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!

Hum Nutrition Re-Order and Code for $10 OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER

I'm getting ready to place another order with Hum Nutrition. I posted previously about using Red Carpet and Skinny Bird.

A quick review: I do think my hair is growing! I chopped off  at least 8 inches last summer and it feels like it's taking forever to grow back. It has grown, but I swear it's grown more out than down (silly curls!). But since I've been using Red Carpet, I do honestly feel like I've got some growth. I am VERY happy about this. :) My skin looked great for awhile although today it looks scary. I think that's PMS-related, though. The Skinny Bird.. well I did lose 5 lbs quickly. It could be diet/workout related or it could be the vitamins. I like to think it was money well spent.

My next order is going to include something new: Cleanse 28. Per the Hum website:

Feeling out of sync? In need of a physical spring cleaning? Flush out unwanted toxins and hit the reset button. We combined the Who’s Who of the botanical world to support your liver, bowel, kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system and skin in our Cleanse 28 formula. 

Proprietary AM Cleansing Blend 1,295 mg *

Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) leaf extract (2% cynarin), Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus) root, Red Root (Ceanothus americanus) root, Burdock (Arctium Lappa) root extract 5:1, Celandine (Chelidonium majus) leaf, Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum, Corn Silk (Zea mays), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) root extract 4:1*, Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium) root, Echinacea angustifolia root, Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) seed extract 4:1

Proprietary PM Cleansing Blend 1,400 mg *
Flax (linum usitatissimum) seed, Red raspberry (rubus idaeus) leaf, Aloe ferox leaf latex, Marshmallow (Althea officinalis) root, Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum) root, Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed, Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) root, Peppermint (Mentha piperata) leaf

Suitable for Vegetarians & Gluten Free
Contains no: added salt, yeast, wheat, corn, gluten, soy, preservatives, artificial colors or flavors       

I am very excited to try this new one out and let you know how I feel. Stay tuned!

Get $10 off your first order of $29 or more with offer code: F5C86

Bulu Box and Coupon Code for a Free Box

Hello lovelies! I just got an email to select three of my samples for my upcoming Bulu Box. According to their site:

Bulu Box is the best way to discover health, nutrition and weight loss products. Each monthly sample box is filled with 4 to 5 premium products selected to help you feel your best. Look forward to a new mix monthly for both women and men that include: vitamins, weight loss, energy, protein, digestion, sleep support, fitness DVDs, healthy food utensils and more.

So I selected SHREDZ Fat Burner, Simple Being Slimming Smoothie, and Simple Being Sleepy Beans. And Bulu is supposed to select 2-3 additional surprise samples for me.

I don't really have high hopes for this particular subscription box, but there's no harm in trying them out, right? Especially when you can get a great deal! Use the coupon code WOOHOO20 to buy your first month and get the second month free. CLICK HERE to take advantage of this coupon code!

Rise and Shine

Rise and shine.

6:00 AM and your hand can't make it to the alarm clock before the voices in your head start telling you that it's too early, too dark, and too cold to get out of bed. Aching muscles lie still in rebellion pretending not to hear your brain commanding them to move. A legion of voices are shouting their unanimous permission for you to hit the snooze button and go back to dreamland.

But you didn't ask their opinion. The voice you've chosen to listen to is one of defiance. A voice that says there was a reason you set that alarm in the first place. So sit up, put your feet on the floor, and don't look back because we've got work to do.

Welcome to the grind. For what is each day but a series of conflicts between the right way and the easy way. Ten thousand streams fan out like a river delta before you each one promising the path of least resistance. Thing is, you're headed upstream. And when you make that choice-when you decide to turn your back on what's comfortable, what's safe, and what some would call common sense-well that's day one. From there it only gets tougher. So just make sure this is something you want because the easy way out will always be there ready to wash you away. All you have to do is pick up your feet.

But you aren't going to, are you? With each step comes the decision to take another. You're on your way now, but this is no time to dwell on how far you've come. You're in a fight against an opponent you can't see but, oh, you can feel him on your heels, can't you? Feel him breathing down your neck. You know what that is? That's you. Your fears, your doubts and insecurities all lined up like a firing squad ready to shoot you out of the sky. But don't lose heart.While they're not easily defeated they are far from invincible. Remember this is the grind; the battle royal between you, your body, your mind, and the devil on your shoulder who's telling you that this is just a game, this is just a waste of time, your opponents are stronger than you.

Drown out the voice of uncertainty with the sound of your own heartbeat. Burn away your self doubt with the fire lit beneath you. Remember what we're fighting for and never forget that momentum's a cruel mistress. She can turn on a dime with the smallest mistake. She is ever searching for the weak place in your armor, that one tiny thing you forgot to prepare for. So as long as the devil is hiding the details the question remains: Is that all you got? Are you sure? And when the answer is yes and you've done all you can to prepare yourself for battle then it's time to go forth and boldly face your enemy. The enemy within. Only now you must take that fight into the open into hostile territory. You're a lion in a field of lions all hunting the same elusive prey with a desperate starvation that says victory is the only thing that can keep you alive. So believe that voice that says you can run a little faster and you can throw a little harder. That for you the laws of physics are merely a suggestion.

Luck is the last dying wish of those who want to believe that winning can happen by accident. Sweat, on the other hand, is for those who know it's a choice. So decide now because destiny waits for no man. And when your time comes and a thousand different voices are trying to tell you you're not ready for it, listen instead to that lone voice of dissent. The one that says you are ready. You are prepared. It's all up to you now.

So rise and shine.

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!!

Hum Nutrition

Hum Nutrition is a company I discovered recently. They claim high quality ingredients in personalized vitamins. And they have a ton of different formulas. I had a tricky little time figuring out which I wanted to try, but finally settled on Red Carpet and Skinny Bird. I'm shopping around their site and looking for what to order next. Pretty excited!

 

Red Carpet seems to be their big seller. Per the website: Our Red Carpet formula is high in GLA, 150mg to be precise. Supporting healthy hair and skin, it makes life for all of us so much easier…At HUM our dietitians only recommend what you need and what works, so think of this bottle as a key building block to a healthy lifestyle.

And Skinny Bird is supposedly 3 times more effective than diet and exercise alone: A good body is like a long-term relationship between diet and exercise. Skinny Bird can make this relationship a happy one as it can help you reach your weight goals faster. It contains 7-Keto, a metabolite of DHEA that has been clinically researched in humans and been shown to be three times more effective in reducing weight than diet and exercise alone.      


I'm excited to update you on how these work out for me!

MEASUREMENTS FINALLY

So here we are at what I can only consider to be Day 2. Current measurements are as follows:

Height: 5'6"
Weight: 180.5 lbs
Neck: 14.5"
Waist: 34"
Hips: 42"
Body Fat: 36%

I'm using the measurements to plug into a calculator that the US Navy uses to estimate body fat. May or may not be accurate. But since I'll be using the same measurements and the same calculations throughout this process, it doesn't really matter to me that much. I'll still be able to see progress.

Picture time?

Pics today. Blech.

Bonus pic of how fat my face can be when I'm laying down. :(

The Plan

Ugh the plan. I mean, I'm all for constant improvement and making myself a better person but just...ugh. Having to lose weight blows. Let's never do this again, okay?

My plan comes in stages. The first two stages are focused primarily on weight loss. The second stage will incorporate low standards of fitness. The last, like, 8 stages will be working towards athletic performance goals including both bodyweight fitness, running, and weight lifting.

Because I am in a hurry to lose weight I am allowing my athletic performance (if you can really call it that at this point) to suffer. I am overweight by a good 25-30 lbs. And over fat as well. During Stage One, if I feel inclined to exercise I will. I won't lift more than the bar, and I'll take it easy if my body is telling me to do so. No pushing it. This is because I am drastically cutting my calorie intake. Details on that to come once this is all over with. Hopefully Stage One doesn't take forever. I'm estimating it to be about a month.

During Stage Two I'll up my calorie intake while still being below maintenance to continue to lose weight while allowing myself to work out. I'll be working on running, push-ups, and sit-ups. Basic stuff. Still probably only lifting the bar.

Beginning in Stage Three I may or may not eat below maintenance. It just depends on if I want to continue to lose weight at that point. But my focus will be primarily athletic performance at that time. I will also begin to focus on my macros here, making sure I'm getting the proper balance of protein, carbs, and fat. Prior to Stage Three I will consider a calorie to be a calorie regardless of nutritional value.

Before I move into the next stage I'll be certain to give details of how everything went, and the detailed plan of the next stage. :)


So that's it! Initial stats to follow!

Drinks Are Like Breasts ( o Y o )

I didn't get to post my measurements and pictures last night. Instead, I joined some work folks and their wives for dinner! Yesterday was my last day at work for a few months, as I'm going for training and then taking some time off to GET MARRIED! So I went to eat, had 2 delicious beers (it's been awhile!), and passed out. Thank goodness I remembered to remove my makeup first! Then I had to get up this morning and I'll be at work until about midnight, even though everybody else has a long four-day weekend for Labor Day! Oh well. But this weekend, I'll have a good information-packed post for ya!

Yakiniku! Om nom nom!

While we're on the subject of beer, I want to share my thoughts on drinking. I love beer. And other alcoholic beverages. But sometimes I like to partake more than I should and I end up feeling lousy or drunk! So my rule is that for me, drinks are like breasts. One is not enough and three is too many!

Of course I rarely remember my rule because when I'm drinking (usually when having some downtime with my fiance), I get a little carried away. But the two-drink rule is a good one, I think! :) What do you think?

And upcoming (within the next few weeks): Subscription boxes and shopping hauls! Look out!

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! :)