Review: Skinny Blend Weight Loss Shake

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I received a one-week supply of Skinny Jane’s “Skinny Blend Weight Loss Shake.” Since it’s a weight-loss shake, usually one week would not be enough time to review that aspect of the product. With that in mind, I was asked to review how well the powder mixes, suppresses my appetite, and increases my energy.

As I’ve gotten into more strength training and weight lifting, I’ve been seeking ways to add more protein into my diet. Of course, I can always eat more beans, eggs, nuts, chicken, etc. And I have been, but it’s just not enough. It would really simplify my life if I could just mix up a protein shake and BAM! give my body what it needs. As I researched protein powders, I realized I’m looking for a powder that tastes at least bearable (if not good) and isn’t filled with questionable ingredients. So that’s why I wanted to review the Skinny Blend.

I didn’t receive the regular packaging, since I just had the 7-day sample, so I had to look the nutritional info up online. Each serving of the banana Skinny Blend has 100 calories, 1 gram of sugar, 3 grams of fiber, and 12 grams of protein. Of course that would be in addition to whatever ingredients you add to the blend.

My 7-day sample of Skinny Blend

Some of the ingredients sound “scary” (you can read them off the product photos on the Skinny Jane website), but I looked up the ones I’m unfamiliar with. Most of the ingredients provide protein or bond the protein ingredients together. Nothing raised any red flags.

The Skinny Blend is available in chocolate, vanilla, or banana, and I chose the banana flavor. It really does taste good! If you don’t mix it in really well (and you should), it has a slight powdered milk taste to it. When mixed or blended, the Skinny Blend just tastes like milk and banana. It’s not grainy or clumpy, and there’s no strange aftertaste. Just make sure you use a shaker bottle or a blender. I attempted to just mix it with almond milk once with a spoon, and it was grainy.

I think I had the servings off slightly. I was using the powder while Baby J and I were visiting Hubby in Florida, and I didn’t have any of my measuring spoons or cups or my kitchen scale. I had to “wing it.” A serving should be 1/4 cup. Either they sent me more than a week’s worth, or I really don’t know how a 1/4 cup should look. As you can see below, I tried the Skinny Blend 8 times (and still had some left in the package).

Ways I’ve tried the Skinny Blend:

  • Skinny Blend, frozen fruit, water, baby spinach, and kale
  • Skinny Blend, frozen fruit, apple cider, baby spinach, and kale
  • Skinny Blend and water (gross)
  • Skinny Blend and almond milk
  • Skinny Blend, almond milk, whole milk, and ice
  • Skinny Blend, almond milk, banana, and ice
  • Skinny Blend, almond milk, 1/2 banana, and ice
  • Skinny Blend, orange juice, banana, and ice

If you’re trying to lose weight, definitely use the Skinny Blend as recommended. That said, my favorite way to use the Skinny Blend was blended with almond milk, 1/2 banana, and ice. It was the perfect after-dinner snack that kept me full and awake for several hours until bed, and with just over 200 calories.

My favorite combo, right before I blended it
And blended

I actually did lose weight the week that I used the Skinny Blend (about 3 lbs.), which surprised me. I can’t say for sure the weight loss was from the powder, especially since I didn’t use it as a meal replacement. I used the powder in addition to my regular diet. I’ve been lifting heavier weights and doing more strength training exercises, so I guess my hard work is finally showing, and I lost a little body fat (woohoo!).

Overall, I really, really, liked this powder. It tasted good, blended well, and wasn’t grainy. Is it the shake for me, the one I’ll add into my workout regime and diet? I’m not sure. My only hesitation is Skinny Blend doesn’t provide as much protein as some other protein powders on the market. But to be fair, Skinny Blend is meant to be a weight-loss shake, not necessarily a muscle-building shake.

To learn more about how the company got its start, visit SkinnyJane.com. Also, follow them on Facebook and Twitter for tips and motivation (it’ll get you a head start on the giveaway too).

GIVEAWAY CLOSED- Congrats to Aleya B. for winning!

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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The benefits of #Amacari in your diet. #CamuCamu #SuperFruit

*Sponsored Post*

Although I’ve seen the word Amacari in advertising for a couple years now, I only recently learned exactly where it comes from and what it can do. Amacari is a supplement that comes from South American camu camu berries. Camu camu was recently hailed by the Dr. Oz Show online as potentially being the “…missing fountain of youth.”

According to the same Dr. Oz blog post, camu camu contains numerous essential vitamins, including the highest known amount of naturally-occurring Vitamin C. Because of this, camu camu is rich in antioxidants, and studies suggest it has anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects. Iron, niacin, riboflavin, phosphorus, potassium, beta-carotene, calcium, and amino acids can all be found in camu camu.

Camu camu is also known to give natural energy boosts and improve focus.

The fruit itself is sour, which is why other forms, like Amacari pills, are so popular. In Amacari, the whole fruit is picked raw and powdered through a special method to preserve the nutrients. The entire berry (skin, pulp, and seed) is encapsulated. Amacari is organic, non-GMO, GMP-compliant, vegan, gluten-free, and kosher!

Amacari from the camu camu super fruit. Read about the benefits on My Life: A Work in Progress. #Amacari #CamuCamu #SuperFruit

To purchase Amacari, visit the CamuPure website. Right now, purchase a bottle 30% off. Use code: LOVEAMACARI. You can also order a free trial box (shipping not included).

*If you use Amacari, share your experiences with others by using the hashtags #Amacari, #SuperFruit, and #CamuCamu!*

To learn more about Amacari and its benefits, follow Amazon Origins at the links below:

CamuPure.com | Amazon Origins on Twitter | Amazon Origins on Instagram | Amazon Origins on Pinterest | Amazon Origins on Facebook

What do you think sounds most exciting about Amacari?

Want to win a bottle? Enter below (must agree to terms & conditions stated in Rafflecopter widget). US only. Ends January 26.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note- My Life: A Work in Progress was compensated for this post. Always talk to your doctor before taking a new supplement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

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Review: Stay warm with a Warm Tradition hot water bottle #holidaygiftguide

As a child, I used to suffer from what my mother called “growing pains” in my legs. They were painful enough that I couldn’t sleep at night, so Mom would give me her hot water bottle to soothe the pain. I think she’d gotten that thing at the hospital when she gave birth to my little brother, so it was really old. The heat helped my muscle aches, but the hot water bottle smelled strongly of rubber, even after years of use. It was almost unbearable.

Well, hot water bottles have improved tremendously since then! To review, Warm Tradition sent me one of their hot water bottles, along with a fleece cover to go over it. These hot water bottles are BPA-free thermoplastic and manufactured in Germany under strict conditions. The majority of the covers are made in the USA and marked as such. Covers are available in soft fabrics like fleece, velour, flannel, knit, and more. The hot water bottles come in different shapes too.

Warm Tradition hot water bottles- Learn more on My Life: A Work in Progress
Photos from WarmTradition.com

For the last few years I’ve been using electric heating pads, but they’re not ideal. I’ve never been happy with the idea of falling asleep with an electric pad plugged into the wall; it just doesn’t seem safe. I’ve been filling my water bottle with hot water from the tub faucet, and that works fine. I think you’re supposed to take the cover off to fill the bottle, maybe, but I don’t. The cover I have is fleece, which is resistant to water. So if I spill a little water on the top while I fill the bottle, the water pools off the cover, instead of saturating it.

Warm Tradition hot water bottle on My Life: A Work in Progress

The first time I used my hot water bottle was the night after an eight-mile run, and my legs were a bit sore (not used to it yet). At first I thought the bottle wasn’t hot enough to actually help with my muscle pain, but as I was finally falling asleep, I realized that my leg pain had dissipated. I was very warm and relaxed! I’ve been using my hot water bottle almost every night in the last two weeks, even if I don’t have any pains. The bottle keeps my bed toasty these cold winter nights, and it’s great for menstrual cramps.

Warm Tradition also sells heat packs and a hot water bottle fill stand (which looks pretty cool). Warm Tradition has an adorable Cuddly Lion hot water bottle (only $14.95!) that I’m purchasing for Baby J. It’ll help keep him warm in his crib at night this winter. Baby J loves plush animals, so I know he’ll love this lion and want to snuggle it!

Visit Warm Tradition today to see the hundreds of styles available. Stay tuned for a giveaway later this week!

Which is your favorite style?

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