Lovin' my Yurbuds - Review and Giveaway

I don’t know about you, but I have had a horrible time trying to find earphones that stay put while I’m working out. I have tried them all – from the kind that wrap around the ear to the ones that offer different size attachments. None seem to work; they were always falling out every few minutes. Talk about annoying! (Maybe I have funky ears?) Anyway, I finally gave up. Then April from Yurbuds sent me a pair of their earphones from the Ironman Series Sport Design - Inspire Talk; I am totally in love with these!

These earphones were comfortable, easy to wear and the sound was great. But best of all – they stayed in place through my entire workout – including my treadmill run. I did not have to readjust them at any time. And it gets even better, they aren’t that expensive – the prices range from $29.00 - $59.00.

I provided a demo video below to show you that they stay in place. It is my first video and definitely has room for improvement – I need to work on the sound for sure. So bear with me as I learn, but this video gets the point across.

Here is a professional Yurbud video demonstration for proper placement.

The Inspire Talk Yurbud Sport Earphones Feature:

· Twist Lock (TM) technology, guaranteed to never fall out

· Ultra-soft comfort

· Water-resistant, sweat-proof

· Constructed to perform under tough conditions and extended use

.  Button control feature that allows you to control your music tracks and phone

· Developed by athletes for athletes

About Yurbuds

Yurbuds was founded in 2008 by Seth Burgett, President and CEO, an active triathlete and Richard Daniels, COO, a 22-time marathoner. Burgett and Daniels left their corporate roles and joined forces to improve personal performance. They have been joined by Craig Ceranna, Partner and Managing Director, to realize the company's mission: transform the athlete's experience through personalized service and exceptional audio products that integrate ergonomics and emotive design.

Now I KNOW you want to know more about these earphones! Go check them out at Yurbuds.com.

And the most exciting part of this review – they have given me two pair to give away! For an extra entry, leave a comment on this post about your past earphone experiences.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fitbit Review

There are many fitness gadgets on the market today – how do you know which ones will help and which will be a waste money? In my opinion, I believe the gadget must fit your goals. What is good for you may not work for others.

For instance, I find myself sitting more than I like. My job requires a lot of driving for appointments and I also log a lot of computer time writing reports, papers, blogging and keeping up with my facebook page. So I wanted to know if any of the gadgets out on the market could possibly help me – and you – on our journey to better health.

I was intrigued by the Fitbit. It is less expensive than most fitness gadgets, but was it anything more than just a pedometer?  I wanted to give it a try, so I contacted them and they were generous enough to supply one for review.

Ok, I have to admit this is a cool little gadget – just clip it on yourself anywhere – jeans pocket, shirt, belt loop – and forget about it. It’s easy to set up - in less than 10 minutes I had logged onto their website and set up my account.

This little gadget gives you a lot of data – steps taken, stairs climbed, calories burned, activity level and sleep efficiency. Not only that, but it gives you words of motivation as well, such as “High Five Lori”; love that!

The Fitbit seemed accurate on my steps, but I’m a little unsure about the calories burned as it relies on the data you input into the program such as age, height, and gender. But bodies are different – muscle mass and metabolism make a huge difference in calories burned. However, once you start using it, it does provide you with a beginning baseline.

At first, it was a little difficult to get in the habit of putting my Fitbit on first thing in the morning. Then, it became an obsession of sorts. It made me aware of how little I actually move during the day, other than my workouts. On a good day I logged 7000 steps – on a bad day, only 2000. So I started challenging myself to move more. This was made a little easier by an app that you can get to interact with the Fitbit. It’s called FitBolt, and you can put the app on your desktop. It allows you to schedule reminders for yourself to get up and move. It also has stretched and exercises that you can perform in your office, when you finish click the “done” button and it uploads the activity to your Fitbit account so you get credit for it.

Sample of my good day

The Fitbit account also allows you to manually enter activity such as your exercise routine, treadmill run, or a daily activity such as cleaning house. You can also log your food to keep log of calories in and calories burned. It gives you a weekly update and allows you to see your progress on a cool graph. You can even allow your account and activity status to be shared with your friends and family. Achieve a goal and you’ll receive virtual badges, which you can share on Twitter, Facebook and Fitbit.com.

At night you can slip your Fitbit in a sleeve that goes around your forearm and track how much you move during your sleep, giving you a “sleep efficiency” percentage each night you wear it. Although this number really doesn’t tell you much in terms of what’s normal or even recommended, not to mention that your total number of hours asleep doesn’t even factor into your score, it’s a cool feature to see how much you thrash about each night, for sure.

Achieve a goal and you’ll receive virtual badges, which you can share on Twitter, Facebook and Fitbit.com. Admit it, there isn’t anyone that doesn’t like getting a gold star or a blue ribbon.

Overall, for just $99, this little tracker is pretty darn cool. I’ve been wearing mine daily for more than a month now, and I’ll continue to do so because it helps me to remember to move more during the day. And did I mention – the online account is free? I like free.

Even though I was given the product to review, the opinions expressed are strictly my own.

MostFit Suspension Strap Review

For the person who works out at home, weights can be an expensive investment. So I love it when I can offer a way to provide strength training without a big price tag.

I think by now everyone has heard of suspension training.  Suspension training is an approach to fitness training that uses a system of ropes and webbing called a "suspension trainer" to allow the user to work against their own body weight.

Andrew Gavigan, designer of the MostFit™ resistance trainer, sent me a suspension strap to try for myself. Now, I have used suspension straps at my local gym and love them. No matter your fitness level, the first time you use it – it is tough! It requires you to use muscles that aren’t always relied upon in a traditional gym workout.

The MostFit™ Suspension Strap is a single, contained unit; all adjustments are made using your own body! The angle of the body changes the resistance for every inch you step forward or back -- offering the ability to increase or decrease your challenge, intensity, and the impact on your joints.

It’s easy to use, just anchor it over a door, making sure the ends are lined up and door is secure (don’t want to fall on your keester or smack your head) – and bam – you’re ready to work out! They are lightweight and easy to carry so you could also anchor it around a tree or playground equipment in the park. It’s an excellent way to maintain your workouts while you travel; I took mine with me when I went to visit my family for a week.

Here is a video showing basic moves using the MostFit™ Suspension System.

What I love most: Easy to install, portable and inexpensive – only $29.95.

What I would like to see: A way to make the straps adjustable.

Would I recommend this product – Absolutely!

To learn more, or purchase one for yourself, visit their website Most-fit.com

About MostFit™

Created by fitness guru and personal trainer Andrew Gavigan, the MostFit™ resistance trainer was designed to be easy to use for anyone, anytime, anywhere.

MostFit™ utilizes body weight to create a leaner, sculpted physique. MostFit™ is designed to strengthen the core, while improving balance, flexibility, and total body strength, anywhere, anytime.

Lose weight, reduce stress, and get stronger with the easy to use strap that includes foot cradles and hand straps. MostFit™  easily mounts to any door frame and can easily be secured onto most heavy workout machines, furniture, and stationary structures – no hooks or screws required!

Promote a healthy lifestyle and become leaner and stronger with MostFit™ resistance training!

Do You Ugi?

Ugi, Ugi, Ugi – what a fun name for a fun ball. I liked saying it – Ugi, Ugi, Ugi – then I learned I was saying it wrong (sigh). I was pronouncing it “yoo-gee” when it is really pronounced “you-guy”. Oh well, at least the ball is still fun!

I’m a self-professed, old school gym rat. I love to push the weight, feel the iron in my hand, the strength in my body. This means I have a tendency to overlook other, very important, types of fitness regimens – such as stretching, yoga, and functional fitness. So, one of my goals this year was to incorporate these other types of workouts into my routine. I’m getting better at the stretching and doing plyo’s – I even pick up a kettle bell on a routine basis now. Now, I’m trying functional fitness – thanks to the Ugi system.

What is functional fitness you ask? The goal of functional training is to emphasize the transfer of fitness gained from exercise into improved performance in daily activities, such as shoveling snow from your sidewalk.

The body knows movements rather than muscles. Traditionally we use a machine-based strength training which focuses on isolating muscles to increase the size of a given target muscle but does not demand the 

coordination required to build optimum strength and performance. Simply put, it forces you to use muscles you didn’t even know you had.

I was more than thrilled when Ugi agreed to let me take their system for a test drive – and I love that the ball they sent was pink – perfect for my Sweat Pink Sisterhood!

So what is an Ugi ball? Essentially, it’s a squishy medicine ball. When you kneel or lean on it, all your stabilizer muscles are called into action to keep you from falling off. It comes in various weights so you can choose the right one for you. They sent me an 8lb (if you are an advanced exerciser I would go with the 12lb – which I may order myself). You can use the ball for any exercise you would use a medicine ball – as well as many others.

Ok, enough technical mumbo jumbo – on to what you really want to know – does it work? In a word, yes, and it was so much fun to use! The DVD was great to follow and had exercises that I hadn’t tried. By the end of my 30 minute workout, I had a nice “glisten” – oh who am I kidding – I sweat!  I can easily see this becoming part of my weekly routine. You can make it as easy, or as tough as you want by the exercises you choose and the time you spend doing each one. You can get a whole body workout done in 30 minutes – anywhere - no gym required!

Your Ugi kit comes with:

• Ugi ball in the weight of your choice, available in 6, 8, 10 or 12lbs.
• Five total body workouts on DVD with instructions, tips, tricks, modifications (utilizing 140 different exercises)
• A stand-up, easy-to-follow Ugi workout guide that has all 5 total body workouts, easy to pack and carry no internet needed!
• A no-nonsense guide to making good eating choices
• Access to an online video library of Ugi exercises
• Free downloadable Ugi interval timer for the iPhone (other smartphone platforms to come) 

My opinions –

The Pros:

Easy to use DVD. This is a big one for me, if it appears too complicated; I will turn it off in a heartbeat. If I don’t like the way the instructors talk – again, off it goes. Luckily this DVD just had music – no annoying (slowing me down) talking. 

Instructions are super easy to understand – if you can look at a picture – you can get it.

Exercises are good, simple, effective and will make you get a sweat on.

The time is totally customizable – short on time is no longer an excuse.

It is travel friendly; I threw it into my jeep and took it on a week-long trip to visit family – no excuses right?

There are a whole range of other things you can do with the Ugi besides just what is provided – check it out - Bodyrock.tv uses Ugi.

The Cons:

The cost? It will set you back a shiny nickel or two. But if it will get you off your keester and make working out fun – isn’t it worth it? After all, one trip to the doctor’s office will set you back a couple of shiny nickels also. Plus, it isn’t any more expensive than other fitness programs on the market – some of which I’m sure you’ve tried! ;)

To find out more about Ugi, visit them on their website and facebook page.

Kettlebells for 50+ Book Review

Have you noticed that your balance is a little off – maybe you aren’t as flexible as you once were? As we get older, if we don’t maintain an active lifestyle, or have any type of physical fitness routine in place, then we are at a higher risk of injury due to loss of balance, bone loss, and stiffness.

If you are looking for a routine get you muscles and joints moving again, kettlebells may be for you.

What is a kettlebell you ask? Kettlebells are cast iron weights shaped like a ball with a handle for easy gripping. They come in weights ranging from 5lbs – 100lbs. By using high powered moves, they offer a different kind of training that touch upon almost every aspect of fitness – endurance, strength, balance, flexibility and cardio.

The exercises performed with kettlebells mimic real life movements performed each day, such as throwing items into the back of a truck or playing ball with the kids. The exercises keep the body strong for daily tasks, which is a necessity as our bodies get older.

Dr. Karl Knopf has written a book specifically with the older adult in mind. I like this book because it is simple and thorough.

You start with the 'Before You Begin' chapter, where you get a thorough breakdown of what kettlebell training is and safety guidelines to prevent injury. You then move to the ‘Getting Started ‘ which explains how to assess your fitness level, how much weight to use and how to hold the kettlebell and how to perform the moves correctly. Then you choose the exercises that are right for you.

The book allows you to begin at any fitness level with the ability to make exercises harder or easier by manipulating stance or weight. It can be used by the novice or the seasoned athlete.  The manual features 60 different exercises, each with a photo diagram and description. The book is simple and easy to follow, and I would recommend it to anyone of any age.

As always, if you are new to exercise, please get an ok from your doctor. If you have never worked with any type of weights, please find a professional trainer to show you proper form.

Check out an excerpt from the book: Kettlebells for 50+

RKS Kettlebell System

I was recently asked if I wanted to become an affiliate for RKS KettlebellSystem. Because I have never worked much with kettlebells, I asked them if I could review their system before making a decision. Now, as many of my followers know,  I am a self-professed gym rat. I love working out with weights; love the feel of the iron in my hand and the sweat on my back. It’s a great feeling when you surpass your heaviest weight lifted for a particular exercise – yep I love everything about it. However….one of my goals this year was to mix up my regular routine by throwing in some other types of training. So far I have added some yoga and pilates into the mix as well as trying different types of cardio (and I still want to try crossfit). So why not try kettlebells?

What is a kettlebell you ask? Kettlebells are cast iron weights shaped like a ball with a handle for easy gripping. They come in weights ranging from 5lbs – 100lbs. By using high powered moves, they offer a different kind of training that touch upon almost every aspect of fitness – endurance, strength, balance and cardio.

When you work out with dumbbells, your goal is to lift as much weight as you can for a desired number of reps, depending upon your goal, without using momentum for assistance. However, with kettlebells, the momentum is a big part of many of the movements. Momentum creates a centrifugal force, focusing more attention on the muscles used for deceleration and stabilization. This type of multi-directional movement mimics real life movements performed each day, such as throwing items into the back of a truck or playing ball with the kids. The exercises keep the body strong for daily tasks.

Now, about the RKS Kettlebell System…….

It comes with:

Ø  1 Instructional DVD

Ø  8 Workout DVDs with 16, 30 minute workouts

Ø  Nutrition Guide

Ø  Training Poster with pictures of the basic moves.

Ø  Some packages come with a Kettlebell

The workouts are easy to follow (not always to perform in the beginning). Instructions are given before each workout and there are 3 individuals performing the moves, all at their own pace. The workouts are done in intervals, supersets or circuits. Each workout is timed, with a counter on the screen so you don’t have to keep watch on the clock.

As the workouts progress (there are 16 of them in total) you are introduced to more challenging exercises, you train for longer intervals and your rest periods are shortened.

As with any exercise program, finding time in a busy schedule is the biggest excuse for not exercising. RKS offers a simple solution - 30 min. or less a day, 4 days a week in the comfort of your own home. Pop in the DVD and in less time it takes to cook dinner – you’re done!

And believe me – you will love the workouts (some in a love-hate kinda way).


Be sure and visit RKS on facebook also - tell them Get Fit sent you!

Wrinkles, Lines and Spots - Oh My!

DNA EFG RENEWAL PRODUCTS REVIEW

I was asked if I would like to test and review a skin care line developed by Dr. Ronald Moy, that was designed to target and repair damaged skin and defend against future natural and pre-mature aging factors.

That sounds nice doesn’t it? Now what does that really mean – it means it’s supposed to help diminish wrinkles, brown spots and skin discoloration.  Well, I have some brown spots brought on by sun damage so I was willing to try the products.

I was sent a DNA Travel Companion Kit which included:

·         DNA Renewal Foaming Cleanser – pretty self-explanatory, use it to clean your face both AM and PM

·         DNA Intensive Renewal – Refine tone & texture, repair and hydrate skin

·         DNA Night Renewal – For PM use, regenerate, repair and hydrate

·         DNA Defense SPF 30 – AM use, UVA and UVB sun protection

The Renewal Foaming Cleanser is free of artificial fragrances, sulfates, and parabens. It contains glycolic acid to help with cell turnover. It left my skin feeling very clean, without feeling dry. It only takes a small bit to lather and clean the entire face and rinses easily.

The Intensive Renewal is to be used both morning and evening. It contains Alba Flower which helps soothe the inflammation associated with hyper-pigmentation and age spots. It feels soothing, non-greasy, as it goes on and my skin felt soft afterwards.

The Night Renewal is to be used after evening cleansing. It helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improves skin firmness and elasticity. I loved this, it was lightweight and my skin felt hydrated.

The Defense SPF 30. Along with protecting your skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays, this sunscreen contains Vitamin E and Vitamin A, which provide the skin with additional antioxidant protection against damage from free radicals.

I usually feel that you cannot tell if a product is actually working for you unless you use it for at least 4 weeks. But after 10 days of using these products, I felt I could see a change in the texture of my skin, and my sun spots were fading.

To learn more about their products and Dr. Moy, hop over to their website.

Purchased separately, the individual products range in price between $70 and $140, which parallels pricing from products such as Kinerase, Murad and even Lancome.

Disclosure: I received samples of the mentioned products at no charge from the PR firm / company in exchange for a review of my opinion. The opinions expressed are my own personal and honest thoughts. No other compensation was given.

Subscription Boxes

It seems there is a new trend in marketing called Subscription Boxes. These boxes are filled with samples of varying products such as eco friendly cleaning products, vegan and gluten free snacks, and organic beauty items. You can order a sample of one, or by monthly subscription – you will receive a box full of different items each month for a set fee, which range from $10.00 and up (I have seen some boxes for $66.00 a month).

I was sent a box from Conscious Box to review.

It was full of healthy snacks, including RC Garcia MixIt Corn Tortilla Chips – which tasted fabulous and Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers which were very good. Other items included Teras-whey pomegranate cranberry goat whey protein, Acai natural energy boost water flavoring,and Minteas tea mints for focus - ginger pear flavor.

Some healthy (non-edible) items included:

A shampoo sample (very small) from Olivella

Baker Creek Heirloom Tomato Yellow Pear Seeds (yes i know but you have to grow them first)

A $15.00 coupon from Mineral Hygienics

There was a also a coupon in this box for a free breakfast cookie, which I went to their website and completed the necessary form. However, at the time of this review (3 weeks later) I haven’t received the sample.

You can check out what Conscious Box is all about on their website:

http://consciousbox.com/

You can check on reviews and other subscription boxes at:  Subscriptionboxes.com

What do you think of this idea?

The Nautilus CoreBody Reformer

When I see new fitness products, offering big promises, come onto the market, I usually approach them with skeptical optimism. I want them to work, but often I get disappointed. I had read reviews on the Nautilus CoreBody Reformer, but I just couldn’t make up my mind about it. The video on their website just didn’t give me enough information to make an educated decision. So when they offered to send me one to review – I jumped at the chance!

When it arrived and I pulled it out of the box, my first thought was – this thing is heavy! But it was clever packaging. The cable bar was packed inside the core – brilliant!

I began pulling off the plastic and laying out the pieces. Without even looking at the instructions, I could put it together – it was that simple and easy.

The Nautilus CoreBody Reformer claims to blend Yoga, Pilates and Dance into one workout – but I think they should add 1 more – Traditional Strength training.

The movements involve Yoga to enhance your flexibility; Pilates that help strengthen and tone your entire body, and dance, which is great for cardio. But you can also do traditional exercises such as bicep curls, shoulder presses, chest press, triceps extensions, hip adduction/abduction, squats and rows. And of course, your abs – your core is worked almost non-stop in the videos.

Ok – so what did I think after actually using it? The workouts are really fun! The moves reminded me of the Pilates classes I have taken in the past, but with swagger – I love the added dance moves! While doing the shoulder raises, the resistance level felt too light, so feeling very “super-woman” I increased it to the highest setting – and, um – had to lower it down a notch! Ha-ha! Trying to stay balanced on the core of the machine while doing shoulder raises is definitely a challenge! And that’s another thing I liked about the CoreBody Reformer – it helps to improve your balance. It also has a workout for stretching and massaging your muscles, which will help you achieve greater flexibility.

I believe this machine would make a great addition to your home gym. The resistance levels are strong enough to help beginners and intermediate levels, of fitness, to advance. But it would also help even the more advanced levels to work on their core and balance – not to mention a way to vary up their exercise program. My only disappointment was with the workout sessions – they repeat a set of exercises 3-4 times through the length of the workout. It would be nice to add more of a variety of the workouts that are on the enclosed flip cards. At $249, it is a small chunk of change, but as all equipment, it is an investment into your health.

The CoreBody Reformer is made up of the body, which will hold up to 300 lbs., the pulley system, and straps which you can hold with your hands or strap around your feet or legs, depending upon the exercise. The machine has three resistance settings of 3, 6, and 9 pounds. It also comes with a carrying strap making it very portable.

With the CoreBody Reformer, you also get:

v  4 Workouts on 1 DVD

v  Go-Anywhere Fitness Flip Cards

v  Weight Loss Plan

v  Workout Poster

v  Carrying Strap

Please note the weight loss plan is not part of this review.

For a limited time, they are offering a free workout mat with purchase.

Disclaimer: CoreBody Reformer sent me this product to review but the opinions are mine.

Yoga 108 – The Ultimate Yogi Review

I bet you are wondering why I didn’t call this article Yoga 101 – well read on!

One of my new year’s resolutions was to incorporate yoga or pilates into my current exercise regimen. I have taken both classes before and have never been able to pick a favorite because I like different things from each.

When I was asked if I would like to give The Ultimate Yogi program a try, I was delighted! This would be a great way to incorporate yoga into my routine and the fact that I was going to do a review on it was the push I needed to keep my resolution.

The Ultimate Yogi program consists of daily yoga, daily meditating, and a nutrition program. There are 12 discs, each containing a different style of yoga – from Crosstraining to the Sun Salutations. The program runs for 108 days; broken down into three thirty-six day cycles.

The nutrition program is based on eating whole foods, and adopting or “testing” a vegan lifestyle. It helps you to become aware of your dietary choices and to avoid processed food, stimulants and refined sugars.

The meditation begins with 10 minutes each day, and increases with each cycle. This is to help you teach your mind how to become more calm and focused, thus bringing the body, mind, and senses into balance which, in turn, relaxes the nervous system. (I really need to work on the meditation part)

As most programs are usually based on a 30, 60, 90 day time period, I was curious why this one was 108 days. Admitting this shows you that I am basically a yoga newbie, I have attended classes but have never delved into the philosophy. Wow, I found out that the number 108, is a highly significant number.

There are many reasons for the Hindu and Buddhist belief in the sacredness of the number 108.

(via Fitsugar)

v  There were initially 54 sounds in the Sanskrit alphabet: 2 X 54 = 108
v  There are 108 Upanishads, which are part of the oldest scriptural texts of Hinduism. They primarily focus on philosophy, meditation, and the nature of God.
v  There are 108 names for Hindu deities.
v  The distance between the earth and sun is 108 times the diameter of the sun; therefore, the number 108 is taken to represent the "distance" from the devotee to the divine.
v  Some say there are 108 feelings: 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.

Today’s Dietician magazine recently did a three-part series on the health benefits of yoga showing that research has confirmed that practicing Yoga daily will lower blood pressure, increase balance, reduce stress, improve weight loss, increase strength and define muscle tone.

What I liked (and didn’t) about the program:


v  I loved the varying goals and challenges of each disc. Although I am not a total newbie, I am no yoga master either, but I could follow the moves fairly easily and the classes are designed to offer some modifications for all levels of students. If  you have trouble with flexibility, (I have work to do) a yoga block is quite helpful. My favorite discs were Crosstrain, Vitality, and Hardcore. The Yoga Crosstrain was the perfect balance of strength, balance, cardio, and flexibility. The Hardcore session isn’t as long, but it is as tough! You will definitely feel it the next day. And the Vitality session? Just watch!

The Ultimate Yogi w/ Travis Eliot - Vitality Power Yoga Class from The Ultimate Yogi on Vimeo.

v  I found the meditation to be difficult for me, but I like the idea of quieting my mind and feel this is a great feature to offer in the challenge as it impresses the importance of finding balance within your day.

v  I love most of the nutrition program – I believe the less processed foods you eat the better. They wreak havoc on your body. However, I am not too keen on the juice “cleansing” they promote. Speaking for myself, I cannot go 3 days without real food; and I don’t promote this type of fasting or “detox”.

 So, yes, I would recommend this program – especially if you were already a yogi! However, if you have never performed yoga before, I would recommend that you take a few local classes first, so that you can familiarize yourself with the poses with a professional. But I feel that everyone can benefit from yoga. As we grow older we need to improve and maintain our balance and flexibility – and yoga is a really great way to do that.

I believe the program can help you lose weight, become more flexible and less stressed. I usually work out an hour or more a day, 5 days a week – doing both weights and cardio, so the length of work out is acceptable. And because you alternate between a hardcore session and a lighter one, you can follow this program without having to take any rest days as you would with traditional training.

 If you are looking for something new to challenge you, this would be a great addition to your collection.

They also have a blog which features recipes and great articles, be sure to check it out. You can also find them on facebook at The Ultimate Yogi, be sure and tell them Get Fit sent you!

What type of Massage Oil do you use? A review for KM Fantasy Massage Oil Candle

If you work intensely for an extended amount of time, you know how good it feels to get a massage and have all those knots in your muscles rubbed out.

So when KM Fantasy sent me a massage oil candle to test and review, I was both intrigued and delighted – a massage was now mandatory!

I have used massage oils before, but not in the form of a candle. This little gift had come just in time too. I have been doing and intense workout program for the last eight weeks and I was in great need of having my muscles given a good rub down.

It had also been a very busy and stressful few weeks and I needed a little fun and adventure, so I decided my extended weekend trip to the beach would be the perfect opportunity to test this candle.

The night we arrived, I opened the candle and inhaled the scent deeply – mmmmm, chocolate mint! I could feel myself relaxing already. Now, to receive a proper massage, you have to set the mood. With lights low, we lit the candle. It smelled great! I was already feeling more relaxed.

Following directions, we let the candle burn for approximately 20 minutes, and then snuffed the wick. My boyfriend poured the oil on my back and began massaging it into the skin. Oh. My. Heaven. This candle is great! The oil was warm and soothing and the aroma of chocolate mint was relaxing. I could feel the knots melting out of my muscles. Afterwards, my skin felt soft and silky smooth. This candle is now going to be my go-to oil treatment for all my massages.

Even though I used this massage oil candle to relieve my muscles, it was actually developed to help couples get in touch with their sensual side, invoking a romantic evening. However you choose to use it, I promise you, you will love it!

These candles come in three scents — Luscious Lemon Soufflé, Arousing Chocolate Mint and Euphoric Coconut. They were developed to help couples surrender to their sensual senses for some frolic fun but no matter how they are used – they are fabulous!

Massage Candles are massage oil in a solid form made from 100% natural ingredients that melt at a low-temperature so the oil never burns hot enough to burn your skin. If you are looking for something new to try, hop on over to KM Fantasy and check out their selection of products.

Another reason for a massage: For the same reasons that a massage is relaxing, it can also soothe anxiety and depression. Massage reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, resulting in lifted spirits and often lower blood pressure. It can also boost the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, which are involved in depression.

Disclaimer: KM Fantasy sent me the candle to try for free. This review represents my opinions only.

What do you put on your skin?

I am always talking about how nutrients from food can help prevent wrinkles, increase collagen production and improve elasticity of skin; nourishing the body from the inside - out. I’m also a fan of buying organic when you can. Research is showing more people are having allergic reactions to hormones and chemicals from our food. Now, more companies are using products that are not only plant based, but organic, so you know you aren’t putting any trace of pesticides or chemicals onto your skin. So I was excited for the opportunity to try Lily Organics Rejuvenating Enzyme Mask for a review.

The purpose of the mask is to remove the build-up of dead skin cells, stimulate new cell growth, balance combination skin and regenerate damaged skin. The main ingredient is raw honey, which is used as a humectant which draws needed moisture to the skin. Healing Lily helps minimize the scars and dark spots and diminish fine lines. All of this in one product that doesn’t cost any more than some famous retail brands – and it’s organic! The ingredients are honey, papaya, pineapple, certified organic comfrey, lily, horsetail, mint, vitamins E and C, citrus seed extract.

The mask feels like a honey and sugar mixture, and it has a raw earthy smell – which may put some people off at first, but honestly once it’s on your face, you really don’t notice. I have never used a textured mask before, so the first time I went to put this on my face, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. It felt sticky, and didn’t smear quite like a cream based mask does. However, it washed off easily and my skin felt very clean. The second time I applied the mask, the texture didn’t bother me as bad, and by my third application, I was used to the stickiness. After the third application I noticed that the pores on my cheeks actually seemed to appear smaller. This is a product that I am going to give a long term try - I plan to fight the aging process as long as I can!

The Mask is perfect for all skin types: Normal to Dry, Combination, Sensitive and Damaged Skin. I have sensitive skin and had no adverse reactions to this mask.

Lily was the pioneer in organic skin care in Colorado, since 1986. They use only certified organic plants in their skin care products; they grow most of the ingredients on their own USDA Certified Organic Farm.

Hop on over to Lily Organics and take a look at some of their other products. They also have a page that gives great advice on skincare!

What do you think about organic skincare?

The Pilates Reformer Bar by Power Systems

I am always excited to try out new fitness gadgets, so when Power Systems shipped me their Pilates Reform Bar,™ I couldn't wait to try it. The Reform Bar™ is a portable bar and band system that you can use to perform Pilates reformer-style movements. There are several bars to choose from, each with a different colored band. The band colors relate to their resistance, from extra light to heavy.

They sent two Reform Bars™, one with green bands – a light resistance, and one with blue bands – a heavy resistance. When you receive the package, it has a link to an online exercise video that you can follow, demonstrating a full workout using the bar. It also comes with a carry bag, the bar easily disassembles for easy storage.

I tried the lighter bar first. I have taken Pilates classes before, but it has been several years, so I was grateful for the video to refresh my memory. The video was easy to follow and the light bar would be a good choice for a beginner to use. However, when I tried the heavy bar, it gave me a better workout.

You can do both standing and floor exercises. The Reform Bar™ will give you a great core workout as you have to keep your abs engaged while holding the bar and maintaining proper form. But what I really liked about it was the versatility of being able to perform traditional exercises as well, such as shoulder presses, triceps presses, and bicep curls for the upper body and leg circles and kickbacks for your lower body.

Pros

Build core strength and flexibility

Great for all fitness and experience levels, from beginner to advanced

Easy portability and storage

Cons

I would have preferred a DVD or maybe an exercise chart to go along with the online video.

It would be nice to be able to change out the resistance bands, rather than having to buy separate bars.

Verdict: If you are looking for equipment that is easy to use, will provide multiple exercises, easy to carry, and easy to store - the Reform Bar™ would be a good addition to your home gym.

Disclaimer: Power Systems sent me the Reform Bars™ to try for free. This review represents my opinions only.

Harbinger Product Review

Harbinger sent me a nice little goodie box filled with products to review. I was super psyched to have new gloves – and they sent me two pair! Not only did I have new gloves, I had products to review for my blog, which I hope helps my readers.

I find that wearing gloves helps me grip better when I lift heavier weight. There are many different brands of gloves on the market today, and I have found some to be better than others. My new faves right now are the Women’s Pro gloves.

The Women’s Pro glove is made with leather and breathable mesh. It has that “broken” in feeling from the get-to. With an adjustable wrist strap, it fits snuggly to any wrist. The rest of me may feel like dying, but my hands aren’t torn up at the end of the workout – and I like that.

Another glove you may fall in love with is the Harbinger Women’s Training Grip WristWrap. My left wrist is weaker than my right. Seems like no matter what I do, the dang thing still wants to give when I’m doing heavy bicep curls. So I put these WristWraps to the test. I have to admit, they felt a little awkward when my first time using them. But by the end of the workout, I noticed my wrist wasn’t as tired as it usually was. Now, they are like old friends and I wondered what took me so long to find them. Their ergonomic curved finger design fits that natural shape of the hand, increasing flexibility and support.

I was also sent a Balance Trainer. When you look at this little blue disc, your first thought may be “what am I supposed to do with this thing”? Well, I’ll tell ya!

The balance trainer is perfect for enhancing core muscle strength and improving one’s balance.  You can perform squats, lunges, step ups, push-ups, and abs exercises on the disc. The exercises can be combined with small dumbbells, resistance bands or balls to add intensity. The balance trainer is only 13” round and can be inflated to reach desired flexibility. Granted, it isn’t a Bosu, but because of its size, it makes it the perfect portable accessory to add to your home gym and to take with you when you travel. Best of all, you can buy it for under $25.00.

Head on over to the Harbinger website to see the other products they carry, and the nearest location to purchase them. You can also visit them on facebook – tell them that Get Fit sent you!

Disclaimer: Harbinger sent me these products to try for free. This review represents my opinions only.