~Fitness Friday Giveaways~ 10/29

Head on over to Huff and Buff to Win a copy of 10 Minute Solution Rapid Results Fat Burner!!! Ends 11/03/10 @ 10p.m central!

If you are a runner you might want to check out the giveaway over at Running to Health! She is giving away a pair of CEP socks ! Ends 10/3!

You have to head on over to Following In My Shoes to enter to Win a Prize pack from Subway! The pack includes Gym Bag and a Yoga Mat from Gaiam and a $50 gift card to Lululemon Athletica!! Hurry ends 11/2!

Fit Mom In Training is giving away a Bondi Band!

 

Don't forget to enter the Exhale: Core Fusion Yoga Giveaway!!! It ENDS TONIGHT!!! LOW ENTRIES!!!

 

 

Stride Everyday! Review -Giveaway- Discount Code!!

When working out, running, or just your everyday movements do you experience any light leakage? I do especially when working out(those side kicks get me every time) and doing some yoga poses. This is not something that you really want to be thinking about! This is where Stride Everyday comes to the rescue! Did you know that 1 in 4 women suffer from light incontinence -- small urinary leaks when one coughs, laughs or jumps? I happen to be one of those women, due to my beautiful girls *evil grin*.

Stride Everyday was developed by Wendy Spencer. Wendy is a mom herself and after giving birth she developed occasional leakage. This was a big problem for her because she is an avid runner and skier. She found that pantie liners were just such an inconvenience in her busy life style that she decided to embark on something that would be stylish and a washable Eco-friendly solution to her leakage. That is when she developed OQUOS™ patented fabric technology to put inside panties!

This amazing technology will keep you dry! That is unless you have a HUGE accident. Stride Everyday has five different styles that you can choose from if the Sport Bikini isn't for you like it is for me. Psst...they even have thongs!! Now I used to wear thongs all the time before I had my girls, but with the fear of them constantly coming into the bathroom when I am in there and seeing my butt hanging out of my underwear just doesn't set right with me. It also doesn't help that my six year old asked me if she could get a bra the other day, because her friend at school said that she was getting one! I just about died when she asked me that! I mean she is only six years old! So all my old thongs are in the very back of my drawer, only to be taken out on special occasions if you know what I mean....

When I received my STRIDE Everyday™ Sport Bikini, they were so soft and silky! I just love the fit of the Sport Bikini in that they move with you. Never once did I get a wedgie while wearing them, in fact I hardly felt that they were there at all. I do have to say that these are by far the most comfortable panties that I have ever had! The liner that is inside of the panties is about as thick as one of the thinnest liners that you would buy at the store, so you don't really even notice that you do have that extra protection.

Buy Them:
You can purchase a pair of your own Stride Everyday Panties on their site. Oh, and here is a special prom code that you can also use with your purchase and Save 30% off!

• Enjoy the 30% discount by entering this promo code at check out SIMPLE02 ! Offer expires November 30, 2010!

WIN A PAIR!

Mandatory Entry:

Go to Stride Everyday and tell me which Stride Style and color you would choose if you won!

Additional Entries:

• "Like" Simply Fitting Into Life...and my old jeans on Facebook
• Subscribe to Simply Fitting Into Life...and my old jeans via Email
• Follow me on twitter and tweet the following:

"Enter to #win a pair of StrideEveryday Panties for those little leaks! http://bit.ly/bjxAH5 #Giveaway" You may tweet once a day.

• Blog about the giveaway and leave the URL- 5 entries
• Become a follower of my other blog The Simple Jocabell Life- 3 entries(3 Comments)
• "Like" The Simple Jocabell Life on Facebook- 3 entries(3 Comments)
• Subscribe via Email to The Simple Jocabell Life- 3 entries(3 Comments)
• Subscribe to Mom Audience- 3 entries(3 Comments)
  
  Giveaway open to US and Canada only please. Please use separate comments for each entry. Include an email in the comments if it is not available in your Blogger profile. Winner will be chosen via Random.org. Ends November 10, 2010 at 11:59 est.

I would like to thank Stride Everyday for giving me a chance to review these wonderful panties!


*Disclosure: I received a pair of panties and was not compensated in any way to write this post. This is my true, Simple & honest review of these great panties.

Mamavation Monday 10/25

Today is another Monday. Another Monday... A Monday of frustration... I feel like I have been working my butt off and not getting any where... I have been eating fairly well, besides a little Hershey's mini at night, to fix a chocolate hankering. I'm thinking though that I may need to really step up on my nutrition though.

Got my results back with my thyroid and they were the same no change so, still on 25mg of synthroid daily. I was somewhat a little let down that it didn't need increased. I am thinking of switching doctors, one that knows more on hypothyroidism. The only problem is I live in a small town and the closest that actually specializes in it is 2 hours away, but I think it may be worth it. After 5 years of dealing with doctors not knowing what is wrong with me and trying to fix the problem and not look at the whole picture is so aggravating! At least this one listened to me to check all my hormone levels, not that they were going to check it until I actually asked them.

Although last week was very busy with JR and his step dad worked on putting in the new furnace almost every day. So, it was just me dealing with the girls and trying to keep them out of the way as they hook it up. JR worked all day at work and then would come home and work on the furnace until 9 or 10 at night, so he was totally and utterly exhausted last week. By Thursday they had enough hooked up that we could have the furnace guy come and hook up the wires, so we had heat! It was so nice to actually have heat, especially since they were calling for snow showers that night. Then to top that off when JR got back to his shop Friday his boss told him he was laid off for the season, nice birthday present for him huh.

Weight: 158.6
A Loss of .6
Thighs- 22 inches-Same
Hips- 37-Same
Waist- 37-Same
Arms- 12-Same

Through all this I kept on truckin on:

Last week:

Monday:

• 30 Minutes Elliptical
• 10 Minutes Slim In 6 Abs

Tuesday:

• 30 Minutes Elliptical
• 60 Minutes Slim In 6- Burn It Up

Wednesday:

• 10 Minutes Elliptical
• 50 Minutes Slim In 6-Ramp It Up
• 63 Minutes Shiva Rea Daily Energy Vinyasa Flow Yoga
• -20 min. Fire
• -5 min. Lunar Meditation
• -7 min. Core
• -6 min. Forward Bends
• -20 min Shanti
• -5 min. Shavasana
• P.S. Shiva Rea's Daily Energy: Vinyasa Flow Yoga Giveaway ENDS TONIGHT!!! Hurry over and enter! I so totally LOVE this DVD!! 

Thursday

• 25 Minutes Slim In 6- Start It Up
• 60 Minutes Slim In 6- Burn It Up

 Friday

• Walked an extra 2.5 miles
• 60 Minutes Slim In 6- Burn It Up

 Saturday

• Took the girls to Port Farms and walked all over the place!

 Sunday

• 60 Minutes Slim In 6- Burn It Up
• SparkPeople workouts:
• 10 Minutes Cardio Kickboxing Bootcamp Workout
• 10 Minutes Crunchless Core Workout
• 36 Minutes Shiva Rea Daily Energy Vinyasa Flow Yoga
• -5 min. Lunar Meditation
• -20 min. Chakra Namaskar
• -6 min. Forward Bends
• -5 min. Shavasana
• P.S. Shiva Rea's Daily Energy: Vinyasa Flow Yoga Giveaway ENDS TONIGHT!!! Hurry over and enter! I so totally LOVE this DVD!!  

Next weeks schedule: Over the weekend I really started diving into SparkPeople and have been trying some of thier workouts, so I may supliment a Slim In 6 for one of the SparkPeople workouts instead. Depends on my mood.

Monday:

• 25 Minutes Slim In 6- Start It Up
• 60 Minutes Slim In 6- Burn It Up

Tuesday:

• 30 Minute Elliptical
• 60 Minutes Slim In 6- Burn It Up
• Yoga 

Wednesday:

• 30 Minutes Elliptical
• Yoga  

Thursday:

• 30 Minute Elliptical
• 60 Minute Slim In 6 Burn It up
• Yoga  

Friday:

• 30 Minute Elliptical
• 50 Minute Slim In 6 Ramp It Up  

Saturday:

• If I get something in that's great, if I don't not to worried.

Sunday:

• If I get something in that's great, if I don't not to worried.

 This week on Mamavation TV the Special Guest is TRACEY MALLETT! Maybe she can help me to figure out why I am not loosing all that much. So far I have lost 13.4 pounds since July 12. If you average it out that is .89 pounds a week.... Frustrating, especially when I feel like I have been trying so hard.

I would also like to congratulate April of @GAFlygirl for being the Sista of the Week!

Also a BIG thanks to SUBWAY for being this weeks blogging carnival sponsor!!! Subway so needs a DRIVETHRU!!! Sometime you just don't have the time or energy to go in and order, especially with two hungry, cranky kids! But they have the best food ever! I am still committing to stay fit for me and my family! Jared is so awesome!

Truvia Swap Out Your Sweetener (SOYS) Challenge!

Honey can be sweet and yummy, but also can get very expensive when you drink lotsa coffee! Splenda was outta the house a long time ago, and sugar well its around I just don't like to use it all that much because it just makes me feel like crap.

So join me on this 30 day Challenge to swap out my sweetener! I know lots of you are thinking "oh no another too good to be true sweetener!" Well, that's right it is TOO GOOD, or shall I say sweet! If you have not heard about Truvia then let me give you a little info...

Truvia begins with the Stevia plant that people have been using for hundreds of years to sweeten their food and drinks. The taste comes from a part of the leaf that is called rebiana. This rebiana is what gives Truvia the sweet simple taste. Rebiana, Erythritol and natural flavors are the only ingredients that are in Truvia. Erythritol is also a natural form of a sweetener that is also found in naturally in fruits and fermented foods.

If you may still be a little sceptical here is a little more info on the Stevia plant:

Stevia is a genus of about 240 species of herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to subtropical and tropical regions from western North America to South America. The species Stevia rebaudiana, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia, is widely grown for its sweet leaves. As a sweetener and sugar substitute, stevia's taste has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar, although some of its extracts may have a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste at high concentrations.


With its extracts having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, stevia has garnered attention with the rise in demand for low-carbohydrate, low-sugar food alternatives. Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Because stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets.

The availability of stevia varies from country to country. In a few countries, it has been available as a sweetener for decades or centuries; for example, stevia is widely used as a sweetener in Japan where it has been available for decades. In some countries, stevia is restricted or banned. In other countries, health concerns and political controversies have limited its availability; for example, the United States banned stevia in the early 1990s unless labeled as a supplement, but in 2008 approved rebaudioside-A extract as a food additive. Over the years, the number of countries in which stevia is available as a sweetener has been increasing.

Courtesy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here is some more info on  Erythritol:

Erythritol ((2R,3S)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetraol) is a natural sugar alcohol (a type of sugar substitute) which has been approved for use in the United States[1] and throughout much of the world. It was discovered in 1848 by British chemist John Stenhouse.[2] It occurs naturally in fruits and fermented foods [3]. At the industrial level, it is produced from glucose by fermentation with a yeast, Moniliella pollinis[1]. It is 60–70% as sweet as table sugar yet it is almost non-caloric, does not affect blood sugar, does not cause tooth decay, and is absorbed by the body, therefore unlikely to cause gastric side effects unlike other sugar alcohols. Under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling requirements, it has a caloric value of 0.2 kilocalories per gram (95% less than sugar and other carbohydrates), though nutritional labelling varies from country to country—some countries like Japan label it as zero-calorie, while European Union regulations currently label it and all other sugar alcohols at 2.4 kcal/g.
Courtesy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

After reading this it's no wonder our country is so over weight! Other countries have been using these things for years as natural sweeteners and it seems that we are just being introduced to it! After reading all this information, because I do have to admit that I was skeptical at first about Truvia, but know after trying it for the first time and reading this info Truvia will be the only sweetener that I use!

So, join me for the next 30 days as I Swap Out Your Sweetener(SOYS)! I am planning on making a few things that Truvia has on their recipe page. You can also join in on the challenge! Just head on over to MapTruvia.com and to get your free sample and tell them that I sent you! Its that simple and sweet!

Disclaimer: I'm one of 30 bloggers who have been selected to be a part of the 30 day Truvia “Swap Out Your Sweetener” Challenge. This campaign is put on by Collective Bias. I was sent free full size products to use and review, but this is my simple honest opinion of this product!

~Fitness Friday Giveaways~

Head on over to Huff and Buff to Win a copy of Cardio Coach Volume 3 or Volume 6! Ends 10/26! I would love to use this when I am on my elliptical. Lately I haven't been all that interested on getting on it, so this would really get me going on it!


Also check out her giveaway for  Keeping Fit: Strength, Cardio, Pilates with Andrea Metcalf over at Huff and Buff! Ends 10/24!


Head over to Joyful Reviews and Giveaways to enter to win a 55cm exercise ball! Ends 11/16!

Enter to Win a  Renew Ribbed Chakra Tank at Natural Mama! Ends 11/11!

Mamavation Monday- 10/18

Are you all excited for the Mamavation Launch Party? I am! Can't wait to see who will be the next Mamavation Mom's!!!

Last week was very hectic. I had doctors appointments and lots of stuff going on. I didn't get all my workouts in, but it could have been worse. My doctor checked my thyroid levels and I haven't heard back as to what they were yet. I feel like my dosage needs increased, but who knows. Last week my other gram went in the hospital for sever leg pain and last time I heard they have yet to figure out what is going on. On the plus side though she isn't in as much pain.

JR started taking out all the duct work for the furnace and let me tell you it was totally disgusting! No wonder we would all get sick in the winter time. He just has a little bit more to finish up before we have HEAT!

JR and I were able to escape the girls for one night. We went to dinner and then went to a few bars. This was the first we have done this in a few months, so it was much over due and of course I over did it on the alcholo, so that would be the reason for my......

 + .8 GAIN

I'm not beating myself up for it because we had fun and we never get out. I'm sure most of it is water retention because I didn't drink much water Sunday. We will see what happens next week.

Last week:

Monday:

• 67 Minutes Shiva Rea Yoga Matrix

Tuesday

• 150 Jumping Jacks
• 50 Minutes Slim In 6-Ramp It Up
• 56 Minutes Shiva Rea Yoga Matrix

Wednesday

• 30 Minutes Elliptical
• 150 Jumping Jacks
• 50 Minutes Slim In 6-Ramp It Up

Thursday

• 10 Minutes Elliptical

Friday

• 60 Minutes Slim In 6- Burn It Up
• 100 Jumping Jacks

Saturday

• 60 Minutes Slim In 6- Burn It Up

Sunday

• Rested

Next weeks schedule

Monday:

• 30 Minute Elliptical
• 50 Minute Slim In 6- Ramp It up

 

Tuesday:

• 30 Minute Elliptical
• 60 Minutes Slim In 6- Burn It Up
• #Tworkout or Yoga- Which ever I feel like doing

 

Wednesday:

•  30 Minutes Elliptical
• Yoga

 

Thursday:

• 30 Minute Elliptical
• 60 Minute Slim In 6 Burn It up
• Yoga

 

Friday:

• 30 Minute Elliptical
• 50 Minute Slim In 6 Ramp It Up

 

Saturday:

• If I get something in that's great, if I don't not to worried.

 

Sunday:

• If I get something in that's great, if I don't not to worried.

 

I also want to Congratulate Angela – @ninemoremonths  for being SOTW!! And @MiddleAgedJock for being the Comment Warrior!! Congrats you two!

 

Don't forget to join us for the launch of Mamavation!!!

 

Winner!

Congratulations Debbie! You have won the 27 Things to Know About Yoga (Good Things to Know)! Please EMAIL me with you address with in 48 hours or I will select another winner!

~Exhale: Core Fusion Yoga~ Review & Giveaway

Exhale Core Fusion Yoga Energy Flow with Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp features a flowing, energizing, fast paced yoga workout! Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp are the creators of Core Fusion and the founding team members of Exhale spa, who have transformed peoples bodies with exhale.

Let me tell you this is a great yoga workout! The first time that I did this one I was sweating like crazy, but loving it! Fred and Elisabeth lead you through five, ten minute segments, or you can choose to play them all for a full fifty minutes of some fast paced yoga!

Most of the yoga poses that is performed in this DVD are somewhat basic yoga poses, but with a little added umph to really get your body moving. I did this workout numerous times all the way through and also selected different segments. Most of the segments really focus on core work, but this is so an overall body workout. They also perform Chaturanga Dandasana or also called low push up, and let me tell you they are very challenging! I could only come down part of the way.

I would recommend this Exhale Core Fusion Yoga Energy Flow with Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp for anyone who likes yoga and is looking for a great workout!

Buy It!

You can purchase Exhale Core Fusion Yoga Energy Flow  on Acacia's website for $16.99

Win It!

Acacia has kindly provided to giveaway a copy of Exhale Core Fusion Yoga Energy Flow to one lucky winner!!

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower of this blog! AND check out Acacia's line of DVDs and tell me another one that you would like to try!

Additional Entries:

• Sign up for Acacia's Email Newsletter
• "Like" Simply Fitting Into Life...and my old jeans on Facebook
• Subscribe to Simply Fitting Into Life...and my old jeans via Email
• Follow me on twitter and tweet the following:

"Enter to #win Exhale Core Fusion Yoga Energy Flow #workout DVD! http://bit.ly/aNhNlF" You may tweet once a day.

• Blog about the giveaway and leave the URL- 5 entries
• Become a follower of my other blog The Simple Jocabell Life- 3 entries(3 Comments)  
• "Like"  The Simple Jocabell Life on Facebook- 3 entries(3 Comments)
• Subscribe via Email to  The Simple Jocabell Life- 3 entries(3 Comments)
• Enter any other Giveaway for the Yoga Event and leave me a comment as to which one you

This giveaway is open to US participants only. Please use separate comments for each entry. Include an email in the comments if it is not available in your Blogger profile. Winner will be chosen via Random.org. Ends October 29, 2010 at 11:59 est.


*I received Exhale Core Fusion Yoga Energy Flow from Acacia. I was not compensated in any way to write this post. This is my true, honest, simple review of this wonderful DVD.

Mamavation Monday- 10/11

This last week was a bit better than last week other than when JR went to light the furnace flames decided to shoot out of it. The furnace is more than likely the original furnace when the house was built about 50 years ago. So, now every time that the furnace kicks on flames shoot out of it! So instead of leaving it on we had to shut it off although we did think about just leaving it on and leaving for awhile just to see if the house would still be standing. My dad delivers fuel oil and he had their furnace guy come out to look at it. He cleaned it out, but it was still shooting out flames. So, the verdict is we needed to get a new furnace. We thought about using the left over insurance money that we will get from the Jeep that got hit by a deer because JR was just planning on fixing it himself(which he can do and I love that he is a Jack-of-all-trades! I think that's why I married him!). My dad called me the middle of the week and said that he was going to be getting us a new furnace! He has a special account through his work because he doesn't take his employers health insurance, so the money that they would be putting into his health ins. goes into a different account and he is allowed to use this account for furnace and other related things. So, he doesn't even have to pay for it! We now have the new furnace in the basement and have to wait for JR's step dad to come and help him figure out what all we need to get to get it hooked up. One major crisis has been solved! Amanda of @beeacutie2 really cheered me up the one night when I was really down about the furnace. She really made me laugh!! Yeah, girl you know what I'm talking about!! LOL

On the smoking front.... I still am, but I have really cut down from what I used to. I had a doctors appointment the other day and she prescribed me some meds to help me to quit. I went to the pharmacy to pick it up and they said my insurance doesn't cover it and it was over $100! I cannot afford that right now. I went home and looked at the insurance info that I have and it said that it should be covered. To make an hour long story short, I have to call a lady that covers the insurance stuff at JR's work today!

This week despite all the stress, I think I did wonderful with eating right! For dinner just about every night I had a salad instead of pasta and other things. One night I made some Baked Ratatoi and I loved it! I wish the rest of the family would have liked it as much as I did.  With everything going on this last week I didn't get in as much exercise as I would have liked, but I did get some in. I have been journaling my workouts and food, but really slacked off with it this week. So one of my goals is to get back into journaling. Yoga has been my savior, although I was only able to get it in once this week. I hope to get more in this week.

My absence with Mamavation TV the last few weeks is because I have been trying to spend more time with JR, but I will be making a come back this week! I have really missed all of you and I need some ME time to really focus on my weight goals and KEEP me focused!

This week I am not posting what I did fitness wise due to my lack of journaling, but here is my fitness goal for this week:

Monday:

• 30 Minute Elliptical
• 50 Minute Slim In 6- Ramp It up 

Tuesday:

• 30 Minute Elliptical
• 60 Minutes Slim In 6- Burn It Up
• #Tworkout or Yoga- Which ever I feel like doing

Wednesday:

• 30 Minutes Elliptical
• Yoga 

Thursday:

• 30 Minute Elliptical
• 60 Minute Slim In 6 Burn It up
• Yoga 

Friday:

• 30 Minute Elliptical
• 50 Minute Slim In 6 Ramp It Up 

Saturday:

• If I get something in that's great, if I don't not to worried.

Sunday:

• If I get something in that's great, if I don't not to worried.

I didn't weigh in last weekso this is for the last 2 weeks.

This week my weight is 158.4!!

I lost 1 pounds!!

Waist- 37 Same
Hips- 37 Lost 1 inch
Right Thigh- 22 Same
Left Thigh- 22 Same
Right Arm- 11.5 lost 1/2 inch
Left Arm- 11.5 lost 1/2 inch

Goals:

• Keep breathing
• Keep up with my fitness & food journal!

This weeks blogging carnival is sponsored by SUBWAY!!! Guess what they are giving away this week...... A green iPod Shuffle and a $10 iTunes gift card!!! I so need this when I am on my elliptical and the baby is eating her cereal while watching Dora! This would also be great for yoga! The  Commit to Fit Campaign is great for everyone! Jared is truly in inspiration to all that are over weight.

I would also love to thank Amanda of @beeacutie2!! Thanks so much for your support!!

Also don't forget I have tons of giveaways going on right now!

Shiva Rea's Daily Energy: Vinyasa Flow Yoga from Acacia
alo- air.land.ocean Bamboo Short Sleeve Tee
Aurorae Yoga Mat
Moss YogiBand from Grow to Grow
CSN $35 Giveaway!!

CSN $35 Giveaway!!

CSN stores is an amazing company that I am sure by now that many of you have heard of. They have over 200 online stores where you can find everything from  cheap bedroom furniture to yoga accessories! CSN was kind enough to send me some great yoga accessories for this Yoga Event! I received a Gaiam Yoga Essentials Block, Gaiam 8' D-Ring Organic Cotton Yoga Straps, Gaiam Damask Printed Yoga Mat Bag, & Gaiam YogaKids 1 for Ages 3-6 DVD.

The Gaiam Yoga Essentials Block is an excellent block for beginners as wells advanced people the love to do yoga!

Here are some of the features of this great block:

•Yoga essentials block

•Lightweight

•Provides the stability needed for optimal alignment, deeper poses and increased strength
•Feel tight, don't risk injury

•Durable foam with a nonslip surface

•Available in the following colors: Purple, robin's egg

This block has really helped me with stretching! I have never been this flexible in my life.

 Gaiam 8' D-Ring Organic Cotton Yoga Straps

This strap has really come in handy with many poses, especially with Ardha matsyendrasan (Half Spinal Twist, advanced). I have been able to slowly bring my hands closer together, but still cannot quite get them together. This one will take alot of time to get, but this strap has really helped me to get closer.

Some of the Features:

•8' D-Ring organic cotton yoga strap
•Gaiam's durable 100% organic cotton webbing stretch strap is easy to thread and adjust thanks to its sturdy metal D ring
•8' strap available in natural only
•100% organic cotton webbing
•Helps you stretch and properly position your body in yoga poses
•Easy to thread and adjust

 Gaiam Damask Printed Yoga Mat Bag





First of all I cannot tell you how much I love this bag! Being a sucker for Damask prints I saw this and I just had to have it! At first I was a little concerned if my mat would fit in this bag, but I was pleasantly surprised that it did!! There is actually plenty of room not only on the sides, but on the top when the mat is in the bag, just enough room for a change of clothes or a towel. Also to my surprise this bag features three more outside pockets! The larger pocket could holds my strap and towel, with more room to put stuff. I was also very surprised to find another pocket just for an ipod! It even has a little hole for your head phone cord to come out of. Another pocket has a zipper closure for any money that you may have.

Here are some other features to this great bag:

•Damask printed bag

•Drawstring closure
•Coordinating color and graphics help you to avoid bag mix-up at your studio
•100% cotton
•Shoulder strap
•Zippered pocket holds your keys or cell phone
•Printed damask design

Gaiam YogaKids 1 for Ages 3-6 DVD

I really want my girls to love and enjoy yoga as much as I do. Joc has always been trying to follow me with it and now Bella has also tried to follow me. In fact whenever I do practice when they are up, they are usually pushing me off the mat. They are trying to be like mommy and do what she does, so that is one of the biggest reasons for choosing this DVD, so that they can have their own yoga time.

This DVD is not only fun for the kids, but it is also a bit educational. Joc and Bella really have a great time with this DVD, when they aren't fighting for room on the mat. Note to self... will have to purchase another mat so they are not fighting over mine! Joc loves to do the whole thing through, but Bella, being only 2 it holds her attention for about 20-30 minutes. Bella is so funny trying to do the poses. Joc for the most part can do all of them well, *when she feels like it*. Mind you these two girls have some attitude! I have noticed that when they do practice this their attitudes are a little bit better than they were before they did the yoga.

Here are some Features:

•YogaKids DVD
•Features beloved instructor Marsha Wenig
•Taking cues from animals, trees and the nature of the world
•3 to 6 year-olds follow she guides creatively-adapted yoga basics set to playful original songs
•Building a sense of accomplishment with every pose
•Give children build physical fitness self-confidence challenge coordination and imagination
•20 basic yoga poses recreated for 3 to 6 year-olds
•Follow-the-leader approach with safe, expert instruction
•Activities to build coordination, confidence and imagination
•40 minutes DVD

Win It!

CSN Stores is giving one of my readers a $35 gift certificate!

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower. AND tell me what you would spend your gift card on!- 1 entry

Additional Entries:

• "Like" Simply Fitting Into Life...and my old jeans on Facebook
• Subscribe to Simply Fitting Into Life...and my old jeans via Email
• Follow me on twitter and tweet the following:

"Enter to #Win a $35 CSN gift certificate! http://bit.ly/a3enLY " You may tweet once a day.

• Blog about the giveaway and leave the URL- 5 entries
• Become a follower of my other blog The Simple Jocabell Life- 3 entries  
• "Like"  The Simple Jocabell Life on Facebook- 3 entries
• Subscribe via Email to  The Simple Jocabell Life- 3 entries 
• Enter any other Giveaway for the Yoga Event and leave me a comment as to which one you entered

This giveaway is open to US and Canada participants only. Please use separate comments for each entry. Include an email in the comments if it is not available in your Blogger profile. Winner will be chosen via Random.org. Ends October 28, 2010 at 11:59 est.

*I received these items for review purposes only and was not compensated for this post. This is my honest, simple opinion.

Grow to Grow- Review & Giveaway

Practicing yoga can be a great stress reliever as well as a mind and body opening experience. When doing yoga the less that you have to worry about is better. I always practice when my girls are fast asleep at night that way I don't have any distractions to worry about, except for my little hairs that constantly fall in my face! Not that long ago I had bangs and I am currently trying to grow them out, so they are constantly in my face. This can be very annoying and frustrating at times when I am trying to fully relax into different poses. 

This is were Grow to Grow comes to the rescue to solve this little issue.  Grow to Grow features great Yogibands to hold back those loose little hairs that can be very aggravating when doing yoga. These are also wonderful to help with that perspiration that you also may develop during some faster paced movements. She offers an array of colored Stretchy Yogibands to be a little less distracted when practicing yoga.

I received  a Stretchy YogiBand in Lake. The color Blue affects us physically by calming & sedating us, cools, and also aids intuition. This particular color has always been my favorite and when I received it I was totally thrilled! The first time that I used this YogiBand I was thrilled! Not only did it keep away my loose hair, but it also absorbed some of my perspiration. I have not only been using it to practice yoga, but also during working out.

Buy It!

You can purchase your own YogiBand at Grow to Grows etsy store in the color of your choice for only $7!

Win It!

Grow to Grow has given me an extra YogiBand to giveaway to one lucky reader!! The winner will receive a Moss YogiBand! HOW THE COLOR GREEN AFFECTS US PHYSICALLY:

* Soothes
* Relaxes mentally, as well as physically

* Helps alleviate depression, nervousness, and anxiety

* Offers a sense of renewal, self-control, and harmony

-www.sensationalcolor.com

Mandatory Entry:

You must be a follower. AND tell me which other YogiBand color that you like!

Additional Entries:

• "Like" Simply Fitting Into Life...and my old jeans on Facebook
• Subscribe to Simply Fitting Into Life...and my old jeans via Email
• Follow me on twitter and tweet the following:

"Enter to #Win a YogiBand in the #Yoga event!  http://bit.ly/9yaYqe" You may tweet once a day.

• Blog about the giveaway and leave the URL- 5 entries
• Become a follower of my other blog The Simple Jocabell Life- 3 entries  
• "Like"  The Simple Jocabell Life on Facebook- 3 entries
• Subscribe via Email to  The Simple Jocabell Life- 3 entries 
• Enter any other Giveaway for the Yoga Event and leave me a comment as to which one you entered

This giveaway is open to US participants only. Please use separate comments for each entry. Include an email in the comments if it is not available in your Blogger profile. Winner will be chosen via Random.org. Ends October 25, 2010 at 11:59 est.
* I was not compensated in any way to write this post. I received a YogiBand for my honest, simple opinion to review. I will be shipping the winner the Moss YogiBand at my own expense.

~Daily Energy: Vinyasa Flow Yoga~ Review & Giveaway

I was so excited to receive Shiva Rea's Daily Energy: Vinyasa Flow Yoga from Acacia. Acacia is such a wonderful company. They have become one of the leading distributors in original and authentic yoga, fitness, and wellness DVD programming in only four years! Some of their best selling lines include Core Fusion, Shiva Rea, Hemalayaa: Bollywood Dance, Yoga to the Rescue, Step-by-Step, Weight Loss, Fit in 5, and Dance and Be Fit DVD lines and the first workout from Bethenny Frankel, Body by Bethenny. Acacia also features some amazing nature-oriented products!

I just love Shiva Rea's Daily Energy: Vinyasa Flow Yoga! I have just been doing the P90X Yoga, and that has been ok, but I don't always have the time to work it into my schedule when I would like to do yoga due to the fact that it is almost 90 minutes in length. I was so excited to be able to review this DVD by Acacia, because you can customize your yoga workouts with the Yoga Matrix! You can select from 7 different practices that are 20 minutes in length or you can choose one of the Pre-Set Practices.

One of my favorite combinations from the Yoga Matrix is:

Chakra Namaskar- 20 minutes

Forward Bends- 6 minutes

Shanti- 20 minutes

Lunar Meditation- 5 minutes

Shavasana- 5 minutes

Total minutes 56

I love to do this combination before I go to bed. It is so relaxing and really de-stresses me from a long day with the kids. Chakra Namaskar and Shanti are two of the 20 minutes practices that are a little less intense from the other practices. The other practices are a bit more intense.  Shiva also does some more difficult poses that may require a yoga strap if you are a beginner to yoga.

At first some of the poses I was not able to do, but with a little bit of time and practice I have been able to achieve some of the poses that I was not able to when I first started this DVD. I don't think that I have ever been this flexible in my entire life as I am now. My back has never felt better. When I was pregnant with my last daughter I developed severe back pain and it has taken awhile for this pain to actually go away. This has really helped me with releasing the stress that I tend to carry in my back.

This is a great combination for a great morning wake up!

Fire- 20 Minutes

Core- 7 Minutes

Fire is a fast paced calorie burning routine that really lites your fire in the morning. It is also great for an afternoon workout as well.

Overall, this is a wonderful Yoga DVD and I would totally recommend this to anyone that loves to practice yoga!

Buy It!

You can purchase Shiva Rea's Daily Energy: Vinyasa Flow Yoga on Acacia's website for $19.99

Win It!

Acacia has kindly provided to giveaway a copy of Shiva Rea's Daily Energy: Vinyasa Flow Yoga to one lucky winner!!

Head on over to The Simple Jocabell Life to enter!

~ALO- air.land.ocean~ Review & Giveaway

  One essential that is needed to practice yoga is some great clothing. Some characteristics of yoga clothing that you should look for is-

• Somewhat form fitting
• Breathable fabric
• Sweat absorbent fabric
• Strectchability of the fabric

When I first discovered alo clothing, I was not only in love with their beautiful designs, but also by their mission. alo stands for air, land, and ocean, and they believe in protecting these great elements by being as green as they possibly can. alo strives with every part of their being to help the planet and I do believe that they have achieved this!

alo Mission:

Create high performance, stylish lifestyle wear with outstanding function, designed and produced with minimal impact on the environmental elements alo stands for: Air. Land. Ocean. We provide customers with a choice that is respectable of the environment with out sacrificing fashion.

alo not only uses solar power, but also
Natural Cleaning Products, Green Office Supplies, and utilizes Eco-Friendly Fashions that are not only stylish, but also Eco-friendly!

alo generously sent me a Double Layer Yoga Tunic in Black/Granite and also a pair of Bamboo Legging in Black. As soon as I got these I tried them on and totally fell in love!

The Double Layer Yoga Tunic is made of 67% bamboo, 27% cotton, & 5% spandex. Let me just say that this is the first time that I have ever felt any fabric that is made of bamboo. Well, let me tell you it is one of the softest and silkiest things that I have ever felt besides actual silk. The bamboo is not only soft and silky, but also antibacterial, hypallergenic, and naturally wicks away moisture. I was totally shocked the first time that I wore this for yoga and my workouts! Usually my clothes are hanging on me covered in sweat, but this was not the case with my alo Double Layer Yoga Tunic! It was just slightly damp nothing like my regular clothing.

The Double Layer Yoga Tunic is criss crossed with the black fabric. Then underneath is a grey tank that is attached to the bottom to create a beautiful design. This top is also very versatile. I can wear it working out and then just throw on a pair of jeans and still look great! I actually had to do this because I was running a bit late picking up my daughter from school. I just love to wear this top any wear that I go!

I also received a pair of Bamboo Leggings and they are made of 68% Bamboo, 28% Cotton, 4% Spandex French Terry. I just love these as well for the same reasons as the top! These leggings come about to your mid calf and have two open holes on the bottom outside calf that are attached with buttons. These are super stretchy and perfect for practising yoga! You could also wear these out as well. Just put on a long tunic and you would be set to go!

I hope that you fall in love with alo as much as I have!

BUY IT!

You can purchase the Double Layer Yoga Tunic on the alo site for $65.00. The Bamboo Leggings you can also purchase for $52.00.
 alo not only offers women's clothing, but also men's. They have a wonderful selection that you can choose from and purchase directly from their site.

WIN IT!

alo has kindly provided a Bamboo Short Sleeve Tee to one lucky winner!! The retail value of it is $30 and it is made of natural, sustainable materials.  It is also antimicrobial and utilizes Stretchflex technology.

Head on over to The Simple Jocabell Life to Enter!!

*I received Double Layer Yoga Tunic and also a pair of Bamboo Legging. I was not compensated in any way to write this post. This is my true, honest, simple review of these wonderful clothes.

~Aurorae~ Review & Giveaway

In order to start practicing yoga, you really need a great mat. Aurorae Yoga has the perfect mat for your practice. When I first started practicing I did not have a mat and it was a bit uncomfortable at times with some asanas. A yoga mat also helps you to maintain proper alignment as well as helping you to keep your balance. The wonderful people at Aurorae Yoga were kind enough to send me one of their mats as well as Slip Free Rosin Bag & a Sport Sweat Towel for review.

I received a Violet mat which means Spiritual, Soothing, Calming, Telpathic, Healing, Relief & Meditative. I have always been one to believe in color meanings. So this mat was perfect for what I wanted to achieve while practicing yoga. Aurorae has a variety of different colors to choose from to achieve your ultimate yoga experience.

The mat is extra long so you can you have ample amount of room for movement. Even when laying in Shavasana the mat is long enough to accommodate the length of my 5'4" body. I have the original hardwood floors in my house and they can be a bit hard on the joints at times, but with this Aurorae mat being 1/4" thick it has been a life saver on my joints. It's even very comfortable just to lay on it. My two girls love to try and do yoga poses with me on the mat. In fact the youngest(2) sometimes likes to kick me off my mat just so she can do it herself, its to cute.  Yoga is not the only practice that you can use your mat for, in fact I have also been using it for floor exercising as well! Since receiving my mat I have used it just about everyday and it has been holding up strong!

The Slip Free Rosin Bag is somewhat essential in order to keep your hands from slipping. The first time that I used my mat I set my Rosin Bag and Sport Sweat Towel next to my mat just in case I might need them. My hands got a bit sweaty so I wiped them off with my Towel, went to reach for my Rosin Bag, and it was gone... I looked around my mat, and the Rosin bag was not to be found. Then I heard my dog chewing on something. I went to investigate and sure enough he was chewing on it! I snatched the Rosin Bag up expecting there to be holes all over, but to my surprise it was just a bit wet and nothing else! The Rosin bag did dry out and was as good as new. Now I lightly pat my mat and hands with the Rosin Bag before I begin my practice. The Sport Sweat Towel has also been very handy to have! Often when doing different Vinyasa flows I tend to perspire a lot, so having this towel close by my mat is a must! It is also the perfect length to just drape around the neck to absorb the perspiration even when I am on my elliptical!

Aurorae Yoga is such a wonderful company!

We cannot stress how important each of our customers are to us and will do our best to meet or exceed your trust and support. To prove this, we were awarded an Amazon Top seller 2009 certificate for providing exceptional shopping experiences for our customers (in other words, A+.)

Aurorae yoga offers extra long and thick yoga mats, as well as yoga bags and yoga accessories such as their Slip Free Rosin Bag, Sport Sweat Towel, Yoga Bag “The Mat Sak,” Yoga Strap, Yoga Block & Yoga Mat Wash. Visit auroraeyoga.com for detailed product descriptions.

Buy It!

You can purchase your very own Aurorae yoga Mat for $34.95.  You can also purchase the Slip Free Package (Yoga Slip Free Rosin Bag with Sport Sweat Towel) for $14.95.

Win It!

Aurorae is so generous that they are offering one lucky winner a basic mat in the color of your choice and a Slip Free Rosin Bag!

Head on over to The Simple Jocabell Life to enter!!

Yoga Event Day 1

Awhile back ago I received the book 27 Things to Know About Yoga (Good Things to Know). I had won it in a giveaway hosted by Jennifer from Running With Cake. This book was my inspiration to do this Yoga Event. Before that though I had started to get back into doing Yoga. P90X Yoga to be exact. I had borrowed a friends copy of it and have fallen totally in love with yoga.

At first, YES I was very sore, but I was using muscles that I have not used in years. In fact some of the poses I could not even do at first. I had always been somewhat flexible throughout my life and now that I had not been doing much of anything for the last few years had really caught up with me. This was a real eyeopener(as well as a "hip opener" lol) for me that I really need to get my body back. As a child I was active in ballet, swimming, and softball. I had always preferred a more "solo" type of sports and yoga is just that.

Yoga can awaken your inner you in a way that you cannot imagine, if you let your mind go into it. It is truly a HUGE stress reliever for me. A lot of times I will do yoga at night after I get everyone into bed. After a long crazy stressful day yoga is a godsend. It not only relaxes me, but also somewhat lowers my blood pressure. I have had high blood pressure for about the last 4 years. I am not saying that this can happen to everyone, just that it has lowered my blood pressure. I have become more focused and a bit calmer from doing yoga. So now if I have had a bad, stressful day I just turn to yoga to put me at peace.

Yoga has been a life saver for me the past few months and I am totally in love with it. I am not only doing this Yoga Event to celebrate my passion for yoga, but to also educate and hopefully inspire you to try yoga. I love yoga and I hope that you will too!

In honor of my inspiration I would also love to pass the book along to a luck winner! I will tell you it's not in perfect condition, but it is very readable. This book is wonderful for someone just starting yoga, like I was. So I hope that you will be inspired to start yoga!!

Mandatory Entry

• To kick this off just leave me a comment on whether or not you have done yoga before.

Open to US only. Ends October 16, 2010 at 11:59 EST.

Disclosure: I won this book in a contest and I am giving it away to one lucky winner. I will be paying the sipping expenses.

~Fitness Friday Giveaways~ 10/1

Enter to Win a PINK Bondi Band at Running Rachel! Contest ends Wednesday, October 6th at 11:59 PM PST!!

Enter to Win a  Wii Fitness Kit from the Biggest Loser at J. leigh designz! Contest ends October 18th at 11:59pm!

This kit comes with:

•Gym bag
•2 Wrist weights
•Jump rope
•Fit Cord
•2 Wrist bands
•1 Headband

Mamavation Monday- 10/4

Life has been crazy.... It never stops. My baby had her 2nd Birthday on the 30th. My baby is growing up... The beginning of the week my hubby thought that he was getting laid off towards the end of the week. We were expecting it, but not this soon. He is now a seasonal worker spraying oil on the roads for the state. We have bills that we need to consolidate and none of the local banks want to do anything for us. No wonder our country is in the situation that we are in. If we can't get our payments down on the bike I have a feeling that they will be taking it when JR does get laid off... Gram has been driving my mom to almost insanity and I seem to be the only clam to the storm, but my baby and I are made as the excuses for something that she does not do or something that happens. She doesn't know what she is saying or doing, but it is hurting everyone. She doesn't remember going to our wedding last year... Then on my daughters birthday a deer decided to jump in front of JR on his way to work. He was ok and the Jeep isn't too bad, but just another thing to stress over. JR is still working thank God! In fact he will be out of town working for a few days next week.

Saturday we had my baby's Birthday party and I totally indulged.... I had 2 huge pieces of cake, 2 sloppy Joe's, and ice cream. Today I feel like all my hard work is lost. It's a rainy dreary day today and that has really set my depressed mood. Bella's party was small with just grandparents and a friend, but I felt so bad. We don't have a lot of money right now, so we couldn't provide a whole lot for her. I know she is only 2, but with our first she had everything and then some. I feel that she is always getting left out and I hate it! I feel so bad that we can't provide as much for her. Hubby's parents take the oldest all the time, but they have only once taken Bella. So, when JR and I go out (once in a blue moon), my parents take Bella and his take Joc. As my mom keeps saying they just don't know what they are missing. And I totally agree, she is sweet, loving and so funny. Joc is the total opposite of her. When they stop to take Joc to ride her horse or go some place, it just breaks my heart because Bella just screams like someone is truly hurting her. And they are... It just showed at her party yesterday who she would rather be with... My parents. She sat almost the whole time with them and not JRs. JR says the reason that they don't take her is because of the diapers, well, GET OVER IT, SHE IS YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER AND SO DIFFERENT THAN JOC, GET TO KNOW HER! They truly don't know what they are missing with her.....

I have been trying to combat all this stress with yoga and I have a feeling that if I wasn't doing it, I would be a total mess. It's truly amazing.... I am also planning on quiting smoking tomorrow! 10/4/10 is my quit day! I have to quit for my own health and my family!

My Goals this week:

• Take a deep breath
• Keep breathing
• QUIT SMOKING!
• Commit to Fit(this is my life and I need to be healthy for not only me, but my family! This is a commitment that I must make! I always told myself that I would never get overweight, and here I am over weight. So, I am not only going to get rid of this weight, but I am committing myself to be more active than I have been, and eat healthier than I have been. This is my Commit to Fit!)

I would like to give a BIG shout out to the SOTW Shelley @Momma_Oz ! Congrats!!

This weeks blogging Carnival is sponsored by  SUBWAY and their Commit to Fit Campaign and Jared! Jared is a true inspiration!