Is Weight Loss Really That Hard? Here’s What Experts Say

**Collaborative Feature**

Losing weight can sometimes feel like an uphill battle, and one that many of us have tried time and time again, but does it have to be that hard? Many of us have struggled with shedding a few extra pounds, or losing that same few pounds and gaining them right back a few weeks later, and with so much advice floating around, it’s easy to get confused. One thing’s for sure: weight loss doesn’t come with a one-size-fits-all solution, and everyone is different when it comes to losing weight, how long it takes and what works for one won't always work for another. 

But let’s dive into what experts have to say and uncover the truths behind the challenge.

TomTom Spark Cardio + Music Watch **REVIEW**

You may have noticed I have been posting about trying to lose weight recently and become over all more healthy, so when the lovely people over at TomTom offered me one of their TomTom Spark fitness watches I was so excited to give it a try. 

I have seen a few of these fitness watches in the market and had been thinking of giving one a try in a hope it would help me keep motivated and that is exactly what the TomTom Spark Cardio + Music does! I have been using the watch for a few weeks now both on the school run and during exercise sessions and even swimming with my little girl. It has been great to be able to physically see how many steps I have been doing and even checking on my heart rate during exercise taking all the guess work out of exercise, enabling me to keep track of exactly how I am doing rather than just the weight on the scales! 

The TomTom Spark Cardio + Music watch is a GPS fitness watch that not only enables you to track all your exercise but listen to music wirelessly whilst you do so!  The watch features a unique combination of an integrated music player, built in heart rate monitor, 24/7 activity tracker, multi sports mode including walking, running and swimming and the GPS in the TomTom Spark makes it easier than ever to track progress and improve overall fitness levels.

I was a little worried about how the watch would fit as I have quite small wrists and struggle to find a normal watch that fits comfortably, however the TomTom Spark watch strap is made from rubber which enables it to fit comfortably around your wrist, offering flexibility and making it comfortable to wear day to day. The new and improved sleeker, slimmer design also means it isn't too bulky and easy to wear for long periods of time without being in the way. 

The TomTom spark comes pre-loaded with some fantastic running tracks from The Ministry of Sound however with 3GB (around 500 songs) of music storage available there is plenty of room for you to add your own music. I found the whole process of doing so really quick and easy. The in depth instruction booklet you get with the watch explains how to do this.

The display on the TomTom spark is a large LCD display which is controlled by a large 4 way button beneath, If you are anything like me you will try and use it as a touch screen at least once since we are all so used to everything being touch screen now. I actually like the button over a touch screen as it means you don't accidentally "touch" the screen and change something. The directional 4 way button makes navigating the watch easy and once you have scrolled through a few times you get used to wear all the functions and the layout of the watch. When you are not actively using the watch it displays a large clear 24 hour clock making it a functional watch day to day when you are not using it in the gym etc whilst it still records steps etc.

Another great feature on the TomTom Spark is the built in heart monitor meaning their is no need for extra bulky or fiddly heart rate monitoring equipment as it can all be done via your watch, although this feature does not work when using the watch for swimming. The watch can however be used up to a depth of 40m in water!

The App used with the TomTom spark watch is the TomTom MySports app which can be found in the app store. It clearly displays all of your data making it easy to read and see how you have done. The app stores your data too so you can go back and check previous days when needed. The app does seem to update quite often which isn't an issue but make sure you do these updates to keep up to date with the latest updates for your watch and info.

The current price of the TomTom Spark Cardio + Music is £189.99 and if you order before the 19/08/2016 you can claim your free TomTom Bluetooth headphones when you purchase a TomTom Spark or TomTom Runner 2 music edition. The headphones are usually priced at £49.99 so this is a fab saving if you are thinking of purchasing one!

You can check out the watch in more detail or view more from the TomTom range via their website which can be found here - www.tomtom.com/en_gb.

xXx

** I was provided these items free of charge, I then produced this review. All photos, words and opinions are my own. **

Weight Loss Diary - Week 1.

Well its the end of my first week on my weight loss journey and I am not going to lie I have found it tough!

I decided not to weigh myself last week, I didn't want the first week to be all about the numbers on the scales but more about getting back to healthy eating, cutting out the junk food and finding my love for cooking from scratch again.
I will start weighing myself from this week onward and from next week will be sharing how many lbs I have (hopefully) lost each week in case you wish to follow my journey. I will also be taking pictures once a month and sharing these to in the hope that seeing some weight loss will keep my spurred on!

This week I have upped my water intake, fruit and veg intake and focused more on what im eating and how much. I have to admit I have felt so much better in myself already! I used to start getting lethargic and tired around 2pm which has totally stopped this week, I am also finding it easier to get to sleep at night and even finding it easier to get up n the mornings which is unheard of especially for the school run!

I have switched from picking at foods like crisps and toasties to salads for lunch often adding chicken or lean meats for flavour. I have made my portions smaller and got back in to cooking in the evenings and making things from scratch rather than over replying on quick and convenient foods. Breakfast is something I need to work on this week as I often skip it whilst rushing around in the mornings before getting the kids to school, but then when mid morning hits and I start getting peckish this is when I am most at risk of picking I think.

How is everyone else doing this week?

xXx

Exante Diet, Shakes **REVIEW**

Before having kids my weight wasn't something that really bothered me, ok so I was curvy but I was happy with my weight. However since having James and Evelyn I have put on some weight and its something I am definitely not happy with.

I have tried a few "healthy eating" type at home plans but I am so weak when it comes to temptation, I felt like I needed a bit of a kick start to my diet to see some results a little quicker to give me that boost and kick up the bum to stick with a diet.

So when the lovely people at Exante offered me some of their shakes to try I thought this could be the kickstart I needed and I excitedly awaited my delivery.

Exante is the UK's number 1 online meal replacement diet and is cost effective too, with meals starting at just 63p each it really can be accessible to everyone! Exante also has the biggest online range of products including lots of vegetarian options and with FREE next day delivery there really is no reason not to give it a go if you are thinking of losing weight!

I received a fantastic selection of shakes which included the flavours -

- Chocolate Mint
- Vanilla
- Orange and Pineapple
- Chocolate 
- Lemon and Raspberry
- strawberry
- cherries and berries
- Banana
- Creamy Coconut 
- Blueberry
- tropical

But if none of the flavours above take your fancy there are even more flavours available on the Exante website!

I was a bit apprehensive about using the shakes at first and wasn't holding out much hope for the flavour/texture as lets face it these are a powder mixed with water, however I was pleasantly surprised! One thing I will say is you really need a blender of some sort to make these shakes as without they are a little lumpy and don't seem to mix together properly. Made with the whisk the shakes thicken up quite a bit and have a real hit of flavour.

My favourite shakes have to be the chocolate (of course what girl doesn't love a chocolate shake on a diet!?) and the Lemon and Raspberry. I know this sounds obvious but the chocolate shake really tastes like chocolate which really surprised me for a diet shake. The Lemon and Raspberry is a must try as it has the punch of lemon and the sweetness of the raspberry which made for a delicious shake especially if you have a sweet tooth!

Exante don't just do shakes they also sell diet meals, diet soups and diet bars all to help in your weight loss journey. You can also buy Diet Packs which contain everything you need to follow the Exante diet for a set period of time which is a fantastic no fuss option. Exante even give you the option of a "pick your own" diet pack so you can choose what is included meaning you can make sure that it only contains things you like or like the sound of!

Over all I am giving the Exante shakes a thumbs up. It was tough the first few days as I used these for breakfast and lunch and it was hard not having any actual food to eat but my body soon got used to it and I enjoyed picking out my flavours for the following day.

I didn't follow the whole Exante plan as I only had the shakes to try but I would definitely consider trying more of the products in the future and following the diet plan more strictly as I think this could be the real boost and kick start I need to get my weight loss journey going.

So if you are looking to loose weight what are you waiting for? Check out the Exante website here - www.exantediet.com.

xXx


**I was not paid for this post, I was sent this item in return for an honest review. 
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and written by me. **