Category Archives: Reviews

Nuun – flavored hydration

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I guzzle at least a gallon of water daily. Crisp, cold, refreshing — and oh so necessary in the summer months.

So when I heard other runners rave about Nuun, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I loved my water. And really, I didn’t see the need to replace it.

Last spring, I first sampled Nuun at my local running store. Employees put it out instead of water after a Saturday morning group run. It quenched my thirst, but I wasn’t used to flavor as I usually just drink plain, old water. I liked it, but promptly forgot all about it.

Months passed, and a few friends mentioned Nuun. They loved it, they raved about it, they wanted more. I knew I had tried it, and didn’t hate it, but remembered little else.

So in June, I ordered a variety pack of Nuun tablets. I’ve been sampling ever since.

A few of the chicks decided to test it out with me. Here’s what the chicks had to say about our taste test experiment.

Brooke

Hydration is important for any athlete, especially one who lives and in Florida. As my daughter would say, “It’s soaking hot,” even when one runs in the early morning.

I used to use Nuun regularly after my long runs. My favorite flavor is the Tropical Fruit, which I actually purchased because I liked the color of the tube. I’m a big water drinker, but sometimes, it’s nice to have something with a bit of flavor.

I hate to admit this, but I’ve also found that Nuun can help a hangover. We used to host a fiesta on Christmas Eve, with tacos, my mom’s fabulous enchiladas and margaritas, natch. Well…tequila and Santa do not mix, friends. My husband and I were exhausted. Lucky for us, the kids were a little too young for Christmas Morning Excitement and Nuun helped us feel much more festive. (And we’ve since moved the party to a couple of days before Christmas, haha!)

Meri

Nuun chatter is everywhere! I first heard rumblings about it on Twitter and it quickly spread to blogs that I enjoy reading. Now personally, I’m a water drinking gal, but curiosity got the best of me and I had to give it a go. The kiddo and I made our way over to the local running store (you know the cartoon characters that have dollar signs in their eyes? That’s what happens when I walk through the door) and checked out the flavors they had to offer. After chatting with the employee, I settled on tri-berry and lemon-lime.

nuun1Meri’s Nuun stash

I’m a big fan of the tri-berry and will be picking more of it up soon. You’ll notice in my picture that the tube’s gone. Yeah, used that all. Lemon-lime is decent but not my favorite. The watermelon was a gift from Victoria. Who gives tubes of Nuun as gifts? These running nerds, that’s who!

And friends, the watermelon is my favorite favorite (so good that it deserves two favorites)! Since my running store doesn’t have it in stock, I’m going to have to order more. I’m heading south to Florida soon and plan to use my Amphipod handheld bottle with Nuun during my runs down there. I’ll admit, I’m a bit nervous about hitting the pavement down there but I think that the Nuun will help keep me hydrated and balanced.

Vic

As I’m sure you already guessed, I’m a watermelon Nuun girl. I’m actually drinking a glass as I write this.

I first tried a few flavors from a mix pack. I expected to love the fruit punch flavor…you know, because I love fruit punch. Yeah. Not so much. I enjoyed the grape (it’s not purple, folks!) and was surprisingly wooed by tropical fruit. I don’t like tropical fruits, how can this be? The only thing I like about pineapples is chopping them up!

I was thrilled to find tubes of watermelon at my local running store. It was love at first sip.

You want to know more about Nuun? So did I.

According to the product info on the Nuun website, Nuun is packed with electrolytes, light flavor, no sugars or carbs, and is portable.

Nuun comes in tubes, 12 tabs are inside each tube. You drop one tab into a pint glass of cold water and watch it dance!!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOhR9p5Cq3k&w=480&h=360]

We three chicks are sold! And there are many more flavors to try. (But not lemon-lime. Thanks for taking that one for the team, Meri.)

But don’t worry, we still love our good, old water. It’s not going anywhere.

Have you tried Nuun? What flavor are you obsessed with? What flavors do you want to try? How do you hydrate?

Road Tested: Fitbit One

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A while back, I was hanging out with my sister-in-law and saw a little gadget clipped to her sweatshirt. Being the gadget-loving girl I am (or maybe I’m just a things-loving girl. Hmm.), I said, “hey, what’s that?”

Her eyes lit up and thus began a five-minute monologue on the greatness that was her Fitbit One.  It was a pedometer! It was a calorie-counter! A sleep-tracker!

It was SU-PER GADGET.

Listen, you don’t have to tell me twice. It takes about 0.02 seconds for me to put something on my wish list and this sounded pretty sweet. By the time she said, “you should get one!” I was already plotting my purchase. Way ahead of you, sis. The Amazon iPhone app was made for impulse shoppers like moi.

Thanks to the wonders of Amazon Prime membership, my Fitbit One arrived on my doorstep two days later, looking tiny and adorable in its sleek packaging.

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Hello, I love you.

 

I ripped into it and glanced briefly at the directions before tossing them to the side. I’m what they call an experiential learner, which basically means I hate directions and can often be heard saying, “oh, I didn’t know it did THAT” two months later when I hit a wrong (or oh-so-right) button.

If I miss anything in this review, you know why.

So here’s what I do know it does:

  1. It tracks steps, distance, stairs climbed and calories burned.
  2. Monitors how long and well you sleep.
  3. Wakes you in the morning with a silent buzzy alarm that prevents your bedmate from waking as well. If you’re Mister Jess, all you need for an alarm is your own snores anyway.
  4. Syncs via Bluetooth technology to your computer or mobile device. The dongle (it is seriously called that. I laughed for about eight minutes) sticks right in to the USB slot on your computer or phone.
  5. Your personal account on www.fitbit.com allows you to set goals, log food and weight, and view your progress via a series of charts and graphs.
  6. Is sweat- and rain-proof.
  7. Is rechargeable via a plug-in USB device.
  8. Rewards you with badges when you hit certain milestones or achieve a new goal.
  9. Allows you to export your data to other health websites, like MyFitnessPal, SparkPeople, LoseIt!, and MapMyFITNESS.

I know, right? Kind of awesome.

Now, after using it for the past couple of weeks, I’ve had time to get to know the Fitbit One pretty well. Why? Because it is with me at. All. Times. I am obsessed with this thing. Here’s why:

It motivates me to move. 

Not that I have much of a choice in the matter. San Francisco is an extremely walking-friendly city. When I first moved to the city years and years ago, I would take the bus three blocks. This is a true story.

Nowadays, I’m used to the hills and the long city blocks and the walking. All of the walking. And now I have a device that tracks all of that activity. It’s really rewarding to sync my Fitbit at the end of the day and see that I’ve taken 10,000 steps, walked the equivalent of 15 stories, and burned 500 calories. It makes me want to walk even more so that I can beat my previous day’s stats. Instead of taking the bus from Bug’s daycare to work, why not walk and rack up some extra steps? I love that the Fitbit is a motivator to keep scoot a dootin’.

It’s tiny. 

The Fitbit fits in my pocket or clips on my clothing. It’s not some clunky, huge thing that takes up space or straps onto my wrist like a miniature computer. I like that it doesn’t detract from my outfit (I am ever vain) and that I don’t feel it on me throughout the day.

The downside of its size is that sometimes I lose track of it. I accidentally left it at home the other morning because it was nestled safely in my pajama pants. So safely that I forgot it was there!

It’s easy to use. 

Even if you’re not tech-savvy, this is a super simple device to use. There’s one button on the actual Fitbit that you press to see your stats on its little screen. To sync it to your computer, you just plug in the dongle, download the Fitbit program on your computer, and it does the rest. The dongle finds your Fitbit as long as it’s within 20 feet and slurps up all of your information. It divides your stats by day. No need to press the reset button at the start of each day, which I love.

The information is easy to read. 

Once your Fitbit has been synced to your computer or mobile device, you just hop over to your account on www.fitbit.com to see your stats laid out in pretty graphs and boxes. It’s so user-friendly, so easy to read, and really fun to see your activity broken down in various ways.

You’ll get a weekly progress report from Fitbit via email that details things like your most active day, your least active day, and badges you’ve earned. Again, the information is laid out in such an easy to read way. I can soak it up in a matter of seconds and then I’m on my way!

You can also see your lifetime cumulative achievements on www.fitbit.com. My Fitbit has tracked 82,419 steps since I started using it 14 days ago. I feel like a rock star!

An example of what you'll see on your Fitbit profile page.

An example of what you’ll see on your Fitbit day-at-a-glance page.

My weekly progress report. Go me!

My weekly progress report. Go me!

The battery life is lengthy. 

I’ve only had to charge my Fitbit once since I got it two weeks ago. iPhone, take notes.

All in all, a very worthy investment!

One thing to note: I’m not entirely sure how accurate the “floors climbed” and “calories burned” stats are. How do you accurately measure floors climbed when I’m not actually climbing stairs? And if I were really burning 1900 calories a day, I wouldn’t have to worry about dropping the pesky 7 pounds that refuse to drop off of me. However, I’m not using the Fitbit as a weight-loss tool so the accuracy (or inaccuracy, who knows!) of the calorie-counting tool doesn’t concern me too much. It is something to consider for those of you who would be using this primarily as a calorie-counting tool. More research might need to be done in this aspect.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to do some laps around the apartment. I’ve got a new badge to earn!

Do you have a Fitbit? Another type of pedometer or calorie-counting gadget? Talk to me in the comments! 

ENERGYbits review and giveaway

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I’ve been hearing about ENERGYbits for months, but I really wasn’t sure what to expect.

I knew the bits are 100% Spirulina algae – and a power food with more than 60% protein. In short, it means consumed ENERGYbits quickly turn to glucose after taken…. And as a result give you a steady stream of energy sans chemicals.

I knew they were completely natural – organic, vegan and gluten-free. All of which really appealed to me since so many seemingly healthy products add chemicals or sugar to the mix.

And I knew people raved about them.

Enter the ENERGYbits social media team, who were kind enough to provide me a sample to try and a second sample FOR ONE LUCKY READER! (More on that below.)

My sample tin contained enough bits for two tests.

20130630-205238.jpgENERGYbits in my hot little hand

I decided to test two scenarios – a long run and at the start of a potentially long work day. After all, these would likely be two scenarios I’d be using said bits.

I tested both out last week, and I wasn’t disappointed.

A serving size of ENERGYbits is about 30 tabs. Each bit is a speck smaller than an Advil. They went down pretty easily for me when chased by water. I split them into two handfuls.

On the run
I swallowed a handful of bits at about 30 minutes before my long run last weekend, a hilly 6-miler in Mendon Ponds Park in suburban Rochester, NY. Since this was my first attempt in swallowing bits before exercising, I was a little concerned they might not stay down. (They did, for the record.)

I knew I’d need a little extra oomph as I ran Saturday since I tackled rolling hills with my running pal Traci and a large community running group. For me, it was the first week of my fall marathon training plan, hence the short mileage.

We headed off and I felt great. I was chatty, which as my running pals know, is a sure sign that I am feeling strong.

As we hit the halfway point of our route, I was still feeling fantastic! I was strong, steady and on a mission. I actually passed our group’s pacer twice. He politely  reeled me back in with some wit and a smile.

Once finished, I was still feeling good. Yes, of course I felt like I ran 6 miles, but I felt as though I could keep running. Since the skies were about to open up, we drove back home. And the skies opened up moments later.

I had an abundance of energy though, so I ran errands!

On the job
I ate the bits at the start of what ended up being a rather long work day. I’d love to tell you I has super strength and laser-like focus all day, but I’d be fibbing. I DID however, not feel tired or interested in a second cup of coffee. I also didn’t snack all morning. I felt very full, which is not my norm.

Ask my colleagues, I’m a snacker.

So… score two for the bits.

bitsA tin of bits, hanging on my keyboard

I was pleased with my test experiments and am definitely planning to buy more ENERGYbits. The lone drawback is the price. It’s $115 for a bag of 1,000 tabs. That said, that settles out at 33 servings of bits for about $3.50 per serving.

When I do the math it seems way more reasonable.

Plus, discount codes are aplenty. For a 10% discount, type BLOG into coupon box at checkout.

Still too rich for your blood? The company offers a sampling program. Just reach out to them via Twitter and tell them of your interests (and that the Scoot A Doot chicks sent you). Or send a note to Jonathan at jlevitt AT ENERGYbits.com and he’ll share the details.

The giveaway

One lucky reader will receive a sample tin of ENERGYbits. Just click on the Rafflecopter image below to enter.

rafflecopterenergybits

Click the pic to enter

Scoot a Doot’s ENERGYbits giveaway begins 7/2/13 and ends 7/10/13 at midnight. Winner will need to provide their name, address and email to us so we may pass it along to ENERGYbits.

What do you eat for fuel before a long run? Have you ever tried eating algae? Tell us in the comments!

June StrideBox

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It arrived Saturday afternoon. By the evening, I’d put two items to use.

Now that’s what I called a StrideBox!

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I ripped the massage ball out of the package and immediately started using it on my foot. Ahhh! It was a little slice of heaven.

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This is the Foot Rubz in action. Never heard of it before. But it’s my new bestie. It’s a massage ball to rub on your feet, hands or any other sore muscle. Loving it! (PS – I need to vacuum.)

And yes, it’s June and I live in the tundra where I must still wear jeans and a sweatshirt.

Next, I tossed the PowerICE pop into my freezer. I pulled it out of the freezer the following morning after a short (and sticky) 3 mile run.

pop1

Refreshing, delicious and only 30 calories per electrolyte ice pop. Yes, I’ll be back for more of those. Bonus: For folks with dietary restrictions, these pops are also gluten-free and kosher.

As some of you may remember, I subscribed to StrideBox last month on the recommendation of a friend and it was love at first sight.

The June box marked my second monthly subscription box, and it was as fantastic as the first.

What else is in this month’s box? Let’s take a closer look:

Lock Laces – these elastic shoe laces have a special locking mechanism to keep your shoes snug. And if you are like me, they will keep you from having to repeatedly bend over mid-run to retie your shoes. A few of my running pals swear by these, so I’m excited to try them out.

Blue Steel Sports anti chafe cream – this non-greasy, not sticky cream provides an anti friction layer for athletes. It also has a touch of tea tree oil.

Skratch Labs – this lemon/lime all-natural sports drink mix gives runners another option of liquid fuel to it use before, during or after exercise.

Pocket Fuel – almond butter and bananas are my typical pre-race fuel. I love both, but what I eat before a half or full varies depending on whether I flew to the race location or drove in my car. This sample combines my two faves! It’s also a single serving size that will easily fit in my TSA toiletry bag when I fly. The almond butter is 100% natural.

ElectroDelytes – electrolytes, simple carbs and no caffeine are what goes into this energy bar. It’s suggested to be eaten before or during a workout for sustained energy. I ate this Monday morning after crew practice. Very lemony – it tasted a bit like pie to me, and I love pie!

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As I said last month, I’m a big fan of samples and trying new things. According to StrideBox, the idea is to help runners try new products without having to commit to large purchases or the legwork of finding those products.

Each box also comes with an online shopping and price guide, to help you find the (and purchase) the products you’ve tested.

By the way, I haven’t stopped using that massage ball. It’s the tops!

What would you like to see in a future subscription box? What samples have you tried that have won you over?

Road Tested: Injinji Socks

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toe3

We love trying new things, and we love them even more when they’re free!  Hey, we’re easy. So when Outside PR gave us the chance to try Injinji Performance Toesocks, we said “you betcha!”

According to their website, Injinji Performance Toesocks have an anatomical 5 toe sleeve design to properly align your toes, prevent blisters, and promote proper posture and balance, among other benefits. They looked cool and very unique, but did they deliver?

Curious? Read on to see our road-tested results.

Brooke

I tried the Run 2.0 mid-weight crew sock and for me, the best thing about these socks is how incredible they are at wicking away sweat. I’m in Florida, where it’s hot and hotter, and my socks and feet usually feel wet and gross after a run. Not so with these! I’m happy to report that the sock was damp but my foot felt pretty dry, even after an outdoor run.

It took some toe-wiggling, but I quickly adjusted to the shape of these socks. I am prone to toe blisters, so I think they would be awesome for a longer run.

Vic

photo

My toes were confused. They didn’t know what to think. But honestly, they got over it pretty quickly.

I took the socks on a test run (ha!) a few times last week. Each time I thought there would be no way my toes would adjust. But they always did – and in the first mile. Instead of thinking about the socks and how each toe was cushioned by fabric, sort of like a glove, I found my mind wandering.

Ouch, my legs are tight. Damn, it was 35 degrees yesterday and 75 degrees today. What’s THAT all about? The new neighbors are building a hideous trellis. OK mister motorist! Don’t. Hit. Me.

Since I wasn’t thinking about my socks, that means nothing nagging my tootsies. And that’s a compliment. They were comfortable and cushy and my toes felt protected.  The trickiest part was putting them on, as you need to guide each toe into its sleeve and my toes are – um – flawed.

Long story short. I like them.

Meri

toe1-1

“Those are some fancy socks.” Pooks was eying up my Injinji socks from the moment they arrived.

“They sure are,” I replied.

He picked the package up and investigated, curiously looking at the toes. “So they’re like gloves for your feet?”

“Very much like that.”

A bit later, I put the socks on, preparing for my run. He silently (which is a rarity) eyed me up in them. “Your baby toe doesn’t fill up the sock.” Way to make the little guy feel inadequate, kid.  But it was true; genetically, my toes might not be as long as others. I’ve come to accept that.

Once I put my sneakers on, he looked somewhat disappointed.

“What?”

“Oh, they look like regular socks now. Do they feel like regular socks?”

“Well, no. My toes are separated, which is a bit different. I’m going for a run to try them out.”

Once I ran far away from my child and his probing questions, I have to say that I forgot about the toes being separated and just enjoyed my run (as much as I ever enjoy a run!). The material of the Injinjis was the biggest draw for me, light and breathable. They also washed well.

When I returned from my run, Pooks was waiting by the door. I was gross and sweaty and he watched as I kicked off my shoes, anxious to see the socks once more.

“Can I have fancy socks like that?”

I won’t be at all surprised if the Injinji socks disappear from my sock drawer and wind up in my eight year olds. We might just have to get him a pair, too!

Cam

I found the socks pretty comfortable when I first put them on.  I’ve never worn toe shoes or socks before, so it was a little tricky at first.  They fit pretty well, there wasn’t any loose fabric bunched around my feet or toes.  I really liked the feel of the fabric and the fit through the middle of my foot.

When I put my shoes on, they felt a little bit too snug in the toe box.  My toes were being pressed apart more than normal, which is expected given the nature of the sock.  During my first run, I started cramping in the balls of my feet.  I’m assuming this is due to the adjustment that my feet were making because my toes were now in a different place and different muscles were having to work harder than normal.  I couldn’t wear them for very long.

The second time I wore them, I used them for my boxing class.  Boxing requires a lot of shuffling around on your toes and jumping rope, and I wear a different, wider and flatter shoe for this class.  I didn’t have as much cramping as during my run, and I did like how the socks allowed for easier balance.

I’m thinking these socks might be something I have to train my feet for, but I like the idea of running with a more natural foot.  I’m going to continue wearing them for short runs and workouts in the hope that my feet will acclimate.

Jess

I’ve always been a fan of toe socks. In fact, I rocked some pretty stylish rainbow ones in high school (only at home. My parents didn’t judge, bless them). So, I was pretty excited to try these out. Who doesn’t love the idea of sliding each of their toes into little toe sleeping bags?

I received the no-show style, which is my favorite kind of running sock. I want people to see my flashy shoes, not my socks. But I’m forever and ever and ever adjusting them because normally they slide down while I’m exercising and bunch up at the bottom of my heel. The Injinji socks didn’t move. Not an inch. They conformed beautifully to my foot and felt super secure. I was a little worried at first that they might have felt too secure to the point of constriction, but that feeling went away within a minute or so. I just wasn’t used to having a sock that fit nice and snug.

Overall, the socks fit my feet really well, stayed where they were supposed to, and felt lightweight enough that I didn’t really feel them after a while. They were super comfortable and as a cherry on top of the sock sundae, my feet weren’t a sweaty mess when all was said and done. Very impressed with Injinji, even if I can’t say it!

Bec

I expected to hate these socks, honestly. Stuff between my toes is NOT my favorite thing. Plus, I have pudgy pork sausage toes, so I fully anticipated pinky toe strangulation. But, I actually found these pretty comfy! They are super soft and they stretch well. So, while they won’t replace my beloved race day socks, they’ll totally go into my rotation.