Arbonne Preworkout Review

Last  year I wrote What's In Your Pre workout? A post going through some of the things in one particular workout powder. Although It was just the one, many of them have the same ingredients and stimulants in them. 

Recently Arbonne came out with a new sports line. If you don't know Arbonne, it's a direct sale company with everything from makeup to nutrition and skin care. Well I asked a friend who sells Arbonne about it and she gave me some to try out. I ordered some. 

This preworkout I don't believe to be anything like other pre workouts. I've heard of many people saying the look for ones that don't give you the jitters or "prickly skin" or make your heart feel like it wants to come out of your chest. These are all things I definitely don't want to be feeling. I fear that if we feel so jacked up that our hearts are going to jump out of chests, how likely is it to injure ourselves? Additionally the havoc it may cause on our bodies nervous system? This is why they tell you to cycle pre workouts. Every few weeks stop taking it. Your poor body thinks it's fighting a lion every time you workout. Not in the mental sense like "you're a hardcore beast, kill this workout" either.(Sorry)

During the workouts I used the powder I felt like my normal self. I just noticed on cardio day that maybe I wasn't completely dead by the time I reached the last intervals. On lifting days I could get a few more reps in. My friend who sells Arbonne said she notices she has a little more motivation. She isn't a regular gym rat, so the little bit of extra umph to her workout helps. 

Here is the part I really like. The ingredients. So lets go through them.

Vitamins A, C, E, B6, B12, thiamin, riboflavin, sodium and potassium.- Different key vitamins and nutrients for the body. Pretty straightforward. 

L-Arginine - An amino acid found in the body, said to help improve function of blood vessels. There are contraindications for people who have history of heart attacks. Although I'm sure if you've had a heart attack you likely know better then to take stimulants or pre workout powders!

L-Citrulline - Another amino acid found in the body and foods like watermelon. Oddly enough our bodies use this and turn it into the above Arginine. 

L-Carnitine - An amino acid that Bodybuilding.com has a whole article on. Check it out 11 Super Side Effects of Taking L Carnitine

D-Ribose - A sugar or energy source but this ingredient is also said to help some people with muscle soreness too.

Ginseng - Many of us have heard of ginseng. Some come to it for when they don't feel well or use it as a bit of energy boost. Ginseng is an ingredient with many benefits. Here is a website with a lot of interesting information Gingeng Panax

Tumeric and Cayenne - Again we have all seen these before. Spices used in cooking perhaps. Or the dreaded "cleanses". They have detoxifying properties and aid in digestion. 

OTHER INGREDIENTS: organic cane sugar, citric acid, rice syrup solids, orange flavor, pineapple flavor, silicon dioxide, stevia leaf extract.

Since there isn't a bunch of artificial sweeteners, and cane sugar/rice syrup are used there is some calories added. 

Macros are: Fat 0g, Carb 9g, Protein 0g. Making for 36 calories (9 grams carb multiplied by 4 calories per gram). Although the website will tell you 50 calories. 

Overall I really like this preworkout. Especially if you are not a "hardcore gym rat" and/or newer to fitness! If you want to order some check out Amanda Sten Arbonnne .

Love, 

Jen

Enter to WIN a Monat Replenish Masque!

I LOVE giveaways! I've won my share of them recently, time to spread the love!

The Replenish masque is a repairing and hydrating masque ideal for damaged and moisture starved hair that penetrates and nurtures the scalp while helping boost natural hair growth, improve follicle strength and reduce hair thinning.

The masque infuses essential moisture and delivers vital nutrients to help eliminate frizz and reduce split ends. Hair is left silky and more manageable. The masque is safe to use on color treated hair and extensions!

Here is my hair using the Renew Shampoo and Replenish Masque!

Make sure to follow our Facebook page for an extra entry on the page. 

Also follow our Instagram for bonus entry! 

Contest closes February 26th 2016. 9pm MST.

Make sure to check out our MONAT website at www.selfcentered.mymonat.com for all our products! Please email self-centered@outlook.com for questions about products, how to become a VIP or sign up as a Market Partner!

The End Of Conditioner?

Did you know most shampoos strip the hair of it’s natural oils? When you wash, your natural oils are washed down the drain, hence why we need conditioner. To put that hydration back into the hair. This is why we, as your hairdressers to go as long as you can in between washes.

Have you ever tried adding a day or two in between your washes? What happens? You are a grease ball right? What’s happening, is every time you strip away the oils you little sebum producing cells go “Hey guys, we have a problem, we are dried out and need to pump out oil and pump it out now!” But when you go longer in between washes the oil production slows down because your natural oils are being left.

So what if you had a shampoo that wasn’t stripping away all your natural oils? Well, you could wash with just your shampoo and NOT EVEN NEED CONDITIONER! Yeah I said it. Have you ever tried shampooing and not having conditioner in your hair? I’m going to guess here again, but likely you can barely get your fingers through to the ends. Feels wirey and gross right?

Well I’ve had a few washes with my MONAT shampoo with the masque and today I decided I would wash and use nothing else. Just shampoo!  My fingers combed through my hair easily, even a close tooth comb did! Watch the video below.

Great thing about this shampoo is you literally do not need much. The first few washes you might need to shampoo twice, helping rid the hair of old buildup from other products, but soon you are washing with the smallest amount. I was at first a little hesitant when they said thi 8 ounce bottle would last me 90 washes, but it totally will!

I used the Renew shampoo from the Balance system. First few washes I used the masque in the shower after the shampoo and then today I thought I didn't even need it! If you want to try your own, you can shop online here: Self Centered MONAT

Love, 

Jen

Arbonne Preworkout Review

Last  year I wrote What's In Your Pre workout? A post going through some of the things in one particular workout powder. Although It was just the one, many of them have the same ingredients and stimulants in them. 

Recently Arbonne came out with a new sports line. If you don't know Arbonne, it's a direct sale company with everything from makeup to nutrition and skin care. Well I asked a friend who sells Arbonne about it and she gave me some to try out. I ordered some. 

This preworkout I don't believe to be anything like other pre workouts. I've heard of many people saying the look for ones that don't give you the jitters or "prickly skin" or make your heart feel like it wants to come out of your chest. These are all things I definitely don't want to be feeling. I fear that if we feel so jacked up that our hearts are going to jump out of chests, how likely is it to injure ourselves? Additionally the havoc it may cause on our bodies nervous system? This is why they tell you to cycle pre workouts. Every few weeks stop taking it. Your poor body thinks it's fighting a lion every time you workout. Not in the mental sense like "you're a hardcore beast, kill this workout" either.(Sorry)

During the workouts I used the powder I felt like my normal self. I just noticed on cardio day that maybe I wasn't completely dead by the time I reached the last intervals. On lifting days I could get a few more reps in. My friend who sells Arbonne said she notices she has a little more motivation. She isn't a regular gym rat, so the little bit of extra umph to her workout helps. 

Here is the part I really like. The ingredients. So lets go through them.

Vitamins A, C, E, B6, B12, thiamin, riboflavin, sodium and potassium.- Different key vitamins and nutrients for the body. Pretty straightforward. 

L-Arginine - An amino acid found in the body, said to help improve function of blood vessels. There are contraindications for people who have history of heart attacks. Although I'm sure if you've had a heart attack you likely know better then to take stimulants or pre workout powders!

L-Citrulline - Another amino acid found in the body and foods like watermelon. Oddly enough our bodies use this and turn it into the above Arginine. 

L-Carnitine - An amino acid that Bodybuilding.com has a whole article on. Check it out 11 Super Side Effects of Taking L Carnitine

D-Ribose - A sugar or energy source but this ingredient is also said to help some people with muscle soreness too.

Ginseng - Many of us have heard of ginseng. Some come to it for when they don't feel well or use it as a bit of energy boost. Ginseng is an ingredient with many benefits. Here is a website with a lot of interesting information Gingeng Panax

Tumeric and Cayenne - Again we have all seen these before. Spices used in cooking perhaps. Or the dreaded "cleanses". They have detoxifying properties and aid in digestion. 

OTHER INGREDIENTS: organic cane sugar, citric acid, rice syrup solids, orange flavor, pineapple flavor, silicon dioxide, stevia leaf extract.

Since there isn't a bunch of artificial sweeteners, and cane sugar/rice syrup are used there is some calories added. 

Macros are: Fat 0g, Carb 9g, Protein 0g. Making for 36 calories (9 grams carb multiplied by 4 calories per gram). Although the website will tell you 50 calories. 

Overall I really like this preworkout. Especially if you are not a "hardcore gym rat" and/or newer to fitness! If you want to order some check out Amanda Sten Arbonnne .

Love, 

Jen

Workout Gear Review: Winners Balance Collection Athletic Pants

I get a lot of people ask me about reviewing workout gear, they want to know what's out there. So, I thought today I would write about the these yoga/athletic pants I got from Winners.  Being from Winners and costing $25 makes me think they are accessible and affordable to most people. Now I know you may be thinking "But Jen, Winners prides themselves on the fact that every time you go there is something new. They have commercials saying the item could be gone in a hour!" Yes, this is true. And I can even think of sometimes I didn't buy something only to regret it later when it was gone. The one thing I've noticed they keep pretty reliable is their workout gear section. There are brands (such as these) that I've seen every time I go. 

Moving on to why we are here. The pants. 

The pros:

I really like the fact that they are lightweight. I love them for hot yoga and cardio. I don't feel like they are make me even warmer and they are breathable. I like that they stay on me for these types of activities too. Some pants I find start falling down as I hit the treadmill. (Subscribe to email to watch for which ones!) These pants don't move. 

I like the fun design/colors they have. The crazier the better seems to be the trend in workout gear and they've got a lot of great options. Side note here; with the designs and so on it hides sweat marks really well! 

The wide waist band rocks. This is basically the very first thing I look for on workout/yoga pants. Being a mom of two, the lower part of my stomach doesn't always "behave" with pants. Wide waist bands are nice to keep everything tucked in and secure. 

They are not see through. I went to take some pictures to show you how they aren't see through and decided against posting pictures of me basically bent over full bum in the frame shots. So here is one of me off to the side. The flash is really bright here and you still can't see through them.

They cost $25. Yeah that's a big difference between some brand names of upward to $200.

The cons:

There is no small key pocket. I used to think these were useless. But I use these pockets in pants alllllll the time. I usually take off my rings for weightlifting and put them in these pockets. If they are big enough and the location works, I sometimes put my music device in there too!

I have bought pants basically exactly like this and enjoyed them immensely, but after about a year the had a hole in the side, where the seem split a bit. I haven't had this exact pair that long but they are the same material and stitching. This is the difference in pricing. The expensive pants usually last a really long time and these types not so much.

Final Verdict:

Great for activities like running and yoga.

Good choice if maybe starting to workout and looking for something inexpensive to start with. Also if you are planning to very dramatically change your body (read as loose say 40 lbs) they would be good. This way you aren't buying really expensive stuff that wont fit. (soon hopefully)

Share with me some brands you'd love to see a review of!

Love, Jen

Fitness Gear Review: House Of Koopslie Bamboo Headband

I will admit that I'm not much of a headband person. Not because I don't like them, but because I get irritated with them moving and always needing adjusting. I always figured I must have an odd shaped head.

Here is a big thing I like about this House Of Koopslie bamboo headband. I put it on my head it doesn't move. I taught an entire one hour, hot yoga class without it moving around. That's um sort of a big deal. Ha ha.

It keeps those crazy baby hairs that sort of grow wings and fly when you're working out tucked away. So instead of looking like Medusa, the baby snakes, err I mean hairs are tamed. 

In a hot yoga room or on a cardio machine we can all agree you are sweating right? Yesterday on the stairmill I had sweat dripping from chin, but was keeping a good portion of it out of my eyes with this headband. The only issue I had was the leather knot was at the back of my head so when I went to lay down for Savasana I had to move it over. Yeah, not really an issue. 

And finally, if not the most important. It's cute as hell. I wear it grocery shopping, teaching or working out. Sometimes with the combination of all three. As a busy mom of two the reality is I normally don't get to shower and get pretty between the gym and grocery shopping. Not when lunch and naps are required before afternoon playdates and activities. It's nice being able to workout/teach and then head out to grocery shop while getting to look sort of put together. The headband adds an extra cuteness to my messy workout bun. Like it's on purpose. 

And of course it's made locally in Edmonton by another busy mama with a fun and great attitude. Who doesn't love to support local business?

Want your own House of Koopslie Headband? Check them out  HERE. They have tons of colors!

Love, 

Jen

Keylime Athletic Pants Review

My mug cake recipe I was trying out tonight didn't work out, so here I am blogging another pant review instead. I planned on doing them tomorrow, but hey, roll with the punches. Not all recipes work out perfect the first time. I bought these pants maybe 6 or 8 months ago, so please forgive some of the saggy ill fit. I must say though, pretty impressive to have pants that are comfy numerous inches bigger or smaller.

KEYLIME Athletic Wear is a company local to the Edmonton area. A lot of the stuff they sell is made locally in Canada. And if you read my last pant review post, you'd know I'm definitely a fan of that.

The Fit: As I mentioned above, they fit when i was inches bigger and now a little loose in some areas, but still stay on my smaller waist and support the mummy tummy area. I would say the run a bit bigger, so again if you are in between a small and medium, go with the small. The length is good. I'm 5'2" and there is extra material for the taller lucky bitches. They just look cute a little scrunched at the bottom for us vertically challenged ladies.

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The Material: I took a look at their site and the make up of the pants have changed a bit since I bought mine, with a little more spandex. Good for growing booty! They are warm enough in winter, but weren't too hot for today's weights AND cardio session in the summer. Something I appreciate is them not being see through! Scores 5 deadlifts out of 5 in the bending over and not showing it all department. Sadly they do not come in wild colors though.

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They are great for the gym and even look good with a tunic over to wear around on errands or playdates etc. Or in my case usually, from gym to playdate in the same morning.

At $88, they are a bit on the pricier side in comparison to some out there. That said, owned locally, with being locally made. And they last. I've had mine for a little while and I adore them. You can find them in their store in Sherwood Park or online.

And... here my daughter started doing yoga spontaneously so I had to take a picture, then replicate it. Enjoy our silliness. :)

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Tuff Athletics Pants Review

I'm so tired of buying new workout gear and it's not comfortable or don't work well or whatever. So I will now be writing about the clothes I buy and try to maybe help a sistah out? I lift weights, do yoga, cardio and run around with my two kids. I'd like to find clothes I can do all the above in. 

My first review, the Tuff Athletics pants from Costco. 

First and foremost, I must say I adore they are made in Canada. I love to support or local economy as much as I can, and a company that can offer a competitive price for workout pants and be made in Canada, good on ya. 

The fit. While I'm usually a size small on the bottom, These seemed okay at first, but within minutes of working out they seemed a little big. I'm 5'2" and MAYBE could have stretched these more to be pants, but I personally prefer crops, so that's how I wear them. 

The material is really nice. I love the funky print on these (mainly the reason I bought them). I saw black and straight grey too, if you're looking for something a little more basic. I couldn't see sweat marks on the outside. Yeah we all know what I'm talking about. So that's a pretty big bonus. There is a cute scrunching detail on the back too that's flattering.

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The drawstring is irritating. You either have to fold over the pant to use the string or have a bit of a lump from tying it up behind it. This is where I'm not super happy with these pants. When you fold them over, like many other styles of workout/yoga pants they sit way to low. And if you have a bit of extra's in that area that you'd like "tucked" in during your workout, this won't cut it. I'm going to take the string out, which is easier said then done. That sucker is in there. 

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Overall, not bad for the $16.99 I paid for them, if I can get that drawstring out. I would recommend if you are maybe in between sizes, go with the smaller size.