Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Foodie Pen Pal {June & July}


Okay so last month I failed and forgot to post about my wonderful foodie penpal. I know, I know, I'm such a horrible blogger. 

Anyways, this month I received yet another awesome penpal package and will share both with you!

Woot!

Last month I received this package from Sara over at Run Around Sara...


 A lot more was included but I gave some of it to my mom...she liked the chocolate turtles and the other candy and I gave the kool aid to Ben!

I was surprised by the green Tupperware container! I am always in need of new things like that so that was wonderful and the fact that it was in my favorite color was just a bonus!!

This month I received a package from Alicia over at Learning to Live...



Back to Nature Triple Ginger Cookies
Honey Ginger White Balsamic Vinegar
Dark Chocolate Dreams PB
Chai Tes
Spices from The Spice & Tea Exhange
A loving hand written note<3



I loved everything in here especially the spices and balsamic vinegar because they were personal favorites from Alicia!

The tea was amazing and we all know that Peanut Butter and Co. is just fantastic so yeah, pure amazingness!!

This month was great and I am always looking forward to the next month when I get to pick out new things to send to someone else and to get some sweet goodies as well!!

If you want to be a part of Foodie Pen Pals each month you can go over to Lindsay's blog and find out all the details!

Check back tomorrow (August 1!!) for my WIAW post as always!

Take Care Sweets<3

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Crunchmaster Goodness

A few months ago I was sent a nice package from Crunchmaster

I'm sure you've already heard about this great company but if you haven't they make gluten free crackers that are AMAZING!


I received three different flavors:

Sea Salt
Roasted Vegetable
Original

They also have:

Rosemary and Olive Oil
Roasted Garlic
Toasted Onion
White Cheddar

Sounds good right? YES!

I tried the sea salt and roasted vegetable and I was blown away, they were just so good and yummy. 

I also shared them with my Dad and Ben and they loved them! Figuring they are both not into "healthy" foods, I was hesitant to let them try them because I assumed they would be grossed out, but to my surprise they both thought they were wonderful!

The only thing that I would say about these is that they are VERY salty.
I happen to love salty foods but if you aren't the biggest fan, they may be too much for you. 

You can find these crackers at most local health food stores and in my area they carry them at Walmart!

You can also order them off their online store here!

Try them and tell me how they were :)


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Life is Worth the Fight.

It's amazing how horrible you can feel one day, and then suddenly feel like you're on top of the world the next. 


I'm speaking in terms of body image here. 

Last week pretty much sucked in all ways possible when it came to me liking my body in any shape or form. I can't even count the useless minutes I spent crying my eyes out. 

My body felt completely disgusting and fat. All I wanted to do was curl up and sleep until I was thin again. But who am I kidding? I am still underweight for my height and yet, somehow I can still feel like complete shit and think I am a whale. 


I cried myself to sleep one night after returning from the gym with stiff legs. I did a hardcore workout and yet I felt awful about how I looked and all I saw was blubbery legs and a bloated stomach. 

I woke up feeling fine until I looked in the mirror. I cried until my eyes were bloodshot and red as hell. Then I headed to work feeling like crap. 

All week my body felt like it was going to explode and yet I sit here writing this now and I feel completely fine and happy in my body. I just don't understand. 

Some days Ed is so loud that I can't help but listen to him. His words cut deep and I take his criticism, but other days I am strong and can block him out to where I am only listening to my loving voice. 

This is daily life for me. The constant back and forth between good and evil. Between should I eat or maybe not. I go back and forth on weather or not I want to just curl up in Ed's arms and love him forever or weather I would rather live the life I really dream of which includes Ben and children. 

It shouldn't be a tough choice by any means but I've been with Ed for over seven years now and breaking up with him is taking a lot longer than I had planned. He's not an easy person to get rid of. He likes to stick around and make me feel like shit. 

Last night I got my night snack and went to sit down and eat, when Ben came over to me and just hugged me for almost five minutes straight. He didn't say anything at first, and then he whispered in my ear how proud he was of me and how far I have come. He wanted me to know how strong I was and that I was doing such a great job. 


I wouldn't have agreed last week but I sat there in his embrace and relished in my achievements. I am proud of myself. I have come a very far way and I can't give up now. I am so close to having Ed finally sign those divorce papers and be gone. Just a couple more steps up this mountain and I will be free I can feel it. 

It doesn't mean, though, that I won't still have those memories of Ed and me together. They will haunt me forever, but I will have Ben's love to comfort me in those times of struggle and I will lean on him, not Ed. 

I don't need Ed anymore. He has no use for me. I am stronger on my own and with Ben by my side. 

So I continue to fight no matter how shitty I may feel. 
Life is worth the fight. 

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Enjoy Life

Not too long ago, the wonderfully amazing people over at Enjoy Life Foods contacted me about doing a review on their new product: Crunchy Cookies!

Of course I said yes, because who wouldn't want to eat cookies?!

Here's what I got: 


Double Chocolate 
Vanilla Honey Graham
Chocolate Chip
Sugar Crisp

I immediately broke into the vanilla honey grahams and was delighted by the amazing taste and there was just enough crunch but not too much which was wonderful! 

The best part about these cookies though (besides the taste obviously)? They are all gluten and casein free, vegan and they have no artificial flavors or ingredients!

They also only have 110 calories per two cookies, woot!!


I think the vanilla honey graham was my favorite but Ben really enjoyed the double chocolate!
He was hungry one day and all I had was these cookies so I put two of the chocolate ones in the microwave for about 20 seconds and wah-la! Perfectly warmed and melted chocolaty goodness! 

Now we all know Ben isn't the most healthy eater around, but he thought these were delicious! Tasted just like fresh baked cookies from the oven :)

Enjoy Life Foods carries tons of awesome products and they are one of my very favorite companies ever!
You can find most of their goods at the regular grocery stores, in many health food stores and you can also order online through their website!

Check them out, you'll be overwhelmed with wonderful-ness!!
(I was not compensated in any way for this review, these are my own thoughts and opinions, but I did received four free boxes of some pretty awesome cookies!)

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Food and Workouts

Wednesday is my favorite day mainly because I have the day off, but today I am helping my mom move again. I feel like we are always moving somewhere. 

She's moving back to NH and then Ben and I are moving to the new apartment in ME at the end of August. As much of a pain it is to pack everything and then unpack it, I love to do it. Yeah, I'm weird. 


Anyhoo, Wednesday also means sharing my eats throughout the week and this month sharing my workouts too so here it is:

Thanks to Jenn as always!


Ben and I have made it a ritual to go hiking every Saturday, we hiked Mt. Madison and Mt. Adams this past  weekend.


Recent Snack: Oskri Coconut Cherry Bar...these are my new favorite snacks! It's basically pure coconut which is amazing. 


Grapes are my favorite fruit...I eat them everyday!


Recent Snack: Lemon Almonds! So good :)


Recent lunch: Tuna mixed with tabbouleh and beans from the Better Bean Co. They recently sent me a sample of their new product and I love them. The ones in this lunch are the re-fried black beans...I put them on everything, even my squash for dinner. Check them out!


Recent breakfast: Perfect Fit protein sent me some brown rice protein packets to try and I have to say, this kind of protein is my favorite. I mix it into my yogurt in the morning and it's so wonderful! I love the taste.


Recent Snack: Raw Chocolate Cashew Bar. Pretty self explanatory. Amazing.



Recent Dinner: Squash with roast beef slices and ketchup...I was out of sausage but the beef was still good. 


FRS was giving away free samples of their products online so I jumped on the offer and received this package in the mail. I'm not sure I really liked the energy chews...they were kind of chalky but the energy powder is pretty good. 


Last week Ben and I did a lot of work in his Dad's garden while he was away...my job? Picking the peas and shucking them. Took me forever!


Snack: Two Mom's in the Raw bar...really good! Try one now.


Night snack: Protein slop. Strawberry Gotein powder mixed with water and some stevia. 


Ben and I usually go to the gym together every day after work...here we are :)


So there you have it...my eats and workouts!


Have a super fantastic rest of the day/week!!!

Sunday, July 15, 2012

My Body Promise

Dear Body, 

It's been a long time since we were good friends. I can't really remember the last time I was nice to you. I wish I could say I'm getting better with this and treating you with care, but I wold be lying, I am doing poorly. But I am learning...slowly. 

Me hiking up to Mt. Madison (NH)

I am learning to listen to your needs more than just what Ed wants. 

I am learning to nourish you with the right amount of nutrients, instead of depleting everything you have. 

I am learning to let you rest even when Ed demands me to make you move non-stop. 

I know it hasn't been easy these past eight years, not knowing if I was going to feed you enough and then having to be pushed so hard every. single. day. 

Me on top of Mt. Adams (White Mountains)

I have put you through a lot and you have held up so far, but I don't know how much longer you will, so I am determined more than ever to give you everything you need. 

You deserve my loving care and that is what I intend to bring to you. 

I want to thank you for putting up with my crap and everything Ed forced me to do to you. 
I hope one day, we can be good friends again, just like the old days, but until then, I will make this promise to you: "I will treat you the best I know how with what knowledge I have at the moment. I will give you both physical nourishment and also mental nourishment, and I will push you hard, but let you rest as long as you need. I promise to treat you in the same way I would treat my very best friend."


With love, 

Tayla

Rob's Really Good

Hey you guys, long time no blog eh? Well today I want to share a company that is a new and recent favorite. 


Not too long ago I received a package of nine Rob's Really Good drinks and I'm not kidding when I say this, but they are literally really good!

Rob's story (from the website), 

"I decided I wanted to be an entrepreneur, one of those guys who laid by the beach whilst their products sold like crazy. The reality is actually more exciting than the dream and I hope you follow me as I journey through this life. Its more exciting, like James Bond driving on hairpin turns in Europe, and wearing a tux to the casino.Actually its clean up in Aisle 3, after I break a bottle of catsup as I bring boxes of my product to the shelf. It’s all happening and you react with the nimbleness of a river barge.
I am the founder of Pirate’s Booty and now you have Rob's Really Good in your hand. I surround myself with very talented and exciting people and you are one of them. You've read this far so you must be fascinated.I want to share my passion."

Cool yeah? You should definitely go try their drinks to get the full effect of their awesomeness now! Like I said before, they have nine different flavors, three of which have ZERO calories. 


The flavors are blueberry iced tea, black tea and lemonade, peach oolong tea, swirling cucumber, swirling mango, pomegranate, coconut zero, black plum zero, and cucumber zero. 

Amazing right? I know. 

I am not wasting any time drinking all these either...I have tried the blueberry, peach, both cucumbers, black plum and coconut. My favorites include coconut and cucumber!


Who would even think of a cucumber flavored drink? I'm so glad somebody did because it's awesome! I love coconut anything so I will be buying more of that one for sure. 

So you wanna try some? Just go to their website where you can find all their drinks and order something!


They sent me a cool shirt which you can buy online as well!

Come back after you've tried a drink and tell me how it was and 
if you've tried Rob's Really Good drinks, which one was your favorite?

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Did You Win?!

Sorry for the slight absence...I know you all noticed. My computer's charger died and my battery too so I can't turn it on until my new charger comes in. Luckily Ben is a sweetheart and is letting me share his for the time being. 

Anyhoo, I just wanted to pop in and announce the winner of my Phix Energy giveaway I had on Wednesday. 


So the winner is...

katshealthcorner!!!! Congrats girl, email me at marlin.james22@gmail.com with your address so I can get you your goodies!

I'll be back sometime when I can write more.

Hope you all had a good week!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

wiaw+workout+giveaway

Morning! 
This week I am realizing I need to change up my eats...as you will see I am in need of some major variety, but that's not to say I didn't fully enjoy all my food!


Thanks to Jenn as always. She's amazing!


Breakfast: Chocolate protein powder mixed with water, fage greek yogurt, fresh blueberries, chia and nutritional yeast sprinkled on top later!


Lunch (at work): Chicken strips from Whole Foods with PopChips. I've had this lunch for five days straight.


These are my favorite so far!


Snack: Raw Organic Food Bar.


Dinner: Same dinner for almost two weeks now...kobucha squash with chicken sausage topped with ketchup and salt. It's so good obviously. 

For fitness I like to do a lot of different things...usually my week is mixed with gym workouts, walks in nature, hiking up big mountains and relaxing

My favorite workout of the week has been hiking. Ben and I took a drive to NH (almost to my Dad's house in Jackson!) and hiked 10.2 miles up and down two different amazing peaks. 


View from Mt. Height down into my hometown of Jackson!


Another great view from Mt. Height looking the other way towards Mt. Washington!

It was so much fun and quite tiring as well, but Ben and I have a running ritual where for the last mile or so of the hike, we run the trail and race back to the car (I won this time hehe).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Giveaway:

I am a huge fan of energy mixes that you add to your water so when I received some samples from Phix Energy I was ecstatic!

This company is awesome because they offer an energy mix unlike the other brands. They blend green tea and anti-oxidants with energy-restoring NADH and yerba maté for enhanced vigor.

They also offer a sleep aid formula consisting of lemon Balm, chamomile, gaba, jujube berry and magnesium to support restful sleep.

Sounds pretty awesome to me!

There are three flavors, citron, tropical berry, and mixed tea berry and all were excellent obviously!

One lucky winner will receive two boxes of Phix Energy variety packs. What a sweet deal!!

Here's how to enter:

-Like Phix Energy on facebook
-Follow Phix Energy on Twitter
-Subscribe to my blog posts
-Leave a comment telling me how you think this energy mix would help you

Good luck!! 
I will choose a winner on Friday the 6th so get your entries in :)