I was sent a pair of Honey Cloudz to review.

Hey, it's 2018? Why shouldn't my kid get a MRSA infection while the crown on my dental implant decides to LITERALLY go sideways on me? Oh, and the AC? Take a dump, please, while the dog goes in for Cushing's Disease testing.

(And as I type this today, I just cracked a wisdom tooth. Great.)

What I'm getting at is I literally cannot wait for this year to go away. Don't get me wrong -- many amazing things have happened (like nearly 90 pounds off my caboose), but the year has pretty much been a dumpster fire for family and friends.

I think we all can use a little somethin' somethin' right about now, and to you I give you the somethin' somethin' of a great new product for all us sports bra and swimsuit wearing people -- inserts that stay put!

Since losing a bunch o' weight, I've had the pleasure of getting a bunch of new sports bras and swimsuits, and those foam inserts are just the worst! Either they're weirdly shaped, too small, too concave, too wrinkly, too lumpy or too active -- disappearing in the washing machine, or folding in half while you're trying to wrestle on your bra or swimsuit top.

I got some great sports bras from a very popular activewear store, and while I love the bras, I don't love the weird boob wrinkles that the inserts give me.

Enter Honey Cloudz!

They're premium bra/swimsuit inserts that have a grippy face covered with silicone honeycombs that allows the inserts to stay put. They're also a lot smoother than most inserts so you won't have wrinkles or lumps where there shouldn't be any. The part facing your body is a moisture-wicking material. 

The best thing is that they come in two shapes -- half moon or oval -- five sizes from extra small to extra large, and five colors from light to dark.

I have tried them in a couple different sports bras and also in a couple swimsuit tops that have removable pads, and they are absolutely great!

Nothing budged, everything was smooth and comfortable and they went in and came out easily, so you can get a pair and use 'em in all your clothing.

Right now, I'm around a 38C, and I ordered the medium in the half-moon shape. The size fits all my bras and swimsuits perfectly. I also got the lightest color, which is Vanilla Sugar. 

I talked with Honey Cloudz, and they assure me that they'll hold up in the pool:

"The fabric base is polyester, queen of chlorine fabric wise. We have tested them with aqua fitness instructors and competitive swimmers over the course of 12 months of an average 3 swims/classes per week. Some 4-5 and others 2-3. The inserts held up very well in a chlorine and seawater over 12 consistent months."

Here's a video from Honey Cloudz that explains the product more.

And now, a giveaway!

I really love Honey Cloudz and think you will, too. You can take advantage of their Black Friday weekend sale, now through Monday. Use code BLACKFRIDAYWEEKEND  at www.honeycloudz.com. 

Or you can try and win a pair! All you need to do is follow the directions on this Rafflecopter form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is an extra-special Tunes for Tuesday -- not only is there a new, fun workout song but I get to do a giveaway for a couple of cute pieces of Zumba Wear, and you can also enter a contest to win tickets to a Walk the Moon concert near you and a $75 Zumba Wear gift card.

(Fun fact: This video was shot just down the road from me at the local roller rink.)

Now, for that Zumba Wear giveaway

Just follow the directions on the Rafflecopter widget below and you can win a Zumba Wear outfit consisting of Repstyle leggings in blue or black and a tank that either says So Damn Fancy, or Spicy.

About that #workthisbody contest

The contest launches Thursday (March 3) and one winner will win two tickets to a Walk The Moon concert in their nearest city and a Zumba Wear gift card worth $75. To enter, you need to share a 15-second dance routine via Instagram or Facebook showing off your favorite moves to Work This Body. Use #workthisbody, and the person with the most likes (either on Instagram or Facebook) will win. The winner will be announced via Zumba’s social channels on March 17.

Deadline for my giveaway is 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, March 16. 

Now get dancing!

Soybu sent me an outfit to review and is also offering a piece of clothing to one lucky reader.

I pretty much live in workout clothes, so I'm always in search of activewear that's cute, comfortable and performs well. I used to workout in a uniform of baggy T-shirts over black capris but a few years ago I realized that 1.) The baggy T-shirts get in the way of working out 2.) It doesn't look good. So I stepped up my style game at the gym.

I had heard of Soybu activewear but hadn't had a chance to try it out until I got back from this year's FitBloggin' in Denver. As a speaker at the conference I was given a pair of Soybu leggings, which I immediately fell in love with. Super comfy and great looking. 

After the conference Soybu contacted me to do a review/giveaway and I jumped at the chance. Here's what I chose:

That's the Alyse Hoody in Vermillion burnout, the Lola Tank in Ethereal Blue and the Allegro Capri in the Mandala print. The hoody is great for warmer climates because it's super lightweight so it gives you a great layering piece. The tank is versatile in that one side is a rounded neck and the other is a V-neck so you can flip it around. And the capris are WONDERFUL. You can't see in the photo but the bottom of the leg opening is shirred, which gives it even more style. I love the pattern, and there's a little pocket in the front to slip my iPod in. 

The fabric on all three pieces is super soft and stretchy. I did a Pilates workout after I snapped this photo and there was no digging or riding up or down. Just bliss. 

Another great thing about the Soybu line is its extensive size range -- extra small to 3X, which is a welcome change for many activewear companies. All my pieces are the 1X size, and while the arms on the hoody are a little snug the tank runs a little big and the capris are absolutely perfect.

Soybu giveaway

Now, here's the cool part -- I get to give away one of these pieces! (Don't worry, you'll get a new piece in your size.) 

Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions and you're all set!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is sponsored by Balance Bar.

Oh, hey -- Happy National Chocolate Day! 

It's OK -- I didn't send out cards either, but I did get you a present: a chance to win a box of super chocolatey Balance Bars, specifically Chocolate Craze and Double Chocolate brownie bars.

I love-love-LOVE chocolate -- the darker the better, and these protein bars are really chocolatey. The Double Chocolate Brownie has a brownie consistency with a drizzle of chocolate on top, while the Chocolate Craze is a super-fudgy bar covered in even more chocolate.

Both bars are 200 calories apiece with 14 grams of protein, and the Balance refers to the 40 percent carb-30 percent protein and 30 percent fat ratio. I find that it's a really satisfying ratio, and the bars make a great afternoon snack or a breakfast, when paired with a piece of fruit.

Breakfast of champions, baby. When I have a early morning at the gym, I like to eat the banana on the way to the gym and the Balance Bar on the way back. 

My husband's breakfast of choice is a Balance bar and a glass of chocolate almond milk (we're really into chocolate here). 

So, in the spirit of National Chocolate Day, the folks at Balance Bar would like to give one of you a big box of Chocolate Craze and Double Chocolate Brownie bars. All you need to do is follow the directions on the Rafflecopter below to enter. The giveaway ends at midnight on November 1 so get going!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(It's noodles! From zucchini! So they're zoodles!)

I amuse easily.

Because this made me giggle -- long, neverending strings of zucchini that I made with a Veggetti, which turns vegetables into noodly things.

Last summer I bought myself a spiralizer, but the Veggetti is much easier to use, store and clean. It's also small enough to stash in a drawer. You can toss it in the dishwasher, too, just be careful of the blades inside. 

The zucchini noodles I made were made on the thick side of the Veggetti. There's also a thinner side for making angel hair-sized noodles.

The thinner side works great with carrots, which work better in their raw state, for salads and sandwich toppings.

The first time I tried it, it didn't work well because my zucchini wasn't big enough.

All jokes aside, the Veggetti works better with bigger vegetables so they can get a better connection with the blade.

And you end up with cool, cone-shaped leftovers!

The Veggetti also comes with a protective holder that you attach to the short end of the vegetable and a recipe booklet.

So what do you do with zucchini noodles? First off, you need to sweat out their extra moisture, or your dish will end up watery. Just stick 'em in a large skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes to steam off that moisture.

I put two zucchinis worth of noodles in a ceramic dish, covered them a cup of marinara sauce and 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella and made kind of a baked spaghetti pie.

Since the zucchini was cooked from steaming out the moisture, I baked it at 400 degrees for 20 minutes until the cheese started to bubble and brown.

(There are zucchini noodles hiding under all that.)

Want to win your own Veggetti plus a $25 Visa card to buy all the zucchini you want? Then check out the Rafflecopter below and do as it says!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: The Veggetti, gift card, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by Ontel.

Protein bars are a staple in our house. I keep one stashed in a gym bag, one in my purse and a bunch in the pantry for what I call "brainless" eating. A bar and a piece of fruit make a great, balanced snack, and keeping them in my bag assures me that I won't end up getting a desperation meal at a drive-thru.

My husband's go-go weekday breakfast is a protein bar and a glass of chocolate almond milk, and I use them regularly for an afternoon snack, so I need them to be a little lower in calories for that use.

ThinkThin has a new line of thinkThin Lean Protein & Fiber bars that deliver 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber for only 150 calories and 5 grams of sugar.

I brought one to a Marlins game last weekend, and it was a much better (and cheaper) snack than what was offered at the concession stand. The Cinnamon Bun White Chocolate flavor was great and would also make a good breakfast addition. There's a thin coating on them so they won't get too melty in a warm setting. 

I love the calorie count, the protein and fiber level and the fact that that the High Protein bars are certified gluten free and the Crunch Mixed Nuts bars are made from non-GMO ingredients. 

Want to try them for yourself? I have a great giveaway that offers up all five of the new Lean Protein and Fiber bars, 3 of thinThin's Crunch Mixed Nuts bars, 3 High Protein bars PLUS a $25 Visa gift card so you can stock up on even more of 'em.

All you need to do is follow the Rafflecopter below and get your entries in before Friday, June 13 at noon ET. For more info on thinkThin check out:

• The Official thinkThin page
• thinkThin on Facebook
• thinkThin on Twitter
• thinkThin on Pinterest

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: The product, information, and gift card have been provided by thinkThin.

Nothing like a new gym to get your motivation juices flowing. Everything's new, everything works and everything's clean. That'll keep you coming back for more.

Last week I and a group of South Florida bloggers got to check out a new Planet Fitness in Pembroke Pines. I've seen the equipment on "The Biggest Loser" and its TV ads are hilarious. I also love the "Judgement Free Zone" (if not the spelling of the word judgment). And the membership prices can't be beat -- $10 a month for a one-club membership and $19.99 for the Black Card membership, which lets you work out at any Planet Fitness across the country, lets you bring one guest every time you go, gives you a half-price discount on beverages and lets you use the massage chairs and awesome aqua massage tables and tanning beds.

Behold, the fleet of cardio machines.

The club, which is in a Winn-Dixie shopping center on the corner of Johnson Street and Palm Avenue, is heavy on the cardio machines -- treadmills, ellipticals (my favorite LifeFitness ones!) and arc trainers are plentiful and you won't have to stand in line to get your sweat on.

There's a good selection of free weights, Smith machines, barbells and benches, and contrary to what some muscleheads would say, they go plenty high in poundage. There's also two of everything in the strength-training machines, which should mean you won't have to "work in" to someone's set. And see that "Lunk Alarm" in the photo? That will go off if someone screams, swears, drops weights or otherwise acts a fool. (And in South Florida, well, you know ...)

And if you're pressed for time or want a foolproof, quick workout, there's a separate 30-Minute Workout room, which is where we got our sweat on last week. There's a light on the wall which changes from red to green every 60 seconds. Every 60 seconds you switch from a machine to a cardio step until you get to the end. It was a really efficient workout and blasting from one exercise to the next keeps your heart rate up. The equipment is the same as ones you'll find on the general gym floor so they're not stripped down or "sissyfied" machines.

The club is open 24 hours a day on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. 

And now, a giveaway!

So here's what I've got for one lucky person -- a 1-year Black Card membership to Planet Fitness. Since this is courtesy of the South Florida franchise, the winners have to live in South Florida. (I'm using Rafflecopter for the first time so hopefully this thing will work! Just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget.)

And if you don't win, you can join online by visiting www.PlanetFitness.com. There's a $1 sign-up fee special going on through January 29.

The giveaway starts NOW and goes through Friday, Jan. 31 at 12:01 a.m. ET.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  I was given a free Planet Fitness 1-year Black Card membership for myself and a reader.

Has school started again for you yet? It did here today and I was glad to wrest the office computer back from the teenager -- now to see if it can do anything besides run World of Warcraft ...

While it was fun to have the husband and the teenager around the house, it was good to get back to my regular routine today. Part of my "new normal" is to get up and head out the door to exercise. That way I'm exercised, showered and ready to roll well before noon. Makes me feel way more in control of the day.

Notice I didn't mention anything about New Year's resolutions -- that's because I didn't make any. Instead, I'm pledging to simply be the best possible version of myself.

And so far, so GREAT. I have a tendency to give everything a headline, and I decided to dub this year 52-52-52.

There's 52 weeks in a year, I turn 52 this year and I fully intend to remove 52 pounds of excess this year. That's only a pound a week so it seems completely doable.

We're only six days into 2014 and I've dropped 3 pounds so I'm ahead of the game!

One of my strategies is to save my indulgences for snack time. That way I know I can have whatever I want as long as it's under 200 calories, and I have two or three opportunities for snack time.

To celebrate the new year, I have a great little giveaway, courtesy of Balance Bars, which is also into the "anti-revolution" movement with its Balance Bar Pledge.

Instead of making a laundry list of resolutions (which only 8 percent of people actually achieve), make a pledge to make one small step each month. You can read the entire pledge HERE. (And I swear I came up with the "best version of myself" totally before I saw that phrase on the Balance site!)

Here's what you'll win:

• A variety of Balance Bars – Dark Chocolate Peanut, Chocolate Mint Cookie Crunch & Yogurt Honey Peanut
• A 2014 calendar with tips from lifestyle guru Laurel House.
• Sport headphones from Yurbuds.

I first tried the Chocolate Mint Cookie Crunch Balance Bars at this summer's Zumba Convention in Orlando (they were one of the expo booths). Do you love Thin Mint cookies? You'll LOVE these, plus you'll get 14 grams of protein, which can't be said of that sleeve of cookies.

And I've been using the Yurbuds headphones, which are fantastic. They're super comfortable and secure. I used them on last week's 20-mile exercise tally.

To find out more about the Pledge, there's a hourlong Balance Bar Twitter Chat on Thursday, Jan. 9 at 2 p.m. ET. @BalanceBar and Laurel House (@QuickieChick) will be hosting the chat.

How to enter: In the comments, tell me one small step you're planning on making this year. You can also get extra entries by:

• Following Balance Bar on Facebook
• Following Balance Bar on Twitter
• Following Balance Bar on Pinterest
• And following Go! Go! Gail! on Facebook

Giveaway deadline is Friday, January 17, 2014 at 8 p.m. ET. The is open to U.S. residents only.

In addition, you also can enter the Balance Bar pledge and giveaway at http://www.balance.com/pledge/ where you'll be entered for a chance to win a wellness vacation at New Life Hiking Spa in Killington, Vermont. And five fans will also win the same prize pack that I'm giving away. So enter both!

Disclosure: Balance Bar provided bars and Yurbuds for this giveaway. I was not compensated in any other way, and all opinions are my own.

Pulled chicken in barbecue sauce and you don't even have to pull out the grill! Subway has a new limited-edition sammie on its Fresh Fit menu: The Smokehouse BBQ Chicken Sandwich. It’s also one of their $6 footlong specials, which makes a great meal for two at 380 calories for a 6-incher.

We tried out the new sub recently and it was saucy without being squishy, with a nice ratio of chicken to sauce. Usually I'm an "everything but the kitchen sink" Subway orderer, but I wanted to really check out the flavor of the sub so I kept things simple and ordered it with lettuce, red onion, tomatoes and pickles (pickles and barbecue sauce are a match made in heaven). 

Would you like to have a Smokehouse BBQ Chicken Sandwich of your very own? How about a few of them? 

I'm giving away a $25 Subway gift card and here's how you can win it:

• Tell me in the comments what you love most about your favorite Subway sandwich. I'll go first: I love the fact that I can control exactly what goes into my sub and also that Subway has removed all the high fructose corn syrup from its breads -- yay!

This is a limited-issue sammich so time is of the essence. I'll choose a winner on WEDNESDAY, MAY 22 at 8 p.m. ET. You'll need to get back to me quickly so Subway can get you your gift card. 

Disclosure: Subway provided me with a gift card plus one for the winner of this giveaway. All opinions are my own and are not edited or approved by Subway. 

Eggland's Best wanted to know whether I'd like to take part in a brunch-themed post and host a giveaway.

Of course! (I love a no-brainer.)  I always have a carton of Eggland's Best organic eggs in the fridge -- they frequently run coupons in the Sunday paper, and I'm all about the bargains.

Sunday morning, I tried a recipe that I found on Cooking Light's website. It had the quintessential springtime vegetable -- asparagus -- plus ham and cheese, which was sure to lure in the teenager.

I doubled the recipe because the original only serves two, so I used a 12-inch skillet and cooked it a bit longer and at a slightly lower temperature so I didn't torch the bottom of it. 

This dish turned out great -- two big slices for only 250 calories and an impressive 31 grams of protein.

I had intended to make a couple more eggy dishes but I used nearly the entire dozen eggs on this baby. And this dish was really filling -- while I served it for brunch, it'd make a great dinner as well.

Ham and Asparagus Frittata

(from "Cooking Light" magazine, April 2004)

• 2/3 cup chopped 33%-less-sodium ham (about 3 ounces)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded low-fat Jarlsberg cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 large egg whites
• 2 large eggs
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
• 1/2 cup (1-inch) slices asparagus
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat broiler.

Combine ham, cheese, black pepper, salt, egg whites, and eggs, stirring well with a whisk.

Heat a 9-inch nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and asparagus; sauté 3 minutes. Add egg mixture; reduce heat to medium. Cook, covered, 3 minutes or until almost set. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Wrap handle of pan with foil; broil 3 minutes or until egg is set. Cut into 4 wedges.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional information:

• Calories: 251 
• Calories from fat: 33%
• Fat: 9.2g
• Saturated fat: 3.4g
• Monounsaturated fat: 3.5g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 1.1g
• Protein: 31.3g
• Carbohydrate: 9.6g
• Fiber: 2g
• Cholesterol: 247mg
• Iron: 2.1mg
• Sodium: 791mg
• Calcium: 373mg

So, about that giveaway...

The gift pack includes:

• Coupon for one free dozen Eggland’s Best eggs
• Ceramic mixing bowl
• Egg-shaped wooden cutting board
• Whisk
• Bowl scraper
• Ceramic mug
• Eco bag

To win this gift, just let me know your favorite egg dish in the comments. If you need inspiration, the Eggland’s Best website has lots of recipe ideas, like a Breakfast Burrito and a Sunny Side Breakfast Pizza. You also can check out Eggland's Best on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. 

Submit your comment by Friday, April 12 at 11:59 p.m. ET, and I'll choose a winner.

Disclosure: The Eggland’s Best information and two gift packs have been provided by Eggland’s Best.