I really enjoy eating healthy foods and believe in getting my daily vitamins and nutrients from the food that I eat. However, because I exercise daily, I need enough protein to help rebuild and repair my muscles after a strenuous workout. You know, the body doesn’t store protein but relies on it to build
all the cells in the body, that’s why it’s important to eat a serving of protein at every meal.

In order to maintain my weight, I’m always searching for lean sources of protein. That’s how I first found out about AminoRip® 15g Pure Protein. A predigested protein supplement that contains no fat, no cholesterol and no sugar yet fortifies my body with 100% of all essential and non-essential amino acids.

Surfing their website, I read all about the science behind AminoRip15 and was pleasantly pleased. AminoRip® 15g Pure Collagen Proteins Essential and non-essential amino acids are absorbed instantly because the protein supplement is predigested. This sounded like a fantastic way to get the benefits of protein, instantly.

So, I decided to give this supplement a try and report back to all of you on my findings.

I tried AminoRip® 15g Pure Collagen Protein for 30 days and was pleased with the results. After taking it for a few days, I felt like I had more energy. I’m very active and have plenty of vitality but AminoRip® 15g Pure Protein seemed to boost my energy level without making me feel jittery or nervous.

A small one-ounce serving gave me 15 grams of pure collagen protein, and I tried it twice a day for 30 days. Once in the morning and once in the evening, made me not only feel better during the day but also helped me to sleep better at night.

According to their website it’s been used by health professionals for years and now is available for athletes and active adults to make sure they get the protein their bodies need daily. It’s supposed to allow you to train harder and longer, while decreasing soreness post exercise. You will also see positive changes in your hair, skin and nails!

As a Personal Fitness Trainer, I train hard and long several times a week, it seemed that after taking AminoRip® 15g Pure Protein, I was getting more from my workout. Considering the benefits I felt I was getting from taking AminoRip® 15g Pure Collagen Protein, I plan to keep it in my arsenal of health and fitness products and use it again.

Your friend in Fitness,
~ Karen

Check out AminoRip’s Pure Collagen Protein benefits for Women: AminoRip®

I always recommend stretching and warming the muscles before exertion in order to avoid injuries. However, sometimes during exercise, sports or even everyday tasks, muscles can become overstressed and injuries may occur. The discomfort from the injury can get in the way of a successful fitness program. That’s when it helps to have some hot and cold therapy to relieve the pain.

Cold therapy helps with discomfort by reducing swelling from injury. Ice packs or bags of ice can be used but in order to walk around, the ice packs need to be strapped to the body, usually by means of plastic wrap and tape. It’s almost impossible to engage in exercise or in sports level activities when using this means of cold therapy.

Hot therapy encourages blood flow and helps to reduce soreness in muscles and joints. Hot showers or baths, whirlpools or heating pads are some effective types of hot therapy, however none of these allow for activity. That’s why I was interested in trying out the ActiveWrap. Just like the name implies, this wrap protects vulnerable joints and muscles during activity, and there is an ActiveWrap to cover everything from ankles to wrists and many of the muscles in between.

Each wrap includes reusable heat and ice packs that fit easily inside a pocket that is conveniently tucked inside the durable compress wrap. Wide, soft compression straps allow for a tight fit to target the heat or cold directly to the injury.

I tried one on and adjusted the straps so that it fit nice and tight. The hot/cold packs weren’t bulky and slipped easily into position within an inner pocket away from my skin. The packs seemed to rest comfortably on the targeted area without getting in the way of my motion. I didn’t have an injury, so I can’t say if it alleviated any pain. However I know many people who have muscle and joint pain and they might benefit from the ActiveWrap without having to give up on their fitness program.

I can see how wearing an ActiveWrap even after a strenuous workout could be quite beneficial. Using hot or cold therapy after exercise can help to reduce swelling and speed the recovery of over fatigued muscles.

I would recommend the ActiveWrap to anyone interested in a more convenient means of hot/cold therapy, especially those who enjoy staying active.

For more information, please visit them at directly at: ActiveWrap

I was looking for a pedometer to keep track when I walk, since I don’t always follow the same path, I wanted one that would keep a record of my steps and distance. I’m not all that interested in the amount of calories burned, but I know many people like to keep a running track of calories consumed and expended when managing their weight.

The Omron HJ-720ITC Pocket Pedometer is a full-featured pedometer that allows you to calculate the number of steps, the distance traveled and the calories burned. Designed to tolerate more tilt so that it doesn’t count false steps as I have experienced with many other pedometers. I placed it in my pocket and took the same walk for a couple of days walking the same distance and the pedometer was accurate each time.

I like the fact that the Omron HJ-720ITC is small enough to easily fit in my pocket while still being fully functional and precise. The user friendly, large LCD display is easy to read, even outside. So, you can take it out of your pocket at any time during your walk to check how far you’ve traveled. It’s great for walking on the beach, or any place where the surroundings make it hard to gauge your distance traveled.

There is software available to upload your steps, distance and calories to your computer and keep an ongoing account of your walking program. This great little tool has a lot of potential for such a small device. Inexpensive and convenient, reliable and durable, I would recommend this pedometer to anyone starting a walking program fitness program or who just wants to keep track of the steps they take in a regular day.

For more information, please visit them at directly at: Omron Health Care

I heard about this new timer on the market and it’s called the Gymboss, it’s small enough to clip onto your gym clothes and allows you to exercise without worrying about the time. I decided to try one out and let you all know what I thought.

I got a pink one and it goes perfectly well with most of my gym attire. When I clipped it onto the waist of my workout pants, I noticed that it didn’t pull on the material and the clip seemed comfortable enough to wear. I also tried hooking it onto my gym bag, but I move around the gym so much that I found that to be more of a nuisance.

I like to do circuit training exercises a couple times a week and really need a timer to alert me when to change up my circuit. If I have to rely on a clock, I’m forever twisting my neck to see how much time has elapsed. I’d much rather put that time and effort into working something other than my neck muscles, plus all that twisting leaves my back and neck a little sore.

One of my problems in using a pre-set timer is that I don’t always spend the same amount of time on each exercise or workout. If I have to reset it for each exercise, I find that wastes too much time. The thing I liked about the Gymboss is that it has a three button setup that is pretty easy to handle and takes seconds to set. I’m not all that electronically savvy but it was easy for me to adjust it for repeating intervals and set it up for different lengths of time.

With the Gymboss firmly attached, I was able to do some squats with weights, then at the sound of the alarm, begin jogging in place for 2 minutes. I can tell you, it felt great to be able to jog without wondering how long I had been going at it.

I know why they call it the Gymboss, the alarm reminds me of a good coach or personal trainer who is always there to tell me when it’s time to change up my exercise. It helps to keep me accountable when I’m exercising alone. It has both a vibrator and an alarm mode and can even be set to vibrate and sound an alarm at the same time. With the Gymboss, I can’t fudge on the duration of my workout because that little bossy gadget is there to keep me in line.

For under twenty dollars, the Gymboss is well worth the money. I’m thinking that these little timers will make great gifts for birthdays, Christmas, graduation, Mother’s Day or even tucked inside an Easter basket.

For more information, please visit them at directly at: Gymboss

This balance trainer is a great tool to add to a women’s fitness program. It constantly works the core muscles and strengthens the back, leg and stomach muscles. A great way to flatten the tummy, the BOSU® Trainer makes it easy to engage the core continuously, giving your torso and waistline that long lean and tightened look of a beautiful dancer.

I liked it because it is so sturdy and feels very durable. When I purchase fitness equipment to use at home, I like to choose items that will last under pressure. I usually put them through the three boys test, by letting my sons try some of my equipment out, too.

When adding the BOSU® Trainer to a women’s fitness and exercise program, some women may find it intimidating until getting used to it. But once accustomed to the BOSU trainer, it is fun to use. I’d definitely suggest practicing on the BOSU® Trainer before adding weights while you work out. Actually because the balance trainer works the muscles against their own resistance, it mimics many of the benefits of using weights. So, FYI you may find that you get the results you want from using the Bosu Trainer instead of weights.

The BOSU® Balance Trainer can be found at many stores, including J.C. Penney online shop, Sports Authority, Target, Wal-Mart and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Prices range, so you may want to shop around to get the best price. Oh, and although I got the basic model, I’ve seen the advanced versions that come with several DVDs, instructions and extra accessories. Lots of choices, but one thing is for certain, if you purchase the BOSU® Trainer and use it regularly you will notice some awesome results.

For more information, please visit them at directly at: BOSU

I had the opportunity to try out a Sole Fitness F80 and can say that I would consider purchasing one for a home gym. This mid-priced treadmill offers the quality of a commercial fitness treadmill and is suitable for women or men.

Since I normally review equipment suitable for women’s fitness, I was curious about the features that women normally look for. There are two fans in the front to keep you cool, although I like to get heated up when I exercise to burn fat.

The Sole F80 Treadmill has a nice incline and seems pretty quiet, which makes it easy to watch and also hear the television while walking on it. Making things really convenient, it has a built in audio system and a jack to hook up an iPod, without having to wear the earplugs.

After a short walk, I picked up speed and began to jog. This unit is sturdy and I felt perfectly safe running on it. I’ve read reviews of home treadmills that shake and jiggle when the user runs, and this one certainly passed the test for a jog-friendly treadmill.

According to the manufacturer it has a 3 horsepower motor. The strength of three horses is pretty powerful, and this treadmill is built for continuous use, much like the treadmills found at the gym.

The speed and incline controls are in the handles, which makes it easy to control. The display looks pretty nice and tracks distance, speed, calories burned, incline and heart rate. That’s just about everything I need to know.

The Sole Fitness F80 folds for easy storage, or just to save space in the home gym. It comes with a two-year labor warranty, and many dealers offer free delivery. Available at many stores such as Sports Authority, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Amazon.com, GNC, Modell’s Sporting Goods or Fogdog Sports.

For more information, please visit them at directly at: Sole Treadmills

Whether at home or the gym, when doing resistance-training or most any of the exercises included your women’s fitness program, it’s best for your protection to use an exercise mat. But with so many out there, you’ll have to determine your own needs before choosing the exercise or fitness mat that’s the right one for you.

Some mats are good for keeping in the home gym. I have one at home that is nice and thick, but I can’t fold it up and take it to the gym or any place else. I was looking for a nice mat that I could fold up or roll up and take with me.

That’s when I found the Folding Exercise Mat by TKO. This easy to fold mat is portable with handles on the side that make it easy to carry. As a personal trainer, I can use it at home, the gym or at even take it to a client’s house. It’s great for travel, too. Don’t laugh, but I always carry a portable mat for exercising in my hotel room and I would prefer to take a mat that could be sanitized after use.

I think the TKO Exercise Mat is perfect for any women’s exercise program. This exercise mat is a full 2-inch thick, built with long lasting foam covered with reinforced vinyl to protect knees and elbows when doing floor exercises. It even works for skinny people who need the extra buffering and it’s a full 6-foot in length — long enough to keep my feet and head off the floor.

One of the reasons that I liked this mat is the vinyl cover that makes it easy to wipe clean with soap and water. It’s also mildew-resistant and can be sanitized, unlike foam mats that aren’t covered.

Available at Walmart, Mercantila, Amazon.com, and The Exercise Mat Superstore, Comes in 2 feet by 6 feet or a little wider in 3 feet by 6 feet and the price varies by size and dealer.

I would recommend this mat to a friend who was looking for an exercise mat that was durable and portable.

For more information, please visit them at directly at: TKO Gear