Slimfast 3-2-1 Plan

So when I was shopping recently I noticed all the Slimfast 3-2-1 products on sale for half off. I thought I'd buy some and give the products a try. I personally don't really think the Slimfast plan is an ideal plan for healthy weight loss. The shakes are loaded in sugar (33 grams in one can!!!) but, I thought by trying it out for a couple weeks, it might help me steer away from the constant grazing and snacking I tend to do all day long, and make it easier to jump in to a healthy meal plan.

The Slimfast 3-2-1 plan is pretty straight forward. You have 3 snack bars (or other snacks as outlined on the Slimfast website), 2 Slimfast shakes or meal bars and 1 balanced 500 calorie meal per day (3-2-1, get it?). The concept is pretty simple and easy to follow, and the bars & shakes are actually quite tasty, but looking at the nutritional information, they quite honestly don't seem all that good for you.

I'm currently on day 3 of my two week Slimfast experiment. I will post my progress and results and opinions as I go along. Wish me luck!

-AG

January Playlist

Every month I compile a playlist for the gym. I try to keep the songs upbeat, something to keep me moving and motivated, with the last couple of songs being a little slower, for a big of a cool down. I don't know if you guys will appreciate my taste in music, but I thought I'd share it with you anyways.

Neon Trees - Animal - 3:32

Fefe Dobson - I Want You - 2:10

Far East Movement - Like a G6 - 3:39

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - Around the Bend - 3:49

The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name - 5:12

Locksley - The Whip - 2:56

Pony Pony Run Run - Hey You - 3:13

Ladyhawke - Back of the Van - 3:40

The Kickdrums - Things Work Out - 3:54

Total Time: 32:07

New Year's Resolutions

This year, I've made a resolution. Well, I've made a few, you know the usual, exercise, eat right, etc, etc....but one that is new for me is this blog. I've made a resolution to write. To track my progress. I have convinced myself that if I continue to track my progress, and share my success on a regular basis, it will help me keep on track. So, I guess we will just have to see how it goes.

This winter has been hard on me. After not working for a year, I started a new job. I had been in the routine of hitting the gym almost every day around noon, worked out with a trainer twice a week and ran in a running group once a week. Once I started working that went out the window, along with my planned and portioned meals. Needless to say, I gained a few pounds. About 20 to be exact. I did what I promised myself I would never do again. I let it all go. So, I'm on a mission to get back to where I was, and I will do whatever it takes to get there.

-AG

Nic's Sticks Nail Lacquer

As an Active Girl, I'm always looking for beauty products that are quick and easy to use...I'm just not the type of gal who spends 2 hours getting ready everyday. I like things quick, easy, no muss and no fuss! Which is why I gave Nic's Sticks by Nicole (by OPI) a try.

I tried out "In The Nic of Time" a coral type shade. It comes in a tube/stick that has a built in brush, for quick and easy application. Just a couple pumps of the top and your colour is ready to be applied. No more dipping back into the jar.

Price: $5-$9. Really, this didn't seem all that bad, but when I looked at the content, the stickonly contained 4 ml. Compared to a bottle of OPI polish, which contains 15 ml and is generally $10-$14, the Nic's Stick suddenly doesn't look like such a deal.

Ease of Application: Seeing as the product is marketed as "Paint & Go Nail Lacquer" I really expected it to be easy to apply and quick drying. I had previously tried a similar style Sally Hansen product which was both very simple and clean to apply and very quick drying, so I had high expectations. The Nic's Stick failed me on both fronts. The brush did not apply smoothly at all, and it took 3 coats to get decent, even coverage. What was even more frustrating is how long it took to dry between coats. Even after allowing it to completely dry, it was very susceptible to smudges. It definitely requires a top clear coat.

Durability and Strength: This is the only thing I am quite pleased with. The colour lasts several days before even starting to show any signs of wear. The colour is vibrant and beautiful, and it does add strength to my nails. With many other polishes I find the colour starts to wear and chip after as little as 2 days, but with the Nic's Stick I am able to wear up to 5 days before the wear becomes evident.

My Recommendation: Shell out the extra couple bucks and buy the real deal, OPI, in a bottle. I didn't really find that the Nic's Stick was any easier to apply than a traditional nail polish, and the only real advantage was it's portability (no need to worry about a glass bottle breaking!). So, unless you are heading on a trip and want to take the polish with you for touch ups, I'd stick with the good old fashioned bottle and brush style polish. For these reasons, I gave the Nic's Sticks 2 Active Girls out of 5.

-AG

Just Dance for Nintendo Wii

I was lucky enough to get a copy of Just Dance by Ubisoft through BzzAgent to try out.



Here's a little blurb from Ubisoft:

Dance to the rhythm of your favorite beat with Ubisoft’s Just Dance, a music & rhythm video game that allows you to dance the night away with your friends and family without ever leaving the house. Invite your friends to join you for a fun late-night dance session, or practice your favorite moves solo on your own. With simple pick-up and play controls, anyone can join the party.

I'll be honest with you, I was a little nervous to try it out. I mean I'm not much of a dancer, and I'm probably the only person who has ever given them self a concussion playing a Wii game...

So, I waited til my husband wasn't home, donned my running shoes (for traction!) and started it up.

The game includes over thirty songs, most of which are actually by the original artist. These include Wannabe by the Spice Girls, Step by Step by New Kids on the Block, Hot n Cold by Katy Perry and much more (for a full listing of the songs, take a look at this post on Video Game Blogger by clicking here).

So the first song I tried was Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cindi Lauper. And you know what? I actually had fun! At first I didn't really see the potential for fun, but once the music started I felt great! I actually ended up playing for over half an hour, by myself, and enjoying every minute of it. On top of that, by the end of it, I had worked up a bit of a sweat and actually felt like I got a decent workout out of it.

Next time I play, I'll be sure to wear my Go Wear Fit, so I can see how many calories I'm actually burning.

Anyways, if you enjoy dancing, and are looking for a fun and different way to work out, I highly recommend this game!

Oh, and if you're just looking for a laugh, head over to the Just Dance official site, they have plenty of videos posted of actual people playing the game. Let's just say I'm glad I'm not the only one who looks like a fool when I'm dancing!

-Active Girl

Swagbucks!

Whey Gourmet by PVL Nutrition

I've decided that my first review will be of Whey Gourmet protein power by PVL Nutrition. This will probably be an on-going series of reviews for Whey Gourmet as they have so many flavours, and I have only tried a few so far. Each time I try a new flavour, I will add another review. This may take a while, as they had 14 flavours at my last count.

I wish I had a blurb to offer you, but they Whey Gourmet website has been under construction for some time now, so...I'll do my best.

Whey Gourmet was created specifically for it's taste and is available in a wide variety of flavours, which sets it apart from your average whey protein. If you are a consumer of whey protein you're probably used to seeing three flavours: Vanilla, Chocolate and the occasional fruit smoothie flavour, most often Raspberry, Strawberry or Banana. Whey Gourmet comes in a WIDE variety of flavours, ranging from your usual Vanilla & Chocolate to previously unheard of flavours including Cookies & Cream Supreme, Smooth Peanut Butter Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Mint Extreme, Caramel Dip and Arctic Cappuccino Frappe. In my opinion, this selection of flavours and their use of colourful packaging, is a way of marketing the protein to women.

Of course, I don't want to admit it, but it's true, being a girl mean I want options! I want variety! I want yummy yummy flavours!!! But, all the pretty packaging and endless selection of flavours doesn't necessarily mean that the product is any good, so I am here to try it out.

I've graded the product on several factors including Price, Taste, Blendability (I know, it's not a word) and Nutritional Content.

Flavour Tried: Creamy Dreamy Milk Chocolate

Purchased at: GNC

Price: $35 - $45 per 2lb tub

Taste: I have tried mixing the powder in both milk & water and my official verdict on taste is: Not bad. It's definitely creamy, as stated in the name, but it isn't exactly chocolaty. I mean I can tell that it's chocolate flavour, but the flavour could be stronger. It's definitely tastier than many other protein powders I've tried.

Blendability: If you are like me, you hate clumps in your protein shake, which is why I have included blendability as one of the grading factors. As I mentioned, I have tried this in both milk & water, and in a simple shaker cup it blends remarkably well. No clumps! And it's nice & smooth. One thing I would note however, stick to the directions on the package, 1 scoop to 6oz of liquid. Any more than 8oz of liquid and it tastes very watered down and you lose the creamy milkshake feel.

Nutritional Content: Each container is roughly 2lbs, and holds 29 servings. Each scoop/serving is about 31 grams, or 1oz. The nutritional information is as follows:
Calories: 120
Protein: 23g
Fat: 2g
Carbs: 3g
Personally, I think that this is pretty good for a protein shake. I know there are plenty of protein shakes with a higher protein content, but I'm willing to sacrifice a little for a decent flavour.

Rating: Overall, I think this is a pretty good option. Tasty, smooth and reasonably priced. My official rating is 4 Active Girls out of 5.