SoCozy, Non-Toxic Kids Hair Line, Launches at Walgreens just in time for Back to School

School started last week for us. My son started 1st grade. It was a big jump for all of us, because he was going from half-day kindergarten to full day first grade (BIG time!). We all needed to have a more streamlined evening bath time and morning routine. That's why I was so happy when SoCozy reached out to me to try their non-toxic children's hair care line that is now available at Walgreen's Stores.

I picked up 3 products from my nearby Walgreen's: two combination products and one styling product for my 6 year old. The items were located in the children's toiletries aisle. 

We LOVED both Cinch Products we tried. The 2 in 1 Shampoo and Body Wash and 3 in 1 Shampoo, Body Wash, and Conditioner not only smelled amazing with their fruity tropical scents, but provided the sweetest, clean rinsing lather on his body and hair. These are truly products that are designed to work in a snap and get the dirty work done fast (which is GREAT for busy school nights!)

After getting his back to school haircut (after he rocked the buzz cut all summer long!) we were excited to style his hair again with the SoCozy Behave Soft Hold Styling Cream. It again, cam ein a yummy Pear scent, and truly did make his hair "obey". I like his hair to look styled but not stiff and this product worked perfectly! I love the soft definition it gave,

As a mom, I am always concerned about the products I use on my child. I can truly recommend SoCozy products because they are convenient, affordable (a little goes a long way). and non-toxic. paraben and sulfate free. Next time you're at Walgreen's make sure to look for these fantastic products, you and your kiddos will love them! #SoCozyHair

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of SoCozy.  The opinions and text are all mine.

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Running in the Second Trimester...What I Accomplished and What Helped Me

I can't believe I'm already out of the second trimester!! This season runs from 14-27 weeks pregnant and is usually everyone's favorite. It was for me. I had more energy, morning sickness vanished, my bump grew, and I found out I was having a baby GIRL!!!

Running wise, it was for sure my favorite trimester too. I was able to complete my first trail run ever, an awesome 13K course out near a local lake. It was gorgeous and nothing beats the atmosphere of a trail race.

 I also ran a 5k on Mother's Day and managed to get 2nd place in my age group. I surprised myself a ton in that race with my speed. I think that's the quickest I have and will run all pregnancy long lol!

My favorite race by far during my second trimester was the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in San Diego. This is my favorite half marathon and my third year in a row of running it. I signed up almost a year in advance, so obvious did not originally plan on running it 21 weeks pregnant, but I am so glad I did. Adam decided to run it with me and I was so glad he did. Not only was it super helpful to have such an understanding partner do do all my long runs with, but having him by my side that entire training cycle and race made it so much more memorable (and if I'm being honest, enjoyable too!)

He surprised me at the start line in this amazing costume he made, and ran the entire race patiently by my side, with a pink balloon stuffed under his shirt. He really is such an amazing guy!

I also set a goal that I'm really excited about this trimester. I want to run 1000 pregnant miles before the baby is born. I'm on track to do it and have already told myself that if I have to stop running, I'll continue to walk and add those miles to my overall goal.

There are quite a few things that have helped running in my second trimester of pregnancy easier and I wanted to take the time to highlight some of them below.

Belly Support Bands and Tanks:
My belly started to really pop over the last 14 weeks. When it did it became heavy and uncomfortable which made it harder to run. On Instagram, I discovered two companies that I absolutely adore, BaoBei and Mumberry Fit.

 BaoBei makes these amazing support bands, that are made of a soft stretchy material and really hug your belly and support it in such a great way while running. Lately, I have also been wearing the bands all day long because my belly just feels better being supported.

I also adore the Mumberry Fit Tanks. These tanks are super high quality (like lulu) and have both a built in bra and a built in support bank in them! They are genius and really the best things to run in because all the support you need is already there!

Pregnancy Specific Cross Training Workouts:
For the past two years or so I've been cross-training with at home fitness videos I stream on my phone in addition to running. I usually did Tone It Up videos and found they complimented my running workouts perfectly. I continued to do these during my first trimester, but had to make so many modifications, and let's face it, some of the exercises just didn't feel good with my changing pregnant body.

I discovered this company I LOVE, Knocked Up Fitness, and immediately knew these were what I needed to be doing here on out. The creator, Erica Ziel, produced a complete series of video that I stream through my phone and has a trimester specific workout plan to follow. Depending on the day and how I feel, I usually aim to do 2 of her workouts a day, which takes about 30 minutes total. They honestly works me out very well, stretching and strengthening all the areas that pregnancy affects, and does so safely. I had very bad ab separation and a weak pelvic floor after having my first child 7 years ago, so I love that she focuses on these two areas as well, which are super important to me.

Body Glide:
My second semester was a super hot one! Body Glide has really helped a lot because chafing stings so badly!

Compression Socks:
I've gotten a few pretty bad varicose veins in my legs this pregnancy, and many nights, I'll pop on some compression socks while watching TV and often will just wear them to bed too. I've been wearing these Toostsie Brand ones and love how cute they are!

Having a schedule and Knowing My Route:
This is a big one for me. My I have the most energy in the morning and as the day goes on it dwindles. Somehow I can run 3-5 miles in the morning but our after dinner walks take me 20 minutes to make it around the block and I'm literally dragging my feet the whole way! So, I stick to morning runs and it works well for me.

I run the same route literally 95% of the time because it helps me know what ti expect. I run to a nearby park, and then run around the perimeter of the park (1/2 a mile) as many times as I feel like it, until I want to make the 3/4 mile run back to my house to complete my workout. I like this predictability and knowing that I have the bathroom and water fountain at the park and can use them every 1/2 mile if I want to helps me out a ton.

Shoes with Space:
When you run your feet swell. Also, when you are pregnant your feet swell. Add those two together and mix in heat and humidity and my feet don't have much of a fighting chance. This is why I LOVE running in Altras. They are foot shaped, so my swollen feet aren't squeezed into an unnatural and unhappy position while running. I have had zero foot pain, problems, or blisters, while running pregnant in my Altras. They really have done so much for my running in the last year or two. If you're pregnant or have never tried Altras, I always encourage everyone to try them out! My favorites are the Torins.

Listening to My Body and Don't Compare Yourself:
Being pregnant affects everyone so differently. It's so hard not to compare yourself to another pregnant runner in real life or on social media, but it really does us no good. Just like no two bodies are the same, no two pregnancies are the same either. Some people are able to run throughout their entire pregnancy, gain minimal weight, and maintain their pre-pregnancy pace too. Others don't. Most others don't actually, and that's a-okay. Growing a child is a miracle in itself and such an incredible blessing. All we can do is listen to our bodies and our doctors, try to be active when possible, eat fairly healthy, and be good to ourselves.

I am human, so I do weigh myself every morning or feel a little guilty when I've over-indulged a few too many times, but I try to keep a level head and focus on the baby girl I am growing and get to meet in 12 short weeks!

Body Armour Review

My friends at Body Armour recently sent us a case of their sports drinks to try! Being an active family and living in the hot Arizona desert, we LOVE the chance to try some new sports drinks. 

These ones are awesome! I think my favorite was the Strawberry Banana and Brayden's was the Berry. although we both shared every flavor.

As a mom, who is pregnant too, I can appreciate what Body Armour does differently. Their natural drinks are made with more potassium packed electrolytes and even contain coconut water which is super refreshing a hydrating. 

I LOVED being able to refuel after a long run with these, while Brayden loves drinking them while practicing his sports. They are packed with natural flavors, natural sweeteners, and no artificial colors (thank goodness!)

You can find Body Armour nationwide. Locally, in Phoenix, we have picked up new bottles weekly at either Fry's, Safeway, or Target stores. There are even some great coupons here so you can save on your own bottles! 

What is yours and your children's favorite ways to refuel after your activities?

Pink Blush

When Pink Blush Maternity, wanting to send me a dress, I was so excited!! They make the most adorable, highly-coveted, and flattering maternity wear around. I had such a hard timing selecting what dress I wanted (I wanted them ALL!)

I finally chose this navy blue floral number! I thought I could easily dress it down during the day with flip flops and dress it up for date night with wedges and shimmery earrings.

It's the perfect length and has just the right amount of stretch to make it super comfy as my bump grows. I'm 22 weeks along in these pictures and wearing a size small. I would say their clothes run true to size (maternity wise).

Want to win a Pink Blush shopping spree of your very own? Head on over to my Instagram page, where the generous folks at Pink Blush have agreed to let me give away a $75 gift card to one lucky follower! What would you choose if you won?

Thank you so much Pink Blush for making me feel so beautiful!

Running in the First Trimester...What I Learned

Pregnant. One word, eight letters, so life changing! I confirmed I was pregnant about 5 weeks in, but about a week before that I just KNEW I was. I think as runners, we are already pretty in-tune with our bodies and I could just tell. We waited a week to confirm the good news and took a home pregnancy test on Valentine’s Day (immediately after I returned from a 12 mile run, I literally stopped at the drug store on the way home to purchase the test!) When the screen flashed PREGNANT I gasped! And then cried. And then jumped up and down  for a good 5 minutes in my kitchen with my husband.

Later when the news sunk in, I wondered, will I still be able to run? I started running 3 years ago so I didn’t run with my first pregnancy (my son is 6 right now). I had so many questions about how to run and what to expect as a pregnant runner so I wanted to share with you what I have learned (so far).

-Talk to Your Doctor. Talk to your doctor as soon as you get confirmation of your pregnancy. You’ll want their go-ahead to continue your running regime. Exercise is great for the baby and for your metal and physical health and they are usually super supportive about workouts unless your pregnancy is deemed higher-risk or there are other complications.

-Follow other pregnant runners on social media. This was a big one for me! You can find so many others who are going through things as you and seeing other pregnant running moms online can help serve as a great inspiration and motivation. Search popular hashtags like #PregnantRunner #RunningForTwo and #FitPregnancy and follow, comment, and support these other pregnant runners online.

-Go easy on yourself. I can’t emphasize this one enough! You are probably suffering from nausea or extreme fatigue (or both!). Slow down and listen to your body. The best thing I did during these first 12 weeks, was to not worry about distance or pace. I went out and ran for the joy of running and loved (almost) every stride! Some days and weeks you will feel so tired and sick and 3 miles will be a struggle. Its okay to stop and walk. Or take a nap instead. Other weeks, you may even forget you are pregnant because running will feel so good! Embrace those days! Listen to your body.

-Eat often and get something in your belly first thing in the morning. For me, this was vital for squashing my nausea! As soon as I woke up every morning, I’d sip on water, half a cup of coffee, and  eat half a bagel. I’d then work on my computer for about an hour to let that settle before going out for my morning run. It always helped me to have something in my stomach at all times. My doctor recommended eat 5 smaller meals instead of 3 big ones. I think I usually have about 8 smaller meals before the day is done, but that’s another story J

-Plan your running route around bathrooms. Pretty much as soon as the word PREGNANT flashed across that pee stick, by bladder became non-existent. I can usually make it through a shorter distance (4 mile) run without stopping, but after that all bets are off! I have a park bathroom that’s about a mile from my house, so I always try to run routes around that location so that I'm never far from a bathroom.

-Invest in a good supportive sports bra. Your boobs are growing at a rapid weight during early pregnancy and can be really tender. I usually wear tanks with built-in support, but found these weren't supportive enough during the early pregnancy stages, so I would double these up with a sports bra underneath and that seemed to do the trick! If you do find you need to purchase a new sports bra this early on, only buy one or two, because your chest and rib cage will both expand the further you get along.

-Kegels, Squats, and Planks (oh my!). Pregnancy is not the time to slack on your cross training, especially in a few key areas. If you only do one extra move everyday, do kegels, your post-partum self will thank you immensely. Another great exercise to incorporate is deep squats. Stand facing a chair, legs spread shoulder width apart and squat down as far as you can, then squeeze your pelvic floor muscles on the way back up. Core is still king too, even when sporting a baby bump. A strong core will help support your back and help your abs recover faster after your baby is born. All plank variations are an excellent choice to keep your core nice and strong.

-Remember, you are in survival mode. Now is not the time to chase PRs, or sign up for your first ultra marathon. You can still work hard, but most doctors recommend listening to your body and keeping your heart rate under 160 BPM. A good rule of thumb is that if you are winded or your heart rate is racing, chances are your babies is too. Enjoy, appreciate, and embrace your changing body every step of the way and you will have a happy and healthy pregnancy filled with lots of running!

I’ll be back in the Second Trimester talking about what to wear as your body changes, running a half marathon while pregnant, and support bands. Happy Running my pregnant friends!

Amy

@GoFastMommy

Thunderbird Bars Review

I recently had the opportunity to try Thunderbird Bars.  I love whole food natural bars and have one every day either for my morning or afternoon snack (haha yes I have multiple snacks a day, you don't?!).  Anyway, I love bars that contain real food ingredients and so I was very excited to try these Thunderbird Bars.

The company hooked me up! I got to try each of their nine yummy flavors.  They have two main categories of their bars, fruit & nut and nut & seed. I loved the variety of fresh and simple ingredients in these bars.  I also really liked that these weren't too sweet, all the flavors just had the subtle natural sweetness from the fruit flavors.

My favorites were Pineapple Mango Papaya, Cherry Walnut Cinnamon, and Almond Apricot Vanilla. I loved the mixtures of fruits and nuts and appreciated that the nutritional info was in big bold type on each wrapper so I knew exactly what I was eating at a glance.

The consistency of the bars was amazing. Almost like a fruit leather that made them so fun, with the visible nuts and seeds in the bar. I love when I can "see" exactly what I'm consuming.

Not only do Thunderbird Bars make great snacks, but they also make great fuel. I plan on taking a bar or two with my wen I tackle my first trail race next month, the Lake Pleasant 13k!

You can shop Thunderbird Bars online on their easy-to-use website. If you try them, let me know what flavor you like best!

Laces and Leashes

Our little family grew from 2 to 5 about a month ago!!  Not only did Bray and I eagerly welcome Adam and his almost 11 year old yellow lab, Tate, into our house, but we became the proud parents of a new black lab puppy, Ovi!

Peek a Boo Ovi, I see you!

 

I like to tease Adam and tell him that I had been looking for a running partner dog, longer than I had been looking for a boyfriend, but it is entirely true!  The only person to get more excited for some fresh air and outdoor exercise than me would most definitely be a dog!  I had actually looked into volunteering at a local animal adoption center, offering to run with their dogs, until I could get one of my very own!

I got the guy and the puppy.   #winning 

 

Deemed as the “rowdy” puppy of the litter we knew he’d be the perfect addition to our family’s active lifestyle.  Since its still blazing hot outside now, we do our best to give him all the exercise he needs (aka wear him out!) by taking him on a 15 minute walk in the morning and evening.  We finish up every walk, by running a block or two towards home and this little munchkin is FAST!!  His vet said that as soon as he was ready and could keep up, we could continue to add time to his running jaunts.  We are thinking he will be ready for a 5k in about 6 months. 

We LOVE our nightly runs and walks together!

 

Speaking of 5k’s, I am beyond excited that two of my passions, dogs and running, are colliding with the Laces and Leashes Virtual 5k Run this September.  The coolest folks over at Run Eat Tweet are hosting this run and all proceeds are going to benefit the Arizona Humane Society! 

 

Laces and Leashes is a VIRTUAL 5k, which means there is no official location or route. Participants can join from around the globe as one in the effort to help thousands of homeless pets find a home. Why a VIRTUAL race? Since we don’t have any of the costs associated with putting on a traditional race, the entire registration fee goes to the Arizona Humane Society! You also get to pick when and where you’ll run your 5k, and how fast or slow you’ll go.

 

Here is the direct link to register for the Laces and Leashes 5k. I just think this is such a great cause for all the animals out there that are still hoping for their forever family.  So many dogs love and need a ton of exercise, and as runners, we have the means to give dogs the physical activity that they crave and need daily. 

This is the event medal!  Love!!

 

 

You can run this Virtual Race at ANYTIME during the month of September. But why not join a group of like-minded friends if you can?! Come out to OHSO Brewery- Arcadia on September 12th for a 5k Run/Walk. Bring your dog along for the fun! (You MUST be registered for this virtual run in order to attend. Kids run free)

Afterwards, we'll be eating brunch on OHSO's dog-friendly patio, where 20% of sales will go back to Arizona Humane Society! All you have to do is tell them you're with us.  RSVP for the in-person fun on your EVENT PAGE.   There will be tons of giveaways, pups, and new running friends so join us for the #LacesAndLeashes5k group run to help homeless pets in need.

 

Adam ran with sweet, now 11 year old, Mr. Tate for about 7 years, and said that those were some of the best memories he has shared with his best buddy ever.  Simply nothing compares to running with a dog.  I can’t wait to bond with Ovi over daily runs together!!  Hope to see you all at the Laces and Leashes 5k or out on the streets of Phoenix, running with your best 4 legged friends, soon! 

After we run, we nap, of course!