Proactive Measures You Can Take To Keep Healthy & Well

 

It’s important to remind yourself that there’s a lot that is in your control on any given day, especially as it relates to health and well-being. Your daily habits and rituals play an essential role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

The better you take care of yourself, the better you’re going to feel and the more likely it is that you’ll achieve your goals. It’s not only about getting regular checkups for preventive care but also modifying your approach in your daily life so you can feel your best. Here you can review proactive measures you can take to keep healthy and well.

Color Me Healthy with Superior Source Vitamins

Time to gear up to a healthy school year for your children with Microlingual® tablets from Superior Source. Your kids will enjoy taking Superior Source Vitamins because there are NO PILLS to SWALLOW! That means no fuss, no water, and no complaints at vitamin time.

With over 70 clean and effective options, there’s something for everyone in the family—from little learners to grown-ups who want to stay sharp and strong. These tiny tablets dissolve right under the tongue in seconds, so they absorb fast and don’t get broken down by stomach acid like traditional vitamins. That means better potency and less waste—win-win!

What makes Superior Source even better? They’re clean, pure, and simple—no artificial junk, no hard-to-pronounce ingredients—just the good stuff your body needs to stay energized and thriving all year long.

How to Live In Luxury When on a Budget

Everyone wants to live a stress-free and luxurious life. But such a lifestyle is unattainable for most people because they can't afford it - or, so they think. What many people don't realize is that there are many ways to live luxuriantly without breaking the bank. All that's required are a few elements and some level of planning. This article will show you how to start living your dream life of luxury today.

Are you Back to School ready?

Back to school is just two weeks away for us! I can hardly believe it. We have almost everything all set and ready when it comes to back to school supplies, but there's always those last minute things that seem to pop up. Especially when it comes to fashionable accessories and snacks! Whether your kiddos are headed into grades K-12 or headed off to college you'll definitely find something in this round-up of back to school necessities!

Rock those pearly whites with a little help from Colgate and show off your #DesignerSmile

With summer break in full swing for some of us that means more time outdoors. And more contact with other people. And of course as we all know...more smiling to say "HELLO". So now's the perfect time to hop on board with a whitening plan to get those pearly whites nice and bright. By using the Colgate Optic White Platinum High Impact White Toothpaste you can get visibly whiter teeth starting in just three days. I've been using Colgate toothpaste for as long as I can remember and love the improvement I've seen in the color of my teeth. At one point my dentist had recommended I get my teeth bleached, but I wouldn't let him. Now I'm thankful because I've found a more natural way to do it at home. No bleaching, and no whitening strips.

The latest innovation from Colgate Optic White, the new Colgate Optic White Platinum High Impact White Toothpaste, whitens more than a box of the leading whitening strip* to give you 4 shades, visibly whiter teeth** starting in just 3 days.

*Toothpaste used as directed for 6 weeks vs. 1 box treatment of the leading whitening strip, used as directed.
**When brushing twice daily for six weeks

Fruit Me Up! Boost - Natural Energy on the go

It seems like now days we are even busier than when the kids were in school. Most days I feel like I met myself coming and going. And it's only a few weeks into summer vacation. Thankfully there are ways to help with that like Fruit Me Up! Boost. It's a natural snack that gives you a nutrition boost any time of the day...and even on the go. I like that they are shelf stable so I can toss a pack into my bag when the kids and I are headed out for the day to run errands. Then when we need a pick-me-up we have something handy and it helps keep us away from fast food restaurants and drive-thru food. Which we all know is hard not only on the pocketbook but also on our bodies. Fruit Me Up! Boost is made with all natural ingredients and has all lots of nutrients our bodies need. Of the flavors I've tried so far I think the peaches and cream are my favorite. It kind of reminds me of a peach pie at room temperature.

About:
Fruit Me Up! pouches are made with real fruit and real ingredients, providing kids with convenient natural energy, mess-free! The pouches are available in two varieties - Fruit Me Up! Naturally Better and Fruit Me Up! BOOST. Fruit Me Up! Naturally Better pouches offer a full serving of fruit, contain no added water or fruit juice concentrate and have 25% less sugar per oz. than most leading brands. Each Fruit Me Up! BOOST pouch offers an extra boost of nutrients like calcium, fiber, antioxidant Vitamin C and Omega-3 ALA in every delicious flavor combination.

Connect with Fruit Me Up! on Facebook.

Buy it: You can purchase Fruit Me Up! at select retailers in store and online.

Stay healthy this March with this awesome tips from AquaBall

March is National Nutrition Month, an initiative sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics with the goal of teaching people about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. When it comes to kids, healthy living is more than not eating too many cookies and putting down the video game controller. In order to be healthy, kids need to get exercise, drink plenty of water and eat right by limiting their sugar intake.

I had no idea it was National Nutrition Month, but thanks to my partners at AquaBall I'm ready to take action and help my family get steered in the right direction! Of course that includes AquaBall water because I know it's a healthy alternative to the sugary flavored waters out there.

Looking for some healthy and delicious snack alternatives?

My kids aren't exactly "little" anymore, but they still enjoy healthy snacks like these Little Duck Organics tiny fruits and veggies. Heck I even enjoyed them and I am definitely not what you would call little. I like that they are good for you and they are very portable. I actually dropped a bag of them in my car so I would have them on hand to snack on while running errands around town. Sometimes errands just doesn't work out as planned so it's nice to have something to tide me over until I get home instead of stopping for drive-thru food I don't really need to be eating. These little snacks are sweet and a real treat for anyone, any age. And to be honest who doesn't love some freeze dried fruits and veggies?!

After checking out their website I'm really hoping to try out their Tiny yogurts and Tiny Gummies. They both sound like they would be a delicious, and indulgent snack to this mamma.

About:
Little Duck Organics is an organic and healthy snack alternative for your little ones. Since Little Duck Organics are GMO-free, gluten-free, kosher and have no preservatives, they are a safe and nutritious snack for your little duck! Little Duck Organics are packed full of vitamins and packaged in colorful, resealable, kid-approved pouches.

Connect with Little Duck Organics:
Website | Facebook | Twitter| Instagram

Okay, so if you're anything like me you may have had the same initial reaction that I did when you saw "Crunchy Kale". I will be honest I turned up my nose and was like there is no way I am going to eat this stuff. Then I put my mommy hat on and told myself exactly what I would have told my kids if they reacted that way. "You have to try at least one piece before you can say you don't like something." So I put on my big girl britches and did just that. AND guess what? I liked it!! I mean I really really liked it. This stuff is actually really good..and somewhat addicting. I can't really describe the flavor, but it's something unlike anything I was expecting. I even had each of my kids and my husband try some and they liked it too. HA, who knew we'd all enjoy a snack that's also a superfood! I actually stopped off at our local Fresh Thyme Market today while doing errands and picked up a few other flavors for us to try since we enjoyed these so much.

About:
Brad’s provides a handcrafted blend of organic veggies, seeds, herbs and spices to bring snackers an air-crisped, delicious, superfood snacks. Brad’s snacks aren’t just tasty, their ingredients are organic and picked fresh to assure maximum health benefits for you - Brad’s nutrient-packed snacks include crunchy kale, raw chips, and broccoli poppers – each coming in assortment of flavors.

Connect with Brad’s:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Brad’s Raw Crunchy Kale and Little Duck Organics dried fruit snacks were created specifically for kids, but nutritious and delicious for humans aged 1 to 100.

How about you? Have you tried anything from Brad’s or Little Duck Organics?
If so what did you think?

5 Benefits of Encouraging Kids to Play Baseball

Keeping your kids fit and active is one of the biggest aspects of ensuring they remain healthy, which is where organized sports come into play. Playing organized sports such as baseball is good for a child's mind and body. If you're undecided about signing your child up for organized baseball, read more to learn about some of the best benefits of the sport. If need be, search online for quality gear, such as baseballgloves for kids from Homerun Monkey.

Encourages Teamwork and Social Skills
When a child plays organized baseball, or any sport, they learn the importance of workingtogether as a team even if they don't like everyone on the team. Without proper teamwork, the entire team cannot come together to win. Children learn that they must respect their teammates' opinions, skills, and the ways they contribute. Baseball can also teach a child how to communicate their thoughts with their teammates and improve their social skills.

Health Benefits
Children need to be active for optimal health. Baseball is a sport that can give your child a break from modern technology and helps them enjoy healthyhabits. Some of the most important health benefits of playing baseball include
• Develops strong legs
• Burns calories
• Strengthens heart muscle
• Improves lung capacity
• Strengthens arm muscles
• Improves joint flexibility

When children play baseball, they are performing cardiovascular activity, which gets their heart pumping. Performing regular cardiovascular activities lowers blood pressure, decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes, and controls body fat.

Teaches Decision Making Skills
Just as teamwork is necessary for playing baseball, children will also learn how to strategize and make decisions. Baseball can be fast-paced, allowing many opportunities for them to make quick decisions. Baseball encourages the importance of concentration, remaining alert, having confidence, and commitment.

Reduces Stress
Baseball helps to reduce everyday stress a child faces because it gives them something else to think about. Organized sports help to free their mind and encourage a healthy outlet for them to relieve stress. Being active allows the body to produce endorphins, which replaces stress and allows them to feel good.

Encourages Friendly Competition
Playing sports isn't all about winning the game, and it's important to teach your child that it's okay to lose sometimes. Help boost your child's confidence by praising and encouraging them even if their team loses. It's natural for a child to feel bad if their team doesn't win, so help them through the disappointment as much as you can. Helping your child deal with disappointment at a young age will teach them how to be stronger as they age and will help them learn to never give up. Spend time with them improving their skills so they can be more confident and prepared when on the field.


Organized baseball can provide many benefits to your family. It will give your child something to be proud of, boosting their self-esteem. Work together with your child to help them remain positive about the sport. Never push them to the point where they end up disliking the sport. It's great to win the game, but let the sport be a positive experience for them where they can let loose and just have fun. 

AquaBall Ice Pops - #‎NationalSugarAwarenessWeek‬ Challenge

It seems like about this time every year at least one of my kids comes down with some sort of nasty cold or even strep throat. As a mom I try to always be prepared for those moments with ways to help ease their discomfort and pain. Being it's winter and feels like subzero out I don't usually have any sort of ice pops on hand like I would if it were warmer temps out. Plus I've never been very big on all the sugar that they have in them. I've actually resorted to making ice pops at home more than once with juice and other flavored beverages. Again there's still that lingering thing called sugar in those juices.

This past week my daughter came home from school complaining about having a sore throat a couple days in a row. She didn't have any other symptoms so I think it was just due to the dry air from everywhere running heat 24/7. We didn't have any ice pops on hand (or juice because I hadn't been to the store yet), but I just so happened to remember the case of AquaBall water I had gotten for their National Sugar Awareness Week Challenge. Then that little light bulb went off in my head and I came up with the perfect solution for both the challenge and my daughter....AquaBall Ice Pops. What a great idea! I could offer her something cold to sooth her throat and I wouldn't have to feel bad about handing her basically frozen flavored sugar. Since we already had the silicone molds to make ice pops I opened up a few bottles and filled them up. After they were frozen my daughter was able to enjoy a cold ice pop to sooth her throat, and I was able to feel good knowing it wasn't sugar filled.

About:
National Sugar Awareness Week (January 18-22), is an initiative designed to urge Americans to cut sugar from their diets and/or at least lessen their normal sugar consumption. In conjunction with the week, AquaBall, a zero sugar and zero calorie children’s beverage, wanted to add their own spin on the national challenge by inviting carefully selected influential mommy bloggers to create fun, sugar-free recipes using the product.

As the USDA’s 2015 Dietary Guidelines were released urging Americans to reduce sugar intake to less than 10% of their calorie consumption, the challenge aligns perfectly with the push to promote healthier lifestyles in 2016 and beyond. Aiding moms across the nation, AquaBall is offering a case of their healthy children’s beverage to all mommy blog participants by challenging moms to come up with unique and creative recipes using AquaBall – anything from smoothies to healthy dessert bars.

Connect with AquaBall:
Website | Facebook | Instagram

Wellness® TruFood® knows #TruLoveIs showing your pet you love them #sponsored

This post is sponsored by PetSmart & Wellness Natural Pet Food and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Wellness TruFood, but Mom in Traiing only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Wellness Natural Pet Food is not responsible for the content of this article.

Giving your pet the attention and love they deserve is the best way to show them you care. It keeps them active and happy so they can be a part of your family for many years to come. As part of that love offering them pet foods that are formulated with their specific needs in mind is something that Wellness® TruFood® strives to do. TruFood is made with whole foods blended by hand and baked in small batches to create grain-free, nutrient-rich meals, full of whole prey protein, raw produce and antioxidants. TruFood is living proof that real nutrition is the most fundamental source of health and happiness for your pets.

Wellness® TruFood® for dogs is available in wet and dry formulas as well as treats. I like that they offer a variety of flavors for our Pete to enjoy so he doesn't get stuck eating the same thing day in and day out. I think it's important to give your pet variety as well as special treats that they don't get every day like with their standard food. Like kids they enjoy having those bonding moments where you reward them with something special.

Some important things to know about TruFood:

• TruFood with whole foods from farm, field and sea. Wellness® TruFood has more

of what pets need to be vibrant and happy.

• TruFood has 70% more raw protein than most pet foods. TruFood only uses wholeprey

proteins full of natural vitamins and minerals that pets need to thrive. Also

included is kale, broccoli and green beans .

• TruFood uses Grain Free fiber such as chickpeas, flaxseed and lentils that pets may

digest better. Powerful superfoods such as beets, blueberries, and cranberries to

help maintain a healthy weight and support the immune system.

• TruFood recipes contain pumpkin, ginger and turmeric and live yogurt cultures to

help support a healthy digestive system.

We show our Pete what #TruLoveIs through a healthy diet, exercise, and of course lots of love and affection.

How would you finish this sentence when it comes to your pets?
For me #TruLoveIs .....?

The full Wellness® TruFood® line can be found at your local PetSmart® store.

Connect with Petsmart:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube

Stay on your "A" Game with Pocket Protein & Pocket Protein KIDZ #PocketProtein

Do you struggle to get a balanced diet in with all of your running around you do sometimes? Especially with the holidays in full gear right now I'm sure you can relate. I know some days it's half way through the afternoon (about the time I'm starting to get that slump) when I realize I forgot to eat lunch. And by then my mood has gone downhill and I just feel like crawling under my blanket for the rest of the day. Thanks to great innovations like Pocket Protein I can start my day out right and with enough energy to help keep me from crashing when I forget to grab lunch on time. And right now the makers of Pocket Protein are in the midst of a crowdfunding project to rasie enough funds to fully support their newest product: Pocket Protein KIDZ. Pocket Protein KIDZ contains seven grams of protein with essential vitamins. Important things our kids need to build muscle and give them the energy to be active and focus better in school. Plus it helps keep them fuller, longer. Now you can make sure both you and your kids have the added protein we all need to keep us going throughout the day! I tried the adult version while my daughter tried the new KIDZ version and we both loved the sweet taste. She was even begging for mine once she had hers finished. Guess it looks like I'll be needing to order some for her. They are great for on the go, and for school lunches.

About:
Pocket Protein is the latest innovation in good nutrition. It is a convenient sugar free protein drink that utilizes a proprietary blend of whey protein isolate and hydrolyzed collagen to provide maximum nutritional impact in a pocket-friendly package. Our amino acid blend increases satiety without adding calories. Our carbohydrate free formula helps control blood sugar. Pair with a complex carbohydrate for a complete snack that keeps you fuller longer while mitigating insulin spikes. Pocket Protein is fat free too! Fat free protein drinks allow you to control calories without sacrificing good nutrition. Pocket Protein combines all of these benefits in an easy-to-carry package that tastes great.

Pocket protein is:

 • Sugar Free
 • Fat Free
 • Carb Free
 • Gluten Free
 • Lactose Free
 • Stimulant Free
 • Non-GMO
 • And has no artificial colors

Please consider helping support this awesome company and trying Pocket Protein KIDZ with your kids today!

Buy it: Currently there's a Mommy special ($19) Pre-Order Package Buy 6 - Give 6. When you pre-order a 6 pack of Pocket Protein KIDZ, they will donate 6 to a child in need.  And you can save 15% while supplies last by using the promo code TRAINING at checkout.

And right now they are running a Pocket Protein KIDZ Sweepstakes that you'll be entered in automatically to Win a $500 Visa Gift Card!

It's Snack Time with Lola Granola Bars #Giveaway - Ends 10-6

As a mom I try to always make good choices when buying snacks for my family. I'm always checking the packages to see how much sugar is in snacks as well as other contents like fat and unnecessary additives. Oh, and then there's always the whole finding snacks the kids will eat once I have found choices that aren't full of sugar and junk their bodies don't need. The kids each get home from school at a different time, and then they have to wait for my husband to get home from work before they can have dinner. So I like to keep a basket of "good for them" snacks on the counter. This way they aren't coming home every day complaining they are hungry and rooting around the refrigerator and cabinets in search of something to tide them over until supper. I also try to give them a variety of choices because I know they each have their own likes and dislikes when it comes to flavors. That's one of the reasons I really liked the Lola Granola Bars. They are not only good for them, but they also come in five different combinations.


The Enzo (Almonds and Cashews): GF Oats, Honey, Flax Seed Meal, Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Shredded Coconut, Cashews, Coconut Oil, Flax Seeds, Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon. 

The Lola (Almonds and Cranberries): GF Oats, Honey, Flax Seed Meal, Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Shredded Coconut, Dried Cranberries (Cranberries, Pure Cane Sugar, Sunflower Oil), Coconut Oil, Flax Seeds, Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon.

The Nathan (Blueberries and Almonds): GF Oats, Honey, Flax Seed Meal, Sunflower Seeds, Shredded Coconut, Dried Cultivated Blueberries (pure cane sugar, sunflower oil), Almond, Coconut Oil, Flax Seeds, Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon. 

The Ruby (Cranberries): GF Oats, Honey, Flax Seed Meal, Sunflower Seeds, Shredded Coconut, Dried Cranberries (Cranberries, Pure Cane Sugar, Sunflower Oil), Coconut Oil, Flax Seeds, Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon.

This gives them options with or without nuts/berries or a combination of them. I personally like the almonds and cashews followed by the cranberries bar. They are just the right size for slipping in my purse for gymnastics night too. My daughter can eat a bar on the way to practice and she doesn't get super cranky because she has to wait a little later for dinner!

About:
Lola Granola Bars were created by Mary Molina when her family hit hard times. They were struggling to provide for their 4 young children, and were relying on public assistance and food banks.  Her husband Ernie was eating junk food to save money. So Mary made him nutritious granola bars to save money, making sure they were gluten and soy free due to her children's allergies, and he loved them! The kids loved the bars, and so did Ernie’s coworkers, who asked to buy some. Lola Granola Bars was born.  Lola Granola Bars have an MSRP of $1.99. Lola Granola Bars are made in small batches at their upstate New York facility, a member of Pride of New York, and support local food anti-hunger programs.
You can connect with Lola Granola Bars on  Facebook and Twitter.

Buy it: Find Lola Granola Bars near you.

Win it:  One lucky reader will win a Lola Granola Bars Variety Pack. This giveaway will end October 7th at 12:00 AM EST. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If no response, a new winner will be chosen. Open to residents of the US.

Entry Method:  Please use Rafflecopter form to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure:  Thanks to PR Firm/sponsor I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of my personal review. This blog post is not a paid post and the honest opinions stated are my own. Please allow 4-6 weeks for prize delivery from the sponsor. Limit 1 win per person across all blogs.

Snack healthy with Almondina cookies #Giveaway - Ends 10-3

Are you looking for a snack that can satisfy your cravings for a cookie but don't use up your entire daily allowance of snacking calories? Then Almondina cookies are just the treat you're looking for.

Almondina cookies are unique - a gourmet cookie, health food and snack, all in one. These extraordinary gourmet treats are created from Yuval Zaliouk's secret family recipe which has been passed down from generation to generation and was introduced to the market in 1989. It is wonderfully crunchy and does not have to be dipped. It is a delightful accompaniment for coffee, tea, soft cheeses and fine light wines.

Almondina® is available in the following flavors:

• Original - America's all natural favorite with almonds and raisins

• Chocolate Cherry - We combined the world's finest dark chocolate with plump cherries to produce an irresistible, decadent treat without guilt

• Choconut - Rich tasting crunchy chocolate, but low in calories

• Cinnaroma® - The original biscuit for cinnamon lovers

• Gingerspice - Trend setting, with chunks of Australian ginger

• AlmonDuo® - Double-nut wonder with almonds and pistachios

• AnniversaryT - Award winning delight with a touch of anise

• BranTreats® - Made with oat bran and the finest cinnamon "Cookies For Breakfast"

• Sesame - Irresistible, exotic, flavorful

• Seasonal Pumpkin Spice - A seasonal attraction with a delightful touch of fall spices combined with the highest quality almonds and pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

• Chocolate Dipped – the Original® dipped in the finest, pure, rich dark chocolate was previously offered only certain times of the year is now  available year round

• Delights – The Original® Almondina totally encased in Milk chocolate

• Yogurt Dipped – Brantreats® dipped on one side with a layer of all natural yogurt

We've tried several of the flavors above and so far my husband and I agree that the chocolate cherry is our favorite so far. Almondina® Biscuits are all natural and are free of cholesterol, coloring and preservatives. They are made with no added fat or salt so they are low in calories - only 30 per slice. They are a great topping crumbled up on ice cream, with a glass of milk, or even along as breakfast on the go.

You can connect with Almondina® on Facebook and Twitter.

Buy it: Find Almondina® cookies near you.

Win it:  One lucky reader will win an Almondina® Variety Pack. This giveaway will end October 4th at 12:00 AM EST. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If no response, a new winner will be chosen. Open to residents of the US.

Entry Method:  Please use Rafflecopter form to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure:  Thanks to PR Firm/sponsor I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of my personal review. This blog post is not a paid post and the honest opinions stated are my own. Please allow 4-6 weeks for prize delivery from the sponsor.

The Prepared Pantry - An easy way to a healthy breakfast!

Are you like me and have vowed to stop buying so much pre-made breakfast foods like waffles and pancakes? I just can't see spending the extra money on a product that's not nearly as good for my kids as making them myself. Plus homemade waffles and pancakes are always taste so much better, at least that's the opinion in my house. With the Prepared Pantry you can make them both with mixes like their Multigrain Pancake and Waffle Mix with Ancient Grains. And you're even sneaking in something a little extra with this mix and it's Ancient grains. I was afraid having the added texture in the pancakes might turn my kids away, but both of them actually said they loved them and asked if I could make extra to keep in the freezer for them for school days. Now this is something a mother loves to hear, kids wanting to eat something that's good for them.

The kids had simple pancakes with peanut butter and syrup while my husband had what he called a pancake bomb. He likes to make his breakfast into a full blown meal while we like to keep it simple. Either way everyone loved the mix and now we are searching for the next product to try from The Prepared Pantry. I really like the idea of cooking from scratch, but sometimes I just don't have enough time in my day to do that. With The Prepared Pantry I can fix foods that are both easy to use and are good for my family too.

About The Prepared Pantry:
The Prepared Pantry is a family-owned business located in Rigby, Idaho.  The company sells baking mixes, kitchen tools, baking ingredients, and gourmet foods.

Make sure you check out their weekly specials too for some really awesome deals as well as their weekly FREEBIE!

Get Connected with Balance Rewards and make healthy choices today! #BalanceRewards #cbias #shop

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BalanceRewards #CollectiveBias

Do you like to be rewarded for the simple things you do in everyday life? I know I do and that's why I originally joined the Walgreens Balance Rewards program. You can earn rewards for shopping in store, filling prescriptions, getting immunizations, through exclusive offers, and now for making healthy choices! You can earn extra points by setting goals, linking a device or app, and logging various health related activities. Sounds like a better reward than my bowl full of sugary sweets I had the last time we went to a buffet for dinner....oh, and much better for my health too. Yes that colorful bowl full of yummies sure looked, and even tasted good but a little while later my tummy sure was regretting it.

I don't know about you, but when it comes to exercise I need someone or something to keep me motivated. I'm usually the one hiding behind the camera so I have excuses like "I can't climb the tree" or "I can't run the trail with the kids" because I might drop my camera. I'm ashamed to say it, but yes those are thoughts that have run through my head. I've tried various ways to keep on task like joining exercise groups or challenges, but it seems like as soon as they are over so is my progress. I know in my mind I want to make healthy choices and I've even taken the time to write down my health goals, but at the end of the day unless there's a motivator there for me I just can't seem to stay with it. So needless to say when I heard about the Balance Rewards for healthy choices feature on the Walgreens app I was pretty excited. I'm always on my phone anyhow so this would make it pretty easy for me to use no matter where I'm at. On it I can set health goals, track my progress, and connecting any fitness related devices I might use along the way (Supported devices: FitBit, iHealth, Jawbone, MapMyFitness, MyFitnessPal, RunKeeper).

With this in mind I decided it was time to get myself moving and to get off on the right foot headed to Walgreens to pick up something to help me through out the day. With so many great devices to choose from I took some time to look them all over before deciding on one that I could sync automatically with my Balance Rewards account. I figured this was the best way to do it so that I couldn't use the excuse of "I forgot" to log my information. I also knew having a wireless device would make it so much easier to track and see my progress with. So with that I was set to head home with my Fitbit Zip and ready to get tracking!

So once I got home I opened up my online account and began by setting my goals and connecting my device. All of which I might add was very easy to do and took very little time. Now I have something that will help keep me accountable and will even reward me for doing what's good for my health!

So now it's my turn to challenge you to make healthy choices. Join me by registering today and start tracking your progress as well!

Live Healthier and Happier...Will you take the Dare? #Win a $50 Amazon.com or VISA gift card - Ends 7-1

UnitedHealthcare is running a new campaign to help families live healthier through their website WeDareYouToShare.com. The new challenge for June is to post of photo of someone smiling. This month's dare is all about smiling to relieve some stress. And to make it a little more enticing for you to join in on the monthly dare, stress activity quiz, or fitness challenge when you participate you're also entered to win a weekly $25 pre-paid gift card prize and their monthly $400 gift card grand prize.

When I first heard about initiative I had to check it out for myself. I wondered if it was really as simple as it sounded. Well...after clicking on each of the June dares I found out for myself that yes, it really was that simple. For the photo challenge all you have to do is upload a photo or video of someone you made smile. Take a moment and just think about it, I bet right there on your phone or computer you have a ton of pictures of people you made smile. I know as a mom I sure do so I simply picked a recent photo and was able to quickly and easily upload it for my entry.

I picked a photo that not only showed my daughter smiling when we made homemade pretzels for her birthday, but one that also made me smile because it brought back the memories of that day. I guess that was a win-win pick for me! After I submitted that dare I moved on to the stress activity quiz. It seriously took me longer to read the question and answers than it did to pick my answer. It was that easy! Plus since I got the answer correct I got a bonus five entries. Yea me!! Then I moved on to the final challenge which was a real wake me up because I couldn't honestly fill it out. It asks you to log your exercise by listing when you did it, for how long, where you did it, and what sort of exercise it was. It really made me look at myself and how I'd let my days of "busyness" get in the way of sticking to my previous exercise routine I had started. So with this post I am now daring myself to get back on the bike so to speak and start exercising daily again. I want to be able to honestly fill out the fitness challenge and feel good about doing it. Boy am I glad I took the time to check this out for myself.

So now it's my turn to ask you will you take the dare to live a healthier happier life? Still sitting there wondering if it's worth those extra 5 minutes to enter? Need an even bigger incentive to check it out? If you take one of the June challenges and use my promo code below you will also be entered to win an exclusive prize right here on Mom in Training.

Win it:  One lucky reader will win a $50 Amazon.com or VISA gift card. This giveaway will end July 1st at 12:00 AM EST. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If no response, a new winner will be chosen. Open to residents of the US.

Entry Method:  Visit WeDareYouToShare.com and choose one of the Dares for June. When you get to the form to fill out your information simply add the promo code MOMINTRAINING in the appropriate box. You may do more than one Dare to enter the weekly and monthly contests hosted by the website, but only one Dare will count towards entry into my individual contest. After you're done please come back and leave me a comment below about what you thought of the challenge.

Disclosure:  Thanks to PR Firm/sponsor I was provided with this product(s) for the purpose of my personal review. This blog post is not a paid post and the honest opinions stated are my own. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, entry via Facebook like is completely optional. Please allow 4-6 weeks for prize delivery from the sponsor.

CHIA Squeeze & Mamma CHIA Beverage Prize Pack #Giveaway - Ends 10-17

New healthy, delicious and convenient anytime snack that is:

• A tasty blend of organic CHIA, fruits & vegetables
• Provides more than HALF the recommended amount of Omega-3s
• 4 grams of fiber – equivalent to about the amount of fiber found in an average size apple
• 7 grams of sugar – VERY LOW for any fruit-based snack

CHIA Squeeze - from CHIA category leader and innovator Mamma CHIA – are a NEW and delicious way to enjoy the benefits of power food CHIA seeds. Combined with organic fruits and vegetables, CHIA Squeeze is a 3.5-ounce, 70-calorie, no-sugar-added snack packed with Omega-3 (important for brain health), fiber and complete protein.This lightweight, on-the-go squeeze pouch is perfect for children, busy moms, or active adults and does not need refrigeration. CHIA Squeeze can be enjoyed at room temperature right form the pouch or refrigerated for a tasty, cool treat! CHIA Squeeze is USDA-certified organic, non-GMO verified, vegan and gluten-free.

Available in Apple Cinnamon, Blackberry Bliss, Strawberry Banana and Green Magic flavors.

Mamma CHIA Beverages are an excellent source of fiber and contain 2500 mg Omega-3, 4 g Complete Protein, and 95 mg Calcium. Filled with powerful antioxidants and are certified gluten-free and vegan. Lightly sweetened with less than one tablespoon of Organic Agave. All packaged in an environmentally friendly glass bottle.

Available in Blackberry Hibiscus, Cherry Lime, Cranberry Lemonade, Raspberry Passion, Pomegranate Mint, Coconut Mango, Kiwi Lime, Guava Mamma, and Grapefruit Ginger.

My Take:
I was really excited when I received the opportunity to try the CHIA Squeeze & Mamma CHIA Beverages. I'd never had a product that actually contained CHIA seeds before and couldn't wait to give it a try.  To my surprise the CHIA Squeezes were even better than I expected. It took a little getting used to it having the actual seeds in it instead of being smooth like an applesauce squeeze. But once I finished the first one I was looking forward to trying another flavor the next day.  Of course it was just my luck the kids were around when I opened the second one and they both had to try it...and guess what? They LOVED them..somewhat to my dismay because now they expected mom to share her yummy treats with them. I have to say though I am glad because now I have an alternate snack idea for putting in their lunches that tastes great AND is good for them. Next up was the Mamma CHIA Beverages. I received the coupons for them so I had to use the online "Find Us" button on the website and to my luck was able to find them in stock at our local Nature’s Pharm. So I headed out and picked up a few different flavors to get me started. I got the Blackberry Hibiscus and the Coconut Mango to try first. I have to say these were just as good as the CHIA Squeezes when it came to flavor. I hid them so I didn't have to share with the kids this time.  I think I might just keep this little secret to myself so I have a treat for my long mommy days!
 
Win it:  One lucky reader will win 7 Mamma CHIA drinks (free certificates so that we don’t have to worry about the logistics/cost of sending chilled packages) & 7 CHIA Squeezes, and a Mamma CHIA Eco-tote (Value: $50). This giveaway will end October 18th at 12:00 AM EST. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email. If no response, a new winner will be chosen. Open to residents of the US.

Entry Method:  Please use Rafflecopter form to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure:  Thanks to PR Firm/sponsor I was provided with this product(s) for the purpose of my personal review. This blog post is not a paid post and the honest opinions stated are my own. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, entry via Facebook like is completely optional. Please allow 4-6 weeks for prize delivery from the sponsor.