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?

Striving Each Day For My Best Life - #CloroxLounge

When you wake up in the morning are you excited to face a new day? Do you start with regrets or reservations?

My goal this year was to strive to make healthier choices for myself and my family. That could have been an overwhelming goal. A whole year, so many unknowns to face and situations I hadn't imagined would happen, it might seem impossible. Instead I am concentrating in living my best life by being present.

Now, this is a big a vague concept. Presence. I want to be present in every moment, choice and action that I do. I want to be present enough to savor the food I eat and cherish each giggle that escapes my children's mouths.

Since becoming a parent I have faced unimaginable things from sleepless nights with a crying infant, to sleepless nights with a sick and weak toddler to the worry over a medical diagnosis that not only changed how we ate, but how I raise my children. I felt like a small boat drifting from one crisis or joy to the next. I like to call it "Mommy fog". the alarm would ring and my day began. Each day was like the last and each night I wished I could break out of my rut. Get more accomplished and feel better about my day.

I can't say it is easy. I was holding myself back. I was staying up later to accomplish more, only to be twice as tired the following day. It was a cycle hard to break.

Slowly, I am trying this idea of presence.

I am forcing myself to slow down enough to make choices that are best for me, not just convenient. I have simplified our food enough that we eat more things raw or simply steamed or dressed. I can taste the food and savor every bite. Since I prepare the food for the whole family I know my children and husband are eating better as well. Each week I try new recipes with foods in season. Being present also means appreciating what is available around you.

Being present in my day means taking the time to enjoy the wonders of being a 5 or 3-year old through my children's eyes. Whether we sprint between telephone poles on our walk, or stop to pick blackberries, there is no autopilot anymore. Every choice is made to be enjoyed and remembered. Silly is in and not keeping a flexible schedule is out.

The hardest part of this is giving up control. The dishes are not always clean, the beds go unmade on occasion, but we are embracing Carpe Diem! Life is meant to be grabbed and thoroughly enjoyed. This is how I am striving each day for my best life. How are you striving for yours?

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Enter to help strive for you best life with the help of O You! or win one of 10 Kindle Fires.


*Disclaimer - I was compensated for writing this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and The Clorox Lounge blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. To read more posts on this topic, click here.