December 27, 2024

Contest Corner

For a Winning Lifestyle!

Break Pal – Review & Giveaway – 5 Winners

Break Pal – Review & Giveaway – 5 Winners
by 53 Comments on Break Pal – Review & Giveaway – 5 Winners

***This giveaway is now closed.***

Break Pal is a program designed to help busy, office-bound workers sneak a workout into their packed schedule. Part fitness software, part social networking site, Break Pal members download a program that pops up periodically, reminding the user to workout. It then takes them to a series of special YouTube videos that guide them through quick 3 minute workouts. Users can also make friends with other members on the site in an effort to stay focused.

Want to work out more, but have no time and can’t afford the gym? 5 lucky Contest Corner readers will receive lifetime Break Pal memberships!

My take:

I was a bit skeptical of Break Pal, because I didn’t think it would motivate me. I was afraid that I would just ignore the pop-ups telling me to work out, just like I ignore the voice in my head that tells me to work out. I was also concerned that it might be too obtrusive – I’m very focused when I’m working, and if my concentration gets broken I get very frustrated. So I was very surprised when Break Pal turned out to be such a useful tool for me!

When my first workout prompt came up, I selected a “Chair Tai’ Chi” exercise. The short video shows instructor Liz Weaver in a business suit, showing you how to do the exercise while remaining seated at your office chair – no special workout clothes are required for these low-impact routines. Because the videos are short and to the point, they fit in pretty seamlessly with my schedule; which is saying something, because with my hectic life I am always proclaiming, “I don’t have time for that!!”. But these videos are between one and four minutes long, so it took the same amount of time as getting up for a cup of coffee might. And the alerts are fairly unobtrusive, so if I was engrossed in a project it was easy to close.

My biggest fear was not having enough discipline to follow through, but that actually wasn’t an issue because the Yoga and Chi Kung exercises feel so good! I actually looked forward to the breaks and was happy to take them. This is one of my favorites:




As a freelance journalist, I spend all day working at a computer, and I really feel it. My body gets so stiff and uncomfortable at times, and I know it slows me down. Just doing these exercises for a short time, I could feel a difference and noticed my muscles loosening up – and that’s a big deal. I thought Break Pal would be too gimmicky to work, but I fully intend to use this regularly now that I’ve tried it – I think it will help me relieve tension and feel better throughout the day.

The only thing I would like to see is perhaps a new widget design for Break Pal, with more customizable options. I think it would also be helpful if perhaps there was a more detailed FAQ for newbies on how to use it – I’m still figuring out how some of the features on the site work. But overall, I was really surprised and impressed that such a simple idea could have such a profound effect.

Want to be my worktout buddy on Breakpal? Click here to add me!

Win it!

FIVE lucky Contest Corner readers will win full Break Pal memberships with no expiration! Memberships are normally $9.95 per month, so what an awesome prize!

Here’s how to enter:

1. For your first entry, visit Break Pal and let me know why you’d like to have a membership.
This step is required to qualify for the drawing. Be sure to leave an email address with your comment, so that I may notify you in the event that you are the lucky winner!

Want extra entries? Do any of the following, and leave a separate comment for each one:

2. Write a post on your blog linking to this giveaway. Then come back here and leave me the link!
3. Write about this on Twitter, then come back and leave me the link to your tweet!
4. Subscribe to my blog updates by entering your email into the “Subscribe” box in the sidebar. Then come back and leave me the email you subscribed with!
5. Become a follower of my blog by clicking the “Follow” button in my sidebar! Then come back here and let me know in a separate comment!
6. Post my button on your website – just copy and paste the following code, and let me know where you put it:


Rules, regulations, and other important stuff: Giveaway ends on April 29th at 11:59 PM, PST. Winners will be chosen the following day via Random.org. Winners have 48 hours to respond to my notification email, or a new winner will be chosen in their place. Giveaway is open to worldwide entrants.

53 thoughts on “Break Pal – Review & Giveaway – 5 Winners”

  2. I was reading on Break pal about mental clarity, I seriously need this. Also I find my fingers going slighly numb and the waistline expanding is me so definitely.
    I would get great benefit from the membership.

  6. I spend too much time at the computer and not nearly enough at the gym – so I can have the best of both worlds with this subscription!

  10. I work 8-5 at a desk and then I feel like I have so much to do when I get home or I am so tired, that my workout routine has really almost disappeared. I would LOVE to find a way to get out of this rut and this would be perfect!

  14. I subscribe. Thanks for the headsup. I would love to try this and do a follow up article on my site. I am always looking for new things to keep motivated and to help motivate my readers as well. Thanks for the great giveaway. Count me in.

  16. Although I try to get in a workout after work, it’s really not enough. Working late often interfers. This would allow me to get short bursts of activity in throughout my day, keeping my metabolism higher than normal.

  17. i could use this product because i spend a lot of time in front of a computer and am trying to lose weight. im a firm believer that every little thing helps and this sounds like a great way to supplement my workouts during the day while working

  18. I definitely need to get more exercise, but don’t have the time. I spend so much time on the computer that I feel guilty neglecting the time I should be spending doing other things, like walking or exercising.

  22. I too work on my computer (graphic design and video editing), so this would be really helpful in getting my daily exercise 🙂

    thefatesarevicious at yahoo dot com

  23. Oh how I’d love to win this! My main reason – where is the time to work out? And knowing me, I’d probably get a whole crowd around my desk doing afternoon workouts!
    Haha, thanks for the opportunity!
    vancy31[at]gmail[dot]com

  24. I would love this because I need a workout when I am at my desk most of the day. Looks very interesting.

    Thank you!

    janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

  28. I suffer back pain and CTS too, so I need to start exercise to relax my muscles while working. membership can help me to find proper exercises for my office place.

  32. I need this because it looks like a good motivation to quit playing on the PC and actually have some activity!

  33. I wwould love to have a member ship so I can get some sort of exercise I need help bad.

  35. I love that you earn points through exercises. That is perfect motivation for a competitive person like me!

  36. It would do me a lot of good since I don’t have much time to do anything but work and take care of my family. I just had twins so i’m very busy 🙂

  37. I would like to have this because I love the community! I also need reminders sometimes to get up! Thanks for the chance! hawkgirl_16 {at} hotmail {dot} com

  39. I would love to have this membership because I am at a desk for 8 hours a day with only scheduled breaks and lunch as an opportunity to move around. If I can learn these at home I can use them at work also.
    I like that you can choose to start with easy stretching exercises and move up to more demanding ones.

  44. this looks like an easy way to get in some exercise while at the computer which is great

    alterna7 at hotmail dot com

  47. I love the idea that you can also hook-up online with other people in the same shoes as you are… just having a program pop-up and tell me to move would be great but knowing that there were other people that would also hold me accountable is a great added incentive.

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