Tag Archives: fitness

Merax 36″ Foldable Mini Trampoline Review

01/13/2016 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

With our daughter seriously upping her energy levels as she neared the 2 year mark, Going Mom and I decided an indoor trampoline would be a perfect birthday gift. The search, as with most kid things nowadays, took a while to decide which would be the best quality/value. I use Amazon for almost everything, and after reading a novel’s worth of mini trampoline reviews, we finally decided on a trampoline worthy enough for us Avery; the Merax 36″ Mini Trampoline.

She turned freakin’ 2 back in November, and took right to her new trampoline when we brought it out.

I assembled it the day of her birthday and found it rather easy to setup. Took me longer than expected because of the vague instructions that came along with it, but in retrospect, the entire process was hardly an issue. Just unfold, fit the cover over the elastic bands, screw on the legs and foam-covered handlebar (optional) and you’re good to go. Getting the cover to fit properly was probably the biggest “challenge”, but that didn’t take too long.

Having thick elastic bands instead of springs is a major plus, and I feel the trampoline doesn’t even need the cover as a result. But, to prevent any little feet from falling through, it’s probably a good idea to just put it on. The handlebar is optional too and can easily be removed, but Avery seems to like it right now, so it stays. Other than a great stabilizer, it works as a perfect mini-blankie rack too.

jumping, trampoline, toddler

With a max capacity of 220 lbs, the Merax 36″ Mini Trampoline is great for adults too looking for a fun fitness option. Kids or no kids, the current price of $79.99 makes it a viable and affordable option for any adult looking for a way to keep active. My wife and I can never get on to jump without Avery quickly joining in, but with the high weight capacity, we can bounce with our kid without the fear of breaking the trampoline.

So far, we have both bounced with Avery and have had zero issues with stability. The only thing we find ourselves saying is how we wish it were bigger. When there’s two people jumping, you’re basically limited to your exact foot placement, and if you shift around, you run the risk of jumping on the other person. Sorry, Avery. No worries though, she never seems phased when she’s stepped on and would rather have us keep bouncing her.

Since she’s had it, this trampoline has been in our living room and is used every day. It’s the perfect addition to any toddler obstacle course creation which helps an easier transition to naptime….usually.

Our little obstacle dominator! #playing #fun #toddler #exercise #loveher

A video posted by RC Liley (@going_dad) on Nov 19, 2015 at 4:46pm PST

I love having the ability to quickly and easily fold the trampoline up for storage or to take along when travelling. Really the only major complaint is the small size, but that’s more of a nitpick since the price alone makes it well worth it to me. A trampoline with the word “fitness” in front can easily go for twice as much, but I would find the Merax can do the job just as well.

Avery has found her trampoline useful for doing yoga…

trampoline, yoga — Upward dog, toddler style!

…..playing “hide-and-seek”….

Avery on Trampoline with Mini Blankie

…..and just relaxing after an intense jumping session.

The Merax Mini Trampoline is not the top-notch rebounder you might find for well over double the price, but for a quality kid’s item that adults can use too, it’s well worth it to me. It’s also a great way to gauge interest on a full-sized trampoline for the backyard, which, after using this, has moved to the must have list in our family. Come summer time, we’ll be flying high in the sky!

Buy the Merax Mini Indoor Trampoline on Amazon!

Do you have or are you currently looking for an indoor trampoline?

Do you have any other products you find useful to keep your kids busy inside?

I purchased the Merax 36″ Mini Trampoline myself and all opinions are strictly my own, but there are affiliate links within this post. If you use the links to make your own purchase, I will earn a small commission which helps keep Going Dad going.

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Legion Whey+ 100% Isolate Protein Powder Review

01/08/2016 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Do you currently use a protein powder? Is it plant-based, some form of whey, or something like beef protein powder? For the longest time, I was a mass consumer of whey protein until I realized it was the reason I always felt so bloated and, well, gassy.

That was several years ago and I have cut all whey out of my diet since, until now. After years of sticking to plant protein, I found a whey protein worthy of giving it another try, it was Legion Whey+ Protein. Not too long ago, I shared my thoughts about Legion’s Forge Pre-Workout supplement and how happy I was to find a company with clean, high quality ingredients.

Legion Whey Protein Powder

Eager to try more of their line, the awesome and kind people at Legion sent their vanilla whey+ to me free of charge in return for my honest review. This would be the first time in years to consume any whey protein powder, so I was a little timid at first, but then I tried it…..delicious! After giving it a day (just to be sure), there was no bloating, gas, or ill feelings, just the desire to have more after my next workout. And to use it in recipes of course!

Ingredients

Sure, there are many protein powders that taste good, but it’s what’s inside (i.e. ingredients) that really matters. It’s truly hard to find good quality protein powders without artificial colors,sweeteners or other possibly harmful chemicals. For example, here’s the ingredient list of a top selling vanilla flavored protein powder:

protein powder ingredients

And that’s rather short compared to other chemical laden brands/flavors. Plus, the source of these ingredients is almost guaranteed to be from the best places. Like where the whey comes from is most likely NOT from hormone- and antibiotic-free cows, and usually IS packed full of artificial flavors and sweeteners, usually it’s not non-gmo, and created with a blend of proteins.

If it wasn’t the bloating that turned me off from other whey powders over the years, looking at the ingredients certainly did it. That’s why I was delighted after seeing this list from Legion’s Whey+ Protein Powder:

Yeah, that’s more like it. Totally free of artificial flavors and sweeteners, it’s non-gmo, and made with 100% whey isolate from grass-fed cows untouched by hormones and antibiotics. Just try and find other whey protein powders with similar stats, they are scarce.

Taste and Mixability

As someone who uses stevia on a daily basis, I found the taste very pleasing, even when just mixed in water. If you’re not used to stevia, I think you’d still find Legion’s Whey+ satisfying with maybe a stronger sweetness than you’re used to at first. This will quickly pass as your taste buds adapt and your body feels better from not having all of the artificial junk found in other powders. As for mixing, it easily mixes in any liquid with a simple shaker bottle. You could stir it with a spoon as well, but there will be a few clumps. Of course, they are still tasty clumps!

Price

This is probably the hardest part to accept. When any product is made with top notch ingredients that are highly scrutinized to live up to the company’s standards, the price will be a little higher than products with cheaper ingredients. Legion Whey+ Protein Powder is a bit more expensive than other brands, but when it comes to what goes in my and my family’s body, I’m willing to spend a little more. That said, the price is not extremely high, and the term “you get what you pay for” definitely applies here. Plus, just sign up for their newsletter and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up to date on the current special offers.

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To summarize, what you get with Legion’s Whey+ Protein Powder is

A 100% whey isolate meaning each serving is almost entirely protein, with carbohydrates and fat almost non-existent
A supplement made from hormone- and antibiotic-free milk from cows raised on small dairy farms in Ireland.
A protein powder processed using cold microfiltration and ultrafiltration creating 100% intact, undenatured protein.
Great taste that mixes easily and is naturally sweetened and flavored.
Free of soy protein, gluten, GMOs, MSG, or hormones.

Legion’s Whey+ 100% Isolate is the first whey I’ve had in a long time, and now it’s the only whey to go when I choose this form of protein powder for our family. Of course, whey is not the best source of protein, and I always suggest getting most of your nutrients from real, whole food, but this is a great supplement and one I feel good about using. Even Avery enjoys it!

protein powder

I’m a fan of using protein powders as an alternative for recipes calling for flour, and after several test batches, I found a tasty, protein packed recipe I’ll share with you soon. Keep a lookout for the recipe soon, and in the meantime, pick up your own bottle of Legion Whey+ Protein Powder!

Do you have issues with most whey proteins?

What is your favorite flavor of protein powder?

Going Healthy, Going Strong, Life, Parenting

What Counts as Exercise?

12/27/2015 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

Many parents, at-home and working alike, succumb to the “I don’t have time” mantra when it comes to exercise, but it’s an important part of life and is worth making time to do.

You might think exercise is something that requires special equipment or is only done at a gym, but you might already be “exercising” without even knowing it. Exercise falls under several definitions, and one way it is defined is that it’s a regular or repeated use of a faculty or bodily organ. Knowing this, I’m positive we all have a long list of things we do every day that count as “exercise” and we never thought of it as such.

Carrying your kid around the house or grabbing them before they grab the cat’s tail several times a day would definitely count.

That was before she could walk, now just doing what she does would be an excellent way to exercise without even knowing it.

This girl loves to #squat, and she’s crazy #awesome! #workout #exercise #strength #strong #toddler #proud #Squats

A video posted by RC Liley (@going_dad) on Dec 7, 2015 at 10:34am PST

Daily things like going for a walk, mowing the lawn, vacuuming, mopping, doing laundry, and playing (or squatting) with your kids are all great ways to fit in exercise and accomplish your laundry list (pun intended) of things you need to get done.

In a nutshell, movement of any form is, in and of itself, exercise. An important thing to remember is to be consistent with your movement and make sure it’s something you enjoy. If your stomach churns just thinking of going for a run, don’t do it, you’ll never stick with it. Ride a bike, walk, swim, row, hike, or……clean house. The point I’m trying to make is, keeping active, however you so choose, helps to make a better you.

As parents, we need to be excellent role models and should let our children see us being active and living a healthy lifestyle so they will hopefully follow suit and WANT to be like mommy and daddy. Note I said “healthy lifestyle”; this means exercise and good nutrition! If you are trying to lose weight, you can workout all you want, but without good nutrition, your results will be minimal at best.

Finishing a great workout session is NOT a pass to go pig out on packaged, processed junk or order takeout without thinking of what you’re actually putting in your mouth. Do you even read the ingredients label on some of these things? Actually, real food won’t have a label at all since it’s just the one ingredient in its whole form. Crazy, right?

No matter your fitness goal, lose weight, gain strength, maintain current level, etc., we will all benefit from moving more and practicing good nutrition for the quality of life it provides. If you are already a conscious eater and get a good dose of daily movement, good for you, keep it up and hopefully you are inspiring others! Bonus points when it’s your little ones that are being inspired. I love knowing Avery is seeing her Mommy and Daddy keeping active and wants to do the same whenever she can.