Find Balance in Your Life with The Quickie Chick and Balance Bar {Review & Giveaway}

While there are many days that I would like nothing more than to bury myself under the covers and hibernate until spring has truly arrived (when will the snow finally stop??), I know that isn't possible.

However, at the same time, doesn't it sometimes feel as though as soon as Daylight Savings Time passes and we gain that extra hour of sunlight, that we all somehow think that means that we need to be even more productive and squish even more errands, events and chores into our already jam-packed days?

Fortunately, before the stress takes over, it is possible to make that extra daylight really count with actionable and easy tips for balance from lifestyle expert, Laurel House, known as The Quickie Chick, and Balance Bar.

Founded in 1992 by a group of sports enthusiasts, scientists and people with a passion for life, Balance Bar was one of the originators of energy bars and the nutrition bar category.

As they have long crafted their products with the perfect balance of great taste, quality nutrition and lasting energy, it is easy to see why their 40-30-30 nutrition principle (40% of calories come from carbohydrates, 30% from quality protein and 30% from dietary fat) provides balanced energy... as opposed to a sugar rush and subsequent crash.

Add to that the many different flavors, styles and formats of energy bars that Balance Bar offers and there is no reason that nutrition can't be easy and delicious for everyone. These convenient bars can be eaten at home, work or on-the-go, so no matter if your day has you attending meetings, running errands, picking up the kids, squeezing in a workout or more, you can stay balanced and ready to keep up with it all.

So, with the official start of spring already past, it is the perfect time to check out Laurel's advice:

1. Eat well.

You don't want that extra sunlight to cause your entire day to be in a daze. Counteract the fact that the average person loses 40 minutes of sleep the first night of daylight savings time by eating energizing foods that will help keep your mind sharp and your mood lifted. A few to try and why:

• Rye Bread – Filled with iron and lots of nutrients, rye bread helps to deliver fresh oxygen to brain cells, keeping you alert and energized.

• Avocado – The monounsaturated fat in this healthy food helps to keep healthy oxygen flowing.

• Onions – Sulfur found in onions can increase blood flow and circulation, both essential for energy.

• Apple with a smear of peanut butter –This energizing combo of fiber-rich carbohydrates and protein takes longer to digest than eating carbs alone, therefore maintaining elevated energy longer.

• Original Yogurt Honey Peanut Balance Bar – This nutrition bar (as with all Balance Bars) also has energizing benefits, providing a balance of calories between carbs, protein and fat for long-lasting energy.

2. Be Selfish.

Your life called and asked for its balance back. Don't feel bad about leaving the office when it's still light. That doesn't mean you're leaving early. Take advantage of the extra hour of daylight by taking care of yourself.

Use it as a transition time to decompress, shed the work stress and enter into the second phase of your day. Finally take that yoga class that you’ve always wanted to try, take a walk to find the best view of the sunset, or stop on your way home at the flower garden that you always pass and smell the roses.

3. Be Selfless.

After work, go to your local animal shelter and take a couple of dogs for a walk. Or volunteer somewhere in your area. You'll offer help to those who need it, and brighten your evening, too.

4. Focus on your relationship.

Cut off the work energy, drop the residual stress of the day, and reset the stage for romance. It doesn't take much time or energy to put some effort into your relationship, but it's often those little things that make the biggest long-term difference. Here are a few ways to fill that extra hour with love:

• Take a walk together before dinner.

• Reservations are easy. Make dinner instead, even if you don't know how. In fact, even better if you don't know how. You are trying. You are taking time. You are putting some effort in.

• Bought bouquets are nice. But just a simple flower is sweeter, especially if you were driving or walking down the street, spotted one, and it made you spontaneously think of a loved one.

• Stop at a card shop and buy a dozen little cards. Then, once a week, hide a simple "I love you" note in a closed laptop, a coat pocket, a travel bag – somewhere you know it will be spotted.

5. Focus on your friendships.

A Walk and Talk Happy Hour! Stop debating between working out or having girl time. Do both! Instead of meeting up at the bar, spending too much on mixed drinks and straining your voice as you scream to speak, take advantage of the extra daylight and make plans to meet up for a walk and talk!

It's one of the best ways to catch up, gossip, dig deep into issues that you need advice on, and simultaneously get in a workout! A few ways to do it:

• Meet up on a certain corner at a specific time and take off from there.

• Pick a house – yours or theirs, as the meeting spot, then walk from the house.

• Choose a favorite hiking trail, beach walk or scenic local spot and start from there.

• If you live close to each other, decide to leave your houses at the exact same time and meet somewhere in the middle, then walk a new route together.

• Make the hour even happier by bringing along a S'mores Balance Bar. It will sustain you through your walk and you’ll feel like you're eating dessert first (without the calorie-dense guilt).

What great tips! As well as being impressed by all of Laurel's knowledge on how to keep life from getting out of hand, I was able to try out a selection of many of her favorite Balance Bars.

Yum, yum and yum! I love that each of these bars include a great deal of fiber and protein, while keeping the calories fairly low. Instead of reaching for an unhealthy snack to satisfy my chocolate cravings, I'm definitely grabbing a Dark Chocolate Crunch, S'mores or Chocolate Mint Cookie Crunch Balance Bar instead!

At the same time, my sweet tooth has been loving the Yogurt Honey Peanut and Sweet & Salty Peanut Butter Balance Bars as well, as they both contain just the right amount of tangy, salty goodness to make my belly happy!

Whether you are struggling to keep up with the fast pace of life or you simply know that it is better for your body to eat healthy snacks throughout the day to stay fueled (and not starving!), Balance Bars are a delicious way to keep you on track... while giving your taste buds a treat at the same time.

Why not combine the great taste of sweets with healthy nutrition, energy and convenience and stay energized and ready to take on the world?

To find out more about the HUGE variety of Balance Bars and the endless number of flavors available, visit them at Balance.com and on Facebook and Twitter. As well as keeping an eye out for these bars at your local grocery store and health food store, you can also find them at ShopBalance.com as well as on Amazon.

Plus, thanks to the generosity of Balance Bar, one person will be able to have a large dose of healthy nutrition this spring as well, because...

One lucky person will win 25 bars* from Balance Bar!

*Winner will receive (5) S'mores Balance Bars, (5) Dark Chocolate Crunch Balance Bars, (5) Chocolate Mint Cookie Crunch Balance Bars, (5) Yogurt Honey Peanut Balance Bars, and (5) Sweet & Salty Peanut Butter Balance Bars.

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A big thank you to Balance Bar for providing a prize pack for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.