Easter Eggs for Grown Ups

I am a lover of Easter eggs. I've always thought that the chocolate at this time of year just tastes different or better somehow. When I was asked if I would like to review an Easter egg for Hotel Chocolat I didn't hesitate in saying yes. Every year I am normally dieting on the run up to Easter with it being around my birthday and I normally warn my family not to buy me an egg. It has been a few years since I have had my own Easter egg. 

When I received this beautifully presented package through the post,  

I knew it was going to be something special from the moment I opened it. Not only was it in a cute little gift bag but it was also not your average Easter egg. (The wine was not included, that was just my little treat to myself!)

This was the egg I sampled . . . 

This chocolatey take on egg and chips was a thrill to my taste buds. I loved the quirkiness of the idea but I loved the taste even more. It was deliciously chocolatey but without being sickly. The egg is made from a creamy white chocolate with vanilla seed and the yolk is a creamy caramel. One thing I do like about the brand Hotel Chocolat is their strive to have more cocoa and less sugar, making their chocolate better quality and better for your waistline and health. Going on pure taste alone, I have no negative comments to make, it was simply delicious. 

 

This chocolate gift is priced at £14 which seems a bit steep but when you compare it to what you would pay for the equivalent sized chocolate egg for a less than equivalent quality of chocolate, there is really no competition. 

I would highly recommend that you check out their range of Easter Eggs for the chocolate lovers in your life. 

disclaimer: i received the above chocolately goodness free to sample and review. All thoughts and opinions are unbiased and my own. 

No back peddling now, I am half way there!

Next Saturday I will have completed the first part of my challenge, the first 50 days of my 5km a day for 100 days. I am taking part in this challenge to raise money for Alzeimer Scotland but also to try and create a exercise habit for myself. It's no secret to anyone who knows me or reads this blog that weight loss and good health is something I am constantly striving towards.

Since starting my challenge I have dropped a dress size and lost about a 10lb in weight. I've lost something every week but it's clear to see that exercise alone will not shift the pounds. I reckon it's all about the fuel. I am really not very good at diets but I am trying to eat healthily. I really notice a difference in my shape, I am much more toned and my waist is appearing!

Next Saturday, to mark the 50th day, I am taking part in a family cycling event in Edinburgh. It is organised by Sky and one of the Scottish ambassadors is Edith Bowman. I am hoping to meet her and Sir Chris Hoy on the day as they are supposed to be making an appearance. There are Sky Ride events being held all over the country and the main reason I am excited about it is because it's an opportunity to cycle in a traffic free zone. I'm not confident cycling near cars so this suits me perfectly!

I am a cycling novice. Although I loved cycling as a child, I haven't been on a bike in years. We bought a bike buggy attachment for JC and I am really looking forward to using it next week. It's a really nice way to end my first 50 days.

The great thing about this event is that its for everyone. You don't need to be a great cyclist or even own a bike (you can hire one!). There will be lots of entertainment and prizes to be won on the day.

Here is a video of Edith, explaining why she is keen for everyone to take part.

This is not a sponsored post. I am not being paid to take part in or write about this event.

Mum Tums at the Ready

Just Kidding! 

My Guru, Liska, has started off the New Year with a new found enthusiasm for losing the weight and feeling great. She has inspired me to make a start.

I am not on a diet.

I am not starting a regime.

 If I do I know I will fail and end up here but heavier next year.

Instead, I have joined my local gym which offers loads of classes and I am going to go to the ones that I really enjoy, when I have time and because I actually want to go.  I have also started eating for health. I have planned menus which are based around foods I enjoy. I am practically eating my way through the My Daddy Cooks book by Nick Coffer. I love this book and most of the recipes are healthy and wholesome dishes. It's a fab book, buy it if you are looking for inspiration.

I am not counting syns or points or cheques because as soon as I do I end up feeling deprived and starving which leads to me binging on junk.

I am however, cutting out chocolate. More from a health perspective than a weight perspective. It makes me feel like crap when I eat it. Why am I continually treating my body like a bin?

I will be trying to lose weight, eventually, but I know that before I can start to concentrate on weight loss I need to make eating well 80% of the time and moving my arse 80% of the time, my goal. If I can incorporate these two things into my life, then the weight loss will be a side effect - hopefully.

What I do know is I don't want is to be sitting here typing this next year, fatter and more miserable. I am sick of thinking about it.

Link up with Liska if you want some motivation and support or just have a read so you know your not alone in fighting the flab!

A Cheerful Start to the Year

I purposely didn't make resolutions last year as I find I never really stick to them. Last year I focussed on:

• becoming a happier mum and becoming a more settled family unit. I am happy to say that I have achieved this. I am much more positive these days, we have moved house to be nearer to family and now that I am back at work, our finances are more secure. 
• I also wanted to cook healthier meals from scratch and eat all our meals at the table which I am proud to say I have managed to achieve. 
• I am back at work and I am enjoying working part time. I have changed my teaching stage to Nursery this year which is proving to be challenging but extremely rewarding. 

So I am determined not to make resolutions this year but next year I hope to be reporting that I  . . .

• am healthier because I have lost weight.  
• I am walking the dogs once a day by myself (My hubby took over this job when JC was born but I really miss walking them myself).
• I am dancing again (I love Salsa dancing, a hobby that I gave up when JC arrived).
• I have managed to post every day on my blog for the year (I am taking part in a 366 project inspired by The Boy and Me) 

So this year I want to focus on doing this that involve looking after myself. I'm posting this Cheerfulness post in the Reasons to be Cheerful linky which is run by Mummy from the Heart. This linky was the first one I took part in when I started blogging. It's been running for a year now and will continue into 2012. I would like to thank Michelle for her welcoming nature and support that she has given to me and other Newbie Blogger's over the past year. Hop over and check out her blog, it's fabby! 

Supersize Me

It's the second week of our holiday in Florida and I am already several inches wider than I was when I got here. It really isn't difficult to gain weight here. Obviously you treat yourself more when you are on holiday but that isn't the only problem. The thing about Florida that I have found is the abundance of good bad food and the lack of good good food.

I will explain . . .

We have been to several restaurants this week and although I haven't been overly conscious of my 'bad' food intake I do try and make sure that JC gets his 5 a day and doesn't eat too much junk. There really isn't much choice for a main meal beyond hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken tenders and pizza. All of which I am sure have enough salt in them to make you float.

The funny moment comes when I ask the waiter if I can have a fruit salad for JC. It's not on the menu but I don't see it as a huge ask. They look at me like I have just asked them for rare oysters with a side of candy floss but as they are so helpful in the U S of A the waiter offers to pop out to the local shop to get some for me! This wasn't a one off and I am extremely surprised by the lack of healthy options available for kids as well as adults.

I saw a little girl about 3 years old today who was shopping with her very overweight mother. I smiled at her then my eyes were drawn to her legs. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor wee soul who could barely walk as her legs were covered in thick rolls of fat. Her feet couldn't fit in her shoes properly and were bulging over the top. It was a hot day and she looked so uncomfortable. I can totally understand why people are overweight living here as the portions are enormous, the food deliciously unhealthy and the access to food is 24hours a day. However, you don't need to eat it all, you don't need to accept what is on the menu, the more people who demand healthier options the more available it will become. Sometimes I feel like the UK is a bit OTT when it comes to healthy eating but I'd rather have that than the supersize mentality that seems to be the norm here.

*disclaimer - this is based on my limited experience of Florida and the restaurants I have visited so I am generalising. There will, I'm sure, be healthier restaurants and not all American children are obese. I did visit a lovely restaurant tonight called Bahama Breeze who served JC with yummy broccoli and fruit salad (alongside some greasy chicken tenders but we will turn a blind eye to that!)

Check out the other weight loss related posts over at Liska's wonderful blog

Trying to be Cheerful!

I am trying very hard to be cheerful although I am finding it difficult as I have been quite ill with a stomach bug this week. I am still not 100% but I am hopefully on the road to recovery. I still love to think up my reasons for being cheerful for Michelle's bloghop and I link these up to Maxabella for her gratefulness linky.

1.
My health - yes I know I've just been moaning about not being well but I realise that it is only a virus and I will survive. There are some people in my life who are suffering from illnesses that they won't necessarily recover from and that are in much greater pain than my tummy bug. So I am grateful for my health and cheerful that I am starting to feel human again.

2.
Scuba Steve - My lovely husband has done a grand job of looking after me and the Grumpinator this week. It is his half term holiday and we had such lovely plans that have been scuppered due to me being peely wally but he hasn't uttered a grumble. So I must give him a special mention this week.

3.
I have just bought a new hoover and I am sooooooooo excited about it. I don't know why I am excited but I have wanted a new hoover for such a long time. My old one (a 3rd hand Dyson) has lasted well but is failing me on suction these days. After much deliberation, I went for a Miele. I hear that they are really reliable and just as good as a Dyson and at less than half the price.





That's all folks!
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