gluten-free

I Love Snacks, & Vegan Cuts Supports This

March 10, 2015 By lyndsinreallife 4 Comments

I love snacks. I love them so much that my boyfriend and I made a silly video talking about our love for snacks.

The problem with snacks is there are SO many options, and with all the marketing ploys (is it really all-natural? Is it really gluten-free) it’s hard to know which snacks are healthy. I’ll stand in the snack aisle and health food aisle in Ralph’s and get frustrated with the countless options of snacks. There’s enough stress in my life, I don’t need to add “choosing snacks” to that list. 😉

So when Vegan Cuts offered to send me a complimentary snack box to review, I jumped at the chance! *All opinions are 100% my own. No monetary compensation was received. This post contains affiliate links.

Vegan Cuts snack box is a monthly subscription box (1, 3, 6, or 12 months) delivered right to your door! Each box contains 7-10 vegan products. I’m not a vegan (or even a vegetarian), but like I said, I LOVE SNACKS; especially when they’re healthy and are on my porch in the morning (aside from all the options, I also despise the grocery store).

The snack box I received was the February box:

This box contained these fabulous snacks:

Emmy’s Organics macaroons (@emmysorganics) – these were my FAVORITE of all the snacks! Who knew something so delicious could be healthy?!

Ziggy Marley Organics hemp seeds (@ZM_Organics)
Beanfields bean and rice chips, nacho flavor (T: @beanfieldssnack — IG: @beanfieldssnacks)
Sunwarrior vanilla protein blend (T: @sunwarrior — IG: sunwarriortribe)
Seneca Snacks natural apple chips (@senecasnacks) – these were a favorite!!
Munkijo organic coconut water (T: @munkijoorganic – IG: @munkijoorganics) – I have a serious love for coconut water!
180 Snacks bite-sized popped rice snacks with almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries (@180snacks) – SO good!!
Nuttzo organic nut and seed butter (came in a packet to mix) (@eatnuttzo)
Bonelli Fine Food Simply Sesame spread – vanilla with almond bits
Chips that are air popped, but I forget the brand/name and I already ate them!

You can get your own snack box for $19.95/mo. by subscribing here! Use code FEBSNACKS for $5 off your purchase in their shop ($25 minimum required). Also, if you post a photo of your box and tag @vegancuts + #vegancuts, you’re automatically entered to win a FREE box!

I also want to mention that Vegan Cuts has way more than just snacks. They have a beauty box, fashion box, vegan yoga box (need this), RawJuvenate detox kit, vegan starter kit, a baby gift pack, and so much more! Plus you can buy products from their store at discounted prices.

Follow Vegan Cuts on Social Media:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube

So, what do you think?

Are you a fan of subscription boxes?
Do you despise the grocery store like I do?
Are you a vegan, and if not, would you try this box?

Share with me in the comments below! I’d love to hear your thoughts. 🙂

Thank you so much for reading my blog! Connect with me on Twitter | Instagram | Facebook 🙂

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Are You Too Busy To Cook, But Still Want Healthy Meals? My Fit Foods Has A Solution For That

February 16, 2015 By lyndsinreallife 8 Comments

Let’s face it, we live in a pretty fast-paced world. We are constantly on-the-go, whether it’s for work, school, parental responsibilities, and so on. One of the first things to fall by the wayside is cooking, let alone healthy cooking. Of course we want to be healthy, fit, and fueled by good nutrition, but what are we to do when we don’t have the time to meal prep?

The answer? My Fit Foods.

The My Fit Foods Store in Studio City, California

Disclosure: A My Fit Foods PR representative contacted me to visit a MFF store, and share my experience on my blog. I received one day’s worth of food for free so I could offer my honest opinion. No other compensation was received. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

What is My Fit Foods?

Created by personal trainer and former Marine Mario Mendias, MFF is “a revolutionary new way to enjoy fresh, great tasting, and healthy food on your schedule.” Mendias started cooking meals in his home for his clients in 2006. His concept then grew into what My Fit Foods is today. There are various stores throughout Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, California, and Illinois (Chicago). I visited the store in Studio City (Los Angeles), California. Each store is stocked full of healthy, pre-portioned meals. There are several options, such as gluten-free (note: the kitchen is not certified gluten-free), sodium sensitive and calorie controlled, low glycemic grains, fresh produce, and antioxidant rich spices.

How Does It Work?

You walk into a MFF store and tell them what you’re looking for (quick meals, dinners only, etc). There’s an entire wall of refrigerated food: snacks, breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and desserts. You can either look at the meals and choose what you would like to purchase, or ask for the on-site nutrition coach (Studio City’s coach is Natalie). The customized nutrition coaching is complimentary, meaning FREE! Each coach is highly-trained and certified.

Here’s A Walk Through Of How I Started:

I met with Natalie (and MFF PR representative Whitney) to talk about what MFF offers. I shared my struggles and my goals with Natalie. For example, I’m always on-the-go, 7 days a week. I know how to eat healthy (I used to be a health coach), but I don’t know what my body specifically needs. Should I be gluten-free? Is red meat really going to give me a heart attack? There are so many fad diets out there (especially in LA), that I feel like our perception of good health gets skewed. Also, I really dislike cooking.

Natalie told me about their 21 Day Challenge. Basically with this challenge, Natalie (or that store’s nutrition coach) puts together a customized 21 day meal plan based on your health goals, lifestyle, occupation/schedule, and what your body needs. She tailors it to your likes; for example, I don’t like seafood. So she was able to put together a plan that didn’t contain seafood, but still offered enough calories, vitamins, and so on for what my body needs. Natalie printed out a form that has your meals/snacks laid out for 21 days. It’s awesome, because you won’t really have to think about what to eat and when to eat it. I’m sure some people want to have the freedom to eat what and when they want, but for people like me, I want whatever is the simplest option! I would then pick up my food in the store twice a week.

Photos courtesy of MFF’s website

When doing the challenge, Natalie recommends a multivitamin (there’s one for men and one for women) and a liver cleanse to clear the toxins out of your liver. I’m not doing the 21 day challenge at the moment, so I did not purchase either of these. However, I did purchase their raspberry B12 liquid supplement (my body is severely lacking in B vitamins). It comes in a dropper bottle, so I mix it with my Drip Drop hydration drink. It’s delicious! I also purchased a bottle of probiotics, which my body desperately needs as well.

Does The Food Taste Good?

Yes! So good. I am a very picky eater, so I was happy to see how many options there were! I took home a one day supply of fresh meals (never frozen and cooked/delivered every morning) and tried each of them three hours apart (Natalie’s recommendation). My boyfriend, Tim, also tried the meals/snacks. Tim tends to be skeptical of things that cost money when he can just do it at home. He tried the meals thinking he wasn’t going to like any of it; he LOVED all of it! And I agree. Everything was super delicious! The meals range between $5 and $12 (each). The snacks range from $1 to $4.

My First Day Consisted Of:

Breakfast: Oat Bake (my favorite meal)
Snack: Protein Bar (their brand)
Lunch: Gimme More Chicken Wrap
Snack: Veggies In The Raw
Dinner: Asian Flat Iron

MFF Oat Bake

I purchased these absolutely DELISH raw cacao truffles (60 calories for one) because I like to have a piece of chocolate after dinner. I definitely need some more! 😉

I’m excited to begin my 21 day challenge with My Fit Foods! Like I said before, my schedule makes it hard to eat healthy consistently. Since the meals can be microwaved (or cooked on stove top for a bit more flavor), I can definitely take them with me. The snacks can either travel in an insulated tote or simply in your bag if they don’t need refrigerated. If you don’t have a tote, they have ones in the store! And they’re big enough to hold a day’s worth of meals/snacks. I will definitely be going back to pick up food for myself and Tim, and probably this week!

To find a My Fit Foods store near you, visit their website –> locations (or click here).

To check out their entire menu, visit their website –> menu (or click here).

There’s also a list of 101 reasons why MFF helps you lose weight and live healthier that’s pretty awesome!

Follow My Fit Foods on social media to keep up-to-date with the company:

Website – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – YouTube – LinkedIn

What is the hardest challenge you face while maintaining your healthy lifestyle?
Would you be interested in a store like MFF? What do you like/dislike about it?

Thank you for reading my blog! I love chatting with people, so please leave a comment below. 🙂 Thank you to My Fit Foods for the opportunity!

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XO

Lyndsay

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Nutrition Reviews

Superfoods Made Simple With Skoop Nutrition + Discount Code

October 16, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 2 Comments

The past few months have been so crazy busy, it’s been challenging keeping up with my social media life. From being sick, to BlogFest, to being sick again, to babysitting, and now my new puppy, it’s been nonstop. Don’t get me wrong, I love being busy! It can be stressful, but it actually helps to keep me stable and happy. During this time, my nutrition was put on the backburner. I didn’t completely fall by the wayside, but it’s harder to eat healthy when I am always on-the-go.

Lucky for me, I was contacted by Skoop to try out their products and provide my honest feedback. Full disclosure, I received a free sample of B-Strong and B-Lovely, plus a full-size of A-Game. No monetary compensation was received. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

What Is Skoop?

“Skoop is a line of powdered, whole-food sourced super nutrition. We created Skoop to be a real solution to our national nutrition problem. For everyone. Not just those who can afford a personal nutritionist or have ready access to organic farm land. We needed to make it simple to use, quick to prepare, and affordable, too. Thanks to plant-based phytonutrients, we found our solution. Skoop blends are all whole-foods derived and full of the nutrients missing from our standard diet” (website).

They have three amazing products! B-Strong, B-Lovely, and A-Game.

B-Strong, is a plant-based protein powder that promotes a three-stage process for manufacturing strong, lean muscles and all-over health. It’s designed to help your body absorb nutrients, build muscle and recover quickly. Unlike most protein powders, B-Strong also contains prebiotics that promote a happy belly, as well as amino acids such as essentials, non-essentials and BCAAs, and even Mediterranean fruits. It’s gluten, dairy and soy free, and it contains pea and brown rice protein.
The fatty acids aid hormone function, healthy skin and cellular repair, but they also help the gut absorb macro and phytonutrients throughout your day. The BCAAs (branch chain amino acids) keep your muscles strong and happy throughout your daily activity or workout, so that you recover quickly and efficiently.
A-Game, a superfood formula, which is loaded with 41 organic and non-GMO ingredients, probiotics, adaptogens, and antioxidants.
B-Lovely, a beauty blend, that fights oxidative stress in the skin and promotes healthy cellular development.

They can be mixed with almond milk, coconut milk, water, in a smoothie, or however you want!

I really enjoyed all three products! A-Game is perfect for making sure I get my nutrition in the morning (I mix it with almond milk). I’ll admit the taste takes some getting used to, especially because I am not generally a plant-based type of person. The great feeling I have after drinking my A-Game is well worth dealing with the taste. I will say, though, that it’s much better than other superfood powders I’ve had! B-Strong was really good, and great as a post-workout. I love that it contains prebiotics and is safe for most people with food allergies/restrictions! As a woman in her late (gasp) 20s, B-Lovely is a saving grace! I definitely need to fight oxidative stress for better skin.

Each purchase also comes with a “life instruction manual”. It’s pretty awesome!

Buy One, Give One

“We partnered with The Chef Ann Foundation, a non-profit that provides real, fresh fruits and veggies to public school lunch programs all over the country – programs that currently need to classify french fries, tomato sauce, and ketchup as vegetables in order to meet FDA standards. For every serving of Skoop sold, we donate one serving of free, fresh fruits and veggies to a school lunch program. You buy a serving, you give a serving” (website).

Discount Code:

You can use code BALANCE10 for 10% off your order at healthyskoop.com!

Interested in trying out Skoop for yourself? You can purchase it online here, or become a seller here!

You can find Skoop on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Have you tried Skoop products?
Do you follow a plant-based diet?

Thank you for reading my blog! And thank you Skoop for allowing me to sample your products!

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XO

Lyndsay

Twitter | Instagram

Ambassador Fitness Nutrition Reviews

Get More Energy With ENERGYbits + A Discount/Giveaway

August 23, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 6 Comments

Disclosure: I received two free samples of ENERGYbits in the hopes that I would review them on my blog. I did not receive any monetary compensation. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

I’ll admit, when I first heard of spirulina algae as a form of energy, I was not interested. I’m not a vegetarian or vegan, so plant-based isn’t necessarily important to me. But health and clean energy sources are. Especially as an athlete. And I found that with Boston based sports nutrition company, ENERGYbits!

Here’s a quick description of what ENERGYbits are, borrowed from their website:

“ENERGYbits® are tiny algae tabs so nutritionally dense, they eliminate fatigue and hunger instantly. Want a healthy, natural way to fuel your game or fire up your brain? ENERGYbits® are for you! NO caffeine, sugar, chemicals, gluten or soy, just pure, plant based nutrition, all for just ONE calorie per tab. ENERGYbits® have just ONE ingredient – organically grown NON GMO spirulina algae – a super food endorsed by the United Nations and NASA as the most nutritionally dense food in the world. Spirulina has been a favorite of gold medalists for decades. Now it’s your turn.”

They’re called bits because they are tiny tablets of spirulina algae. They’re not a supplement. They are a whole food source. One bit is 64% protein, contains 40 vitamins, antioxidants,, and nitric oxide. When you look at the percentage of protein in a bit, it’s higher than any other protein source. because of this, it’s great energy source! What’s awesome is that there is a no rush and no crash- just simple, smooth energy throughout your day (or workout).

Here’s the thing that tends to throw people off: one serving of ENERGYbits is 30 tablets. Yes, 30. At first, I didn’t want to try something that I needed to take 30 of. I don’t mind taking pills/supplements, but even then, I don’t take more than a few a day. Here’s what they look like:

Images Courtesy of ENERGYbits Pinterest & Burpees for Breakfast

With that being said, I am actually a big fan of these little bits!! They’re algae, so I definitely recommend swallowing them (not chewing). I took 10 at a time, and had no issues. I took my first sample (30 bits) on the first day of BlogFest. I don’t usually wake up at 5:30am, and I definitely don’t stay awake for 20 hours, especially without crashing. I was in a conference all day long, and was really surprised I hadn’t fallen asleep by 5 pm. But then I remembered I took the bits, and I was really impressed! I used to take Adderall (prescription), so I was used to feeling a big rush of energy, and then an even bigger crash later on. I absolutely LOVE that I did not experience that with the bits! Taking the 30 bits (which by the way are VERY small) is totally worth it.

Image Courtesy of ENERGYbits Pinterest

Another thing that I was hesitant about was the pricing. ENERGYbits come in a bag of 1,000 bits for $115.00. Yes, one hundred & fifteen dollars. BUT, you’re getting 1,000 bits at a time (a little over 33 servings). So when you break it down, it’s actually very comparable to any other energy source. Per serving, it equates to about $3.50. If you look at the cost of energy drinks, ENERGYbits are similar, if not cheaper. Plus, bits are a clean energy and whole food source. In my book, ENERGYbits win by a landslide!

One bag of ENERGYbits One sample of bits

Discount Code + Giveaway!

Do you want to try ENERGYbits, & get a 25% discount off your purchase? Simply visit their website, and enter code TBB into the coupon box to receive your discount!

Also, I am offering one reader a free sample of ENERGYbits! Simply comment on this blog post about why you’d like to try ENERGYbits! One winner (US only) will be chosen & contacted by Tuesday, August 26, 2014. ENERGYbits are only available at ENERGYbits.com, and Jonathan (their Community Manager) has let me know that he’d be happy to share more info on their sample program – you can email him at jlevitt@energybits.com.

If you’re interested in the awesomeness of ENERGYbits like I am, you can participate in their health and fitness Twitter chat, held every Tuesday night at 8 pm (EST) using hashtag #PoweredByBits.

You can also follow ENERGYbits on their Pinterest and Facebook, and visit their website at www.energybits.com!

Don’t forget to follow me, too! I am most active on Instagram and Twitter.

I want to thank ENERGYbits for the samples and opportunity to review their amazing product!

XO, Lyndsay

Nutrition Reviews

#FindYourZen With CocoZen Coconut Water

August 9, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 2 Comments

I have a pretty serious obsession with coconut water. It’s my absolute favorite thing to drink, and I like to try every brand I find. I had the opportunity to try CocoZen™, and I am a huge fan!

What is coconut water?

Coconut water is the clear liquid obtained by opening a young, green coconut, the fruits of the coconut palm tree. Coconut water is fat and cholesterol-free and has a light, sweet taste. Its unique mixture of natural sugars, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, enzymes, amino acids, cytokines, and phyto-hormones makes it the perfect refreshment solution (as found on the CocoZen website).

(Image Courtesy of CocoZen.com)

Why is it called CocoZen?

We want to help you find the calm within the chaos. Your Zen is here. Our mission is to create elements and communities that help you discover, experience, and vitalize the core of your true nature every day.We are dedicated to providing authentic and natural coconut products that help support your healthy and active lifestyle. From source to shelf, we’ve covered every angle to bring you the finest coconut water on the planet. CocoZen is 100% natural, filled with essential nutrients, packed and sealed at the source, and as fresh as nature intended (as found on the CocoZen website). Their motto is Find Your Zen. I love it!

CocoZen comes in a tetra pack, which helps to keep the coconut water fresh for several months. This way, it can be easily stacked on shelves, plus it’s recyclable! I like it because it has a screw cap, so you can drink a little bit at a time, and put it back in the fridge to finish later (within 24-48 hours).

Where can I buy it?

CocoZen can be found in select NYC stores, and also on Amazon. It will also be sold at fitness centers and yoga studios as time goes on. The package on Amazon comes with 12-11.1 ounce tetra packs for $29.45. It’s not the cheapest coconut water I’ve found, but it’s really good quality, and that definitely makes a difference!

A few fun facts:

Coconut water is 95% water and a fat and cholesterol-free drink. It also a rich source of electrolytes, B vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.
It is naturally gluten-free, vegan, and kosher.
The fruit sugar is natural and derived from fruit such as pears and apples. These sugars are added to ensure every serving of CocoZen delivers the same sweetness level.
Coconut water is considered an isotonic drink because it contains the same concentration of essential salts and minerals as in your body cells and blood. This makes CocoZen the ideal rehydration drink to replace these precious substances lost from physical activity.
Electrolyte-rich CocoZen is perfect for keeping the body hydrated and supplied with essential nutrients during and after pregnancy.

(Image Courtesy of CocoZen.com)

If you want to give this delicious drink a try, you can buy CocoZen here! Have questions or comments? Follow CocoZen on Twitter. #FindYourZen

Have you tried coconut water? Do you like it?
Have you tried CocoZen specifically?

Disclosure: I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review. I received a free case of CocoZen coconut water to try and review on my blog. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you CocoZen for the opportunity!

Fitness Nutrition Reviews

Formulx; A Healthy, Non-GMO Protein Shake

July 1, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 6 Comments

I have been on a search for a good, healthy, non-GMO protein powder for a few months now. I was with a company for the past two years that was my protein shake of choice, however, it no longer fits my needs. I was looking for a good-tasting protein shake that was non-GMO, grass-fed whey, and had natural ingredients. While looking through Instagram one day, I stumbled across Formulx. I had found it!

Formulx Natural Recovery is a grass-fed whey protein isolate that is non-GMO, undenatured, and contains all-natural ingredients that are scientifically formulated to help people like me: a health conscious, high-intensity athlete trying to build muscle, burn fat, increase work capacity, and assist in quicker recovery. Perfect! I contacted Formulx on their Instagram and talked with one of their employees, Peter. As I’ve said in the past, one of the things that really stands out to me is good customer service. If a company is good to their consumers, and is passionate about what they do and the products they promote, it’s a big plus in my book! Peter is all of those things. I was really excited to receive a sample from Formulx to see if it was as great as it sounded.

I was sent a Formulx shaker cup, two vanilla shake packets, and two chocolate shake packets:

Guess what? IT WAS DELICIOUS! A lot of protein powders I’ve tried recently are really gross. Most of them I can’t even finish. But Formulx is so so good. The chocolate and vanilla both! As I’m writing this, I have an open packet next to me, and it smells so good, I want to lick the packet haha. Have you ever had a french vanilla cappuccino? That’s what the vanilla smells like. It tastes like it, too! So yummy.

A little bit about what’s in the Formulx vanilla mix:

22g grass-fed whey protein isolate
5.2g naturally occuring BCAA’s (branched-chain amino acids)
free of: gluten, soy, hormones, GMOs
130 calories; 25 calories from fat
2.5g fat
50mg sodium (this is the lowest I’ve found so far!)
3g carbs; 4g sugar alcohol
various vitamins and minerals
manufactured in a GMP facility
contains milk (sorry if you’re lactose-intolerant!)

Here’s the back of the packet if you want to take a look:

Formulx recommends mixing it with 6-10 ounces of water or almond milk immediately after your workout. I mixed mine with about 10 ounces of unsweetened almond milk. SO good! I use it for post-recovery, but I was also looking for a breakfast shake. While the vitamins and minerals aren’t as high as the last protein source I used, I feel better knowing Formulx doesn’t use GMOs. I’ve had a Formulx shake for breakfast for the past three days, and it has worked out great!

I will definitely be ordering more Fomulx ASAP. You can check it out for yourself at formulx.com! They have sample packs if you want to give it a try before ordering a bigger container (free shipping, too!). The big container is $54.95 for 26 servings, which is a lot cheaper (and for more servings) than what I’ve seen! Definitely cheaper than what I was using before.

You can follow Formulx on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and purchase Formulx on their website! If you try it for yourself, takea picture and tag @formulx and @thebalancedbrunette so we can check it out! And as always, let me know what you think. 🙂

Have you tried Formulx before? What did you think?
What do you look for in a protein powder?

XO,

Lyndsay

Disclosure: I received free samples of Formulx in the hopes that I would post about it on my blog. I only review products that are good for myself and my readers, therefore all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you Formulx for the opportunity!

Ambassador Events Nutrition SoCal

PLUSH Show 2014 With Delta Labs

June 9, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 7 Comments

Yesterday, I had the awesome opportunity of representing Delta Labs at the PLUSH Show in Downtown Los Angeles! I am an ambassador with Delta Labs, which is a company with an all-natural line of supplements for women based in New York, and the president of the company, Debbie, reached out to me asking if I would help with the booth. I jumped at the chance!! And I am SO glad I did!

Our BEAUTIFUL booth, photo courtesy of the Delta Labs Facebook Page

The PLUSH Show/Expo is a high-end trade show put on by PlushLittleBaby and labeled the posh little urbanities show. It’s a place for new moms, expecting moms, veteran moms, anyone remotely interested in being a mom, and also a few dads to check out high-quality mom and baby products! There were so many booths with great products and services. It was definitely very “posh”! The event is usually indoors, but it was outdoors this year at the Los Angeles Center Studios. It was pretty hot, so unfortunately a lot of people left early. It was a little too much for the kiddos. I, however, loved it! I don’t often get to spend a lot of time outdoors (living in SoCal, I really should work to change this), and I was enjoying myself so much that I didn’t really notice! Which is saying a lot for me, because I am always the one complaining about the heat!

While most blog reviews of the PLUSH Show will be about the booths, products, and experiences as a mom, this one specifically is about my experience working my first trade show with an amazing company!

I have been an ambassador with Delta Labs for a couple months now. I absolutely LOVE the supplements, and take 7 out of the 8! The only one I don’t take is the postnatal, because, well, I don’t have babies! I spent the day with the president of the company, Debbie, her daughter, Alisha, and the company’s photographer/friend, Jason. Hands down THE coolest people EVER! Debbie is absolutely gorgeous, and hearing her talk with such passion about Delta Labs was contagious. She told me that she was loving being an entrepreneur and enjoying her time now that her kids are grown, and she spoke with such happiness, pride, and class. It was powerful being in her presence. If I become half the woman she is, I’ll be happy. She is absolutely wonderful! It is extremely comforting having such a strong, passionate, intelligent woman behind a company that I represent and support 100%.

The Delta Labs supplements on display at our booth. Aren’t they beautiful?!

Alisha is her daughter, and she is one year older than me. She is a gorgeous, loving, fun girl (at what age do we start saying woman? I feel so weird calling myself a woman still!). She was so accepting of me. I get anxiety about going new places, but Alisha was so cool and helpful, that I didn’t have anxiety at all! As I’ve mentioned before in my posts, I have bipolar disorder, so I can get manic and very chatty, and tend to say really dumb things haha. Not once did I feel embarrassed to be myself around these ladies, and that rarely happens here in LA for me.

Jason, the photographer, was super cool, too! He has been on a few daytime television shows (he was the drinking expert on 1,000 Ways To Die LOL), and has such an awesome, fun personality.

It was so great spending the day with such awesome, fun, cool people, sharing about women’s health! I am passionate about health and what we put in our bodies, so getting to talk to so many amazing, beautiful moms and moms-to-be about high-quality supplements was simply wonderful! Plus I got to meet a lot of cool little kids, and being a nanny, I love cool little kids! Haha.

Also, I got to meet and hold a 7-week-old chihuahua puppy, which just made my day!

So yep, it was a wonderful day! Now I need to travel to New York to visit them! Haha. Can you believe I’ve never been to NYC?

I highly recommend checking out deltalabsusa.com and seeing what their stellar supplements are all about! Email me at lyndsay{at}thebalancedbrunette{dot}com if you have any questions! And use code GETFITWITHLYNDS for $5 off!! **Not valid on bundles

Holistic Living Nutrition Personal

GAPS Diet Update – Week 3

May 11, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 10 Comments

A couple weeks ago, I posted about my new nutrition plan and why I was doing it. As a recap, I am following a plan called the GAPS diet, which basically means my digestive system is not a happy camper. The past four months have been very stressful, which led to an excess of cortisol being released (stress hormone), sugar and refined carb cravings, poor nutrition, and then an overgrowth of candida.

(Image Source)

Candida is a fungus/yeast that we all have a little bit of in our digestive systems. However, if it grows out of control, you get pretty scary symptoms. Since starting to detox from things like sugar, soy, dairy, gluten (grains), and refined carbs, these are the symptoms I have experienced:

hives (daily)
migraines (6 days in a row)
fatigue, no matter how healthy I eat
difficulty sleeping
abdominal/digestive pain/bloating
irritability, mood swings, depression
muscle pain, especially in my legs
weight gain
acne (I haven’t had acne in YEARS!!!!)
intense sugar and refined carb cravings

I could go on and on, but those are the ones that really stood out to me. It has been a rough 3 weeks! But I feel like I am finally getting over the hump of the worst part. I started a 21 day cleanse (through Herbalife), I’m taking a supplement called FloraFiber daily (probiotics), and I just ordered goldenseal root (to push the candida out) and another probiotic. I already feel so much better!! I definitely have a ways to go with getting healthy again, but I can already feel a difference, and it is soo comforting!

(Image Source)

Sugar addiction and sugar detoxing are no joke. I was blaming myself for having a hard time cutting it out completely, but I was reassured that it really is my body that craves the sugar! It’s so similar to a drug addiction, it’s crazy. Did you know sugar is 8 times more addicting than cocaine? There was a study done on rats, and the rats chose the sugar over the cocaine every time.

Anyway, I feel like I’m rambling. I wanted to share a little bit of an update about this sugar detox since I know a few of you are following my updates (which I so so appreciate!!). If anything, I have totally learned how essential it is to truly take care of our bodies. Yes, I knew it was important before, but I feel like now, I have a deeper understanding of why we need to nourish our bodies with real food and get those toxins out through exercise. So many of us are living with poor gut health, and we don’t even realize it! I can’t stress enough how important it is to take care of our digestive system. 90% of our immune system is in our gut.

Healthy gut = happy life. 🙂

Ambassador Fitness Nutrition

New Delta Labs Ambassador & A GIVEAWAY!!

April 21, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 7 Comments

I’ve got nothing but love for the company Delta Labs and their supplements!! I found Delta Labs through a fellow fit friend, and figured I would try it out. They currently have 8 different supplements- all for women, and all gluten-free! Some of them are vegan-friendly, as well!

I have every single supplement except the prenatal and postnatal! Love love love them all! I was so excited about the company and the products, that I became an ambassador for Delta Labs! It’s an amazing community dedicated to women’s health, and I am so grateful to be a part of it. As a welcome, Delta Labs sent me this amazing package of gifts:

I feel so incredibly special!! I get to represent this amazing brand with a backpack, a couple super cute tee shirts, etc! What’s even more awesome about this is that I have samples of the green tea+ that I get to GIVEAWAY to 5 people!!!!! This is my very first giveaway and I am so incredibly excited about it! The green tea+ is probably my favorite product of them all. It helps with weight loss, more energy, more control over emotional eating, and food cravings! It might sound too good to be true, but it has helped me SO much already! If you read my post from last Monday, you’ll know I have a sugar addiction that I am working to get over. The green tea+ definitely helps!!

Okay, so this giveaway is going to be pretty simple! There are 3 things you are required to do to be eligible to win 1 of the 5 sample packs:

Comment on this post about why you want to try the green tea+
Follow me on Instagram
Like my Facebook page

This is what you will win:

Let the games begin!! The giveaway ends on Monday, April 28, 2014!!

Good luck! 🙂

OH, and one more thing: if you’re excited to order any supplements now, go to deltalabsusa.com, and at checkout, enter code GETFITWITHLYNDS for $5 off your order!! They will also send you a prepaid label so you can send back your empty bottle for another $5 off your next order! I love that this company is all about decreasing our carbon footprint! 🙂

Ambassador Fitness Nutrition

New Ambassadorships!

April 9, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 2 Comments

I am seriously SO excited right now! This is like the best week EVER, and it’s only Wednesday!!

First, my 26th birthday was last Saturday (April 5). I spent the day with my absolute best friends at our Leadership Development Weekend training in LA! It was such an amazing, inspiring day.

Then, I was accepted into the ambassadorship program for an amazing community called I’m Fit Possible!

Everyone is so amazing, supportive, positive, and all about health and fitness! I am so so excited for what the future holds as an I’m Fit Possible Ambassador!! Thank you!!!

THEN, the next day, I received an email telling me I was accepted into the ambassadorship program for Delta Labs!!

This supplement company is super awesome. They make supplements just for women, and the products are gluten-free and vegan friendly! So far I have tried the Green Tea+, Hair Skin & Nails, and Detox. I LOVE them all!! I cannot wait to try more! Plus, they’re all about the environment. If you send back your empty bottle, they recycle it, and you get $5 off your next order! How cool is that?

Use promo code -> getfitwithlynds <- for $5 off your order!! 😀

How has your week been so far?!