So Long, October... It's Been Fun!

Yes, it truly has been a fun October!

The Captain and I  have finally completed 9 weeks of the Metabolic Aftershock workouts and I am so glad to see them come to an end. These workouts are organized in 3 phases. Each phase is a series of 3 different workouts to be done each week for 3 weeks. The phase 3 workouts are killer and even though the 15 minutes goes by pretty quickly, they are tough.  I really need the 30-minute walk after each to shake out my legs and stretch the muscles.  Sometimes we joke about taking bus fare in case we cannot walk for 30 minutes!

This is the second time through this series for us.  I like to alternate it with a few weeks of more traditional strength training just to keep things interesting, and the body challenged.  As much as I grouse about them, I love what these workouts do for my legs especially!

And, we have also done some golfing at a new-to-us course and have really been enjoying that. I do think that a golf course is one of the best places to be on a nice day!

I was introduced to NuZest's CLEAN LEAN PROTEIN and have fallen quite in love!  It comes in a few different flavors and I will be sharing more about it in the future. 

The Captain and I volunteered at our local GoodLife Fitness marathon again this year, handing out race participants' shirts at the expo on Friday night. It is a fun way to be involved in the race excitement and we always get a nice technical tee (New Balance) for our efforts.  I would like to run this race but honestly, with the probability of rain in October, I just cannot bring myself to commit. This year the runners really lucked out as the rain quit for several hours on Sunday morning for all the festivities!

I love the color!  And it is not a bad shirt even if a bit big... it also matches my Mizuno shoes so I used it as an overshirt on my Sunday morning run this week.  

Right now I am enjoying spicy tea in the afternoons. For some reason it seems like a Fall drink to me, especially if it is wet or gloomy outside my window!

I sometimes make a whole pot, but often just a cup at a time!  Do you do that, too?

I have been enjoying a lower-carb food program lately... carb cycling actually, and it seems to suit me very well.  It does mean that I am trying to eat more protein and a bit more fat, though.  And I am also working on eating enough at each meal so that I am not wanting to snack. So yesterday I made a little dessert after my lunch... I mixed some vanilla protein powder with coconut milk and natural peanut butter and a bit of cinnamon and spooned it on some apple slices.  YUMMERS!  It would make a great snack, too!

I love my new Reebok yoga mat. We picked up a couple of them at an outlet store in Burlington, WA when we were there at the end of  September.  The message is great... and it is also a nice sticky mat and I am quite happy with it.

So, how did October shape up for you?  Have you been snacking on Hallowe'en candy?  What are you looking forward to in November?

CLIF BAR Adds ICED GINGERBREAD to Their Seasonal Lineup

CLIF BAR announced recently that they have added a new flavor to their popular limited seasonal lineup 

... it is called ICED GINGERGREAD.... 

and a few of them arrived at my house yesterday!

Thank you to the PR team that sent them my way....

And the press release...

" CLIF® Bar Adds Iced Gingerbread to Limited-Edition Seasonal Lineup

CLIF Bar Celebrates the Holidays with Seasonal Flavours Iced Gingerbread & Spiced Pumpkin Pie; Giving Back to Protect Our Winters

TORONTO – By popular demand, CLIF® Bar will launch its delicious seasonal flavours, introducing Iced Gingerbread as their latest holiday treat. Made with a nutritious blend of organic rolled oats and wholesome ingredients, CLIF Bar seasonal flavours deliver delicious, holiday-inspired nutrition on-the-go. To spread the spirit of giving, CLIF Bar will also donate a portion of the proceeds toProtect Our Winters, a leading climate advocacy group for the winter sports community. 

“In our second year offering CLIF Bar seasonal flavours in Canada, we are excited to bring a new flavour to athletes and adventurers who love great-tasting and nutritious food,” said Betty Bredemann, CLIF Bar International Brand Manager. “Winter is the time when many Canadians embrace outdoor adventures. Gingerbread and the holidays go hand-in-hand and now you can take this delicious seasonal treat with you on the snow and ice.”

Through this partnership, CLIF Bar will donate one percent of net seasonal sales to Protect Our Winters, which is dedicated to educating, engaging and mobilizing the Canadian and U.S. winter sports community to lead the fight against climate change.

Iced Gingerbread and Spiced Pumpkin Pie CLIF Bars are made with wholesome ingredients like organic rolled oats and molasses and are a source of fibre. They also contain a blend of vitamins and minerals. Seasonal flavours are available now in select retailers in Canada while supplies last.

About Clif Bar & Company

Clif Bar & Company is a leading maker of nutritious and organic foods, including CLIF® Bar energy bar, CLIF® Organic Trail Mix, CLIF Kid Zbar® and Builder’s® protein bar. Focused on sports nutrition and snacks for adventure, the family and employee-owned company is committed to sustaining its people, brands, business, community and planet. For more information on Clif Bar & Company, please visit www.clifbar.ca, check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/clifbar and follow us on Twitter @clifbar. "

I am a big fan of CLIF BAR products... and am always happy to spread the word about new flavors and items in their lineup.  We enjoy them quite often at our house.

It did seem a bit of a shame, though, to tear into these cute, specially decorated packages in order to get to the goodness inside...

... but I managed!   

Spiced Pumpkin Pie or Iced Gingergbread... what is your seasonal CLIF BAR favorite?

Snacking on the Go... Taste of Nature Fruit and Nut Bars

I rarely leave home without a snack in my bag or in my pocket...  whether I am heading out to go hiking...

or golfing...

to play tennis...

or even to simply go for a walk...

I always want to have something filling and nutritious close by in case I should happen to get hungry while I am away from home .  

If I am taking a bag, I might pack an apple and some nuts... but sometimes that is just not possible or particularly convenient or practical.  On those occasions, a bar of some kind is a much better choice. And since I discovered Taste of Nature fruit and nut bars... I am more and more inclined to choose them.

These fruit and nut bars are certified organic, non-GMO, bluten-free and made with real, simple, whole ingredients that you can see through the packaging.  What you see is what you eat. #RealTastesGood

Here is a list of what they DON'T contain:

• additives
• artificial flavors
• artificial sweetners
• animal products
• dairy
• preservatives
• simple sugars
• sulphur dioxide
• cholesterol
• wheat
• gluten

They don't melt. They don't get sticky and messy.  They are convenient and delicious!

You can likely find Taste of Nature fruit and nut bars at store near you in both Canada and the U.S.A... but if not, you can order them online at www.tasteofnature.com  - so many great nut and fruit combinations to choose from, too.

I was given a selection of Taste of Nature bars to sample and these opinions are my own.

What is your favorite pack-along snack?

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts Review and Giveaway

One of my favorite ways to add some flavor, and some crunch, and a bit of a nutritional boost to my meals is by sprinkling hemp seeds over the top.  I normally buy them in a large bag at Costco... Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts... and when I was given the opportunity to do a review and giveaway through my association with Sweat Pink, I readily accepted.

They sent me a 56g bag to sample and review, and will give another to a reader from Canada or the U.S. who enters my giveaway contest.

And just what is so special about Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts?  Well, just 28g (one ounce) of these little seeds packs a whopping 8g of protein.  And they are full of healthy Omega 3, magnesium and manganese as well.  They are raw, about the size of sesame seeds, and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways.

Sometimes I eat them out of my hand... and other times I sprinkle them on fruits, salads, zoodes, over pancakes and waffles, and even banana/fruit softserves.    They have a slightly nutty flavor and I think they are quite delicious!

If you would like to try them for yourself,  enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter form below.

It's over and the winner has been contacted!  Thanks for your participation.

There is one mandatory entry... a comment on this blog post.  Other entries can be earned through the various methods outlined in the Rafflecopter form.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

One prize per person. If you win this giveaway, and have already won another prize from Manitoba Harvest through another blog, please disclose that you have already won so we can choose another winner.

If you are a Sweat Pink Ambassador who is also involved in this campaign you are not eligible to win but you may help promote by tweeting the following:

#hemphearts #hemplove @ManitobaHarvest  Win some from @eatrunsail and #SweatPink @FitApproach   http://eatrunsail.blogspot.ca/2015/10/manitoba-harvest-hemp-hearts-review-and.html #ad

Have you tried Manitoba Hemp Hearts yet?  What is your favorite way to eat them?

Oh Oh Oh October

I love Fall and everything about it... the changing colors in the trees, the cooler mornings and evenings and sunny warm days... I am glad the tennis courts and golf courses are less busy with kids and teachers back in school.

I am glad to see the prices of squashes, pumpkins, and root veggies dropping in our local markets. And I love to see the fields full of orange and white pumpkins.

But this Fall really snuck up on me, because it seems like our Summer has not really ended!  Even though it is October, we are still enjoying beautiful flowers, lovely hot and sunny days, and warm nights.  And it has also been unusually dry... very little rain since Spring, really.  I am not complaining!

But October has begun and my calendar is jam packed!  We will be volunteering at the Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon again this year... at the expo handing out race shirts to entrants as we have done the past 2 years. I love being part of this event even though not running.

And this coming weekend is also Thanksgiving in Canada... so that means a big turkey dinner with all the trimmings... I like to do it on the Monday.  Planning the menu and shopping this week.

We have scheduled a few rounds of golf in the next couple of weeks, too.  I am really looking forward to that.  And it won't be long till we start playing tennis regularly for a few weeks, too.  We are about to start the third and final phase of the Metabolic Aftershock program tomorrow. That lasts 3 weeks and then we will be changing gears and lifting weights again.  And I sill have to figure out where we are going to fit in some runs!  I think I need more hours in my day.

I am coasting right along with my food plan. I have found my groove and really loving the lower carb way of life.. I won't say no-carb as I am definitely eating lots of veggies... but overall less fruit and little to no grains or starchy veggies such as squash and sweet potatoes.  It works for me. I feel lighter and have dropped that pesky couple of pounds and I am sleeping like a baby again.  I have also dropped the Greek yogurt and am only eating very small bits of cheese occasionally.  So what AM I eating? Well, to start, lots of protein in the way of lean meats, fish, and eggs/egg whites, ENERGYbits,  and a variety of protein powders.... also lots of vegetables, some fruits, nuts and seeds, bits of dark chocolate, avocadoes and other healthy oils with limited vinegar. My food plan allows for red wine although I can honestly say I am not really inclined toward it at present, but I am enjoying a wide variety of teas, and also limited coffee.

I have been using My Fitness Pal to track my calories/macronutrients and fitting it all into my Weight Watchers tracker! Yes, it takes time but it's worth it to me.

October is also going to bring some medical tests my way... a mammogram and a Pap smear... it's Breast Cancer Awarenss month after all!

All in all, I am excited to get outside and enjoy this great weather as long as it holds.  How about you?  What are you looking forward to in October?