Healthy Living Reviews!

Lately, my husband and I have started to focus heavily on getting fit.  It started because we were going on a cruise for the wedding of good friends who happen to be actors.  Of course, they are exceptionally good-looking and in shape, and a lot of their friends are beautiful actors or models, too.  We didn't want to be out of shape on the lido deck among a bunch of super-toned models in bikinis, so we stepped it up.  Since then, fitness has become a big part of our lives.

The wedding came and went, and it was on a cruise ship with tons of people, so we didn't need to be self-conscious, but regardless, we wanted to keep up with dieting and just generally getting fit.  My husband is at the point where he wants to put on weight and muscle, but I'm, well, not, haha.  This means a lot of the time, I make very low-cal (and low-carb, high protein) meals, but he just eats twice as much as I do.

That being said, here are a couple of tricks I've used to lose weight without a fad diet or anything like that.  If you're looking to make a healthy change in your life, there are, as I see it, three essential pieces of equipment you'll need:

1) A digital food scale.  We use the food scale for everything, including fruit.  It helps us record our calorie intake properly, and it's also just a great way to control portions.  Once I've measured out, say, 30 grams of trail mix, I probably won't go back for more.  Serving size is a major issue for many people, so having a way to control it without estimating is very helpful.  These are relatively cheap; the one linked above is $15 at Amazon.com

2) A heart rate monitor.  Okay, so you're measuring your intake carefully... now what about your calorie expenditure?  We love our heart rate monitors; they show you how hard you're working by displaying your heart rate in real time, and they count calories for you based on your height, weight, and age.  They are much more accurate than the calorie counter on cardio machines at the gym.  We use them for everything - I've even worn mine to Disneyland to record how many calories we burn walking for miles and miles all day!  I know that if my heart rate is dipping during spin class, I've got to step it up.  I wouldn't go to the gym without it.  I like the Polar F7, which is linked above.  At $60, it's a bit of a splurge, but it comes with a chest strap (like Iron Man!) and a watch that displays the information.  My husband has a slightly pricier Polar HRM that connects to an app in his iPhone.  I prefer watching my heart rate at all times, but he would rather see it at the end of his workout.  My HRM is one of my favorite purchases ever and has really stepped up my workout.

3) MyFitnessPal.  This one is FREE!  It's a calorie counting website, and it's kind of amazing.  You can set your height, weight, age, and activity level, and it'll tell you how many calories to eat to lose, maintain, or gain weight.  You need to cut 3500 calories a week to lose a pound - that's 500 calories a day.  However, if you work out, you can eat back your calories - that's why it's so important to use your HRM to get an accurate count!  And that's why you'll find me at the gym daily... I love to eat.  MFP is an amazing resource; almost every food can be found in its database.  You can input recipes, save your favorites, and even use your phone to scan barcodes of products.  The iPhone app is free and amazing.  Just the act of recording your calories makes you eat less.  Open up your diary to the public, and take advantage of the huge, supportive community there.  With calorie counting, you can eat what you want for the most part, you just have to do it in moderation and fit it into your day's calories.

Anyway!  I'm not a fitness expert, just a regular person trying to get fit in a healthy way.  Stay tuned for more reviews of healthy living products.

What tips do you have for getting fit?

Skinny Cow Ice Cream Bars Review

Oh man, you guys know I am a sucker for Skinny Cow products.  I love their candy, especially the Dreamy Clusters and the new Divine Caramels.  When I saw they had a new product at my grocery, I knew I had to try both varieties.

The first ones I tried were the Cookies 'n Dough ice cream bars.  They are vanilla ice cream topped with a sort of sugary, gooey layer with small lumps of cookie dough, then enrobed in chocolate.  The bars are fairly small, but I found them very satisfying for 160 calories.  The gooey layer can be a bit gritty - almost like the gooey filling in a pecan pie - but it balances out the vanilla ice cream nicely.

It was a bit harder to find the Salted Caramel Pretzel bars, as they always seemed to be sold out, but I finally located a package.  Same calorie/fat content as the Cookies 'n Dough bars.  These ones start with the same vanilla ice cream, then a layer of more fluid caramel and a sprinkling of pretzels, enrobed in the same milk chocolate - which is described as a "chocolatey coating," so I guess they can't call it "chocolate."  I love the salty/sweet combo.  These ones are the same size as the Cookies 'n Dough bars - smallish, but great for an after dinner treat.

Given the choice, I prefer the Salted Caramel Pretzel bars.  They're unique, rich, and nicely balance sweet and salty.  However, I've had difficulty finding them.  I also tried the Weight Watchers equivalent, which are called Ice Cream Candy Bars.  It's the same basic deal - vanilla ice cream, a layer of caramel and some peanuts, then enrobed in a milk chocolate coating.  They are 4 points plus and 150 calories and 9 grams fat, so very similar to the Skinny Cow bars.  However, the WW iteration seems slightly larger, though they may just be longer but less squat.  I definitely prefer the Skinny Cow versions - much more decadent and flavorful for the same basic calorie/fat content.  The WW ones are much easier to find in stores, though.

I give both the Skinny Cow ice cream bars a 8 on the Awesome Meter.  Highly nommable treats without the guilt!  Hooray!

While I'm posting, I wanted to link you to this awesome giveaway on Lisa's fun fashion blog, Respect the Shoes - $50 to J. Crew, Zara, or Anthro!  I love her blog - lots of fantastic clothes inspiration, as she always looks adorable - and some really great conversation topics, too!  Check it out - and just a heads up, Anthro's tag sale starts this Wednesday!  You'd better believe I'll be looking for good deals.

*Note - All views are my own.  I am not compensated in any way for these reviews - I'm just trying to help you find awesome stuff!

Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Review

I recently joined BzzAgent.com and was sent a sample of Garnier Fructis's new Hydra Recharge shampoo, conditioner, and hydrating treatment.

I have dry, curly hair.  My life got a whole bunch easier when I stopped fighting the curls, put down the flat iron, and learned to embrace my natural look.  I'm very low maintenance with my hair, preferring to mash in a few curl-enhancing products after a shower, scrunch a bit, and let it air dry.  If I'm going to a formal event, like a wedding, I'll splurge on a blow-out; it always looks WAY better than anything I could manage.

I work out almost every day, and I pull my hair back in a ponytail and use a headband to keep it out of my face.  Basically, I pull, pinch, and punish my hair daily.  I do not shampoo every day, though - usually once a week or so - because that will send my hair directly to frizzville.  However, I do shower and condition daily, but frizz and dryness are still my mortal enemies.  I was excited to try this new line of products that claims to hydrate even the driest strands!  All products contain goji berries, kiwi, and passion fruit - ooh la la!

The shampoo is clear with bursting blue beads.  It seemed to do the job just fine - foamed a bit and rinsed clean.  The hydrating treatment is to be slathered on your hair for 1 minute, then rinsed.  This seemed odd to me, as I usually apply conditioner and let it soak in for over a minute while I do my other showerly duties.  So what's the difference between the hydrating treatment and just letting plain ol' conditioner sit on your scalp for a while?  I'm still kinda unclear on that.

Anyway, the hydrating treatment and conditioner, both of which are moderately thick and light blue, did a great job of softening my locks, and they rinsed off much more cleanly than some of my more expensive conditioners.  No residue, so nothing to weigh down my hair!  The conditioners detangled and left my hair feeling smooth and silky.

However, when my hair finished air drying, it was pretty frizzy, and the curls were not defined.  I needed further product to make me look polished.  Alas!

Another minor issue for me is the smell.  I've always been particularly sensitive to fragrances, and Garnier uses a fairly strong, fruity, sweet fragrance that I'm not incredibly fond of, kind of like sour green apples.  I also color my hair (which can exacerbate dryness!), and the shampoo does contain sulfates that could fade color.

If your main issue is dryness, this might be a great product for you, as it did hydrate nicely and felt weightless in my hair.  I particularly liked how easily it rinsed clean.  However, if you have curly hair and frizz issues, you may need to look into Garnier's other lines, like Sleek and Shine.

In the end, I decided to return to my usual hair care regimin, but I think I'll keep the Hydrating Treatment in the shower in case I need an extra moisture boost!

While it's not the perfect product for me, I still enjoyed trying the Hydra Recharge and would give it a 6 on the Awesome Meter.  One big plus: it's extremely affordable, even for the luxurious Hydrating Treatment. Find it at your local drugstore, Target, or on Amazon.com.

Views expressed here are my own, but I was provided with the products free of charge.

The ArchMount

If you're a filmmaker, blogger, vlogger, musician, artist, or any other creative type, you probably use your iPad for a variety of purposes.  iPads are versatile devices, and their cameras are high quality.  

My brother-in-law is part of a team that has created a new iPad accessory to help you out and make the creative process easier and more efficient!  If you've ever tried to balance your iPad on a stack of books or steady it on a table so you can film something without the camera shaking, you know it's pretty difficult.  The iPad is sturdy, but it's also thin and can be difficult to balance.  

Enter the ArchMount!  This lightweight device easily straps onto your iPad and attaches to a tripod.  Check it out:

Now you have a stable way of mounting your iPad - and you can use it to film your vlogs or webseries, create stop-motion animation, or whatever else you can dream up!  You can even use it to scan photos!  Musicians can use their iPad as a modern music stand - just load up your sheet music in the display, mount the iPad, and you're good to go!  It's really an ingenius little invention, and it's made even better by the fact that it's very light and easy to carry.  Plus, it's super affordable - just $22 if you get in on the Kickstarter deal right now!  Only 8 days left in the campaign!

I've seen the prototype, and it's VERY cool - definitely the perfect accessory to add to your arsenal! The design is sleek and thin, so it won't add bulk or cramp your style.

So click here, check out the video, and let me know what you think in the comments!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/serialkickers/archmount-the-sturdy-ultraportable-tripod-mount-fo

More reviews coming up very soon!

Sole Society Review (Sierra Slingbacks)

I'm not really a shoe person.  At 5'8", I feel too tall for heels - and if I'm wearing them, I teeter, and they're never really comfortable.  I have a massive collection of flats, but when I find something I like, I stalk it until it goes on sale, then buy it in lots of colors.  My feet were size 10 until I stopped working retail - now I spend most of my time with my feet up on the couch while I work... or have my feet stuffed into sneakers at the gym - so I've gone down to about 9.5, though I still need a 10 in some styles.

Anyway, I'm going to be in a wedding this October.  The bride has requested we wear vintage-style dresses in jewel tones with heels that are a different jewel town than the dress.  I bought this gorgeous dress on second cut (plus an additional 30% off) from Anthro:

Pretty!!

I was unsure about what color shoes I should wear until I saw these lovelies in a Facebook ad:

These Sierra heels are sold through Sole Society, a website I'd heard of but dismissed as a shoe club - you know, those sites where you are charged a monthly "credit" unless you opt out.  I'm kind of over that whole structure since I forgot to opt out of Jewelmint in January and felt forced into a purchase.  Blech.  However, Sole Society is no longer a "shoe club."  You can just make a purchase, and you're not obligated to purchase again.  They won't charge you unless you make a purchase.  Armed with that knowledge, plus a $10 off code, I bought these lovely shoes in a size 10, not knowing how they ran.  Sole Society's selection is all "Sole Society" brand.  They are the same company as HauteLook (affiliate link, or just go to HauteLook.com), the flash sale site, and HauteLook sometimes runs cross promotions.

However, when I received them (free shipping - got them within 3 days, but that may be because the company is based in Southern California), I discovered that:

a) The shoes were a bit big

b) If I chose to return them for money rather than store credit, I'd be charged a $7.95 restocking fee.

I wanted to buy the 9.5s and try 'em - just to see if they fit better - but I wasn't about to pay $8 to try on a size.  I spoke to the Sole Society live chat help, but when I didn't budge about wanting my money back rather than a store credit, they recommended I call customer service.  I did so, and they thankfully waived the fee.  I mean, if they want me to re-purchase from their site, I need to figure out what size I wear in their brand, right?

I still don't feel like I should've had to jump through hoops to avoid that restocking fee, but I'm glad customer service was ultimately helpful.  However, I am going to lose that $10 off code in the process of this whole thing.  Alas - the 9.5s were the better fit for me.  Here's a few IRL pics of the shoes:

The shoes are quite pretty.  Both pairs smelled heavily (almost nauseatingly) of plastic, as they were wrapped really thoroughly, but the smell dissipated with time.  The color is rich.  They have a supportive platform under the toes, and the heel is 3 inches - about as high as a heelphobe like me can go.

 Some toe cleavage, but not an unacceptable amount.

The bows are a little limper/less shapely than in the product photos.

Overall, these are quite cute, and $59.95 seems like a decent price (made better if you can find a discount).  I like the other colors, too, and think these will be versatile.  They were fairly comfortable - for heels - though the soles are not super padded, and I'm not sure how well they are attached to the base of the shoe.  The lining looks to be curling ever so slightly near the toe.  The slingback stayed up nicely on the 9.5s.  It slipped on the 10s, as they were clearly a bit too big.  The Sierra Slingback also comes in a cobalt/grey combo and a yellow/nude combo, both of which are really stinkin' cute.

For now, I'd give Sole Society a 7 on the Awesome Meter.  I do like cute shoes with modest heels - and they have cute flats, too - as opposed to the skyscraper, edgy heels I see on ShoeDazzle.  I like that it's not a shoe club, so I don't have to stress about opting out each month.  The shipping was fast (and free!), but the restock fee bums me out.  Customer service was good, but I'm used to Modcloth's amazing service now.  The quality of the shoes seems about right for the price.

If you see something you like on the site, you can use my affiliate link here to sign up.  If affiliate links skeeve you out, you can just sign up at SoleSociety.com. Make sure to check RetailMeNot.com for coupon codes before you buy!  

Nifty Gifties for Him! A Men's Gift Guide

Here are some gift ideas for that guy in your life.  Guys are so much harder to shop for than women, for the most part. Hope these suggestions are helpful!

Gifts for Him by janalyssa on Polyvore

1. Shaving Set ($60) - Even guys deserve pampering sometimes, and this set includes fancy soap and a bristle brush for a closer shave.  You could also get him a gift certificate to The Art of Shaving, where he can get a fancy-shmancy shave with a straight razor.  I gave a gift certificate to my husband  before our wedding; I figured, if I was getting spa treatments, maybe he'd like something somewhat similar (but manlier, of course!).

2. Robot Tea Infuser ($15) - If he's a tea drinker, he might like this cool robot; it sits in your tea cup and helps evenly infuse hot water.  Pair it with a fancy loose leaf tea blend, and you have a great gift. 

3. Death Star Ice Mold ($10) - If he prefers to drink something a little stronger, he might like this awesomely geeky ice mold.  Large spheres of ice melt more slowly, so they cool your drink without watering it down.  I got my husband these simple sphere molds for Hanukkah, but the Death Star ones are just so cool!

4. Adidas Track Pants ($30) - My brother asked for comfortable pants that he could actually wear outside the house.  He usually relaxes in giant basketball shorts, but those aren't always the best things to wear to a grocery store, and sweatpants can look somewhat sloppy.  These pants are comfortable and breathable but cool enough to wear in public. Plus, they have pockets!

5. Merino Wool Sweater ($80) - Every guy needs a warm, fashionable sweater this time of year. This one has features a v-neck and neutral stripes that will go with jeans or dressier pants; even the pickiest of guys can't argue with simple navy stripes! J. Crew has been running some great promotions, so watch for those!

6. MistoBox ($45 for 3 month subscription) - If he's a caffeine addict, he might appreciate this subscription box delivered to his door each month.  Each box contains 4 unique types of coffee beans from artisan roasters.  If he finds one he loves, he can order it on the site with free shipping.  Make sure he has a grinder - or you can add one on if you'd like.  Check their website and Facebook page for special deals!  Right now, you can get your first box for $5!

7. Modern Briefcase ($248) - This practical office essential is cool, not stuffy, and has a great vintage patina.  It will help him get organized and look professional yet stylish.  It may seem pricey, but it's high quality leather and can be worn as a messenger bag or briefcase-style. It's the kind of thing he'll carry for years.  This one is from Fossil, but you can find similar styles at Banana Republic, J. Crew, Kenneth Cole, or department stores.

8.  Automobile Magazine Subscription ($10 for a year) - If he's into cars, he'll love this monthly magazine - and he'll think about you for a whole year!  Magazines are awesome (and generally affordable) gifts.  If he's not a car guy, there are about a zillion other options. Just google his interests plus "magazine," and check out what comes up!

9. Record Coasters ($18) - These colorful, useful coasters are made from real vinyl record labels.  They're the perfect gift for a music lover - everyone needs coasters, especially if you're hosting any holiday parties, and these ones have personality!

Happy shopping!  Remember to check RetailMeNot for coupon codes before you buy online!

Review - Zoom Groom

I'm taking a quick break from holiday cheer to bring you a review of a new product I received yesterday.  Our dog, Wilson, is the best dog ever.  He's sweet, loving, and loyal, and it doesn't hurt that he's also super cute and mega soft.

Glamour shots!  Anyway, Wilson, who is a rescue dog of indeterminate breed, but likely some sort of cross between a mini Australian Shepherd and a long-haired chihuahua or dachshund, is one sheddy long-haired puppy.  Seriously.  Now that we have wood floors, we sometimes see tumbleweeds of black Wilson fur gathering in corners.  Yikes.  On the one hand, his fur rarely needs to be cut, but on the other, there is fur everywhere!

We have used the Furminator deshedding tool since we adopted him; it works really well at getting the under layer of loose hair out.  However, it's a little bit rough on him - it's made of metal, and he gets squirmy when we use it and runs away.  Some dogs love it, but Wilson seems to think it's too harsh, which makes us not want to use it.  

A groomer friended recommended Zoom Groom by Kong, maker of all things durable and rubber for dogs.  They're much less expensive than the Furminator - mine was about $5 on Amazon - and are made of rubber with little rubber fingers.  I tried it right away, and to my surprise, Wilson loved it! It likely just feels like being pet and is very gentle.  It trapped a good deal of hair, though  not as much as the Furminator... though I think it's worth it to use the Zoom Groom instead, because Wilson tolerates it so much better. He holds perfectly still while we're grooming him and even leans into the brush instead of struggling to run under the table.  A good brushing with the Zoom Groom left Wilson very sleek, as the rubber fingers also help with natural oil production, which helps keep his coat shiny.

The Zoom Groom gets an 8 on the Awesome Meter.  I don't think it gets as much excess fur off as the Furminator, but it's a more gentle choice. I read that it works better on short-haired dogs.  It can also be used when bathing and shampooing your dog.  I purchased the small one (Wilson is 13 pounds), but there is a larger model for bigger dogs, and there's even one for cats!

This could be a great stocking stuffer for a pet lover.