product reviews – Muddling Momma

Tag: product reviews

07
Jul
2016

Daily Movement, Minimal Sweating

categories: Fitness, Product Reviews, Working Mom

This might come as a surprise to you, but I am super busy these days. Working full time, chasing a three year old, keeping the house in order and making time for self care even WITH a supportive, helpful husband is exhausting. And when my life gets crazy (so 90% of the time) exercise takes a backseat.

Also? I hate to sweat. So there’s that too.

But guess what! I figured out how to take time out of my work day to just move. Nothing too crazy like PX90 or Crossfit, but something to get me off my swivel chair and get the blood flowing without the sweat flowing. If you can relate, here are some ideas that have worked for me.

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{Walk it out} Taking a walk during your lunch break is probably the easiest and most common option to get moving during the day. Thankfully I work in a nice, safe office park where a lot of people are walking around the parking lots at lunch time. A quick 20 minute walk with a podcast not only gets the endorphins pumping but the fresh air and sunlight helps me come back to my desk focused. On hot days I break it up by walking around the perimeter of our building every time I go to the bathroom (which is often).

walk it out

{Online Gym 4 Me} I am a card carrying donor to a popular gym in my area. I went every so often, but I just can’t get comfortable there. I prefer to sweat in private. Which is why Online Gym 4 Me is PERFECT! It is both on demand classes and live classes. Since it is a London based company so the live class times aren’t always conducive to my schedule, I love the on demand options. At work I like the easier, shorter classes like Gentle Flow Yoga and Morning Salutations (the shorter classes are 15 minutes – perfect!). I just keep a yoga mat under my desk, shut the door, take off my shoes and let the instructor tell me what to do.

online gym 4 me

{Booty Loops} A common tip I hear is to stand up and move while you are on the phone. WELL – I will do you one better. Booty Loops. I laughed out loud when the company sent me these simple fitness straps to try, but they are no joke. On conference calls, webinars and virtual training I just slide on a Booty Loop and do a few strengthening exercises.

booty loop

{Stretching} I mentioned how I keep a yoga mat under my desk, but I also keep a tennis ball in my drawer. Sometimes, when I feel my shoulders touching my ear lobes or my nose touch the desk because I am so hunched over – I stretch it out. I google some sort of variation of ‘office yoga’ and take a few minutes to relax. I use the tennis ball for trigger point massage and it is usually just the pick me up I need.

Stretch it out

There you have it! I am not going to drop dresses sizes in a few months by doing just this, but it makes a world of difference in my mood and productivity.

You guessed it, parts of this post are sponsored. But my use and review are real. Trust me, they can’t afford to buy a positive review from me.

04
Nov
2015

The Lunch Struggle

categories: Health, Product Reviews

The lunch struggle is real ya’ll. How many days in a row can I eat yogurt, a banana, turkey and cheese (sans bread) and a random ‘healthy’ snack?

The other challenge is my new job. I’ve been here a month and so far I really really love it. And I am BUSY. Most of the time I am running around so much, so I am so focused, I forget lunch. Next thing I know I am in a meeting where I realize I am hangrey or someone brings their own lunch and eats it DURING the meeting (FYI – this is never okay).

What’s a girl to do? Progresso Soup Bistro Cups!

I’ll be honest, I am not a soup person, but when Progresso asked me to check out their new Soup Bistro Cups, I was game. I wasn’t expecting much, but I went in with an open mind. Guess what? I’m all in. They are convenient, easy to make and filling. Plus, you can make them in a mug and drink them during a meeting and no one has to know it is something other than coffee.

All you have to do is open the packet into a mug, drop the K-Cup into a Keurig brewer (even those annoying 2.0 ones take these Bistro Cups), stir it up and in mere minutes, your lunch is ready.

I tried the Tomato Parmesan, but they also have Broccoli & Cheese and Creamy Southwestern which are both ready for my lunchbox next week.

If you are in the Northeast USA and want to try them don’t forget to download a $2 off coupon.

04
Sep
2015

Friday 5: Running Accessories

categories: Friday Five, Product Reviews

If you follow me in real life, or even on social media, you know I am starting to think about fitness and how to incorporate it in my life. I’ll be honest – it’s really, really hard. I am carrying a lot of extra weight and have a pretty messed up relationship with food. But as a Momma, I need to set a good example and I am embracing that idea. So guess what? I’m a runner!

It sounds really funny to say that since my inner mean girl disagrees – I rarely run more than a mile, I do walking/jogging intervals and I’ve slacked off the past month. But when I tell all my friends who are ‘real’ runners they disagree. It doesn’t matter how far or how fast – if I am move faster than a walk, I am a runner. Suck it inner mean girl!

The best part of being a runner is all the cool accessories, so for my Five on Friday I want to share my top 5 running accessories. Even if you don’t run and do some other activity, these apply to you too!

{Ape Tape} I won’t go into the science of Kinesiology Tape, but it works. I first used it when I was in physical therapy for a shoulder injury a few years ago, but now it seems to have gone mainstream and you can get it in a variety of colors and brands at the drug store. I have something weird going on with my ankle, so it helps to use K-Tape before a run to offer stability and help me not feel so achie afterwards. I’ve trade a lot of brands, but Ape Tape is by far my favorite. It is thicker and lasts much longer than other brands.

{Fitbit Flex with fastener} People either love or hate activity trackers and I am a lover. I picked the Fitbit Flex because it was affordable and has an easy interface. I love going for a run and getting into the groove and feeling my wrist buzzing because I hit my goal. The only complaint I had was my fear of it falling off. BUT – I solved that problem pretty quickly with Allbingo’s silicon fasteners. They keep the Fitbit strap secure and adds a pop of color.

{Thick to Thin Gear} Have you heard of Thick 2 Thin? They are an amazing body positive company out of Virginia who creates gear for athletes – and firmly believes we are ALL athletes. I love that their new line of shorts and shirts will come in much larger sizes because I love to wear looser clothes on runs. They sent me a tank to wear for my virtual 5K and I felt awesome having a trendy shirt that expressed how I felt – strong and athletic. Plus their company values are exactly what I need. Do you follow them on FB? They are a fun bunch!

{Brooks Shoes} Running doesn’t have to be expensive, but you MUST MUST MUST have a solid pair of running shoes. I bought a pair of name brand shoes in an outlet store and after one run I was in enough pain that I dug the receipt out of the trash and returned them. I headed down to my local running store, Pacers, and they watched me run and found a few pairs of shoes that fit my running style. Brooks Ghost 7 ended up being the best pair for me and they have been worth every penny.

{YouTube Beats Per Mile Playlist} I admire people who can run without music because I am certainly not one of them. Since I have an old phone and don’t want to lug my iPod with me, I have been listening to YouTube’s Beats Per Mile playlist. It’s got some great songs with a beat that keeps me moving.

What are your ‘must have’ workout accessories?

Yep, you guessed it. Some or all of this post is sponsored. They might have offered the product, but I offered my honest opinion. This post also might have affiliate links. I might get a small kick back, nothing that will let me quit my day job and nothing that will raise the price for you. You’ve been warned.

28
Aug
2015

Sago Mini

categories: Product Reviews, Toddler

S. and I knew from day one we wouldn’t keep Mike from glowing screens. We agreed that while we live in a technology based world and our son should be a digital native, screen time still needed to be limited and purposeful. Do we use the iPad or Disney Junior as a babysitter? Yes, occasionally. Let’s face it – sometimes a sure-fire distraction is necessary for survival. But do we keep an iPad in his crib or channel surf on a Saturday? Absolutely not.

We started looking at apps that were free, but quickly found that we got what we paid for – either an eventual purchase or something that didn’t interest our discerning child. Also, we were less than thrilled with the non-stop advertising.

Luckily we found the answer we were looking for in the Sago Mini, a cool and creative collection of apps for toddlers and pre-schoolers. (Full disclosure: We purchased our apps at full price and were sent free downloads by Sago. But hopefully you all know me well enough to know it’s going to take a lot more than a free app for me to recommend a product.)

Sago Mini apps are not free; they run about $2.99 each and are worth every penny. We have built our library to approximately five games so far, but I use the word ‘game’ loosely because there is no end goal, no level, no rewards. The apps are more based on free play and discovery.

Mike’s current favorite (and ours too!) is a simple one called Space Explorer. With his chubby little finger, he drags the space dog round the galaxy where robots, stars, aliens, and the moon are encountered. At each stop, something happens to the dog – the alien hugs him, the robot sings, the stars disappear. There is no set course or a right or wrong way to go. Mike, by way of the dog, simply glides around space seeing what there is to discover.

Mike’s other Sago Mini favorite is Monsters. This one is slightly more structured than Space Explorer but still allows him to follow his own plan. A monster appears on the screen and has to be dressed, fed, and have his teeth brushed (something Mike is strongly opposed to). After all that is completed, the Monster’s picture must be taken. It’s a simple app that leads to lots of giggling when Mike decides to brush something other than the Monster’s teeth. I confess that after the Monster eats, he burbs, causing Mike to laughs like a crazy man before he politely says “excuse me”.

Sago Mini’s company quote really sums up what they are working towards and have successfully achieved so far:

“The scandal of education is that every time you teach something, you deprive a child of the pleasure and benefit of discovery.” – Seymour Papert

I can’t praise Sago Mini enough for creating unique, simple apps for toddlers and preschoolers. Because I have become so enamored of their products, I contacted them with a compliment. Much to my surprise, they thanked me by providing five free downloads. That’s what I call good customer service! Enter to win one of FIVE free downloads this week below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

11
Mar
2015

Well Hello Fresh!

categories: DIY, Health, Product Reviews, Working Mom

I’ve seen so much hype around subscription boxes lately, I even tried RocksBox a few months ago and loved getting mail. So when my Momma and Sister-in-Law started raving about HelloFresh, I was cautiously interested. Here’s how it works:

Each week I log into my account and chose 3 meals out of the 5 they are offering. All the ingredients are surprisingly fresh as the name would lead you to believe. To be honest, the meals are not what I would normally pick if I was looking through a cookbook, but that’s half the fun. Did you know I like Tilapia? Me neither! It also guarantees that my family is eating 3 healthy meals a week – which as a family with working parents is a huge win.

On Friday, when I chose my meals to be delivered, I come home to a well packed box with 3 bags. Each bag contains the measured ingredients for each meal and a recipe card with pictures and detailed instructions. When I am ready to make a meal, I just pull out the recipe and bag and get started!

Each dish can be prepared in about 30 minutes and is more than enough for 2 people, and you can upgrade to 4 people if your family is bigger or you are having guests. Meat-free house? No biggie! They have veggie boxes too. The food is also kid friendly and Mikey is at the perfect age to instill a love of vegetables.

It’s really nice to know that I have everything I need to make a meal. While I do my best meal planning and shopping, it was inevitable that I would go to make chicken for dinner and be out of chicken. Everything I need is right there from HelloFresh (but stock up on butter, oil and oddball utensils like a garlic press and zester). Here’s some of the meals we’ve had:

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Tangy Balsamic Potato Salad
Pan-Roasted Salmon with Mustard-Butter Bean Salad
Roasted Pork Chops with Onion Gravy & Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

Did I mention that each week is $69 and you are not locked in? Each week I am able to see what the menu is either opt in or opt out. I love not committing based on our tastes, schedule and budget.

The only downside is you still actually have to make the meal. But if you HAVE to make dinner (and Child Protective Services likes to know kids are eating), HelloFresh is the easiest and healthiest option. Want to try HelloFresh? Use this link to get $40 off your first box. I bet you couldn’t buy ingredients for 3 fresh, healthy meals for $29.

I signed up and after my first week, I told HelloFresh I was going to do a review, so they gave me a free week to try. They can’t afford to pay me for a good review, so I gave them an honest one.

11
Dec
2014

What’s Under Our Tree?

categories: Product Reviews

Someone is going to have a super fun Christmas this year, and anticipating that means S. and I will have a blast as well. Last year Mikey was six months old and we were trying to convince him to crawl. Now he is 18 months old and we are trying to convince him to sit down for 5 minutes.

We’ve talked for years about how our holidays would look and it was agreed that gifts would never be the main focus. But man, it’s hard. There are so many things that Mike would LOVE. It’s hard not to go overboard. Also, a toddler’s interests are as fleeting as a snowflake. I made a call to Santa to make sure we didn’t double up on gifts, and he gave me a list of what he is going to be bringing Mike. Along with our gifts – here is what will be under our tree this year:

{Wheelie} This is really a Hanukkah present, but one of my favorite finds. When we went to Chibis they had a few of these, and he loved ‘driving’ it around. Plus, he is into carrying tall things – windshield scrapers, brooms, umbrellas and his corn popper.

{Nerf Balls} S. picked this set out for Mike in hopes of encouraging an athlete who will make lots of money when we are in our old age. Not really (but really), but what toddler doesn’t love throwing things? At least these are soft. I also like that S. picking out one gift is fast becoming a tradition.

{Twilight Turtle} This is a baby shower staple I didn’t register for, but is going to be the gift I picked out for Mike. Since we are moving a few weeks after Christmas, I thought it might be a nice, calming bedtime ritual that will help ease the transition.

{Books} Of course we got Mike a bunch of books and not because we want to encourage him to read – he has that down pat. I was excited to combine two of his favorite things: The Itsy Bitsy Spider and finger puppet books. We also got him a few Curious George books as well.

{KidKraft Toolbench} I had no idea there were so many tool bench options out there. This one got great reviews and seemed on par with our budget. I think Mike will really like having his own ‘station’ to stand at and do ‘stuff’. In his head he is doing important things, I am sure.

{B. Parum Pum Pum Drum} This kid. If he can hit it and it makes noise, he is going to beat on it. This is SO darn cute with all the shakers inside.

{VTech Touch and Swipe Phone} Mike has already mastered the touch and swipe on our devices, so why not get him one of his own? This was originally a stocking stuffer, but I think it would be better wrapped. Last year we got him a Fisher Price Flip Phone. It’s time to upgrade, dontcha think?

What’s under your tree?