Products I’m Obsessed With: Skweet

Starting today I’ll be posting a new feature every month called ” Products I’m Obsessed With”. There are tons of products that I come across that have made my life so much easier, so I thought, why not share them. Hopefully they’ll make your life easier too! P.S. I don’t get paid for these. I’m just simply passing along some great products that I hope you’ll be obsessed with too.

Get your sports bottles Skweety clean.

This month’s product is Skweet. Ever taken a sip of water from your sports bottle and gotten a whiff of something that wasn’t all too pleasant? And then tried to wash it, but either couldn’t get the soap out, couldn’t get a good scrub all the way down the inside, or just couldn’t get rid of that disgusting funky smell? Skweet will take care of all that for you in under 60 seconds. It’s an effervescent powder that comes in a small container and all you have to do is put a teaspoonful of the stuff into your sports bottle add warm water and shake. Rinse and voilà your bottle is like brand new! Plus, it’s all natural and doesn’t leave a soapy aftertaste. And, a 6 oz. tub is only $8.99! Not too bad. I have this awesome and beautiful glass water bottle that I seriously would cry over if I had to get rid of it just because I couldn’t clean it all the way through. I’ve used Skweet a bunch of times and am mega happy with it.

If you’ve used it I’d love to know what you think!

10 Simple Ways to Rev Your Metabolism

this picture has no connection to today's post, but I thought it was awesome

Obviously working out will help boost your metabolism, and you’re still going to need to do it, but here are my top 8 are ways to help move it along:

10. Have sex – Experts say that people burn an average of 300 calories per hour having sex. What a nice added perk!

9. Drink water – When you’re dehydrated your metabolic rate slows down to help conserve your energy, so make sure to drink more to keep it moving strongly.

8. Fidget – Ever meet someone who seems like they move and speak a mile a minute? Aren’t they usually pretty thin and lean? It’s pretty hard to be bouncing off walls like that with so much extra energy and not lose weight. Tap your fingers, shake your foot, bounce your leg, pace back and forth. Believe it or not, but all this extra (and EASY) activity really boosts your calorie burn for the day. I’ve read things that say that you can burn up to 350 extra calories per day just by doing this simple little thing!

7. Clean your own damn house – It’s nice to have the luxury of having a cleaning lady or housekeeper, but think of all the extra calories you’ll burn just by doing it yourself. Look at taking out the garbage, mowing the lawn, picking up your kids’ toys, and doing the dishes as opportunities to move more and lose more.

6. Get a pedometer – Aim to take 10,000 steps per day. You’d be surprised at how addicting this little gadget can be. You’ll see only 7,000 steps one day and want to beat that number the next.

5. Walk like you’re late – Even if you don’t have to be somewhere, pick up the pace when you’re walking as if you are. When we were dating my husband used to make fun of me for being the slowest walker ever (in all fairness, he’s 6’1” and I’m 5’1”, so it’s a bit harder for me to keep up with him), but since getting our dogs and having to walk them every day I’ve become the speedy one and he lags behind. Whenever I feel myself slowing down I remind myself to act as if the dogs were there.

4. Set a timer – Make sure to move around for at least 5 minutes every hour. It’s easy to sit for hours on end and not even realize the time going by. Especially if you work at a desk job!

3. Get a pedometer – Aim to take 10,000 steps per day. You’d be surprised at how addicting this little gadget can be. You’ll see only 7,000 steps one day and want to beat that number the next.

2. Sleep – Studies have shown that people who get less than 4 hours of sleep for an extended period of time have slower metabolism. Aim to get 7-8 hours for the best benefit.

1. Have breakfast – You should be eating at least 100 calories within the first hour of waking up. When we sleep our bodies go into efficiency mode, which is why our heart rate and breathing rate slow down (which means our metabolism slows down). By eating within the first hour of waking you’re signaling to your body that it’s time to wake up and speed up for the day. If you wait till lunch to eat your body will stay in this efficiency state and it will be too late to catch up.

The Favorites List

There are a few things that I use regularly that make it easier for me to stay in good shape and health. They also help me feel like I made the right choices which makes me feel strong in body AND mind. So, here are a few of my favorite things…

* Cooking Light Magazine – This is actually my all time favorite I think. All recipes have a calorie count and you won’t feel like you’re cooking a tasteless, ugly, healthy meal. You’ll feel like you’re eating a gourmet meal. I use this whenever I entertain and no body believes that the food is good for them. Plus, they have great articles too.

* Skinny Cow 100 Calorie Truffle Ice Cream Bars – Each bar comes individually wrapped, so you won’t have to worry about eating too much from the container. They taste so good, you wouldn’t know they were only 100 calories. And they come in both chocolate and vanilla. YUM!!!

* Stability Ball – A stability ball is a great way to maximize your workout, by challenging your balance. Say you’re doing a bicep curl, if you do it seated on a bench you’ll just be working your biceps, but if you do it seated on a ball you will be working your biceps plus your core, which will boost caloric expenditure and shorten your total workout time.

* Oatmeal – This is my regular go to breakfast. It will keep you satisfied and tide you over until your next meal. Added bonus is good for you carbs and fiber which will help clear out bad LDL cholesterol and keep hunger from creeping up too soon. I make mine over the stove with water, a bit of milk, some Splenda, cinnamon, and frozen blueberries. You can make it however you choose though, the possibilities are endless.

* Salmon – When I need dinner in a pinch and I don’t have a lot of time on hand this is the perfect go to meal. Within 30 minutes I can have salmon, asparagus, and potatoes on the table. Salmon cooks quickly (broil on high for 10 minutes), is packed with protein, and has heart healthy Omega 3’s which are the “good” kinds of fats.

* Lulu Lemon Pants -Ok, so this has nothing to do with making me feel strong in mind or body. Well, maybe mind, because they are fabulous! I don’t wear any other kind of workout pants. They fit great, can be worn around the city without looking frumpy, are made of real quality material, and if you care for them properly by only washing on delicate you will have them for at least 5 years. My favorite thing is the little hidden pocket in the waistband for a key, cash, and credit card. If you think you don’t look good in tight black pants, try these! They’re a bit pricey, but well worth the investment.

* Water – Of course!! It’s the only real thirst quencher and as many of my friends know is my answer to everything. Have a headache, drink water. Feel sluggish and run down in the middle of the day, more water. Dry skin, water. It will provide much needed oxygen to your body and will help you feel at your best.