Tag Archives: eat for health

A Day in the Life – healthy choices

Posted on August 24 by Jillian416 • 2 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BalanceRewards #CollectiveBias

It can be really hard to get motivated to workout, eat healthy or get enough steps in each day. I am constantly looking for new and fun ways to keep myself motivated. A huge motivator for me has always been rewards, I love rewarding myself and I love being rewarded via contests or competitions. I just love the thrill of competing! Today I’ve found a new way to keep myself motivated, and I’m VERY excited to share it with you!!

If you’ve ever shopped at Walgreens you know their customer loyalty program is called Balance Rewards. With Balance Rewards you earn points for everyday purchases you make, as well as setting up some prescriptions for auto-refill, getting certain immunizations and NOW for setting goals, taking steps, losing weight, maintaining your weight and taking your measurements, through their healthy choices program.

THIS. IS. HUGE.

Walgreens Balance Rewards work up to be essentially free items. Those points that you earn eventually turn into rewards that can be used to purchase items. That means that when you walk, weigh-in or track some of the other items in Walgreens healthy choices program, you’re earning points that will eventually be used for stuff you need. So awesome!!

My Day in the Life with healthy choices

The moment I heard about this app, I downloaded it and began using it. The first thing I did was set up some goals, I went with basic ones, like hitting 10,000 steps a day and losing 25 lbs within 3 months. I wanted to make sure my goals were achievable and fun to meet. Your options for goals are limitless, so no matter what you’re trying to achieve you can work towards it with the help of the healthy choices program.

Every morning I open the app, enter my weight (and earn my points), enter the hours that I slept the previous night (you do not earn points for entering your sleep) and then head to make my coffee.

While at work, I try to ensure that I’m getting up from my desk every hour to hour and a half to take a quick walk around the building. My steps add up quickly, which all get entered into the Walgreens app at the end of the day, to earn more points!! I love it, I’m constantly looking for new ways to get my steps in. So, I’ll march while I’m folding laundry or while Emmett is playing in his sand box, I’ll take laps around our yard, anything to add them up!

However, in addition to my walking, I’m also doing a PiYO workout. I’m loving it, but some of the moves are pretty intense and require you to bend or move into positions that my body is not quite ready for. So what did I do? I went to Walgreens and got myself a yoga block. Yep! Walgreens sure does carry these, and it was super affordable, too. In fact, I don’t know if you’re aware, but Walgreens has an entire section dedicated to diet & nutrition.

Since I’ve been doing my PiYO with the yoga block, I’m able to get into deeper stretches and put myself into positions, I couldn’t get to before. My posture is better, and my form and alignment are getting more and more accurate. I love the way I feel! I feel like I’m doing so much good for my body.

And, you guessed it! I add my PiYO workout into my Walgreens Balance Rewards app and earn even more rewards that will go towards stuff I need around the house. My workouts are going to save us money!! How can I say no to that??

One last thing I want to mention, and for me, it’s a big one! You can link your RunKeeper account with the healthy choices program. That means, that any workout you complete with RunKeeper is then communicated with Walgreens earning you more points.

So here’s my recommendation: Work to get healthy, eat better, exercise hard, and download the Walgreens app and sign-up for the healthy choices program. I’m pretty sure earning points towards items you need is enough motivation to get you up and out the door, or up and on the treadmill. Do it! Go now! 🙂

Your turn!!

What are your favorite ways to get yourself motivated to workout?

When you download the Walgreens app, please share how much you LOVE it, in the comments below!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BalanceRewards #CollectiveBias Thank you for helping to support my family.

Filed Under: All About Me, Food & Fitness, Reviews

A Trip to Rochester and Other Friday Happenings

Posted on July 19 by Jillian416 • 0 Comments

TGIF!

Am I right?

I really can’t complain, it’s been a pretty awesome week but I’m perpetually happy for Fridays and weekends with my family. Today started out bright and early because I needed to head out to Rochester for work. My company has offices across New York State, and today I provided some training to staff in our Rochester office.

I never mind my Rochester trips because I always get to see people I don’t see often enough, being in a new place (even if I’ve been there before) is always fun and their cafeteria is amazeballs! They have loads of options but not all of them healthy, however their salad bar is to die for. Don’t believe me, see below…

I think my favorite part about it is the different colored tongs, they each mean something different. Green means to eat liberally, yellow says that you can enjoy that option moderately and red is to use sparingly. I realize that most people can probably go to a salad bar and know which options fall into which category without color coded tongs but, now everyone can! As tempting as the sandwich bar was, I stuck with the salad bar and ended up with an absolutely delicious mix.

I filled my plate with romaine lettuce, baby spinach, shredded carrots, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, grilled chicken, black olives, raw sunflower seeds and a sprinkle of bleu cheese, for dressing I used olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Om nom nom!

My training went really well, which made me happy. As I was walking out of the computer room I noticed what an amazing view this building has, check it out.

That’s the Genesee River!

It’s probably a good thing I’m not based in Rochester or I’d be distracted by this view daily.

We don’t yet have a Trader Joe’s in Buffalo, so about once a month we try to make a trip. Since I was already out that way I decided to make a quick trip on the way home and grab some of our favorites, I sadly forgot to take pictures of any of my purchases. Sure I could pull it all back out but I just don’t have it in my tonight, sorry! Suffice to say, I had a full cart and now we have a full fridge and freezer.

After my stop to Trader Joe’s I snagged up Emmett from day care and we were on our way home. So. Much. Driving!

Once home, Seamus made us an extra yummy dinner with another one of my farmer’s market finds.

The noodles are from a little locally owned business called The Pasta Peddler, his pasta is drool-worthy! I’m embarrassed to admit this but I never realized that pasta could come flavored, I always just assumed it was plain or whole-wheat, but The Pasta Peddler has so many different flavors. In the picture you see garlic and herb and I would definitely recommend them to anyone! If you’re in or around the Buffalo area or want to have some shipped to you, I recommend you do so.