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!

Baby Beast!

Thursday is starting off okay. We still haven't seen the sun since Sunday. The rain is cool and nice, I'm actually liking this compared to the insane heat and humidity of the summer.

Went to the gym and got on the stationary bike. That went well for about 20ish minutes, then I felt the grinding in my knee so I wrapped up the ride and went into the weight room. Good news, I'm now benching 95 lbs! Considering I started with just the bar, I'm kind of proud of myself. :)

I need to do a better job getting in my cardio. I never hurt when using the elliptical, maybe I ought to give that a try again.

Tonight I am going to take measurements and pictures for you. I have a rough idea of where I am, I know I've gained weight and inches. Blech. But we're going to do this right. :)

Shower time!

Weight Loss Journey So Far

I spent the early years of my adult life in the dark about my body composition. I didn't even realize I was overweight until I saw pictures of myself at over 200 lbs and it shocked me. My highest known weight is 207 lb. How I got that big without noticing is beyond my comprehension. I sometimes think I have a backwards body dysmorphic disorder. Usually people with that disorder look in the mirror and see a fat person, even if they are thin. It fuels the fires of eating disorders. But for me I look in the mirror and think I look great!

Below is a quick idea of what I'm working with. Check out my "Fitness Progress" link at the top of the page (or CLICK HERE) and get the details.

January 2010, 200+ lb

Summer 2013, 165-170 lb

Workin' on Mah Fitness!

Hello there!

So one of the biggest things going on in my life right now is that I am-to quote Fergie-workin' on mah fitness! I've lost some weight in the past few years, something like 30-45 lbs although I have gained a little back. Just as I was getting back on the fitness wagon I injured my knee and now my progress has slowed considerably. However, I still have goals and I'm still working to get there. Soon I'll be making a link up at the top where you can click to easily see my progress. This will include both measurements and (eek!) pictures. I think I may even have some pictures from a few years ago so that should be horrifying enlightening. A little basic information to get the ball rolling before I turn in for the night:


Height: 5'6"
Highest known weight: 207 lb.
Lowest known weight: 163 lb.
Current weight: 186 lb.


My BIG goal right now is less about actual weight loss and more about body composition and fitness. It's just so much FASTER (read:easier) to measure progress by weight.

I enjoy lifting weights and... that's pretty much it. Thank goodness for strength training because cardio is hardio! But seriously, I am learning to enjoy the sweat sesh.

And! Because I'm a HUGE fan of the rewards system, I have promised myself the Golden Tote clothing subscription once my waist reaches 30" and stays there for at least one month. I've been really hesitant to subscribe because it would be awful to get in a tote full of wonderful clothes and have to let them hang on the rack and stare at me while I sit in sweats and eat cookies. BOO! And since I started paying attention to my fitness, my waist has always been proportionately huge compared to the rest of me. So that's why the 30" measurement comes with a happy gift!

Stay tuned. Be sure to come by to check out my upcoming fitness progress link! :)