Make Time Stop!!!

AHHHHHHHHH!!!! On Wednesday, that was the number of days, hours, and minutes I had left to get ready for the NPC Western Regional. I know I say this every prep but I really really really mean it this time - I NEED MORE TIME!!! Progress has been minimal, at best, and so every night I say a prayer to the Prep Gods asking them to stop the countdown. My prayers haven't been answered yet but I will continue to say my prayers! #ihavefaith

What I saw when I first walked into the Olympia Expo!

The Supplement Gods aka Muscle and Fitness have been really awesome in helping me keep my supplement cabinet fully stocked! Y'all might remember my Muscle and Fitness Goodies post a few weeks back where I shared my review on the supplement sample box I received. Guess what?? I received another box to review! #winning

A quick overview of the program --> You may sign up to receive 5-7 samples of different products each month. The cost of the membership is $15 a month or $11.25 with an annual membership. Shipping is free and members receive $15 off any $75+ order from the Muscle & Fitness store when they join. If this sounds like something you might be interested, you can find additional information about the program at the Muscle & Fitness Store.

October's sample box was packed full of some incredible stuff! It made me giddy to see samples of supplements I've been reading about but haven't committed to buying just yet. *thus the reason this program is GENIUS!* Tom & I were really excited to see the Carnivor samples from MuscleMeds. This is the protein powder that Kai Greene promotes. They were not handing out samples of this particular product at their Olympia Expo booth so we both squealed said, "awesome!" when we saw the red packets in the box. The serving has more carbs than I'm currently allowed for a given meal (thank you, contest prep...and yes, that was sarcasm! lol!) so I'm waiting to try it out after my show.

front!

back!

Can I just say what I thought was an improvement from the last sample box I received? The description card! This month's card had a workout and exercise tip on the back complete with a picture (for those of us who are visual learners). I don't know about you but I'm always looking for new ways to tweak/modify/improve my workouts and this is a handy tool to assist me with that.

The first product that I tested from this month's box was the Monster Pump from Cytosport. The sample packet was one serving so there was no need for measuring or weighing. I dumped the entire contents of the packet in my Wonder Woman glass and drank it while I drove to the gym. The product description states that Monster Pump "generates mental focus & acuity, energy, enhanced Nitric Oxide levels, and explosive muscle power". Picture me vigorously nodding my head (kind of like a bobble head!) at this statement. My shoulder workout was one of the better ones I've had. I had incredible focus and while I didn't experience She-Hulk strength, I did feel like I could increase the weight I have been consistently using with several of the exercises I did. The taste was not super sweet but the product did not seem to mix completely in water and was a bit gritty when I drank it. You will experience some tingling of the skin and possibly your lips so don't freak out! :)

Is anyone else besides me obsessed with amino acids right now? I tried the Monster Amino sample that I received at the Olympia Expo and stubbornly patiently waited to try the Aminolast sample that was calling my name. Gaspari puts out a significant amount of publicity about their products and this particular one is no exception. Unlike pre-workout products, it's hard to pinpoint the physical effects of amino acids. I enjoyed the taste (which is always important) and am considering purchasing a tub for every day use in my off-season.

The last product I want to talk about is the multivitamin supplement Anavite which is also from Gaspari. This "high potency" multivitamin is said to be especially beneficial for athletes. The product description states that Anavite is "A high potency athlete's multivitamin/mineral formula with optimal, clinically validated doses of Beta-Alanine and Carnipure™ (L-Carnitine L-Tartrate) for vastly increasing endurance and nitric oxide levels while reducing recovery time, thus optimally increasing aerobic and anaerobic athletic performance." I'm not certain if all of that is true because I only took one serving but I can tell you a couple of things.

The first thing I can tell you is that the smell of the vitamins when I opened the packet was borderline atrocious. I can guarantee I made a face that was similar to the bitter beer face when the smell hit my nose. The second thing I can tell you is the pills are not the prettiest color. Again, I'm a visual person so if something looks icky....well...I don't want a damn thing to do with it! I expected the taste of the pills to be as nasty as the smell but I was surprised to find that it wasn't. The pills are rather large so if you have issues with  the size of your pills being bigger than a mustard seed, you may want to reconsider this one! :)

Backstage at the AZ Open

For me, being successful as a figure competitor is improving each time that I step on stage. It's about my current "better" being a step up than my past "better". I was incredibly proud of the physique that I presented at the AZ Open but I knew that there was still room for improvement. I have been able to make those improvements with incredible products like the ones I talked about in the post so huge "THANK YOU!!!" to Muscle and Fitness!!!


The folks over at Muscle and Fitness want to hook you up as well! I have a box of samples to giveaway so who wants one?!?! I'll also throw in some of the great goodies I picked up while I was at the Olympia Expo!!

To enter, you must leave a comment letting me know what your current favorite supplement! Additional entries can be earned by:

• Tweeting about the giveaway - I want to win a "Better Than Halloween Treats" sample box from @MrsFitLibrarian & @muscle_fitness! #FitFluential
• Following me on Twitter! @MrsFitLibrarian
• Following me on Instagram! @mrsfitlibrarian

The contest will end at 12:00 am EST on Tuesday, October 23rd & 

the winner will be announced Wednesday, October 24th! 

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