Gym Girl Gloves Giveaway

Limited Edition Black Leopard Gloves from Gym Girl Apparel

Look at these awesome new gloves from Gym Girl.  I love, love, love my Gym Girl gloves, I have 3 pairs that I continually use.  I can't wait to get the new limited edition black leopard gloves. 

My Gym Girl glove collection

 These black leopard gloves are limited edition, so get them while you can! Click the link to order https://gymgirlapparel.com and use the code LEOPARDLOVE to get 10% off!!  

Or, if you'd like your chance to win a pair for yourself, leave a comment on why you'd love a pair of Gym Girl gloves.  Winner will be announced on Saturday Dec 13th.  
Good Luck!!

I was provided a free pair of gloves from Gym Girl Apparel for myself and one pair to giveaway in exchange for promoting their new gloves.  I was not monetarily compensated nor required to provide a positive feedback.  The opinions expressed in this post are completely my own.  
I am a Gym Girl Apparel affiliate and if someone makes a purchase with my code, I receive a small commission. 

I Fell Off the Wagon - Hard!

We've all been there - that momentary slip up on the diet part, or missing a few days of exercise.  I know I have, but I get up shake myself off and get right back at it - and try not to beat myself up about it.  

 Well, I haven't just fallen off the wagon, I fell off HARD.  I have no motivation and I just can't make myself get back on.  Stress has been a huge factor in my "fall" and I still have a lot of stress.   I know that exercise helps relieve stress and I NEED to get back at it - I know this.  Now I just need a swift kick to get me back on track!  

Having recently started a second business (yeah, I'm crazy), I am super-busy but I CAN make time to workout.  They key is to organize myself .

So, I am now officially back on track and I have all of you to remind me that I CAN do it!!

Thank you!

VegaSport Energy Gel Review #FuelYourBetter

I was lucky enough through Fit Approach & Sweat Pink and Vega Sport, to be selected to test and review the Vega Sport Endurance Gel as part of their #FuelYourBetter campaign.  I've not used any gels during my runs before because I didn't really consider myself a runner and didn't think I ran enough miles to make it worthwhile.  But when the opportunity came to test these, I thought sure, why not?  Maybe I can run longer. 

I used my first Vega Sport Endurance Gel for an elliptical workout and I usually go for 60 min, but by 30 min I am ready to call it quits.  With the gel, I was 45 min in to my workout before I realized how much time had passed, and when it got to the 60 min point, I wasn't ready to stop - I had LOTS of energy left! 

 Yep, I was impressed!!

Next, I tried a trail run and I had the same feeling, I had lots of energy at the end of my run.  It's great! 

I also use the gels to fuel my intense weight training workouts.

I even love it for my weights workouts.

These gels taste great; are plant-based and not full of things you can't pronounce and don't upset my stomach.  I must admit that I don't have experience with other gels, but the most common complaint I hear about them is that they upset some people's stomachs.  I would recommend those people give Vega Sport Endurance Gels a try because I think they'll be pleasantly surprised.

Click here to find out more.

Vega Endurance Gel

The gels are now my go-to to fuel my better. 

 I recommend giving them a try so you too can #FuelYour Better. For more information on the gels and the other Vega Sport items, click here.

Preparing for my run

My 6k trail race fueled by #vegasport

Disclosure: I was provided with Vega Sport Energy Gel free of charge through a campaign through Fit Approach.  All opinions in this review are completely my own.

Week 6 Fighter Diet Update & Sneak Peek

Ooops, sorry guys, I know I am a few days late with posting my weekly progress reports from my Fighter Diet challenge.  Soon it will be time to post my 7 week results!  Time is flying, and the 12 weeks of the transformation challenge will soon be up!  Yikes!!  I won't stop with the Fighter Diet though, I am going to continue on with the support of the Fighter Diet Dungeon!  The Dungeon isn't as scary as it sounds - it's a place where people who are following the Fighter Diet go to exchange ideas, ask questions, and motivate each other.  I am glad that I joined, I think it will help me continue on in my journey.

I have been busy recently :)   I was sent an  Armpocket to review ( I have been wanting one for so long!!), and also sent some Energybits to review too!  Those reviews will be coming up on here soon!! :)

So for my 6 week check-in, I lost one pound last week.  I'm not disappointed (very much), because I am still losing and with all of the weights I am lifting, and I am lifting heavy!!, I know that I am building muscle too.

So for the 6 weeks that I have been following the Fighter Diet meal plan, and doing the Fighter Diet workouts, I have lost a total of 16.5lbs!  I am very happy with this :) :) 

Fighter Diet Challenge- Week 5 Update

I am a little late posting my results from last week, sorry.  So,Week 5 of my Fighter Diet is over and I lost 2lbs last week, for a total of 15.5lbs.  I am very happy with my weight loss and feeling stronger with my workouts with weights, but I still haven't got all my cardio in that I should.  By the time I get home from work and do all that needs doing (kids here,there, etc), I am spent and don't think I could do cardio.  I know that I need to pick up my act and get more cardio in to be able to lose more weight.

So I am promising to do at least 30 minutes of cardio a day for this week, and I'll check back on the weekend to let you know my results and if I kept up with my promise!!

Week 4 Results of Fighter Diet

Week 4 of the Fighter Diet is done, and I lost 5lbs!  That makes a total of 13.5lbs for the whole 4 weeks!!  I can't wait to see what the next 8 weeks of the challenge brings :)

For those of you who don't know, I, along with 19 others, was picked to  follow Pauline Nordin's Fighter Diet program (diet and training) for 3 months.  I post my results on her Facebook page  and on my Facebook page My Journey to Getting Fit and Healthy, as well as here on my blog.

Left - Starting Fighter Diet    Right- After Week 4 on FD

The diet took some getting used to, but now I can easily prepare my meals for the week/day and don't even have to think about it.  I find I don't even crave some of the "bad" things that I used to.  My daughter had a bagel with cream cheese the other day and I watched her eating it and thought "that is something I don't eat", and that was that.  

I recently tried the Fighter Diet Greens drink as a supplement to my diet, and I love it.  It doesn't taste "grassy" like some green drinks I have tried before. 

I really, really love the workouts that Pauline provides too!  

I am excited about the next few weeks and to see where Fighter Diet can take me!

Fighter Diet Greens

Week 3 of My Fighter Diet Challenge

So I have made it through 3 weeks on The Fighter Diet and I have stayed compliant with the diet and with my exercise routines.  I am getting used to eating lots and lots of veggies :)   I've never had a problem with exercising (but it is nice to have the programs laid out for you), it has always been my diet.  It's true that you can't exercise away a bad diet - I am living proof!    

I enjoy challenging myself with new exercise routines that Pauline Nordin (the Fighter Diet creator) has; especially  some new ones in the Fighter Diet Deadlift eBook  (which you can purchase here).  I tried the Deadlift Cardio workout yesterday and it really got my heart rate up!!  

For more information on the Fighter Diet, check out their webpage and Facebook page.  There are lots of helpful people there that will answer your questions about the diet! 

This week I am starting week 4 on my Fighter Diet challenge. So far I am down 9.5lbs, I have lost 3/4" on my chest, 3" on my waist, 2" on my abdomen, 1.5" on my hips, 1.5" on each thigh, and 1/2" on each arm and 7.7lbs of body fat!! 

I am excited about the changes so far, and can't wait to see where I am after the 12 weeks of the challenge are up!

After doing Fighter Diet Deadlift Cardio workout

After doing Fighter Diet Deadlift Cardio

Fighter Diet Lunch :)  Lots & lots of veggies!

Pole Fit Class - Trying Something New & Finding My Sexy Side

When you hear pole dancing, you likely think of dancers in clubs gyrating around a shiny pole.  That was me until a friend urged me to take a pole fit class with her.  I was reluctant because I had negative ideas about pole dancing and because I look nothing like what you'd expect someone who does dancing to look like.  I decided that I needed to try new forms of exercise, so I signed up for a beginner class with my friend.  First I did a Pole Fit class, which is an intense cardio/strength workout using the pole  (no spins or climbs).  Once I completed that class, I decided I liked it and felt confident enough to try a Pole Dance class (with spins and climbs).

Pole dancing, not the club dancing, takes a lot of strength!  It is a full body workout and is loads of fun.  I knew that I was weak in the upper body, but didn't realise how much until I tried some of the spins and climbs - it is harder than it looks!  And inverting on the pole - that takes a lot of strength!  (Inverts are something I haven't mastered yet).  I enjoyed the class, but I  was still self-conscious about my weight.  The classes aren't all about sexy moves, but being bigger, I felt out of place until for one class we had a replacement teacher who was not model-thin.  Her self-confidence was inspiring, and her strength as she showed us new moves was also inspiring. It gave me the confidence that I needed to keep trying.   

I was glad that I took the chance and tried the classes.  Pole is a great form of exercise, and I enjoy the challenge of new, harder moves.  Now to get the confidence to try a new exercise class like crossfit, or try a mud run.  Slowly, I'm working on my Fitness Bucket List!