Product Review: Vega Sport Sugar-Free Energizer

Fuel Your Better!

I've been a fan of Vega Sport products for years! Through FitApproach and my Sweat Pink Ambassador role, I was presented an opportunity to complete a product review for one of the Vega products. It just so happened that they had the new sugar-free energizer drink, which fit perfectly into my clean eating plan for June. Brilliant! When utilizing the product, I followed the recommend directions to drink the mixture 20 minutes prior to a workout.

Energy Boost. In late May, I began utilizing this product prior to my early morning workout sessions. The workouts consisted of crossfit, yoga, walking, pilates, HIIT, and swimming. As with the regular energizer drink, the sugar-free version provided me with a much needed boost to push through workouts that usually started at 6am. Since I am not a coffee drinker, I often look for options to assist in amping up my energy in the early hours of the day.

Clarity. Not only did the product provide an added spring to my step, but also it awakened my brain. After finishing a workout, I transitioned seamlessly into my role as a clinical placement coordinator. I accomplished a plethora of work in a short amount of time thanks to this fabulous cocktail of herbal ingredients.

Endurance. In terms of endurance, I found this product worked well. Unfortunately, due to some meniscus issues, I've been avoiding my endurance sport of choice, running. Nonetheless, I tried the sugar-free energizer prior to a morning swim. This was my first swim in nearly a year, so it was a bit of a shock when I knocked out a mile efficiently. I attribute some of that to the Vega Sport sugar-free energizer.

Taste. My sample contained the lemon-lime flavored packets. The first few sugar-free packets tasted a bit chalky and I found them to be less enjoyable than the regular energizer version. After several uses though, I acclimated to the taste and found it absolutely fine. It is definitely not something I'd drink in large quantities, nor do I need to. For comparison, I purchased a few of the acai sugar-free packets and found those to be more pleasant on the taste buds.

Cost. The Vega Sport Sugar-Free Energizer is reasonable for the benefits it provides at $1.69 for a single-serve packet or $49.99 for a tub. Considering most people spend this on a morning coffee (which I do not drink), it seems like a worthwhile expense. I plan to use it for my more intense morning workouts (every other day), which cuts down on cost as well.

Recommendation? I highly recommend the Vega Sport sugar-free energizer drink, especially if you are trying to cut down on sugar. You get the same benefits of the regular energizer with a lot less calories! I tend to use the product in the morning as I found it to be too much of a boost later in the afternoon! Each person and workout varies, so test out different times and workout levels to determine the best way to fuel your better!

~Laura

I am not receiving compensation for this review; however, I was provided a sample pack of the product for this review. The views expressed in this blog are my own opinion. Please read my blog disclaimer for additional information.

9 Days In--Clean Eating Month

Welcome summer--I have missed you! This past weekend I soaked in a hefty dose of Vitamin D while working our yard sale Saturday and during a long walk on Sunday. Mark showed me how to use the John Deere, and I think I will be doing that chore more often!

Clean Eating: I'm 9 days into a clean eating month. I considered the Whole 30, and strict Paleo (which is primarily what I am doing), but I wanted to keep my momentum strong by removing a little bit of the rigidity to avoid a massive failure. In focusing on the clean eating, I am also hoping to alleviate some of the pain in my knee. I'm not sure how much that is helping, but mentally and motivation-wise, I feel better in just over a week! I've not allowed for cheat days this month with the goal of inserting a cheat meals back in again for July. By now, I know what foods bother my stomach (dairy, wheat, fatty meats, deep-fried anything, and sugary drinks), so it is a matter of how much the trade-off is worth to me. Additionally, these foods generally cause weight gain--not an ideal result. I had to say no to pizza, homemade cookies, and wine this weekend, but I felt better after making the choice. This morning, after crossfit, I popped over to Hannaford and grabbed the fixings/crust materials to make my own paleo pizza since I had pizza on the brain.

Workout Regimen: The month of June has been going well for exercise, considering I have a bum knee. I've been waking up early for morning crossfit three times per week (focusing on upper body), practicing yoga at home and a few drop in classes, and I've added in walking and cycling when it fits the schedule. As I knew they would, the morning, fasted cardio sessions have started to coax some weight loss. I know it will be a few months before I see huge results, but I am starting to feel the loosening of clothes, improving energy levels, and comforting sleep patterns. I'm also completing two of the Instagram yoga challenges (Summersplits with @beachyogagirl & MermaidYogis). While I certainly cannot stretch in the way that some of the experienced yogis do, I'm enjoying the postures. They serve as a time out during the workdays. Even though I am not posting the photos (too camera shy for that!), I find the brave yogis posting their photos inspiring. I'll post a recap below which highlights my workouts for June. They are certainly not of my usual intensity and volume, but I've been consistent and that is my main focus for this month. I continue to see my chiropractor and may need to elevate to an orthopedic consult. Although the pain is definitely alleviated by the chiropractic sessions, there is a bit of instability during movements that makes me nervous. Hopefully, it is not serious and will continue to improve with modified workouts.

Bricks: I've completed 8 perfect bricks in June which is awesome! Today marks #60, so now I only have 90 left for my goal of 150 in 2014. If I can carry the June consistency with me through the summer, I'll be done before the challenging holiday season. Part of a brick day is frequency push up completion. I'm staying steady at 5 sets of 15 for 6 days per week. July may bring an addition of one rep per set, but I am comfortable with 450 push ups per week (approximately 10,000 to complete for the remainder of 2014).

Vega Product Review: During the next week, you'll see me tweeting and posting on Instagram for the Vega Sport product I am reviewing. Prior to this product review, I used the pre-workout energizer with sugar, but now I am testing the sugar-free. So far, my body tolerates the sugar-free better with the same positive workout boost. Next week, I'll include a full product review on I Tri Training as a part of the Fuel Your Better campaign.

 

Article of Interest: After having a yard sale this weekend, I found this article on Slate that reaffirmed my decision to get rid of unnecessary items: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_eye/2014/05/26/the_minimalists_everything_that_remains_is_a_new_memoir_about_living_with.html
I thought I'd share because we can all use a reminder of what is important to each individual.

June Workout Recap:
June 1st- Bike ride
June 2nd- AM xfit & PM walk
June 3rd- AM walk
June 4th- AM xfit
June 5th- AM yoga/pilates and PM bike ride
June 6th- AM xfit
June 7th- AM yoga/pilates & PM walk
June 8th- AM long walk
June 9th- AM xfit and PM TBD


~Laura

50 Bricks & Tennessee Vacation

Alex, Laurie, and Sara. Sibling love!

Last Thursday, I returned from a five day trip to see some of our extended family in Tennessee. My immediate family drove down from Duluth, MN (including my Grandma!) and I flew from New Hampshire to meet them in Knoxville. It was great to catch up, play some cards, and enjoy some warmer weather. The picture above is of my brother, me, and my sister at the nature center in Knoxville.

While in Tennessee, we rented a house in the Tellico Valley area, which was a decent area to try some rehab jog/walks. I did ample stretching, and wore a knee strap to alleviate some of the strain. The first one on Sunday was OK.--pretty slow. I think Alex was bored by my recovery pace, but he stuck with me. I did a longer, 30 minute, session on Monday that felt a little better, but then I had tenderness after the jog. As a result, on Tuesday, I just did a quick 20 minute HIIT workout and skipped jogging. On our last morning there, I did another 30 minute jog/walk and again had the tenderness after. Overall, I am not pleased with where I am at with how my knee feels. During the flight, it was uncomfortable to find a good way to sit that did not irritate it. I'm going to have to find an alternative for awhile as I cannot skip exercise, but running and squatting seem to bug it the most. Cycling, swimming, and yoga seem to be the logical choices, so I anticipate a few changes to my training regimen in June.

In other fitness news, I have been quite active on Pinterest gathering recipes and quick, at-home workouts. I found those workouts to be useful and convenient in Tennessee. I think my family thought I was a bit odd doing jumping jacks, abs, and push ups around the rental house, but it worked for me! Feel free to check those out on my Feel the Burn board. What are your tips to fit in quick workouts on a tight schedule? Also, keep your eyes out for my Vega product review in June.

You'll notice in the title that I mentioned hitting my 50th perfect brick. I hit that benchmark on May 25th (hoping to squeeze in a few more in May), which signals 1/3 of the 150 brick goal I have set for 2014. Preferably, I'd like to hit that before the end of the summer or early fall. For my goal, a perfect brick is morning fasted cardio, frequency pushups and clean eating for the day. June is going to be a big month for bricks as I don't have holidays, travel, special events, etc. weighing me down (literally!). Therefore, I am going to attempt to take full advantage of a month where I have ample opportunity to eat clean and work out consistently. I am ahead of where I was tracking on 2013, so I am optimistic that I can meet my goal.

Workouts for 5/19 - 5/25
Monday- Pinterest workout, 20 minute jog/walk
Tuesday- 20 minute HIIT workout, short walk/sightseeing walk
Wednesday- 30 minute jog/walk and Pinterest workout
Thursday- Rest
Friday- Rest
Saturday- AM xfit
Sunday- AM yoga/pilates and 60 minutes cardio machines

Laura

Listen to Your Body

One of the most difficult tasks for a fitness enthusiast is listening to his/her body. I tend to think getting in the workout is more important than rest, which can be hard on my body. Yesterday, in the spirit of focusing on forward progress, I opted to not participate in the Rock N' Race in Concord, NH. It was disappointing to let down my White Mountain Crossfit team and some of my friends from the gym, but ultimately, my knee was not ready for a 5K. Could I have finished? Sure thing, I've done 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons; however, I think I'd rather recover fully and enjoy a summer of running and working out vs. pushing through one race that I've completed in the past.

Last week, I went to the chiropractor and they completed some ART therapy on the muscles around my knee and used the dry needling technique as well. I go to Performance Health in Concord and I have to say they are friendly, professional, and very effective! I have felt improvements each day, but still get irritations from certain movements (particularly squats). So after my Wednesday crossfit workout, while I was not in excruciating pain, I did have some slight pangs in the knee area. It was not worth it to me to have to sit out my favorite season for that one run.

Tomorrow, I leave for a five day vacation in Tennessee. While I am there, I am going to test some slow, short distance run/walk combos to ease back into the runner mode. Hopefully this gradual training, and a week off from my more intense crossfit workouts, will be just what I need to combat whatever junk is festering in my knee. The good news is that it does not seem to be patellar tendinitis. However, they were a bit concerned it could have something to do with my meniscus--hopefully not!

On another note, I am finding that I like the morning crossfit workouts. I feel like I accomplish quite a bit in those early hours and the group that attends those classes is very fun and friendly. I plan to keep those up as often as possible. I did sleep through my alarm one morning this week, but got to the 6PM which was a fine substitute for the day.

Workouts for Week of 5/12:

Monday- AM Xfit, lunch walk, PM yoga and short Pinterest xfit workout at home
Tuesday- Brief Pinterest xfit workout at home
Wednesday- AM walk/ lunch pilates/ PM xfit
Thursday- AM yoga
Friday- TBD but most likely a rest day
Saturday- TBD, planned morning boot camp video
Sunday- TBD, planned run/walk and Pinterest xfit workout in Tennessee

Frequency Set Push ups = 6 days of 5 sets of 15 = 450 push ups for the week
Perfect Bricks for 2014 so far = 49 (almost a 1/3 of the way to 150!)

Laura

Transitions

While I did have good intentions for April, the month seemed to slip by without any major accomplishments in my workout regimen. However, I recently transitioned to a new role at my workplace, which will allow for me to work 75% remote and 25% at the office. For my workout routine, this is HUGE! I can now go to early morning crossfit, pop home for a quick shower, and get to work without the hassle of commuting and dragging all my gear for the day. Honestly, I have been hoping to find a position that would allow for a schedule that accommodates my most productive hours of the day. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone could work when they know they are at their best? I’ll still have two mornings (Tuesday/Thursday) where I have to get into the office, but I head home midday, so I again don’t have to pack my whole house. Since moving to Hopkinton in July, I’ve had to carry 3-4 bags out the door in the morning to facilitate morning gym/shower, midday exercise (which rarely fit in), and then the gym after work. As you can imagine, this was tedious and required so much preparation that I often just opted out of everything for the day. Today marks my first day on the new schedule, so I’m looking forward to a renewed enthusiasm for morning workouts. In turn, this should amp up my energy levels and boost productivity!

On another note, my knee is being difficult this spring. As soon as I started to do some running, the left knee started to hurt. I’ve done some research on it and feel it could be related to weaker quads, poor focus on flexibility over the winter, and sitting at a desk WAY too much over the very long, cold winter. Therefore, it is time to get back into yoga and start taking care of myself. I contacted my favorite yoga instructor, Karen Kenney, and hope to get back into some of her classes in the next week or so. Additionally, I am considering Pilates, but I already have quite a bit on my plate for gym memberships, so I may need to work with what I already have. Ultimately, this means I am going to have to get over the fact that I put on some winter pudge and get into the pool again. Swimming will help the leg strength without irritating my knee. I needed some pool inspiration today and found a blog post from Gluten Free Running Mama called “I’m a VERY self-conscious swimmer!” It is a great post because she takes you through her stream of consciousness while she is attempting to get a swim in. Swimmers can be quirky—especially those that have been consistently in a routine. Since I’ve fallen out of my routine, some of my former confidence morphed into concern over what others will think of me. Oh well, time to get over that and back into the pool for some rehab swim workouts.

Finally, I’ve been making some progress with my pushups again since resetting in January. This week I’m doing sets of 13, so by the end of the week, I’ll have completed nearly 400 pushups. I’m glad to be back on track with this and it should be easy to maintain now that I’ll be in my home office without people looking at me like I have ten heads. Seriously, people have given me some bizarre looks in the hall at work when I drop and do pushups J

In June, you’ll be able to read about a Vega product that I’m testing out here on I Tri Training—stay tuned to #fuelyourbetter!

Check out my sweet office set up! I’ve got a stability ball to work on improving my core and posture. I have to alternate with a chair as it is way harder than expected—maybe I do need to get to Pilates.

 

 

~Laura

I'm Fit Possible Post

I'm having a blast as an ambassador for I'm Fit Possible. Check out my blog post that was featured on the community blog a few days ago: http://www.imfitpossible.com/#!Inspire-Your-Co-Workers-to-Move-More/cds9/77377539-9553-41AB-9EFB-3A14D8A3BAD6. It is fabulous to have opportunities to write about the things I enjoy!

Cheers,

Laura

Goodbye March!

 

March Miles. As March comes to a close, I look forward to what April will bring. I am hoping for some sunshine, snow-free sidewalks, and non-frigid temperatures. The FitFluential 100 Miles in March challenge is over and I must admit I am very happy about that. Due to slacking a bit in the earlier part of the month (snow, cold, dark outside, etc.), I really had to cram in higher mileage as the month went on. Unfortunately, I am still waiting on my new running shoes and my old ones are so bad I am limited to walking in them vs. running. Walking is a SLOW way to accomplish 100 miles. I got it done, but I logged some serious time on the treadmill. The few times that I braved the natural elements and went outside, I enjoyed the fresh air. If I had not committed to this challenge, I most likely would have stayed in bed, so it certainly served a purpose.

SBBC Week 2. Week 2 went well for the Spring Bootie Buster Challenge. I racked up some serious activity points and continued to dominate in water consumption. Vegetables still seem to be low on my priority list, so I started today with a big salad topped with chicken and a paleo vinaigrette. It was an odd breakfast choice, but it hit the spot.

Bricks. I don’t know if I will take on any April challenges, but I will be working on those perfect bricks. For 2014, I have completed 37 perfect bricks, which is about a 37% success rate—not so hot! The plan for April is to commit to at least 5-6 per week as I still have 113 to complete by the summer (hopefully early rather than later). This was how I achieved optimal results in 2012, but it is very difficult. Then, the wedding dress was the motivation. Now, I’m not sure other than wanting to look and feel good—which should be strong enough motivators!

Races. I’ve signed up for my first 5K of the season! The Merrimack County Savings Bank RockN’ Race happens in May and is a great team building event. I’ve registered with our White Mountain Crossfit team for a second year and am looking forward to it. I’d like to beat my time from last year 28:69, but I know that will take some training on my part. I may attempt to get back into the track workouts with GSRT on Tuesdays. My struggle with this group is that while very positive and friendly, they are just sooooo fast! I do not enjoy finishing last and each week is humbling. Nonetheless, I cannot improve without adding in some speed training. In 2012, I had a 26:37, but I was coming off half marathon training and an intense crossfit challenge. I am signing up for Pumpkinman Sprint Triathlon in April. I’ve found some workout buddies, and it gives plenty of time to train throughout the summer.

14.5 Recap. The 2014 Crossfit Open has been rough. It would not be fitting for it to end with something less than gruesome. For 14.5 we had to complete a thruster and burpee over bar combination. 21-18-15-12-9-6-3 as fast as possible. The weight requirement for women was 65lbs and I had to drop to 55lbs pretty fast. Due to a scheduling conflict on Saturday (I attended a Whole 30 seminar-very cool!); I had to complete the workout this afternoon. I had some dread about it most of the day as I had already heard the stories from friends, but I made it the WMCF and faced the challenge. The workout took me 21 minutes and it was horrible. But it is done and I can say that I completed the open to the best of my ability. I have some serious areas for improvement and hope to work on those over the spring, summer, and fall.

~Laura