How to Drink more Water with the Hidrate Spark

Its been a while since I've written anything on my blog. The reason is I've been a bit pre-occupied with school, work, and Calum- but also because i have had the opportunity to try the new Hidrate Spark. In my about section you'll see what i want this blog to turn into. Part of what i want to bring is cool products that i think everyone would like... Today i want to talk about this awesome water bottle and give you an in depth look at what its all about!

With the app, it is always syncing with your bottle to update your intake.

So i always like to give a back story because otherwise it would end up being a pretty stale post. If you read my post on the RXBAR, then you'll have an idea as to how i got involved into lifting, and really enjoying spending time at the gym. When i first starting working out i wasn't taking any supplements, and after really finding a routine, i noticed that i was always lethargic at the gym. I also could never make it through a workout. After coming to the conclusion that dehydration was probably a factor, i started increasing my water intake. I increased my water intake from about 30 oz. a day to roughly 80 oz. Honestly, increasing that made a huge difference in my stamina and energy at the gym.

Unless you have a shaker bottle that has measurements on the side, it can be a bit hard to measure your intake. Even if you have a shaker, it can be hard to keep track of your water intake unless your keeping a log of every time you drink. When i came across the Hidrate Spark, my first impression of the idea was pretty cool. It incorporates technology into something you wouldn't think could be "techy". Before i continue about the cool features of the Hidrate Spark, checkout some benefits of why you should be drinking more water!

• Flush toxins from the body
• Promotes healthy skin
• Helps reduce fat and build lean muscle
• Improves circulation
• Prevents headaches

These are a few reasons to start drinking more water! To be honest, i stopped drinking soda about a year and half ago and kept strictly to water and juice. Since using the Spark, i haven't been able to drink anything BUT water. Heres some really cool features about the Hidrate Spark that you should know!

1. It comes with a free app for your Android or iPhone to track and review your intake via blue tooth compatibility. Also, it always tells you where you should be at for intake throughout the day.
2. It tracks your daily intake- not only that but will save each day, week and month and make a graph so you can visually see the consistency of your water intake.
3. The app is very streamline, and customize-able. One cool feature is you can customize your intake goal for the day. If you get behind, then you will get a glow notification. This feature you can customize the type, number and pattern of glow!
4.  Comes in six colors!

I took a while to actually sit down and write my blog post because i really wanted to get a feel for the app, and also see how well the bottle actually worked. I think that at first i was a bit confused with the app, but i looked at the FAQ's and just played around with the bottle, and all of the settings and eventually figured it out. It really isn't a hard app to navigate; even your grandma could do it! I think that it is a quality product and very unique. So unique in fact that everyone at my hospital has seen it glowing and said, "Whoa! what is that?! Is that your water bottle?!"

I finally made my goal for the day! My bottle lit up as a celebratory glow!

Overall, i think that the Hidrate Spark is perfect for anyone. It makes a great gift for a birthday, or a special holiday like fathers day(hint hint). It doesn't matter what your goal is; this water bottle will help you and your body reach those goals a little bit easier. I hope everyone enjoys the post, and as always, leave a comment!

Here's where you can buy your own Hidrate Spark:

https://hidratespark.com/

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products listed above for free in exchange for an honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.

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What is an RXBAR and Why You Should Know!

Protein bars have become a staple in our everyday lives. Whether you're trying to supplement a missed meal, a quick breakfast, or perhaps your a gym rat who is looking to increase their calories for the day-protein bars are used by everyone.

About a year and a half ago i started to lift seriously at the gym. Heres a quick background on myself... I am about 5'7", and have always been the skinny kid. Not only have i been skinny but before signing my life away to the Army i was always a picky eater. 

Fast forward after completing high school and doing my time in the Army, i'm still the skinny guy. After a large learning experience with bodybuilding, i'm currently about 140 lbs. Before i started i was about 129 lbs. I messed around with different supplements out there including whey protein, mass gainers, pre-workouts, amino's etc. The one thing i struggled with even with the supplements i was using was eating enough food, to include all my healthy fats, veggies, protein, etc. I started to fill the gaps with protein bars. I'm sure most people can relate to the chalky, overpowering taste of a true protein bar, that is filled with a ton of ingredients that you're not familiar with.

One day i was scrolling through my Facebook when i noticed a friend posted a picture of a protein bar I've never heard of. The wrapper was very simple, but bright and unique- the bar was labeled "RXBAR". Obviously i immediately looked the companies website to see what it was all about.

What i saw was a very simply laid out website that had a very "Mom and Pop" feel to it. It wasn't loaded with ads and tons of filler information, nor was it too complicated to read and understand what the company was about. The information on the company, and the desire to create a quality product for everyone to enjoy certainly shows. Ill definitely leave a link at the bottom of my post, but let me quickly explain what RXBARs is.

RXBARs is a company that was started by a couple friends who wanted to create a healthier protein bar than the other brands out there. The outcome was very successful, now offering eleven flavors that include all of
the same core ingredients. The core ingredients are dates to bind, egg whites for protein, and nuts to add texture to the bar. Each flavor is unique and offers no added sugar, dairy, gluten, soy and of course, no B.S. 

I was lucky enough to be able to try the three new flavors:

Mixed Berry

Peanut Butter Chocolate

Chocolate Chip

The look of the bar is certainly different, but in a good way. It looks kind've like a fruit strip, but in bar form. The taste of each of these bars is very different. Even though they all have the same core ingredients they each taste completely different. The texture is a little weird at first if i'm honest, but when you think that its not filled with a ton of garbage and fillers, then you can certainly get past that.

Overall i think that i'm going to switch, or at least incorporate RXBARs into my daily diet, because i feel like i'm eating a quality bar, and knowing that its not filled with a ton of extra ingredients makes me feel a lot better. If your interested in checking out their page, follow the link below:

https://www.rxbar.com/




Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products listed above for free in exchange for an honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.

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Pet Gift Box and Discount Code!

If you are one of those people that love their pets, then you've probably heard of monthly subscription boxes for your furry friends. I had the privilege of working with Pet Gift Box recently, and would love to share what the box included and my personal opinion.

If you are someone who hasn't heard of Pet Gift Box then let me briefly explain... the box is a monthly subscription that includes a bunch of awesome items for your cat or dog. In my box i received:

-Chew Tennis Ball

-Fetch! Flyer(Frisbee)

-Folding Dog Bowl

-Happy Belly(Treats)

-Tail Wagger(Rib bone)

-Ball with Strap(Squeaker toy)

I think that the variety the box offers is great! My dog Windsor loves anything food related so treats are a plus for him. He doesn't usually get any treats so getting the yogurt covered treats in the mail was a surprise to him! The food bowl is perfect for on the go, whether your dog is outside hanging out, or taking a long hike, its super easy to fold away and go! I do however want to quickly talk about the rib bone that i got. Although the Pet Gift Box will give you a random variety, i happened to receive my box with a large rib bone. Working in the Veterinary field i couldn't not talk about this briefly... bones like this or even antlers can be dangerous to your dog. The reason is the bone could not only splinter and cause lacerations to the mouth or throat, but could also break teeth. Of course this is my opinion and outlook, and have seen this happen to dogs, its always important to monitor your pets with treats like these.

Treats aside, the price point of the Pet Gift Box is perfect for anyone on a budget. Its also great for any pet lover that wants to treat their furry friend each month, or even use it to gift to someone who does have a cat or dog. The price for a box is categorized in three sections. One is a 12 month plan, two is a month to month plan, and three is a one time purchase. The 12 month plan is $20/month, while the month to month is $25/month. If your looking to try it once then the one time purchase would be perfect for you, which is $30. What makes these prices awesome is the fact that every single box you purchase is free shipping. Pet Gift Box will ship you your box the first week of each month.

If your looking to checkout Pet Gift box, and want to purchase your first box, then signup and use the code: WINDSOR to activate 50% off!!!

http://petgiftbox.com/

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products listed above for free in exchange for an honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.

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Unboxing Lucky Tackle Box + giveaway

I finally received my Lucky Tackle Box today! As i posted about a week ago(its unfortunately been that long since I've posted) i have been expecting a delivery from Lucky Tackle Box. The box that i'm writing about is the Bass XL, which is the upgraded version of the Bass box they offer. If you go to Lucky Tackle Box website, and to the "our subscriptions" tab, you'll see other boxes they offer like the multi-species or pan fish box. Today i want to cover a few different areas on this post:

Price:
The Bass XL is the upgraded version of the Bass box, which means it comes at a higher price point. The Bass box is $14.99, but if you want to upgrade to the XL it'll cost you $24.99...But its totally worth it! Another great thing is that you don't have to commit to buying the box of your choice for a certain period of time. You can choose 1, 3, 6, or 12 months, and with each increment you'll save a little bit more. With the XL, you can get the box for as low as $22.92 for a 12 month subscription.

First impression:
A quick background...i started fishing a few years ago, and quickly got addicted. I never grew up in a family that was into hunting/fishing/guns. A lot of my learning of fishing has come from YouTube videos and online articles. One of the main problems i had when i started was not having enough, or the right tackle. That included hooks, line, soft plastics etc. It can be hard to invest when your beginning, or even replacing old gear. When i got the Bass XL in the mail i kinda knew what to expect in the box after checking out their website. I cant explain how excited i was opening the box and flipping through the variety of tackle! Starting from the outside of the box and looking inside, it was very sleek and professional. They even wrap it all up and seal it with a Lucky Tackle Box sticker!

Product:
The amount of tackle that was in the box was crazy! I thought i knew what to expect but i kept pulling stuff out! When you open the box you'll expect to see a couple items first. One is a card that gives you a chance to enter in a live drawing, and the other is a cool sticker you can stick on your tackle box. When you unwrap the sealed tissue paper you can dig into all the cool tackle! I received 7 items in my box, which totaled $56.63! That's crazy considering the price you pay for the box is only $24.99. They also include a card with the breakdown of all the tackle and prices for each product with a brief description. All the products in the box is a good variety and look like top quality items. Even though i am a little late starting this year, i cant wait to finally fish and try out all the items i got. I would recommend this for anyone that loves fishing. It doesn't matter the age or experience, the Lucky Tackle Box offers a box for a variety of species, at a reasonable price. They present the product very well, give you product worth way more than what you pay, and ship it right to your door!

Want your own Lucky Tackle Box?

Enter for a chance to win your own Bass XL Box here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products listed above for free in exchange for an honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.

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Geared Beard: Beard Oil

 

   

     For a long time i went without any beard products when i chose to grow out my beard. The problem i had when i grew it out, was that i could never keep it neat and tidy like some men (some men are just gifted with the perfect beard.) I searched like most men to fix the scraggly, wiry and rough beard i had. What i came up with was a beard oil by the company "Geared Beard". When you turn the bottle around, you read through a short list of oils, to include some essential oils like eucalyptus, peppermint and laurel leaf. My first impression of the ingredient list was that it was pretty simple, which is a bit refreshing considering all the products out there packed with tons of ingredients one cant even pronounce, let alone figure out what it is. Another perk to this oil is the time it takes to complete a bottle. You only need about 5-6 drops per application. I have had this oil for about 3 months now and use it almost every day, and still have a bunch left. I think that the oil definitely helped hydrate my skin, seeing as when i grow out my beard i will get itchy/dry skin that irritates the life out of me and makes me want to shave it off! It certainly helps with the softness of my beard, and also made it feel less rough. As for the wiry or scraggly part, it did help, but not fully to what i expected- although i had to keep in mind that it's an oil and not a balm. Overall, i would recommend this product to a fellow man looking to tame his beard!

Purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Geared-Beard-Natural-Premium-Blend/dp/B00Y1CE1PS/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1492996416&sr=8-1&keywords=geared+beard

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products listed above for free in exchange for an honest review. I am not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.

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