AFFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging and social media activities, I may receive monetary compensation for links to products from this post. However, I only recommend products that I personally love and use myself!.
It happened again last week! During quiet time, the kiddo was so good about playing quietly in his room that I accidentally took a short nap on the couch while I was supposed to be getting some work done. Syfy woke me with a start, grinning from ear to ear that he had caught mommy in a narcoleptic moment. For a minute there, I groggily stared at him, wondering exactly what moment it was that had done me in, but for the life of me, I couldn't even remember falling asleep. You can't blame me. I had been up since 3 am that morning, doing my job as mom, and then working at 7 am on the blog, getting homeschool done for the day after everyone is fed, walked, pooped, etc. By the time I sit down to get my own work done, I am already exhausted from the day. All I can think while drifting off to sleep unknowingly, is how does that Super Mom down the street, keep her eyes open for the WHOLE day??? I've got to have her secret.
The natural energy tablets that we are talking about today, came from the good folks at Voke Tab (You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter). I was generously given these natural energy tablets to review, but my opinions are my own! I will only share with you products that I myself love and use personally!
I used to be addicted to energy drinks
I don't know about you, but the hardest thing that I do all day is to physically convince myself to get my body up and out of bed in the morning. Seriously, if that sun hasn't risen yet, I have to have a full on debate with myself, just to get up and going for the day. For years, I had been addicted to caffeine and energy drinks. Long before my Hippy journey began, I worked for Starbucks as a Barista. I worked the opening shift, and everyone who knows Starbucks, know that means that I had to get up for work at 4 in the morning. It was the most brutal thing ever for me. I am pretty sure that that was the point that I became addicted to energy drinks. Every morning, and multiple times a day, I could be seen sporting a can of Monster, Red Bull, or Rockstar energy drinks. I literally felt like death was upon me before I had my caffeine and sugar for the day. What I wasn't telling you, at the time, was that I was also suffering from constant UTI's, Hyperglycemia issues, and of course Narcolepsy. As I was constantly drinking these heavily sugar-laden drinks (1 energy drink has roughly 24 g of sugar. The American Heart Association warns that the maximum daily amount of sugar intake for women should not exceed 25 g! Or 37.5 g for men.), I had no idea that I was furthering my cycle of tiredness, illness, and weight gain with my intake of these beverages.
A surprise gift that kept on giving
This Hippy journey has been a constant one. There is no end to the learning, and I learn something new every single day. This last year (2015), I have been on a mission to reduce the sugar in my diet. While I had long since given up energy drinks because of their toxic ingredients, I was still drinking Starbucks beverages daily (the hubby worked there, it was hard not to) and really wanted to quit, but I didn't want to give up my morning caffeine. To quit this habit, I began mixing up my own herbal teas (with green tea, black tea, and yerba mate) to get my caffeine. These teas are totally fantastic, but without my teapot and some sort of loose-leaf strainer, they aren't always convenient to take with me, when I may need energy the most. I was still looking for just the right natural energy booster, when my last Yogi Surprise monthly box came in the mail, containing a small round tin of natural energy tablets called VokeTab. Totally stoked over the convenient idea, I popped one into my mouth and proceeded to have the most productive Monday that I have every experienced. My thoughts were clear, I was totally awake without any jittery feeling, and I have somehow managed to complete my entire to-do list for the day, before noon. Normally, I am lucky if I cross off a couple of items off of that list. I was hooked.
Voke Tab is natural energy from leaf and berry
"The Voke Effect is like a strong cup of green or mate tea that also helps you focus." Made with a unique recipe of naturally energizing ingredients, VokeTab contains Organic guarana (for focus and memory), green tea leaf caffeine (for endurance), and Organic acerola cherry (for a large naturally derived dose of Vitamin C and antioxidants). The greatest thing about these natural energy-giving tablets is that they do not have ANY sugar in them. Naturally sweetened with rebiana and monk fruit, these tablets have an "acquired taste" according to Voke, but I found them to be tasty (like a slightly less sweetened version of a sweet tart), and lacking that vitamin flavor that many "natural" energy products have. I can NOT stand that vitamin flavor.
Easy to take anywhere, no matter the adventure (or lack thereof)
I have a deep love for backpacking and hiking, but it can be hard to bring all my favorite tea blends, teapot, and the water needed to make my tea on-the-go. While VokeTab is perfect for the adventure-loving soul like me, you don't need to climb a mountain to use VokeTab! As a homeschooling Work-at-Home-Mom, I am on-the-go ALL THE TIME. I sometimes think that raising a boy is far harder than climbing a mountain, and the energy needed is about twice as much. I love that I can conveniently take these tablets with me anywhere we go, and can easily take one whenever my energy is waning. With the same amount of caffeine as a 12 oz. latte, I am able to naturally Voke-Up whether we are at the park, the grocery store, or about to deep clean our home. VokeTabs are great for daily use, no matter your routine! Whether you need help waking up, doing your daily yoga, getting your work done, or even studying late at night, Voke gets the job done.
The Vokenomics are simple
Using Voke has been awesome for my mind and body, but as a frequent Starbucks user, I have discovered how good Voke is for my wallet too! If you replace 1 VokeTab with 1 coffee or energy drink per day (This is based off replacing one 12 oz. Starbucks flavored latte with 2% milk for $3.55).
How much you save :
$81/MONTH OR $972/YEAR
How much you eliminate:
150 g FAT/MONTH - 810 g SUGAR/MONTH - 6000 CALORIES/MONTH
Voke Tabs have changed the way that I tackle my day!
Since I started using Voke, I have noticed a huge improvement in my productivity, my ability to focus during the day, and my energy levels. Taking Voke first thing in the morning, with my morning breakfast smoothie, has made it even easier to have to wake up and go for the day. During the afternoon, if I am having a slump in energy, right when I need to tackle the hardest part of the day, I just pop a Voke Tab and get my stuff done! I have noticed a great improvement in memory and focus, and I am even finding it easier to awaken and get out of bed early in the morning. I have completely replaced my Starbucks habit with Voke, and therefore dropped the majority of sugars I was getting in a day (I still use honey/maple and eat fruits, just avoiding all the processed stuff!). My body is feeling MUCH more energized, just from the change in my daily sugar intake alone. I can't wait to take Voke out on the trail with us when we go backpacking next! I am totally stoked over how much space AND weight Voke will save me in my pack, that I have already planned what to do with that extra space next time we hit up the trails
