Let's Get Fit!

Raw Revolution Bars Review

2009-12-07T07:45:00.000-05:00

Back in October I was sent some of the Raw Revolution bars to sample and I've finally worked my way through all of them! I was really excited to try them after seeing them on Gina's blog and when I found the Mango flavor in Cincinnati I was itching to try more.

Why a raw food bar? From the Raw Revolution website:

Raw, living foods are clean, and have higher nutrient content than cooked food. Processed foods such as protein isolates and grain based fillers are acidic and cause fermentation in the body. Raw Organic foods are closest to their natural state, bringing us closer to healing ourselves and the global ecology.

How did Raw Revolution start?

When I made raw snacks for my son as an alternative to high sugar processed snacks, friends also loved the taste and suggested selling them. That seemed impossible. As a single mother of an active two year-old, working full time, how would I start a business? Well, I found time to develop the Brownie, tested them out and got great response. Even the average person, not just a health food nut, loved the taste.

Probably the best flavors were the chocolate ones, they are sweetened with agave nectar and are a decadent treat. I usually ate them for breakfast and I know I'll be adding them to my list in the future. I was NOT a fan of the Spirulina & Cashew flavor though, it was pretty weird and just didn't taste good to me. All the other flavors (especially the Chocolate and Raisin flavor) were really good! You can purchase the Organic Live Food Bars on Amazon for $18.15 (for a pack of 12) and the All Natural Live Food Bars on Amazon for $26.00 (for a box of 20).

Have you tried eating raw? What's your opinion on raw food diets?

Disclaimer: Raw Revolution provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review.

Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate: Review and Giveaway!

2009-11-19T07:45:00.001-05:00

Since I've been so busy with the Indianapolis Monumental Half-Marathon I have quite the backlog of product reviews. Towards the middle of October, Sandra from Tropical Traditions sent me their Coconut Cream Concentrate for me to try and review on my blog. We've since used it in place of traditional coconut milk in recipes and also just used as a spread on bagels. Yummy! It's a very versatile product and since it's actually a food instead of an oil you can really taste the coconut flavor when you use it in recipes!

From the Tropical Traditions Web site:

Coconut Cream Concentrate is certified organic whole coconut meat in concentrated form. It contains no additives (not even water). The dried coconut meat is ground into a very fine powder, giving it a creamy consistency due to its high fat content. Since it is 70% fat, it is a rich source of pure coconut oil. Note: this is a food, not a cooking oil.

The Coconut Cream Concentrate is very tasty and I was impressed by how low in calories it actually is for a tablespoon! A little more about Tropical Tradition's Coconut Cream from their Web site:

Commercial coconut milks and creams are generally sold in cans, or sometimes boxes and tetra packs. The main ingredient in these products is water. If the fat content is 17%, it is called "coconut milk." If the fat content is 24%, it is called "coconut cream." But most of what you are purchasing is water. Coconut Cream Concentrate, on the other hand, has NO water, and is pure coconut...Coconut Cream Concentrate, however, contains NO additives and NO preservatives at all: it is 100% natural coconut made from certified organic Philippine coconuts grown without pesticides or fertilizers. Coconut Cream Concentrate comes packaged in 1 pint or 1 quart glass jars.

The Coconut Cream Concentrate retails for about $10.99 for a 16 ounce jar and $19.50 for a 32 ounce jar. You can purchase it on the Tropical Traditions website or on Amazon.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Sun Warrior Protein Powder Review

2009-11-02T08:45:00.000-05:00

Back in August when I was looking for vegetarian protein sources I was sent a sample of Sun Warrior's Raw Vegan Protein Powder in both Chocolate and Vanilla from Annette at Sun Warrior. I was really excited to try these as I had seen them on Heather's blog and she always raved about how tasty they were!

From the Sun Warrior website:

Sun Warrior Protein is over 85% pure protein, totally Raw, and entirely Vegan. As budding Sun Warriors we now have the opportunity to fulfill our health goals and higher life purpose with strength and wisdom. Sun Warrior Protein has an extremely high digestion efficiency rating, allowing a wealth of nutritional benefits to saturate every cell in our bodies quickly and completely. The more super-powered nutrition our bodies can absorb, the easier it is for our inner grace and wisdom to manifest as vibrant beauty.

I thought the vanilla was really good but the chocolate was a little chalky for my tastes. I would definitely pick up the vanilla again though. The powder reminded me of Jay Robb's Brown Rice Protein and I was impressed that this was both raw and vegan! You can purchase these through the Sun Warrior website for $48.95 a 2.2 lb tub or get it through Amazon.com for $37.25 shipped (for the same 2.2 lb tub).

What has been your favorite kind of protein powder (e.g. brown rice, whey, egg white, soy isolate, etc.) and why?

Pure Bars Review

2009-10-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

Back in August I was sent a variety pack of Pure Bars from Rebecca to sample and enjoy. I was really excited to try these after seeing them everywhere in the Blogosphere. These were SO good, I know I'll be buying boxes of them in the future!

From the Pure Bar site:

Why is Pure Bar different than other snack or energy bars?
Pure Bar really gives you the most nutritional “bang for your buck” in a snack or energy bar. It delivers the highest amount of antioxidant loaded fruits, heart-and brain-healthy nuts, 4-5 grams of organic fiber, and 6-7 grams of organic protein. You get all this in a minimally processed bar that is as close to raw as a packaged food can get. And, it’s really delicious!

I really like their statement on purposeful eating on their website too:

Pure Bar is all about Purposeful Eating. What does that mean?
People now are making conscious choices in everything they do – from the cars we drive to the way we spend time with our family to the foods we eat. Raw, organic, minimally process foods reflect a kind of eating that has purpose and intention. When you practice Purposeful Eating, you understand that good health contributes to the overall quality of your life. It’s simple, it’s easy and it works.

They come in six delicious flavors:

Choc Chip Trail Mix (made with real cacao nibs)
Apple Cinnamon (my favorite)
Chocolate Brownie (such a decadent treat)
Cherry Cashew
Cranberry Orange
Wild Blueberry

Each bar was a delight to eat and actually tasted like their descriptions! I can't begin to say enough good things about these bars. Especially since they are raw, organic, vegan and use agave nectar for any added sweetness! YUM! Each bar also has 1.5 servings of fruit.

You can find these for sale at Trader Joes, Whole Foods and in my area I can even find them at Meijer! Check out their store locator on their site for any locations within 20 miles of your zip code. You can pick them up for $1.99 in stores or on the Pure Bar website for $23.88 for a box of 12.

What's your favorite type of snack bar?

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil: Review

2009-10-05T07:45:00.001-04:00

I've been a bad blogger, guys, last month I was sent a quart of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to try in cooking by Tropical Traditions. I used it in waffles and I've used it in our homemade vegan "notella" and I haven't posted about it! I REALLY like cooking with the coconut oil. It gives everything a slightly tropical taste and is really easy to incorporate in different dishes. It also is solid at warmer temperatures than regular oils so it's interesting to work with at times.

A little about Virgin Coconut Oil from the Tropical Traditions website:

This Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is a truly unrefined coconut oil. This coconut oil is made on Mt. Banahaw and surrounding areas from organic coconuts. Coconuts are used fresh (within 24-48 hours of harvest) from small family farms on Mt. Banahaw and other rural places in Quezon Province, the coconut capital of the Philippines. Only the highest quality coconuts are hand-picked from each harvest. The volcanic soil of Mt. Banahaw makes these organic coconuts some of the most nutritionally rich coconuts in the world!

The coconut oil is definitely a GREAT way to increase your immune system and also boost your metabolism. More from the site:

Virgin Coconut Oil is a food, and is one of the best cooking oils you can use. It has been a staple cooking oil for thousands of years in tropical climates. As a cooking oil, its chemical structure is kept in tact and therefore is resistant to mutations of fatty acid chains even when used in higher cooking temperatures, unlike most vegetable oils. Research shows that the medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil boosts the body’s metabolism, raises body temperatures, and helps provide greater energy which can lead to weight loss.

It's only natural when Tropical Traditions offered to send one of my lucky readers a quart of this oil I JUMPED at the chance! Of course I'd love for one of my Let's Get Fit readers to win a quart of this delicious oil! Be sure to check out the giveaway here.

This giveaway is for one 32 ounce jar of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil! For entries to win a 32 ounce jar of Coconut Oil do each of the following:

Leave a comment on this post about your favorite coconut flavored foods

Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions newsletter for a BONUS entry, and leave a comment to let me know you’ve done so.
Tweet about the contest for a THIRD entry then leave a comment to tell me you’ve done so.
Link back to this post for a FOURTH entry, and (you guessed it) comment to tell me.
You may leave as many as 4 comments on this post and each will count as an entry! Entries will close on Saturday, October 10th at Midnight and a winner will be drawn on Sunday, October 11th.

Good Luck and I can't WAIT to hear your favorite coconut flavored foods!

I'm Drinking a Marshmallow: EAS Myoplex Review

2009-09-25T07:45:00.001-04:00

Last month I was sent a variety pack (chocolate and vanilla cream flavors) of EAS Daily Nutrition Myoplex Protein Shakes from Abbot Nutrition (thanks Nicole!). I was really excited to try these as they have been getting rave reviews in the blogosphere.

From the EAS Site:

EAS Myoplex® nutrition shake with new great tasting strength*formula in a convenient reclosable 14 fl. oz. bottle. Trusted by players. Proven in the game. For years pros have used EAS Myoplex products to help maximize performance. The proprietary blend of protein helps to rebuild lean muscle. The right mix of carbohydrates with 23 vitamins and minerals helps to energize and refuel after your workout.

I thought that it did wonders in refueling me after my long runs and strength workouts. I wasn't very hungry and they really hit the spot. I didn't find myself feeling cranky afterwards and I know it was a great way to boost my protein consumption on running days with the 25 grams of protein.

I really liked the vanilla cream flavor more than the chocolate cream flavor. The vanilla cream reminded me of a marshmallow! These were so sweet and creamy, they didn't even taste like a regular protein shake! I was really impressed with these and will be adding them to my recovery arsenal in the future!

You can order these through the Abbot Nutrition site for $38.99 for a case or you can pick them up at GNC and Target. I know I'll be picking them up for a special treat during my training in the future!

What are some of your favorite post-workout treats?

What's Your Cup of Tea: Sencha Naturals Mints and Bars Review

2009-09-23T07:45:00.002-04:00

Last month I was sent a wonderful package from Desiree at Sencha Naturals. It was filled with different flavors of their Green Tea Mints and Green Tea Bars. Both the mints and the bars come in Original, Delicate Pear, Lively Lemongrass and Morning Lychee.

Both the bars and the mints are vegan and fair trade certified. From the Sencha Naturals site:

The goal was to create a socially responsible company that utilized this potent herb in substantial levels to address a variety of conditions. The result: after three years and numerous trials and tribulations, SEN CHA Green Tea Mints were developed. Shortly after, SEN CHA Green Tea Bars were released, in the same flavor varieties as the sugar-free mints. All SEN CHA products are certified vegan, gluten/wheat-free, and contain Organic Fair Trade certified green tea extract.

I loved the mints, the individual servings of the three mints (equaling one cup of green tea) were perfect to take on runs to give me something to nibble on and keep me from getting dehydrated. I loved having something sweet to savor, that has health benefits too!

The bars were a different story though, I really wanted to like them but there was just too much going on with the flavor and they were way too sweet for my liking. One bar is equal to three cups of green tea so there are a lot of benefits to the bars, but they just aren't my cup of tea (ha!).

I know the hubs thought it was the combination of the candied ginger which didn't play well with the rest of the flavors but I wasn't so sure I wanted to test that theory. I did try each of the flavors and found the original the best (it was the least sweet of the different flavors). I would highly recommend the mints instead of the bars.

You can purchase the bars on Amazon for around $20 a box depending on the flavor. The mints are on Amazon for $27 if you purchase the variety pack of nine tins.

What is your favorite type of tea?

Let's Get Optimized: Vega Smoothie Infusion and Whole Food Health Optimizer Review

2009-09-17T07:45:00.000-04:00

Back when I was sent the Vega Naturals bars by Kelly from Sequel Naturals I was also sent samples of their Whole Food Smoothie Infusion and Whole Food Health Optimizer. I tried the Berry flavor of the Whole Food Health Optimizer.

From the Sequel Naturals site:

Give your favorite shake or smoothie an instant boost of complete protein, fiber, Omega 3 EFAs and green foods! Just blend Vega Smoothie Infusion with some fruit, ice, water or juice to create a whole food fortified custom smoothie creation your entire family will enjoy. Vega Smoothie Infusion is made exclusively from natural plant-based whole foods. Alkaline-forming and easy to digest, it provides premium nutrition in a convenient, affordable format. Clean and green, Vega contains no common allergens including corn, dairy, gluten, soy, wheat and yeast.

I think both of these were a great way to easily kick up the nutrition of your regular smoothies or green monsters! Personally I enjoyed the peace of mind that both of these afforded. I loved knowing that I wasn't missing anything in my nutrition AND it was vegan without any common allergens!

I would recommend these if you were looking for something other than a multivitamin to ensure that your smoothies and green monsters were giving you the proper balance of nutrition. A lot of times though i just prefer to get my nutrition from whole foods - but powders can definitely help increase the nutritional value of our meals!

You can purchase these at Whole Foods or at the Sequel Naturals website for $2.50 a single serving.

Do you use a lot of nutrition enhancing powders for your smoothies and green monsters?

Skinny Bitch Review

2009-08-26T08:05:00.000-04:00

Recently I finished Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. It's taken me a bit to get around to reviewing the book because I wanted to mull it over a bit before discussing this presentation of vegan/vegetarian living.

Let me start by saying I really enjoyed the book and I liked the funny way that a lot of the things were presented. That being said I could have done without the constant berating of the reader. I also didn't agree with some of the more holistic statements about fasting and the energy that the animals exhibit when being slaughtered. Some of those claims came across as more fiction than fact.

I did really enjoy the lists of processed ingredients towards the end and a listing of vegan foods. I didn't agree with how processed so many of the foods were but I did find them helpful in refining my healthy lifestyle. Also I have to say that the chapter on pooping made me laugh. I appreciated it because of my troubles at the beginning of this journey with upping my fiber intake and running. (Sorry, possibly TMI?) I found the book to be a great motivation to move more, eat less processed crap and just start looking at being healthy overall.

I'm sure that's not what Kim and Rory had in mind.

As you can see, I really enjoyed this book for many reasons, but I haven't made the plunge to vegetarian. I'm struggling with lean protein sources and I find that I don't get as many grams of protein from vegan/vegetarian foods, so until I learn to better balance my diet I think I'm going to remain a flexitarian and eat meat occasionally. I know I could do it if I had three protein shakes a day or had a ton of soy products but I don't know if I want to go down that path yet. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about what they are ingesting and also if you need a little motivation to go out and get healthy!

What books have you found to motivate you to get healthy?

Jay Robb Protein Powders Review

2009-08-20T08:00:00.001-04:00

Last month I was sent a sample of each of the three types of protein powders offered by Jay Robb by Mr. Sexy Hot himself!

I was really excited to try these and compare the three types that Jay Robb offers, the Whey, Egg White and Sprouted Brown Rice protein! I also was glad that he sent them all in vanilla to compare the flavor and consistency of each type of protein!

A little more on the brown rice protein from the Jay Robb website:

Jay Robb Whole-Grain Sprouted Brown Rice Protein is created using a patent-pending low-heat process that naturally extracts the protein fraction of whole-grain sprouted brown rice. To this we add our famous Jay Robb natural flavors and stevia to create a silky-smooth, vegan, and hypoallergenic, non-GMO, cold-processed, outrageously delicious, highly nutritious, complete protein.

I think this was my favorite of the three powders. It was really tasty and I thought it had the most vanilla flavor. Out of the three I could taste the vanilla the most and it wasn't artificial tasting at all!

A little more on the Whey Protein from the Jay Robb website:

Formulated by Health and Fitness Expert Jay Robb to meet the highest standards. Our ingredients contain No gluten, No msg, No casein, No artificial colors or flavors

Jay Robb's Flavored Whey Protein, is made with stevia and is from grass fed cows not treated with rBGH (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone). You'll get 25 Grams of great tasting natural protein powder in our Whey Isolate and 24 grams in our Whey Concentrate. It's fat free, has no artificial sweeteners no Casein No MSG and is gluten free! If you have food sensitivities then try our unflavored whey protein Isolate.

I really liked how easily the whey blended into my shake and wasn't chalky at all! It was very refreshing and I loved how much my green monster seemed to blend up better when I added the Whey protein!

A little on the Egg White protein from the Jay Robb website:

We believe that nothing on the market out-performs our Egg White Protein Powder. In the world of protein, egg albumen is nearly perfect! And our egg white formula is chock-full of PURE egg albumen! plus our Egg White protein formula contains no cheap fillers or sweeteners like fructose, malto-dextrin and glucose polymers-plus it contains NO FAT, making it ideal to blend with a high quality oil like Barleans Flax Seed Oil.

This was probably my least favorite of the group. I thought it was sweeter in flavor than the other two and the aftertaste stuck with me more than the other two powders.

Overall I would highly recommend the Brown Rice and the Whey protein powders for anyone looking for great tasting protein powder! I would use the egg white again, but it wasn't my favorite and I wouldn't purchase it again.

You can purchase the Brown Rice powder at $33.73 for a 24 oz container, the Whey for $43.76 a container and the Egg White for $43.38 a 24oz container.

What are some of your favorite protein powders?

Sonoma Crisps Review

2009-08-17T10:04:00.000-04:00

I was sent a few samples of the different flavors of Sonoma Crisps by Hikari a couple of weeks ago and am just now getting around to reviewing them! These are a very unique snack as they are just dried fruit - no fats or oils are used to "cook" them and so they weigh in at 60 or 70 calories a serving! Wow!

From the Sonoma Crisps website:

SonomaCrisps are wholesome snacks made with only the finest, freshest U.S.-grown fruits. SonomaCrisps are always natural, always nutritious, and always healthy for all ages.

(But hey, you can keep all of this a secret if you want, because when you offer our snacks, your family and guests will love the taste so much, they’ll never know they’re eating smart!)

A new process we’ve developed successfully captures and preserves the natural flavor and nutrition of each of the fruits we use in our SonomaCrisps snacks. We bake the fruits slowly and carefully, imbuing each savory snack with a crispy texture, all without using a single drop of oil.

There were three different flavors sent to me to review and I really enjoyed all of them. I actually found that one serving was way too much to enjoy in one sitting and ended up eating half of a serving at a time!

The gala apple flavor was actually an apple and strawberry blend. I found this perfect to top greek yogurt with and also enjoyed it mixed in with kefir and puffins for a balanced snack!

The ingredients are just strawberries, apples and fructose (fruit juice). Nothing un-natural in these and they just taste delicious! I love how crunchy they are and they are very satisfying! I love that they look almost like matchstick potatoes!

I loved the plain apple sticks flavor - although when I opened the package I could smell tomatoes! They didn't taste like tomatoes though and the hubs thought I was crazy for smelling that. These were also great in kefir and on top of greek yogurt!

My favorite flavor out of the pack was the raisin crunch. These were SO filling - the bag ended up being about four servings for me and I loved topping greek yogurt with these! I want to buy a whole case of the raisin crunch from amazon!

You can purchase Sonoma Crisps through Amazon or available in a few select grocery stores in California. I've already purchased a case of 12 through Amazon - yum! They are $18.46 for a case of 12 through Amazon currently.

These are already a staple in my diet and I'm glad that I tried these!

Zevia Natural Diet Soda Review

2009-08-11T10:04:00.000-04:00

Last month I contacted Zevia for more information on their natural diet soda. Both Jessica and Margaret from Zevia were amazing and quickly sent out some samples of each of the six flavors available for my review.

A little background from the Zevia website:

ZEVIA™ IS ALL NATURAL

ZEVIA™ stevia soda is Nature's Answer To Diet Soda™. We have taken great care and spared no expense to make sure that all six ZEVIA™ stevia soda varieties contain only pure, natural ingredients.

All of the sodas have natural flavorings and are sweetened with Stevia which gives them their different flavors.

The Natural Twist flavor was probably my favorite - their take on the traditional Lemon-Lime soda. Flavored with lemon and lime oils this was very refreshing and awesome right after a long hot run! It's also caffeine free which means it counts as one of my servings of water according to the nutritionist I met with in February!

The Root Beer was great, just like an old-fashioned root beer barrel! It's flavored with citrus peel, wintergreen, cassia, anise seed and ginger root! I am a big fan of root beer and this one didn't disappoint. The only downside was that it didn't get the creamy head that most root beers get when they are poured into a glass.

Sorry for the dark picture here - this is the all natural Ginger Ale. This was probably my second favorite out of the bunch. Ginger Ale is usually my favorite soda and this didn't disappoint! The only negative was that it was a little bit fruity for my tastes, I usually prefer a dryer ginger ale.

I was really impressed with the Natural Orange flavor. I'm not a big fan of orange soda but this one I really enjoyed! It wasn't overly sweet and had a great natural orange flavor. It was slightly tangy and I couldn't taste any hint of stevia in this at all. The hubs even really enjoyed this flavor!

The Natural Black Cherry flavor was very fruity and very floral. I thought it was refreshing on the hot days that we've been having and found myself craving it when I was at work! I would recommend this if you love a fruity soda that isn't citrusy at all!

The Natural Cola flavor is the only variety of Zevia with caffeine and has natural Cola Nut extracts! This had the sweetness of Coke and just a better flavor overall. I really enjoyed this flavor and thought it was so much better than both Diet Coke and Coke Zero!
I really enjoyed this soda and the opportunity to review their many flavors. I'll be picking up some more in the future the next time we're at Whole Foods! You can purchase Zevia at Whole Foods or visit their site for a store locator. You can also purchase Zevia from their website for $23.99 a case.

What is your favorite type of soda that is naturally flavored and sweetened?

Vega Bar Review

2009-07-28T08:22:00.000-04:00

Last week Kelly from Sequel Naturals sent over some samples of the Vega Vibrance Bars for me to try. She sent me the Chocolate Decadence, Green Synergy and Wholesome Original styles to try out and see how they could enhance my diet during training for a half-marathon.

From the Vega website:

Each Vibrance bar features:

* 17.5g of sprouts, rich in enzymes and phytonutrients
* 10g of raw protein for easy digestion
* 4g of Omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids
* 5g of soluble and insoluble fibre (20% of RDI)

Unlike traditional cooked and processed bars, Vibrance bars are 85% raw, alkaline and enzymatically alive, requiring less energy to digest and providing a greater net energy gain. Whether you're reaching for mouth-watering taste or a healthy snack with lasting energy, Vibrance bars will satisfy any appetite.

Overall I thought these were pretty good, they are very grainy and very chunky but the flavor is good and they kept me full throughout the day. I would compare it to a Larabar but with a little more crunch to it! I also really enjoyed the variety of flavors in the bar because it did have so many ingredients! The smell was interesting and I was a little intimidated, but it really brings out some of the flavors in the bar.

You can find Vega products at Whole Foods and they retail for around $3.50 a bar. It's fairly pricey but these really fill you up and really could replace a meal!

Naturally Thin: Book Review

2009-07-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

Recently I picked up Naturally Thin - Unleash your Skinnygirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting by Bethenny Frankel at the library. I had heard a lot about this book and wanted to read it and make a decision for myself. This is a diet, plain and simple, no matter what she says through out the book and it is a diet that encourages disordered eating. It's written in two halves and I'll discuss each of her "life changing" sections to save you all the hassle of trying to get through this poorly written book.

Part One, The Rules

The first ten chapters are all the "rules" of this non-diet. I think it's a little hypocritical to say it's not a diet and then give rules that you must follow to "unleash your skinnygirl".

Rule 1: Your Diet is a Bank Account (Good investments of healthy foods, ingest balanced diet throughout the day - this is where I thought maybe I had been too rash in hearing about the book.)

Rule 2:You can have it all just not all at once (Juicy burger or tasty fries, just not both right now - not a bad idea)

Rule 3: Taste everything, eat nothing (Taste it and enjoy it, don't just devour every bite on your plate.)

Rule 4: Pay attention (Take part in conscious eating-quit multitasking, slow down, chew slowly.)

Rule 5: Downsize now! (Go smaller in your portions and plate sizes, this is where she shares her idea of portion sizes and how ramekins are your friend for portion control.)

Rule 6: Cancel your Membership in the "Clean Plate Club" (She recommend share it, save it or leave it.)

Rule 7: Check yourself before you wreck yourself (Identify and stop a binge before it starts - this was actually a helpful section.)

Rule 8: Know thyself (Know your food triggers)

Rule 9: Get real (Stay away from processed foods, and include organic, whole grains, etc)

Rule 10: Good for you (Incorporate exercise and being good to your body, take care of yourself)

The rules are good on a basic level if you strip out all her nonsense about buying bagels and pulling out all of the bread in the middle or taking just three bites of your meal to just get the flavor and truly enjoy it instead of overdoing it when eating. It just seems like she's trying too hard to push underfueling your body while overusing it.

Other rules/ideas in the first half of the book that are worth mentioning:

1. Law of diminishing returns - stop eating when the next bite is not as good as the one before it was.

2. Differential - knowing when the difference between two choices really makes a difference. Is the fat free dressing as good tasting as regular, if so eat it, if not don't. Is the turkey burger just as tasty as the beef burger, if so eat it instead.

3. Food noise - the negative tapes and the times when food calls us not for hunger but for emotion.

4. Food voice - your body's true needs and true voice.

5. Switching lanes - when you are eating something that you just cannot stop, try switching to another taste on your plate, go back and forth.

How with those rules can she consider this NOT a diet?

Part Two: The Naturally Thin Program

Or as Bethenny puts it, "Putting the rules to use in your life."
Here is where she lost me completely and definitely makes me believe this is just another diet. Here is her basic plan:

1 or 2 carb meals
1 or 2 protein meals
2 fruits
unlimited veggies
2 fats
2 sweets
2 snacks
2 beverages
2 exceptions

That's for each day - except she's suggesting you just eat three bites to make a meal of protein or just three bites of pasta to make it a meal of carbs. When you add up her suggested meal plans in the back she's only suggesting you eat around 800 calories per day but still get in lots of exercise! How is that a healthy plan and how is it not teaching readers disordered eating?

I was really disappointed in this book because there is some good ideas, but nothing revolutionary and ground breaking that I could use in my life to be "Naturally Thin". She may have been advising celebrities, but she's not a nutritionist or dietitian. She's a cast member on a reality show, not someone who is qualified to give advice and that's something to keep in mind when reading this book for sure.

In my opinion Bethenny should stick to baking and being on The Real Housewives of New York City. She's not qualified to give this advice and the book is just a poorly executed example of how to become an anorexic. I'm glad I didn't purchase this book and just picked it up from the library.

Has anyone else read this book? What are your thoughts on being "Naturally Thin"?

Is There a Natural Sports Drink?

2009-07-24T07:06:00.001-04:00

This past Monday I went for a four mile run and when I got home I wasn't hungry but I was really thirsty. I decided to open one of my O.N.E. Coconut Waters (that Lucy sent me a few weeks ago) as my post-run recovery drink and see if the claims about coconut water being a natural sports drink were true.

From the ONE website:

O.N.E.™ Coconut Water is 100% natural, and has five essential electrolytes (calcium, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and sodium), more potassium than a banana (15 times the amount of potassium as most sports drinks, without the artificial chemicals found in sports drinks.), no added sugars, no fat, no cholesterol, and no preservatives. Additionally, O.N.E.™ Coconut Water is a naturally sweet, low calorie, hydrating beverage. Due to proprietary manufacturing processes, O.N.E.™ Coconut Water never comes into contact with light or oxygen, maintaining its fresh taste and nutrient content.

I was really happy with the flavor, as it was just like a really sweet coconut drink and it almost was like a cocktail! I felt like I was back on my honeymoon with how it tasted and it made me really happy. I also felt completely hydrated after drinking it and like I had fully recovered from my run. I think this lives up to the hype of being a natural sports drink. I also liked the tetra-pak packaging with the straw as it makes the drink easily portable. I just wish I could fit it in my hydration belt for a long run!

These retail for about $1.99 and you can find them at your local Whole Foods. I know that Mambo Sprouts is also offering a coupon at our local Whole Foods so keep an eye out! I know I'll be using the coupon in the future.

What are some of your favorite natural options for post-exercise recovery?

Let's Get Wild

2009-07-20T15:00:00.000-04:00

The wonderful Jeananne at Ancient Sun Nutrition sent me a package this past week with lots of goodies to try! I have to say I first heard about these great bars from Heather over at Heather Eats Almond Butter and thought I had to try them. There aren't a lot of places around here that sell them so I'm glad that Ancient Sun was able to send me a few to try out!

I was given a sample of the Mayan Spice, the Mountain Mint and then a packet of the Crystal Manna Powder (to mix into my green monsters in the mornings) all to help with my nutrition while I'm beginning my half-marathon training.

From the WildBar Site:

"The WILDBAR is a 100% raw, organic, Kosher, non-GMO, "whole food & meal in a bar" that combines raw cacao with a proprietary 1,500mg blend of Ancient Sun's fresh-dried wild blue-green algae and wild blue-green algae extract, as well as with selected superfoods, herbs and spices (see ingredient list below). WILDBAR's benefits include: increased mental and physical energy, heightened clarity and attention, elevated mood and sense of well-being (due to the significant concentrations of phenylethylamine - PEA (30mg PEA per bar) - in the raw cacao and the wild blue-green algae), strengthened immune function, and enhanced joint flexibility. The only sweetener used is all natural, dark blue agave nectar, which has an extremely low glycemic index."

Sounds great for someone who is training for a half-marathon right?

I started with the Mountain Mint - which as soon as I opened I was greeted with the fresh, clean smell of mint! It smelled almost like chocolate mint ice cream! I was really excited as that's one of my favorite flavor combinations. Biting into it was almost like biting into a Thin Mint - which I haven't had in several years because of how BAD they are for you! This seriously satisfied my chocolate mint cravings! It was SO chocolatey and SO minty that I only ate half of it in the morning.

I was really impressed that it only had 185 calories (but 55% of my daily fiber and 53% of my daily B12) and I was able to split it in half and eat the other half later. Usually I can't do that with a bar and these were filling enough that I was able to do that easily!

The Mayan Spice has a great smell of cinnamon and oranges with lots of hearty macadamia nut chunks. It's so delicious and almost feels downright decadent for a bar. I'm really impressed with these!

Look at those big chunks of macadamia nut and at how dark and decadent the bar is!

I would recommend buying these bars if it wasn't for one thing - they retail for $3.95 each! Ouch! They are going to be a special indulgence for sure, but I just can't pay that for my regular bars during training.

What are some of your special indulgences in life?

Clif Shot Energy Gels

2009-07-14T15:55:00.001-04:00

Since I've been working on lengthening my runs I also have been looking for ways to keep myself properly fueled without using artificial sweeteners or high glycemic sweeteners. I've heard of a lot of different options using brown rice syrup or other low glycemic sweeteners like agave nectar but haven't seen them in Indianapolis. When I went to Whole Foods and spied the Vanilla, Mocha, Raspberry and Strawberry Clif Shot Energy Gels and found that I could have all of them and they were perfect size to fit in my hydration belt I just had to pick up a few! I figured I'd share my review for those of us who are looking for more natural and organic sweeteners in our energy gels.

I recently tried them in both Strawberry and Vanilla when we were camping on both of our long hikes. These hikes were in 85+ degree weather with 75-80% humidity so I needed plenty of electrolytes and energy to keep me going! I was pushing myself pretty hard and followed up each gel with a lot of water. I didn't have any of the normal stomach problems with the gels and I actually really enjoyed the cake batter-esque taste of the Vanilla gel. I found myself wanting more of it when the small pack was done! The strawberry tasted pretty heavy of brown rice syrup and wasn't something I'd want to eat on my own if I wasn't racing. I probably wouldn't pick up that flavor again except for the added benefit of 25 mg of caffiene.

Something I do really appreciate is the litter leash which keeps the trash all in one nice package. There's no tab ripped off because it stays attached to the package. I bought both for $1.39 at Whole Foods and would stock up on the Vanilla for my upcoming long runs. I just wish that the Vanilla came with caffeine and I'd be set! I still haven't tried the Raspberry or Mocha flavors but I'm sure I'll use one on my 7 mile group run this upcoming Saturday!

What are some of your favorite low glycemic energy products? Have you found a lot of products that keep you adequately fueled without a lot of sugar? I'd love to hear about them as I'm always looking for better and more efficient ways to fuel my body for longer!