An independent review of Agel products

So I don't often have much to say around here, and really this is just because when I was looking for somebody to tell me if Agel (pronounced "agile") products worked or not I couldn't find anything that wasn't sponsored by the company or was talking about the dangers of multi-level marketing.

So - MLM aside (I am not getting involved in that!!) - I have been taking the following products regularly for almost two weeks, and am prepared to at least give an intermediate statement on how I feel about them.

FLX - this is supposed to contain 4 supplements to help your joints and bones - it says it is a Citrus Fruit Flavor.  It tastes like ass onto which a citrus fruit has perhaps fallen and rotted.  NASTY.  It is also kind of chalky.  Now, if you haven't seen Agel stuff the whole pretense is that they are vitamins in a gel (kind of like Gu for runners) and therefore are absorbed better and faster.  Have I noticed any difference?  I don't think so.  I still hurt in all the same places I usually hurt after activity, so whatever.  Not worth it to me to continue this one as it is (1) disgusting and (2) very expensive.  $85 for a month supply box.  I can take OTC glucosamine pills and save a whole lot of money.

GRN - this is supposed to be a cleanse type of product, gently keeping your system "moving" - it says it is a Lemongrass Mint Flavor - they got the grass part right. This tastes like somebody went into the yard and yanked up some grass (dirt and all) and put it in a blender with a squirt of lemon.  It's not as bad as FLX, but it's not very good.  It is also very runny compared to the other products.  I am not really into this one - I was eating yogurt with chia seeds pretty much every day and had no problem with regularity.  Again, expensive and I will not be ordering it again.  If I need a little something extra I'll eat more applesauce....

PRO - this is a shake powder, a lot like a protein shake.  On their diet plan you use it as one or two meal supplements.  It makes a good shake in the blender - great with a little ice, 8 oz of milk and a half a banana or some blueberries.  However as a portable mean option this isn't so good.  It doesn't stir into milk on its own, and even in a shaker bottle it still comes out gritty and strange.  I don't have a blender at work, so it just really isn't working out for me.  The taste is fine, when blended in a blender.  (It is 3 WW points when blended with 8 oz nonfat milk by the way)

FIT - This one still tastes gross ("Lemon Meringue Flavor") but is better than the others so far.  If you take it in one shot and drink water it goes down better.  It is supposed to curb your appetite, and let me tell you IT WORKS.  I love this one if only for the fact that taken 30 minutes before lunch I will eat a healthy lunch and not be starving at 3:00 p.m.  This is one I will probably continue to use if I see decent results at the end of the month.  I usually take one a day, but some days I take 2. (I'm also doing WeightWatchers and so some days I feel like I'm going to starve to death anyway....)

OHM - I just started with this one Monday, and I don't take it every day.  The one I took did exactly what I expected.  It has a Vitamin B complex in it that gives you energy without added caffeine.  All I know is that it perked me up more than an afternoon Diet Coke does and it didn't make me crash later.  My only complaint is that since I took it in the late afternoon (energy for exercise class) I had a hard time getting to sleep that night, so next time I'll take it earlier in the day.    It is "Starfruit Flavor" and actually is the best tasting of all of the products here.

I hope this helps somebody else when they are looking around the Internet to find somebody who will give an unbiased opinion of these products.  I wish I'd seen something like this before I ordered.  It seems everybody who is involved with Agel has drunk the cool-aid and thinks this stuff is the best ever.  I think some of that is because they have to convince themselves that the MLM is going to work and that all the boxes of stuff they have to order personally every month to get their commission (from what I've seen between $200 and $300 worth) is actually doing them some good.  And maybe it does.  Maybe for somebody with more bone and joint pain the FLX does more.  Maybe for someone with different issues the GRN would help more.  Dunno. Not saying they don't work, just saying they didn't do much for ME.  And maybe the psychosomatic effect of all that MLM team training stuff they want to show you will psych you into feeling it does more than is an actual result of the product.  Either way, if you feel better why not?

MOVING

This blog is moving to WordPress to make my life easier.

http://medievalneedle.wordpress.com

Yeah - I know - I never say anything.

Things are weird and busy and crazy here.

And the power has been out since 10:45 Tuesday night. Yes, it is now Thursday. I'm fully, fully aware. Everything in the refrigerator is ruined (guess what - I went to the store on Tuesday night!). The cats keep sneaking up on each other and fighting. The bird thinks he is being punished because you can explain to a small child why the lights do not work, but not to a bird.

I have finished socks. I did that Tuesday night at least.

These are from the Rockin Sock Club (Blue Moon Fiber Arts) and I did one sock from each pattern.  So they are the same yarn but different socks - fraternal twins.

My attempt at being artistic.  Because sometimes I get all weird with the camera.




Here is Mark's birthday cake too.  I had the image printed and then with the help of a friend who is good at this sort of thing stuck it to the top of the cake.  It was tasty, and not the least bit weird.

I'd leave you with the bird, but sadly it is hard to take photos in the dark.

See you soon!

What I accomplished in 2010

2010 was one of those up and down years. But I accomplished a lot:

I ran 62 miles. My fastest mile was 10'19" and 29 of my miles were in October as I prepared to run my first 5k. I ran the Race for the Cure in Memphis on the 31st of October and finished just under my goal time of 40 minutes.

I knitted lots of things - socks, shawls and gloves. I finished my white shawl and white opera length gloves before DAR Continental Congress in July and wore them both to Page in Washington - another first.

I went to Knoxville for the first time for State Conference (not my first) and Washington DC for the first time for National Congress (which was a first). I went to Kansas City for a few days to visit with some stitching friends too.

2011 is going to be a good year too. I'm going to knit a lot of socks, and finish my shawl that I started last year. I'm going to Nashville for State Conference where I will serve as a Vice-Chairman of Pages. Probably no DC this year.

I also plan to complete the Gateway to 8k plan and run a few races this year.

I need to get photos of some of my knitting and post them soon. Until then - Happy New Year and may 2011 give you all of the blessings you desire!!

Right - sorry

So this poor blog has been totally devoid of content for six months. It's been a busy, crazy and yet uneventful six months so let's just start where we are and move on shall we?

I'll get some new knitting pictures up here soon. Including photos of the knitted gifts this past Yule. But we are all alive and well. Bogart is still talking his little birdy head off. Both cats are still snuggly and sweet. Especially if you happen to have a heating blanket.

Wishing you a happy and prosperous new year!!

I promised knitting, but instead you get the bird

Bogart's new Pac-O-Bird Carrier came yesterday.  We have tried the harness and His Zonness refuses to wear it.  We just all end up bleeding and in tears and it is not worth the trouble.   So, we decided this would be a decent alternative to allow him to get outside with us some.  Also, it will make it easier for me to take him to visit friends for an hour or so or to take him to the vet for his annual rather than having to fight with his larger lucite travel carrier that is also his sleep cage.  It's bigger, and very heavy and unwieldy.

So, on to photos:

'
He went in without a fight.  Took a few good looks and inside he went.  He seems to know it is his.



He also is a camera ham.  Once he decided it was his, he didn't want to come right back out but wanted to hang out and explore.



This is his MINE pose as I tried to lift him out.  Ok, more photos then.



This is him looking out at me with flash, but the expression was so cute I had to keep it.



Without the flash you can see that it is really pretty sheer.  We got the stainless steel mesh option.



Just to see what it looked like from inside I took this photo.  So he really can see out too.


Here is the back.  It is very well built, very well padded, very sturdy frame, and the straps are very comfy.

We have not started moving him in it.  First step was to put him in and let him hang out.  Tonight we'll close the top and see if he freaks.  If not, then we might take him out on the patio in it for a few minutes.  Even though he is great about new experiences, we are taking it slowly and gently.

I think this is going to be a great boon to our lives and his.  He can go places and be protected from himself and from the idiots who might poke or frighten him.  The only thing we will probably change is that the dragon wood perch seems a bit slick for moving around a lot, so I will probably put a short rope perch in there where he can get a better grip.

DAR Gloves finished

I decided to knit my own opera length gloves for DAR Congress - this will be my third year at State and my first year going to DC for Continental Congress, and I wanted to do something special for it.






Fingers are fiddly, but really all told these were pretty darn easy.  Took about two weeks per glove, same as a sock.

Now to wash and block, which will take care of some of the irregular bits in my knitting.

Pattern is Farinelli by Ysolda Teague - yarn is Louet Gems fingering weight in White.