Monday, December 28, 2015

Better Body Sports "Amino Ammo" Pre-Workout Formula

Hubby is at it again in another guest post for supplements. Thankfully, this time, he's got a good one to review and not some horrible concoction or useless gelcaps. So let's dive right in to this offering from Better Body Sports, shall we?
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Some days, it feels like I'm Micheal Corleone in the Godfather. "Every time I think that I'm out, they pull me back IN!" I'm a sucker, it seems, for trying out certain supplements, and it's usually within my holy trinity: BCAA's, protein, creatine. And sometimes it comes back to bite me on the butt, but this time, I'm happy to report, I've found another winner in Better Body Sports' "Amino Ammo" BCAA formula. BCAA's are a very important part of my workout routine. The help increase muscle building and synthesis, as well as support the muscles you've already built, but the also help combat fatigue and stamina in the gym. What sets this mix apart from my usual brand of BCAA powder is the 4:1:1 ratio versus my usual 2:1:1. That ratio refers to the amounts of L-Leucine, L-Valine, and L-Isoleucine that comprise a standard BCAA (branched chain amino acid) stack. Emerging research has started to say that a 3:1:1 ratio can produce greater muscle synthesis that the usual 2:1:1, so most companies are starting to put a 4:1:1 ratio in their BCAA stacks. There are also many reports of this just being another heaping helping of "bro science", but I can tell you from use that I did notice some minor gains from this over my usual Optimum Nutrition BCAA powder. I didn't have Those who have read my other reviews know that I consider them the standard by which others are judged for the simple fact that I trust them to put exactly what they say is in there, in there. And trust is huge in the supplement market where fly-by-nights come and go it seems almost daily. But Better Body Sports went above and beyond and made this not just a BCAA mix, but a pretty decent pre-workout mix as well by adding beta-alanine, citrulline malate, agmatine (which some have referred to as "super arginine") and vitamins (C, B6 and B12) as well. Add a caffeine pill and I'd put this up there with the new formulation of Cellucor's C4. The downsides to Amino Ammo are a super-sweet flavor to mask the bitterness of the vitamins and aminos, and the paltry amount of agmatine sulfate, which is only 250mg. Most studies show the minimum effective dose of agmatine to be in the 500-750mg range. The other is the price for a 30-day serving: $39.99. I can usually get a 30-day supply of pre-workout powders for around $20-25 for a 30 day supply, and less with coupons and promotions.
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Overall this is a good product that seems to contain exactly what is says it does, and offers a price point that, while I find a little on the high side, is on par with the other, more well-known names in the industry. If you don't mind the flavor (I'm not the biggest fan of watermelon, and as Wifey put it best "It tastes like powdered Jolly Rancher"), you have a better than average pre-workout with no caffeine, and some really look hard for that. And for those that don't, you can add it for about 5 bucks a bottle and never need another pre-workout mix. There's no filler, binders, no artificial colors, anti-oxidants...Better Body Sports has a real winner on their hands.
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Well, then. It's nice to actually get a supplement company that actually gets it and I'm glad hubby doesn't have to choke down something he hated for a review. Better Body Sports makes an entire line of products, and if they're as good as their Amino Ammo, there's going to be a new big player in the supplement industry very soon.
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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Better Body Sports .  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Ohuhu Electric Eraser

Okay, so I've been a fan of most Ohuhu products in the past. They were reasonably priced, decent quality products. I had some issues with one and had some difficulty getting support, but I chalked that up to them being a newer company still getting their feet under them. This last product, that I received via Tomoson, came defective. It didn't work. I tried to reach out to them, but received no response via email. I tried to go to the website linked in the promotion page; It took me to a Cindy Crawford website. The Amazon page where I was asked to review the product doesn't lea to the product at all. Fail, fail and more fail.
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When a company doesn't get back to you once, it's an oversight. When they send a second defective product and then completely ignore customers, that's a pattern and a disturbing one. I no longer recommend anyone do business with Ohuhu. They don't care about the products or the customer once they ship them out, and I don't do business with people who treat their customers in such a fashion. Maybe one day they'll get their act together. Today isn't that day, and tomorrow's not looking good either. Sorry about the short post, but I'm not going to waste any more time reviewing a product that doesn't work from a company that doesn't care.
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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Ohuhu.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.
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Saturday, December 5, 2015

Research Verified NO2 Booster Preworkout Supplement

So here's the return of Hubby with a dietary supplement that, against his better judgement, he decided to try. So, take it away, Hubby:
Sometimes, you're looking for a little edge in the gym. Sometimes, after a long day, you need a little extra pep. NO2 boosters are generally a good way to power through those last sets, and keep your form and those last few reps. But sometimes, all the hype and fancy packaging doesn't help when a product fails to perform. Such is the case with this Research Verified NO2 Booster. There was quite literally no effect for me at all.
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I take arginine supplements to help aid in a circulatory issue a have in my leg, and for a little extra bonus in the gym. After my old preworkout mix changed formulations, I've been looking for a new mix, and thought I'd found one missing a couple of ingredients in the old stack, so why not pick up a could of supplements to supplement the mix, right? But right from jump I got nothing from this pill. I thought at first to wait a couple of weeks and see if perhaps it was a case of expecting too much too soon. I added it to my regular preworkout stack, and after a couple of weeks, when I wasn't feeling what I expected, I stopped them. No reason to tax my liver with some pills that don't have any benefit. Maybe I'm used to a higher potency of arginine product, maybe I got a bad bottle, but whatever the case, I got no benefit whatsoever from this NO2 Booster.
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In the end, I should have stuck to my guns about testing these type of supplements, because most of the time I'm disappointed. There's only a couple of companies I truly trust, and from here on out it's them or the highway. I've learned my lesson. No more testing and reviewing exercise supplements.
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Okay, I won't say "I told you so", but I totally did. Proprietary mixes are the devil, and threre's no way of knowing what you're really getting unless you trust the company. We've really yet to find more than a handful of these companies that deliver on their promises, and we should really learn to stick with them religiously.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Research Verified.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Wizzhome's Creative Scents "Schonwerk" Decorative Bowl

It's not often I'm forced to do reviews in a rush, but unfortunately this item came damaged and the deadline for my post arrived the morning after the item did. And, sadly, that seems to be the norm with Wizzhome, so while their items are usually quality, they're packaging and shipping is for the birds. But, as for this bowl, it's a gorgeous little knick-knack that works well with my, and really any, decor. Let's dive right in.
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To start, it's a heavy cast resin painted a deep, rich walnut color and brushed with a wood grain. I know it's resin because the first one they delivered had one of his little feet broken clean off. Thankfully, Wizzhome replaced it, and all the little knicks and dings I'd thought were representative of poor workmanship seemed to be the result of the loose foot rattling around in the box. The Interior of the bowl has a golden/brassy crackled glass inset into the resin, and it rests flush so as to not leave any sharp edges protruding. The result is a brilliant beautiful sparkle, and due to the nature of the piece, no two will be alike. I also know this because I had two to compare. Sadly, the one with the broken foot had to be disposed of, but even in the bin, it looked fabulous. And the part I loved the most is the non-skid, non-marring pads on each foot. So often I buy something that has none and will slide around of whatever surface I choose for it and mark the dickens out of it, or I'll have to buy some little protective pads. They were blissfully included with Wizzhome's Schonwerk Bowl.
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I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I have ordered products from Wizzhome several times and have yet to get one without damage. Whether it's from shipping or poor packaging, it's always heartbreaking because the products from Wizzhome are top shelf. And, thankfully, they've always been quick to send a replacement, making the process painless. But it's still something I think needed to be addressed. Whether you treat it as a bowl, or a holder for other decorative pieces, or just an object unto itself, it's a sight to behold, and works with holiday decor, or really, year round. It's a little pricey at $32.25, and I'm not sure I'd pay for a small-sh 10" x 5.5" x 3.5" decorative accent, but value is in the eye of the beholder, and this Creative Scents Schonwerk Bowl is truly a sight to see.
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I received the above product(s) free of charge from WizzHome.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.