Category Archives: Review

KalorieBox Review and Giveaway!

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I love getting mail. Especially now that I work from home, I wait in anticipation for the 4:30 shuffle of steps up my front stoop – knowing then that hopefully, the postman will deliver a bevy of boxes, a parcel of padded envelopes, or at the very least, a stack of letters and not just bills. Usually my mail days are a bust, filled with the mundane reminders of adult life – political flyers, cell phone bills and grocery store circulars. But on Saturday, I scored with the mail – because I received a Kalorie Box!

Screen Shot 2013-01-29 at 9.07.55 AM

KalorieBox is right on par with the new monthly subscription type boxes sweeping the nation – As a current BirchBox member (if you sign up use this link and we both get credit!), a monthly premium beauty sample box for $10, I was eager to check out a box filled with low fat and nutritional goodies. The first thing that struck me about KalorieBox is that it has a charitable angle to it. For each box they sell, they donate meals to hungry children. Pretty cool – I like the idea of losing my weight caused from TOO MUCH FOOD to help out people who don’t have enough (which is why my DietBet winnings this month will go to No Kid Hungry!)

Upon opening the box, I was impressed with the amount of stuff they pack in it. I scored a full sized box of Cheese Thinables, a Zevia lime cola soda, a bag of pirates booty, a fiber one cookie brownie, Peeled dried mango, a Pacific Grove Almond milk drink and a $1 off coupon for Zevia. This was a pretty hefty score, and one I’m still exploring. (Love the Zevia!!!) I have definitely been curious about almond milk but didn’t want to commit to a whole gallon, so I’m jazzed to try this out in a sample size. Also, the Cheese Thinables are pretty darn decent for a large 60-calorie serving (you get a huge handful! They taste just like Cheez-Its!)

KalorieBox

My KalorieBox loot – look at all those goodies!

KalorieBox has a few different options for subscribing – if you order one month at a time, it’s $25. If you order three months at a time, it’s $21 a month, or if you order 6 months at a time, it’s $17 a month. I definitely might check this out for a few months, because I love trying new foods and don’t always have the time to hunt them down at the store. Because seeing is believing, KalorieBox has generously offered one of my readers a sample box! There’s a ton of different ways to enter this giveaway, but I ask that you leave one comment letting me know why you want to win, and “like” KalorieBox on Facebook. This is a RaffleCopter giveaway, so for each action you complete, just hit the “I Did It!” button to the right for your action to be accepted. This giveaway will end next Wednesday at 12 AM PST and is US Only, 18+. (Don’t worry international – I have a giveaway coming up for you soon, too!)

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why do you like Chike? Giveaway!

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Hellloooo Double Chinners! I’ve missed you! I’m back from my trip to Thailand and while I have TONS to tell you about, I wanted to kick off the new year with a great giveaway! Chike, tasty high protein shakes, is offering one of my readers a BPA Free Shaker and Ball and a set of their best flavors. Read my review and then enter by following the instructions at the bottom of this post.

20130106-183108.jpgI had initially heard of Chike through some of my favorite bloggers who focus on bariatric surgery. When you have weight loss surgery, you can’t eat as much, so quality high protein drinks like Chike are desirable to fill you up but also give you vitamins, protein and calcium. Since I’m a fan of anything quick and tasty, I definitely wanted to try these out as they’re not just for people who’ve had bariatric surgery.

The first one I was going to try was the protein packed iced coffee…but my husband got to it first. This is a big deal, Chike, because most of the “blog stuff” that comes to our house he won’t touch as it’s more often than not something weird like mushroom noodles. Matt’s review? “Very good! I was skeptical of a high protein coffee but with ice and water this had the caffeine I wanted and it filled me up.” Matt didn’t realize it was a meal replacement until I told him later that day when he didn’t want dinner! Haha!

photo 1I decided to try the chocolate flavor, and went all fancy by using cold milk in the shaker instead of water. I added some calories and fat this way but I prefer a creamier tasting drink and love that cold milk foam you get on top! After a couple hearty shakes, my drink was ready to go. I was also very pleasantly surprised, because most weight loss powdered drinks taste like chocolate flavored chalk. Not this one. It also didn’t have little bubbles of powder in it still, which is a plus if you’re a huge freak about texture like I am. Nice!

I haven’t tried them all, but my next favorite is strawberry. It doesn’t taste exactly like a sun ripened strawberry, maybe more like strawberry ice cream. I’d love to maybe one day see this shake from Chike with some small dried strawberry pieces. Then it would totally be like a milkshake! Chike also sent me vanilla, creamsicle and banana, but those are chillin in my pantry waiting to be eaten for breakfast! :)

I think you’ll really like these if you give them a try, so please enter the giveaway. Once again, just like Chike’s Facebook page here and write on their wall why you would like to try Chike. You can just copy and paste something like this – “I’m Jane and was sent over by the Double Chin Diary. I would like to try Chike because I want one of those snazzy shaker ball cups!”

photo 2Then just come back here, tell me you commented, and you’re good to go! If you want an extra entry, send a tweet about the giveaway and tag @lyssacurran or @doublechindiary and @chikenutrition with this link: http://wp.me/p2kXVY-ym .

Once again, leave a comment letting me know you did. You guys rock!This contest will end on Monday, January 14th at 12:01 AM PST. I will randomly pick a winner. GOOD LUCK!

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow to read about how one of my new year’s resolutions is already off to a strong, itchy and quite-a-story type of start! (It involves: severe weather, mosquitoes, jungle treks and getting lost. Whee!)

Random Thursday Thoughts

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Hi guys! Um – Tomorrow I’m going to THAILAND! I am so excited it’s not even funny. The past week has been a flurry of packing, cleaning, getting travel shots and little errands here and there. It will be so nice to just relax for two weeks with no thoughts of thesis or work or chores or any of that! That said, I have a line up of amazing guest bloggers for you guys, so please be sure to come back and keep reading the Double Chin Diary while I’m gone. Show them some comment love! I’ll also check in once or twice with some pictures!

So, after a 1 pound gain, my total for the goal of Thailand Twenty is that I lost a total of 10.6 pounds! I’m disappointed it’s not twenty, but realistically, 10 pounds is great! 10 pounds is a lot! I’m not going to “give up” on my trip, but ease up a little bit on what I’m eating – because everybody deserves a vacation. Plus, Matt and I have a lot of activity planned – like hiking ancient temples in Chiang Mai, snorkelling in the crystal waters of Krabi and strolling through the streets of Bangkok. I’ll actually probably be a lot more active on this trip than I am during my usual 8-5.

Here’s a couple random thoughts I had this week:

photo 2[1]I struggled this week with Holiday eating. When I saw this giant ice cream cone, I had to take a picture because I feel like this week I’ve been a bottomless pit. I saw this and the first thing I thought was “YES. ROCKY ROAD.” I used to be obsessed with icecream, but now I’ll buy a tub and it sits in our freezer for weeks until it’s so freezerburned I have to throw it out. But my sugar cravings this week were through the roof – probably from doing low-carb for a few weeks.

 

Rocking a doggy dalmation print.

Rocking a doggy dalmation print.

I feel like despite my struggles with my weight, I’ve gotten more bold about clothing choices thanks to people like The Curvy Fashionista. Remember a couple months ago I blogged about how I’d love to own this dalmation sweater? Well, I was at Old Navy with pal Sally and I thought, why the heck not?! Here I am rockin’ it, and feeling good. It’s funny that I felt “wild” in something as simple as a dalmation print sweater, but I felt confident in it and was proud I took a step out of my fashion comfort zone.A couple of years ago I would have never worn skinny jeans, calf boots OR a dalmation print sweater. So yes, woohoo for fashion risks!

 

Balance Ball Chair!

Balance Ball Chair!

Santa came early this year because of our trip, and look what Santa (Matt) brought me! Since I work from home I can be a little more unique with my workspace, and I was dying to try one of these balance balls. I feel like I have a weak core, and I know this chair will help make me strong like a tree trunk. Plus, who doesn’t want their very own bouncy ball?! When I get back I’ll give a full report on how my new bubble-butt chair is treating me.

 

Showing off my chike and purple manicure!

Showing off my chike and purple manicure!

And lastly… when I get back, I have a great giveaway coming up from Chike! I recently tried Chike’s chocolate meal replacement shake, and dang, this stuff was good. You know how most powdered drinks have that chalky kind of grainy thing going on? Not this one. I mixed it with some cold milk and it was almost like drinking a milk shake. Works for me! So stay tuned and at the new year we’ll have a great giveaway package from them!

Well guys – I’m out! Thanks so much for reading! It means a lot to me and April to know that we’re not alone on our journey and that you’re out there cheering us on. I hope you have an amazing holiday season!

xoxoxoxox

 

 

Review and Giveaway: Plus Size Lace Custom-Fit Bra by Comfort Choice

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Men:
This is another post you might just wanna skip – unless you have any loveable curvy ladies in your life (38 – 48 B-DDD) who would like a free bra!
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A couple weeks ago, I told you about how the kind folks at Full Beauty sent me a new bra after reading one of my complaints about never being able to find a comfortable bra. Well – they really put the cherry on top for me, because they recently sent me the Custom Fit Bra by Comfort Choice – and here’s the thing – it’s SO COOL, as in, wow, great idea – that there is a patent pending! What’s so cool about it? Well, not only can you adjust the shoulder straps, but you can adjust the band size by two inches – larger or smaller – for the perfect fit. As someone who fluctuates a lot in weight, this bra is going to be so important to my journey towards losing 50 pounds. Here’s a great picture that shows you how it works – all you have to do is adjust the straps to get a little extra room or make it a little extra snug.

Comfort Choice Bra from FullBeauty.com


When I first put on the bra, I was pleasantly surprised that for as “high tech” as it is, it doesn’t have underwire! When I worked at a bra store when I was 16, I was told that women over a size B cup should not go wire-free. Thankfully, the bra designers have proved that old-school rationale wrong, and now ladies of all sizes can enjoy having their breasts cradled by fabric and not pokey, cold wires. A couple of other perks I noticed – there are nice wide, padded shoulder straps, but they’re not big enough to stick out under clothing. The bra itself has a pretty lace overlay, which may not work for a very thin t-shirt or fabric, but is not visible under regular blouses. I’m also thrilled by the color – it’s hard to find plus bras in pretty patterns and shades, and I was sent the dark magenta, which is a gorgeous purple plum. One more thing that matters to me – I never “need” big cleavage or want maximum lift, but this bra does a great job hoisting the girls up into a nice, pretty and feminine position – nothing too Playboy bunny but nothing too demure, either. It’s the perfect medium for showing off your assets without showing too much.

Be wise with your size with the Comfort Choice Bra – the only bra that adjusts in size to fit your changing shape.

I like knowing that with this bra, I’ll get continued use after it even during and after my weight loss. Even the twelve or so pounds I’m down have affected the way my bras fit, so it’s good to know this one is going to stick it out with me for the long haul. Right now, I have it extended to the max so It’s a little more snug than I would like (Definitely still wearable) but it’s great to know in a couple more pounds, I can cinch it in to be the perfect size. Here’s another thing that’s pretty cool – even if it’s not on sale, it’s super affordable at $44.99. However, right now it’s being shown at $29.99 – $34.99. Score!
Now that you’ve read my review, I’m pretty sure you’d like to try it out yourself, right? Full Beauty is generously giving away one comfort choice bra to one of my readers. The bra is sized from 38 B – 48 DDD. If you’re not in that range of sizes, enter for a friend or family member! It’s easy to enter to win – I’m using Rafflecopter and all you have to do for one entry is to visit the website and tell me which color you would choose. For additional entries, “like” FullBeauty on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and send out a tweet about this giveaway. This giveaway will end on Monday, November 12 at 11:59 PM – GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Popcorn Fiend’s Review: Skinny Pop Popcorn

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Picture to show scale. This is a giant bag, folks!

This week while husband and I roamed around Costco (him begging me to hurry up, me  distracted by 10,000 bars of soap and a barrel of cheetos as big as my head), I spotted a new face in the snack section. It lay gleaming in a bin like a shiny, oversized pillow – but it was filled with popcorn! And not just any popcorn … SKINNY POPCORN!

Those of you who have been following my blog for awhile know how much I love popcorn, so I’m kind of an expert on this topic. I bought the bag for a mere $4.99 for a sack that shamefully only lasted three days (Don’t worry – I had help), and I want to share my findings with you!

1) Love how it doesn’t have the stale, kind of styrofoam texture that most pre-popped and bagged popcorns have. It tasted light and crunchy, and was surprisingly very fresh.

2) It’s very simple – no fake cheese powder here. Just three ingredients: sunflower oil, corn, salt. Tasty and not loaded with preservatives. Two thumbs up.

135 calories for lots of crunchin'!

3) The best part was, I could have a gigantic bowl for only 135 calories. With me, volume is the key to satisfaction, and a nice big bowl was the perfect snack for studying that didn’t deplete my calorie balance for the day.

Skinny Pop didn’t send me anything to review or pay me for my opinion, I just felt like sharing this good find with all of you because I personally think snacks are one of the hardest parts of dieting. Maybe they’ll like this post and send me some popcorn for a giveaway for you! ;) Check out Skinny Pop here, and if you see it, give it a try and let me know what you think!

Review: EatSmart Food Scale and Giveaway

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39g of Dried Mango is only 120 calories! Score!

Hi there! How was your weekend? Mine was AWESOME… because I spent it in the garden, getting my hands dirty and planting veggies! Pix later this week. Today, I’m delighted to review the EatSmart Precision Pro Scale and give you a chance to win one of your own! But first, here’s the stuff good bloggers should always admit: Disclosure: I did receive a complimentary scale from EatSmart for this review.Remember how I was getting frustrated with Points Plus and said I would be starting to weigh out my portions? I knew I needed a scale to make sure I wasn’t fudging any numbers. I like to eat things like dried mango, and the calorie count is measured in grams – for example, 38 grams is 120 calories. How would it even be possible to measure grams without a scale?!
Here’s what I loved about the scale:

  • Super easy to use. I didn’t even have to read the manual to know how to toggle

    Measuring is easy thanks to the Tara function that deletes the container weight...

    between different measurements, to turn it on and off, etc.

  • It has a nice, sleek look that would match any decor well.
  • It comes with batteries (so convenient – I loved that), and has an automatic turn off after 3 minutes if you get busy doing other things.
  • The display window has big, easy to read numbers and letters – perfect for people like me who always lose their glasses.
  • Wipes clean with a damp rag – no need to wash, and the plastic material seems like it would be easy to clean up should you have a big spill.
  • It does the trick easily and measures accurately, which is the most important thing!
  • Affordable price. On Amazon, this scale is priced at $25.00 and has over 3,000 5-star reviews. WOW – feedback like that doesn’t lie.

    Nice, simple packaging.

I only have one nitpicky thing to mention -

  • The stainless-steel looking buttons show finger prints pretty easily. If you want to keep it out on the counter top, you’ll have to be a little more maniacal about wiping it down more if you’re a spaz like me :) But, most normal people won’t even notice, so carry on!

Overall, the PrecisionPro Scale is a GREAT choice if you’re looking for a food scale. It also comes with a 2 year warranty, which is a big deal in today’s economy. If a company is willing to back something up with a long warranty, you know it’s a quality product. Check out EatSmart’s website for more details – how cute is this red retro scale? It totally reminds me of something Rachel Ray would have in her kitchen.

Want a chance to win your very own EatSmart scale? It’s super easy – just leave me a blog comment telling me WHY you want to win – and then when you do that, you’ll unlock five more easy entries! Make sure you use a real e-mail address when you comment so I can contact you if you win! This giveaway is for US residents only. Also – for every new Facebook “like” that Eat Smart gains in April, they’ll donate .50c to the Susan G Komen Foundation. So even if you don’t want a scale – “like them” to help raise money for breast cancer research.

I use rafflecopter for my giveaways, so I will randomly choose one winner on the morning of Tuesday, April 10. I think that’s all! Let me know if you have any questions – and GOOD LUCK!

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