Chia Squeeze Vitality Snack from Mamma Chia

I recently reviewed Mamma Chia Vitality Drinks here. Considering how much I love them, I obviously could not wait to try out their new Chia Squeeze Vitality Snacks! I hadn't come across these in my local stores yet, but when I was offered a chance to try out each of their 4 flavors and to do a giveaway, I couldn't refuse! Mamma Chia Squeezes come in 4 yummy flavors: Strawberry Banana, Raspberry Bliss, Apple Cinnamon and Green Magic. The first flavor I tried was Strawberry Banana and I loved it! I popped it in my purse and brought it with me in the car to go pick up my son from preschool. The packets are very similar to the applesauce packets I buy for my son and the newer baby food packaging with the screw off tops and a squeezable pouch. It's a great product for on-the-go families. I was so impressed with the flavor of the Strawberry Banana, I figured there was no way Green Magic could live up to it, but it did! I expected more of a veggie taste with the Green Magic, but the banana and mango flavors won out in this one for sure. My son even tried it and LOVED it, he had no clue there were any veggies involved, which is key with many 5 year olds right?! They will be great to pack in his lunchbox when he starts kindergarten this summer. Once I tried all of the flavors, I had a really hard time picking which one I liked the best. I think I will always keep a variety of all 4 flavors in the house so I can rotate each day!

There are a ton of snacks out there that taste great, but most of them don't pack the healthy punch that Mamma Chia Squeezes do. Not only is each Mamma Chia Squeeze Vitality Snack only 70 calories, but there is NO added sugar, and they are made of solely chia seeds, fruit & vegetables! They also have 1200 mg Omega-3, are a good source of fiber, they're gluten-free & vegan, non-GMO and USDA certified organic! Perfect for the whole family! You can buy them online at http://www.shopmammachia.com/, or you can search for stores near you that carry them at http://www.mammachia.com/find-us.

Would you like the chance to try Mamma Chia Squeeze Vitality Snacks for yourself? I'm giving away a few vouchers for FREE Mamma Chia Squeezes! All you need to do to enter is head over to the Mamma Chia Facebook page here , like their page and leave a comment that you were sent by Jen Wright. Then, just come back to this blog post and leave a quick comment letting me know you've entered. I'll choose and announce the winners on July 14th by responding to your blog comment. Good luck!

My New Obsession...Mamma Chia!

Those of you who know me well know that I became obsessed with chia seeds about a year ago, right after giving birth to my baby girl. I had heard about them on Dr. Oz and immediately went online and bought some. These tiny little seeds are not only filling and easy to consume, but they are high in Omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, a great source of antioxidants & minerals, gluten-free AND they can help regulate cholesterol and blood sugar! The Ancient Mayans and Aztecs used chia seeds for their healing power and for energy, many ancient warriors would sustain on chia seeds alone for 24 hours or more. In today's society, many notable athletes and long-distance runners swear by chia seeds for stamina and health benefits. I had been using them in greek yogurt, in various beverages, mixed with oatmeal, you name it. Right off the bat I was able to drop some of my stubborn baby weight because the chia seeds made me feel SO full, and I also noticed more energy. I've stuck with chia seeds every since! Imagine my delight when I saw a beverage product at my local grocery store that had chia seeds in it! It was called Mamma Chia, and I had to have it! I bought a couple and drank one right away when I got home and was blown away, it was SO good! And packed with so many health benefits!

Mamma Chia Vitality Beverage is available in 9 delectable flavors: Blackberry Hibiscus, Cherry Lime, Cranberry Lemonade, Raspberry Passion, Pomegranate Mint, Coconut Mango, Kiwi Lime, Guava Mamma and Grapefruit Ginger. I still think the first flavor I tried, Coconut Mango, is one of my favorites. They are all so yummy though! It's hard to believe that this fun and great tasting drink will provide you with 2500mg of Omega-3, 4g of complete protein, 95mg of calcium, as well as fiber and antioxidants! As added benefits, Mamma Chia Vitality Beverages also provide you with natural vitality and are organic, non-GMO, gluten-free and vegan! I've been using them as meal replacements in the morning, as a mid-day pick-me-up, or even before meals out at restaurants so I won't eat as much!

Now for the fun part! I want to give away some Mamma Chia Vitality Beverages!! As they need to stay refrigerated, I'll be sending the winners a coupon good for a free Mamma Chia Vitality Beverage of their choosing (please be sure they are available near you before entering at http://www.mammachia.com/find-us!) This is a 2 part contest which will require a blog comment as well as a tweet.

• FIRST, please comment on this blog letting me know your level of familiarity with Mamma Chia. Have you heard of their products, have you tried them, thoughts, etc. Whatever you'd like to share. PLEASE include your Twitter handle as well so I can match you up with your tweet! 
• NEXT, please tweet the following or similar "Thanks @Jendub77 for introducing me to #MammaChia Vitality Beverages! I hope I win one! @MammaChia1 #chiaseeds #chia http://bit.ly/134eOkR".  You can change the text, but please include the 2 Twitter handles and the link for sure. That's it! You have until July 7, 2013 to enter!
• You must complete BOTH steps to win! Good luck!

Stay tuned for another blog post about Mamma Chia's newest product, Chia Squeeze Vitality Snack!

Note: After falling in love with Mamma Chia from buying the Vitality Beverages on my own, I was lucky enough to receive a nice set of their products to sample so I could try them all. I received the complimentary products in exchange for writing a blog review, however all opinions of the product are my own.

The Fast Metabolism Diet

I recently received a free copy of The Fast Metabolism Diet book by Haylie Pomroy from SheSpeaks to review. I must say, as soon as I started reading the book I was excited to try the diet and see what results I would get from it. Many of the author's clients have lost upwards of 20 pounds on the 28 day diet by keeping their metabolism guessing. The diet is broken down into 3 basic phases that are alternated every few days:

Phase 1 - Lots of carbs and fruit
Phase 2 - Lots of proteins and veggies
Phase 3 - All of the above plus healthy fats and oils


Pomroy claims that in addition to seeing pounds fall off, you will see your cholesterol drop, blood sugar stabilize, energy increase, sleep improve and stress melt away. That all sounds great to me! Now for the tricky part, sticking to a diet!

Phase 1 includes high-glycemic, moderate-protein, low-fat foods such as brown rice, oatmeal, fruits, turkey, lentils and more. Easy enough. Phase 2 includes high-protein, high-vegetable, low-carb and low-fat foods such as broccoli, leafy greens, lean beef, low-fat fish and kale but prohibits fruit and grains. Phase 3 has an emphasis on high healthy-fat, moderate-carb & protein, low-glycemic foods such as avocado, nuts & seeds, olive oil, hummus, salmon, berries, beans and my fave, lobster!

Now, I must say, the food lists aren't so bad. And each phase is only a couple of days, so it's all very doable. My problem? Giving up my vices! The "rules" of the diet strictly prohibit not only my beloved wine and coffee (caffeine in general), but also wheat, corn, dairy, soy, refined sugar, dried fruit, fruit juices, artificial sweeteners and fat-free "diet foods". I can live without most of those, but not my wine and coffee!

So, I may just have to add my own little tweak to this diet to allow for the occasional glass of wine. I'll be setting out on the venture soon and will keep you all updated on how it goes! Has anyone else tried this diet yet? I'd love to hear your thoughts!