Unboxing: My first BULU Box and FREE Download from YogaDownload.com :)

Look it, look it! Ain't it purdy?!
So the box is cute and it makes me happy. WAY TO MOTIVATE ME, CARDBOARD BOX!

So lets take a little looksie at my very first Bulu Box! Truth be told, I didn't have high hopes for this box based on the reviews I've seen. But since I'm in the market for a fitness subscription box, I thought I should try it before I knock it. Also it's pretty inexpensive compared to others I've been checking out. Alright, let's do this!

Here's our first peek underneath the orange tissue paper.

They let you pick three samples and then they pick 2-3 additional ones for you. My picks were the Simple Being Sleep Beans because.. they're called Sleepy Beans. That just sounds very appealing to an exhausted person like myself haha!

It says  to take 1 or 2 capsules before bedtime with water. We'll see how this goes. I see 1 mg of melatonin on the ingredients. I've taken that before because my little sister is OBSESSED with the stuff, but I felt like it gave me crazy vivid dreams. Not necessarily nightmares but the excitement while I was sleeping made me feel like I didn't get any rest. I'm still excited to try out these beans. If for no other reason than that they are called Sleepy Beans lol.

My next choice was another Simple Being product: Slimming Smoothie portion pack in Vanilla Bean.

26g protein/1g carb/0g fat. Fantastic. Honestly, I have been just AWFUL about getting protein into my diet even though I've been lifting weights. And I do like smoothies in my little bullet-style blender. This says to mix with 6-8 oz water, milk, or beverage high in carbs. It's vanilla so I may blend it with some frozen strawberries or instant coffee and ice. Can't wait to try it!

Next up: Shredz

Now honestly, how much can you tell about this type of product with a sample? Not much. But, I can probably tell if I feel some kind of extra energy or buzz from it, which it what I typically feel with fat burners. They tend to be stimulants which is how they burn fat or kill appetite. I'll give this a shot Friday before I lift. It says 1 capsule with breakfast and 1 in the afternoon or preworkout. Well I workout at 5am fasted so... maybe I can just take it two days in a row? Maybe one tomorrow morning and one Friday? I'll let you know!

Alright. Now for my extras. They give 2-3 and I got 3 woo hoo!

So the first thing I see is Dream Water

This excites me in the same way as the Sleepy Beans. What about it sounds bad? Drink me and have rest! A win! The bottle says to have a drink 30 minutes before bed to get some restful sleep. This also has melatonin although it doesn't say exactly how much on the bottle because it's listed as an ingredient in the "SleepStat" blend. So... we'll give it a shot soon. The thing about the sleep aids is I refuse to try them if I have to be up in less than 8 hours. So as soon as I get in bed soon enough, I'm trying them. Also, I've got a new app on my phone that tracks my sleep patterns and it may just collect some interesting data for us about these sleep aids :)

Next surprise is Raw Meal Vanilla Spiced Chai. It looks like a protein shake situation. I seem to have misplaced the picture. It looks like a square. Mix half a packet with 8 oz of water for 155 cal/2g fat/17g protein/16g carbs. Alright so it's decent in the protein department but also high in carbs, at least compared the the stuff I buy specifically for protein. Still, it's an interesting option. The packaging looks like the hippie stuff you find at natural food marts run by communes lol.

Finally, N.O.-XPLODE. This I know about, I learned about it when I used to work at a gym.

It's a pre-workout with lots of caffeine in it. SCORE! I would have been happy with a box of just this! That's not true, but I do like trying pre-workouts and I love caffeine because I HAVE AN ADDICTION, SIR! And it's watermelon. The last watermelon thing I had was SciVation Xtend. It was delicious. I'm excited to try this! WOOT!

Alrighty so.... overall. Meh. I mean I like most of what I got but not enough to pay for it. These seem like samples that SHOULD be free. Not deluxe size, not enough to try a few times to get a feel for them. And nothing particularly special or valuable. But I will be using everything in the box and I'm glad I gave it a try.

And since YOU gave this post a try, here's a little something for you!

YOGA DOWNLOAD
1 FREE DOWNLOAD with code Bulu1Free during checkout
Enjoy!

Subscription Box Nonsense!

It's no secret that I'm a fan of subscription boxes. Fitness, food, fashion.. you name it and I WANT it!

WANTABLE
I've tried all of the Wantable collections. They have Intimates, Makeup, and Accessories. (Coming soon they also have a Fitness collection but the set-up just doesn't appeal to me. You pay $20 up front and get 5 items based on your quiz. The $20 comes out of the price of items if you keep them. Keep 1 item-pay an additional $45, 2 items- $110, 3 items-$136, 4 items-$188, 5 items-$201. And the brands they listed were all brands I've never heard of, so not worth the money to me.) I have been very happy with the Intimates collections. The accessories have been just okay, but I'm incredibly hopeful because I've seen some great reviews. I think I just need to better tweak my customization quiz. And the makeup wasn't for me. If I'm going to get surprise products from lesser-known brands, I don't want to spend $40 a box. Now if they were sending MAC brushes, Urban Decay primers, Smashbox eyeshadows, Dior mascaras...okay then $40 a box is a great deal. But for stuff that looks like it came from a dollar store or someone's garage sale? No. No way.

JULEP MAVEN
I got one box from the Julep Maven subscription. I really disliked the nail colors I got. did love the Body Milk lotion I got, full size! I have seen some great products (not nail color) but I didn't care enough to stay subscribed in case I get them. I am very simple with my nails since I can't usually wear nail color at work anyways. And typically when I want my nails to look pretty I pay someone else to do them. So it's a popular box but not for me. Also Julep was a HEADACHE to unsubscribe from! They don't have a simple button to click online, you have to actually call and speak with someone.

LOVE WITH FOOD
I've gone through a couple of months with Love With Food. This is a cute box, and with a great cause behind it. I'm not in love with it and won't stay subscribed, but not because I don't like it. It's just not something I love so I'm funneling funds elsewhere.

COMING SOON
I have a couple of boxes en route and I'm excited to see them. Bulu Box is a fitness sample box. I don't have high hopes for this one based on reviews, but I like samples and fitness-related ones are right up my alley! And PopSugar Must Have... um, my expectations are SKY HIGH for this one. I am SO DAMN EXCITED for this box!

UP NEXT
My next subscription adventures will come from this list:
Elizabeth & Clarke
StrideBox
PrettyFit

I'm currently debating whether I want to keep trying with Wantable accessories. I'm just so blase about everything I've gotten. I want to LOVE the things I get like I do with the intimates, or like I see in other people's collections. I'm a little jelly :P

Spice Up Your Life: Love With Food September 2014 Unboxing And Coupon Codes!

Their box is just too cute. I <3 bows.

Shake it to the left! Move it to the right! The snacks in this box are about kicking it up a notch, trying new things and adding a little bit of spice to your life. 

Did they just use Spice Girls lyrics on me? Anyways as soon as I cracked open the adorable red box, I could have told you exactly what the theme of this box would be. I don't know if I'm just a big weenie and sensitive to non-bland foods, but the spices knocked me for an icky little loop. But I'm gonna give it a shot. Maybe. Ugh I wish Matt were here, he's much  more open minded about food!

The first look.

Left to right: 

• Hemp Rules Roasted Hemp Seeds by Ziggy Marley Organics
• 5 Spice Caramels by Shotwell Candy Co.
• Rich Chocolate Cookie Thins by Mandy's
• Maruso Ghost Soy Sauce by Maruso 
• Simply So Sweet Chili Tortilla Chips by Way Better Snacks
• Lemon Rosemary Seasoning by Fogg City Spice Co.
• Green Superfood by Amazing Grass
• Churro Kettle Corn by Love With Food

Now just looking at this snack haul, I can't tell you what spicy smell was turning me off so badly when I opened the package. Honestly none of them scream "Sweaty Indian Restaurant Curry" like I imagined when I was first knocked backwards, but something in there is strong enough that it gave me a reaction without opening the individual packages.

Anyways I know A TON of people like to live on the edge with their food, so I'm sure this is going to be a big hit for people who don't suck at life like me. If you are one of those people, see my coupon codes below for you!! :)

20% OFF Maruso Soy use code PSW38JM

15% OFF Caramel use code LOVEWITHFOOD

15% OFF Fusion Gourmet use code 15MCGG including FREE SHIP with purchase of 2+ items and 10% off for a Facebook like!

The bottom line for this box (for me) is that they feed a hungry American child when you purchase a box. 

AMAZING Wantables Experience-August Intimates Unboxing Went FAB! :)

FINALLY IT HAS ARRIVED! Today is the 19th of September and this baby shipped out sometime in early August.

Drum roll, please!

Please enjoy my camouflage background :)

TipiToe Assorted Socks are a playful spin on the everyday sock. Retail $12

The first thing I pulled out was this 3-pack of socks. Very cute! I'll be honest: for the past few years my underwear drawers have been very utilitarian. Nude bras and panties to wear under whites or see-through clothes, black socks for black shoes, etc. Not much color. I'm excited to slowly be building up cute stuff in there. I mean, why did I ever take my undies so seriously? I can just wear these socks around the house in my jammies to keep my feet warm. They're fun!

This hipster features fun and flirty lace and is OH SO comfortable r e a l Underwear Daphne Hipster in raspberry. Retail $20

Cut/style are so me. Color is gorgeous. All in all a perfect pair. Is it really worth $20? Don't know, don't care! I love them!

Spree Intimates Floral Lace Bralette Set in Coral. This beautiful bralette and thong set features floral printed lace. The bralette has lightly padded lining and adjustable straps. Retail $22.

3 winners out of 3 so far. This set is SO FREAKING CUTE!

These seamless capri leggings feature a cable knit design and comfortable stretch. Retail $14

Okay, this box hit it out of the park. Everything will be used and loved. The tights are so easy and basic that I can use them for a lot of looks. With cooler weather coming up, they are perfect.

Wantable, you did it. YOU DUN IT! Highest of fives. Total reported retail value $68. Not even my highest value box but still... I'm a million percent happy with this one. :)

I am ridiculously happy with this box. So as it stands, I love my intimates collections and have been meh about the accessories and extra meh about the makeup. I *think* the makeup thing is because I'm picky and specific because I'm not good enough with cosmetics to try just anything and rock it. And the issue with the accessories is probably due to not doing a great job with the quizzes. I'm thinking about re-doing that whole shebang. 

But damn.The intimates collections are freaking fabulous. Good job, Wantable. I will stay subbed.

Wantable Accessories September 2014 ROUND TWO!

Okay beauties, let's give this another try. :)

Box. normal.

Upon opening the box, I see that they forgot I'm currently a subscriber! Oh well, box is still packed especially for G. :)

I was happy to see that they went back to the velvet bags for the accessories. The ziplocs I got in the last one were uninspired. However, it seems they threw everything into one bag instead of individual ones like before.

First thing out of velvet goody bag were some cute geometric earrings.

The Katie Earrings feature pistachio triangles set in gold tone. Retail $14

The Katlynn Earrings are a gorgeous drop featuring stones of blues, reds, and greens! Retail $19

The Kacey Bracelet is a silver tone bangle with a cord and bead closure. Retail $18

The Rachael scarf is a mix of coral, mint, and yellow. Retail $19

Alright so my feelings. First of all I'm less than enthused about the broken bracelet. The little beads on the end are falling off, I imagine due to the adhesive coming loose. Also the bracelet is difficult to fit over my (admittedly large) hands. I already miss the bracelet and watch from the box I returned! The earrings are pretty. I think I'll change my quiz to say I only want hoops and studs from now on. I love bigger earrings but then I remember that my hair tangles in them! Silly curls. :) The scarf is pretty- I'm excited to jazz up a plain t shirt and jeans with it. Overall I get the 'meh' vibe. I wish I could have the bracelet/watch back. Or the watch and sunglasses! C'mon Wantable, make me satisfied! I've seen what you can do!!!

Click here to try Wantable for yourself.

Love With Food September (and FREE TRIAL OFFER)

I am currently waiting for my second shipment from Love With Food. The first was interesting, a nice little box of snacks. We're giving it a go for another month to see what comes of it.

From their site:
Love With Food helps you discover new organic or all-natural snacks delivered to your door every month. Our subscription membership starts as low as $10/month. Every month, Love With Food members will receive a curated box of unique, hard-to-find tasty snacks which varies based on seasonal themes.
For every box sold, we donate a meal to several food banks such as the Feeding America Network and Share Our Strength - No Kid Hungry. Join us to help end child hunger one meal at a time!
Say goodbye to boring grocery selections and start discovering your Love With Food experience! 

I think they have a great idea and a good product. I'm excited to get my September box, and I'll share it with you when it arrives! :)



Click here to try Love With Food for FREE.

Wantable Intimates August 2014

Yes, it's September and I'm posting August. I have a reason! So my Wantable Intimates shipped at the beginning of August and ... I never saw it. :( I sent a message to Wantable and they dropped this replacement in the mail for me right away.

This is my first Wantable Intimates collection. My first impression is meh. It seemed kind of boring compared to some that I've seen. However, I was pretty impressed with one standout piece. And everything seems nice in the quality sense. So I'm happy and I'll stay subscribed for the time being. See the box below!

They sent an apology, which I thought was nice. :) 

It said, "Hello, beautiful! We're so sorry your Wantable experience didn't go as planned. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to make it right. If there's anything else we can do for you, please drop us a note... We're happy to help! Team Wantable"

Ozone Daisy vs. Stripes socks in Fuchsia. Retail $13.
Feminine or floral? With Ozone's Daisy vs. Stripes socks you don't have to choose! These fun and comfy socks go with any mood.

r e a l Underwear Scallop Lace Bralette in Black. Retail $14
This beautiful bralette features soft lace cups and adjustable straps. The style does run a little small, so we have sized up accordingly.

Pucker Up! Cotton Fusion Thong in Black. Retail $12
These cotton panties from Pucker Up feature a smooth, tagless design for supreme comfort and zero panty lines.

Icy Hot Leopard Babydoll. Retail $42
This fierce babydoll features leopard print, mesh sides, and a cute peek-a-boo cutout in back.


Total reported retail value: $81

Alright so the babydoll is clearly the standout piece. It's nothing that would have drawn my attention in a store, at least not in a good way. As soon as I saw it I thought, "That is scandalous!" I think it's cute and I'm excited to wear it. I'll let you know what Matt thinks of it. :)

As for my "meh" comment earlier: I thought the black bra and thong were kind of boring. However, the bralette is actually insanely comfortable. I LOVE it. I also love that they knew the style to run small so they sized up. The socks are adorable, the only thing I really don't care too much for is the black thong. And you know what? I can always use new panties in all shapes and colors, boring or not. So it's still a win. Also, per the retail value stated, I got a pretty good deal. The babydoll alone, which will not get nearly as much mileage as the rest, is worth more than the collection. Now I won't get as much use out of the babydoll, but it's really cute and I'm excited to own the piece.

Happy camper!

Stay tuned, I'm still waiting for my September Wantable Intimates. Eeeeh I'm excited!!! :D

Rewards for Weight Loss (Besides the Obvious Health Rewards)

I came here to post this and totally forgot and posted something else!

So I have a bit of a reward system for myself. It's tacky, yes, and probably a terrible habit that I need to get out of. But I want to reward myself for losing weight. You know, have some kind of motivation waiting for me on the other side (besides the health and looking great, G? Pfft, okay). I know! Looking and feeling better should be a reward in and of itself. And it is! Trust me, it is. But I'm a girl who loves to be spoiled so I'm going to do this anyways.

My first big goal is to get to 154 lbs. Once I reach this goal I will order myself some Luxy Hair extensions which I have been drooling over for some time now. They're pricey, but not crazy pricey. So when I drop the extra weight, I will reward myself with these extensions. :)

Beyond the 154 lb. benchmark, I'll have other fitness goals that I'll share with you. Things like run times and weight lifted. The rewards for those things would probably be like a facial, mani/pedi (don't get those anymore), maybe a laser hair removal treatment or something (yes, I've done it! I'll tell you about it later!). Oh and one that I'm pretty excited for, once my waist size is <30" and stays that way for at least a month, I'll add a new subscription to my current repertoire! I've had my eye on the Golden Tote subscription but I just can't bring myself to spend money on it without knowing that I can happily fit in and wear the stuff they send me.

So there you have it. Things I'll drool over until I get myself fit! :) I can't wait!!