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rest, recovery and recoverybits

Disclaimer: I received a sample of RECOVERYbits for the purpose of this review. Opinions are all my own.

I train a lot. There isn’t really an off season … maybe just a little downtime before the next challenge begins. I have to be careful I don’t push myself too hard.

You’ve all heard the saying, “you never regret a workout.” Sometimes it might be appended with, “only the workouts you don’t do.”

That isn’t true for me, though. I don’t regret skipping workouts. I can’t even count how many times I went back to sleep after my 5 a.m. alarm went off. As much as I enjoy my 6 a.m Bikram yoga classes, and as much as they help me stretch and stay loose, sometimes I just need more sleep. I can get an extra two hours if I skip the class. I feel like I’ve become a pretty good judge of when I need a little more rest, and when I should push through the desire to stay in my nice warm bed. I make sure to take at least one or two rest days per week, and I’ll often skip boot camp classes when my body is feeling a little beat up.

When I was contacted by a representative at ENERGYbits to see if I wanted to try RECOVERYbits, it was good timing. Allergies were making my throat itchy, people are starting to get winter illnesses, and my training was at its peak. RECOVERYbits are 100% non GMO, organically grown chlorella and a natural way to boost your immunity. 

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Now, I only got a couple days worth to test with, not long enough to see any immune-boosting powers. But I’m a health-food person. I like consuming products that are good for me, and I definitely believe the claims. It will take a little getting used to, swallowing so many tablets (they’re food, not pills!). Chewing them is OK too, but it’s a strong taste that might take some time to get used to.

One serving.
One serving.

I sampled ENERGYbits a year or so ago. I like both of these products — they are natural ways to get really good nutrients. It’s pricey, and I haven’t taken the leap yet to make them a part of my everyday routine. But definitely something I’m considering as I continue to push my body and improve my health.

Want to try RECOVERYbits? Enter below to win a sample! (U.S. only, sorry!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And today only … shop ENERGYbits’ “Cyber Monday” promotion. For the next 24 hours you can order as many bags from www.energybits.com as you like and you will be charged just $5.00 shipping. So, stock up on your Christmas gifts now because it doesn’t matter if you order 1 bag or 100 bags, you will only be charged a flat rate of $5.00 for shipping! (USA orders only)

#fuelyourbetter with Vega Sport

I try to be a healthy eater most of the time. Lots of fruit, and veggies. More homemade meals and snacks. Less sugar and processed food. I’m not super hard on myself, especially as triathlon training is in full swing. I’ve got my first half Ironman coming up in a couple weeks — I’ve earned a few treats along the way!

But I’m still failing with clean eating when fueling during workouts. I’m still a Gu eater! When I’m doing two, three and even four-hour workouts, I’ve got to make sure I’m fueling properly!

I’ve been planning on finishing up my Gu stash and focusing my efforts on finding something healthier. It’s taking awhile … I buy in bulk! But I’ll be there soon. When I heard about Vega Sport‘s #fuelyourbetter campaign, I jumped at the chance to try Vega Sport Gel. It seems like the perfect Gu replacement.

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I broke all racing rules and tried my first Vega Sport Gel during a race — a sprint triathlon. I wasn’t too worried about having any problems. It was a short, flat course, and I was treating it as training rather than a race. I ate my gel as I headed out on the bike course.

First impression — the texture is a little gritty when compared to traditional Gu, but the taste is pretty OK. It doesn’t particularly taste like raspberry like it’s supposed to, but it’s fine. I happened to have a very good race, too!

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I’ve also started eating Vega Sport Gel as “breakfast” before pre-work bike trainer workouts. I don’t always eat before these shorter rides, but some days I wake up hungry. It’s just enough to cut the edge.

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The more Vega Sport Gels I eat, the less I notice the texture difference that surprised me the first time. I’m glad I could get used to it, the ingredients are a lot more in line with what I want to be eating:

#VegaSportGel

Overall, I liked the product. It might be on my shopping list once the Gu runs out!

Disclaimer: I received  Vega Sport Gel for free through my involvement with the Sweat Pink Ambassador Program.  I was not compensated any other way. Opinions are my own.

weekly winners: naval academy


October 11-17, 2009

Last Sunday, we needed a long run, but had to stay close to home. So we devised a route that took us through town and included the perimeter of the Naval Academy. I’ve run there many times, but never brought a camera. We had a beautiful sunny day!

running through the naval academy

running through the naval academy

running through the naval academy

running through the naval academy

running through the naval academy

We had to stay close-by, since we had a performance in Baltimore later that afternoon. We sang in the chapel of a retirement community. It was a beautiful church, with lovely views!

stained glass

chapel2

trees

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