ZEVIA Review and Giveaway!!!

Zevia sent me a pack of their drinks to review! 

Here's a little info about Zevia:

With natural products, being healthy isn’t enough – a product has to taste great, and also be healthy, to really be a compelling alternative. At Zevia, we really believe that we’ve created a better soda. And we’re fortunate that our fans are vocal. Every day, we receive letters, emails and calls from folks who have just discovered Zevia, and are thrilled to have a product they can feel good about consuming every day.

One of the most fun things about working at Zevia is sharing our products with people who used to drink soda and stopped, or in some cases always avoided soda for health reasons. Kids are the most fun of all – we meet lots of kids who’ve never had soda in their lives, because it was banned in their household, and to watch their faces when they try Zevia for the first time is priceless.

Similarly, people with diabetes, people seeking to lose weight or control their weight, or people who just want to live a healthier life really light up when they discover our product.

We don't think that soda should be a "four-letter word," and we're out to change the way people think about soda by providing a healthy option that tastes great. 

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Now, for my review!

First of all, I love that these have ZERO CALORIES AND NO SUGAR! Stevia is much better for you than sugar and those artificial sweeteners. You can read about that at this link!

I liked all of these flavors. But, I definitely had a favorite... Cream Soda took the lead by a longshot! 

Grape: 10/10! Tasted just like the grape soda I used to drink as a kid. But, this one was definitely a drink that I felt GOOD about drinking!

Mountain Zevia 9/10: Tasted similar to mountain dew, but more limey!

Caffeine Free Cola 9/10: This one tasted like a regular diet coke! YUM!

Black Cherry: 8/10: This flavor was good, but I liked the other flavors just a little better.

Grapefruit Citrus 8/10: This was a taste that I don't normally go for. It was different, and still good, just not my favorite. 

ZEVIA wants one of YOU to try some of their awesome drinks for free too!!! I have a coupon for a free 6 pack to giveaway! 

 

Giveaway Requirements:

Mandatory Entry

1. Visit their website and tell me what flavor you would most like to try! Leave me a comment with your answer.

Optional Entries: (You must do the first one before you leave additional comments for extra entries)

2. Follow @Christianqt07 and @Zevia on Twitter

3. Tweet this: "@Christianqt07 is having a @Zevia giveaway! Check it out here: http://t.co/tTInrZuF"

4. Become a follower of my blog

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN SATURDAY, APRIL 6th. 

Via Random.org

GOOD LUCK!!!

FIBER FACTS

Throughout my posts and product reviews, I talk about how I love when there is a lot of fiber in things! Fiber is SO good for your body. It keeps things moving along and can even help with maintaining a healthy weight! Fiber keeps you fuller for longer. The recommended amount of fiber that a person should consume on a daily basis is 25-30 grams. A lot of people don't get nearly enough... So, I wanted to share my favorite ways to eat fiber with you today!

1. Oatmeal! (If you check out my recipe tab, you will find TONS of recipes that include oatmeal. It's one of my favorite foods, because you can do SO much with it!) 

2. Apples - a regular sized apple has about 4 grams. I just love a juicy, crispy apple! :) 

3. Berries - strawberries are definitely my favorite. They also help curb my sweet tooth too! 

4. Cereal - I am a cereal killer... haha! I love eating cereal by itself or mixed with fruit and yogurt! There are lots of fiber filled cereals out there. My favorites are KASHI, FIBER ONE, and RAISIN BRAN! 

5. Popcorn - I like to get the 94% Fat Free kind. You can eat the WHOLE BAG for only 200 calories! Each bag also fills you up because it has fiber in it too. 

6. Whole wheat bread or tortillas - These are SO GOOD. I grew up eating white bread, but made the switch to wheat bread when I was in highschool. It tastes so much better and it's better for you! 

7. Carrots - I eat carrots like it's nobody's business!!! I snack on them while I'm cooking, eat them everyday at lunch, and just whenever I feel like it. One serving packs 2 grams of fiber for only 35 calories! 

 Check out this website for more ways to get more Fiber into your daily food intake: 

http://ehealthmd.com/content/how-do-i-get-more-fiber-my-diet

What are YOUR favorite ways to eat fiber???

Stay-cation DAY THREE!

Day 3 of my Stay-cation has been AWESOME!!!!!!!!! This morning, I went to SCULPT and SPIN class. I loveeeee those classes! They are a great way to mix up my routine and shock my muscles! :) 

Then, I went to the spa and got a manicure!!! It was soooooo nice there! I have never been to such a fancy place before! Afterwards, I almost fell asleep in the waiting room while my nails dried! They had soothing music playing and I got to lay on a couch. AAAAAHHHHHH...

I just noticed that the color I picked out matches my shirt perfectly!

 

Then, I took Pancakes (the puppy I am watching for this week) on a walk. 

 She likes to sneak attack me with kisses!!! haha

Don't forget to sign up for my GIVEAWAY if you missed it earlier this week!

Talk to me:

Do you enjoy manicures at the spa? What's your favorite color to paint your nails?

Spring Break STAY-CATION Part 1

We are officially on Spring Break! I decided to have a STAY-CATION. I'm dog sitting to make some mooooolah! I've also planned many fun things throughout the week! 

First up: Sunday Night's small group meal was GUMBO. OH MY YUM! It had shrimp, (my favorite! I definitely dug around in the pot to pick out lots of it to put in my bowl! haha) chicken, and italian sausage! 

Sunday Night: I got my lesson plans outta the way so I don't have to worry about them the rest of the week! wahoooo!!!

Monday: I got to go to SPIN CLASS!!!!! YAY!!! I love the instructor, but the annoying part is that I can't take her classes because of student teaching. So I'm definitely taking advantage of all those classes this week!
Monday Night: SHOPPPPPPPPING!!! I got all that stuff in the picture! I racked up!

Tuesday: I went to a photoshoot with my mom so she can learn how to do studio pictures. It's always awkward how they make you turn your head and tilt it. haha. 

Next,  I went to DANCE IT OUT!

Then, went to the park with my bestie, Ashley, and her little boys. It was such a lovely day! Perfect weather!

Now, I'm waiting on my friend Krissy to come over so we can catch up!

This picture made me LAUGH OUT LOUD. 

I  ALWAYS notice grammar mistakes... anywhere I go!

I guess it's the teacher in me!

:)

Do you like to have STAY-CATIONS every now and then? What's your favorite thing to do?

Bearded Bros Review & Discount

Bearded Bros sent me some of their bars to review!

Here's some info about the Bearded Bros and their products:

The Brothers

Caleb is an avid rock climber, runner, and cyclist and has a passion for raw organic foods and saw the need for tasty organic energy bars and snacks to fuel his adventures. Chris, an outdoors lover, world traveler, avid disc golfer shares the same love for foods as fellow bearded brother, Caleb. Chris also has over 11 years experience in the health food/supplement industry. The shared passion resulted in Bearded Brothers, an organic snackfood company. Handmade with love and joy, in Austin, Texas.

Bearded Brothers is an organic snackfood company, located in beautiful Austin Texas. Most of our handmade energy bars are 100% organic, mostly raw, gluten free, vegan friendly and amazingly delicious. Just try them, we guarantee you will be back for more.

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REVIEW TIME!


I reviewed the Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla, while Jared reviewed the Mighty Maca Chocolate.

Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla: 9/10! I really liked the flavor combo! The bar had 10 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber! The only reason I gave it a 9 instead of a 10 was because I thought it was a little too calorie heavy (285 for one bar), but overall the taste and texture was SPOT ON! :) I also really liked that the package was resealable. I've never seen that for a bar before, so that was neat.

Jared was my guest reviewer for the chocolate flavor (since I don't eat chocolate)!

Mighty Maca Chocolate 8/10
The only thing that kept it from being a 10/10 was the smell. When I opened package, it smelled a bit funky. But the taste quickly erased that. The taste was awesome! It wasn't like any other energy bar I've ever tasted. It's consistency was a mix between a cliff bar and a powerbar. Which makes a great combo. And the package is resealable, interesting, but very cool.

I wonder where he got the idea for a goofy pose? ;)

Big thanks to Jared for being my guest reviewer.


Bearded Bros has been kind enough to offer a 15% discount to my readers! The offer is good through April 13. The coupon code is "fanatic007"

Visit their website and order some of these yummy bars for yourself!
http://www.beardedbros.com/



Which flavor do YOU think you would like the best?

Cookiehead Review

Cookiehead sent me some awesome stuff to review!

Here's some Cookiehead Info:
Cookiehead was ahead of its time with the introduction of its whole grain cookies. Five yummy flavors come in two sizes — twelve half-ounce cookies packed in family-style clamshells, and individually-wrapped 1.75 oz. cookies sold in self-merchandising display trays. Whether snacking with your friends or taking a cookie on the road, Cookiehead has you covered. Formulated with rolled oats and whole wheat flour, these cookies deliver a healthy portion of much-needed whole grains to your daily diet, making them a healthy snack alternative. An innovative twist to traditional oatmeal cookies, these healthy snacks are a great source of fiber, protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Cookiehead's five delicious flavors include Dark Chocolate Chunk cookies, Cranberry Orange Walnut cookies, Honey Maple Walnut cookies, Coffee Chocolate Almond cookies and Peanut Butter Chocolate cookies.

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Now, onto the review!!!

Wild Blueberry Wakey Cakes: 9/10! These mini blueberry muffins were great! They were moist and full of flavor! I just wish they were a little bigger. I had to eat a few at a time ;)

Cranberry Orange Walnut: 8/10! The orange flavoring was a little strong, but it was still an overall great cookie. If you really dig orange flavor, this cookie is right up your alley!

Honey Maple Walnut: 10/10! MMM. This cookie was DE.LIC.IOUS. The flavor was super tasty! It was definitely my favorite and my roommate ate a few! We both gave them two thumbs up!

I love that these cookies have fiber, protein, and Omega 3's in them! If you are in the mood for a cookie, these not only taste good, but have good stuff for you inside them!

That's a win-win in my book!

Check out my video:

Hop on over to their website and check out these cookies for yourself!
http://www.cookieheadcookies.com/index.php/




What do you think YOUR favorite flavor would be?

Seven Things for Sunday

I have been GO GO GO this week, so I decided to do a little recap of my week.
Had to do 7 things, because, well, I'm obsessed with the number 7.
But you knew that...

1. My small group leader ALWAYS makes amazingly delicious meals for us, but I think this one had to be one of my favorites! It's a special sandwich called Muffuletta. It was served along side a strawberry, red onion and feta cheese salad with a strawberry vinaigrette dressing. YUM YUM!

Muffuletta or Muffaletta is a hero or submarine type sandwich that originated in New Orleans early in the 20th century, probably at Salvatore Lupa's Central Grocery around in 1906 or 1910.

It is made with a round loaf of Italian bread, split and layered with sliced Provolone cheese, salami, and ham, topped with 'olive salad' - chopped green olives, pimientos, celery, garlic, capers, oregano, parsley, olive oil and red wine vinegar.

(We had the option of adding the olive salad, which I opted out of, because I don't like olives, but this was THE BOMB!)

2. Green Tea is my favorite drink to start my day! After I workout, I am fortunate enough to snag some for free at my YMCA! I like mixing the Green Tea with a Lemon Tea bag for a little extra oomph! ;) My friend, Kasey, got me this AWESOME Tervis Insulated Cup! I LOVE IT!

3. I got these Oatmeal Squares in the mail as a free sample. This was the Honey Nut flavor. SCRUMPTIOUS!

4. My mom made these AWESOME Graduation invitations for me! She is an amazing photographer and can create the COOLEST things on the computer! In case you were wondering, the official countdown is 40 DAYS!!!!!!! (not that I'm excited or anything...)

5. I got my LUNA BAR Giveaway Prize from GlitzGlamGranola's blog.

FYI...you HAVE to try these! OMG. NEW. FAVORITE. FLAVOR.
Sweet and Salty with peanut butter chips on top and chunks of pretzel mixed throughout.

6. I had my first evaluation from my University Supervisor for my 2nd placement of Student Teaching. She gave me a really good score and she was SO HELPFUL with giving me constructive criticism and tips/hints to improve! :)

7. I went on THE BEST DATE of my life last night! Looking forward to see what God has in store for us!


TALK TO ME...
What's something that you would like to see more of on my blog? Or do you have any suggestions for something you would like me to include?

Danskin Triathlon Series - GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!

I have some exciting news to share with you today! For all of you lovely ladies who want a new fitness challenge, here is one for you! Read all about this wonderful triathlon and enter my giveaway to race for FREE!!! :)


The Danskin Triathlon Series has eight Races throughout the country. It is the largest women and girls Series in the sport.

What: Sprint distance triathlons (½ mile swim, 12 mile bike, 3 mile run) that empower women bychallenging them in a motivational, supportive, and safe setting with “cheerleaders” every step of the way. Select Races offer a Super Sprint distance option. Participation can be on an individual or Relay Team basis – making them even more first-timer friendly.


Where: Nation-wide (see website or calendar for specific locations)

When:
May 13 – Clermont, FL (greater Orlando area)
June 3 – Austin, TX
July 22 – Webster, MA (greater Boston area)
August 5 – Howell, MI
August 19 – Seattle, WA
August 26 – Chicagoland
September 9 – Sandy Hook, NJ
October 7 – Palm Springs, CA



Why: Be a part of something bigger than yourself. With eight Races throughout the country there’s no reason not to TRI! We want to help women to get moving. Our “women empowering other women” mentality combined with doable Race distances makes our events extremely first-timer friendly. In the spirit of “paying it forward” the Series supports the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Team Survivor nationally; as well as a local food bank and women’s shelter in each of our Race cities.

Check out their website: www.danskintriathlon.net

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Giveaway!!!!!
The Danskin Triathlon Series wants YOU to TRI something new. They are offering a complimentary entry to one winner of my giveaway on The Secret Life of Kelsey!!! The Danskin Triathlon Series is a great first-timer friendly Swim, Bike, Run event that can be done on an individual or Relay team basis. Get your girl friends, sisters, daughters, and nieces involved by signing up to do this fabulous women’s fitness event together – of course if you win, your entry will already be paid for. Terms & Conditions apply.


HOW TO ENTER:
To enter the giveaway, you must leave me a comment and tell how you stay motivated to workout and/or how you encourage others to stay motivated!!!

Giveaway ends on Saturday, March 31, 2012.

Rise Bar Review

RiseBar sent me a variety pack of their bars to review.

Here's some info about RiseBars:
Rise was created to fill a real need—to give people very specific bars, with different formulations, for various times of day. After all, your body needs a different sort of fuel first thing in the morning than it needs mid-afternoon. And your workout demands something else all-together. So give your body what it needs, whenever it needs it. With Rise.

We’ve been making simple, delicious, super-healthy nutrition bars under the names Boomi Bar and Prana Bar for more than a decade. Rise Bars feature the same formulas and commitment to unwavering quality under one name—we hope you like our new look.

Why eat RiseBar???
Every Rise bar is at least all-natural—that means no preservatives, non-GMO and non-sulfured fruit. We believe food can be tasty and healthy. And after more than a decade of making nutrition bars, we know that isn't a new idea. Our bars are proof—leading a gluten-free life can be very satisfying.

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Crunchy Carob Chip Protein

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Now, for my review!

WOW. These bars were GREAT. There were 3 different types. Energy, Breakfast, and Protein.


My favorite was definitely the Almond Honey Protein Bar! 10/10! The texture was soft and chewy and the flavor was off the chain delicious!!! It kept me full with the 20grams of protein!



Next, I liked the Energy Bars. These had really chewy texture. The order of my favorite flavors were as follows:
Cherry Almond, Raspberry Pomegranate, Blueberry Coconut, Coconut Acai, and Apricot Goji.

The Breakfast Bars were wonderful as well. Some of them had sesame seeds in them and for some reason those just don't sit well with me when they are mixed in bars, so I didn't like those flavors as much. But, I will say that the Crunchy Cranberry Apple was such a sweet flavor! YUM YUM!!


Please visit their website and give them a try!
http://risebar.com/