This winter in the Boston area is one for the record books. We have gotten an unprecedented amount of snow in a very short time, well over five feet. And we’re expecting more snow on Thursday and another blizzard during the weekend. The trouble is there’s no room to put it. Even in a wooded area with decent size house lots, there’s still no place to put the snow. The plow guy had to give up because the snow pile took up the entire part of the driveway near the garage doors. I couldn’t get either car out. So, an enterprising high school student in the neighborhood has a snowblower, and I hired him to blow the snow in the driveway onto the 9 foot snow banks.
In spite of hiring a plow and a kid with a snowblower, I have been shoveling for hours everyday. If I don’t shovel the deck that is attached to the back of the house 10 feet above the ground, I’m afraid it’ll collapse from the weight of the snow.
Today, it took 2 hours, 4 hours two days ago, and 2 and a half hour the day before that. Yesterday, it took forever for me to shovel my 75 foot walkway because the wind pushes the snow down the hill, and in some areas of the buried walkway there was almost 5 feet of snow, which is my height. I am exhausted, but I keep telling myself that this is great exercise. Better than jogging! And it should be great arm exercise too, right? But my back is sore, and so are my leg muscles.
A couple of weeks ago, I received Zim’s Max-Freeze, Maximum Muscle and Joint Pain Relief products to try out.
When the company contacted me some time ago, I told them that we should wait till spring when I start jogging again outside, rather than downstairs on my treadmill. But a few days ago, I said to myself why am I waiting till spring to use the Max-Freeze? I need it now! All this shoveling is more demanding than jogging, and the muscles that I don’t usually use are certainly letting me know.
Hoping it would help my sore muscles, I took a bath with LUSH‘s Floating Flower bath bomb. Very fragrant, relaxing, and hydrating for my skin. I felt better, but my muscles were still aching.
So I followed up by applying Zim’s Max-Freeze. I received two bottles of Max-Freeze: a roll-on and a spray. I’ve been using the roll-on more often because it’s much easier to apply on myself – my lower back and upper thighs – than a spray. I used the spray this morning, however, on a serious cramp in my calf, and it really helped!
Zin’s Max-Freeze is quite different from other muscle relievers I’ve used in the past. Both the roll-on and spray forms are fabulous, so easy and clean to apply. I don’t have to get the muscle reliever all over my hands, thank goodness. Also, Max-Freeze doesn’t smell awful like so many of the other muscle relievers smell. Both roll-on and spray contain menthol and camphor, but the smell is not overwhelming like other muscle pain relief products I’ve tried. The scent of the spray is a little stronger initially than the roll-on, but after a couple of seconds, it becomes a powdery scent that’s much nicer and the scent disappears after a few minutes for both forms.
Rather than getting hot, Max-Freeze does just that: it gets cold, especially when first applied. I know I’ll appreciate the coldness more in the summer than right now, but the sensation is like that of applying an ice pack to sore muscles. And after a few minutes, it is less cold. But I can still feel it working for quite a while afterwards. It’s very soothing.
I have dry, sensitive skin, and I am often concerned about applying muscle relievers because they can irritate and dry out my skin even more. Not so Max-Freeze. The ingredient list reads more like a skincare product with plant-based oils: aloe, tea tree oil, vitamin E. There is some alcohol, but it doesn’t bother my skin.
Max-Freeze comes in 4 forms:
- continuous spray (4 fl. oz.)
- roll-on (3 fl. oz.)
- gel
- foot spray
and they are priced at $9.99. You can buy Max-Freeze on the ZimUSA Max-Freeze website, on Amazon or at stores like Walmart and Walgreens. Made in the US. No animal testing. Also, no parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrance, petrolatum, mineral oil, or DEA. I’ve found my new topical pain relief!
Ingredients, Max-Freeze Continuous Spray: *Natural Menthol 3.7% (Purpose: Topical Analgesic) Inactive Ingredients: *Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, *Arnica Montana Extract, Camphor, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, *Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Isopropyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Tea Tree Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate), Water
Ingredients: Max-Freeze Roll-On: *Natural Menthol USP 3.7% (Purpose: Topical Analgesic)
Inactive Ingredients: *Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, *Arnica Montana Extract, Camphor, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, *Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Isopropyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Tea Tree Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate), Water
Note: ingredients with * are certified organic ingredients
What a beautiful home! The room you must have. I have the image of Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music with her arms outstretched in my head. ha ha I live in a matchbox so I am green with envy. 😉 But I am not envious of all the shoveling that you have been doing. I will have to give this Max-Freeze a try. I did some ice skating last week in my kitchen and have been hobbling ever since. I was a sight to see. It ended with me falling on my butt with my left foot stuck in a roaster so my knee got tweaked at an odd angle. Oh the pain!!!
Thank you so much, Laura! This is the first 2-story home I have ever lived in. It’s just a typical central hall colonial that is very common here in New England, but it does have a gigantic great room that’s the reason why I chose the house. I can do the Julie Andrews thing in that room!!! And it has a big living room that I seldom use but that fits my piano. The rest of the rooms are quite modest in size. And the shoveling is definitely getting old. It’s actually snowing again right now, and I’ve gotta get my act together to go out and buy Jeff some chocolate for Vday before the snow starts to pile up again!!! I’m concerned about your accident! Did you see a doctor about your knee? You don’t want to take any chances with a permanent injury. The Max-Freeze is good stuff, but mostly for stressed muscles
P.S. The kitchen ice skating happened by accident. It definitely was not intentional. 🙂
I thought that “ice skating” was such a creative way to describe it, Laura! I could picture it happening to you, but I’m extremely sorry that it did. I hope you are not hurt too badly 🙁
This sounds like something we need to keep in our medicine cabinet! Also forwarding the info to my tennis-player-daugter. She’d love this stuff! Thanks for the tip, and hang in there on the snow front!
I really do like it much better than the other OTC topical muscle relievers that I’ve tried in the past, Kim. It seems to work better, I don’t have to touch it, it doesn’t smell bad, and it’s better on my skin. I think Emma would like it 🙂 Thanks so much for commenting!!
Are you people ever going to get some relief???????ENOUGH already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As I was reading about your shoveling, I was thinking, well, at least she’s getting some exercise. Just can’t think of one good thing about all that snow. Keep thinking
Spring……………
jane-in-tx
Thank you, Jane, for your good wishes! I can’t believe that it’s snowing again right now. And we’re expecting another blizzard Saturday and Sunday. I don’t know where the snow is going to go!! I am trying to think Spring, but it’s still more than a month away. Last year, it snowed on my birthday, April 16! I couldn’t believe it. When all this melts, we’re gonna have a flood, lol!
There’s no doubt that all that shoveling is a serious workout! Glad you had something on hand for muscle soreness. Wine is also great for after snow shoveling. So I’ve heard…
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Haha, Nidia! I’ll have to try that!
OMG I’m so glad that I’m not experiencing all that snow!
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Yes, you are! It’s snowing hard again now. I’m so done with this.
One of my good friend’s mom is in Boston. She’s HATING the snow. I feel for you. Good thing you do have the Zims Max Freeze. I own it as well, and use it on my lower back.
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I’m glad you know and use Max-Freeze, too, Kim. It’s the best topical muscle relief I’ve used! And the snow, I’m so over it, and it’s snowing again now. And we’re expecting another major storm this weekend. I don’t know where to put the snow, and driving around here is so dangerous ‘coz you can’t see around the 10+ foot snow piles. Will spring ever come?
I cannot believe the amount of snow! And as a former Bostonian, shoveling snow is a back breaking chore. Well, fingers crossed that it’ll lighten up soon.
I am going to start working out soon and I’m going to book mark this because I haven’t worked out in forever and I can imagine, I’m going to be sore.
Monica.
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OH, Monica, I can’t take it any more! It is so depressing to be stuck in the house or out in the cold and snow shoveling constantly. We have about another month of this with another big storm coming this weekend. Enough already! Did you go to college in Boston? It’s a fun city for students. On a different topic, I really do like the Max-Freeze. I’d say it’s the best topical analgesic I’ve used. Easy and clean to apply and it doesn’t smell as bad as the others. It dries down to a powdery scent that dissipates within a couple of minutes. It’s a keeper.
UGH SNOW! I’m originally from Ohio and I used to hate Winter Time just because of the snow! Thankfully, I live in Georgia now and I don’t have to worry about that anymore (mostly..) This product sounds like something I would like to keep around because I hate the other ones that smell bad and leave me feeling all gross! I’ll have to remember to check this out!
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It is DISGUSTING!!! I can’t take it anymore. And we’re getting more snow tonight, and then another big storm with 10-18″ this weekend. It’s going to wreck going out for Vday too. I need to visit Atlanta, lol! On another topic, Max-Freeze is a name to remember next time you need a topical analgesic. It really is the best one I’ve tried.
I think I need this – my shoulder has been aching so much lately!
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Have you gotten much snow this winter, Hannah? We have some extra snow in case you folks out west need it 😉 The Max-Freeze really is the best topical analgesic I’ve tried: no mess, smell that fades almost immediately, and it works for me!
This sounds great. I need something for my neck and shoulders from so much computer work!
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It actually is very effective, not messy and the scent fades quickly. It doesn’t get on my clothes which is wonderful
Thank goodness my neighbor has teenage boys who will shovel my driveway because I just can’t take it anymore.
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No teenage boys or girls do anything like that around here, unfortunately. The kid with the snowblower does it as a business which is fine, but he’s going away for the weekend so we’re screwed with 10-18″ more supposed to arrive tomorrow night into Sunday. I give up
Oh dear… sending warm LA thoughts your way!
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Thank you, Miranda. I need those warm thoughts, and a snowblower
Ugh! I can’t believe we are getting MORE! It’s truly frustrating. The hubby and I sure could use something like this my shoulders kill me when I get done shoveling!
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Yes, we’re supposed to get another 10-18″ more between tomorrow night and Sunday night. I surrender. Plus the kid with the snowblower is going away for the weekend 🙁
I usually use BioFreeze but I’ll have to check this out for sure!
I’m not familiar with BioFreeze. I’ll have to check that one out too!
Oh no, Sorry about this whole snow/shoveling hassle. Spring hurry up soon! On a positive note, you have a beautiful house
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Thank you, Kathryne!
Thank goodness I don’t have to use this yet. I know it is coming though.
Hope your area in WA won’t be in the snow belt! It would be too much of a shock when you’ve just moved from FL
I’m sorry you’re getting hit so hard this winter! My brother and best friend live in Boston and they’ve had work canceled about 10 times already. Hopefully this winter will end soon!
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Oh Jamie, I can’t take it any more! We’re getting another blizzard tomorrow that will wreck our Vday plans, and the kid with the snowblower is going away for the weekend. I wish I could get out of here!!
The Camphor and Menthol are so exhilarating, and definitely great ingredients to give relief to sore muscles! Just looking at the mountains of snow at your house is making me cold! Spring is right around the corner!
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Yes, they are the key ingredients that make the products effective, but they can have an overwhelming smell. It’s amazing that these two products have a powder-y scent that fades quite quickly!
We got a lot of snow but you definitely had 10x what we had. I am ready for spring and less than frigid temperatures.
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Me too, Norah! More snow to come tomorrow & Sunday. I’m done!
so much snow!!!
Just pathetic, and 16 more inches are on the way tomorrow 🙁
I need this, I’m starting to run and if this could help I think I might just stick to running 🙂
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So happy to hear that you’re a new runner, Jessica! My dissertation was on exercise addiction, and I studied runners and weight lifters. I’ve been running, now jogging, for more years than I care to admit. I hope you get positively addicted and enjoy it, and hope you don’t need the Max-Freeze 😉 But if you do, I think it’s a good one
I feel so bad for you guys. You’re having a snowy winter like we did last year although I do think you are getting more of it than we did. Be careful girl! Snow can be dangerous. BTW I need to add this to my medicine cabinet.
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It’s pretty awful, Ashley. It’s hard work doing all this shoveling. Plus I am so sick of being stuck in the house. We were going to go out for Vday tomorrow night, but the blizzard is supposed to start in the afternoon so the restaurant that I wanted to go to that’s 35 miles away is out. Oh well, next year!
First of all, you have such a beautiful house! Second, I can not imagine having that much snow, haha. I’d like a bit to hit here sometime soon, but not that much! 🙂
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Thanks so much, Chelsea. I’ll send you some snow. How many feet do you want?
I’ll go with a foot. Sound good? 😉
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Our snow pile is about as big as yours- and I have at least four feet of snow on the back deck to deal with, so I know your pain! I’ve never really used anything for muscle pain (other than something like tylenol) but these sound like great options.
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I’ve been trying to keep up with the back deck because I’m afraid the deck will collapse otherwise! So sorry you’re snowed in too. Our next blizzard starts tomorrow. As a long time runner, I pretty much always have some kind of muscle reliever around, but I hated to use them because they smelled bad, got on my hands and my clothes. These two are sooooo much better.
I couldn’t imagine living where there is so much snow
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Neither can I, Betzy! right now, I’d move in a heartbeat!!!