Truth2BeingFit.com

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

jody@truth2beingfit.com (truth2beingfit) — 2013-05-22T03:55:00Z

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!

Gratitude Monday & Blogging Friends; Graduation

jody@truth2beingfit.com (truth2beingfit) — 2013-05-20T03:56:00Z

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?

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

jody@truth2beingfit.com (truth2beingfit) — 2013-05-17T03:55:00Z

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?

I AM ENOUGH - What's Beautiful

jody@truth2beingfit.com (truth2beingfit) — 2013-05-15T03:55:00Z

Wednesday May 15, 2013

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!!!

Gratitude Monday, Mom's Day & Sarah

jody@truth2beingfit.com (truth2beingfit) — 2013-05-13T03:55:00Z

Monday May 13, 2013

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!!!

Cable Work Craziness - Shock the Bod! Happy Anniversary

jody@truth2beingfit.com (truth2beingfit) — 2013-05-10T03:55:00Z

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?

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough QUEST - Quest Bars

jody@truth2beingfit.com (truth2beingfit) — 2013-05-08T03:55:00Z

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?

Gratitude Monday, The Fan, OC Marathon & More!

jody@truth2beingfit.com (truth2beingfit) — 2013-05-06T03:55:00Z

Monday May 6, 2013

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?

Banish the Belly Fat!

jody@truth2beingfit.com (truth2beingfit) — 2013-05-03T03:55:00Z

Friday May 3, 2013

Credit

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....

So on the website it said this:

"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.

Why I DON'T Eat Paleo

jody@truth2beingfit.com (truth2beingfit) — 2013-05-01T03:55:00Z

Wednesday May 1, 2013

credit

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!