vitafusion gummy vitamins – I love being an adult!
Nothing has ever made me feel more like a healthy adult and a child all at once. Until I was introduced to vitafusion™ gummy vitamins. Not only are they good for you, but they taste delicious!
I’m not sure when tasty vitamins became a necessity, but I’m sure glad they did. The vitafusion™ gummy vitamins deliver delicious nutrition (and are only about 15 calories each) in a great-tasting gummy, making it easy and enjoyable to take your vitamins.
The vitafusion™ gummy vitamins come in a variety of vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements to help adults meet their health and nutrition needs. They even come in a pre-natal variety, which is what I take – my doctors have said for many years that pre-natal vitamins are the most fully encompassing vitamin women my age (32) can take.
Be sure to visit gummyvites.com for $1 off.
Quick note – these are not the best vitamins to travel with (unless you put them in your carry-on or leave in the hotel), because they can melt. It’s only happened to me once, but then they start to stick together.Or maybe that’s just because I live in Texas?
I’m just as guilty as the next using Instagram (follow me: @jaymelamm) to retouch up my looks. Sometimes it makes my lines go away, sometimes it makes my skin brighter, sometimes it just makes the picture pop a little more. Or at least in my mind it does!
Recently, I tried out the Burt’s Bees Brightening Line, which is clinically proven to brighten and even out skin tone when used as part of a daily regimen (usually over an 8 week span). It helps diminish discoloration, and the Dark Spot Corrector was something I desperately needed. As for the Dark Spot Corrector, 80% of test subjects in clinical studies showed a diminished appearance of dark spots and discoloration. I wasn’t included in this particular study, but I definitely see the difference in my own skin. Not only did it help with discoloration, it helped a ton with hydration, which during the summer months, is critical here in Texas.
Most of you probably already love their lip balm (guilty), so I urge you to try this new line. I still love Instagram and don’t plan on slowing down over there, but I love their tagline: Retouched by Nature, not a computer.
Let me first start with full disclosure: I probably don’t need a sports bra, at least not a heavy duty like this one. While I do wear a size C (or Medium in this fit), my “girls” don’t really move up and down thanks to my beloved plastic surgeon, but I never go on a run without a sports bra – for multiple reasons including comfort and fear of nipping out and being super awkward in public if I have to run errands after a long run.
This ultra-light high-to-max support was probably more than I needed, but I run with so many girls who often have to double-up sports bras on long runs. That thought is beyond crazy to me, but I am fairly certain this is the sports bra for you if you’re one of those double-up coverage seeking gals.
If you are a runner, especially of long distances (get it – the MARATHON SPORTS BRA), you’ll want to check this bra out. It’s all the essential components to any piece of workout gear: no chafe, no bulk. Don’t let your sports bra tell you when your run is over due to chafing, stop when your legs (or your mind) tell you to. It is a faster drying bra thanks to Vapor Technology, helping you dry faster as your body heat rises. All good things in my runner’s book.
The thing I love most about this sports bra is that it has adjustable straps to give you a truly custom fit. Most things in life are not one-size fit all, nor should your sports bra be. Overall, this bra was a bit more strength than I needed, but I will definitely wear it for my longer runs thanks to the no chafing and no bulging, and I highly recommend this for other runners!
I am by no means an Olympic athlete, but given my recent training schedule and re-commitment back to staying in shape and working hard (at Sculpt Fitness here in Houston), if I can drink the same drink that Olympic athletes do, I feel kind of empowered. Like I’m at least on the right track, somewhere…
Having been an athlete all my life, at least some variation of, milk has never really been my post-workout or post-game drink of choice, although the studies are there to back up why it should be. Milk is one of the best sources of protein – helping to build lean muscle and recharge the body when consumed directly after physical activity. And if you work out hard like I do (or at least attempt to), recharging your body and muscles is an absolute must.
I recently tried Core Power, the real milk-based sports recovery drink, which contains the natural whey and casein proteins from milk. Basically, it’s never removed from their original liquid state, so it tastes natural, the way milk is supposed to. The new brand features simple ingredients and great taste, without the chalky-texture. I repeat: without the chalky-texture. That’s usually the worst part about trying these new protein drinks – they all taste chalky and leave a film in your mouth. Pretty gross, right?
But not this one. (Seriously, I’m not being paid to tell you otherwise.)
Core Power boasts 14 grams of essential amino acids and 5 grams of branched chain amino acids and packs 26g of protein – yet it remains delicious. It’s like those V8 commercials where you’re not supposed to tell the kids how healthy they are, except these are actually good.
Protein consumption after exercise and training is an important part of every athlete’s workout regimen – whether the occasional marathon runner or an obsessed yogi. Protein helps build lean muscle and recharges the body when consumed directly after physical activity. (Note, so it doesn’t really do the body as good hours later.)
And let me just say this – milk is not the first after sport recovery drink I think of – usually it’s just plain ole water or maybe a G2 if I’m feeling fiesty, but it really does taste delicious and refreshing, and knowing the good it does for my body, helps too. And here’s the catch a lot of people forget – this is a recovery drink. If you plan to hit the gym or the running trails or the ski slopes on a regular basis, rebuilding those muscles and tissues is essential to returning day after day. This is part of a healthy training schedule, as is water consumption and adequate stretching.
I’ve only tried the vanilla and the chocolate (my favorite!), but there are a few other flavors to try as well (like banana and strawberry) and there’s even a low-cal version for those counting calories.
Core Power, just named the Official Protein Drink of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games is the perfect high-protein sports recovery drink for not just elite athletes, like Olympians, but folks like you and I who lead active lifestyles.
The US athletes selected are Emily Cook (aerial skiing), Eric Willett (slopestyle snowboard), Jazmine Fenlator (bobsled) and Jordie Karlinski (slopestyle snowboard). Core Power limited edition bottles featuring the athletes and their bios will hit shelves this month – personally I’m pretty excited to check these out! And definitely wishing all of our US athletes luck in Sochi – we’ll be cheering you on!
This Chicago-based protein drink is now available nationwide, so give it try post-workout. Would love to know your thoughts as well. If you want to give Core Power a try, check out their store locator to find the one nearest you.
A few weeks ago I had the awesome opportunity to partake in a fit session at the lululemon at the Houston Galleria. As much as I already knew I loved the brand, I had yet to own a single piece. Perhaps it was the price, which felt a little hefty for clothes I would literally work up an intense sweat in, or the fact I grew up as a Nike chick, but nevertheless, I was invited to try on some pieces and give feedback on their products.
I probably tried on every single piece of women’s clothing at the store – from yoga apparel (I don’t even do yoga), to lounge-around wear, to running products (which were of course my fave). Just in tank tops alone I probably tried on 35 different variations including racerbacks, extra long tanks, racing length tanks, ones with built-in bras, ones without, neon, striped, you name it and I tried it on.
Luckily I’m a sucker for running in tank tops. It’s not that I have ridiculously toned arms like Madonna, it’s just more comfortable for me. I ended up purchasing the First Base Tank, $52, which is made of a lightweight and inherently moisture-wicking Rulu with a four-way stretch that moves with you. Clearly a plus when you’re on the move.
The other great feature that Kelly, the bubbly blonde team leader who was working with me, mentioned were the flat seams that prevented chafing: a must for long-runs. As the website says, “We wouldn’t build a house without laying a strong foundation, and we feel the same way about our winter run outfits. We designed this tank as the first layer to keep us toasty no matter what weather comes our way.” This tank was a clear choice the second I found out it doubled as a base layer, which is perfect for the upcoming snowboarding season.
The Blonde Side’s New lululemon Outfit
Something I had never heard of before was the “anti-stink Micro Diamond Mesh” which is strategically placed in high-sweat areas to keep you so fresh and so clean. It wouldn’t have been a day in the life of The Blonde Side without the ridiculous questions that come out of my mouth when Kelly tried to explain the anti-stink due to the “silver” that was woven in the shirt. “Silver, like my necklace,” I asked pointing to my Texas pendant like a small child. Indeed a blonde moment, but we quickly moved on: pants.
I also fell in love with the wunder under crops, $72 (mostly because they had the garnet color to rep my Florida State roots), but also because of the unparalleled comfort they offered the second I put them on. Although they’re made for yogis (again, not me), I couldn’t resist the purchase thanks in part to the gusset, which is defined as: “Drumroll please: gussets are the unsung heroes in the fight against our infamous foe camel toe. These diamond-and-triangle-shaped pieces of fabric are sewn between the legs for greater freedom of movement and to prevent tight fitting shorts, pants, or crops from riding up.” Yes, a drumroll was in fact necessary for that steadfast and awesome definition. What an invention! I had never heard that such an invention existed to hopefully rid the travesty of camel toes across the world.
The tight fit of the wunder under crops “makes it easy to check alignment and the calf-length leg allows us to hold onto our ankles easily in Dancer pose,” and there’s even a hidden waistband pocket to hide your keys or cards while working out. No wonder these are one of their core items and come in a variety of colors.
My fit session didn’t stop there when it came to pants. Again, I tried on at least 20 different versions, lengths, reversible options all kinds of materials, all designed for different athletic practices. While it was fairly time consuming, it really was worth trying on all the different options. It was clear within seconds what products had the four-way stretch, which is what I needed most for running.
The run speed short, $54, was definitely my favorite purchase. Not only were they ultimately comfortable, they didn’t ride up and they were actually stylish. As someone who takes lunch meetings and boards airplanes in workout gear on the regular, these shorts were taking my fashion status up a notch. Maybe two.
The Blonde Side’s lululemon Fit Session
According to the lulu website, “the fabric is extremely lightweight and moisture wicking to keep us feeling breezy and comfortable during hardcore sweat sessions.” The shorts are also cut to perform with vents at the back for breathability and split legs for freedom of movement. The speed shorts are also chafe resistant with flat seams to help prevent sweaty, sensitive skin from getting irritated, which is another plus for us runners, especially those of us with bigger/muscular thighs. Having already run a 10k in my new speed shorts, I can attest that they will probably fit all sized legs and are worth a try.
All the products at lulu are preshrunk twice so the clothes won’t get smaller – always something to consider when purchasing new clothes, especially workout clothes which get washed 3 times more than other clothing.
After everything, I ended up with four great pieces. Pieces that I’m already obsessed with. Pieces that my boyfriend reminds me that just because they are “anti-stink” doesn’t mean I need to wear them day in and day out. I guess I know what’s on my Christmas list this year! #hinthint
Another positive note I learned during my fit session – for us short gals (I’m barely 5-foot-2), the store offers complimentary hemming.
Lululemon at the Houston Galleria is a very active group of men and women, inspiring us in ways we all need. Be sure to check out their FB page and go to one of their events – I’ll probably see you there!
