Yopa! Why You Should Be Eating Greek Yogurt

March 18, 2013 By 3 Comments

I absolutely love Greek yogurt. I have always loved regular yogurt, but the texture is just off for me. I can never eat it without adding something in {usually granola}. But since discovering Greek yogurt, a thicker variety that includes many added health benefits, I’ve fallen in love! Greek yogurt is a great addition to a meal or even a stand-alone snack- and it’s so good for you that when I went to the doctor today for a cold, he suggested I eat one a day until I’m feeling better! So what makes it such a great choice?

Benefits of Greek Yogurt

The Yopa! Greek Yogurt I’ve been indulging in has many benefits, including:

-Good Source of Calcium
-0g of cholesterol & trans fat
-Made with 5 cultures & 3 probiotics
-No preservatives or artificial colors {&only vanilla has artificial flavors
-16% of the recommended daily allowance of protein {in 3.5 oz cups- 26% in 5.3 oz cups!}
-Vegetarian
-Kosher certified

I always try to eat healthy foods, but I’ve been especially focused on it recently since I’m getting married this week. I’ve also been crazy busy because of the wedding though, so I don’t always have time to eat at home. I love the new Yopa! Greek Yogurt because it’s great for on-the-go since the toppings are attached to the top of the cup. &When you open the yogurt, there’s actually enough room for you to pour in the topping & stir it- which sounds like such a little thing but makes a huge difference if you’re trying to stir in topping on-the-go and your yogurt is all the way up to the top. Not easy.

Yopa! Authentic Greek Yogurt

I love just about all Greek yogurt, but this is definitely going to become a go-to. It’s the perfect size, has delicious, easy-to-mix-in toppings & and great flavors- including vanilla yogurt with chocolate chips! Talk about an indulgent {yet still guilt-free} treat!

Whether you’re eating Yopa Greek Yogurt on the way to pilates, in the carpool lane or after a run, Yopa is a great balance between healthy foods & indulgent flavors.

Speaking of balance, gold medalist Gabby Douglas is an expert, and she’s challenging you to take the Yopa! Taste Challenge where you can win a variety of prizes, including $10,000! Just “like” Yopa! on Facebook for a chance to win and to grab a coupon for $.50 (or more!) off one cup of Yopa! Authentic Greek Yogurt.

 Note: I was selected for participation in this campaign as a member of Clever Girls Collective.

Filed Under: fitness, food, health Tagged With: , , ,

Track Your Activity Easily with the FitBit One {Review}

February 22, 2013 By 40 Comments

I’ve noticed that whenever I do well with weight loss, it’s thanks to tracking. Normally, I succeed by tracking what I eat- it always surprises me how quickly little bites of things add up that I often forget I’ve even taken. So since that always helps, I decided to literally step it up & try out the Fitbit One, since it helps to track your physical activity!

fitbit one

Not only does the Fitbit One track your steps and distance, but it also tracks the calories you burn & the amount of stairs you climb- and this particular version of the Fitbit even tracks your sleep habits! It times how long you sleep for as well as how many times you wake up at night. You can easily keep track of your progress with your free Fitbit account, which your Fitbit wirelessly syncs to on your computer or on select phones.

Fitbit

The Fitbit One is tiny & so easy to use- you just put it in the holder and clip it to your pants or bra, or put it in your pocket. All day it will track your movement, and you can easily check how close you are to your goal by pushing on the only button that it has. Just push the button repeatedly to cycle through all of the stats for the day.

sleep tracker

Then when it’s time for bed, take it out of the holder and put it into the wrist band so that it can track your sleep! The only time you have to be without it is when it’s charging {though it keeps a charge for several days at a time} and when you’re in water, since it can withstand some moisture but isn’t actually waterproof. {Confession: I totally forgot to unclip it from my pants one time before putting them into the washer. Somehow it survived, but I wouldn’t recommend doing that.}

fitbit one app

It’s so easy to keep your information up-to-date: I used the free iPhone app {also available for Android} and whenever I opened the app in the vicinity of my Fitbit, it automatically synced the information for me. {You do have to set this up first but it’s easy.} That information is accessible within the app or on their website. With the app you can also track your food consumption for optimal success, as well as your water and sleep. You can even add friends & cheer each other on!

While I admit that I forget to use it some days, I find that on the days that I remember I really push myself to walk more. It is easier to push yourself to meet a goal when you can see your progress, and much more motivating! I’m trying to get into the habit of making it an every day thing.

Buy It: You can find the Fitbit One or any of the other Fitbit products online on their website or at various electronics retailers. Prices vary, but the Fitbit One retails for $99.99.

How do you track your food or activity?

Note: I received the Fitbit One to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: exercising, fitness, health, reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Top 5 Exercise Recovery Tips

July 2, 2012 By 12 Comments

Tomorrow night, my sister & her two kids will be coming to town to visit for 10 days. I’m unbelievably excited & already have so many ideas for what to do while they’re here. One of the things on my list is to attend a Jazzercise class with my sister, who is an instructor.

I’ve been wanting to start putting effort into exercising lately, but I know that I have to really enjoy what I’m doing or else I won’t do it. I’m optimistic about Jazzercise as I’ve always loved dancing, but I have to admit I’m a little worried. I’m not in great shape, so starting to exercise seems a little overwhelming.

I’ve been doing some research to make sure that I can get a good work out without burning out after my first class, so I thought I’d share some of the best tips I’ve found with you!

exercise recovery tips

1. Use a foam roller. Muscles can knot after being overworked, which can be painful and can cause scar tissue if left untreated. You can use a foam roller before a work out to relax your muscles in an attempt to prevent muscle cramps, or you can use it after the work out to continue preventative action or treat muscle knots that form.

2. Drink lots of water. The body struggles to repair itself after a work out if it is dehydrated. This seems pretty common sense, but many {myself included} still don’t drink enough water so it bares mentioning.

3. Take time off. Exercise pushes your body, and it needs time to build itself back up again. Don’t do the same workout for too many days in a row without rest or you will stop seeing progress as the body struggles to repair itself.

4. Get some protein. Researchers suggest eating a protein packed breakfast as well as around 20 grams of protein within 30 minutes post-exercise to help your body begin to build itself back up & prevent muscle loss.

5. Take an anti-inflammatory. As long as it’s okay with your doctor, research suggests that some anti-inflammatory drugs can help speed muscle recovery.

I’m excited to put these tips to good use next week- wish me luck!

What’s your top exercise recovery tip?

Note: This post was brought to you by Net Focus Media but all opinions are my own. Tips come from my own research using these articles. Be sure to check them out for more great tips!

Filed Under: exercising, fitness, health Tagged With: , , , ,

Sponsor Spotlight: BlenderBottle

April 21, 2012 By 7 Comments

As you know, I’m currently on the Nutrisystem plan. One of the major parts of the plan is a daily protein shake, every morning. Now, half of my mornings I am rushing out the door to get to work and if I had to make my shakes in a big blender, I wouldn’t drink them. At all. But my Welcome Kit for Nutrisystem came with something completely amazing- a BlenderBottle!

A BlenderBottle is literally a blender IN a bottle. If I were to use my blender to make a protein shake, it would involve taking out my big chunky blender from my cabinet, assembling the parts, plugging it in, adding the ingredients, blending them & then scraping them out of the blender {and then of course washing the whole set up later}. Using my BlenderBottle, I just pour the ingredients into the bottle, drop in the BlenderBall Wire Whisk, put the lid on & shake! Then I just pop the top & drink it on the go!

What is a BlenderBall?

blenderball blenderbottle

“The patented BlenderBall wire whisk is the secret behind the SportMixer’s power. Add your ingredients, drop in the BlenderBall, and shake. The BlenderBall whips around inside the bottle, mixing your drinks to a smooth and light consistency every time.

Made of 316 surgical-grade stainless steel, the BlenderBall is designed to remain in the bottle until you’ve enjoyed it’s contents. Just drinking water? Feel free to leave the ball inside – it’ll never rust, chip, or peel.”

My Nutrisystem kit came with the Classic Mini bottle, but I wanted to try something a little bigger & a little sportier for when I finally get a gym membership next month. I wanted something bigger so I could use it for a water bottle if I wanted OR for blending smoothies, shakes, etc. and I love the look of the new SportMixer bottles! Both the Classic and the SportMixer are available in the full 28-ounce size and the 20-ounce mini size, are dishwasher safe, have always been BPA and Phthalate free and are available in a variety of colors. They both use a BlenderBall and work the same way, so I recommend them both! &They’re all very reasonably priced- ranging from $8.49 for the Classic Mini to just $14.99 for the full-sized SportMixer!

&They’re SO easy to use!

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

I love the BlenderBottle because it’s easy to use, affordable, super cute & helps me enjoy my shakes & smoothies, even when I’m in a hurry. BlenderBottle encourages healthy lifestyles by making it easier for people to mix smoother, better tasting healthy drinks and meal replacements- and I love them for it!

Buy It: BlenderBottles are sold in thousands of retail stores around the world and at www.BlenderBottle.com.  The BlenderBottle Classic is sold under the BlenderBottle brand logo, as well as other private labels.  It is easy to spot a BlenderBottle, as it is the only portable mixer with the patented BlenderBall inside.

Win It: You can enter to win the BlenderBottle of your choice in the Spring Fever giveaway!

Make sure you check out BlenderBottle on Facebook & Twitter to learn more!

Susie’s Note: I received the bottle mentioned to facilitate this review. All experiences are authentic & all opinions are my own!

Filed Under: giveaways, reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Week Three Weigh-In! #NSNation

March 2, 2012 By 15 Comments

So, as you know, I went out of town this week. I spent two days in beautiful Hermosa Beach, CA at the Toyota Headquarters learning about their brand and lots of other amazing things I’ll be sure to share with you this week. But there was one downside: I wasn’t able to keep to my Nutrisystem plan!

I knew this would be the case while on the trip and so I stuck to the plan as much as I could leading up to the trip. Once I got there we were paraded with super yummy food for every meal and the scale definitely showed that.

I weighed in less than 6 hours after my plane landed back here in Vegas & I am sure at least some of this was a result of having had JUST consumed all the non-Nutrisystem-friendly foods, but I gained 1.5 lbs. while I was gone.

Overall, I’m not THAT upset- this is a very, very rare occasion for me that I had little control over, and overall I’m still 2 lbs. lighter than I was when I started this. If I hadn’t been doing Nutrisystem, I would have gained 1.5 lbs on TOP of what I already weighed, so I’m okay with it.

Also, I noticed that I actually got full way faster than I did just three weeks ago before I started Nutrisystem. As yummy as the food was, I couldn’t have that much of it because I have grown accustomed to the accurate portion sizes that my Nutrisystem meals provide!

So I may have had a set back last week, but that just means I have to work that much harder this week! I plan on utilizing the tools Nutrisystem provides, such as the newly redesigned community {which is now even open to those without subscriptions!}

Nutrisystem community

Weight lost this week: Gained 1.5 {ouch.}
Weight lost total: 2 lbs.

To keep me motivated I’ve started a Health & Fitness board on Pinterest- check it out if you need some inspiration as well! &Be sure to check out my friends at Grinning Cheek to Cheek & Real Mom Reviews for more from the #NSNation!

What keeps you going after a set back?

Want to join me on my weight loss journey with Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting http://www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog

Susie’s Note: Nutrisystem is providing me with their food in exchange for me blogging about my experience. All experiences are authentic & all opinions are my own.

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