Core Power Protein Shake Giveaway!!

Disclaimer: I received my fit kit free of charge from Core Power in order to try their product before hosting the giveaway, but all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I was so excited when my Core Power Fit-Kit was delivered last week!! I couldn’t wait to tear into it and see what was inside and I will say it did not disappoint!!


My Fit Kit included a Core Power sweat towel, CamelBak sports bottle, yoga mat (with carrying case), balance ball (with pump and instructional DVD), a Core Power gym bag and samples of their protein shakes!



The shakes I received were chocolate, banana and vanilla. I tried the chocolate one first and I seriously loved it! I even gave my mom a sip and she pretended like she wasn’t going to give it back! It tasted just like chocolate milk! It was very smooth and creamy, with no chalky aftertaste, which often turns me off to protein drinks.

The next day I couldn’t wait to finish my workout so that I could try the banana one! I never heard of a banana protein drink before, but it seemed like a good idea to me. It was just as good!! I think next time I want to buy one of each and mix them together to make a chocolate covered banana one. :) I’m thinking it will be great for my prerace shake before the Tinker Bell 10k and half in just under a week!!!

I did not personally try the vanilla since I let my mom have that one, she earned it, but she said it was really good and that she chugged it straight down after her workout at the gym!

They each contain 26g of protein, which is great for those of us who struggle to get enough in through meals alone. They also carry light versions in both chocolate and strawberry banana if your looking for something with less calories, and those have 20g of protein in them.

If you want to know all the in depth “sciencey” stuff you can get it on their website, since I really can’t say it any better.
  
If you are wondering where you can buy Core Power you can check there website here. When I looked up my area it is at most major gas stations and grocery stores in the area, or you can also order it on Amazon.com as well. I highly recommend you give it try! 

Now for the moment you have been waiting for . . . the giveaway!! Core Power will be sending one of my readers a fit kit, just like mine!! (Note shake flavors of the winners kit may vary). 

Rules:

• Open to US residents only
• Must be 18 or older to win
• Winner has 72 hours after the contest closing to claim the prize or it will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected
• Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Island Boost Review

As a distance runner I am always looking for the best way to fuel my run, but in the past I have had a lot of bad experiences. I started out trying sports beans since I have texture issues and the thought of anything named a Gu made my stomach turn. Unfortunately, my stomach didn’t like the beans any better. Within 5 to 10 minutes of taking them I would start to get a stomachache and they felt like a rock in my gut. I then moved on to gummies and while they didn’t give me any stomach issues I found it a bit difficult to breathe while chewing them and they took way too long to eat. Here enters Island Boost!

While the packaging looks a lot like all the Gus and gels out there, their consistency is quite a bit different, which was a huge plus for me! The main thing contributing to the consistency difference is coconut water! That’s right there is coconut water in the fuel so there is no need to chase it down with a bunch of water. I found this to also be a big plus because too much water tends to make me feel sluggish.

Here are some things from the Island Boost website that they wants us to remember about their product:

• Faster fuel formulated with glucose, the fastest energy source that is absorbed into the bloodstream quicker to fuel muscles
• No need to drink a bottle of water to dissolve the carbohydrates, they’re readily absorbed via the coconut water
• No artificial sweeteners, flavors and shelf stable for a year
• Vegan and gluten free
• Delicious frozen for those runs on hot days

The last thing on that list really stood out to me. Here in Central California we have had  100+ degree temps for 16 days and counting so I put those bad boys in the freezer the minute they came into the house.

Island Boost comes in 3 flavors Passion Fruit, Strawberry -Orange, and Blueberry –Pomegranate. I decided to do things a little differently this morning and use the Passion Fruit one before my 6am run. If you have read any of my race recaps you would see the common theme that 1) I am not a morning person and 2) I have major issues trying to eat in the early morning hours, so I figured this might be a good alternative to me gaging down a banana and hoping for the best.

My initial reaction was that I loved that it was a liquid, but I didn’t love the taste. I am pretty sure this is because I don’t like coconut water. I wish I did, I know it’s great for me, but I just don’t like it. It wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t get it down, and if you like coconut water I am sure you would like it a lot more then I did.

I have to say I was a little unsure if it would work and if it would be able to get me through a 6 mile run so I brought the strawberry-orange one along just in case. I am happy to report that I did just fine and did not need any additional fuel on my run.

I look forward to trying the other 2 flavors on future runs and seeing if I can find one that I like a little better than the one I tried today.

What are your “go to” race day breakfast and fuel choices?

(Disclaimer: I was provided with samples for the purpose of providing a review on my blog but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own)