Be Rewarded for your healthy choices at Walgreens

This healthy choices shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions and experiences are mine alone. #BalanceRewards #CollectiveBias

My day is filled with choices.

First is the choice to hit the snooze button...or not. Then, do I lace up my tennis shoes for a walk, or grab my yoga mat? Or do I skip it all together and dive straight into work?

Yes, there are a lot of choices that I have to face each day, but I am trying to make those healthy choices for myself and my family. Ultimately I want to manage my weight and be healthier. That is a great reward in itself. But, I think Walgreens knows I need a little more motivation to meet my health goals. I am all in for a dangling carrot or reward for my accomplishments. Walgreens is now rewarding me with points for my healthy lifestyle choices.

Yes! Walgreens Balance Rewards have gotten even better.

Are you earning Balance Rewards with Walgreens? The Balance Rewards program is free to sign up and I can earn points (50 points!) for every $1 I spend in-store. With all the great deals and coupons available it just makes sense for me to drop in for my my family's needs.

I don't know how many times I have started a "new" exercise and food log. Always with the best of intentions I begin writing everything down and as the days go by I lose interest and lose track of my progress. Then accountability goes as well and I am back to my old routine.

Now I can set my goals, sync a device or App, track my weigh, bloodpressure or other health indicators and earn points for my effort. Check out the Walgreens Balance Rewards for healthy choices page for all the ways your can track and earn.

I have had my Balance Rewards card with Walgreens for a few years now. I use it to save money and even clip coupons for the products we need. But now just by taking my morning run or enjoying a family walk in the evening, I am earning points.

I was so excited about this new program, I had to get outfitted. My husband watched the kids and I went shopping alone in my neighborhood Walgreens for products just for me. My big goal is to walk daily. I know that just 30 minutes a day can make a huge difference in my health and I am also aiming to get 10,000+ steps into each day. This is just a start, but after having my last baby I have a long way to go to reach my health goals.

Walgreens has a whole variety of items to help me get up, get out and make all those healthy lifestyle choices a little easier. Here is what I found at my local store.

1. Lip gloss - Walgreens has a great selection of brands and flavors to keep my lips happy.
2. Friction Reducer - This runner's glide is helpful for any running chafe that may occur. It is non-greasy and scentless.
3. Pain Reliever - I am not getting any younger and taking an extra strength pain reliever after a run helps me to not be slowed down with aches and pains of exercise and aging.
4. Mixed Nuts - My favorite mid morning or after run snack is a handful of mixed nuts. I love portable protein!
5. Blister bandages - I have new shoes and want to be prepared for the pain of breaking them in. I like to manage blisters when they first start so they don't slow me down.
6. Water Bottle - I only take one bottle on my walks so I grabbed a new one with a built-in carbon-based filter so I can refill as needed on the way.

I was also originally going to buy a FitBit in the store, but when I found out I could sync the RunKeeper App already on my phone, I decided to try that out first. It was easy to add the App and have been earning 20 - 60 points a day for my walks.

When I weigh myself weekly, I add that to the App too and am rewarded. It doesn't get much easier than that.

My kids love my new found motivation. We have had a lot more races lately and my kids are getting fast, too! I know I need to put in some major mileage to be in good enough shape to keep up with them. All that exercise will not only keep me healthy, but will quickly earn enough in rewards to treat us all to drinks and snacks at Walgreens afterwards.

So what are you waiting for? Healthy choices start with a single step and Walgreens is handing out plenty of motivation with their healthy choices program.

As for me, I went ahead and ordered that FitBit from Walgreens.com. It should arrived any day now. Being motivated has re-energized me to take better care of myself for my family. I am really curious to not only track all workouts, but also all my steps and activity throughout the day. There is lot that goes into staying healthy was we get older, but I am on my way.

Ready to be rewarded for your healthy choices? Ready, ...set, ... get connected and GO!

How will you be rewarded?

Stick to Your Morning Workout with 5 Tips + Dial Body Wash Giveaway

This workout worthy bottle of New Dial Coconut Water Refreshing Mango body wash was provided by the Dial brand in exchange for the review, but all opinions and experiences are my own. #GetNoticed

This week I have been getting up early to exercise with my son. Okay, some mornings the baby is up early, too and he comes along in the stroller, but my new commitment is to get back to 10,000+ steps a day. Despite trying to get in a workout DVD during naps, or slip away after dinner, I had to find something we could all stick to. Trying to walk mid-morning with 3 small children just wasn't happening.

If you are a busy Mom, you probably sympathize with how difficult it can be to carve out a few minutes for yourself. I mean, the bathroom is no longer a safe place and emergencies or tantrums seem to flare up when least expected.

I have to grab time where I can.

Of course a big motivator for me to work up a sweat is the steamy call of a hot shower. My newest treat has been the Dial Coconut Water Refreshing Mango Hydrating Body Wash. Not only does my skin feel smooth after my shower, but the antioxidants and electrolytes can help replenish lost hydration in my skin. Coconut water is all the rage right now, so why not treat you skin to a little, too. And the scent, it is a lovely way to start my day!

This is now my favorite way to wash off the salt and sweat of a good hard earned workout and maybe let my mind wander to a distant tropical island...

Okay, so besides finding the perfect time to slip in that daily workout, here are a few of my other tips.

5 Tips For Successfully Tackling Morning Workouts

1. Find a Buddy - Accountability is a huge motivator to me. In this case I enlisted my oldest son. He really needed another way to expel energy and stay out of trouble in the morning. He can walk/run most of our 3.3 mile loop on his own. If you have a baby, put them in the stroller and you are set!

2. Set Multiple Alarms - If you have a hard time waking up, don't let yourself hit snooze by setting multiple reminders to get up and get going.

3. Set Out Your Gear - I am much less likely to roll back into bed if my outfit is sitting and waiting for me to go. I also set out clothes for my son and we can be out the door in record time.

4. Hydrate - Don't forget to have a water bottle, or two, ready to go! I have one stashed in the fridge so I can stay hydrated for the entire workout.

5. Have a reward like Dial Coconut Water Refreshing Mango Hydrating Body Wash waiting for you to return. I give myself a few minutes to enjoy the hot water and get a fresh smelling start to the day. I love the coconut and mango scent to really pamper myself.

Giveaway Time!!!

Would you like to try this new body wash for yourself? I have 2 coupons so you can try it for yourself and treat a friend, too. This is one great experience you will want to share!

Easy entry! Leave me a comment on this post to tell me how you slip in workouts or why you need this hydrating coconut water body wash. I will draw a lucky winner on 9/1. Winner must be 18 years old or older and have a US mailing address. Good luck!

Motivation to Move - Lifetrak Move 300

*Disclaimer - I received the Lifetrak Move C300 activity tracker as a compensation for my time and efforts via Fitspiration For Moms Network. All experiences and opinions are my own.

Another baby, another set of unwanted baby pounds to shed.  Yes, I have been a busy girl. Once coming out of the new baby fog I started to move. It has been a slow start, but it took 9 months to pack the extra weight on and I will devote the next 9 months to taking it off in a healthy way. I have chosen to start my new chapter one step at a time.

Of course, finding a way to stay motivated and track my progress is important to me. With the other kids I found a device that allowed me to "compete" with my step counts or set goals for myself to achieve. So I was looking for something to help me along this journey. The Lifetrak Move 300 seemed like a great place to start tracking my activity. It sounded like the perfect reason to #GetMoving.

My Lifetrak arrived and I couldn't wait to start set-up. First I downloaded the accompanying FREE app, Argus, for my iPhone. Then I began adjusting the settings for my activity tracker, setting weight, height and checking to see if my stride and step count were accurate. It took me less than 10 minutes to be ready to start using it.

One of the best features, in my opinion, is that the Lifetrak is waterproof - submersible to 90 feet. That is more than sufficient for me to spend an afternoon swimming with my kids, or wash the dishes and not worry about ruining my tracker. Believe me, I have gone through more than my fair share of pedometers and other health trackers due to moisture and shorting out.

Basically I have worn my Lifetrak everywhere for the past 3 weeks.

This device replaced several items I had in my healthy lifestyle arsenal. It could track my heart rate so I didn't have to remember to wear my heart rate monitor during exercise, it counted my steps so I didn't also need a pedometer and helped me keep track of the time and date as well.

This activity tracker connects with Bluetooth Smart enabled devices allowing you to use the data collected for health and fitness apps. To sync up I just needed to have my iPhone nearby and open the app while pressing a button on my wristband. It was fast and easy. Then the info showed up when I opened the Argus app.

I'm a busy Mom and this device was everything I needed to get up and out the door without much fuss. Adding this to the Argus app also allowed me to track and photograph my food, water, the weather and much more. The price point really can't be beat at just under $60 on Amazon. For this price I did a lot more manually entering of items, but it still wasn't bad.

I move for my kids. They are the reason I want to get back into shape and drop a few jean sizes. This little beauty will be going with me for all my activities, walking, swimming or cycling. At the end of the day I know exactly how active I was and am able to set realistic goals for the next day. For that reason, I love my Lifetrak Move 300.

Connect with Lifetrak on Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest for more motivation.

Giveaway Time!!

Now, would you like the chance to win the Lifetrak Move 300? Fitspiration for Moms is running a fabulous giveaway where you can snag your own. Good luck!

Entry-Form

Motivated Monday - My Back, Has My Back

There is nothing more humbling than not being able to move. Let this be a warning to you/love letter to a body part that makes my every movement, every action easier.

Oh, yeah... this is all about my back.

Saturday morning we went on our annual pumpkin patch trip. My husband drove the pumpkin wagon and we set out with our friends and an army of little people in search of those perfect orange orbs. My son was dressed as a dinosaur and my daughter was a fabulous little peacock.

Off the wagon I admired the smiling faces surrounding me. Kids were darting in every direction all looking for their ideal of "perfection". A medium sized, round pumpkin caught my eye. The stem was cut, but there were a few loose tendrils still holding on. I set my right foot ahead of me, grabbed with both hands and pulled with all my might.

*POP*

I felt it down deep in my back. I couldn't move and my hearing started to go, my eyesight got fuzzy. I called for my husband to come quickly before I collapsed.

Only I didn't. I stood rooted to the spot, but unable to move. With two guys on either side of me, they helped me back to the wagon. I slumped there and had to watch the fun out in the field.

Back home I was flat on my back. I couldn't walk, I was in pain and so frustrating.

Over the next two days I slowly regained my strength and the ability to move. At first it was just in one direction, sitting up was painful and walking was hard. Slowly I regained the ability to bend some, then twisting and now I can finally lift small items and walk without support.

What does your back do? So many amazing things.

This week I don't have a weigh-in to share, even though our Graduate campaign begins today. I didn't finish my entire workout - Tae Bo was a little intense for my shaky core muscles. But each day I am getting stronger. Each day I will love the mobility I have, and work hard to build up the strength on my core.

I love my back and I plan to take better care of it so it can "have my back" for years to come!

*Update* Just wanted to add this week's scale pic:

I lost 1.6 lbs this past week!

GOAL: 175lbs  - Current 208.6lbs  = 33.6lbs to lose

        9/2                Current 204.8lbs = 29.9 lbs to lose

        9/9                Current 203.4lbs = 28.5 lbs to lose

        9/16              Current 202.6lbs = 27.6 lbs to lose

      10/15              Current 201.2lbs = 26.4 lbs to lose

      10/23              Current 199.6 lbs = 24.8 lbs to lose

Have you ever had a back injury? What is your favorite core exercise?

Motivated Monday - Starting is the Hardest Part

Did you survive the weekend?

For me, just barely! I both dread and look forward to the weekdays. The return of Monday means we are back to our regularly scheduled activities, routine and fewer tantrums. Yesterday we had a great time with friends, but my kids were so wound up, they spent most of the evening melting down. My son went down swinging and ended up on a mattress on the floor. We had to follow through, right?

This week begins a departure from my usual "Mamavation Monday" posts with a refocus on motivating my week. They will be posted on Mondays and will be my blueprint for tackling the week, including my meal plan, exercise plan, etc.

So, what is my motivation for the week?

• Getting my family ready for PKU camp! With food, other PKU families and water slides, it is bound to be a blast. I could really use the change of scenery.
• Lose 2lbs. That is the goal, we will see how that goes. I will probably be super busy walking all around camp, so it probably won't be a problem.
• Get more sleep. Yes, still trying to train myself to head in at 10pm and get up earlier instead of staying up late and the kids waking me.

Meal Plan 8/20 - 8/23
Monday - Taco Salad, & Baked Egg Rolls
Tuesday- Zucchini Bread Pancakes
Wednesday- Broccoli, bacon, potato fritata
Thursday - Corn Pancakes (my husband's request!)

Exercise Plan
My goal is to squeeze in at least one hour of walking or DVD cardio this week. PM Yoga DVD before bed.

Coming Up:
I have a heart rate monitor review to post soon and hope to start tackling exercise DVD reviews in the coming weeks. I want to keep better tabs on what is working for me and share the great finds I am enjoying at the time.

For me, starting something new is always the hardest part. I hope to keep myself motivated and focused on my goals by adding them here. More sharing and stories to come when Summer begins to slow down. What are your goals for the week? How will you stay motivated to reach them?

#Mamavation Monday - One Down... and One to Go!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! The weather here was beautiful and I spent a day in the city with my husband and children. We did a little shopping, had a great lunch and topped it all off with a great trip to a park where the kids could play.

Simple and perfect!

This past week I participated in a virtual 5K to celebrate Social Fabric's birthday. I had a 13:11 pace and enjoyed the early morning jog with my kids.

Next on the list will be the Mamavation Virtual 5K next month and I want to set an even faster pace! I have a little over a month to finish my C25K refresher and build up cardio endurance. I am feeling pretty great though with one 5K down and one more to go next month. I am ever pushing to be under the 9 minute mile mark.

The warmer weather brings green things, growth, renewal and great sleep deprivation for me. Currently I am readjusting to the invisible husband (he is farming and busy almost around the clock right now). I have felt a little drained this past week dealing with my children, the household and trying to carve out time to exercise. Will I ever achieve balance? Probably not. Just about the time I start to get a handle on flying solo, the growing season is ending and I have to readjust to having my husband around more. I do try not to get too territorial over the family routine, but we will inevitably butt heads at some point.

With the #2weekchallenge being over it is time to write down my plan of action for the week:

1. Walk - I would really like to get outside for a walk/jog with my kids daily. Tonight I will be going out with the family after dinner.
2. Move for 1-2 hours a day - besides the C25K workouts I am going to be flipping through my DVD library and making some time for a few old favorites. Ellen Barret and Jackie Warner are at the top of my list.
3. Drink Up! - I have been slacking on my water intake. Time to get back into the good habit of water only drinking.
4. Push Ups & sit ups - Continue with the 100 pushup challenge and the sit up challenge. Even with my youngest turning 3 this Summer my core is painfully out of shape.

So, what are your goals for the week?

MAMAVATION TV: Join us Monday night at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV.

BLOGGING CARNIVAL: This week’s blogging carnival is sponsored by Dole.

Cragmama is always a wealth of information, but I am going to miss out. Tonight was designated as a catch-up/family night. Hopefully this will let me get a bit more sleep later on in the week.

*Disclaimer - This post is sponsored by Dole and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway

Getting our Community Playing - #OdwallaCFK

A few week's ago I told you about April's Champion's for Kids SIMPLE Service Project, the Odwalla "Game Day Challenge". I posted about "Our Family's Game Day Challenge - #OdwallaCFK" and am excited to give you an update on the project.


Older children may have organized sports and clubs they can join, but it is just as important for younger children to get out and get active. Hopefully being active and healthy at a young age will feed their interest for organized sports later on. I was looking for a group in our community that worked with children close to my kids' ages.  I decided on Head Start.  Check out our Google+ story of the trip.  I was amazed at all the great things a savvy Mom can find at Walmart to get kids active.

My children are ages 4 and 2. They love to run around outside and have fun!

So we selected items that were perfect for the target pre-school age of Head Start. On our shopping trip I let my children pick out items they would like to play with.

They chose:

• 2 Large bouncy balls
• 2 hula-hoops 
• Bubbles
• Sidewalk chalk
• Bat & Ball Set
• Extra Balls
• Tee Ball Tee
• Water Balloon Launcher & Water Balloons

 The Douglas County Head Start program, part of the non-profit UCAN, is a comprehensive pre-school program. It serves low income families and is provided at no cost for eligible families. The program helps get kids ready for school with a positive and respectful environment for everyone and entire family involvement.


The program takes place just down from where I grew up, my old neighborhood. Though I never attended Head Start I know people who have benefited from the program, both children and adults.

Our program is very active in the community and is visible at local parades and events. Students blossom with the help and preparation provided but there are many barriers for the students and health and nutrition are one.

This project was a lot of fun for my family. It gave us the chance to think about how to get other children in our community active and healthy. It was also the perfect opportunity to talk about these goals and values with my own children. We made a great collection of items perfect for inspiring fun and active habits in little kids.

I hope this will inspire others to give back to their community and join in the Champions for Kids program. You can learn more about how to get involved or read inspiring stories from others donating on Champions for Kids on Twitter and Facebook. Join in the conversation, start donating and help to make your community even better.

*Disclaimer - I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for  Collective Bias™.   #CBias #SocialFabric All opinions are my own.

#Mamavation Monday - Cooking Up a Plan

Last week I had a great plan.

I had it all. Exercise, Meal Plan and goals. Everything I needed to follow to have a great week. And you know, with some slight alternations and detours, I pretty much stuck with it. Yay!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Easter Sunday. We decided to stay home so I could take charge of our food and include my children in the meals. So often food becomes a real challenge for holidays. Everyone has their own diet to follow and plans change at the last minute. I was hurt that my children would not be included with everyone else, so we celebrated as our little family of 4. Smoked tenderloin for the adults and roasted veggies, fruit salad and sides for all of us, to share. The best part was my kids ate and ate. They weren't distracted by well-meaning family members or overstimulated by the crowd, they just ate. It was beautiful.

Okay, so big news... I finally decided to jump head first and ordered P90x. Yes, done. It arrives this week and I can't wait to get started. I have always wanted to find out how strong I can become. I am hoping this is my chance. So, my goals for the week are still simple but exercise and food may change slightly as I modify for the new workout. I am planning on easing into things so I don't get burned out or injured.

My goal this week - walk everyday. Get outside every day weather allows.

This Week's Workouts:
Monday - Walk, Ellen Barret's Yogini DVD, push up challenge
Tuesday - Walk, Black Eyed Peas Kinect Game
Wednesday - P90x *exact workouts TBA
Thursday - P90x
Friday - P90x
Saturday - P90x
Sunday - P90x

Meal Plan:
Monday - "Must-goes" (everything in my fridge must-go!)
Tuesday - Homemade Spaghetti & Meatballs
Wednesday - Sante Fe Crock-pot Chicken over Brown Rice
Thursday - Taco night!
Friday - Tuna Casserole, roasted Brussel Sprouts
Saturday - Yogurt Chicken over Whole Wheat Couscous
Sunday - Pork Chops, Trader Joe's Harvest Grain Blend, Mixed Sauteed Greens

I am very excited about tomorrow's Mamavation TV guest. I was so pleased to have been a test cook for one of last year's vegetarian menu plans. I was able to cook and send in my comments and any typos with the menu. I really love cooking in a big batch and then having healthy, "fast food" available in my chest freezer. You might want to look around and give it a try if you haven't already. My favorite part is the month's menu is all laid out for a single day. It gives info on when to start one project, when to prep, etc. I just love how it frees up time for the rest of the month.

I often cook ahead. Even when I don't have time to create an entire month of meals, I always try to cook a larger than needed batch of pasta sauce, or gnocchi or falafel. I also love to make a huge batch of soup and freeze half of it right away. Some days are busy or I just don't want to cook and batch cooking allows me the option to just reheat and serve.

MAMAVATION TV: Join us Monday night at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV.

BLOGGING CARNIVAL: This week’s blogging carnival is sponsored by Handi-Foil.

*Disclaimer - This post is sponsored by Handi-Foil and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway.

Book #Review - Get Skinny! The Six-Week Body Challenge (#Giveaway)

Have you stuck with your healthy New Year's Resolutions? Has your motivation dropped off?

Well, maybe you just need the right challenge to get you ready for Summer...

Book Summary:

Imagine having the energy to perform at your peak throughout the day, the inner strength to tap into your true potential, and the ability to permanently lose weight--- all while having absolute confidence in who you are and what you can accomplish.

If you are thinking about losing weight but don’t know where to start, let "Get Skinny! The Six-Week Body Challenge" be your guide. Unlike other fitness books on the market, this six-week body challenge won’t leave you feeling confused about what you need to do to permanently lose weight and change your life.

"Get Skinny! The Six-Week Body Challenge" gives you the true feeling and experience that comes from working with an elite personal trainer one-on-one. For the next six weeks, you will be guided through several fun and challenging exercise and nutrition programs as if you were actually meeting with an elite trainer at your local gym. You’ll be pushed to reach for your true, inner potential while being praised for your efforts. There are even targeted goals and weekly check-ins to help keep you motivated.

In the end, you’ll be able to laugh and have a good time, make mistakes in a safe and comfortable environment, and personally connect with your trainer in a way that will allow you to achieve lasting and permanent success, forever changing the way you look at fitness! 

 I have purchased and tried my fair share of weight loss or exercise books in the past. Usually I get bored quickly and never make it all the way to the last page. Scott Schmaltz has done a great job breaking down the challenge and wealth of information with photos, charts and easy to understand bullet points. This is great guide for a complete challenge. Just open up the book and work through the meals, exercises and information.

I am still on the second week of the challenge, but am enjoying it so far. I hope to have some great results to report when it wraps up.

Scott Schmaltz is a veteran of the fitness industry with more than 10 years of personal training experience. He holds a board certification as a Holistic Health Practitioner, a degree as a nutritional consultant, and seven certifications in personal training and rehabilitation. 


Get Skinny! The Six-Week Body Challenge - release date is 4/1/12, but you can pre-order your copy today:
Amazon (Paperback & Kindle) 

Barnes & Noble ( Paperback and Nook) 

Giveaway Time!!

One lucky reader will win a copy of Scott Schmaltz's Get Skinny! The Six-Week Body Challenge. Enter with the Rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway ends 4/3/2012.