Tag Archives: Reviews

The Chocolate Diet – two weeks in.

If you didn’t already know about it I’m on a diet, the Chocolate Diet to be exact.  You can read about how it started here.  I’ve been on a get fit plan since the start of the year, but injury got in the way and I stalled.  Sitting up there in the top of the overweight range for my height, and somewhat startled because I really didn’t think I was that bad.  I’ve managed (albeit very slowly) to lose ten kilos over the past year according to my little Wii Fit chart, and I still cannot fathom where I was holding all that weight. I really couldn’t. I really didn’t think I was that heavy, but don’t we all?   So I started the Chocolate Diet at 75.3 kilos two weeks ago.

My Wii me is not thrilled
The Chocolate Diet has fitted in nicely with the school holidays for me as the minions are eating us out of house and home, my lunch soon gets stolen unless I can clutch it tightly in my fist.  At the start I was feeling very tired, but got into the vitamin B and sorted that out, I haven’t been hungry on this diet either.  I have tried a couple of other versions of diet shakes and have found that I am ravenous by 2pm, and neither brand tasted as good as this one.  So I’ve managed to stay the course and the weight started to drop off nicely, that little hurdle in the middle is there because I went away and ate crap over the easter weekend and forgot to pack my shakes.  I totally forgot, really ;)

The weight started to drop off

Here is how it works:   The Chocolate Diet is a thoroughly researched, scientifically proven program that combines a scrumptious eating plan with our delicious Chocolate Diet Shakes to help you get your diet on track and your life back in control. Designed for quick results and tailored to your lifestyle you can use The Chocolate Diet Program for a short time if you just need to drop a few kilos, or you can use it for an extended time if you have a more significant weight loss goal. This Program Guide will explain exactly what to eat, when to eat and how much. All you need to do is follow the guide to achieve your desired results. You won’t go hungry. In fact, you’ll eat more often!

On The Chocolate Diet Program we recommend you eat six meals, rather than the usual three:

  • One meal will be more substantial, which we call your Main Meal Option, usually your dinner meal but you can swap with your lunch meal
  • Two meals will be Snack Meals Options
  • Two of your meals will be your Chocolate Diet Shakes
  • One meal will be your Chocolate Treat, preferably after dinner

In addition to the foods listed here you should aim to drink around two litres of water (6 – 8 glasses) each day. You can also have 2 – 3 cups of coffee or tea each day however avoid milky coffees like lattes or cappuccinos as they contain extra carbs.

Look for it in Priceline

Flexibility – The Key to Success  The best thing is the daily program can be shuffled around to meet your lifestyle. For example, you may want to move your Dinner to Lunch and have a Chocolate Diet Shake at dinner. Or perhaps you may want to swap a Lighter Meal Option with a Shake of Main Meal. However your day pans out, you simply need to fit in your Main Meal, 2 Snack meals Options, 2 shakes, and your Chocolate Treat each day. In fact, you can substitute any of the Snack Meals Options or Main Meal Options with the equivalent meals listed on this website. We’ve designed The Chocolate Diet to fit into your lifestyle and family needs – not the other way round!

Now two weeks in I find myself a little further down the Wii chart, with a loss of 2.4 kilos! Yeah I’m pretty happy with that, and I’m continuing to go down. I’ve managed to add in some light exercise (can’t bounce just yet) trying to tone things up here and there.

AWESOME~!!!!

The consultant from the Chocolate Diet was very encouraging during her weekly calls to me, and I even chatted to the creator of Dr Lily on facebook about the diet (you can do that too on Monday nights).  Thanks again for asking me to be your test blogger Chocolate Diet, six more weeks to go!

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE:  Last week I saw a fab pair of jeans on sale, there was only size 12 left.  So I bought them and I decided that they would be my weight loss goal pants.  Yesterday I decided to try them on, AND THEY FITTED!!!  Size 12! I haven’t been that size since 1999 :)

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Filed under Health, Reviews

The Chocolate Diet

Recently I got very busy and ambitious and started down the road to a new career, one I was absolutely busting my arse to do.  I lost a LOT of weight, got through the job interview, had it in the bag.  Started doing the assessment, then I got injured.  So, I won’t be pressing on with that plan, and damn it was a good plan.  To say I’m disappointed is an understatement.  On the bright side I did lose weight and get fit, but now I’ve discovered I have an injury, an injury that has stalled my weight loss journey (can’t run, too bouncy).  In these three weeks I haven’t been able to train, despite watching my food intake I’ve put back on a kilo and a half. Not happy. And yesterday my elliptical trainer broke. Even more unhappy.

As luck would have it I was contacted by The Chocolate Diet, and they asked if I’d like to try it out for eight weeks, and since I have at least 10 kilos to go before I hit my goal weight and because the word chocolate was mentioned. Belgian chocolate no less. OF COURSE I SAID YES. Now a little note before we get into this.  I am not a dietitian and my promotion and subsequent discussion of this product should not replace a health professionals advice when commencing a diet or training plan.  

Now like I said. I was training to do this…

But I found out that this is kinda stuffed…

So I need to wind the exercise back a smidgen, for a little while.  Today I started the Chocolate Diet, and I will do so with the help of the website and one of their lovely consultants.  I’ve just downloaded my eight week plan from the website, and you can get your program by signing up to the website (for free) using the barcode on your shakes box.

In two weeks time I will give you an update on how I’m doing, and tell you much much more about how the program works, whether I like it yadda yadda yadda ;)  So far the shakes are scrummy, and taking care of my chocolate cravings.

In the meantime, to kick things off I have an Easter giveaway for you. Easter is all about the chocolate, which sucks for those of us trying to avoid the calories.  The lovely people at The Chocolate Diet believe that they can help with the cravings this easter and would like to give one of my readers one weeks supply of product to get them underway.

Check it out here...

To be in the draw just comment below to go into the draw (with a valid email address, that of course will not be published) and let me know if your weight loss journey needs a chocolatey push along. I know mine did!  I will draw the winner on March 31st (Easter Sunday).  Good luck :)

 

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Filed under Giveaways, Health, Reviews

Photo Apps – my latest favourites

It’s been a while since I’ve done an App post, so I thought I’d share with you some new favourites of mine.

Starting with the latest photo app I’ve been loving, Repix – Remix & Paint Photos.  I’ve wondered how people were pulling off those awesome light trail photos (especially when I knew they lacked the photographic skills necessary), then I found this app.  You can do beautiful things with this app and the result is high res.  I recommend going for the in app upgrade to get the sparkler, stars and light trails option as these are the tools you’ll want to use most.  The app is idiot proof, with simple controls that deliver a big result.  You can check out the instagram feed of Repix’d pictures here.

KEY FEATURES:

- Unique, handcrafted brushes to remix your photos 

- Edit any part of your photos by simply painting with your finger
- Free to use with new brushes available to purchase
- Pinch screen to zoom in and pay close attention to certain parts of your photo

- Studio-grade technology and intuitive interface to inspire new levels of creativity

- Choose from images in your camera roll or import from Facebook 
- Made a mistake? Erase, undo or start again to perfect your photos

- Cropping and adjustments tools to add the final touches to your creation

- Share your Repix creations with friends on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram using #repix

Download it here from Australia Post   The Postcard App from Australia Post needs to be shared, why doesn’t anyone know about this app?!  It allows you to create a postcard from photos on your iPhone, you grab the address from your contact list, write your message and done.  Australia Post will print and send your postcard anywhere in Australia for $1.99 (that’s more than the cost of buying a postcard really)  and only $2.99 to send overseas.  You can even use this app while overseas to send cards to home,

What you get.

  but this time they will arrive before you do because you can get them sent from here (just be careful with your off shore data charges they can be heinous!)  I’ve put this app to great use on a recent trip to China.   The print quality is photo quality.  I’ve even been using to create birthday postcards for friends, very personalised :)

Find it here. If you’ve ever tried to get a good shot of the kids like me, you’ll find you have to take about a dozen to get one shot where they are at least looking in your direction. And you often wish you could pick a head from one photo and put it in another to create a shot where they’re all smiling.  With that in mind parents will love this app.  Another simple touch interface, no technical photoshop knowledge required.

groupshot2

“GroupShot solves a common problem found in group photos, namely one person who isn’t facing the camera or whose expression doesn’t fit the rest of the groupWith GroupShot, users can pick and choose parts of each photo, then combine all the parts to create the perfect shot that looks exactly the same.The usage is incredibly simple. All you need to do is to load your images, mark the parts you wish to replace, and choose the best option from the rest of the set.”

* This post was not sponsored. 

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Filed under Reviews, Technology/Gadgets

Octonauts Magazine – Lets do this!

One of Henry the Future Dark Overlords favourite shows is the Octonauts, so you can imagine how nuts he went when a copy of the Octonauts magazine landed in our mailbox (thanks to ABC & Morey Media).  The magazine was put together by the ABC editorial team in consultation with early childhood learning experts, and is aimed at three to five year olds.

Cheaper than some colouring books at only $5.95, and BONUS it comes with a beach ball and stickers.  Filled with beautiful illustrations and activities, one of which is instructions to make your own pirate eye patch, posters and fun facts about the Octopod.  Did you know that the Octopod has a library? I didn’t.  Printed on quality matt finish paper, which has done well considering the love Henry has shown the book.  This would make an excellent stocking filler this Christmas :)

I have an extra copy of the Octonauts 2012 magazine for a lucky little fan, all you need to do is comment below and tell me what ABC2 show is a favourite at your house, to go into the draw.  Giveaway finishes on 25/11/12, please leave a valid email address with your entry  so you can be contacted (this email will not be published or shared).  And yes this time my overseas friends can enter!

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Filed under Christmas, Reviews, Shopping

OO.com.au for a quick & easy Christmas

So I’ve headed into this festive season a little under prepared, but then again what’s new?  Most of the time people let me off for being arse bustingly busy because I have ten hundred thousand children, but I digress…

OO.com.au asked me to check out their recently updated toy range, and I was only to happy to oblige as we had a birthday in the house and I was SO not organised.  I ordered this baby, for my not so girly girl who was turning 12.

Battleship LIVE puts a whole new spin on the old game, very engaging and it knows when you cheat and move your pieces!  Lucy & her dad did battle for ages with this game, and they won’t let me have a turn.  They report it to be awesome.

But the game isn’t the main reason I’m writing this post today, it’s because I want to tell you about the store!  OO.com.au delivered my order within 48 hours, with absolutely no hitch to speak of.  Their updated toy range is a lot broader than I remember it to be.  I last shopped with them around a year ago, and the fresh stock is making me look again.  I’m pretty impressed with the baby range too.  The site is easy to navigate, and you know straight away if something is in stock or not and exactly how much it will cost to deliver, so you don’t have to go through to the checkout and be disappointed by a massive shipping cost after all that effort.  I do think OO.com.au is worth a look this Christmas, especially for those of us who are looking for shopping in your underpants in the wee small hours options ;)

To get you underway, here are a few of bargains of note…

Pretty cute and it is on Santas list, and it’s 30% off – click on the pictures to be taken to the product pages.

And this is super cheap for a Maclaren!  38% OFF!

Disclaimer: oo.com.au provided the author with a gift voucher to shop with on the site, however all product selection (including sale items) were made by the author. 

 

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Filed under Reviews, Shopping, Toys