Favorite Products for Women

Favorite Products for Women

I love it when a friend finds a product she loves and shares with me. I often end up loving the product also. This post is dedicated to sharing some of my favorite products for women.

My most recent finds fall in the category of personal protection items, and cute ones at that.

1. The first one is pepper spray. Besides the cute colors, this pepper spray can reach up to 12 feet, is UV dye colored for up to 5 days after being sprayed and is small enough to tuck in your running shorts, biking jersey or to hook on your key chain. It is only $10....hardly anything to pay for a bit of extra security. Great gift idea.

2. My next favorite thing is the Tiny Takedown Stun Gun. At only $40, this thing packs a non lethal punch! It is hand held size and small enough to fit nicely in your purse or on your person. I like it because it is a tool that can empower women to not be fearful.

3. Phloretin CF is my next favorite. I found this product after looking in the mirror one day and realizing all the sun damage my skin has had. I had brown spots on my forehead. I started using this product and started seeing great results. It works to protect against the effects of the sun, increases cell renewal and improves signs of aging. Click on the link to read more. Prices vary..I pay about $120 a bottle.

4. DoTerra Oils. I joined this company as a rep because I found out by using the oils that I love the product. I currently do not actively sell the oils, I do however use them. There are certain oils like lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, melaleuca and lemon that I like to take with me wherever we go. It is y own personal medicine cabinet when my kids need something for allergies, headaches, coughs, ear aches and bug bites to name a few. If you want more info send me a message and I can help you. Prices vary depending on the oils you choose.

5. Go Girl. If you are at all outdoorsy you will love this. I often think it unfair that men need just stand to pee. Now, with the go girl women can too. When will you use this you ask? Hiking, camping, canyoneering, biking and traveling to areas without adequate facilities...you name it. It is not as gross as it seems, actually it tends to lessen the grossness:) It is only $9.95.

These are my current favorite products for women. 

What are your favorite products? Please comment.

100 Days of Clean Eating Challenge

As a personal trainer I have seen clients go from one diet fad to another and back again. The results were almost always the same. Go on the diet = lose weight = go off the diet = gain more weight than they lost. This viscous cycle happened again and again because my clients were not making lifestyle changes. They were choosing short term changes that they would not be able to continue after reaching their goal.

Each time they gained the weight back there was a feeling of hopelessness and discouragement. Those clients who did succeed were the ones who made lifestyle changes to their eating and exercising habits. A lifestyle change is giving up something for a better way of living. It is actually very empowering to know that I have the ability within myself to reach my goals and the determination to make my life better.

Having said that, I have decided to eat clean for 100 days. Why 100 days? Well, my family is doing the 100 mile summer hiking challenge, I am starting a 100 day fitness challenge and it is a good round number that will give me enough time to make this improved way of eating a lifestyle change. As I looked into "clean eating" I smiled realizing that I already cook many meals that fall in the clean eating category. The meals won't be the trick for me, but the snacks will get me I am sure. Knowing that, I am taking this week to prepare myself and my pantry for the change.

I invited my husband and kids to join me and in the end, they said they would do it. My husband agreed kicking and screaming, so to say :) I am grateful they are willing to try to give up sugar and other processed foods with me. I am not certain how long they will last, but I hope it's 100 days.

To get ready for this type of commitment I am purging all processed, boxed goods from my pantry. Getting rid of sugary treats, snacks and cereals. I am looking up clean recipes for foods we like to eat...and I am surprised that many of our staple recipes have already been converted to clean by others. I am stocking my pantry with things such as whole-wheat flour (I grind my own), steel cut oats, quinoa, couscous and whole-wheat pastas. I am planning on making my own rice and oat flour. My fridge is getting stocked with even more fresh fruits and vegetables than normal and a few new tasty cheeses. Lean protein is taking over the freezer...tilapia, salmon, chicken, shrimp to name a few.

I will post our success and recipes as I go along. Join us for this challenge if you want to feel better and look better. My motto for this challenge is that I can do anything for 100 days. This challenge for me and my family officially kicks off this coming Sunday.

Watch for my upcoming posts to find out what foods are considered clean and recipes to get you started. I found this website that has some great looking recipes to try.
Happy Eating!

Extreme Leg Pain

At the end of last year I participated in the Wonder Woman Century (100 mile bike ride). I had previously completed a number of centuries yet during this century my body seemed to fail me. It was a perfect day for riding, not too hot, and the course was great. By lunchtime, my face was CAKED with salt and my legs hurt so bad that it was all I could do to not cry. I finished the century...barely, with tears in my eyes.

After this experience I started to do some research about what had happened to me and why I did not feel good. The answer did not involve auto immune disorders or diseases of any kind. It turned out that I had vitamin deficiencies that were causing havoc in my body. Specifically, vitamin D.

As I learned more and talked to two sport nutritionists at my personal training conference, I found that up to 75% of people are vitamin D deficient. In order to absorb vitamin D you need calcium and in order to absorb calcium you need iron. My tests revealed that I was indeed low in iron, vitamin D and vitamin B.

I began taking vitamins prescribed by my doctor about 3 months ago. This cycling season I have completed 2 early centuries for the sole purpose of finding out if my body is feeling better. My report? No severe leg cramping or increased loss of salt. I feel strong and much more like my old self. Gone is the feeling of, "I just don't feel like myself." Having problems similar to these? Go get your levels checked and start taking the necessary vitamins...you will feel 100% better.

Be Fit!

Just Do It

I thoroughly enjoy to trail run. Having said that, I am not a runner and definitely do not like going alone. I have visions of wild animals attacking me or of something random happening and no one knows...morbid huh? I found myself seldom getting out on the trail so I decided to do something about it.

Is there something you have always wanted to do but just have not taken the time or the initiative to do it? My challenge for you is to simply do it. Find that thing you have been wanting to do and make it work. How did I do it?

1. Determine when you can fit it into your schedule.
2. Invite those you know to join you and form a group of others interested in trying it out. Convince them of the benefit of cross-training and trying something new.
3. Stick to the schedule.
4. Text the group the night before to line up a meeting place or a driver and to see who is planning on coming.

My opinion is always the more the merrier. A bigger group ensures that someone will always be available to go with you. New friendships are built as you share experiences together.

Getting a group together isn't hard, but can be rewarding when you take the time to simply do it. Many individuals are scared or nervous about asking others to join them in an activity for fear of rejection or lack of interest. If this describes you, don't let your fears stop you from enjoying the things that bring you feelings of satisfaction. I am usually surprised at the positive response others have when I invite them to participate. The biggest blockade are feelings of inadequacy or hesitation believing that they will hold the group back. And do not be afraid to invite those who are better at the activity than you.

For instance, in our trail running group that I just started a few weeks ago we have experienced fast runners, intermediate runners, some doing the couch to 5K program and those who are just starting with a walk/run program. It works. The faster runners do an out and back to pick up the stragglers or we will divide into groups. On one of the days it is always just me and the faster runners...not being a runner, I am always last. I don't mind at all. In fact, I find that I push myself a little harder on that day and I am slowly improving.

I have a BLAST participating on a local city league women's volleyball team. To top it off, I was just invited to play women's soccer with some friends. Although I have never played soccer, I am having soooo much fun. I would have never known how much fun it is if I had never tried in the first place. Believe in yourself and take some time for you. If you are like me, that time I take helps me be a better mom, wife and friend (:

Get out there and have FUN!

Pick an Event

Now that we have worked on getting our fitness level up by increasing our cardio to 60 minutes 6 times a week, it is time to choose! And what fun it is. Chose what you ask? An event that will motivate you to train and continue exercising. An event that will challenge you and encourage you to push your limits.

Once we have signed up for an event, paid the money and made the commitment, it is a lot harder to back out.

This event may be your first 5K, a half marathon or even a marathon. It can be a bike ride. There are many women's only rides that consist of 30, 60 or 100 mile options. These types of rides are so much fun.

My favorites are the Little Red Riding Hood and the Wonder Woman rides in Utah. I am signing up for both rides as well as a new one...Goldilocks, that I have never ridden before. I only sign up for the 100 mile option because I hate paying for a shorter ride:) A couple of other fun events I am looking into are the Timp Trail Half Marathon, and the 5K Foam Fest. The options are endless....triathlons, duathlons, mountain bike events and a variety of mud runs. I am also signing up to do an adventure race in Moab. I have done an adventure race before and had such a great time!

Be brave. It is easy to let yourself think that we aren't good enough or that everyone is fitter than us, but the truth is that we are out doing something and no matter how slow we finish, we finish faster than the woman who didn't dare try:)

After choosing your event, sit down and put on paper your workout schedule. You will need one day of complete rest to recover.