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Giveaway: GelThotics SupportXGel inserts

January 21, 2012 By 135 Comments

I saw these and knew I HAD to have them!

About Kendall GelThotics (from their website)

Michael Kendall
Michael holds several patents for orthotic technology.  Michael has studied foot dynamics and foot anatomy for more than 30
years, with an emphasis on creating a shoe insert that would be effective in the reduction of foot pain, while fitting in more shoe types than any other orthotic.
The Essence of Support
  • Walk away from the pain of plantar fasciitis, adding comfort, support and relief no matter what you are
    doing.
  • GelThotics® SupportXGel Inserts combine optimal therapeutic arch support and shock absorption to relieve and prevent foot pain.
  • The unique cobra-shaped design fits under the existing insole and into the limited space of the shoe without changing the
    fit.
  • This minimal design combined with revolutionary SupportXGel ensures the greatest degree of arch support available
    without a prescription.

 

My Thoughts

I was so excited to try these out!  I have high arches and can hardly ever find shoes that give me the support I need!  So, I have bought the arch supports, but they made it so that my shoes felt too tight!  So, I would take them out and just deal with the foot pain.  No more!  These fit in my shoes with no problem and are super comfortable!  You can feel the gel!  I love them!  I’m sure my husband is going to want his own!  They are even easy to clean!  Hurray for GelThotics!

Buy it!

You can buy your own here for $59.99!  It’s worth it for the lack of pain!

Win it!

One lucky winner will win their own set of inserts (worth $59.99)!

REQUIRED COMMENT:  We would like the winner to be someone who would genuinely benefit from wearing them.  So you need to write a brief description of your foot pain (no longer than 50 words) and tell us your shoe size in your first comment.

BONUS #1:

Follow @GelThotics and @momof3boys3702 on Twitter and RT this contest. The easiest way to retweet is to simply click the green ReTweet on the top right of this post. YOU MAY TWEET ONCE DAILY!

BONUS #2:

Like Kendall GelThotics and 3 Boys and a Dog on Facebook, then share this post by clicking the Facebook share button at the bottom of this post.  (You really want to follow them on Facebook, because they let you know when there are sales!)

Other bonus entries:

#1. Spread the word about this review by: email, forums, blogging, Digg, or putting the link in a meme. (one entry per thing done)

#2. Follow my blog.

#3. Subscribe to my RSS feed.

#4. Put my button on your blog.

#5. Leave a comment on any other post (excluding giveaways!) Be sure to leave a comment here saying which post.

#6 – Vote for me at Picket Fence by clicking the button on my sidebar. Be sure to leave a comment saying you did!  YOU MAY VOTE ONCE DAILY!

CONTEST ENDS: at Midnight CST on February 4th, 2012

OPEN TO: US

*DISCLAIMER: I was sent a set of inserts by GelThotics to help my review.  I was not paid!  Any opinions stated are strictly my own.*
 

 

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Filed Under: 3 Boys & A Dog General Posts, Fitness, Giveaways, health, Mind and Body, Review and Giveaways, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Giveaway: Fit Moms for Life book

December 3, 2011 By

I was beyond excited about this book, because I have had a hard time losing the extra baby weight!  Hurray for a fantastic book!

About the Book (from the back cover)

In this book, you’ll discover:

31 transformation stories from women like you

A training program that burns fat while you sleep

How to burn 5-9 times more fat WITHOUT cardio

How to get your kids to eat healthy and move more

An eating plan and recipes for balanced meals

The ultimate form of accountability

One exercise that can shrink your waistline WITHOUT diet changes

The five pillars necessary for lasting success

About the Author (from his website)

My name is Dustin Maher  and I am a fitness professional living in Madison, WI.  I am 28 years old and absolutely love my job as a personal trainer/fitness instructor/writer/motivational speaker/and teacher.  I love helping everyone I come in contact with get in better shape. I especially enjoy helping moms to look even better than before having kids.

The first question I get asked a lot is, why a 28 year old single guy loves working with moms.  Well the answer to that question goes back many years to when my mom raised my 3 younger siblings and me, along with my dad.  She was a stay-at-home mom and did so much for her 4 children.  Looking back, I realized that she spent so much time taking care of her kids that she didn’t take time for herself.  I also realized that she didn’t have a good support group of other mothers who were motivated to get in shape and lose the baby fat.  I was very blessed to have a mom that was health conscious and cooked very healthy.  I learned a lot from her as she taught me what it meant to eat well.  I have also realized that when I can help a mom change the foods that she buys for her family and begins to exercise, her kids want to do what she is doing!  So not only do I get to help the mother out, but I get to help out the kids and maybe the husband (once in awhile) out as well.

When I graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Kinesiology Exercise Science,  I immediately knew what I wanted to do!  I created a class called MamaTone Fitness.  The mission for MamaTone was to help moms realize that it was important to take care of there physical bodies, and that they could still achieve a great body after kids.  The second part of the mission was to connect mothers with each other so they could share life’s experiences with one another.

From MamaTone came Fit Fun Bootcamps, which in 3 years has grown to 10 locations and one of the largest bootcamp programs in the country.  Out of the success of the bootcamps, came calls and emails from around the world asking me to train them.  So from that, came my 28 DVDs which include: 12 month Fit Moms For Life DVDs, Got Core, Buns Guns Back and Shoulders, Ultimate Buddy Bootcamp, and BabyTone.

I have been blessed to have been on TV nearly 100 times, and been featured on numerous radio shows, magazines, and newspapers.

My Thoughts

Seriously, best book EVER!  I love, love, love it!  I might be getting this as a present for lots of women that I know who are having problems losing the weight!  I’m not giving up my copy!  As I read through, I would dogear the page that I wanted to reread or remember and have at least half of the pages dogeared!  The whole premise is “How to Have Endless Energy to Outplay Your Kids.”  Since I have five, I absolutely want that!  This book tells you step-by-step, how you can be a fit mom for LIFE, not lose twenty pounds, but be fit for life!  I know that if I’m going to lose weight and be fit, that I want to stay that way.  I don’t like fad diets that tell you exactly what to do, but if you mess up or go off, you gain all of the weight back.  Yikes!  Dustin gives you food tips, but you can have up to three cheat meals a week (although only one a day)!  Phew!  I know my poor kids would be terribly disappointed if we didn’t eat one of their favorites every week!  There are five pillars of health:  mindset, nutrition, strength training, burst training and environment.  He covers each in depth and shows actual “Fit Moms for Life Transformations” with before and after pictures!  I love seeing real people!  As for strenth training, the one exercise he gives is FANTASTIC!  I’ve been doing it for three days and already feel a little thinner and am building up stomach muscles that have never recovered from my daughter’s birth eleven months ago!  I’m THRILLED!  I’m looking forward to buying some of the workout DVDs to go along with it!  This book is changing my life, which is exciting!  Everyone should have their own!

Buy it!

This book will be released on December 5th!  You can buy it here for $19.95 (plus shipping).  A fantastic price for something that will change your life!

Win it!

One lucky winner will win their very own copy of the book worth $19.95!

REQUIRED COMMENT: Go to his website here and register for his newsletter.  It’s fantastic! THEN, you can leave a comment after completing each of the bonus items.

BONUS #1: Follow @Fitmomsforlife and @momof3boys3702 on Twitter and RT this contest. The easiest way to retweet is to simply click the green ReTweet on the top right of this post. YOU MAY TWEET ONCE DAILY

BONUS #2: Like Fit Moms For Life and 3 Boys and a Dog on FaceBook then share this post by clicking the FaceBook share button at the bottom of this post.

Other bonus entries:

  • #1. Spread the word about this review by: email, forums, blogging, Digg, or putting the link in a meme. (one entry per thing done)
  • #2. Sign up for my NEW Weekly Newsletter.
  • #3. Subscribe to my RSS feed.
  • #4. Put my button on your blog.
  • #5. Leave a comment on any other post (excluding giveaways!) Be sure to leave a comment here saying which post.
  • #6 – Vote for me at Picket Fence by clicking the button on my sidebar. Be sure to leave a comment saying you did! YOU MAY VOTE ONCE DAILY!

CONTEST ENDS: at Midnight CST on December 17th

OPEN TO: USA Only

*Disclaimer:  I was provided this book by Dustin Maher, and was not compensated for my opinions.  They are my very own and can’t be bought!*

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Filed Under: 3 Boys & A Dog General Posts, Fitness, Giveaways, health, Living and Lifestyles, Mind and Body, Parenting and Family, Review and Giveaways Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Get a Child Off the Couch and Active

November 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Getting kids away from their TVs, computers, and gadgets is one of the greatest challenges today’s parents face, and it is not getting any easier. Many parents understandably want their kids to be up to date with all the modern technology, but for every gadget and game our children gain, something is lost. Today’s kids are losing interest in the simple enjoyment of outdoor activities and sports. If we do not push back against this trend, we may be raising a generation of overweight and unhealthy grownups.

Healthy households

For parents who want to get their kids active, it is important to establish moral authority by getting active themselves. It will not work if you command your child to go out and play while remaining inactive yourself. There must be a household culture that encourages good habits as a matter of course.

Parents too often consider themselves above the law, so to speak, when it comes to doing what we urge our children to do. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that because you work hard to make a living and also run a family, you do not have time to set a good example through exercise. But in reality, there is time for all these things. It is about making a priority of exercise.

If it helps, think of it this way: Every parents wants to live to a ripe old age so they can see their children grow up, and exercise is one of the key ingredients in achieving this. So even if you have to set aside other nonwork activities, make daily exercise your most important appointment. Adopting this type of attitude will be good for the whole family.

Impose healthy activities

Most kids fully understand why it is important to be active and get exercise every day. They just either do not care or prefer more sedentary activities. But if no amount of talking up the importance of health is going to change a child’s mind, what are parents to do?

The answer is simple: Present alternatives, and make your child try them. Remember, when your child is fully absorbed in watching TV, surfing the web, or playing video games, the idea of going outside or participating in a sport is not going to seem very appealing. This is one of those situations in which you must exert some parental authority, even if it is difficult at first.

There are a few ways to approach the situation. One is to tell your child that they will be participating in a sport (or another physical activity) and allowing them to choose which one. If necessary, present a few choices. Kids do not always take initiative on their own, so parents need to be front and center in encouraging activity.

Restrict less healthy activities

If applying parental authority via gentle suggestion and encouragement does not work, it is time to take it to the next level. Many kids will never give up their sedentary activities until their parents actively place limits and set rules. This is not the most enjoyable part of parenting, but it is something we all must do from time to time.

If you need your child to get more physical activity, it is a simple formula: Restrict the things that prevent him or her from getting that physical activity. For many parents, the magic number seems to be two hours of media time per day-which should include TV, video games, internet, and all other electronic devices. This has been confirmed by multiple studies finding that kids who consume two hours or less are healthier than those who consume two hours or more.

And ultimately, while no one is suggesting that today’s kids should have no access to the latest technologies, it is up to the parents to use their discretion. If computer, video game, or phone use is getting out of hand, remember that there was once a time when young people were perfectly content without these things. Our kids, too, can learn to entertain themselves in other ways.

 

Guest article provided by Jamell Andrews who authors many insightful articles on parents and children. She is a firm believer in the many uses of natural remedies for colic.

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Game On: Eight Gadgets to Optimize Your NFL Season

September 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

After an excruciating four months, most of us have put aside our lockout gripes and embraced the upcoming NFL season with the usual body-painted passion. Good news for a worried league, but will a fickle stock market and a sluggish job outlook still keep some folks tuned out? Tickets prices will remain largely static, but optimizing your viewing experience (both at home, or in the stadium) can still run you a pretty penny.

To help you weed out the best bets, here are eight gadgets that should get you the most bang for your buck:

1. Binoculars
A must-have for any pigskin aficionado worth his or her salt, these come in especially handy for those stranded in the cheap seats. Don’t miss a single play with a Bushnell H20, available at Amazon.com. There are cheaper models out there, but this waterproof and fogproof pair will lockout moisture and make sure you catch all the action, no matter the weather. [$72 or less]

2. Cameras
Smartphone snapshots might be all the rage these days, but there’s no replacement for a quality photograph from a real camera. Fortunately, there are some top-notch, inexpensive models you can slip right in your pocket. Pick up a Nikon Coolpix with up to 16 megapixels at Target. Snag a discounted Target gift card from sites like GiftCardGranny.com and cut costs even lower. [$200 or less]

3. Grills
Become the star of your next tailgate party with a grill that shows off not only your culinary skills, but your team pride as well. The Team Grill model gas grill comes featuring the colors and logo of you favorite squad, and the Game-Day model can be picked up for a very reasonable price. [$349]

4. Beer Coolers
Now this is fun. A product tailor-made for your next Sunday Beer-B-Q, the remote-controlled Shoot a Brew cooler will toss you a beverage from up to eight feet away. Perfect for football fans, and the extremely lazy. A word to the wise: Since you probably don’t have hands like your favorite wide receiver, just be sure to stay sober enough to avoid getting beaned. [$295]

5. Surround Sound
If you can’t be there, might as well make it sound like you are. You’d be amazed how a quality sound system can enhance your viewing experience. Hear every bone-crunching tackle like you’re right on the front line. Best Buy has several affordable options from top-tier brands like Panasonic, Samsung or Sony. Want to save more? Pick up a factory-refurbished model for even less. [$200 or less]

6. NFL Sunday Ticket
For about the price of one day at the stadium with the family, you can instead enjoy up to 14 games every Sunday from the comfort of home. Sounds like a no-brainer to me. Ever better, this year the Ticket is available to PS3 game system owners without the need for a satellite dish installation or even a DirecTV subscription! [$339.95]

7. Fantasy Apps
Football purist may think it sullies the experience, but the fact remains fantasy football has become almost as popular as the real thing. Get ready for draft day and stay on top of your team all season long with ESPN’s awesome new Fantasy Football 2011 app. Add/drop players, propose trades, stay on top of league news and more, right from your iPhone. [FREE]

8. Madden 2012
Still soured by the off-field shenanigans this summer? There’s always the latest edition of the long-running game franchise to keep you busy. With no labor disputes and hours of football fun, this might be the best deal of all. Grab a GameStop coupon and save a few bucks for next season. [$59.99]

###

Guest Post provided by Jeff Cambron who worked in the technology space for over 10 years, fueling an obsession with all things digital. He is currently waiting online for the iPad 3, but can be reached via Jeff@Kinoliinc.com.

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Post Pregnancy Slimdown: CalNaturale and Svelte $500 Prize Pack Giveaway!

August 12, 2011 By

The battle of the bulge is tough to say the least. Throw in a newborn, breastfeeding, crazy schedules, older kids to take care of, and the general fog that comes with lack of sleep, and you’re in for an uphill battle.

Or are you?

Yes, getting back into your pre-pregnancy clothes is tough. Trust me, I’m in the same boat as you are. I have a two month old, and since she’s my third, this isn’t my first rodeo. My body has yo-yo’d so much over the past 5 years thanks to pregnancy and breastfeeding. But I also know that it’s not impossible to get your body back in shape! You wanna get Svelte? Listen up!

I had the opportunity to attend a webinar hosted by fitness expert Kristen Horler, the founder and CEO of Baby Boot Camp. Not only is Kristen a continuing education provider for the American Council on Exercise (ACE), but she also authored Baby Boot Camp: The New Mom’s 9-Minute Fitness Solution in 2010. Baby Boot Camp is a “innovative stroller-fitness program [that] helps moms regain or enhance pre-pregnancy fitness levels and meet the physical challenges of parenting by emphasizing strength training in a supportive environment.”

They key points of the webinar included the pitfalls of losing weight post-pregnancy, as well as overcoming the obstacles to getting svelte after baby.

As with any weight loss regimen, you first need to make sure you’re in the clear. Get permission from your doctor to start working out. Make sure you have given your body time to heal. It’s just gone through a workout of its own! Giving birth is no joke, so don’t hurt yourself trying to get back at it too soon. Something else to take into consideration: Breastfeeding is a real calorie burner! Nursing lets you add about 300 calories to your daily intake. Keep in mind that you don’t want to dip below 1,800 calories a day while breastfeeding — your body needs fuel to make that milk!

Did you know that post-pregnancy weight gain has been associated with obesity 15 to 20 years later in life?

Pitfalls of Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss

  • No dieting! Yep, you read that right. Don’t go on a crazy diet to try to lose the weight. Feeling deprived will probably just lead to the derailment of your ultimate weight loss goal!
  • Abnormal eating cycles. Yes, new moms are awake at 3:00 in the morning. Does that mean we need to eat all of the leftover pizza in the fridge at 3:00 in the morning? NO!
Overcoming Obstacles: Back to Busy Season!Managing your family’s back-to-school schedules may prevent you from being able to take time for yourself every day. Use these tips to help you tackle the tough job of time management!– Set up a carpool with a neighbor to cut back on the time you spend driving kids to/from school and activities– Do mini workouts throughout the day whenever you have a spare 15 minutes or less.– A smart eating regimen will go a long way!

The Secret to Getting Svelte After Baby

Fitness. It’s important, and it’s a huge part of getting back to your pre-baby body. Personally, my biggest hurdle is finding time. So instead of thinking to yourself, “Ugh, I have no time to hit the treadmill for an hour!”, just do 10 push ups against your bathroom counter when you brush your teeth. Or, do squats and lunges around your living room — especially if you have a baby who just HAS to be in motion all the time. And don’t forget that you do a great little mini-workout every day. Just count your steps! Buy a pedometer and do your best to beat your step count from the day before.

Nutrition. They say you are what you eat, and as cliche’ as it may be, it’s the truth. The food you eat is your fuel for the day. Eat junk? You’ll feel like junk. Focus on lean protein, calcium, complex carbs before a workout, and Omega-3 fatty acids.

As much as I wish I could whip up a veggie laden omelet for breakfast, there’s days where I just don’t have enough hands. CalNatural Svelte provides the perfect combination of nutritional benefits, and it’s super easy to take with you on the go!  It provides lasting nutrition and sustained energy – perfect for busy, tired new Moms!

Each CalNaturale Svelte has:

  • 16 grams protein from fresh organic soy milk
  • Convenient packaging; re-closable
  • Complex carbs
  • 20% daily value of fiber
  • Dairy and lactose-free
  • Certified gluten-free
  •  Naturally sweetened
Need healthy option ideas? Try these on for size! 

Svelte Smoothies

• 1 CalNaturale Svelte Chocolate shake blended with a banana and ice

Svelte Cereal

• 1 serving of Kashi GOLEAN cereal, substituting milk with CalNaturale Svelte in French Vanilla

Additional Low-Calorie/High-Energy Snacks

• 1 apple with 1 stick of string cheese

• Frozen Blueberries and 15 Almonds

• Pretzels with Almond Butter

• ¼ cup of hummus with 3 carrot sticks

Don’t forget, ladies. It’s true that it took 9 months to put the weight on, and it will take 9 months to get it off. Be patient — there is no quick fix. Setting aside your own healthy snacks (don’t pig out on your kids Goldfish!) is key, and above all, healthy diet and exercise is the way to do it.

You can find CalNaturale on Facebook and Twitter. They’re hosting bi-weekly Post Pregnancy Slim Down giveaways, so be sure to check them out! Baby Boot Camp is in on it, too, so don’t forget to swing by their Facebook and Twitter pages as well.

In addition to their own Post Pregnancy Slim Down bi-weekly giveaways, CalNaturale and Baby Boot Camp is graciously bringing one lucky 3 Boys and a Dog reader a fantastic care package totalling over $500 in value! Included in the prize pack are the following:

• 1 Wahoo Fitness Run Pack
• 1 Pair of FILAToning Pants
• 1 Case of CalNaturale Svelte shakes
• 1 CalNaturale Svelte Gym Tote
• 1 Copy of Kristen Horler’s Book
• 1 First Baby Boot Camp Class Free Coupon
• Goody Workout Headbands

Amazing!!! You wont want to miss out on this opportunity to win!

REQUIRED:  Leave a comment telling me why you’d like to win this fabulous prize pack from CalNaturale Svelte and Baby Boot Camp!

BONUS #1: Follow @CalNaturale, @NewMomFitness and @momof3boys3702 on Twitter and RT this contest. The easiest way to retweet is to simply click the green ReTweet on the top right of this post. YOU MAY TWEET ONCE DAILY

BONUS #2: Like CalNaturale, Baby Boot Camp, and 3 Boys and a Dog on FaceBook then share this post by clicking the FaceBook share button at the bottom of this post.

Other bonus entries:

  • #1. Spread the word about this review by: email, forums, blogging, Digg, or putting the link in a meme. (one entry per thing done)
  • #2. Follow my blog.
  • #3. Subscribe to my RSS feed.
  • #4. Put my button on your blog.
  • #5. Leave a comment on any other post (excluding giveaways!) Be sure to leave a comment here saying which post.
  • #6 – Vote for me at Picket Fence by clicking the button on my sidebar. Be sure to leave a comment saying you did! YOU MAY VOTE ONCE DAILY!

CONTEST ENDS: at Midnight CST on September 12

OPEN TO: USA and Canada

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Filed Under: Fitness, Giveaways, health, Mind and Body, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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