Sassy Girl Stamp of Approval for KIND snacks + Giveaway

We all know that the market is flooded with options categorized as “healthy” snacks but, when you look closely at the ingredients in most of them, you find that they aren’t really so “healthy” after all. It’s important to know exactly what you are putting in to your body and, to do that, you need to educate yourself on the products you choose to consume.

I was really intrigued when I found the KIND product line because all the ingredients were very simple. Their snacks are made from all-natural whole nuts, fruits and whole grains. There were no “secret” ingredients and absolutely nothing artificial. Generally, when I find a product like this they end up tasting horrible (sorry, but it’s true!!) but the reviews on the KIND products were all very glowing.

I first tried their line of regular snack bars that include: Nuts & Spices and Fruit & Nut and their Plus lines. . There are many flavors to choose from (some with some very unique combinations)

·      Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt

·      Caramel Almond & Sea Salt

·      Maple Glazed Pecan & Sea Salt

·      Pomegranate Blueberry Pistachio (plus Antioxidants)

·      Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan

·      Blueberry Pecan (plus Fiber)

·      Dark Chocolate Mocha Almond

·      Dark Chocolate Chili Almond

·      Madagascar Vanilla Almond

·      Almonds & Apricots in Yogurt

·      Apple Cinnamon & Pecan

·      Peanut Butter & Strawberry

·      Cashew & Ginger Spice

Intrigued?? (Yeah . . . I was too) I was happily surprised to find that, not only did the bars work wonderfully to curb my appetite, they tasted great as well. The combination of honey and spices were so wonderful, I felt like I was having dessert every time I snacked on a bar. My favorite was the Caramel Almond & Sea Salt, which is a new addition to the Nuts & Spices line and has just 5g of sugar. I was surprised at how fast the box dwindled away until I found out that my husband was stealing them from me! (Yeah . . . they were that good!)

Next, I tried the “Strong & Kind Line” of bars. Like the regular bars they are made of 100% whole ingredients but they have a little extra “kick” to them. Again, they keep the list of ingredients simple: almonds, pumpkin and hemp seeds, pea crisps and spices. Each bar has 22% (10g) protein and they make sure to get all nine essential amino acids in there with a combination of legumes, nuts and seeds. Normally one of my favorite things to snack on is almonds but I found that these bars actually have 42% less fat per serving than my almonds do!

I love their website www.kindsnacks.com because they have a “Spice Meter Match” for the Strong & Kind line of bars. You can get a visual of just how “bold” the flavor on each bar is. Flavors range from Roasted Jalapeno, Honey Mustard and Honey Smoked Barbeque to Thai Sweet Chili and the delicious Hickory Smoked flavor.

I found that I loved most all of the flavors and these bars are truly a delicious way of getting your body essential nutrients like fiber, protein and antioxidants (just to name a few!)

You can check them out at www.facebook.com/KINDsnacks , twitter@KINDsnacks, Instagram.com/kindsnacks and even Pinterest.com/kindsnacks.

This company is really worth checking out! They started in 2004 with just 8 bar varieties and they have already grown to over 22 bars and 6 Healthy Grains snackable clusters. There is a reason this company keeps growing! In addition to their products, KIND’s mission is to make the world a little kinder, one kind act and snack at a time. Who can’t get behind that mission?

Try it KIND SNACKS for Free

One Sassygirl reader will win a weeks supply (7 bars).

Click here to ENTER

Don't have Facebook? No worries! Just send an email to be entered to win. Make sure to include your name and the best way to reach you. Also, put RAFFLE in the subject line.

Make sure to follow KIND  Twitter , Instagram, Pinterest

Disclaimer: I received KIND snacks for product review. I was not compensated for this post nor was I required to write a positive review. All opinions are Sassy Girl Fitness' own.

If you would like Sassy Girl to review and endorse your product contact us here

4 Ways to Deal with Annoying People

Annoying people are everywhere, but there’s one you can’t get away from – the co-worker from hell. She’s condescending, confrontational and makes your blood boil. But if you want to thrive at work, dealing with difficult co-workers can be part of the deal.

There’s no escaping the people you spend days/hours with, unless you’re willing to change jobs (or try to sabotage theirs). And conflicts at work are unhealthy to your body as well as your career.

No relationship is perfect, and at some point you're going to have a confrontation with a co-worker, neighbor or someone you love. Disagreements can be a way to respectfully voice your opinion and carefully consider the other person's thoughts – or they can be an all-out, name-calling fiasco.

I'm going through this now. I can tell you that exercise is more important to me now. Here are 4 helpful ways to deal with tricky people and provide you with a calm and clear mind.

1.Aerobics

Any activity that gets your heart pumping (aerobic exercise) will get those endorphins flowing and relieve stress. Though you should check with your doctor before embarking on any exercise program, walking is usually safe for anyone.

Try to get your heart going a little faster for at least 15 minutes a day. Even a few minutes here and there of brisk walking can provide stress relief and improve your overall health.

2.Strengthening Exercises

Though not generally as effective as aerobics for relieving stress, many people find that getting into a strengthening exercise program does relieve stress.

Strength exercises are also important to prevent injury during aerobic exercise by strengthening the muscles that support your joints. A toned body has as much impact on mental wellness as physical wellness.

3.Stretching Exercises

Stretching exercises stimulate receptors in the nervous system that decrease the production of stress hormones. Stretching exercises also relax tight, tense muscles and increase blood flow to the muscles.

4.Mind-Body Exercises

Yoga exercises involve the body, mind and spirit. Yoga poses improve flexibility and strength and incorporate breathing techniques that aid in relaxation and general wellness.

Stress relief exercises that don't involve movement but involve both mind and body include meditation exercises and deep breathing exercises - both have been shown to reduce blood pressure.

Hope you can connect with one of these healthy ways to DE stress!

Does A Dog Belong In A Fitness Class That Is Not Geared For Dogs?

I personally love all the weird little idiosyncrasies that people have....and we all have them. If I do something stupid or funny at the gym and people laugh at me, I'd probably laugh right along with them. The only time I get judgy about what other people do is when they are being mean or inconsiderate to others. I actually admire the people who are so into their workout that they just don't give a damn about what anyone else thinks or if they make a funny face or a weird noise. I wish I could be less self conscious and more like them. But I think it's ok to talk about the funny things that people do, because we all do them. Which leads me to today's post.

This past weekend I was teaching a private session at an upscale studio in NYC. About 5 minutes before our appointment start time in walks my scheduled client, a woman and her dog. I was shocked! Who brings a dog to a fitness class? Don't misunderstand me, I LOVE animals! It's no secret that partnering with a reliable workout buddy can be a great way to keep yourself motivated and dedicated to your fitness routine. And your own dog may just be the most loyal and eager fitness pal you'll ever find. But this was weird. She was polite and asked the owner of the studio if it was ok. The owner's face was priceless. I don't think she has ever ran into that "problem," so not knowing what to say, she said "yes." She then tried to babysit the pooch while I trained the woman. Needless to say we only had a 40 minute session. She used her pup as a reason she couldn't workout for an hour. She pulled that line before we even started!

For obvious reasons I would not bring my pet to a private session unless the fitness class is specifically designed for the student and Fido to attend together. I'm curious, what are your thoughts on the subject?