Still Not Losing Weight?! Have You Tried FitnessBlender.com?!

I love FitnessBlender.com!  They have some of the greatest workouts and fitness advice. So happy when I heard they would be offering a meal plan.  For me the hardest part of weight loss is the diet.  Working out is something I do every day, but eating right...eating clean is really tough for me.

I decided to try their meal plan.  The meal plan is for 4 weeks.  Daniel and Kelli worked with registered dietitians and nutritionists to create this program. I decided to go with the Omnivore plan.  They offer a vegetarian and vegan programs. There are 3 meals and 3 snacks. Most of the food you need to buy for this plan is what I usually by every week.  There are 5 different calorie allotments. Because I workout hard almost every day I chose the 1800 calorie plan. It's easy to get enough food to satisfy me.  I don't feel hungry between meals.

The meal plan is very simple to follow. They measure everything out for you.  Instead of just telling what to eat they provide precise measurements. For example one of the meals has .66 cup of oatmeal.   I have noticed that there are many meals and snacks with eggs.  I do find myself substituting lean meats for the eggs.  Also I do the same with any meals that contain mushrooms. Here's a sample meal from the plan!

I like this plan because each meal and snack is real food.  Not a shake, smoothie or soup.  It's very thorough and it doesn't feel like a diet, but a way of life. Go to FitnessBlender.com to check out their workouts and meal plans. I highly recommend them.


Disclaimer: Please consult a physician before beginning any fitness or diet program.  Results may vary. 

Sugar Twin Stevia Review

I was excited when I saw that Sugar Twin offered a Stevia sweetener.  Stevia is a natural sweetener.  I've used it before, but it was always a few dollars more than the Splenda.  To save money I would get Splenda.  The Sugar Twin Stevia is a couple of bucks less than Splenda. The taste?!  Another reason I didn't buy stevia is because I really didn't find it sweet.  It wouldn't sweeten my coffee like Splenda.  I have to say that the Sugar Twin Stevia is no different.  I just don't think it's as good as Splenda.

Stevia supposed to be better for me and I would say that I will keep using it hoping that I will eventually get used to it, but unfortunately it says that Sugar Twin Stevia contains 29.3 mg of Saccharin in each packet.  Now I'm trying to be more health conscious and move away from artificial sweeteners I'm wondering by using this product if I'm doing that.  Just thought I would let you all know it's out there.  If you try it let me know what you think of it.

To find out more about Sugar Twin's products and recipes go to their website SugarTwin.ca or follow them on Twitter, Facebook,  Pinterest & Youtube

NOW Foods Coconut Oil Review

In the winter I find it difficult to keep my skin hydrated.  I like using coconut oil on my skin, but sometimes it would be too messy.  Several months ago I bought Now Foods Coconut Oil.  It's specifically for the hair and body.  It's not greasy and blends in very well.  I like using it after I wash my face with Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil.  You would think using all of this oil would clog my pores and cause breakouts.  I haven't experienced that at all.  My skin stays moist all day.  When I use the oil on my body I just rub it in and I can put my clothes on immediately after that because it doesn't leave any residue. On my hair it hydrates and makes it soft and shiny. It's 100% natural and has no chemicals or artificial preservatives.

Find out more about NOW Foods products at their website Now Foods, Facebook and Twitter. 

Happy New Year from The Elements of Review!

Toronto New Year's Eve

Wishing you all a very blessed and prosperous New Year!  Thank you for stopping by my blog!  I really appreciate it.  I'm hoping to bring you more reviews in 2014.  I would like to do more foodie reviews.  We are moving to Toronto and I'm excited to be returning to a big city.  So I hope to be exploring the Toronto food scene and of course doing reviews of some of my favorite products. 

Happy 2014!

Merry Christmas from The Elements of Review!

Sorry the blog has been quiet for the past few weeks but we wanted to take this time to wish you and your families a very merry Christmas!

Thoughts, Observations and Ramblings about the Midseason Finale of The Walking Dead

Usually after watching Talking Dead I'm able to process that night's episode. Last night everyone on the show were so emotional and discussing their feelings about what happened I just felt like there wasn't enough time to process everything. The Talking Dead should have been two hours long.  I would like to know what you thought about the Midseason finale.



                                                        **spoiler alert**



If you haven't watched the show please stop reading now. Watch the show and then come back and tell me what you thought. I would love to hear your opinion!

I want your opinion!

The episode started off slowly, but then took off running. It went by so fast, I was trying to live tweet while doing breathing exercises. I've never been so nervous about a TV show in my life! Honestly I thought we were going to lose a lot more of my favorite characters. I knew Hershel was gone, but it was tough seeing him die in such a brutal manner. So happy the Governor is dead. While Lily was sitting on top of the RV she could already see the flaws in the Governor's plan, but it was too late. Her daughter Megan's death was incredibly sad. I'm glad she had the final say with the Governor.

I have some questions. Why didn't Michonne stay and help Rick? Who drove the bus away? What happened to Lily's sister? Where's Judith (lil Asskicker)? I had a thought about the last question. What if Carol came back and she is with Tyreese and the kids?! Gasp! That would be something because remember Rick and Daryl never had a chance to tell Tyreese that Carol killed Karen.

Speaking of Carol. I thought Rick was wrong to banish her. He should have brought her back to the Council and let them decide. Carol was a huge asset to the prison. Like most moms she did so many things (big & small) around the prison.  It was a mistake to let someone that valuable go. Daryl took it a lot better than I thought he would. Maybe because he respects Rick. Ok enough of my rambling. I want to know your thoughts. Let's process this together! By the way, I was looking at a blog post I wrote 3 years ago about the first episode of The Walking Dead http://reviewingforu.blogspot.ca/2010/11/walking-dead.html . It's amazing how attached I have become to the characters.

Happy Thanksgiving From The Elements of Review!

Wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving. Every Thanksgiving I watch this episode of WKRP in Cincinnati. This is one of the funniest segments in history from one of the most underrated sitcoms. Oh the humanity!