Staying fit never tasted so good with NuGo Slim

Staying fit never tasted so good!

NuGo Slim protein bars are low sugar protein bars will keep you energized & satisfied.

• 15-17g of protein
• 7g of fiber
• 5-6 net carbs
• 2-3 g of sugar

Flavors:

• Brownie Crunch
• Roasted Peanut
• Raspberry Truffle
• Crunch Peanut Butter
• Espresso

I tried 3 flavors:

Crunchy Peanut Butter:

I tried crunchy peanut butter first. I do wish it had more peanut butter flavor but it was a nice combo.  I mean come on how great does that look? If I said hey this is low in suagr, high in fiber & protein you wouldn’t believe me.

Raspberry Truffle:

If you love raspberries , go to their website and find a location near you and grab one of these now. I loved the combination of the raspberry  & dark chocolate. It was rich, decadent, indulgent, delicious with each bite treat. Out of the 3 this one was my favorite. Sweetness & chocolate= YUM!

Brownie Crunch:

Chocolate goodness. I liked the crunch from the almonds. The almond pieces are small, you can see that in the photo above.  This one took a little effort to chew but if you think about it , its good because you can enjoy each bite. I was left satisfied after this afternoon pick me up.

 

 

You might think when you see ‘slim’ in the name , it might not taste as great. You’re wrong! I was surprised when I opened the package to see what looked like a candy bar. How can I eat this bar covered in REAL dark chocolate and it be good for me?

Its low in sugar & net carbs, high in protein & fiber. These bars also free of artificial ingredients . NuGo Slim also is low on the glycemic index, which is great for people who monitor your sugar or looking to maintain weight.

Final thoughts:

I really enjoyed these protein bars. They were my little pick me up in the afternoon. I was just thinking how is something this indulgent also good for me? I like that it is low in sugar which I try to look into.  After each bar I was left satisfied and happy & helped me over that afternoon slump. You can eat these without the guilt of a candy bar, a great alternative and better ingredients & benefits.

 

NuGo Nutrition has a variety of different bars you can try, see them all here . I tried the Fiber D’Lish bars which were great. So many great flavors. Find out where you can buy them here . I also  like on their site you can find the bars you are looking for based on your needs. They have a list of their vegan bars, ones that are higher in protein, organic, low glycemic & more.  You can grab a sample pack of 2-3 bars for $6-$7.

 

Have you tried NuGo Nutrition bars before?

I received these bars fro NuGo Nutrition for review purposes.. All opinions are my own

Good 2 Go Protein bar Review

When choosing a protein bar there are so many choices. From brands, how much protein is in them, ingredients, sugar, carbs & flavors.

Protein bars are great for pre & post work out, for that afternoon slump, and also good for when you are on the go.

A little about these bars: 

The G2G bars are all completely natural, 99.9% lactose-free, and use many organic ingredients. The bars do not contain any refined sugar; instead they are sweetened with honey, brown rice syrup, and coconut crystals. They contain flaxseed and coconut oil, and are flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. The bars are high in protein, which comes from whey isolate, peanut & almond butters, (freshly ground) and oats. In addition to fantastic taste and satisfaction, the ingredients in the G2G bars possess countless health benefits.

 

Benefits

• Whey Protein: rapid-digesting protein that feeds muscle tissue and helps in muscle recovery
• Whole Oats: lowers cholesterol, reduces risk of heart disease, stabilizes blood sugar
• Flaxseed: promotes bone health, protects against heart disease, cancer and diabetes
• Coconut Oil: supports tissue healing, protects against osteoporosis, reduces inflammation
• Honey: anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal
• Cinnamon: anti-microbial, helps control blood sugar, improves colon health

 

I heard its best to look for a protein bar with a protein to sugar ratio to keep the blood sugar balanced. These bars have 18 grams of protein & 15 grams of sugar. There is also 4 gram of fiber in each bar to help keep blood sugar stable & full longer.

I like that these bar have no preservatives. You should refrigerate these bars for maximum freshness & taste. They will also last longer, up to 8 months or one month our of the fridge.

The first ingredient is either freshly ground peanut butter or almond butter! YUMM! I love making my own nut butters at Whole Foods because I think they taste better. Well this goes for these bars.. they taste fantastic!

Each bite , especially in the peanut butter flavors are so creamy. They are one of the best protein bars I have tasted.  Each bar has weight to it, have a good thickness, & fills you up.

 

When Good2Go sent me their 4 yummy flavors to try I was pretty excited.

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
• Almond Chocolate Chip
• Peanut Butter Fruit Nut
• Almond Fruit Nut

Also knowing that these bars are made in the U.S , made with organic ingredients , no refined sugar, & no preservatives I was ready to try them all.

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

The first bite you could taste the peanut butter.  Each bite is so creamy & smooth. There are small pieces of peanuts throughout the bar  ( which you can see in the photo) as well as chocolate chips which compliments well with the peanut butter. This combo is perfect. Each bite I thought is this really good for me? Yes it is nom nom nom  It almost reminded me of cookie dough.

Almond Chocolate Chip

These were still creamy & smooth but I think because it almond it was a tad drier than the peanut butter bar but still delicious. There was a subtle flavor of the almonds along with vanilla. There were almonds pieces & chocolate chips throughout making each bite heavenly.

Peanut Butter Fruit Nut

Again creamy, smooth, peanut buttery deliciousness. I didn’t get too much fruit flavor but when I did it reminded me over peanut butter & jelly. Small pieces of peanuts throughout the bar.

I think these are just a smidge smaller than the ones with chocolate but still hefty & filling.

Almond Fruit Nut

Subtle almond & vanilla flavor & hint of some fruit. Almond pieces throughout. Again a little drier than the peanut butter one but that is how almonds are.

 

Final thoughts:

These were delicious, it was love at first bite. Each bite I thought am I really eating something healthy? Yes..yes I am. With these being creamy & smooth , the consistency was sort of like a drier cookie dough. If this doesn’t make you want to try it, I don’t know what will.   I really like that I can look at the ingredient list and read and understand all the ingredients. I was also surprised with the weight & size of each bar. Packed with protein & good for you ingredients.

With these being completely all natural with no refined sugars (only sweetened with honey, brown rice syrup, and coconut crystals you can feel good about eating them. The high protein is great for a pre /post work out or even a snack to keep you held over until your next meal.  They help satisfy a sweet tooth,  fill me up , & gave me an energy boost.

To find out more & order head to their website

or check them out on facebook

 

I received these products complimentary from Good2Go for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

SLIMQUICK Pure Protein Vanilla review + Giveaway

Summer is upon us and that means bathing suits, shorts, tanks, & dresses.
We all want to look good and this protein powder is here to help you.

About SLIMQUICK
New SLIMQUICK Pure Protein is the only protein supplement designed specifically to help women lose 3 times the weight.* Plus, SLIMQUICK Pure Protein tastes incredibly delicious and provides 20 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per day!
Only SLIMQUICK Pure Protein is make with BioPure Green Tea , a natural extract that has been shown in a published clinical study to help overweight women lose 3 times the weight versus dieting alone, in just 13 weeks.*
Rest assured, SLIMQUICK Pure Protein contains natural ingredients, including whey protein, antioxidants, calcium and natural flavors.
Available in delicious Double Chocolate and French Vanilla.

I wasn’t really using this to lose weight because I’d look like a skeleton. I did use it to get help with my daily protein, to feel energized, & feed & build my muscles.
Protein helps fuel your muscles, burn more calories, burns more fat, repairs muscles & more when you work out.
The flavor was fantastic! It didn’t have that weird after taste like most protein powders I’ve had in the past. It sort taste like vanilla cake. Yes it is that tasty. I like mixing it with cashewmilk or vanilla almond milk instead of water. I use my shaker with a jack looking thing to mix it up good.

I also have been adding a scoop to my smoothies. I haven’t used this kind yet but I do like adding it to pancake mix as well.

You get 20 grams of protein a day ( 2 servings) , 70 calories per serving, 6 grams of fiber ( 2 servings)

You drink in the morning with a meal & 6 hours later with a meal or snack.

So whether you are trying to lose weight or just get extra protein to get/stay toned this is a great & tasty way to help you. Just remember this is not a quick fix you still need to exercise & eat healthy.

* * * GIVEAWAY * * *
U.S Only
24 hours to claim
Must be 18 or older
Good Luck!!

To enter to win SLIMQUICK Pure protein go >> here

I received this product complimentary for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Summit Nutritions – 2 % Pure Whey Protein Isolate Review

Non-GMO , Lactose Free, Naturally flavored
Zero Fat, no fillers, low carb
-100% BIO PURE WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE – Summit Nutritions whey protein is isolated from Whey Protein concentrate by using patented ultra-microfiltration process which preserves natural profile of amino acid unlike other whey protein isolates that denature the Protein profile by using Ion Exchange method or others.
Kosher certified
90% Protein per Scoop
Free from protein & amino acid spiking

-> What is protein & amino acid spiking? It is when companies add extra cheap Amino Acids like Taurine, Glycine, Glutamines and Creatine to the protein powders even though they are not Food Based Protein, but added to be calculated as protein to lower the cost since they are much cheaper to manufacture

Summit Nutritions sent me 3 packs of their dutch chocolate. I used 8 oz. of vanilla almond milk to mix with. You can use water, milk, coconut milk, etc. I put the 2 in my shaker cup & shook for 25-30 seconds. It mixed well, and no clumps. Opening the pack it, I could smell the chocolate and it reminded me of hot chocolate.
I think all protein powders/ drinks have a weird taste to them, at least the ones I’ve tried. This one was ok, didn’t love it but didn’t hate it.
Once I drank it I felt more energized which I liked and kept me full which I liked. So either you want to use it to power through your work out or through the day , it give you a nice boost.

* Summit Nutritions sent me 3 packs of their Whey Protein powders to review, all opinions are my own.

Yoga Design Lab- Alignment yoga mat review

-Lightweight, non-slip, extra-long, and the perfect thickness for maximum comfort, balance, and durability.
-Eco Friendly: Free of Phthalates, Latex, metals, harmful toxins, and SGS Approved.
-Comes with and easy no fuss carrying strap.
-$1 from every purchase goes to support Urban Youth Yoga Programs in need.

The first thing I noticed was the length, its a lot longer than my other yoga mat. Being 5’11 this length is perfect for me.
I also like how it has lines on the mat so I can make sure I’m in the right position and my body is aligned so I can get the most out of my workout and prevent injury.

The strap is easy to take off and put on. It fit comfortably over the shoulder and isn’t awkward to carry around.

This mat is made from memory foam which makes it lightweight and comfortable to use when working out.
The mat also has some texture to it , so you don’t have to worry about slipping.

Whether you’re doing yoga, pilates, crunches, or stretching this this yoga mat is perfect for your fitness needs.

If you’re in need for a new yoga mat head to amazon and get yourself a Yoga Design Lab mat

I received this mat in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.

Beauty/ Fitness Haul #2

I traded someone for a $10 VS code so I can get a deal on a sports bra. All sports bra were $30.
If you read my blog often you know a few moths ago I was able to review a Victoria’s Secret sports bra. I really liked the quality , support, and how I felt wearing it.
I almost have up because there was only black in my size which I have already. As I was about to give up I found this grey one in my size.
I also had a coupon for $10/$30 I knew it would be a hit or miss. It was a miss.
Retail:: $ 54.50
Paid $ 21.91 incl. tax

Next I went to Bath & Body Works
I have a coupon to get a FREE A Thousand Wishes body care item with ANY purchase so I bought a hand sanitizer $1.86 with tax
Retail $28.50
Paid : $ 3.72 for the 2 hand sanitizers

Then Target
Another product I reviewed, Big Slice Apples. I love these with my oatmeal.
In the Target Cartwheel app raspberry hibiscus & green coffee extract / pineapple passion fruit & fiber these two flavors are 50% off
They are on sale for 2/$3 so now they come up as $.75 each!
On top of that go to ibotta and submit your receipt for $1.00 back 🙂

The food isn’t really a deal but I decided to get it while I was there but checked the cartwheel app first. I was able to get it for 5%off

Workin on my fitness

I’m in a work out rut, I’ve been slacking…. a lot and I’m over it.

This past year has been total chaos with moving around, living like a gypsy and out of a suitcase, multiple heartaches for different reasons. I’ve been stressed , usually I work out to take my mind off of whatever is going on but its been hard in my situation.

I will probably blog about my year of chaos at some point but not just yet.

On top of not working out as much as I would like, I also have been indulging in cookies.

P.S I gained 5- 7lbs! ahhh lol Thank goodness for being tall and not being able to tell but I can tell.  Also its not bad for a year .I can also feel it , I don;t have as much energy  and though Im thin, I am not as toned as I was a year ago.

So I saw this boxing gym offering their first class free, so I decided to try it out and get out of my rut yesterday.

There was a choice of kickboxing and boxing…. I took kickboxing with a trainer named John.

I had no idea what to expect.

First, the warm up which was tough! I was sweating just from that. It involved push ups, which I hate ( yes I did girl ones)

Then we put on the boxing gloves and used the bag. Jabs, cross punch, upper cuts & kicks. We would stop throughout and do jumping jacks, jumping jack push ups, and various other exercises then back to the bag. I was sweating so much and was like I need a break but kept on going. There was also an older guy in my class that didn’t look so in shape and if he was going, I needed to ! lol It was like when I would run all the time, if someone was running in front of my I would pretend it was a race in my head , it would motivate me to go harder and farther. I also liked punching the bag, definitely good to let out anger or whatever out on the bag.

After the punches & kicks we went to the floor for abs. I though it was cool to use the bag for some of the ab exercises. My abs were shaking, it was a tad hard to do some of them because I’m so tall like swinging my legs side to side of the bag.

I felt so good afterwords and had so much energy. I felt it right away, walking down stairs I was a little shaky but not sore.

Today though I can feel it in my chest, back, triceps, outer leg, abs.

I would love to go more but its monthly membership only , if I could drop in a random class here and there I would definitely go back.

Next week , hopefully I will try out LA Fitness. I have a free pass for a week and would love to try out some classes and just workout in general. I know I want to take a yoga class & cycle class for sure . Other classes that I might try is body works w/abs, zumba, kickboxing cardio. I might not be able to do them all just because I might be sore from other classes but will definitely try to get them all in. I will keep you updated ! 🙂

Battle wound from elbowing the bag.

Free shorts from Gap

I picked up my free gstride running shorts from Gap today. They had some cute colors but this was the only medium they had in any colors.
Saved : $ 26.95

I won them by tweeting my favorite work out song to Daily Candy and Gap and being the first 100. What’s your favorite work out song ?

Also saved $ 8.50 at BJs
Tip:: Check if your warehouse accepts other coupons.

Catch up

How I start of my mornings

I usually do different ones but this is the one I make the most. Banana, Frozen Mango & peaches, spinach, orange juice.

Another favorite is : Banana, Strawberries ( fresh or frozen) almond milk, sliced almonds.

Found a yummy snack to make! Garlic Roasted Parmesan Chickpeas!

I over cooked mine a little bit, guess my oven runs a little hot. So make sure you check on yours to figure out the right time for you.

Summer = time for S’mores so yummy

Sunday was just one of those days, not in a good mood, wanted to be off work and just really wanted a drink. My aunt was having a bbq and wah*lah Margaritas. I had a few (hehe) as I looked off at the calm lake 🙂

 

I also made this yummy Frozen Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie

No photo but it was a hit. I also made one without the reeses cups the other day. I didn’t have a springform pan so I used one of those aluminum throw away pie tins. Came out fine 🙂

This is a photo I took leaving Captains Cove. Love their fish n chips!

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New work outs I’ve been doing from Blogilates!

She has a Bikini blaster series…love it! I’m so glad I found her blog. ( linked above)

My co-worker/friend Hanna came over Friday and made some Kale chips! They were so good. I tried to make them and they did not turn out good at all. I saw a recipe that added lemon juice and I believe I put too much. Ill make some today and post a picture, it’s so simple and easy to make.

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Preheat oven to 350

Rinse Kale off, shake dry ( or with paper towel/towel)

Rip into small pieces and place in bowl ( cracker size or or little bit bigger)

Add a little bit of olive oil, just enough to coat

Sprinkle with salt

Place on cookie sheet and place in oven

Now you have to watch them…..don’t get distracted ( like I sometime easily do haha) I’d say about 5 minutes, just open oven and feel them if they are crunchy on the edges they are done. You can play around to bake them to your liking. Wah*lah a yummy healthy snack.

While Hanna was making the Kale chips, I was making dinner. Salmon, Broccoli & Carrots with cous cous.

After that we headed to see Snow white & the Huntsman. I thought it was a good move, I loooove Charlize. Though I wish there was a little more emotion or connection over all it was pretty good.

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Im still here!

OK it has been a long time since I posted. For one work has been keeping me busy, we’ve been having lots of great sales. ( I also bought this gooooorgeous Free People black dress) Lets see my phone that I bought in Nov. broke sometime in March. Fell in slow motion, flat screen side down. Picked it up and sadly it had a big crack and wouldn’t turn on. Well it did have some static colorful blobs come up but nothing that was fixable. I also had no insurance 😦  I ended up getting the Iphone 4s which I LOVE! I should have went with it instead of the Droid Charge. It fits my hand perfect ( droid charge was so big), I love talking to Siri , has great apps and has pretty accessories. I also got a new car mid march.

Sorry bad lighting..but its so pretttttty. I’m going to attempt to wear it casually. Maybe put colorful jewelry,

At the end of March my uncle passed away, days after his 44th birthday. I still can’t believe it. Doesn’t seem real at all. The whole time I was waiting for him to come through the door. I flew to Florida immediately to be with family and for the funeral.

April , finally found a dentist that doesn’t charge an arm and a leg. Dreaded taxes but happy because I put all that I got back for invisalign which hopefully I will be doing sometime in June. All was good until my best friend Shawn got in a car accident. He had to be cut out of the car, bruised lungs, heart wall & fractured ribs. I got the phone call at work and my heart just stopped. After work I drove to the hospital. For those of you who don’t know me. I just got my license a year ago. I hated driving, I’ve never been on the highway. So I took the long way, I got lost there and back lol but I had my handy dandy iphone that helped me find the way. When I went to visit again I said screw it and drove on the highway yipppie haha.

The amazing thing about this accident is he was using my old car the red machine. Its a 93 ford tempo. We always made fun of the seat belts , saying they were just for “show”. They didn’t work but they did this day!! If the seat belt didn’t work, I’m sure I would not be typing this today, or this post would have been totally different. He had a big bruise across his chest from the belt. Wear them people they save lives!! The car is a goner. He is still in pain because of fractured ribs but he is alive..phew!

Onto May .. I turned 27! Wowza. I’ve finally been working out more. I also found this great fitness instructor on youtube. I love her personality, very upbeat but not where it makes you sick haha I also like these workout because they are anywhere from 5-25ish minutes and you really feel them the next day.

Here is her blog : Blogilates

I still love cooking. Recently I’ve been trying to eat less meat or I guess I should say less chicken since that is really the only meat I eat. Anyway stumbled upon a meatless taco recipe. At first I wasn’t sure if I should attempt it but I figured why not what’s to lose? I loved it, taking leftovers to work for tomorrow. I edited it to my liking here is the link :

Black Bean Tacos

I used regular taco seasoning (2-3 tbsp) instead of the chili powder, salt, pepper. I also didn’t use anything after the corn in my tacos. I used what I normally eat with tacos ( romaine lettuce, vegan cheese, olive, guacamole, cucumber) After reading the reviews about the bean mixture being dry I just kept adding tablespoons of water until it blended nicely. I bought one of the Old El Paso dinner kits with hard and soft shells to see which I liked better with it. Tasted great with either one.

In Febuary I posted about getting make up from NYX cosmetics. Let me tell you I love it all. The 5 color shadow , the colors are so rich and stay on like it should .I liked the bronzer and blush combo, nice color, stayed on. I wasn’t so sure about the lip cream color “Strawberry Jam”, but once it was on, it looked so nice. Made my lips pop with color, definfitely  great for going out. It went on smooth and wasn’t sticky or anything which could be a problem with some glosses ( even though on the bottle it says its not a lipstick or gloss) The only problem I didn’t like was it going on my teeth.

Today I went to get a free cvs body wash and ended up also getting nail polish. Sally Hensen Gem crush . I got Razzle Dazzler. I put it on once I got home and I love this color.  I put on two coats, I liked the first coat little lighter but the second coat did it.  While waiting for my nails to dry I came across a review on the nail polish she but black as a base coat and put the colors on top the best was the Showgirl-chic ( how awesome are their names)

Anyway its 1am here and I should be going to bed so I can get up for work. You should be seeing a post from me soon! Bye ❤