The Midlife Reframe

Category: contest

  • Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart Bar Review!

    A Little Break in my Chronicles…

    So we can talk about Hemp Heart Bars!

    (A little disclaimer here:  I was provided these bars for a review.)

    A while back I wrote about Hemp Hearts.  Which I love. Those little suckers are awesome.
    So, when the opportunity to review these bars came, I was all over it!
    As a mom and a runner, I am always looking for something to “get me by” after my runs or workouts OR something to grab prior to my runs or workouts.  (I am known to grab a quick sandwich or scarf down some raw veggies beforehand.  But both of those are not exactly portable!)

    It just wanted to jump into my gym bag!
    Now, for those of you who have issues with food texture, these may not be for you.  They are compacted bars of hemp heart, which means a bazillion little hemp hearts. If you regularly eat protein bars, then you will notice quite a difference in texture.  Where protein bars are dense, these bars are light and easier to eat.  (Each bar (45g) contains 10g of plant-based protein and 10g of omegas.)
    My “OMG I left it really late to go to Costco” face.
    I was given an apple cinnamon and chocolate as my review bars, and I must say, I enjoyed the apple cinnamon much more than the chocolate (insert shocking music here)!  They are filling, and can get you through the post workout to actual meal time no problem.
    I had my apple cinnamon bar before one of my lunchtime training runs.  It was easy on my stomach and provided me with what I needed to get my kms in without being ravenous afterwards.  I had the chocolate bar before I ran errands and it kept me sane (read:  less hangry) as I shopped my way through Costco!  (Costco can be a scary place!)
    So, if you are looking for something light, but filling, I would definitely recommend these bars.  They can be thrown in your gym bag or in your purse and are great to keep you moving through a workout or when you are out doing all your “mom” stuff!
    Wanna win a box of these to call your VERY OWN?
    Here is what you gotta do – PHOTO CONTEST:
    Tag @manitobaharvest #hempheartbar #fuelledbyhemp #sweatpink @fitapproach on social media for a chance to win!  (A winner will be chosen each month!  Eligibility: Open to US and Canadian residents)
    **If you want to get a discount on your order of bars, use code hhbarlaunch1016 to get 15% off (expires 3/31/2016).
    So, go on, get out there and be #fuelledbyhemp!
    @crazymamaruns   

  • The Post Where We Show You How We #WannaPlay

    Keeping the Family Active Can be a Hard Job.

    In our fast paced lives we can get lost in over scheduling every single minute of our day.
    We also have technology to deal with, which was basically non-existent when we were kids.  We would live outside, going “aaawwwwwweeeeee” when the bodiless voices of our moms would carry over the wind to corral us back to the house in the evening.
    Being a single mom, working full time and raising a teenager, there are many days I find it hard to motivate myself AND TeenThing to be active.

    When crunched for time, we walk or hike in our neighbourhood.  There is a great hiking trail not too far from our place!


    Sometimes we drag Gramma along, and meet up with some four-legged friends!      
    Our usual walking/hiking trail 🙂

    +Canadian Tire has a great contest on right now to challenge families to get out and be active together.  The #WannaPlay photo challenge is going on RIGHT NOW and will continue until August 4th.  Every day on Twitter they will post the daily challenge.  All YOU have to do is get out, get active, take a photo/video, tag @CanadianTire when posting to Twitter (and Instagram!), use the #WannaPlay hashtag and you could win a $100 Gift Card daily 🙂  

    You will also be entered to win the Grand Prize, a $1000 CT Gift Card!

    Rules and regs can be found HERE. 

    Also, be sure to check out the Canadian Tire Scribble Page HERE!   

    I am very thankful to live on the East Coast where there are walking trails, hiking trails and an ocean, so this makes it easy and fun for us to keep active this summer (and all year round!!) 😉  So come on, let’s see how you #WannaPlay!!

    Peggy’s Cove – it’s beautiful even in the fog! (And there are walking paths to stop and explore on your drive out, along with the SwissAir Memorial just down the road)

     

    Love being near the ocean, so many beaches!

     
     

    Halifax Waterfront – Definitely a favourite walking and running spot.

     
    #crazymamaruns

  • Manitoba Harvest Hemp Heart Review AND Giveaway!!!!

    Hemp Heart Awesomeness and GIVEAWAY!

    Here we go my fit friends.

    I am a lover of food, those of you who follow me know that (well, food and coffee!!).

    I was asked to do a hemp heart review with Manitoba Harvest 🙂

    What ARE hemp hearts??

    Well, hemp is a species of Cannabis sativa. Hemp is NOT the same as marijuana. Hemp hearts are the raw shelled hemp seed.

    From their website:

    • Great tasting – Hemp Hearts have a slightly nutty taste, similar to a sunflower seed or pine nut.
    • Easy to use – Simply sprinkle Hemp Hearts on salad, cereal & yogurt, add to smoothies and recipes, or eat them straight from the package!
    • Nutritious – per 30 gram serving, Hemp Hearts contain 10 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of Omegas.
    • Hemp Hearts have more protein and omegas and less carbs than the same serving of chia or flax.
    Getting down to business!

    I am a lover of greek yogurt.  So much so that regular yogurt holds no place in my heart…lol.  So, hemp hearts in hand, and after my trip to Costco for my fruits and veggies, I began.

    Yes, there is yogurt here 🙂

    I am telling you, these little babies really added a little something more to my greek yogurt and berries!  The nutty taste is NOT overwhelming at all.  It rounded out the taste and was DELICIOUS!

    I also put them in my smoothies – just a tablespoon was good for me. 

    These hemp hearts are SO versatile.  I used them on my salads, and really really loved them with pineapple.  I do enjoy them more than flax seed as I find they don’t get stuck in my back teeth 😉  They would be great for those folks who may not be a fan of chia.  I love chia seeds, but they have a certain texture that some people are not a fan of.

     

    On Pineapple – OMG!

    I loved these so much I went a purchase a larger bag from Costco.  I will be putting these in some No Bake Energy Bites in place of the chia seeds.

    So….who wants to try these?  Manitoba Harvest is kind enough to let me give away a package to one of my lucky readers!!!

    To win some of these little yummy guys – enter below!

    a Rafflecopter giveaway//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
    Good Luck!

    #crazymamaruns

     

  • Contest Winner, Books, and A Confession….

    Runalicious has chosen their winner!

    And it was Jessica with the slogan “Chasing My Sanity” 🙂  Congrats Jessica!!

    The Ladies posted a teaser pic today:

    I love love love it!  AND….Runalicious is going to share the whole “how does this shirt thing happen” process with us!  Stay tuned to my blog for the awesomeness of shirt making!!  Thank you so much for this opportunity Runalicious!

    I’ve started reading running books…

    Photo: Bosu Burpees anyone? Starting tomorrow!!because my running is sketchy at best with this lovely condition I have.  So, I figured, let’s get a fix of running through the written word.  I am still attending yoga classes and walking with sporadic running, so I am maintaining fitness, and the Bosu Burpee Challenge is still going strong!

    [Today was 15 burpees.

    I did them.

    The Bosu gets kind of heavy after a while….that IS a good thing.  I tell myself that every extra burpee.]

    Anyway, back to books.

    On one of my last trips to Chapters, I wandered around aimlessly, looking for an actual book (My e reader is broken…I kind of inadvertently stepped on it while half asleep, because it had fallen on the floor.  I was reading in bed).

    While I was hunting down another title with my daughter and my mother, I came across Running with the Mind of Meditation by Sakyong Mipham.  It rang out to me and I had to have it. I am just about finished 🙂  It is an easy and enjoyable read.

    https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/RRc3EKfpIDA&source=uds

    I know some people are not “meditation” people, but for me and for some with a mental illness, meditation can be a way to bring ourselves BACK to ourselves.  To steady the mind.  To synchronize the mind and body.
     

    I am always learning and I love to read.  My next book will be the Hansons Half Marathon Method .  I have read a teaser, and can’t wait to get started!

    And now, my confession…

    For those who are here on a regular basis, you know that I have been battling depression/anxiety for a little over 3 years now.

    Sometimes, I get over confident, and think that I am “feeling better”.  When this happens, I kind of forget to take my medication every now and then.

    So, yeah, I did forget quite a few days last month.  After a good dose of whoopass from my mother, I am back on track.

    So if you are being treated and think you “may” be feeling better….check in with yourself.  Check in with your doctor.  Talk to someone you love and trust. They will tell you the truth, and kick you in the butt (in a good way). 

    Hope to see you back here soon.  Keep your eyes open for the next post!

     

     

  • Runalicious Contest EXTENDED!!!

    RUNALICIOUS CONTEST EXTENDED!!!  

     

    HI FIVE!!  WOOOOOOO!

     

    In partnership with Runalicious we are extending this awesome contest. How exciting is that? Now those of you who are not familiar with Runalicious they are a boutique company specializing in running inspired women’s apparel. Their website is www.runalicious.ca, their facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/Runalicious

    its a hill get over it Long Sleeve
    They make cool, super awesome shirts like this!

    Runalicious recently held a contest to find a new phrase to adorn their shirts. That contest was hosted by http://girlgoesrunning.blogspot.ca The phrase that won was “the road is my gym”. 

    the road is my gym
    You too could be shirt famous!!!

    Now I thought we could do even better. So after speaking with the Runalicious crew. Here we are. But our contest will be a little different. So whats the deal? Runalicious are looking for a unique phrase or slogan that’s not already used or branded by anyone else. (google is your friend when checking this). In return runalicious will send you the VERY first shirt off their presses in your size!! Yes they will ensure that the first shirt is in your size. How cool is that. They will also send to this blog a series of photos actually showing the creation of YOUR shirt. Uber cool.

    So our phrase with be very slightly different, and a first for Runalicious, ours will be “mom-centric”. “Are you a mom? Do you love to run? Would you love a shirt with the unique phrase “YOU” came up with to be on other Mom runners’ bods?” Who wouldn’t, lol.

    Ok this is how it works easy peasy.
    1, LIKE the Runalicious fb page https://www.facebook.com/Runalicious 
    2, In the comments below this leave your name, your “unique phrase” pertaining to being a mom and running.
    3, Include your shirt size in your comment.

    The contest will conclude Sunday the 7th of September. The winner will be announced both here and on Runalicious facebook page.

    Good luck to you all!

  • CONTEST!!!!!! (this one is for you Mother Runners!!!)

      I’m Having a CONTEST!!! FOR MOMS!

    In partnership with Runalicious we are offering a new contest. How exciting is that? Now those of you who are not familiar with Runalicious they are a boutique company specializing in running inspired women’s apparel. Their website is www.runalicious.ca, their facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/Runalicious

    Last week Runalicious held a contest to find a new phrase to adorn their shirts. That contest was hosted by http://girlgoesrunning.blogspot.ca The phrase that won was “the road is my gym”. 

    Now I thought we could do even better. So after speaking with the Runalicious crew. Here we are. But our contest will be a little different. So whats the deal? Runalicious are looking for a unique phrase or slogan that’s not already used or branded by anyone else. (google is your friend when checking this). In return runalicious will send you the VERY first shirt off their presses in your size!! Yes they will ensure that the first shirt is in your size. How cool is that. They will also send to this blog a series of photos actually showing the creation of YOUR shirt. Uber cool.

    So our phrase with be very slightly different, and a first for Runalicious, ours will be “mom-centric”. “Are you a mom? Do you love to run? Would you love a shirt with the unique phrase “YOU” came up with to be on other Mom runners’ bods?” Who wouldn’t, lol.

    Ok this is how it works easy peasy.
    1, LIKE the Runalicious fb page https://www.facebook.com/Runalicious 
    2, In the comments below this leave your name, your “unique phrase” pertaining to being a mom and running.
    3, Include your shirt size in your comment.

    The contest will conclude Sunday 31st August. The winner will be announced both here and on Runalicious facebook page.

    Good luck to you all!