You can never have too many headbands for work and play.  The kind friends over at Sparkly Soul let me choose one wide and one thin headband in the colors of my choice.  I picked out a beautiful blue wide one and a stunning orange thin one.

These Sparkly Soul headbands make me smile. I feel so good when I put them on, how could you not?

These headbands don’t move and I love that. The only problem I have (and I have this with ALL headbands) is that when I first put them on, they roll and I have to fix them.  My head is an odd shape, I guess.

You can see me wearing the blue Sparkly Soul headband in my February fitness video.  I have worn them both with some light run/walk on the treadmill and spinning.  Very happy with these headbands, I need more.

And one of you lucky friends will be able to win one wide and one thin sparkly headband for yourself. You choose the colors!  Entry options are below, U.S. entries only please.

If you have not commented here before, I will have to approve your comment so it won’t post right away. Thank you for your patience.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

February is all about Sparkle and Soul.  Visit Sparkly Soul this month and get a 15% discount on your orders. Just use the code FITFLUENTIAL at checkout.

*I received 2 free headbands for review, all reviews and opinions are my own.

 

The company sent me sweet potato chips, Vampire Killer raw leafy kale and Naked raw leafy kale.  The sweet potato chips are good but they are a bit too hard for me personally.  I do like them dipped in hummus though.  The products that stole the show for me were the packages of raw leafy kale. OH MY GOODNESS!

These non fried, not baked, vegan and gluten free chips were out of this world and perfect for healthy snacking.  I have made kale chips in the oven before but those don’t even compare to these.  The kale is mixed with a seasoning that contains garlic, red bell pepper, cashews, sunflower seeds, lemon juice and scallions.  THEN the products are dehydrated below 115 degrees and retain healthy, active enzymes & nutrients because they are not baked or fried.

They do have quite the variety of chips so you’ll want to hop on over to Brad’s Raw Foods to see all they have to offer.  And they do have nut free options as well.

Brad’s Raw Foods is the home of The World’s Healthiest Chip and rightfully so. They are delicious!

 

I was given the opportunity to review a variety of PR*Nutrition Bars and I love them!  I only eat bars like this on occasion but  these are so tasty.  I have tried the Peanut Butter Granola (thick and tasty), Chocolate Mint (sweet but good), Oatmeal Raisin Granola (sweet but oh so good especially for someone who doesn’t care for raisins) and the Peanut Butter Berry Granola (it was good but a bit sweet for me).  I still have the Apple Pie one left to try and I’m sure it will be good as well.

The bars are all 200 or more calories and have a good amount of protein and other positive things going for them.  The only negative I found was they have corn syrup and fructose listed in their ingredients but like I always say, all things in moderation.

Sheri Sears co-founder and Executive VP of PR*Nutrition, Inc. says these bars were designed to enhance your body’s natural ability to burn body fat while maintaining or increasing lean body mass.  Controlling blood sugars is the key to weight loss success.

Here are some of Sheri’s insights:

High-Five – Having stable blood sugar does 5 things for your body – it controls hunger, keeps mental focus, eliminates mood swings, eliminates cravings and helps drive your body to burn fat, not lean mass.

Take 4 – There has been a ton of press around the concept of “mini meals”, where it’s suggested that people consume 6 (or more) small meals throughout the day. In terms of keeping your blood sugar steady, eating every 4-5 hours that you are awake (4 times per day) is ideal. But, what’s more important than WHEN you eat is WHAT you eat – making sure each meal has the right ratio of protein/carbs and fats.

The Power of Protein – Protein is the key component in stabilizing blood sugar, and it is vital to use the correct ratio of high quality protein, low glycemic carbs and heart-healthy fats at each meal. Protein is used continuously during aerobic exercise. However, it is stored in small amounts. Lack of protein during moderate to heavy exercise may actually force your body to replenish its supply of protein from muscle. Rather than losing the fat you are exercising so hard to get rid of, you run the risk of losing too much muscle.

Burn Fat, Not Muscle – While most of us pay attention to the scale, it turns out we really should be monitoring how our clothes fit. The change in body fat composition is what matters. Any diet promising that you’ll drop x amount of weight in x amount of time is likely causing you to lose lean mass – which means a drop in your metabolic rate and a loss of strength.  And important to note – generally, when you go off those diets you gain back more fat than you had when you started.

One Size Does Not Fit All – You need a nutrition program personalized to YOU to maximize results. PR*Bar’s Adaptive Nutrition programs are designed based on lean body mass, gender, height, weight, type of activities, and how many hours a week one works out. Along with using the PR*Bar you’ll be fueled to set your own personal record.

Again, PR*bar sent me a goodie pack to sample and I really like them. They are tasty and perfect for a quick snack before or after a workout.  And I just think it’s absolutely cool that they are the official performance nutrition bar of the U.S. Olympic Team.

 

I had lost the motivation to workout which in turn made it hard to keep up with healthy eating. What a mistake! I gained weight back, had no energy and felt mentally exhausted. Honestly I felt like a total failure.

BUT I am not giving up and for those who have been following me for the last few years know I’m not one to stop, come back with a sob story, lose weight again and repeat the process over and over. I want to lose weight BAD because when I was on a roll and losing weight, I felt awesome. I slept better. I had a lot of energy. It was easy to motivate others when I was motivated myself. Sometimes though, you can’t always be the motivator, you need motivation too!

Have you been watching the Biggest Loser? This season there is a gal who is injured but she is still losing weight. All it takes is a modification of your workouts. I just stopped altogether and it got the best of me. Next time, I promise to look to someone for help with ideas on modifications (but let’s hope there are no more injuries).

I’m not going to keep hashing this out but I just wanted you all to know that I’M BACK. I was down but not out. It takes commitment, I know that. And I am committed to living healthy. I know I’m going to struggle but I’m going to push through and do my very best to make the right choices when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. I have to always remember that this lifestyle change is forever, it’s not temporary.

And speaking of the Biggest Loser, I absolutely LOVED this saying from Dolvett, one of the new trainers on The Biggest Loser.

“It hurts to look good baby, it hurts to look good. I’m in pain every day!”

For those of you out there struggling with your weight like me, please know that we are all here for one another. It’s really important for all of us to work together. It’s much easier to change when you have a support system.

The Social Network Diet book talks about this exact thing. The book was sent to me for review and I would definitely recommend it. Here’s my review of it…

This is the Nook ebook but the actual book will be announced on Tuesday Oct 18th.

From Barnes & Noble:

“The Social Network Diet: Change Yourself, Change the World book will help you make healthy changes in your life by improving your environment—and in so doing, transforming the world. It is not your classic diet book. It is not an exercise manual. It is unlike any other nutrition and physical activity plan you have ever seen. It is a guide, rooted in exciting new research, on how to make lasting, positive change in your life by creating a supportive social network and a favorable food and physical activity environment.”

When I hear social network, my immediate reaction is that they are talking about Internet based connections but they talk a lot about the local person to person networking connections that can really make a difference in your life. I have personally found my social networks online are a great source of inspiration.

This book has it all:

• Inspirational stories
• 1 & 7 day challenges
• Helpful self-assessments

and more…

It shows you that you really do need the support of others when you are trying to change unhealthy habits in your life.

Are you connected to any social networks for support in living a healthier lifestyle?

 

Calcium and Weight Loss

As we age, our bones lose mass due to a loss in calcium.  It takes exercise, proper diet and also healthy habits to cultivate calcium-rich bone.  Calcium is needed for different reactions in the body, especially in the conduction of electrical impulses across muscle and nerve fibers. The body takes the calcium it needs from the bones.  On a daily basis, this calcium needs to be replenished to make up for what the body needs. When the supply is not adequate to meet the demand, the bones get weak and brittle.

Tips on how to get more calcium and increase bone strength:

• Eat or drink more dairy – Dairy products contain a lot of calcium. Even if you are self-conscious about your weight, opting for low-fat varieties of milk, cheese and yogurt will still boost your daily calcium intake.

• Eat more vegetables – Green is great when it comes to vegetables so be sure to get the most dark leafy greens as you can.  Try broccoli, spinach, cabbage and other greens. If you don’t like them cooked, try them raw.

• Exercise – Weight-bearing activities increase the density and hardness of bones. Athletes sometimes suffer from stress fractures when they play their sport. Part of this could be due to the lack of sufficient calcium in the diet.  Try sports like basketball, soccer, volleyball and running plus include weight training in your regimen to increase strength.

It takes a variety of activities as well as a healthy intake of calcium to improve the look and support of bones. Make healthy choices to stay strong as you age.

Why do you need calcium?

If women don’t get enough calcium, the body then takes it from their bones which is not a good thing. You need strong bones to get through life.  According to WebMD, “Calcium also helps maintain heart rhythm, muscle function, and more. Because of its health benefits, calcium is one of the best-selling supplements in the U.S.”  WebMD also says that it’s inconclusive as to whether calcium aids in weight loss.

But get this, according to Adora, women taking regular calcium supplements will significantly ease PMS symptoms.  That’s a good enough reason for me!

Adora review

I was sent 2 bags of Adora to sample.  I have been enjoying the Adora Calcium and Vitamin D supplements.  The dark chocolate is my favorite as is Kevin’s (my husband).  At only 30 calories each and 500 grams of calcium, it’s a no brainer for me since I’m pretty positive I don’t get enough calcium anyway. Adora is also lactose and gluten-free and offers you 100% of your daily recommended value . The price of each bag is a bit on the high side for some but they do last long.  I only have 1 or 2 Adora discs a day, the recommendation on the bag.

Would I purchase these? Yes!

What do you do to get more calcium in your diet?

 

I was given a complimentary entry into the Squires Fitness program in exchange for an honest review and case study of my experience.  So over the next 12 weeks you are going to go through the entire experience with me.  If you would like to join the Squires Fitness program at anytime, let me know so we can do this together.  The plan is to check in at least once a week and most likely it will be on Sunday’s right along with my daily workout log. It’s only fitting right?

The Program

Squires Fitness has online fitness and nutrition personal trainers who design a personalized program just for you based on your individual assessments.  Their mission is to “help as many people as possible change their lives through correct exercise and nutrition by providing all the tools, advice and support they need to succeed”.  Most online fitness programs are automated but Squires Fitness seems to really be interested in their clients.  I like that.

Your first step will be to join and once that process is complete you’ll be sent your log in info.  Then it will be time to fill out your fitness and diet assessments.  Everything is really quick and easy.  Do take into account thought that the company is based in the UK when it comes to contacting them.  It hasn’t been an issue for me at all. They have replied to all inquiries quickly (and I have made a few).

My Experience

So far my experience with everything has been great.  I had to fill out the fitness and diet assessments upon joining (get ready to be brutally honest here) and then once they looked over those, Sarah (my online personal fitness trainer) sent a fully designed workout program and healthy eating guide with suggestions on what I could change with my current eating habits.  I wasn’t too far off with my current eating plan.  They also took into account my back and knee issues.  What I was most excited about was they really took into consideration everything in my fitness assessment  and fit in workouts that utilize all the equipment available to me at home. There is also a welcome letter to explain the design of your program.

I have looked over the suggested workouts for weeks 1-3 but all 12 weeks are there waiting for me.  They look great to me and incorporate our new spin bikes, treadmill and exercise equipment at home.  You get a cardiovascular workout and toning exercises.  Next to each toning exercise, you’ll find number of sets, reps, tempo, rest time and a video with explanation of each exercise.  It’s really cool!  I pulled the page up on my iPad and will most likely use that to follow along but Jason, the owner was nice enough to send me each weeks programs in a document to print out.  I’ll probably put those in sheet protectors so I can use them when I workout and not drip sweat on them.  In the future, I would love to see the workouts offered in download form on each workout program page.

With your diet assessment comes a guidebook you can download or read online with tips and advice on healthy living.  I haven’t gone through the entire book yet but so far so good.  There is a section in the members area titled Motivate Me Now which holds audios on such topics as goal setting, affirmations, external support and confidence in the gym and another guidebook.

What I like so far is that it’s not complicated!  Some programs have so much info to wade through and here I find everything is straight and to the point.  I like it so far.

How much does it cost?

And let me tell you that the investment into this program is WAY less than it is for an actual personal trainer at a local gym.  At least here in IL.  When I had a personal trainer, I was paying $250 for ten sessions a month.  This program is only $197 for the entire 12 weeks.  And they have a payment program, pay 1/2 when you join and the remainder 30 days later.  If I do the math correctly, that means I could have saved about $550.  Now don’t get me wrong, I really loved having a personal trainer at the gym and both of the trainers I had were awesome BUT if you can’t afford that this seems like a great option.  They do however have a limited amount of trainers so obviously they can only take a certain amount of clients at a time.  I think that is great because they won’t get too big for their britches and overload their trainers and in turn not have time for their clients.

We are only at the beginning and I haven’t yet started the workout program (estimated date for me to start is Tuesday July 5th).  I’m hoping the home gym (garage) is set up by then but if not, I’ll manage and just get started.

So now that you have had an overview of some of my initial thoughts on the program and my experience so far, what would be some questions you would ask Jason, the owner of Squires Fitness?  He and I are going to do a quick Q & A next week on the blog.

 

My favorite part of the book other than the recipes of course is the workout routine section.  I like the discussion on weights, cardio and fuel consumption.  One of my favorite things about the book are the images showing how to do different weight training moves.  There are so many health and wellness tips and meal planning ideas too.  The vegetarian section of the book could have had more to it but overall I think it’s another awesome book by Tosca.

And today I get to share one of the recipes from Tosca’s new book with you.  It sounded so good, I thought you might enjoy it.

Gold Medal Finish Breakfast Burrito

Ingredients:
Eat-Clean Cooking Spray (See page 214 for recipe)
6 oz/170 g extra lean ground turkey
1 tsp/1.25 ml garlic powder
4 egg whites
¼ tsp/1.25 ml sea salt
1/8 tsp/pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup/80 ml drained and rinsed black beans
1/3 cup/80 ml drained and chopped roasted red peppers
2 cups/480 ml lightly packed fresh spinach
¼ c/ 60ml hummus
2 whole grain sprouted tortillas (Such as Ezekiel)
Chipotle Mexican Hot Sauce

Method:
1) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and if necessary, spray with Eat-Clean Cooking Spray. Add ground turkey, cumin and garlic powder, and use a wooden spatula to break the meat into small pieces. Cook until no longer pink, two minutes.
2) Add egg whites to same skillet, season mixture with salt and pepper, and stir until opaque, two minutes. Add black beans, roasted red peppers and spinach, and stir all ingredients together.
3) Spread hummus on warm tortillas (Skip if you are following the Stripped plan), then top with turkey mixture and top with chipotle hot sauce, if desired. Roll up burritos and eat warm.

I would personally swap out the chicken and use tofu.

Do you have any of Tosca’s Eat Clean Diet books?

 

When I was approached by the kind ladies at Jessie Steele to review their designer aprons, I jumped at the chance.  I thought for sure having one would help give me the little (OK I kid, BIG) push I need to get in the kitchen and cook.  Kev cooks all the time and I oversee.   So it’s about time I get in there and try my hand at it.  He was jumping for joy when I told him the plan.

When I opened the package, I found not only one but TWO ladies cute kitchen aprons.  Getting back to the kitchen (and preparing healthy meals) and spending time with family is what it’s all about.  Look at these adorable aprons. This first one is the one I chose. I thought the print was perfect to share on this blog. It has a fruit bowl, food scale, tomatoes, mixers and more.  Cutest apron I have ever seen!

Then there was the more sophisticated black and white apron.  I wasn’t expecting this additional apron so one of you lucky blog readers is going to win it.  Instructions on how to enter to win are at the end of this post.  Jessie Steele products have been on TV, in film, print and on the runway.

Here I am modeling this vintage kitchen apron (the top part doesn’t fit entirely across the chest but I don’t think I have ever tried on an apron that did).  So I’m not cooking in it BUT this past weekend we picked up some tomato and pepper plants and I’m going to try my hand at growing veggies. OH.MY.  But I promise, I’ll get in the kitchen and cook up something.

Now it’s time for you to get back in the kitchen for a bit of fun.  Let me challenge you to get in the kitchen to make a healthy recipe and if you need some inspiration, chose one of Jessie Steele’s designer aprons to give you that little push.  Aren’t they adorable?  Mother’s Day is coming up and this would be the PERFECT gift for that special mom in your life.

The offer above says 20% off everything and free upgrade to ground shipping.  Be sure to use promo code ILUVMOM.  Free shipping on all orders!

Now for the fun….here is how you can enter to win one.  The kind folks at Jessie Steele sent me an additional apron that I would like one of you to experience for yourselves.  I’m plus size and it fits comfortably so don’t worry about that!

Main Entry:

If you want to enter to win the black and white apron above all you have to do is head over to the Jessie Steel website and tell me your favorite design (required).

Additional entries:

1) Follow Jessie Steele on Facebook

2) Follow Jessie Steele on Twitter

3) Follow me on Facebook at Losing It and Loving It

Please leave separate comments for each entry.

Giveaway will end on Tuesday, May 10th at 12 noon Central.  I will email the winner and announce it here in this post.  Winner must respond within 48 hours or I’ll draw another name.

*Message updated to extend the giveaway

Happy Shopping,

 

Winter Vegetable Enchiladas

serves 4

• 1 large acorn squash
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 12 Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced lengthwise and separated into shreds
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 8 (8-inch) reduced-fat whole wheat tortillas
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup enchilada sauce

1    Preheat oven to 400°F.

2    Cut squash lengthwise into quarters; scoop out seeds. With vegetable peeler, peel skin from ridges. Put squash and carrots in large baking dish; lightly spray with nonstick spray. Roast, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned and tender, about 40 minutes.

3    Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

4    With small knife, peel remaining skin from squash; cut squash into chunks. Return squash and carrots to baking dish along with Brussels sprouts, chili powder, oregano, salt, and cayenne. Toss until mixed well.

5    Lay tortillas on work surface. Spoon one-eighth of vegetable mixture down center of each tortilla; sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of Cheddar, then roll tortillas up to enclose filling.

6    Place enchiladas, seam side down, in same baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce on top. Bake until sauce forms glaze, about 20 minutes.

Per serving (2 enchiladas): 362 grams, 334 Cal, 7 g Total Fat, 2 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 10 mg Chol, 748 mg Sod, 73 g Total Carb, 10 g Total Sugar, 13 g Fib, 13 g Prot, 218 mg Calc.  PointsPlus value: 10

This recipe is from the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook (recipe posted here with permission of course!).  Although I’m not a member of WeightWatchers, I am so excited to share with you their new cookbook.  I was sent a copy for review and it absolutely blew my mind. This is a hard cover 5 ring binder with everything you can imagine inside from breakfast to salads, slow cooker classics to desserts and a lot more in between.  Amazing!  Some recipes have variations, extra healthy suggestions, FYI’s, kitchen tips, complete nutritional information, beautiful pictures and more. The only section I was a bit disappointed with was the Slow Cooker Classics because they only have one vegetarian recipe.  BUT I think the sections on cakes, pies, fruit, frozen desserts, pudding and sauces make up for it.  Holy yum!

You don’t have to ever give up your favorite foods because you can make them healthier.  Packed with 500 delicious and nutrition-conscious recipes, this new edition of the cookbook helps people stay on track and achieve their weight management goals, including information and values for those following the new PointsPlusT program.

Weight Watchers International, Inc. is the world’s leading provider of weight management services, operating globally through a network of Company-owned and franchise operations.

 

Love me some Mickey!

I have to tell you about my recent inspiration…..

I wanted to say that I came across a very inspirational lady who recently commented on my blog and I wanted to share her blog with you.  Colleen from Halves for Fifty has walked 20 half marathons and 7 full marathons.  Holy cow!  I am bowing down to her because she has really inspired me to re think walking more half marathons.  I haven’t even walked my 1st one BUT from what I hear once I do, I might just change my mind.  I’m so glad that Colleen came to my blog and commented.  So. happy!

Next up….

I have been sent some products free for review that I wanted to be sure to share with you.

First is my new SIGG reusable water bottle

SIGG is healthy, using a baked on, non-toxic inner lining ensures no metallic taste or taste transfer.  It’s also a healthy alternative to plastic bottles.  I LOVE reusable water bottles and SIGG is just so stylish, I really like the options.  I totally need the carrying strap now though.  I would definitely recommend these water bottles.  There is one thing I really have to get used to though and that is the twist off and on cap.  I’m so used to the water bottles I use on a daily basis (not for workouts) having a flip top lid and this one you have to twist off and on every time you want a drink.  That initially was the only drawback for me.  But now I don’t have a chance of spilling it all over my desk right?  I definitely think this would make a great gift idea for the active person in your life.

And for something tasty….. FUEL UP THIS FALL

I had the chance to sample some the CalNaturale Svelte beverages (I just LOVE the sayings on these).

It is an awesome all natural meal replacement, pre-workout drink or snack.  It leaves me full for quite some time and taste good.  I was so nervous to try it because I have not had much luck in the past with drinks like this on the taste front.  But I was proved wrong with Svelte.  So tasty!  Favorite so far was the Chocolate and Cappuccino.  I didn’t much care for the Vanilla and I still have the Spiced Chai to taste.

These drinks are low in sugar (9 grams per full container), high in protein (16g of organic protein from fresh organic soymilk) and a good source of fiber. Also dairy and gluten free.  You can learn more at their website Svelte|Calnaturale.

Hope ya’ll are having a great week!  Hubby got into a bit of an accident last night and I’m thankful he’s fine.  The front bumper needs to be replaced at the tune of $800+ but no worries, thank goodness for insurance right?  While I have you, tell me one thing you are thankful for in your life.