Raw Revolution Bars

"Raw, living foods are clean, and have higher nutrient content than cooked food. Processed foods such as protein isolates and grain based fillers are acidic and cause fermentation in the body. Raw Organic foods are closest to their natural state, bringing us closer to healing ourselves and the global ecology."-

RawRevolution Bars kindly sent us some samples.   Responses varied depending on the flavor and the consumer.

"I ate mine before a run and it seemed to work and give a little boost of energy.  I like the small size and thought they tasted ok" - Meghan

“I liked the simple ingredients and found a great energy boost pre or post run with enough protein to prevent a sugar crash.” –Joyce

“I really like the taste of the snacks, not too sweet.  I didn’t notice if they gave me any extra energy eaten post workout.” - Michelle

Two Sole Sisters weren't so sure:

Melaney tasted it, but it took her back to having to be on a special diet and she opted out.    Lora found the Spirulina Dream bar tasty, but with a funky color. 

Erica put it well.  “Don’t be deceived by looks. Although this little bar of energy looks disgusting, it actually tasted pretty good and was a lot of calories packed in a little bar. I love that it's organic & would definitely consider buying these for long distance training.”

Overall, Sole Sisters thought they were a winner.   If you are put off by the color or texture, give it a chance, the flavor is good and they can add a raw burst of energy to your day.


The Story of how RawRev bars got started is inspiring to us, as well! We applaud her for her determination to make food (and life!) better for her son!

"As a Registered Nurse and Natural Foods Chef I’ve developed a passion for preparing and eating raw foods. When I made raw snacks for my son as an alternative to high sugar processed snacks, friends also loved the taste and suggested selling them. That seemed impossible. As a single mother of an active two year-old, working full time, how would I start a business? Well, I found time to develop the Brownie, tested them out and got great response. Even the average person, not just a health food nut, loved the taste.!"

Thankfulness: A Review and Giveaway

The Sole Sisters are Thankful for: RUNNING SOCKS!!!!!

We were sent a box of Sof Sole anti-friction socks and, without exception, we love them!

I agree with the others here, they are the only socks I reach for in my drawer and I will be giving them as Christmas gifts this year.  They are incredibly soft, even after multiple washings.   The first time I wore them I ran almost 5 miles (4.98 errrrr so close!) a new distance for me-what was even better? Not one hot spot on my toes! 

Other comments:

 “Comfy fit, breathable and cushion in the perfect spot.” -Megan

“Love the socks! They make my feet feel good.  Too bad I can’t wear them in my dress shoes!”-Michelle

“I have been wearing Sof Sole socks instead of my regular casual socks whenever possible.  So comfortable!  They are great for running, too!  Light cushion and no rubbing.” –Joyce

“These socks are amazingly soft and comfy!  The price point is terrifc for the amount of cushion and support offered.  They come in fun colors and have become the first socks I grab.” -Erica

“These socks are super comfy to run in and priced really well.  I have more expensive running socks but SofSole are just as nice to run in” –Melaney  

To Sof Sole, We love you!  -Sole Sisters

AND- we have a 3-pack to giveaway, just to share the love! We hope your feet will be as thankful as our own! The Anti-Friction, Low Cut sock features:

• Mesh vent for airflow
• Fitted heel pocket
• Seamless toe
• Patented anti-friction ribs enhance stability

Want to enter the giveaway? Just enter a separate comment below for any of the following:

1. "Like" Sole Sisters on Facebook
2. "Follow" our Blog! 
3. Share this Blog post on FB (Please send us the link so we can check it out!)
4. "Like" Sof Sole on Facebook
5. Tell us what you're thankful for!

Contest ends Friday at 10pm. 

NUUN: A review

Three of our Sole Sisters were given the chance to review NUUN!

Rebecca:

I gave my Tri-Berry Nuun a test drive on a 7-mile long run. I almost always bring along some sort of nutrition for long runs in addition to my water.  The tube of Nuun just fit in my Amphipod handheld water bottle pouch along with my key, so that was convenient, especially if it were to be a longer run when I’d need additional tabs for extra hydration/nutrition. The bottle indicates one tab per 16 oz. of water; however, I thought a full tab tasted fine in my 12 oz. bottle. The tabs do have an indented line down the middle that makes it easy to break in half if a full tab is too much for your size water bottle or you want to share with a running buddy.

I added the tab to my water bottle at the halfway point in my run…easy and convenient; working a lot like Alka-seltzer, and it was ready to drink quickly.  I liked the idea that it gave me a little extra boost and some tasty hydration for only 6 calories compared to the nutrition I often take. Honestly though, I don’t love the aftertaste of artificial sweeteners and it made me a little burp-y during the last half of my run because of the slight carbonation. I did feel good after my run. It didn’t bother my stomach after my run like many other products I’ve consumed on long runs.

Angela:
I've always been fond of water for hydrating, but I thought, "what if I could MORE out of my water?" So I tried a sample of Citrus Fruit Nuun.
The first time I tried it was after a cool evening run. The best thing about it is it comes in tablet form--no packets to rip open and spill! I dropped a tablet in my Nalgene and "plop plop fizz fizz..." 2 minutes later, I had my fizzy water. I don't run far so I don't carry water with me. When I get home, I hydrate like crazy, so naturally I chugged the whole 16oz. The taste was great, however the fizz didn't really sit well with my tummy. I was burping like crazy and actually had some mild reflux.
The next tablet I tried BEFORE my run. Again, nice taste, but I still wasn't too keen on the fizz. Did a lot of burping while running, which wasn't pleasant.
Third time's a charm, right? Hydration while running! I went for a bit of a longer run (which for me is about 3 miles) so I brought a bottle of Nuun with me. I found out fizzy water does not taste great while running.
I even offered it to my kids because lately they've been drinking less water (something I take full responsibility for since I serve their meals), but they decided the fizz wasn't for them either.
I don't doubt that Nuun is great at helping a body hydrate. "Nuun’s special formulation of electrolytes helps increase the amount of water that’s absorbed into the blood stream." Since I don't drink liquids as often as I should (somehow I can't find the time to sit down with a glass of water or milk or anything unless I'm having a meal) I think Nuun would actually be good for me. Just not while I'm exercising! The price is pretty reasonable for a hydration product as well.

Lora:
I love it in the evening with some fruit while watching a show. It has the right amount of bubbly and not too much flavor. (I don't like super flavorful juice drinks, sometimes I water mine down. If you like a burst of flavor, you'd probably want to use less water. I would buy it for the winter during cold season and the summer to stay hydrated in the heat. I wouldn’t want to drink it while running, but I enjoyed it almost any other time. I will definitely purchase this for myself again.

To see a list of products and nutritional information, visit NUUN's Website

Past the slump

It had been quite a while since I ran more than 2 miles. 2.4 last month, and I walked a third of that too. 2.2 was the last distance I ran without any stopping, and that was 3 weeks ago. Yep. I was in a slump. An I-can't-go-any-farther-2-mile-slump. My goal since April has been to work my way to running 3 miles about 3 times a week. So why couldn't I get myself to go any farther? I needed help. So I turned to, you guessed it, my fellow Sole Sisters!

They had all sorts of great suggestions! More cross-training. Changing my route so I don't mentally quit when I hit familiar landmarks. Run with friends. Cheer myself on. Throw in some sprints for fun. Plus lots of encouragement that it's not just me, it's just hard to increase your mileage!

So tonight, I mapped a new 2.5 mile route (using mapmyrun.com!), met up with 2 Sole Sisters, and ran more than 2 miles! Grand total? 2.61 miles, at a slow but satisfying 12:47 minute/mile pace! We stopped briefly at the water fountain at our turn-around point, and the ladies helped me through my usual my-shoes-are-filled-with-concrete moment from about mile 1.5-1.8, and we did it! So much fun to run with good friends and smash through imagined barriers!

Here we are after our run! What a great night!