Go ahead and enter because you never know if you’ll win. Found out today that I won TWO contests I entered last week. Awesome!

Have you won anything lately?

Bamboo bottle and book giveaway at Eating Bender Ends tonight 11:59 PM (Be sure to congratulate her on her four year blogiversary

Oakley and Ellasport giveaway at Run To The Finish Ends 3/26

Wellness Week is coming to an end but you still have time to get some special deals.  Here are some ways to take charge of your health.

I asked for opinions on two books on Twitter this week and the author of one of them, Kathy Hester, author of The Vegan Slow Cooker tweeted me asking if I had questions.  Bonus! And in case you’re wondering the other book I am looking at is called Skinny Dish! which was recommended to me by a nice lady who was shopping at Trader Joe’s.  Do you have either one?

Bonnie, a FitFluential friend posted some awesome info about Designer Whey protein powder. And there are smoothie recipes posted further down and in the comments. She was kind enough to share my info since wordpress.com wouldn’t let me post it today.  Go check her blog out. She’s amazing!  And since next week is the last week of National Nutrition month, you should also check out her diet and nutrition tips.

And be sure to check out Operation: Fridge Make-Over!  I need those glass containers.  Very good idea!

Have a great weekend!

 

Here are some giveaways that I came across this week.  Didn’t want you to miss out on these awesome goodies!

Most are from my FitFluential family.  They are awesome so be sure to check out their blogs further when you go to enter their giveaways.

Act fast on these (closing tonight or this weekend)

1. Bex Life Boy Beater Tanks giveaway
2. Traci Long’s Figure 30 Hips giveaway
3. Healthy Bites ebook AND a dozen CUSTOM healthy bites (looks delicious) at Cotter Crunch
4. Bamboo Bottle Co. giveaway from my friend Tara (ends Saturday night 3/17/12)

Here are the remaining giveaways that go beyond tonight (check the dates because some of these also end this weekend):

1. Polar USA is giving away SIX RCX3 GPS sets.  I’m a brand ambassador for Polar so if you ever have any questions on their products, don’t hesitate to ask.
2. GU Energy Gel giveaway at There Are Two Sides
3. Yummy Pop Chips giveaway from Janetha at Meals and Moves
4. Larabar giveaway at Bikini or Bust (love that name don’t you?)
5. Oh and another Larabar giveaway thanks to The Happy Runner!
6. Blake’s All Natural Foods at Women’s Endurance Gear
7. More Pop Chips!  Check out Dare You To blog for another chance to win these.
8. Trop50 Red Orange fruit juice free coupon giveaway at Marcia’s Healthy Slice
9. Bundle of Goodies giveaway
10. Udi’s contest and Ziploc’s Great American FreshOver Sweepstakes and while you’re there check out the awesome poached salmon and sweet potato cakes recipe.
11. The Fit Executive e-book giveaway at Eat Run Sail blog.
12. Tara is back with another giveaway…a pair of compression sleeves. These are awesome!
13. And lastly this cool Technogel pillow.  Imagine the good night sleep you could get with this puppy!

So there you have it, a ton of awesome giveaways to keep you busy this weekend.  Hope you all win something. I entered some of them and we’ll see how lucky I am.

P.S. OK there is one more and it has nothing to do with healthy living unless of course you agree with me that melts are better than burning candles.  My friend Lynn is doing a Scentsy burner and wax giveaway on her video blog.  Enjoy!

 

If you recall, I posted that I was sent the Zumba Fitness workout to review as a Shine from Yahoo! Get it Guide insider.  We talked about at home workouts and I mentioned that I would be doing the review in addition to a giveaway here on the blog.

It will be some time before I get to the full review as I have not had the chance to experience the entire program yet due to traveling.  But I do have good news….we are going to go ahead and get the giveaway started!

From what I have experienced so far with the Zumba Fitness workout program, I love!  I can’t wait to do more.

I CAN tell you that it has some GREAT music including Reggae which totally sold me.  If you want to burn some calories this is a fun workout to do it with.

CONTEST IS OVER

Congrats to Alexis who won the Zumba package!

So if you are ready for the chance to win the Zumba Fitness workout, let’s get started (U.S. residents only please).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

One of the best Polar heart rate monitors!

It’s one of the best in my opinion anyway ha ha.  The Polar FT60 that I’m giving away this time around is the same one that I own and is the woman’s black heart rate monitor (the one pictured above).  And I love it!  It does NOT come with the Polar FlowLink that helps you keep track of your training online so I highly recommend investing in that.

This heart rate monitor is perfect if you are committed to working out.  Learn more about the benefits of heart rate monitor training and here’s why you should use fitness training heart rate monitors!

And now for the giveaway (US residents only please).  With the new blog design comes a new way to enter for my giveaways. Here we go…

*I was NOT paid to write this post and all reviews of products mentioned are my own.

 

The winner of the Polar heart rate monitor giveaway is Missy!  CONGRATS!  I’ll be emailing you here in a bit and sending on your email address to Polar.

Thanks to everyone for entering and checking out the Polar products.  I sure hope you’ll try them sometime. We are very impressed with the company and their products.

Big thanks to Polar for this giveaway opportunity!

 

A few months ago, I told you about the benefits of heart rate monitor training. Polar is our go to heart rate monitor and I use mine almost every day. I’m able to see how my fitness training progresses and I love it.  When I see that I burned 800+ calories spinning, I always try to beat my last number and do better. Polar rocks my world!

One of my favorite things lately is that I can share my Polar training diary with anyone I want!  I have been posting my workouts to my personal Twitter profile via Polar Personal Trainer. So cool!  I also share my daily workouts over on Facebook.  Come join us for accountability.

I’ll let the video below do the rest of the talking about why it’s important to train with heart rate monitors…

Polar has awesome products, is an awesome company and that is why I am one of their ambassadors.  And with that comes awesome opportunities for everyone!  YOU my lucky and faithful readers now have the chance to enter to win one of  the FT4 Polar heart rate monitors (pictured above).  How cool is that?

*Giveaway has now ended*

So here’s what you need to do by , November 9, 2011 at 11:59 PM Eastern:

Go to Shop Polar and tell me what product you would put on your wishlist (mine would be the RS300X SD just because I love the look of the watch and the orange color)

Extra entries (separate comments for each)

1) Tweet this giveaway (you can use any fitness hashtag you like #fitblog #polarusa, #fitfluential #giveaway whatever fits)

2) “LIKE” Losing It and Loving It on Facebook (if you already do just comment letting me know, you can still get an extra entry)

Due to my travel schedule I will have to pick the winner on Monday, November 14, 2011 so thank you in advance for your patience.

**I was NOT paid to write this post and all reviews of Polar are my own.

 

I reviewed the Wasa flatbread crackers a while back and was sent the crispbreads to try this time.  AND you all get a chance to win some too!

Wasa crispbreads are the perfect snack for the health-conscious.  They are hearty, fiber rich and made with all natural ingredients. They come in many tasty varieties. My favorite is the sesame!

And like the Wasa flatbread crackers these can also be used in variety of ways. I like to spread goat cream cheese on them or add sliced tomato.  And I have replaced a slice of bread with the Wasa crackers at meals (great low fat alternative).  You can find more great ideas in their Recipe Gallery.

I have been really impressed with not only the products but also the connection with the company.  Wasa’s head offices are in Sweden and has flatbread production facilities in Sweden, Germany and Norway.  How cool would it be to visit them?  Keep an eye out on Newton’s Travels to see if we ever make it there *wink*

Giveaway:

Giveaway is for U.S. entries only

I like to keep it simple so all you need to do to enter is to tell us how you would dress up your crispbreads.

For a second entry, LIKE Wasa on Facebook.  Be sure to leave a separate comment here on the blog letting us know you did.

Winner will be sent the three boxes of Wasa crispbreads pictured above. Yum!  Have fun thinking of unique ideas for your crispbreads and please tell your friends and family about the giveaway too.

Giveaway ends Monday, October 3, 2011

*Disclaimer:  As stated above, Wasa has sent me these products for review/sampling purposes.

 

Happy National Running Day!

Many people today are celebrating the day by running races and just getting out there doing the sport they love most.  Here are 10 Ways to Celebrate National Running Day.  I give runners a TON of credit and maybe one day will be able to do it myself.

Of course you’ll need a really good pair of shoes and the ProSpeed Skechers running shoe is just what the doctor ordered.  ProSpeed Skechers is a highly sophisticated line that incorporates Smart Shoe (TM) technology, allowing you to run as nature intended.  The proprietary design enables a mid-foot strike which helps your foot get off the ground faster and minimizes injury.  The design stimulates barefoot running.  You can train like a pro with these shoes and the Smart Shoe (TM) technology helps to optimize each stride plus it’s lightweight so it’s a great training and racing shoe.

I’m actually just about ready for a couple pair of new shoes (running and cross trainers) so the info I’m sharing today comes at the right time.  The more I read about this shoe, the more I like it.  They have a channel on You Tube so you can learn more about them via video (You Tube is not playing friendly with me today, it keeps freezing my computer so I can’t link to it)  And I love the color options of these shoes.  I would be torn between the Blue/Green (shown above) and the Charcoal/Lt-Blue one.  There is also Black/White with some pink and Pink too.  Of course these are the women’s but they have some pretty cool color options for the guys as well.

Now for the REALLY COOL NEWS…..Skechers has graciously offered up one pair of their ProSpeed Skechers running shoes to giveaway at the end of the 30 Days to Better Healthy Living challenge here on the blog. How fun!  I just updated that post so take a peek.

How will you celebrate National Running Day?

 

Have you ever heard of the Bender Ball?  I had always been intrigued when I saw it on TV but never got around to purchasing it.  Just recently I was offered the Bender Ball free to review here on the blog and I jumped at the chance to try it out. I love to have a variety of workout options at home and I thought Bender Ball exercises might be a good addition to my home ‘gym’.

“The Bender Ball workout program is a great addition to your workout routine to keep things interesting and/or give you a good kick for the extra calories packed into the holiday season. It is a must-have for the home gym, but is small and convenient enough to be taken anywhere you go; the office, the gym, park or while traveling.”

I like the fact that it’s easy to take anywhere I need to.  I’ll most likely be taking it to the gym to show my trainer and add to our workouts and to possibly use in the weekly Pilates class hubby and I go to.  In Pilates, I have some hip issues so I tried a few Pilates moves at home using the Bender Ball.  Instead of lying flat on the floor, I put the Bender Ball under me and it relieved so much stress on my hips/back.  Cannot wait to take it to Pilates class. UPDATE: Took the Bender Ball to Pilates and it was awesome!  There was much less hip discomfort when I used it and boy does it give your abs a rockin’ burn.  I didn’t use it the whole class but rather for just a few moves.  I’m definitely taking it back to Pilates.   And of course, I’ll travel with it as well since it’s so easy to transport and can easily be deflated and inflated.

“The Bender Method of Core Training puts exercisers in the perfect position to sculpt and strengthen muscles.  Using the Bender Ball increases range of motion by adding an extension back with flexion forward while doing a standard crunch. The Bender Ball allows for changes in intensity by simply adjusting the leverage of your body or slightly inflating or deflating the ball. Made with a slip resistant surface to prevent slipping and the need for constant readjustment, it is available on www.benderball.com.”

My personal trainer, Scott has been adding more core work to our sessions and I love it.  I figured the Bender Ball exercises would be a great addition too.  You all know I love the stability ball and this is almost the same type of work it’s just a much smaller ball and harder to balance on.  You can inflate it to 6-9 inches around.  Boy does the core get engaged on this puppy ha ha  And I love that when you do crunches on it, you can lean back so it’s not like a normal crunch where you go all the way to the floor.  The DVD that came with the ball was quick and there were 3 intensity levels and the moves were explained very well.  I will probably only watch it one more time and will have the moves down so I won’t need to use it again where with most workout videos you need it to workout.  I look forward to spending more time using the Bender Ball to see if it will really make a difference.  Here is the video and although a bit corny OK a lot corny with the “I love my abs” ha ha, it really shows the moves you can do with the ball. There are a few more Pilates moves in there that I can’t wait to try in class.

You really never know with some of these “As Seen on TV” products but so far so good with the Bender Ball.  I like it!

And now for the exciting news……..

GIVEAWAY TIME (giveaway has now ended)

Congrats to Carrie, comment #3 was chosen via Random.org (I have the screen print of this but it won’t post on the blog so I can email it if needed)

One of my blog readers can win a Bender Ball package!  It’s really simple to enter.

Just leave a comment here on the blog telling me what your favorite core/ab workout is and you’ll be entered for a chance to win.

For extra entries (separate comment for each please)

*Tweet this giveaway

*Mention this giveaway on Facebook

*Follow Losing It and Loving It on Facebook

Giveaway ends and winner will be chosen on Thursday, November 4th, 2010.  I will update this blog post with the winner’s name next week.  Winner will have 2 days to respond or a new name will be drawn.

 

Hubby and I had the chance to try out some Subway breakfast options thanks to their PR company who sent me a $10 gift card.  Kev and I ordered 2 breakfast sandwiches and hash browns.  I had an egg white cheese sandwich with green peppers and onions and Kev had the Black Forest Ham, Egg and Cheese sandwich.  Both were delish and the service as usual was great.

The Subway breakfast items are affordable and provide fresh and healthier options that can be customized to YOUR taste that include veggies, sauces, cheese and meat toppings.  You can even choose your own bread, an english muffin, sub or flatbread.  You should really try a Subway breakfast!

And lucky for you, I have THREE Subway gift cards to give away!

Giveaway Time!

Giveaway is for U.S. entries only.

It’s simple to enter…just visit the Subway breakfast page and tell me what item(s) you would choose or if you have already had the chance to try out their breakfast, share your favorite Subway breakfast option.

Giveaway ends and winners will be chosen on Saturday, May 8th after noon Central time.  Winners will have 2 days to respond or a new winner(s) will be chosen.

For extra entries, you can follow Subway Fresh Buzz on Twitter and/or follow the Subway ‘fan’ page on Facebook.  Be sure to leave a separate comment here on the blog for each additional entry. Have fun and be sure to tell your friends about the giveaway too.

I heart Subway!

*Disclaimer: As stated above, Subway sent me a gift card so I could sample their breakfast menu.