Enlighted Ice Cream Bars

    Enlightened Ice Cream Bars. "The Good-For-You Ice Cream". Tried these out for the first time today! The macros on these are really decent 14g carbs, 8g protein and 2g fat. 70 calories. Not bad at all.

  They taste pretty good. I got the orange cream flavor which is due to the orange juice concentrate. The flavor was very light- not too sweet or prominent which is ok with me. The coloring is through natural ingredients and they also use non-GMO soluble corn fiber. The protein is from the whey protein isolate. They also have coffee and fudge flavors. On the fudge packaging I saw that they have a peanut butter and almond flavors too but I could not find those product on the official site - eatenlightened.com.   I will be hunting down each flavor whenever I go to a health food or grocery store. 

I Love Protein Powder! Part 4

        Tried out a new brand of whey protein. These are Impact Whey Protein by the UK based company +Myprotein USA. They recently started introducing their products to the US a couple of years ago. What I like about this brand is most of their products are low in fillers and artificial additives. I got a great deal on this 5.5lb pouch of whey protein concentrate for less than $45. They have a wide range of flavors especially for the Impact Whey protein blend. Some flavors include Strawberry Jam Roly Poly, Strawberries and Cream, Banoffee, Toffee, Summer Fruits, Raspberry, Chocolate Smooth, Vanilla, Cookies and Cream, Lemon Cheesecake and more! Definitely not your typical flavors. There is 19grams of protein, 1.7 grams fat and 1.5grams of carbs. Great macronutrient profile. A little lower in protein than other popular brands that I have tried but still decent. Again, a lot less artificial fillers too.

           Above is photo of 2.2lb pouch of Apple Crumble & Custard. First of all, this is my first time having pouches as packaging for protein powder. A bit different but definitely saves space once it is empty which I appreciate. In terms of this flavor, it was light in water. Probably tastes better with milk. I pick up just a hint of apple but more of a bakery flavor; kinda like a pie crust.

Now this is a 5.5 bag of Vanilla & Raspberry. Not your typical flavor. This is my favorite out of my two purchases. It has a nice balance of Vanilla with a sweet and sour raspberry flavor. When mixed it gives you a light pink hue which is due to the natural coloring from beetroot extract. I'm really glad I got this in a 5.5 pouch. +Myprotein USA has a few flavors and unflavored in 11lb pouches as well. 

Overall, I am very happy with my purchase. I'm really glad this company has decided to expand to the US market. I almost forgot but mixability for this whey concentrate is awesome. A couple of shakes with a blender cup will do the job. I have not tested it out with a spoon but I'm sure it will still mix. This is definitely a brand worth checking out. Great price for whey concentrate. They have additional blends of proteins on their site. The US site is us.myprotein.com and their UK site is myprotein.com. I am hoping they will make all of their products available to the US soon.

Nutri Ninja - Best Kitchen Gadget

This is my favorite thing right now. Nutri Ninja. I received this for testing purposes from Euro-Pro. It is the perfect device to make smoothies.

These are available through NinjaKitchen.com, Walmart and Target. Not much to say but this is a great product. It can be an alternative to your blender, mixers and NutriBullet.

Lesser Evil Is Good!

 

Super 4 - Cheesy Nacho

Chia Crisps - Feta and Black Olive

Chia Crisps- Jalepeno White Cheddar

Lesser evil  products are my new obsession. They make low calorie products that are gluten free and organic. I am currently inhaling bags of their Chia Crisps line made out of black beans and the Super 4 - white bean, quinoa, chia, lentil blend. They flavors are awesome. These help with my potato chip cravings. You should definitely check these out. They are available at most grocery stores. If not then most likely the health food stores.

VitaBrownie

        I saw this product briefly on the +DoctorOz show and I thought I'd give it a try. Since I've been on a health kick and giving up on sweets. I have the occasional craving for baked sweets. That includes brownies. Vitabrownie by +Vitalicious is a good product to get that baked good fix. They also make +VitaMuffin. These are pretty good but if you are looking for a really sweet brownie then this is not for you. This has more of the texture and appearance of a brownie but very light when it comes to sweetness.

       There are four tiny brownies in each box. Decent size as you can see, it fits within my hand. Remove the plastic and microwave for about 15-25 seconds (depending on your microwave). Each brownie is 100 calories, about 6-10 gr of fiber, 3-4 gr of protein and low fat.

See it looks good and it was. The sweetness was underwhelming but that's ok. I was looking for a healthier alternative to a typical brownie anyway and this is it! These can be found in your frozen section at your local grocery.

barefruit = awesome snack

barefruit by BareSnacks is a really snack if you are craving sweet, salty or spicy food. Above is a photo of a small bag of their Crunchy Chile Lime Apple Chips. They are sweet but spicy; kinda reminds me of wasabi clearing your nasal passages. They have a variety of flavors listed on their website. Light but filling. Only 100 calories per bag with 3g of fiber. 0 fat, no preservatives, gluten free and non-GMO. These can be found at your local health food stores.

Brush Your teeth with gourmand flavors!

     Mint chocolate...That's all I have to say. New line of Crest toothpastes are now available at +Walmart. There are three flavors Mint Chocolate Trek, Vanilla Mint Spark and Lime Spearamint Zest. They make the new Crest Be toothpaste collection. These fun flavors really make brushing teeth an enjoyable experience AND they still do a great job of giving your mouth a clean, fresh feeling.

I like the packaging and graphic design - very different yet still retains that typical blue color you would expect from Crest. In addition, each flavor comes with a unique phrase. Mint chocolate is "Be Adventurous". Vanilla mint is "Be Inspired". Lime Spearmint is "Be Dynamic". Motivational phrases to start your day in the right direction. Below is their current commercial for this product.

 I bought like six packs of the Mint Chocolate Trek because I was feeling adventurous. The Vanilla Mint Spark sounded enticing too but I do remember trying a Crest toothpaste with a similar flavor long time ago so I didn't get that. I heard from other people that the Lime Spearmint Zest reminded them of a mojito. 

I was feeling adventurous and wanted to try Mint Chocolate Trek. So glad that I got this flavor. This actually has a mint flavor mixed in with a bit of chocolate/cocoa taste.

Light green pastes with tiny specks of brown to match with the flavor. I don't really feel those specks in my mouth though, they just dissolve with the rest of the toothpaste.

Overall, I'm happy I got six packs but I'm actually considering buying more because I'm not sure if this is a limited edition collection. Check your local +Walmart for the new +Crest Be toothpaste collection.

Acai + 10 Superblend is Super-delicious!

If you are fan of +Bolthouse Farm products should definitely try out their Acai (pronounced ''ah-sigh-ee'') + 10 Superblend. Great combination of fruits like acai, noni berry, bilberry, mangosteen, goji berry, black currants, yumberry and more! The flavor profile is unique but familiar, kinda like fruit punch but so much richer. Definitely worth a try.

Garnier Fructis - Triple Nutrition Review

Almost empty! 8( This is the Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner. I have been using this and its shampoo partner (not shown) for the last month and a half. This stuff has help my hair so much its cray cray. I have dry hair and my head becomes very irritated during the colder months. I had to bring back some moisture and protect my hair. Triple Nutrition contains almond, avocado and olive oil extracts to protect and nourish dry damaged hair. After weeks of use my hair feels soft and a little bit shiny- healthy-looking. Since I had positive results I wanted to venture out and try some of +Garnier Fructis other products.

So I decided to try out +Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge line. The bag above was purchased at 9.89 at +Walmart. This is such a bargain because you get four products. This set is a Walmart exclusive. So if you are a fan of Garnier Fructis hair products or curious to try out this line I think this is your best in terms of value. They also have a four piece set for the Color Shield line and the Triple Nutrition line.

Tacobell Sauce in a Bottle!

       

            Finally a chain that knows the value of their sauces! Tacobell was smart enough to give their consumers the opportunity to have their sauces all year round without leaving their homes. Simply by bottling all of their favorites – mild, hot, fire and verde salsa, consumers can have that great condiment anytime they want! 

              Since I am an enthusiastic BzzAgent, I had received 7.5oz bottle samples of Tacobell’s mild sauce and fire hot sauce for free! These are the perfect condiments for a variety of dishes. Tacobell sauce is not just for tacos. You can pour some on your salad or on a sandwich. Perhaps a few drops in your soup to give it a little kick. Also, you can ignite your simple dipping sauces by mixing in a spoonful of this spicy, hot goodness. Do you have a bowl of plain rice? It won’t be plain once you sprinkle a few drops of this red hot gold on top! These are truly versatile flavors that only enhance your food. In terms of spiceness, mild is tolerable. Once you get to hot and fire then you are going to need a glass of water. It all comes down to preferences.
            
             The packaging is very simplistic and easy to read especially the nutritional label. You don’t have to worry if these sauces are packed with calories and sodium. 0 calories and 45mg of sodium. 

            I am actually proud to add these bottles to my condiment collection. No more Tacobell packets hidden behind the counter or under the sofa. The same flavors are now all conveniently bottled for our enjoyment.

Speed Stick GEAR Antiperspirant/Deodorant

    Living an active lifestyle can create body odor. It’s not cute. One way to combat that effect is deodorant. It helps to cover up your body odor. Antiperspirant helps to reduce your sweat. Together they are great way to get moving yet still smelling fresh. I recently was given a new antiperspirant/deodorant from Influenster to test out. These were completely free and I was not paid to promote them. Influenster allows social media trendsetters to try out new products and to share their thoughts with family, friends and strangers. Really great opportunity to tell me people what you really think. I was one of 3000 male Influensters to try out new Speed Stick GEAR. 

   

         I was excited to receive my Speed Stick GEAR VoxBox mainly because I ran out of my deodorant. My unboxing video can be seen here. My last deodorant stick was Old Spice Wolfthorn. Great product but it wasn't giving my lasting protection. At the end of the day I couldn't pick up any "Wolfthorn" scent which was a shame because Old Spice is very popular for the masculine scents. So when I read that Speed Stick GEAR said 48 hours I was skeptical. I had to test these out.

    At first glance I was really impressed with the packaging. Silver cap with an overall dark blue look- very male-driven marketing which is good. The side grips were a nice touch - very helpful if you just jumped out of the shower while your hands are still wet. 

         As expected from any deodorant stick this a white, scented formula. There are two scents that were in my box- Clean Peak & Fresh Force. Both are great scents but I gravitated to the Fresh Force immediately. If I were to describe the scent, it's like a big boy's version of baby powder.

      How do I test this 48 hours of protection though? First step is to see if it can survive 24 hours. As I am now a bit more active, I tend to need more odor protection. So I thought adding the Speed Stick to my gym bag would be the perfect start to try out this product. After a good 3 mile run and 1 hour session of P90X by body was definitely in overheated and sweating. Before hitting the showers, I noticed that my underarm region wasn't as warm and uncomfortable. It felt good. Quick sniff and I was still picking up the Fresh Force scent. I was impressed. I also was happy because I noticed at the end of the day I had no skin irritation either. Some brands that I have used in the past have given my that undesired effect. Speed Stick GEAR is not like any other deodorant. Also after the shower, I did still pick up the Fresh Force scent. Next morning so 24 hours in, I barely got any Fresh Force scent but that is ok. Unfortunately, I like that scent very much that I keep reapplying it so I cannot give you a definite 48 hours of protection. To be honest, I wasn't expecting a miracle deodorant anyway. It survived my gym workout and I was satisfied.... So satisfied that I went to my local Walmart to go check out the rest of the product line.

           

    Apparently, there is a third scent in this line and its called "Cool Motion". Another great scent but I was still enjoying my Fresh Force. I didn't pick that up but I did pick up the Fresh Force deodorant spray. Great replacement whenever I run out the antiperspirant stick. That will be awhile though. Each stick is 2.7 oz which is a good amount. Also, I noticed that there are Speed Stick GEARs that are just deodorants so if you are not interested in the antiperspirant properties you can get that instead. 

     Overall I am very happy with my new daily essential. I welcome Speed Stick GEAR with open arms....UNDERarms. Thank you Influenster for selecting me to try out this new line.

Aveeno Men's Shave Gel + alternative

For the last year or so I have been using Aveeno's Active Naturals Men's Shave Gel for my shaving routine. This stuff helps your skin feel soft and smooth without losing any moisture. It's fragrance-free and uses a colloidal oatmeal formula to help moisturize the skin.

Now if you are looking for an alternative that is usually priced lower but still has the same quality then I would suggest +Target Therapeutic Shave Gel ( photo below). This stuff has the same results however this is not fragrance-free. There is a light scent almost aloe-vera in this. It also has a colloidal oatmeal formula.

Both products are great. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to the Aveeno shave gel then go with the @Target but sometimes Aveeno products do go on sale and you can find coupons as well so you might be saving money sometimes if you go with the brand name.

Fiber One Meal Bars

 

Looking for a new post-workout snack? Try these Fiber One Meal bars. They are 1.59oz bars packed with 10g of protein, 9g of fiber and 40% less sugar than a Special K Meal bar. They come in three different flavors - Strawberry Greek Yogurt (above), Chocolate Peanut Butter (above) and Dark Chocolate Almond.

 Since I am a BzzAgent through BzzAgent.com, I was lucky enough to receive one box of the Strawberry Greek Yogurt and another box of Chocolate Peanut Butter absolutely free! I was not paid to promote this product. These bars are so good that they can sell themselves. You can be a BzzAgent too through their website and sign up! BzzAgent.com.

How do these guys taste? Pretty good! I am not into super sweet food however I do like some sweetness. These Fiber One meal bars are perfect for me because they are not overloaded with sugar. Only 9g of sugar. The texture of these bars are chewy yet crunchy at the same time. The Chocolate Peanut Butter (pictured above) contains whole grain oats, chocolate flavored drops, cocoa powder and peanut butter.It also contains soy and milk.

The Strawberry Greek Yogurt is another great flavor. These contain almonds, strawberry flavored fruit pieces, soy and milk ingredients. I love crumbling up a bar over some strawberry or vanilla yogurt and then adding some fresh fruit. Makes a great breakfast parfait!

Other than the awesome taste, my favorite thing about these Fiber One Meal Bars is the nutritional value. The soy protein isolate and the nuts give these a bars a boost of protein compared to other brands. In addition fiber is good for gastrointestinal discomfort. I don't feel guilty eating these because they only come out to about 170 calories (Strawberry)/ 190 (Chocolate), 2g of saturated fats, 9g of sugar and 160mg of sodium (Strawberry)/ 180mg  (Chocolate). 

If you are always on the go and sometimes skip a meal, grab one of these Fiber One Meal Bars.

Pepperidge Farm Swirl - Gingerbread

   I get disappointed when the holidays end...mainly because all the limited edition flavors that come out during that time eventually disappear. This is one of those limited edition products. This is +Pepperidge Farm Swirl bread - Gingerbread flavor. They recently announced it will disappear because a new flavor will appear on shelves. I had to give a quick post about this for my reference as well so that I remember to stock up on this next holiday season!

     This was a great flavor for bread. Not too sweet. Soft and chewy with a little touch of cinnamon. If you happen to see this on shelves now then grab it because it will be awhile before it returns. Well done +Pepperidge Farm!

Multivitamins!? I Thought It Was Candy!

I was able to receive some free samples of the Centrum Flavor Burst MultiVitamins early this January. These can be found in your local drugstore, +Target or +Walmart. These are great to your new health kick for 2014.

They look and taste just like candy. Suggested intake is 4 pieces a day for an adult. They come in a variety of delicious flavors. If you are in the market for a new multivitamin I highly suggest Centrum. Thank you +Smiley360 for providing the samples! I got hooked on these that I got double pack at +Target for about $9.00!

New year, new scent

Axe recently came out with two new lines of Axe scents- Harmony (picture above) and Peace. Harmony has a masculine fragrance blend of citrus, pepper and ginger while Peace has notes of citrus, nutmeg, cedarwood and amber. Both smell great but I was leaning toward Harmony. There's a mild sweetness to the Harmony which I like.

In addition,  Harmony had a unique packaging of teal green container with a gold (not seen) & black top. Peace had a overall, classic black appearance.

The new Axe scents also come in 16 oz shower gels so that you can layer the scent. I purchased my body spray at +Target. I believe it's also available at +Walmart. 

I Love Protein Powder! Part 3

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Happy New Year! It's 2014 and I want to start off on a good note. Over the holidays, I came a cross a brand of protein powder that is amazing! So amazing that I'm considering it my go-to brand when it comes to protein supplementation. It's from TruNutrition Sciences and it's called Trutein.

Trutein is somewhat different compared to other brands that I have tried. Unlike proprietary blends where they they don't tell you specifically how much of micellar casein protein or how much isolate protein is in their protein blends, Trutein markets with a percentage of how much you are getting in terms of protein types. 40% is Whey, 40 % is micellar casein and 20% is Egg White. Now for me, this is my first time taking a protein supplement that included egg whites. So far, I have not had any issues (stomach aches, allergic reactions, digestive issues) with this change. Of course, everyone is different but I am just sharing my experience.

There are many flavors from this company. I chose the exclusive Pumpkin Pie. I have never even heard of a pumpkin pie flavored protein supplement so I had to try this. Plus it was perfect for the holiday season. Other flavors include Banana Cream, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, Chocolate Truffle, CinnaBun, Orange Creamsicle, Peach Mango & Vanilla. All of these flavors can be found at BodyBuilding.com which is where I usually purchase workout supplements. In terms of flavor, this stuff is AWESOME!!!! It really captures the pumpkin pie flavors like nutmeg and cinnamon. Apparently, there's a limited edition flavor, Shamrock Shake, which usually comes out around in March so I'm looking forward to that.

24g of protein, 3g net carbs, 100mg enzymes, 1.5-2g total fat per scoop. It is gluten free as well if that is an important factor before purchasing. I usually take this after a workout but you can take it before a workout or before going to bed. This a blend of whey (fast acting) and casein (slow acting) so its great either way.

Using my blender bottle, I was able to mix two scoops of protein powder with 16 ounces of milk. After shaking, I take a close look at the bottom and top of the shake. This is when I get happy or upset. I look for clumps......

THERE WAS NONE!

I had a bad experience with another brand which I also reviewed. They did not pass my test.

      However, Trutein passed with flying colors! I bought a 5lb container and I have 3lb left and I have never came across this issue. One thing I want to point out which isn't a bad thing but it is noteworthy. There is sedimentation in this flavor at least. As you can see in the photo there is some dark sediment at the bottom of the bottle. However, that is just awesome pumpkin spice goodness settling at the bottom. There's no harm and you cannot feel or taste a difference at that point. This flavor is soo good that you will want to drink every last drop and not waste anything.

I was so satisfied with my first experience that I also ordered another 5lb container of Trutein but this time I wanted to try out their popular CinnaBun flavor. If you are looking for a change or looking for a way to increase your protein intake, I would suggest looking into this product. Please remember these products are not alternative for food. These are supplements meaning they are taken along with a healthy, balanced diet. 

I believe in 2014, I will get closer to my fitness goals using this product. 

Happy 2014!