How My Emotional Health Affects My Physical Health

This giveaway is now closed - winner to be announced soon!
This is sponsored content from BlogHer and Crystal Light.

And this week, let's go deeper, shall we?  I've had some emotional issues over the years.  I've talked about them from time to time.  And one thing I've noticed in the midst of them is that my ups and downs show.  And not just as tears on my shoulders, but outwardly.  I gain weight.  I get sluggish.  I get sick more often.  A friend and I recently were discussing just how much the emotional does affect the physical.

But here's the upside to all this.  Your physical?  It can directly affect your emotional as well.  I know when I'm walking and exercising that I feel better.  I know when I'm eating better and drinking more water that I feel better.  I know that I don't have to be a victim of my circumstances, that I can take control and change the outcome.

I can feel better.  I can look better.  It's just a matter of deciding.  And following through.  I've done it before.  I know I can do it again.

Want to win $100? Tell me in the comments here how your emotional health affects your physical health, at the end of the month we'll take all the comments from all 4 posts and randomly draw one winner from them.  And then be sure to check out the BlogHer round-up page for six more chances to win $100 or, even better, the $1,000 grand prize!  That's right, I said $1,000.

Official contest rules are here.

More information on Crystal Light products is here.

The Image of My Body

This giveaway is now closed.  Winner to be announced soon!
This is sponsored content from BlogHer and Crystal Light.

The other morning while I was trying to wake up, my 3 year old leaned over and blew a raspberry on my belly.  He giggled and giggled.  And then said, "Mama, you're Flarp!"  Please tell me you know what that is.  The squishy slimy "tooty putty"?  That's good.  Good, as in it makes for a good blog post. 

Crystal Light asked me to blog about my "Body Image".  Like it was no big deal.  I don't want to think about the image of my body, much less talk about it for all the world to hear.  Can I get an amen?  I went to the doctor just after having my most recent baby and the nurse asked me how I felt about my body image.  Really?  I was 2 weeks post-partum with my FIFTH child and she was asking me how I feel about my body?!  There might be a little room for improvement.  Just a little bitty bit.  Unless you're fond of "muffin tops" and being compared to squishy putty.

Because squishy baby is good.  But squishy Mama-arms not so much.

In all honesty I could stand to lose some pounds; firm up that weight I want to keep.  Further, I could stand to make better decisions for my body.  Like, put down the chocolate chips, step away from the biscuits and gravy, and make myself pick one of those ways out there to burn calories.

I have those aspirations.  But sometimes thinking of all the changes I need to make I get overwhelmed.  So until then, I'm going to like my squishiness, not get bogged down by how much I need to revamp, and change one thing at a time.

Like, pick up that water bottle.

Want to win $100? Tell me in the comments here what your body image is and how drinking water plays into that, at the end of the month we'll take all the comments from all 4 posts and randomly draw one winner from them.  And then be sure to check out the BlogHer round-up page for six more chances to win $100 or, even better, the $1,000 grand prize!  That's right, I said $1,000.

Official contest rules are here.

More information on Crystal Light products is here.

You Know What My Water Style Is?

This giveaway is now closed.  Winner to be announced soon! 

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and Crystal Light.

For this review we received topics that we're to talk about.  The full topic for this week was "What’s your water style? What do you like about drinking water and staying hydrated?"  You know what my response was?  C'mon, sure you do.  I laughed out loud.  I have no water style.  In the fashion world of water I'm the geek standing in the corner of the dance floor.  Actually, I'm probably more like the Goth kid laughing at all the fashionistas.  I hate water.  Abhor it.  I always have.  It tastes terrible.

But alas, it's a necessary evil.  One that I must endure to stay alive and somewhat healthy.

I wish you really knew me and knew just how excited I was when I first discovered the handy little take with you packets of Crystal Light.  It gave me something more-than-palatable when I was needing fluids.

The best of all worlds.  Water for my body, flavor for my mouth, convenience for my handbag (or fourth meal after the kids are in bed, whatever).  It's a beautiful thing.

Want to win $100? Tell me in the comments here what your water style is (you're the cool kid with the water bottle that everybody else wants to be, right?), at the end of the month we'll take all the comments from all 4 posts and randomly draw one winner from them.  And then be sure to check out the BlogHer round-up page for six more chances to win $100 or, even better, the $1,000 grand prize!  That's right, I said $1,000.

Official contest rules are here.

More information on Crystal Light products is here.

How We Stay Healthy Away From Home (a review and giveaway, y'all!)

This giveaway is now closed.  Winner to be announced soon! This is sponsored content from BlogHer and Crystal Light.

When I heard about the chance to try out those little Crystal Light packets, I jumped at it.  Y'all already know how much I hate water, but alas, it seems important to consume, right?

Crystal Light sent me the Peach Mango Green Tea Metabolism + to try.  

One of my main concerns when I'm out on our Parker Adventure Days in the summertime is that we won't get enough to drink.  My solution is simple, but bland.  We buy bottled water and keep it in the back of the van all year round.  Most of the time we don't do anything other than stash it in it's original packaging and throw bottles out to everybody to avoid buying drinks on the go.  This time of year we get a little creative and we freeze them all.

We grab them on the way out the door and hopefully a few hours later you have completely melted, but marvelously cool drinks.

Simple?  Yes.  Healthy?  Of course.  But bland.  And remember I hate water?

So given the opportunity to add flavor to my water as opposed to just plain old water, I was beside myself.

I love the little on-the-go packets (I usually take them out of the box and stick some in my bag and a few in the van console).  We all stay hydrated and yet, I don't have to endure the bitter taste of water.  (And yes, water does too have a taste!)

I liked the flavor of the Mango Peach Green Tea, but I need no extra caffeine as often as I want to down these, so I went and tried Raspberry Lemonade.  If you're all about the pick-me-up, get you some Metabolism +, if you're like me, opt for the other decaf kinds - they're mahvelous.

Be sure to tell me in the comments here how you stay healthy away from home and you'll be entered to win $100 - that's it!

Y'all be sure to check out the other bloggers' reviews - that gives you 6 other chances to win $100 as well as a $1000 sweepstakes on the round-up page.  You can do all of that by going to the BlogHer.com CLB exclusive offers page.

Click here to read the official rules.

And here's Crystal Light's official home page.