April selling brings May flowers! Winter is just about over and seasonal nurseries are popping up left and right, displaying beautiful flats of flowers and lawn decor. If you’ve been dreaming about cultivating that perfect garden, now is the time to sell those extra items around your house on eBay to earn some money and beautify your backyard. eBay also has its own “garden” of ideas, a page that offers resources to help you pick out gifts, ship smarter and find local deals on items you need. http://garden.ebay.com/

Spring Cleaning: Spring cleaning isn’t on anyone’s short list for a good time, but with warm weather approaching, now is the time to get your home organized and decluttered—and make some money in the process. Instead of wasting your entire weekend holding a garage/yard sale, list all of your stylish winter clothes and toys your kids no longer play with on eBay, allowing you to enjoy your hard earned weekends and make money on your own time. A great way to showcase this is to post a video walking your readers through your closet, so they can see what you’re selling, and what you’re holding on to.

School’s (almost) out for the summer: With the kids in school for only a couple more months, now is the time to start thinking about that family vacation. Whether you’re considering a trip up north to the cottage or a big family vacation at Disneyworld, the time is now to help fund that great family trip. Get the whole family involved! Create a goal chart and encourage the kids to find their outgrown summer clothes and other items to be sold. As you sell, allow the kids to mark the chart and share in the excitement as you get closer and closer to the amount goal!

There is no time like now to start cleaning out so you can use the profits for a great and fun summer!

The Plus Size Mommy

Disclosure – I am an Ambassador/Spokesperson for eBay. This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Ambassador for eBay’s program. I am being compensated for my Ambassadorship. All opinions and idea’s are my own. Visit http://www.ebay.com . Other’s are permitted to have different views/opinions, let me know what your’s are!

I am happy to offer my readers a chance to win a grand prize pack that includes the following products for a special Mother on Mother’s Day :

BombayFashions.com will provide winner with 1 item of their choice, valued under $25, from the 2012 Collection or Bohemian Gypsy Skirt Collection available at

www.bombayfashions.com

About BombayFashions.com
BombayFashions.com is the premier online retailer for affordable fashion accessories and clothing headquartered in Michigan. It is a one-stop online shopping boutique that caters to the fashion needs of women. Since its inception, Indian-inspired jewelry has been the backbone of the company and is the first original jeweler from Bombay. Today, BombayFashions.com offers the largest fashion jewelry collection available online.

The company recently launched its 2012 Collection & Bohemian Gypsy Skirts Collection. The 2012 Collection boasts the seasons’ tribal aesthetic trend, juxtaposing earth tone pieces against metallic hardware. The Bohemian Gypsy Skirt Collection can take a woman from a day by the pool into the evening hour with just a few simple accessory updates. The new items beckon the spring and summer seasons with pastels, neons and colorblocking in unexpected hues. The 2011 Bella Collection & Bella Couture Collection feature a large selection of cuffs, bangles, earrings and necklaces that enliven any occasion.

BombayFashions.com offers on-trend fashion forward accessories and one-of-a-kind pieces at prices everyone can afford. For more information, please check out www.bombayfashions.com

The Bar Method (www.barmethod.com) will provide winner with 1 Pregnancy DVD (valued at $20) and 1 onesie (valued at $17).

About The Bar Method
Burr Leonard is the founder and creator of The Bar Method, a full-body exercise workout that utilizes a ballet bar technique. The method draws from the principles of isometrics, dance conditioning, interval training, and physical therapy. With 19 years of experience in the fitness field, she and her business partner have turned their one Bar Method studio into a franchise operation with 30+ studios and a media company selling exercise DVDs and accessories.

Pirri Elements & Elemental Tools will provide winner with one of each of the products listed below (valued at $88 total).

The Pirri Elements line was inspired by the beauty of the Mediterranean “crystal blue” Sea, pure air, rich soil and fiery volcanoes. Each product consists of Bergamot, an essential oil that comes from a fruit native Calabria, Italy, the hometown of the Pirri brothers. The oil along with other essential and natural ingredients is used to nourish the hair and lock in moisture.

Daily Shampoo: Mediterraneo
o Contains essential ingredients to cleanse the hair while maintaining balance and moisture in all hair types. The product normalizes the hair, scalp and PH balance while keeping the hair looking healthy and shiny. Cost: $20/12oz.

Daily Conditioner: Earth’s Balance
o Restores moisture and smoothes the shaft of the hair while helping to combat humidity and static electricity. The product works to coat the hair and protect it from the damaging effect of heat styling. Cost: $22/12oz

Smooth & Relaxing Serum: Lava Glaze
o Relaxes the hair for a straight style or reduces frizz for a great natural air-dried look. The combination of Aloe Vera along with other essential products, work to eliminate dead ends and protects hair from the damaging effect of blow drying and UV rays. Cost: $24/8oz

Detangler & Leave-In Conditioner: Nature’s Breeze
o Smoothes tangles and mends dry ends while protecting the hair and reducing fly-aways. The product is a must-have before heat styling. Cost: $22/8oz

About Pirri Hair Group
Pirri Hair Group is designed and managed to best capture the essence of European culture. Everyone that enters the salon has their choice of selecting from fashion forward vibrant hair colors and precision hair cuts – always leaving looking their best. The Pirri brothers pay close attention to the current fashion trends to sculpt couture and constantly evolving styles. For a full menu of services and products, please visit: www.pirrihairgroup.com

SwimsuitsForAll.com will provide winner with an exclusive site-wide discount code: “SAVE” (to be provided after selecting winner); winners will receive UP to 50% off site-wide.

About SwimsuitsForAll.com
Taking inspirations from sun, sand, and sea, SwimsuitsForAll.com offers swimwear and related apparel & accessories that work for real women sizes 8 & up. SwimsuitsForAll.com strives to offer quality swimwear that will fit your unique body, style, and budget and fashionably flatter your next escape. SwimsuitsForAll.com is committed to making your online swimsuit shopping experience easy, so you can shop worry-free. In business since 2004, SwimsuitsForAll.com takes pride in its customer service. With toll-free, e-mail, and live support, we help guide you through your shopping process. We offer easy exchange & return policies, express & international shipping, and a low-price guarantee, so your next swimwear purchase will be hassle-free!

As your swimwear oasis, SwimsuitsForAll.com sells swimwear 365 days a year and helps you get into the right swimsuit for your body & taste. Shop confidently with our detailed images, sizing charts, and fit information on each product page. If that’s not enough for you, we offer free consultations where our swimsuit specialists can personally advise you on finding the right swimsuit for your body!

Escape the norm with a dedicated, personal customer service staff and swimwear that offers you coverage & comfort, classy styling, classic fits, and competitive pricing. So whether you’re going to enjoy sun, sand, sea, or pool, flatter your next escape with SwimsuitsForAll.com!

Adesign will provide winner with “The Eye Set” (valued at $45)

The defining and detailing eye set in a travel-friendly pencil case. This set contains the following brush styles: All Over Eye, Eye 2 (basic soft eyeshadow brush), Eye 4 and Eye5.

About adesign brushes
Adesign (adesignbrushes.com) is the consumer brand and product incubator for Anisa International, the leading global designer and manufacturer of makeup artistry tools, founded by Anisa Telwar. The brand was initially established in 2006 by makeup artists for makeup artists, but has expanded to cater to the everyday woman’s needs when it comes to cosmetic tools. The company eventually grew into a community for collaboration with makeup artists and consumers. adesign’s approach to development is a team effort, as the brand engages beauty experts and consumers throughout the process, and the end result is a product that is unparalleled in terms of meeting the needs of the industry. In this way, adesign is constantly innovating and pushing the boundaries of cosmetic tools by introducing new and exciting shapes and textures, making them superior in terms of performance, head shape, function, and design.

With utility and beauty top of mind for all the brand’s inventions, adesign is able to remain ahead of the curve in product creation. The company also owns and operates its own manufacturing plant, allowing a level of control and speed to market that has been largely unrivaled in the cosmetic world. adesign also shows a strong commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices, creating a culture in which new ideas can come to be while maintaining ethical and charitable conditions.

Here are the ways you can win: (one of my readers will win the entire prize pack as listed above).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

The Plus Size Mommy

Disclosure – This giveaway is brought to you from KMR. I am in no way getting compensated for this post or for holding this giveaway.

I have been taking 4X Pro-B for over 5 weeks now. In my previous post I wrote about the process of ordering them from Costco.com (including the cost), Benefits from taking these supplements, and showed the box with all of the Supplement Facts and the comparison chart of 4X Pro-B to another Probiotic.

Today I would like to share my TOP TEN reasons why I like taking them, and why you may like the benefits of taking them as well (These are in no particular order).

• The multiple strains of good beneficial bacteria they contain. They contain 4 strains & also 10 mg of B. infantis.
• They are Natural, this was a huge factor for me in participating in this Social Shopper insight study.
• The packaging, I love the way the caplet’s are placed in an easy to use daily form easy to open blister pack (which, with someone like me with MS is yet another huge plus), so you have less chance of forgetting to take your daily supplement, and it is easy to follow (and you know if you missed a day). And you can be sure just by looking at the package to know you took it for the day. See Photo below:
  
• The ease of shopping on Costco.comwith the bonus of FREE shipping!
• The quick shipping, When I ordered it, it said 3-5 days, well, mine came in 2!! (this might not be the same experience for everyone, but even 3-5 days is quick! For people like me who procrastinate, this is awesome! (See Picture below on my shipping experience):
  

  email confirmation that the product was shipped

  

  package arrives at my home

  

  opened package notice packaging "pillow"

  

  I love the bright green box the supplements come in.

• I love that you get 63 caplets for $21.99 (free shipping) which comes out to a 9 week supply! These are so reasonably priced, that was another HUGE plus for me.(see image below):
  

  showing amount of caplets (63); 9 week supply, and also actual size of the supplements

• It is only 1 caplet per day, and the caplet is released gradually into your body over time. Easier to manage then say eating a yogurt every day.
• They make me feel not so bloated, and more “regular” all week long. A feeling I haven’t had in a while.
• Helps you to not have “digestion congestion”, helps build your immune system, and also helps you not get into bad bacteria overload. Something you can get if say, your taking many antibiotics, or even just by getting older.
• Since the start of taking these, I felt a difference rather quickly (within a month). Having this non congested feeling makes me feel like eating healthier, because I feel so much better. I have been eating more healthier options, such as apples, whole grains, and vegetables. And at the same time, I find myself eating out less, because I almost feel like I don’t want to “gunk” up (with greasy/fatty fast food) my system since it is now feeling so much better and my bowel movements are more regular. It would be like putting old, dirty oil into your car, instead of fresh new oil. Or never getting an oil change. 4X Pro-B is my way of changing the “oil” in my digestion system

Again, here is the link to my online shopping experience on google+   - https://plus.google.com/photos/103798906992046528970/albums/5721875402611814449

Please also join in the conversation by using the hashtag #digestivecare on Twitter  and if you have tried or are currently trying 4X Pro-B from Costco, please share your experience’s with us. Or if you take another Probiotic, please let us know which one it is and how it is working for you.

And of course Costco has a Facebook page, where we are also taking the conversation. Visit it at Costco Facebook. To order yours today just as easily as I was able, go to Costco.com.

We would love to hear your #Digestivecare stories. So please join in!

The Plus Size Mommy

Disclosure- This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias (#CBias). All of my experiences and advice,idea’s, & thoughts are my own. Other’s may differ.

If your like me, you try and eat right. You choose healthy options to eat and cook for your family. Sometime’s even with eating right, you still don’t feel “regular”. Many times even after I eat I feel bloated and just like blah. This especially happens to me after eating pasta or a meal with a lot of Carbs.
I was recently asked to do a product study using Probiotics. So, I figured I would give them a try.

There is a great option that is now available at Costco online. It is called 4X Pro-B Digestive Care Natural Probiotic.
One of the reasons I decided to apply to be involved in this project is because it is a Natural product. 4X Pro-B contains 4 strains of Natural, Beneficial Bacteria with B. Infantis 10mg..

It promotes gastrointestinal health and digestive system balance.

When I started taking these supplements, I at first didn’t see any difference. But now that I have been taking them for a little over a month I totally see a difference. I feel better and I am definitely more “regular”, if you know what I mean I never thought that there was something that could make me feel so much better.

Since the weather has been so nice lately, I have also added a walking routine to my daily schedule. Even if it is a short walk everyday, it also helps me get a little bit more healthy. Me having MS, I cannot walk everyday because my MS sometimes prohibits me.

It was way easy to order using Costco.com and it is only $21.99 for 63 caplets. Then it only takes 3-5 days to ship to my home. I only have to take 1 per day and that is all. I can do everything from my home computer. And BONUS! right now Costco.com is offering FREE shipping on this product!

You can also view my Google+ online shopping experience Here

Have you ever tried Probiotics? Please share your experience with them. Also, if you have tried 4X Pro-B from Costco, please share it with me and also on twitter by using the Hashtag #Digestivecare & #CBias . You can also follow the conversations from other’s who participated in the project through those Hashtags on Twitter as well. Also, if you haven’t tried any Probiotics, would you be willing to try 4X Pro-B? Or do you have any question’s about them? Please also use Twitter to ask. Join in the conversation today!

Here is to a more “regular” you!

The Plus Size Mommy

Disclosure – This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias As with all of my posts all opinions and experiences with this product are my own.

Meningitis is a devastating disease that can be deadly to your newborn baby. It is one of the leading causes of preventable infant death in the United States. 50-60% of these cases are vaccine preventable! The CDC has recently revealed that the disease is 3-7 times higher in infants than any other age group.Approximately 1 in 16 infants will die from this disease.
Please sign the petition for Protect Infants Now (PIN). This petition will let the CDC know that this life saving immunization should be included on the list with the other life saving immunizations scheduled such as Measles, Mumps, and so on.

Please watch this video from Meningitis Angels:

You can also read more information, see pictures, see a fact sheet and see testimonials in this PDF HERE

Please sign the petition to help save babies lives. I have many friends whose infants had meningitus and it is a scary and horrible disease. It puts stressors on the whole family like you wouldn’t believe. To feel so helpless of a parent of an infant who is just laying there so ill, tremendously high fevers, and more is just harrowing.
Many parents aren’t even aware of this disease.

Thank you for your support,

The Plus Size Mommy

Disclosure - I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central and Meningitis Angels. This campaign was made possible in part through support provided by Novartis Vaccines. A small donation to a charity of my choice was made in my name from Mom Central as a thank-you for participating. All opinions in this posting are 100% my own.

Chiming in here just to say Hello and Hoping that everyone has had wonderful holidays and a Happy New Year to all.
I don’t know about some of you but this past yr. and actually the last part of 2010 to me I was just like drifting by. Just basically getting by on my blog to keep it alive and not doing too much. I have had a lot of medical problems and so on.

Anywho… I am now refreshed, feeling better (yay) and off to the drawing board with my blog. I am going to get it revamped and revv’ed back up to where I want it to be.
The past couple weeks while thinking about it, I have made a goal board, so I know what NEW direction I want to go and where I want to be by this time in 2013!

I am planning a couple conference’s to go to this year to get refreshed and get idea’s and also to see all my buddies. After all, I haven’t been to one in quite a while. If you have never been to one, you should try and make a budget allowance for at least one of the smaller one’s just to go and see what they are all about.(My favorite one, I must say is Type A Parent).

I am excited for the plans I have to come for 2012. I have dropped some other community involvement so I can concentrate and be more on board with the one’s I really care about, not that the other’s aren’t good, it is just like anything else in life. Changes are here for me.
I felt like I was spreading myself too thin the last yr. and 1/2 and bogged myself down, not doing well in any community. I have decided in my goal plan that I won’t be doing this anymore.

That the groups I join and the offers I take are one’s that are important, relevant, and I have knowledge of already. I am also excited to be trying out some new products.
I do not have babies anymore, so I am dropping that part of my blogs reviews and such. (My kids are always my babies, but age wise, they aren’t baby babies anymore). I will be focusing on area’s that have been meaningful to me in the first place.

My blog (http://www.theplussizemommy.com) came to be because I have a strong passion (actually part of the vein of my existence) toward making fashion better and more beautiful for the plus size woman (and teens). A woman who is not a size 7 but for woman like me, who want to be fashionably fun, fashionably savvy, and fashionably professional. One where people will look at us and know we too are a meaningful part of society and we want the classic fits, the gorgeous gowns, and just plain jeans and tee’s that fit us like they do a size 5, but made for us gals (or boys,girls,teens) who are plus sized. Clothes made to look like they are meant for us. Clothes that aren’t extremely uncomfortable, because we have to try and fit a size 22 into a 16 just because we want “That Look” (which the only look we get is that of a stuffed cabbage roll).

I created this blog, to make a difference in the fashion industry. To let clothes designers know that WE ARE HERE, and we want the same looks they make for smaller woman for us.

Being Plus Size isn’t anything new. We have been around forever, and we aren’t going away anytime soon.
Many pundits say we should lose weight, that we are unhealthy, that we need to lose our Curvaceousness. But like I heard on The Today Show‘s Dr. Nancy Snyderman yesterday, “I think we will have a chance for an Anti-Cancer vaccine sooner then curing the obesity epidemic”.(time – 2:25)

I have been battling weight loss for 25 out of my 37 years on this planet. I have tried everything under the sun. I have wanted to lose weight so badly that I underwent life threatening surgery (gastric bypass) over 10 years ago , with the mentality that if I am going to die being obese,I rather die trying not to be. And STILL didn’t lose weight, even after following all that I was told to follow. I have exercised, dieted, counted calories, and so on and to no avail, here I am 37 years young, and still obese.

It is funny because through this past year and half I have been diagnosed with MS and in a severe depression. I have been on so many med.’s (42 a day, at the height of it all) that I have felt like I am so doped up I physically and mentally cannot function.

Now do tell, how can someone on 42 medication’s a day (none of which were due to my weight, I remind you), where many/most of them say “may cause dizziness, drowsiness, etc.” how in the world can I be able to exercise? How can I even think to eat right?
And through all of this, my Doctors (all of them) say I am basically a really healthy person (minus depression,MS, and Obesity).

I have undergone heart tests, sleep apnea testing, MRI’s, CT Scans, pulmonary testing, have had ALL of the chemicals and vitamins checked in my body, have been tested for diabetes, have had my cholesterol & thyroid checked, and blood pressure, and they ALL tell me, I am basically a healthy person, cause ALL of these tests come back clean? HOW IS THIS? Seriously?

I am all about eating right, I have a small piece of meat, the size of the middle of my palm (as the dietitians tell me is a great guideline), I love fruits and vegetables, and I try not to have but a tablespoonful(or so) of starch. I am all about doing physical activity. I love to walk, swim, dance, hike, and more.

I truly truly in my heart believe that it isn’t a choice to be fat (just like it isn’t a choice to be Black, Too Skinny, Gay, a Woman, a Man, White, Asian, a Twin, have Cancer, be born unable to reproduce or anything else under the sun).
Do you really really think I would want to be ridiculed, teased, bullied, belittled, depressed, and so on all my life? Hell No!
But alas, as much as I would love to be that size 7, 12, 16, hell even a 22! I am not, I am just me.

What I am is a married mother of 4, who cares about so many people that they will never even ever know, I am loved, I am lovable, I am fun, I love food, I love to shop, and I CARE ABOUT AND WANT TO LOOK GOOD in the skin I am in! Is this too much to ask?
(And I am sure, you don’t want me running around naked)

I am tired of wasting my life, battling this and want to start living! I have just read one of my good friends Cecily’s blog posts and she seems to be with me on this in some ways, you may want to read her blog post as well – Body Acceptance to see her point of view on being fat.

So, as I am about to embark on some changes, there will be categories I will no longer be writing about, less reviews, more stories, still writing about things I love and my family love to eat, where we like to go, what we like to do, but the main focus on this blog will still and always be about a Fashionable fun Mommy, who loves to eat, spend time with my friends and enjoys great things, because that is what being a Plus Size Mommy is all about.

Peace Throughout The New Year and Beyond!

***Beth*** AKA The Plus Size Mommy

In this hot summer heat we have been having My family and I have been looking for a way to Jazz up plain old water to help us stay hydrated. Plain water is wonderful, but it is nice to have a zing to it once in a while, and kids especially want a drink that taste’s good.

Soda prices have been soaring where I live to $7 for a 24 pack. Plus Soda doesn’t keep you from being thirsty. And even bottled water can get expensive, and then to make it taste better my kids always want those packets of dry flavor mix to add to them, which can make it even more expensive. And since I am so used to drinking bottled water, I am spoiled and now tap water tastes horrible plain.

So we have been looking for an inexpensive way, and easier way to get flavored water. Many I have tried in the past taste great but they are $1 or more per bottle, and for a family of 6, that adds up quick. (By the time I am done buying 6 bottles of the water for $6, I could have bought a 24 pack of $7 Soda!

I was recently asked to try a new flavored water called Clear American. You can find it in Walmart, and it is sooooo inexpensive. That makes me so happy. And it has 0 ZERO sugars, 0 ZERO Calories, 0 ZERO Caffeine, and 0 ZERO Sodium.

Here is a ThisMoment story on my shop I did at my local Walmart. And wait, JUST WAIT til you see the prices!

The next part of my mission was to find people to Pay It Forward to and give them a bottle of the Clear American water to try for themselves. I have a video that I am still working on editing, but will be posting that part of my mission soon, so please check back.

There are currently 18 flavors of Clear American water! You can check out all of the flavors and also see what other’s are saying about Clear American Water, get some awesome recipes, and more by visiting: www.clearamerican.com

You can also find Clear American on Facebook and Twitter!

I would love if you could to visit your local Walmart and try some new flavors of Clear American Water today! If you do, please come back and share your thoughts and idea’s. And also, please share them on Twitter using the #ClearAmerican hashtag!

Drink up and Refresh!!!

The Plus Size Mommy

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias, which is a vendor for Cott Beverages Inc., the manufacturer of Clear American^® brand beverages. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Entertainment Industry Foundation Ambassador, author and television personality Rachael Ray is lending her support to a new public service campaign aimed at ending hunger for the more than six million Americans over the age of 50 who struggle to put food on the table every day. The new campaign supports Drive to End Hunger, AARP and AARP Foundation’s nationwide effort to end hunger among older Americans by calling on people of all ages to donate time, money or food to local hunger relief organizations.

“Many older Americans are trying to make ends meet by eating cheaper, less healthy foods or skipping meals altogether,” Rachael said. “The issue of hunger in America is very important to me. This is a problem we can solve if we all work together.  But we have to start now.”

The PSA campaign will run in print and on broadcast outlets, as well as in out-of-home placements, for the next 12 months. Ray is a longtime anti-hunger advocate, who, through her foundation The Yum-O! organization, empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking by teaching families to cook, feeding hungry kids and funding cooking education and scholarships.

“We are so pleased to collaborate with Rachael, who has worked tirelessly in recent years to raise awareness of the problem of hunger in this country and how we can all be part of the solution,” said AARP Foundation President Jo Ann Jenkins, who spearheads the Drive to End Hunger initiative. “She is helping us shine a spotlight on older Americans, who often struggle silently with hunger and are forced to make the devastating choice between food and other basic needs, like housing or medications.”

For more information on the PSA campaign, visit www.DriveToEndHunger.org.

About EIF
The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), as a leading charitable organization of the entertainment industry, has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support charitable initiatives addressing critical health, education and social issues. Visit www.eifoundation.org.

SHARED BY : The Plus Size Mommy

When you take a shower or a bath you not only want to feel comfortable & relaxed, smell really good, and get really clean. Well, I have been sent a wonderful new product that I truly have fell in love with. It is called Spongeables, and they do and make me feel all of the above. They are sponges that are pre-filled with shower gel that has the most lathery and smelling awesome fragrances! They do have a usage life, since sponges can hold in icky stuff, but on the package they have a recommendation for how many uses you can get out of each type of spongeables they sell.

If your a traveler, you know that you cannot take a full size bottle of shower gel with you on the plane, Spongeables has an answer for that. They have travel size’s that can give you 3 washes each. No soap spilling all over your clothes, no using hotel soap which sometimes isn’t the greatest smelling, and they are so compact that throwing a couple into your luggage is simple (and they also sell a travel case)

If your a child or parent of one or a few, Spongeables makes fun shaped sponges such as , duckies , holiday shapes for stocking stuffers or to give as a present. And they are in perfect sizes for a child’s hand. (Warning – they are not tear free so I do not recommend for young children who may get it in their eyes, they are for children 3+)

For the MAN in your life – Give them SHOWER POWER , A pair of 20+ Use Spongeables for Men, chockful of healthy skin protection, with easy-on-the-skin glycerin cleanser, invigorating aroma, and zesty exfoliating/massage texture. Everything needed for clean, healthy skin – just add water.

Have a Dog ? – Get a Dog’s Best Friend pack. A new shampoo & conditioner infused Haute Dog 6+ Use Bath Buffer is the easiest way to wash the family pet. With natural pH balanced shampoo for a clean, shiny coat; Aloe Vera for healthy skin, and Tea Tree Oil to prevent hot spots and skin irritations. Haute Dog is easy to control, keeps suds out of Fido’s eyes, and eliminates spills, splashing and stressed out pooches. Just one buffer replaces shampoos, rinses, conditioners and skin treatments for the fastest, easiest way to a clean and happy best friend. Sold as a 2 pack.

And finally, for the most deserving woman in your life – They have Shower of Roses , Gift Basket Assortments, Triple Charm, and so many others to choose from.

They get so nice and lathery, they smell soooooo good, and they feel wonderfully soft while you wash, and they make taking a shower or bath so much fun and relaxing.  I was sent the Spongeables Lavender Nectar to do my review on, and it was so nice, made me feel so silky smooth and has a wonderful smell. It also has a scrubber on the one side of the sponge to lightly exfoliating to soft, buffed with a healthy glow skin. 

My opinion is that this would make great gift’s for any occasion, I know I would LOVE a gift basket of Spongeables. I just love them THAT much.

Here is where you can buy Spongeables = Spongeables

You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter and if you “Like” and Follow them, you will get the news of new products, press, and online-store coupons & discounts.

These are made in USA and retail from $6.99 to about $49.99 and you can also buy gift certificates online too.

Here’s to a Squeaky and Refreshingly Clean YOU!

The Plus Size Mommy

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

It’s summertime and the sweating comes easy for children.  Whether they are enjoying a pickup game of basketball or competing at a sports camp, how does a parent know the appropriate amount of liquid refreshment to offer?

Part of the mystery lies in whether the child’s body produces a lot of salt while engaged in a difficult workout.

Staying hydrated and avoiding heat illness are two areas Dr. Brendon McDermott at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga understands, and he is often asked about his research in this area.  McDermott, Assistant Professor, Clinical Coordinator for Graduate Athletic Training Program and Co-Director of the Applied Physiology Laboratory has one overarching goal: to prevent heat related deaths, particularly in athletes.

One of McDermott’s current studies focuses on student athletes who cramp during intense movement, creating an extra layer of exercise performance frustration.  There are two prevailing theories about the cause of cramps.  Some researchers believe those who produce higher amounts of salt when they sweat harbor an electrolyte imbalance which initiates a cramp, while others blame neuromuscular fatigue.   By measuring the sweat and salt outputs of students who cramp compared to a control group who doesn’t, with common factors like age, weight, and similar levels of activity, McDermott hopes to unravel this painful mystery.

Even if your child has not complained of cramping while exercising, there are some tips to keep in mind.  Hydration guidelines have evolved for the average person, but who exactly is the average person?  Each body reacts differently and replenishment needs depend upon the individual, according to McDermott.

“Sweat rate is very simple to calculate:  weigh yourself before exercise, with as little clothing as possible; exercise for a half an hour and don’t drink or use the bathroom for that half hour; weigh yourself again, wearing the same amount of clothing to see how much you’ve lost,” McDermott said.

To get a true picture of sweat rate, this test should be done in the cold, in the heat, at different intensities of exercise.  It will then be easier to gauge whether your child is a heavy or light sweater.

If that sounds like a lot of work there’s a quicker way to assess hydration needs, and it’s focused on the delicate matter of, ahem, passing a different kind of water.

“You can monitor your urine color.  It should have a light yellow tinge to it.  Lemonade is much better than apple juice.  And if you’re delving into the iced tea realm, it’s time to drink. It’s normal to have darker urine in the morning,” McDermott said.  “As for frequency, some people are camels, other people urinate frequently.”

McDermott explains body size is not the main factor in sweat production. During his training for an Olympic marathon, accurate measurements showed Alberto Salazar lost nearly 10 pounds of water an hour.  He only weighed 145 pounds.

“When you’re talking about a football lineman who loses 10 pounds of water, that may not be so bad, but for someone who is 145 pounds, that’s a huge percentage,” McDermott said.  “If someone is losing 10 pounds of water per hour and they are told to replenish with 16 ounces of water, that’s one pound, and one-tenth of what you are losing in an hour—that’s insufficient.”

Similarly, young children at sports camps, especially those who wear heavy pads for long periods of time, can be at risk.  Water is not enough to replenish what some athletes lose in sodium and calories, so many reach for full strength sports drinks.

It’s important for everyone to be well hydrated before exercise begins, but too much water could lead to hyponatremia.

“In the most severe case of hyponatremia, those who have taken the advice to drink as much as they can tolerate during a marathon, they drink at every rest stop, and there have been cases where people have gained up to twelve pounds after running a marathon in order to avoid dehydration,” McDermott said.

Finally, drinking when you feel parched is not a good way to gauge hydration needs, because the thirst mechanism does not kick in until a person is two percent dehydrated.

“It’s okay if you are a healthy person who is used to working out in the summertime—it’s a great way to prevent hyponatremia,” McDermott advised.  “But if you are a competitive athlete, you’d be behind the game and trying to play catch up.  Think again about those like Alberto Salazar.  If they drink to thirst, they’re two percent behind plus they must replace ten pounds an hour.”

In addition to his responsibilities at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Dr. Brendon McDermott serves on the medical and science advisory board of the Korey Stringer Institute, founded by Kelci Stringer to “minimize sudden death in sport for any reason, beginning with exertional heat stroke.”  Kelci’s husband Korey Stringer, a Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman, died from exertional heat stroke in 2001.

Hydration tips
1.      Those involved with physical activity should assess their personal sweat rate
2.      The goal is to replace what is lost (no more, no less)
3.      Activity longer than one hour most likely requires fluids, electrolytes, and carbohydrates in liquid or solid food forms
4.      Exercisers should begin exercise well hydrated
5.      Fluids should be readily accessible during activity
6.      Following activity, it is important to rehydrate as soon as possible (within 30 minutes)
7.      Cool temperature rehydration fluids encourage fluid consumption in the heat
8.      Monitor hydration status by checking urine production and color

Shared By: The Plus Size Mommy