Whenever I see the combo of Running + Jewelry, I get SUPER excited!!! Recently, I had the opportunity to receive some bangles from Inspired Endurance so I could try out the products and learn more!

They sent me 2 sterling silver bangles with charms that say RUN and 13.1. Both very fitting for me!

I love the idea of stacking the bangles! You can keep adding bangles to your collection and your arm will be full of shiny bracelets that represent and celebrate YOU and your running accomplishments! It’s also possible to add more charms to your existing bangles!

I took them out for a spin when I went hiking:

And then I wore them during the Esprit de She 5k race in Mesa, AZ on October 1!

I took some screenshots of the variety of bangles they have available on their website!

If you are interested in purchasing their products, click this link to go directly to the Inspired Endurance website or you can visit them in Florida!

The website is organized nicely, allowing you to Shop By Race, Shop By Style, Shop By Collection, and Gift Ideas.

I am always on the lookout for healthy snacks & bars to take on the go, and recently I was able to try GoMacro bars!!  GoMacro sent a complimentary box of assorted MacroBar Minis to some of the CROs (Chief Running Officers) of my #RunEatTweetAZ group for us to review! These bars are organic, vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, and kosher! They also use mostly raw ingredients!

 

Overall there were 24 bars in the box with 11 different flavors including peanut butter, cashew, sunflower butter, and almond butter with carob to name a few!

Earlier I mentioned that I am always looking for healthy snacks. Well, with the rate of obesity and diseases going up, it’s becoming more and more important for us to get back to a macrobiotic diet. According to About.com, macrobiotics is a lifestyle and dietary philosophy that promotes health, longevity and healing, through a largely plant-based diet. A macrobiotic diet encourages purchasing organic and minimally treated food to reduce the presence of pesticides, hormones, and other toxins in your food. Purchasing locally sourced is another important aspect to ensure you will be eating foods natural to your environment.

So why do I bring up the subject of macrobiotics? Well, GoMacro is a family-owned company that believes that a macrobiotic lifestyle is critical to a long, healthy life and they are on a mission to promote a healthy sustainable lifestyle. The story of the family members is one of hope and courage. Read about how Amelia went from being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 to becoming a healthy, cancer-free businesswoman, bringing the world wholesome snacks with her daughter Jola!

I was excited to try the bars so I brought some with me to a #RunEatTweetAZ trail run event on June 8!

Here’s fellow CRO Corine (a.k.a. Zucchini Runner) and I enjoying our bars!

My husband Evan enjoys GoMacro bars after a workout too!

I love that the bars are made with REAL ingredients! Typically if I can’t pronounce a word on the ingredient list, I AVOID the product all together!

And you can actually SEE the ingredients in the bar! For instance, I can clearly see the dates, cranberries, raisins, and gluten-free oats in this bar!

Even the sesame seeds in the sesame butter bar can be seen! 🙂

Exciting news! GoMacro is hosting a GIVEAWAY! Be sure to visit the #RunEatTweetAZ Facebook page to see how to enter!

More exciting news – GoMacro is offering a one-time discount code! Head to the GoMacro shop link and enter code “BLOGGER” at checkout and to get 40% off your first order!

You can also find GoMacro bars at grocery stores near you! Here in Phoenix, they can be found at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and even Safeway! Check the store locater to see what stores they are at near you! You also have the option of purchasing the regular size or mini bars depending on your needs!

Another way to get ahold of the GoMacro bars is to subscribe to their auto-ship program! When you subscribe you’ll get free shipping plus a 5% discount on two or more trays per month. Click this link to learn more!

Be sure to show love to GoMacro by checking out their social media pages!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gomacro/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gomacro
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/gomacro/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gomacro/

Tell me, have you tried GoMacro before? Are you diligent about the ingredients in your food?! Share in the comments section! I would love to hear from you! 🙂

“Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river

Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river…”

Thanks to my awesome #RunEatTweetAZ group, I am rollin’ in style with the new M80 Roller that I was given to try out and review!! #RunEatTweetAZ is a great local running group that hosts events at least twice a month in the Phoenix area and I just happen to be a CRO (Chief Running Officer)! We like to say we are runners with a social media problem lol!!

Anyways, back to the M80 Roller. Let me tell you – It’s not your typical “foam” roller! The unique grooves are designed to give a deep tissue therapy – deeper than traditional foam rollers!

Also good to know about the roller – owner/creator Matt Olaya guarantees that the roller will keep its shape! In addition, the M80 is waterproof (although they recommend hand washing it and have the directions to do on their website).

Another unique and very fun bonus about purchasing an M80 Roller is that you have 30 colors to choose from!! With that many choices you can surely find one that fits your personality!! These rollers make great gifts because you can pick a color that will suit the person’s taste, making it more personal!

So what do I personally like about the roller?!

• I like the size and shape of it! It’s half the size of my traditional roller which makes it easier to travel with! And since the center is hollow you could roll up some clothes and shove them in there to save space in your suitcase lol!!

• I love the color!! This pink really does pop!!!

• When I received the roller, I immediately jumped on it! When I rolled over those real sensitive spots – wow did I see stars!! But, that’s GOOD!! That means I really am getting a deep tissue myofascial release!! I even brought out my traditional foam roller and compared the same tender spots – not even close!!!

• As an athlete and especially as a runner – I beat myself up. A LOT lol. I have dealt with foot and knee injuries recently, and I believe that lack of stretching was a factor in those injuries. This M80 Roller can help me loosen knots and tight muscles – increasing my range of motion and helping my body recover properly!
• I am a firm believer in small businesses! My husband is an entrepreneur and his hard work and success has put a roof over our heads! M80 Roller was founded by a young man who saw a problem with traditional rollers and created a product to solve it! Let’s help spread the word for this growing company!!
• I love that you can customize your own roller!! This is super helpful to anyone with a logo who is building their brand! Hmm, I think I see visions of “Cook and Run with Kristin” on a roller – yeah I like it!! Click on the M80 Roller website for more info! 
  

So now you are probably thinking – how can I try one?! You can purchase the roller you see here on the M80 website for $40!

But this week you are in luck because #RunEatTweetAZ is hosting a GIVEAWAY!!

Starting April 6th thru April 10th, we’ll give 1 roller away per day. That’s a total of 5 rollers!!

Check the #RunEatTweetAZ Facebook page for details on how to enter! GOOD LUCK!!! And if you don’t win, I still highly recommend this product for your deep tissue needs! 😉

 

“MAKE YOUR BODY HAPPY, HAVE A HUPPY!”

This is the motto of Huppybar, a Flagstaff based company that makes energy bars with real ingredients!! Most of you know that I am super picky about processed foods and ingredient labels, so you can imagine how happy I am to find an energy bar that DOES NOT contain funky scientific words!! Huppybars are 50% organic and they are sweetened with organic brown rice syrup and local honey harvested in Flagstaff, AZ. In addition, the bars also DO NOT CONTAIN: corn, soy, dairy, or cane sugar!

Lyndsay Hupp, a river guide on the Colorado River, created these bars out of a need for craving real nutritional sustenance. She could never quite find what she was looking for in a typical energy bar, so she decided to create one for herself! Fellow guides and river clients started to take notice of these bars she was bringing on trips and they wanted to try them too! She realized she was on to something when they received such a glowing response!

(Photo courtesy of Huppybar.com)

Another thing that Huppybar realized is that, “If taking time to prepare healthy meals isn’t always an option for some people, then perhaps we can increase convenient options that are healthy.” I believe that it is VERY important for more convenience foods to be healthy. I try to consume as many homemade foods in my diet as possible (ketchup, BBQ sauce, salad dressing, snacks, etc), but even I need to rely on convenience foods every once in a while and having a bar like this on the market is such a breath of fresh air!

So how did I come about trying Huppybars? My first introduction was from my friend Corine, aka Zucchini Runner, who gave me a sample after a long trail run we did together on South Mountain. Most recently they sent samples to various CROs (Chief Running Officers) of my #RunEatTweetAZ group! Corine is another picky eater just like me, so it told me something right off the bat about the excellent quality of these bars!

I chose Coconut Date Ginger and Chocolate Berry Love to review, but they also have chocolate java, apple cinnamon raisin, and pecan orange spice flavors!

I love that you can really see all of the nooks and crannies of the bar!! This is what you get from a handcrafted bar instead of a highly-processed, mass-produced one!

I brought Huppybar as a snack during a hike through the West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon this past weekend! I have to say I was the only who wasn’t totally starving after the hike! It really did fill me up!

In addition to the delicious and nutritious bars they make, Huppybar is committed to helping kids get out and be active! As of July 1st, they implemented 2 For The Youth, where 2% of their sales will be given to non-profit organizations that focus on getting children exposed to the great outdoors! Huppybar believes that being active is not only beneficial for physical health, but also for mental, social, and emotional health – and I totally agree!!

So how can you try this amazing bar?? You can purchase them right on the website using their Buy Bars link, and you can find them at a few different retail spots located in Sedona, Flagstaff, and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Also, there is a GIVEAWAY going on right now!! One randomly selected winner will receive a box of 12 whole food, all natural Huppybars!

How to Enter:
1) LIKE the post regarding the giveaway on the #RunEatTweetAZ Facebook page.
AND
2) COMMENT with when/how you’d use Huppybars! (pre run fuel, post run recovery, maybe even at the gym!)

There will also be a Bonus Entry for those who SHARE the post!

The winner will be notified on the #RunEatTweetAZ Facebook page by Friday, October 31st, 8am (AZ time). Deadline to enter is Friday by 7am.

*This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administrated by, or associated with Facebook*

Show Huppybar some social media love and give them a follow!

• Like Huppybar on Facebook
• Follow Huppybar on Twitter

Good luck with the giveaway!!

Good News! If you missed the giveaway but still want to try Huppybar (who doesn’t right?!), then during the month of November, use promo code: RunEatTweetAZ for 15% off!!!

Tell me in the comments, have you or do you want to try Huppybar?! Also, do you pay attention to the ingredients on a bar that you just grab on the go?

Have you tried NuttZo yet?! I don’t know about you, but nut butter is a MAIN staple in my house! This brand happens to be organic and according their website, “The Only Seven Nut and Seed Butter on the planet!”

NuttZo offers 3 different flavors, including Original, Powerfuel, and Chocolate, with 7 nuts & seeds in every jar, in both crunchy and smooth. Here’s a breakdown of the flavors. Graphic is courtesy of NuttZo’s website.

So how did I come about trying NuttZo? Well as it turns out, they sent samples to various CROs (Chief Running Officers) of my #RunEatTweetAZ group!

Look at the generous amount of stuff that came in the mailI! I received 1 huge jar (16 oz) with the crunchy Power Fuel flavor and 15 to-go (0.5oz) packets consisting of all 3 flavors!

One of the things that I really like about NuttZo is the ingredients panel. The jar lists: organic cashews, organic almonds, organic brazil nuts, organic flax seeds, organic hazelnuts, organic chia seeds, organic pumpkin seeds, and sea salt. I have a real pet peeve when I see funky scientific words on a label, so you can imagine my elation at seeing REAL words only!!! Now this is a product I can gladly bring into my home and consume with delight!!

So how did I try NuttZo? In many different ways actually! And for more ideas, check out the recipe page on the NuttZo website.

I first tried NuttZo at the gym after 10k run on the treadmill and a 10 minute PiYo stretch session.

The to-go packets are handy, however, I’m really glad that I was near a sink to clean off my hands and my face trying to get the nut butter out of the packet lol. As a result of that experience, I realized that the to-go packets would be more ideal for situations like traveling, camping, and even the overnight Ragnar race. Trying to rip one open during a run and consuming it would prove to be difficult and very MESSY lol! But if you are in a setting where you have the time to knead it with your hands (like the back of the packet suggests) and use a knife to spread it around – then by all means it would be great to have to make your own PB&J on the go (and then you know you can trust the ingredients!).

The next time I tried NuttZo was on a banana after returning home from a run. I made banana “sandwiches” where I had the chunky flavor from the jar spread in-between 2 bite size pieces of banana. I added cinnamon too!

These banana sandwiches were AWESOME. Seriously, look how happy I look in my banana sandwich selfie lol! Another morning, I actually did the same thing as a pre-workout snack instead of a full blown breakfast because I knew I had only a short window of time to fuel my body and get a workout in before going on with the rest of my day. I found it to be a quick and easily digestible snack!

Then on a nice relaxing Saturday morning, I decided to make my 4 Ingredient Paleo Pancakes. The recipe calls for almond butter so I decided to try the chunky flavor from the jar! They came out great!!

Most days of the week I usually make my Shakeology shake first thing in the morning. I added a tablespoon of the chunky Power fuel flavor and with just some frozen banana and my Chocolate Vegan Shakeology, and it came out great! I loved the texture of it!

A quick and healthy dessert that I really enjoy is sliced apples with a dab of almond butter, cinnamon, and honey. I tried the Power Fuel flavor and it was absolutely delicious!

Another yummy breakfast idea is the classic toasted English muffin! I toasted a sprouted grain, Ezekiel muffin and spread the Peruvian Dark Chocolate! Hmmm, good! This also works as a dessert idea too!

Are you salivating yet?! Are you ready to stop what you are doing right now and run out and get a jar lol?! Well, I have GOOD NEWS!! You have the opportunity to win a jar and 20 to-go packets!!

For the giveaway: Head over to Run Eat Tweet AZ’s Facebook page, “like” and comment on the post, and you will be entered to win! Note: The deadline to enter is October 6th!

*This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with Facebook*

Show NuttZo some social media love and give them a follow!

• Like NuttZo on Facebook
• Follow @eatnuttzo on Twitter
• Follow @eatnuttzo on Instagram
• Check out the NuttZo website

Good luck with the giveaway!! If you’d like to purchase any of their products, they can be found in stores or purchased directly from their website.

Tell me in the comments, have you tried NuttZo yet?! Are you a nut butter fan?!