CalNaturale Svelte Review (It's Protein!)

Anyone who knows me knows that i'm borderline Vegetarian. Not because of any health reasons or beliefs, but because I just simply do not enjoy chicken and other meat sources. I love carbs like pasta and rice and would chose either of those over a steak any day. 

Another way many people make sure they get enough protein in their diet is by drinking protein shakes. I absolutely hate the idea of a protein shake; it is mostly the consistency of the actual shake that gets me. If I can move past that, I start to notice the smell and that alone is gag worthy. Again, this is all personal preference. 

I also do not drink regular milk as it makes me sick, instead I always drink soy milk or coconut milk. Many store bought protein shakes and beverages are made with low fat milk so I can't drink those even if I wanted to. 

With all that said, I have found something that is new to me and I am absolutely in love! As with cosmetics, I am a huge sucker for packaging so when I saw these precious shakes at Whole Foods, I knew I had to try them. 

The CalNaturale Svelte Protein Shakes are made with soy milk and contain 16 complex carbs that help keep you full and energized all day. They come in 4 flavors, chocolate, vanilla, cappuccino, and spiced chai. 

The first flavor that I tried was just the chocolate one. I love how it says "Hello Beautiful" on the front, it can really brighten your day by seeing a simple message on your protein shake. This shake tasted like your standard chocolate protein shake; not really my cup of tea, but it wasn't horrible. I prefer dark chocolate flavors too so this was a little "sweet" as far as chocolate goes. Again, not great, but not bad. 

I then tried the spiced chai flavor. Contrary to this quote, this shake was most definitely not my style. I love chai and it is one of my favorite flavors. I love the spice and the sweetness all mixed into one delicious beverage. Unfortunately, this was not the case here. This tasted horrible, I'm not sure if it was too sweet or too spicy, but it was just not a good flavor. I would never EVER repurchase this one.

Now, onto my favorite (and the one that I'm currently sipping on). The cappuccino flavor quoting "enjoy yourself" is exactly how I feel when I drink this. It does not seem like a protein shake at all, it's more of like a thick coffee beverage that is actually enjoyable to drink. I continue to buy this flavor over and over because it is by far my favorite. 

These Svelte Protein Shakes keep me energized much like how a cup of coffee does, so on mornings when I'm feeling anxious and the last thing I need is caffeine, I like to grab one of these. They also do not need to be refrigerated (although I do keep mine chilled) which can be handy for work or school to just keep in your bag. The packaging is sturdy and very quality. They also keep me really full and really energized! I love these before or after a work out, or in between meals when I'm at work. 

The places I have found these is at Safeway in the Nutrition Isle and at Whole Foods, so the next time you're there, be sure to check them out! Also, you can find out exact locations where these are sold by going here!

Fitness: a quick post

Tonight I decided to not only attend the class I attend most every Tuesday at the gym, but also the class that is scheduled for the time slot before. I thought "why not try something new?" I like to challenge myself and try new things, given I feel comfortable (i'm not going to go out and eat crickets, that is most definitely not my idea of trying something new).
The first class I went to was called a BodyCombat class. It featured an unbelievably fit female leading our predominately female class. BodyCombat is described to be an upbeat cardio-type class that features many aspects of different martial arts ranging from boxing to tai chi. It was REALLY (and I stress that really) difficult to keep up. I could not remember the choreography and I felt like I looked absolutely ridiculous punching at the air. I thought I looked like a loser who couldn't punch, which lets face it, I am, and so I would try to punch harder and fiercer. Low and behold, when I would do that I looked even MORE ridiculous. The whole while you are bouncing around like some sort of Karate Kangaroo and honestly looking back at the whole experience now, I'm sure it look quite hilarious. By the end of the class I was absolutely drenched in sweat. I never thought that punching at nothing with no weights and no running would get me sweating so hard. I was completely exhausted and considered leaving right after that class. I had a million and one reasons why I should leave and not stay for the following class:
"Well I go every week so I don't need to go"
"I tried something new, I don't need to do what I always do too"
"I'm really tired...and I don't think I ate very much today"
"I forgot my water bottle, I can't stay without my water bottle"

...But I stayed!! I reminded myself about how I did not work out the night before and how I was already at the gym and I might as well stay. I also reminded myself that it is just another hour of working out and that there is no way I would regret it.
And I didn't. In fact, since all my endorphins were up and my adrenaline was all pumping I was totally killing it in that second class! I was so happy that I stayed because I had a really fun time, even more fun than usual, and I burned off all those extra calories.
The second class is called UJAM, which is just a huge mix of different dance styles from Bollywood to Hip-hop. It is set to high energy music that you hear on the radio and can sing along with. The instructor is full of energy and the best fitness class teacher I've ever had. If you have not yet tried UJAM, look at your local gyms and community centers and see if they offer it, it is loads of fun! I love the variety of people that come; young, old, really old, men, women, EVERYONE! It is so much fun, I highly recommend it.

Would I attend another BodyCombat class? absolutely. I am sure I looked so ridiculous and I probably wasn't doing anything right but practice is what makes us better and so I can only improve from here. Plus, that extra boost of energy it gives me before UJAM makes it totally worth the sweat and fatigue. I will be sure to never forget my water bottle again though, that's for sure. Step aside, Pre workout supplements, all I need is self motivation and continued perseverance.