family & amazing blogging friends!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/12/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (36) | Add Comment

Cable Work Craziness - Shock the Bod! Happy Anniversary

Friday May 10, 2013

First off, a very happy anniversary to my oldest stepdaughter & her hubby! Always got to remember the family! It is an older pic but why not - keeps us looking young!  

So, on to regular programming & my post about cable work in the gym. Feel free to adapt to home with exercise bands.

So I LOVE free weights BUT I also like mixing things up in the gym. Cable work can keep continuous tension on the muscles if you do it right. Although I do a ton of the free weights, I also mix in the cable & some machines. It is all about finding what works for you, mixing it up to keep the bod guessing & finding new ways to shock the muscles to grow.

So, I hit the gym one day & found the bench from the Smith Machine (link takes you to a post with a pic of this machine) near the cable crossover machine. I love using these two together BUT IT IS A PAIN IN THE ARSE to maneuver the bench from the Smith machine to the cable machine. YES, they have wheels but as a small person trying to work my way around equipment to get the bench there, I have bruised & cut open my shin more times then I care to tell you about here!

Anyway, I was excited to do exercises I used to do all the time when I went to other gyms with layouts that made it easier to get the bench to the cable crossover machine.

Here are a few I did that day. PLEASE start with lighter weights & make sure your form is correct!!!

1. I used this layout to do lying cable triceps extensions - I also used a couple different cable attachments. Don't forget you can change it up by changing the attachments & I DID!!!



2. Incline Cable Triceps Extension AND BICEP curls with my arms over the top of the incline bench. I used the rope & the bar for both exercises! So for the bicep move, your arm would be over the top & toward the cable machine. I could not find a video for you. You can do regular OR hammer curls. You can do 1 arm at a time or both. 

I also wanted to share THIS LINK which has a great 1 arm incline cable bicep curl! You can do it standing to which I have done as well! 

There are also some other great bicep exercises that I LOVE & actually have shared with you in the past LIKE my love of the lying cable bicep curl! OK, while I am linking, I LOVE THIS MOVE - Lying High Pulley Cable Curl! Vary your grip width as well.

 

3. I did cable bicep curls below holding the bar with a close grip. This will mimic a preacher curl move by making sure you keep your upper arms STUCK TO YOUR SIDES. Doing that & the close grip will give you a preacher bench feel. Again, check the link above for more biceps moves!



4. While I was having fun, I decided to use the exercise bands for my triceps kickbacks. I know, not the best pic of me doing the move! I was trying to do the move & take the pic at the same time! I started with a harder band & did a drop set to the next band. FUN!!!!!

 

OK, so hopefully I have added new ideas for your gym & home time! There are so many ways to change this up so use your imagination! Lifting weights is NOT boring!

Have any of you done these moves? 

Do you want to share your own move?

Do use free weights, cables, bands & machines OR do you stick with just a couple of these?

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/9/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (36) | Add Comment

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough QUEST - Quest Bars

Wednesday May 8, 2013



I have been reading about & seeing Quest Protein bars all over Instagram & Twitter! I love Instagram so that is where I have seen them the most. People are obsessed with them, especially the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor! I had to know more about these bars!

The social media crowd have come up with all kinds of ways to eat them from right out of the package to microwaved to the very popular BAKED version! They have also become part of many amazingly delicious recipes on Instagram & blog posts! If you are on there, check #onaquest or #questbars or #questnutrition and you will find more than a few ways to eat these babies!

Now I am a "like to eat whole foods as much as possible type of women" BUT I am always on the lookout for a decent tasting PROTEIN bar with a short list of ingredients that meet what I AM LOOKING FOR IN A BAR. Even with the best of planning, you never know when you have to grab & go OR grab something out & about.

As part of being a FitFluential ambassador, I was able to get FREE a box full of Quest bars - all different flavors - along with the very sought after chocolate chip cookie dough bar!!! They sent a few of those - I guess knowing how much people love that flavor! It is their newest flavor along with the banana nut muffin. Look at that pic above to see all they sent to me - WOW!!!!!

My thoughts below:

1. I decided that I wanted to try the bars all 3 ways - right out of the package, heated in the microwave & baked. This way for those that can't heat them up, you know my opinion of them just plain Jane - out of the package! Honestly, for a protein bar of this type as you see in my pictures with no chocolate coating, no drizzling of sugar anything over the top (pics below), they are pretty darn good. I liked certain flavors over others but that is what life is all about. We all have our own taste buds & likes/not so much likes. I liked them baked & heated over right out of the package but I think that is a no brainer. Some are really great right out of the package!

2. I LOVE that they have 2 lines of bars. One is a 99.95% natural line with NO sugar alcohols & only 1-3 grams of sugar per bar. The other is a 100% natural line with a small amount of sugar alcohols & sweetened with stevia. Love that because I can only handle sugar alcohols in small amounts or I bloat like a balloon! Here is a look at a couple nutritional stats for the 2 different lines of bars. List of ingredients - FEW! You can see more HERE & HERE:



Here a few more pics of some of the bars from my PRIVATE COLLECTION! I may have baked my pieces a bit too long but enjoyed anyway! The recommended bake is 350 degrees for 5 minutes which I did with mine below. Once I saw that, I dropped to 325 degrees after this & 2-3 minutes - WATCH IT! I did mine in my toaster oven. In the microwave, I suggest you test with your own since microwaves are so different.

 



3. I think my favorites were chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate brownie, strawberry cheesecake & apple pie for eating plain out of the wrapper. Most of the others tasted better heated or baked. Again, I know others that did not like the ones I liked & vice versa so.. taste away!

ALSO, for those that do not normally eat bars like this, this is not going to taste like a candy bar like some nor will it taste like those bars with coatings so just understand that. Many of us reviewing these are used to eating bars like this - I just want to be honest here!!!

Saying all that - I do think my favorite of all is the chocolate chip cookie dough & the chocolate brownie for eating right of the pack for those that do not eat these types of bars... Even my son-in-law that does not eat bars like this enjoyed the chocolate chip cookie dough right out of the package!



4. My only downside with these bars is the sodium is pretty high per bar. Saying that, we all manage sodium differently so it is up to you to figure out your own personal stats & what you do & do not want to eat. I actually did not eat a whole bar at one time but broke it in small pieces & had here & there as a little treat. The Strawberry Cheesecake has the lowest sodium of all the bars.

Also FREE in that box of goodies, I received a few packages of their Quest Cravings Protein Peanut Butter Cups! OMG, these PB cups are amazing! I have not had a Reese's PB cup in a long time but to me, these were as close to them to suit me. Others have posted that they tasted a bit "chalky" BUT NOT TO ME! Just saying. I also read some reviews about freezing them & enjoying that way. GREAT TOO!!! I did try doing that & LOVED them. No need to defrost - just pop it out of the package & eat!

I LOVED that the serving size per package was TWO cups. You know how some companies try to trick the non label readers & they eat the whole package thinking the stats are for a whole package.. ALWAYS READ THE SERVING SIZE! Well, the serving size here is ALL 2 PB CUPS! So, you can eat just 1 or both! 

The package has 17 grams of fat BUT when I have them, I replace a Tablespoon of my nut better for one of these packages OR 1 PB cup & some nut butter. The saturated fat is a bit high too but once again, up to you to figure out your saturated fats for the day & work in what YOU WANT TO DO for yourself!

Here is a pic from my Instagram account & some stats:






So all in all, I really did think the bars were good! Some are better than others for me. The thing about this is that bars I LOVED, others did not and bars others loved, I did not like so .... again, you are going to just have to try them & see what works for you!

If you want, you can follow Quest Nutrition on Instagram at QuestNutrition, Twitter at @questnutrition and their FB page.

Again, I received these bars free of charge as part of a FitFluential campaign. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN!!!!

Have you tried the bars? Which are you favorite flavors? Want to share any recipe links?

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/7/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (18) | Add Comment

Gratitude Monday, The Fan, OC Marathon & More!

Monday May 6, 2013



Welcome to Gratitude Monday. Each Monday, stop by & comment on what you are grateful for & how it will impact you to live a healthier life going forward. How it impacts you does not have to be food or exercise related. It can be in any way, shape or form! If you just want to write a grateful comment & nothing else, that is fine too. If your comment is the same as another one, so be it. Everything goes here.

So we had a few days of some pretty hot days around here. It did cool off but when those days hit, we have no air conditioning! I am thankful for our fan!!! Sometimes I sit so close to it I could be blown away! The fans also come in handy for hot flashes & sweats!  It did go from HOT to the 60's & possible rain per the forecast. I am writing this before the expected possible rain Sunday night into Monday & Tuesday.

As thankful as I am for the fan, I feel for the thousands that were effected by the fires north of us - quite a ways north of us! There were at least 3 fires going at the same time & spreading like crazy with the heat & winds. I hope if any of you were in that area that you are safe & sound! Luckily the fire fighters did their job well & so little loss of homes & no people hurt as of what I heard to date. The cooler weather is a great help too!

Of course I am always thankful for weekend treat cookies!!! Yes, I will share a pic again!  This is the most amazing macaroon cookie from PDM Bakery where I get the oatmeal raisin cookies I love so much! There may have been an oatmeal cookie as part of the weekend too!




The OC Marathon also ran thru my neighborhood Sunday!!! I finished my own Sunday run about 15 minutes before the front runners came thru. Below is a pic of the 1st & 2nd for men and the 1st lady to pass us. The men waved & yelled HI - so cool!



Below is a pic of some of the others as they ran by us. Check out the lady in top part of this pic. MAN, she was in shape!!! She was my age - maybe a bit younger but definitely not a youngster. It was very inspiring to see a lot of older & fit folks out there running along with some Boston String shirts!



I am also thankful to Sony for listening to some problems I had with a Klout perk & were willing to send me another unit to try out for them. I can't wait to receive this Sony walkman/MP3 player! Once I get it, I will let you know all my thoughts! I was digging the no cords - just a flexible behind the neck headband that is not rigid so it does not bother you when lifting weights - LOVE! The hard behind the neck ones always got in the way with exercises that I had to lie back on a bench. The flexible ones do not do that!!!

So, how was your weekend & what are you thankful for today?

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/5/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (36) | Add Comment

Banish the Belly Fat!

Friday May 3, 2013

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Hey, I can help you banish your belly fat!!!! Just take these pills & oh, these pills & eat exactly this & just do these few exercises & VOILA, no more belly fat!!!! Of course the next show there is a whole different way to eat & different pills! 

On top of that, sometimes the talk of bloating by DR. Oz & the audience members is basically just a person that is overweight. NOW DON'T YELL AT ME YET! I get bloating cause I have it with certain foods BUT sometimes we can tell that is really just overweight vs. bloating with some of these audience members. Just being truthful here....


"Dr. Oz has the secret weapons to flatten your bloated belly. Using science to fight fat, he’s identified 7 belly blasters to tighten your core. The firm, flat, sexy stomach of your dreams isn’t that far out of reach – Dr. Oz has the..... . "

I recorded a Dr. Oz show Monday because I was interested in what he was going to say this time. I have this LOVE/HATE relationship with Dr. Oz. I know if I weed thru things, I can get some really great & useful information. On the other hand, sometimes he just has these shows that drive me crazy!

Monday's show was about a food plan to help you shed belly fat. I was more interested in the 2nd half of the show about a book that is all about foods to help you have more beautiful skin... BUT I watched the first half out of curiosity.

It started out with a food plan - water based foods at each meal to help you - well, pee & poop is what it is going to help you do but it was worded differently - it was about banning the bloat per the show.  Ummm, YES, water & water based foods WILL help you pee & poop & get rid of food in you that is bloating you.  Don't get me wrong, healthy food, but let's just say what this is all about & not beat around the bush. 

The lady was talking about foods with CRUNCH in some of the meals to help people not feel deprived of their more "fun foods". Again, I get it, but Jicama is not going to make a person forget they rather be eating potato chips or crackers or french fries... come on! Let's just be honest in these shows. For those that do not know what jicama is, it does not have a lot of taste BUT it does have a crunch. I like it but it certainly is not going to make me forget my chips or granola crunch!

I know they are trying to get people engaged by doing this BUT when you don't put the truth up front, in my humble opinion, you are deceiving them. Give the facts, tell them what it takes, be fair & honest about the hard work & consistency & patience & help them understand the benefits of it! It is like the aging & hormone shows. In my opinion, they make it sound like the issues are WAY LESS than what it really is for women!

Toward the end of this segment, they showed some before & after pics of a couple women like in the pic at the top of this post. Dr. Oz went on to introduce a celebrity trainer that will show them exercises to BAN THE BELLY FAT! The trainer was explaining that you don't need to do traditional crunches to burn the belly fat. Just do things like "this" to get rid of that belly fat! 

NOW, I agree, you don't have to do traditional crunches BUT you do have to eat healthier to lose the belly fat! The trainer did not once mention that nor did Dr. Oz. We all know that FOOD IS 75-80% of this weight loss equation! I understand he just had discussed food before this segment BUT in this segment, they were saying do these exercises & you will lose your belly fat - NOT!!!!

The quote at the beginning from the Dr. Oz website: "The firm, flat, sexy stomach of your dreams isn’t that far out of reach – Dr. Oz has the..... . "

Ummmmmm, it is not out of reach BUT it is dang hard to get there & takes time if you do it right! AND...... many of us will not even get to the very flat stomach without SUPER CLEAN EATING!!!!! I know this from experience! Even when I was young, a flat lower tummy for me was not there until I dieted down for my bodybuilding competition. Yes, I looked OK before that but I still had my little inner tube even when I ate well.

I think we have to make these shows more realistic for people & watch the verbiage we use to discuss weight loss & the expectations that go along with it.

OK, am I being to hard on DR. Oz & others out there. Will being real deter too many people from even trying... let me know your thoughts.

Posted by truth2beingfit at 5/2/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (22) | Add Comment

Why I DON'T Eat Paleo

Wednesday May 1, 2013

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Happy May to you all! Man, the time is flying! It feels like it was just January!

So for all you Paleo fans out there & I know there are A LOT, don't worry, I am not going to knock your love of Paleo! I wanted to get that out up front! I used that title because I knew it would get attention. This is about why I don't eat Paleo or Whole 30 (is that the same?) or gluten free (for those that do it but don't need to do it) or sugar free or low carb or Atkins like or any of the other programs out there.

Up front what I want to say is that I eat the way I feel is right for me. I plan for things I want to enjoy each day like my healthy breads & my animal cookies at night - portion control! I plan for my treat cookies over the weekend & honestly any other thing I may want to eat - I PLAN FOR IT!

So, most of you know I eat pretty decently. I am definitely not perfect or even close to perfect with my food. 

For my regular readers, you all know that I am a portion control person-I like to know portion sizes & stats. Yes, I like to know the nutritional stats for the foods I eat so I can plan them into my food program. 

I do watch the fat grams, especially the trans fats & the not great saturated fats. I know there is controversy out there on fats so just letting you know what I do BUT again, I am not perfect by any means! 

I like to TRY to maintain about a 40-30-30 (Carbs-protein-fat) food program. Saying that, it is not always like that every day. My goal is to have the 7 day week average out to that but it is not always perfect!

I don't eat any rice or pasta or white bread & carbs like that. It is not that I wouldn't enjoy these now & then. It is just that I am not a fan of rice or pasta. Pasta lovers, I know you are cringing right now that somebody does not like pasta!  

I also prefer the healthier breads over white so I guess that is a good thing. This basically comes from changing my food lifestyle over time so my pallet prefers the healthy breads - and more dense ones too & the seed ones!  

See, you can change your lifestyle & like it!!!

AND YOU ALL KNOW my story of age & hormone changes & how I have had to change my food choices over time AND eat less calories - a lot less calories than my 40's & younger! I used to be able to eat more carbs AND different types of carbs. To maintain the way I prefer to look, I just can't do that now.

BUT..... I do give myself license to PLAN in my treats! Can we all say COOKIES together!!!  

I do NOT give myself license to eat any damn thing I want because in that case I would be eating nothing but bread, cookies, cinnamon rolls & maybe Pop Tarts! I still have not tried a Pop Tart since I lost my weight but I loved the brown sugar cinnamon.  On top of that, at 5'1", I would weigh way too much for this body eating only the previous list of foods!

Yes, many of you change your lifestyle like I did & don't crave this stuff any more. I still crave certain goodies from my heavier days but I MANAGE IT. I DO like the foods I eat now but it does not mean that I still do not crave some of these other foods.

I could eat Paleo or Whole 30 or many of the other ways to eat out there & most likely be leaner & look better for my 55 years BUT that is not a life I want for me. 

Heck, if someone were paying me to be Fit at 55 & giving me gigs for modeling & all that great stuff, yes, I would change things up to be leaner & lose my lower tummy BUT that ain't happening so I am going to enjoy my planned treats & other foods like bread that make me happy! Again, not a license to eat anything....

You know, my mom got cancer in her early 70's. She loved many of the goodies I love & wrote about above. With her treatments, she really did not even feel like eating most times. We knew, she knew, she was not going to live very long & yet she could not enjoy some of the simple pleasures in life like fun foods & walking on the beach & doing things for herself....

You never know when this stuff will hit - maybe when you are older, maybe now, maybe it already did happen to you - all I am saying is that I make sure & plan for some fun stuff for me just in case!!!! This is MY CHOICE & we all make our own choices. 

PLEASE do not tell anyone that it is your way or the highway! I know we all have food programs that we are passionate about BUT we all have different lives & different ways we want to live - our choices. Please keep this in mind next time you want to tell somebody they just have to do it your way....

If you are a trainer, always try to work with your client to find a program that works for them. Yes, we have to compromise for health BUT there are different ways to do this! You can certainly explain certain programs or ways of eating you prefer or like BUT the client has to want to work with the recommended eating program. Always remember it comes down making it work for your client & THEIR lifestyle (NOT YOURS) AND something they can live with long term. 

I do a lot of things right but I also want some balance as well... This is MY life & I am fine with it!!!

OK - this got way longer than I expected so for those that saw the "why I don't do competitions & challenges" in the post link - I will leave that for another time. I actually wrote about it a while back but again, it still comes down to personal choice.... and heck, I am 55! I did a lot of that stuff when I was your age!

Feel free to comment away!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 4/30/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (49) | Add Comment

Gratitude Monday & Healthy Bite Me! ;)

Monday April 29, 2013



Welcome to Gratitude Monday. Each Monday, stop by & comment on what you are grateful for & how it will impact you to live a healthier life going forward. How it impacts you does not have to be food or exercise related. It can be in any way, shape or form! If you just want to write a grateful comment & nothing else, that is fine too. If your comment is the same as another one, so be it. Everything goes here.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I am reading about lots going on in all your lives so feel free to share some of your happy times in the comments. Hey, if you need lifting up, share that too & we will see about bringing some sunshine to your day!

I have lots of things to be thankful for but I guess I will focus on a couple today. First off - BITE ME! Just kidding! Healthy Bites from Lindsay over a Cotter Crunch. I received my Healthy Bites from her!!! If you have not tried them yet, you must contact her & order! She has standard flavors & she will also special order for you too! 



These are great bite size goodness that are easy to take with you on a run or bike ride or rollerblading or hike & just pop in the mouth! One downfall, so good that I want to eat all in a sitting! Thx Lindsay! Here is a pic of 3 in my hand so you can see how portable they are for you!

 

I like to help others out with their endeavors so please let me know what is going on with you. I have written about Carla's, aka Mizfit amazing workout skort & bra (money to charity) and her ebook. Click link to her page & check her sidebar. Crabby from Cranky Fitness also has an ebook that I wrote about a while back. Check the top of her page.

I also try to read & tweet if you are reviewing anything from a company. I know how important it is to have some love for those reviews so share & let us know if you need help!

Also thankful for my weekend cookie treats! Are you tired of hearing about them yet! Picture below!

Photo: Hello my weekend treat! @wholefoodsmarket molasses #cookie ! #enjoying #treat #balanceinlife #live #enjoy

That is it for today - I could write more but I will let you get on to commenting & trying to enter my captcha that GoDaddy will not let me disable! Not thankful for that captcha!

Let me know how you are doing & what you are grateful for today!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 4/28/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (43) | Add Comment

Baked Protein Banana Bread Oatmeal for One: Happy Bday Time

Friday April 26, 2013


First things first - another happy birthday in the family! This is one of the grandkids who turns 13!!! OMG, where does the time go!!! Happy bday Casey & so wish we were there to celebrate with you!


On to this recipe below:

Photo: Holy yum. Baked banana bread oatmeal w/a few changes from me. <img src= 

I posted the above pic on Instagram Tuesday & got a lot of YUMS! It was my version of a great recipe off the Eat-Clean Diet site. I did not have ripe bananas in the house so I had to modify. 

The original recipe is HERE & looks like the below:

Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp. ground flax
  • 1/2 scoop Vanilla protein powder
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/3 cup mashed ripe banana ( about 1 medium)
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • chopped toasted walnuts for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a small oven proof bowl. I used a dab of coconut butter.

2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together oats, cinnamon, baking powder, ground flax and vanilla protein powder.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together water, mashed ripe banana, egg white and vanilla extract.

4. Pour dry ingredients into wet and stir until combined. Pour mixture into prepared bowl.

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until oatmeal is puffed and set.

6. Serve warm with chopped walnuts. Or in my case warmed up with a dollop of almond butter spread on top. Yummm….

7. Enjoy!!!

MY VERSION:

So, I did not have a banana that was ripe & I have really been wanting to make this so I modified - what else is new, right!   I was trying to replicate I use when I just make plain ole oatmeal. This is what I did below:

1. Substituted applesauce for the banana. I am guessing you could do pumpkin too!

2. I used a lot more cinnamon - I love cinnamon!

3. I used chia & flax.

4. I use 2 scoops of protein powder in my oatmeal so I did here too! Course I have to plug my affiliate program here for Designer Whey! Using my DISCOUNT code, ZDWHEY4, you get 20% off your total online order and FREE shipping in the continental US for orders of $50+! SHOP HERE!

5. I added more liquid egg whites to make up for the additional protein powder.

6. As you can see, I added in some frozen berries.

7. I added more than the suggested amount of vanilla extract.

8. I did not have a souffle dish so I used a mini loaf pan.

9. I did not use any nuts but feel free to use your fave nut!

10. KEEP IN MIND that all protein powders work differently in terms of how thick or thin a batter they make SO you are going to have to play this by ear in that regard. Use more or less of the moisture ingredients based on your own personal experience with the your protein powder. Baking time may vary too depending on your ingredients & protein powder. I like my stuff well done so... that is how I roll!

I LOVED THIS RECIPE & SO FILLING!!! I really am excited to try it with banana though cause I think that would be delish - and maybe blueberries too! I also like how easy it is to change it up!!!!

I like baked oatmeal so much that I may eat it this way from now on unless I am short on time!!!

My cooks out there - how would you change this up - PLS SHARE!!!! 

Posted by truth2beingfit at 4/25/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (23) | Add Comment

Preacher Hammer Curls; Glute Work w/Smith Machine Step-Ups/Reverse Lunges/Hip Thrusts

Wednesday April 24, 2013


Why yes, I am wearing my YMX amazing tops in all my pics below!

I have so much I want to write about lately & these particular posts take me a long time to write! I am a slow writer!  

I also have products I love & want to share the love. I have personal choices I make & I want to tell you why & how you can think it through too. All this coming in the next few weeks or months!

BUT.... in the interim, I also want to share my exercise love too!!! Here are some exercises I have done that you might like enough to try them out!

1. Preacher Bench - STRAIGHT SIDE - dumbbell curls. I love the feel of doing straight bar or EZ curl bar preacher curls on the rounded side of the preacher curl bench. The link shows a video of this move. You can also change the width of your hands on the bar too. 

I really really love using the straight side of the bench as well! Pictures below. Many people think about doing just a standard dumbbell or barbell curl on the preacher bench but don't forget you can do preacher hammer curls here too!!! The previous video link shows it over the rounded side but you can take the seat off & do it over the straight side. My gym has a preacher bench where you can stand (below) so I use that one. It looks like this:



Here is my attempt at trying to take a picture of myself doing the move!  Don't forget to use PROPER form & CONTROL the move!!!!



While I am talking hammer curls, I also LOVE hammer curls across the body (Pinwheel curls)!!! Check the video out for that one - LOVE!!!

2. Smith Machine Hip Thrusts, Step-Ups & Reverse Lunges: 

I created the lunges & step-ups while attempting a Smith Machine barbell hip thrust! My Smith machine is different than the video link so it stops too high up at the bottom (where you see those orange posts in my step-up pic below) for it to work for short me! 

As an alternative, I do these with my upper back/shoulder area on a bench & my feet on a medium step. Here is a pic below from Bret Contrerus of a single leg hip thrust between benches. You can try that OR put both feet on the second bench or a medium step & weight plates on your hip area. Since I work out alone it is hard to use heavier weights since I have to place the weight myself. I use a 25 or 35 pound plate on my lap. That previous link takes you to a great post on hip thrusts & glute bridges so check it out!!!


I also found a couple YouTube videos on a different variation of the Smith Machine hip/glute thrust. I tried it and OMG - LOVE!!!! I modified it to make sure my positioning was correct for me. I also held onto the bench vs. the side of the smith machine like in the videos. I used the posts (orange posts in pic below) to lock in the bar higher up on the machine so I could leave the bar unlocked & just hip thrust away!  I have no one to video me or take pics of me in the gym - sorry!

Here is the first video with very specific instructions on how to do this move. At the beginning & end, he says it works his lower abs BUT I made it specific to my BOOTY/glutes & you get the added benefit of lower ab work too - AS LONG AS YOU CONTROL THE MOVE up & down!!!!

Here is the second video with NO sound BUT you can see she is working the glutes too!

So while I was at the Smith Machine, I thought why not try 1 legged step-ups & reverse lunges off a shorter step. The short step keeps me from hitting the top of the machine as I push up. You can do just alternating reverse lunges OR all one leg at a time reverse lunges (long pic below) OR reverse lunge with a kick back as seen in the small top pic OR step-ups & bring your back foot up in front like in the small bottom pic. There are a lot of ways to change this up so feel free to come back & share!  I also use no step to do static lunges, reverse lunges & more!


Yes, you can see my favorite Harbinger workout gloves AND my love of Hola OneOne running shoes! I actually do not have to wear these shoes for leg day any more. They worked so well that the balls of my feet hardly ever hurt any more!!! I just happened to take the pics for this post on a non leg day!

Hope you enjoyed my fun leg/booty/glute moves today! Would love to hear if you try any of them & your thoughts!

Posted by truth2beingfit at 4/23/2013 8:55 PM | View Comments (38) | Add Comment
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