April 2018 – Craving Happy

Fizzique: Bubbles of fun & fuel

Published on April 26, 2018April 25, 2018 by Hannah6 Comments

I’ve never seen a fizzy protein drink until I heard about Fizzique. I was instantly curious if the drink would taste chalky or leave that weird protein aftertaste and I am a sucker for any new healthy products hitting the market. Luckily, I got the chance to try both their flavors–Tropical Limon and Strawberry Watermelon to see for myself.

My boxes arrived the night before I flew off to Australia, but I was dying to try them. So, after a little bit of research, I decided to take a chance. I wrapped a few cans of Fizzique in bubble wrap, wrapped them in sweaters, and squeezed them into my already full suitcase. Praying throughout the flight that my cans didn’t explode, 24 hours later I arrived in Australia and immediately checked–success! A dry suitcase, and ready to drink refreshments. Thank you to all the TripAdvisor forums for the solid advice.

The first day I walked for about 16 miles with a heavy backpack on and was ravenous even after a huge dinner. So I decided that would be the perfect time for a can!

While it was hot outside, this flavor was crisp & refreshing. It had the perfect combination of strawberry and watermelon without tasting artificial. It makes sense because the ingredients are minimal and Fizzique is gluten free, GMO free, fat free, sugar free, soy free, with no artificial preservatives, colors or dyes. With a solid 20 grams of protein, it kept me full and I slept like a baby for the next 12 hours!

I only had a few cans with me in Australia, so I wanted to save them for the beach! I went snorkeling and hiking one day and enjoyed a can on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world with soft, perfectly white silica sand.

I wish I could’ve squeezed more cans into my suitcase! I enjoyed the Tropical Limon flavor, but the Strawberry Watermelon is definitely my favorite. The Tropical Limon flavor reminded me of a less sweet, less artificial version of 7-Up taste-wise, but the Strawberry Watermelon was such a unique combination. When I had to return home (womp womp), I learned that Fizzique even tastes good when not on the beach 😉

At work I was struggling through the afternoon after my last meeting of the day and this high protein snack kept me focused on work, not my rumbling tummy. I occasionally get bored-hungry (or real hungry) around 4PM, but try and keep the snacks on the lighter side so I am still hungry for dinner. This did the trick; light and bubbly, but with the satisfaction of a protein bar. I drank mine out of a wine glass with chopped strawberries to feel a little fancy! It kept me full for hours until I was ready to dig into a big dinner later in the evening around 7PM.

Fizzique is also a great pre- or post-workout beverage/snack. It is light & filling, but doesn’t weigh you down. Plus each can packs 4400mg of BCAAs; BCAAs (Branch-Chain Amino Acids) are shown to help increase muscle endurance and decrease muscle soreness. Feeling less sore after squats? Count me in.

If you are interested in trying Fizzique, use code HANNAHFIZZIQUE for a discount when you order from the Fizzique website.

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Have you heard of Fizzique? Do you like protein-packed drinks? Which flavor sounds better to you?

Ted Talk Friday: How Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google Manipulate Our Emotions

Published on April 13, 2018April 2, 2018 by HannahLeave a comment

I work in tech in the Bay Area so these tech giants are everywhere; Google buses (G-buses) are all over the place and Amazon delivers anything and everything. Galloway goes into the psychology of how these giants have taken over both the individual and the industry. Listen to his interesting, even if extreme, perspective on where these tech giants are leading us:

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Do you agree with Galloway? Do you consciously feel manipulated?

Ted Talk Friday: How to deal with gaslighting

Published on April 6, 2018April 5, 2018 by HannahLeave a comment

I have heard the term gaslighting quite a bit frequently, and it is definitely ringing true in the political world right now. The #MeToo movement has really brought this to the forefront–for so long women have been targeted with gaslighting, but when everyone has the courage to speak up, the power of gaslighting falls to pieces. I hope you enjoy this brave, vivid experience form Ariel Leve about surviving a childhood of chaos, lies, and gaslighting–and how she copes.

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Have you ever experienced gaslighting? Do you agree with her coping strategies?

A Day on Resilience at the Greater Good Science Center

Published on April 3, 2018April 3, 2018 by HannahLeave a comment

I have heard about the Greater Good Science Center for quite some time now and I’ve been curious to check them out. I finally started looking at the schedule over the holiday season and wanted to go to all the seminars–so many amazing topics and amazing leaders! Kristin Neff taught a seminar on self-compassion in February, which I sadly couldn’t attend, but I was able to make it to “The Science and Practice of Resilience” by Rick Hanson. I left my apartment at the crack of dawn and caught the BART from my apartment to Berkeley; luckily it was a short hour long train ride where I people watched, read, and caught up on work emails.

I caught an Uber from the BART station to the event and serendipitously ended up sharing the ride with a few other attendees. One is a student at Georgia Tech (I went to Emory–coincidence!), whose name was Jalen, and he excitedly told me about his startup, which is an app from focused on emotional awareness and self-compassion. Jalen was such a kind person and I can’t wait to see how his startup, Mind Hack, grows. His companion is a coach at Heroic Voice Academy, which is an incredible company helping individuals develop their own brave, authentic voice whether they are giving a TED talk or interviewing for a new job.

The workshop was incredible; the day was broken down into sections of lecture, activity, and practice. We learned about the neurobiology of resilience, but also why that neurobiology matters so much in the clinical, real world setting.

One of my favorite exercises came near the beginning of the day when we discussed what we see as our own personal inner strengths that we draw on as our mental resources in difficult times. We paired up randomly, and my partner was a thoughtful, open psychiatrist grappling with his recent divorce. He shared his own strengths and my turn rolled around a few minutes later. At first I was drawing only blanks, but I suddenly tapped into this beautiful place of self-empowerment and reflection. Speaking my strengths out loud made me feel powerful, strong, worthy. As Dr. Hanson mentioned frequently during the day, humans naturally focus on the negative; we have an inherent negativity bias that we have to correct for. By focusing on my strengths, rather than the daily frustration I tend to perseverate over, I wasn’t just seeing the world, or myself through rose colored glasses, I was correcting for my own bias. This was definitely a light bulb moment for me.

Beyond the course, I had the opportunity to connect with so many wonderful, kind people. I spent about an hour getting to know a woman with such a fascinating background who is now a therapist and shaman. She was so open in sharing her story and had such helpful insight into my own future goals.

I feel so lucky to have gone to such a fascinating, educational event. It is such a privilege to be able to hit the pause button of life every once in a while and attend an event like this. I met so many like-minded people, learned more about the neurobiology of resilience, and developed tools to cultivate resilience.

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Have you heard of the Greater Good Science Center? What do you think are your inner strengths?