ChiroDoc Coccyx Cushion

Because I spend so much time in my chair writing (too much time, actually), I was glad to try out this seat cushion when it was offered:

That is the ChiroDoc Coccyx Seat Cushion. This is what mine looked like when I unboxed it:

I have tried two other cushions before. One worked so well, I gave it to my sister to use in her wheelchair seat. The other cushion was a disappointment. In spite of the price which, at $32 and change is average for something decent, the quality was low. I think that cushion lasted a full week before it had to be fluffed every couple of hours. It was never really very comfortable after the initial 24-hour testing period anyway. That one went to the garbage.

The chair that I use when writing is old. I'm kind of attached to it though. I feel like I need to finish the two projects I'm working on before I can get rid of it. Besides, chairs are not cheap. My current chair still functions in every way - it can be raised and lowered and the back can be adjusted - it's just no longer very nice to my butt. If I don't use some kind of padding, I can just about feel the metal supports leaving marks on my tail. I've been using some of those cheap decorative pillows made for outdoor furniture. This new cushion came in on the 5th and I just about hurt myself ripping the box open.

Before I go on, let me tell you what the product page for this item told  me to expect:

• That it's designed to fit the shape of the butt
• That it relieves lower back pain
• That it will improve posture
• That it never goes flat,
• and can be used anywhere (ex: for traveling)
• That the covering is hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant

Okay. That's their take. Here's mine:

I can tell you that it does fit my butt. It's shaped the way most seat cushions are - to fit human contours. I can't attest to the back pain relief because I don't have that problem. I also don't think it does anything for my posture. That would take my cooperation. When I am sitting and writing, I usually slouch back with one leg propped up on something. (Do not judge me.) 

For this post, I wanted to test how well the cushion would hold up under a lot of use. For three days, I clocked my time spent sitting to write. Thursday through Saturday, I put a total of 15.5 hours in at the computer. Friday was my longest time (6.5 hours) and I have to tell you, my behind felt better than it usually does after long writing sessions.

Without something padding this old chair seat, my butt usually starts getting numb after two or three hours. Some kind of cushioning only  helps a bit. Sitting on this cushion was nice. I still needed to get up and move around every couple of hours, but I think that's only natural. It was the comfort I got while  sitting that made such a difference. I will have to come back and update down the road but, so far, this memory foam does seem to bounce back nicely.

So, yeah, I can give a thumbs up to the comfort factor. As far as how well this cushion would travel, it's not at all heavy (just over 1 pound), but it will take up some room in your carry-on. The measurements: 17.7 x 13.7 x 2.8 inches. That's not huge and I suppose, you could fold the cushion, but I travel with as little hand-baggage as possible.

The covering is removable in case you're like me and will want to launder it. I don't plan on sharing my cushion with anyone but this little dirt goblin here:

I don't know about all 4-year-olds, but DJ is truly a bundle of energy and dirt. He's like a dirt magnet and, of course, he likes to invade Auntie's bedroom and, of course, he usually goes straight to the tiny corner I use as a writing area. Of course.

Probably, I will be washing the cushion at least once every few weeks. 

Like I said, if I need to, I will come back and update this post but, as of now, I will rate this cushion as 5 out of 5 stars.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received the item(s) either at a discount or no cost in exchange for sharing my opinion.

**REVIEW** Cartoon Piggy Bank ATM

This is the "Cartoon Piggy Bank" sold on Amazon by Jhua.

It's cute, right? I wouldn't call it a "piggy bank" though. The shape is all wrong, and the image isn't even of a pig... 

I think I see a panda....

PROs:

Okay, so it's not a traditional "piggy bank", but it is a neat little bank. It is, in my opinion, suitable for kids and adults. The packaging labels the bank as being for "Ages 3+" but the features are nice for anyone:

• It's set up like a little ATM
• Works with a password
• Takes both bills and coins
• Voice prompts user when entering password correctly or incorrectly
• Lights flash when entering passwords (red for incorrect & green for correct)
• Beeping reminders when door left open
• Comes with preset password (can be changed by user)

The unit is plastic and not very heavy (when empty) but it is sturdy.  

I think that kids (okay, and adults) will like using this just because of the ATM-like features. The password might deter snooping siblings and little visitors.

CONs:

One of the corners screws was missing on the unit I got. Not a huge deal because the other 3 screws are nice and tight, but... I'm sure that if I contact the Seller, they will be happy to send me a replacement, but that's a lot of hassle since I see no reason to ever be removing that entire backplate.

This comes with decent instructions but I did get a little annoyed because of a misprint. What is the most important thing when buying something like this for a kid? Batteries, right? Well, at first glance, the back of the box shows the battery compartment and labels the 3 battery slots with "AAA". The note to the side of this illustration indicates "AA" batteries. By the way, the correct answer is... "AA" size batteries.

You're going to need AA batteries, folks

Other than the problem of thinking I already the correct batteries on hand (and having to run out and get the right ones), I really like this little bank. I plan to give it to my nephew for either his December birthday or Christmas.

You will notice in my disclosure that I got this item at no cost in order to do a review. That's really good because as I write this post the Amazon price is $26.88. That's a little bit steep for something I would get a three-year-old, but I'd get it for someone 6+. DJ will be getting this review sample when he is five. He's a really smart 5 though!

How'd it work?

Watch as I demonstrate the bank. (You should be able to view the video as soon as it's finished uploading!)

To sum up, this is a good gift item and the features are really nice - they are even something of a learning tool for young ones. Just be aware that you will need to get your own "AA" batteries - not "AAA" - before you can use it. This bank is pretty useless without batteries.

You can find the item here on Amazon. 

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the items mentioned at a discount or no cost in exchange for doing a fair and unbiased review. Because of changes n their policy, I can no longer review these Amazon items on Amazon, but that's where they can be purchased.

Open Letter to Amazon About the Policy Change

Dear Amazon:

For a big and influential company, you sure didn't use your smarts this time. About 10 minutes after I received a morning delivery of Amazon items to review, I saw the online news about the policy change on product reviews.

My first thought was how to deal with the stuff I have yet to review. My next thought was this:

                         Amazon Policy Change = Good Idea. Great Idea.
                         Implementation of the Change = Lazy & loophole-laden

No doubt about it, there are some cheating, lying and totally untrustworthy reviewers out there. I'm just hurt that you, Amazon, choose to paint me with the same brush as those cheats. I'm also a little suspicious of your motives now that I know you plan to use only your system (Vine) of choosing reviewers. And that is in spite of the fact that I think I meet the criteria of being chosen to participate in Vine.

A policy change was needed, but one better and smarter. You, Amazon, surely have the money for that. With this policy you've chosen, you are only penalizing the honest sellers and reviewers and opening a wider door for the cheats.

Do you think that cheating sellers won't find a way around this new system of yours? 

Do you think cheating reviewers won't work with those cheating sellers?

Since I'm not one of the cheats, I probably will be part of the group that loses out. Yes, I like getting free and discounted stuff. Of course, I do. Almost anyone does. That doesn't mean that will steal or lie or cheat to get it. Doing product reviews was the one HONEST way I found to get free stuff that I like.

If you look at my reviewing record, Amazon, you might notice that one of my reviews (a freebie) was the reason a product was taken off sale. You might also notice that I go back and do updates. Often. If I like a product at first, but then have problems with it, I make sure to let other community members know about it.  Same goes for products I down-rated at first, then later liked 

As a member of a site for reviewers, I've even questioned the behavior of some sellers. The site moderators always handled the problem. This is another reason, by the way, that I think you might consider working with some of there outside sites. Keep things honest, but not keep things to yourself. I'm just saying.

You do get the final word though. You are the boss. Fine. I'm sure that other companies - like Walmart - or sites - like Overstock - will pick up the slack you leave. Or, like I mentioned before, cheating people will find a way around your new policy.

It's such a shame that you didn't put more thought into your policy changes. I wish you had. Then again, I also wish you would take a look at your crazy Prime membership pricing. 

I hope that you sort this policy out so that it will be fair to fair people and punishing to dishonest people. In the meantime, I will be awaiting an invitation to Vine.

Peace
Free

***RANT*** Dunning-Kruger Effect (in daily life)

I was reading a Salon article about this thing called the Dunning-Kruger Effect and almost shouted right out loud, "Oh, my damn!!!" because a lightbulb went on. The article was about Trump, but my thoughts immediately flashed to people I personally know.

Let me give you the nutshell definition so that you can also do the shout-and-thought-flash thing:

a cognitive bias in which low-ability individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly assessing their ability as much higher than it really is.(Wikipedia)

Did you shout out and thought-flash?

This was such an epiphany for me. I've struggled for years to accurately label certain combinations of behaviors. This nailed it.



You know people afflicted with the D-K E. Sure you do. Or, rather, you've been afflicted with people with the effect. (You know what I mean.) Let's do a rundown of people you might know who...:

• Think that they absolutely must be the center of attention always. 
• Express everything bigger than need be. If they talk, they talk loud. Step on their toe or bump into them, they shriek. 
• Never treat others the way they expect to be treated. For them the Golden Rule is only used to measure their own importance. Their time is more important than yours. Their need for peace and quiet is more important than yours. When they are tired, the whole world must stop and bow down while they rest up. Your time? Meh. You're tired? Well, buck up and quit being such a wimp. You need a little downtime to think, breathe or recoup? ~eyeroll~
• They want what they want what they want, damned be the consequences or fallout.
• When they do for you, it comes with a list of unspoken conditions longer than a lease agreement for a credit card. When you do for them, it should be because a) They are so loveable (plus, you owe them), b) They just did something for you (so you owe them). or b) They will make sure to get credit for it in some way (back pats and sympathy are the two favorites).
• They can be quite loveable - with a lot of patience on your part.
• Everything they do is for manipulation, sympathy, credit, or show.

I have found a wonderful way of dealing with oblivious or distracting D-K E people. I use it all the time, especially in the "quiet" rooms of the library or when I am trying to write:

True story

Don't get me wrong, all of us who know these types of people do truly love them. But it is exhausting. There is always a constant feeling of guilt and self-doubt in relatioships with D-K E people. Always.

Donald Trump is not a completely bad person. He's not stupid and as he likes to point out when some of his negative behavior is questioned: maybe he's just being smart. I guess it is smart to manipulate things and people to always get what you want. I just wonder if it's satisfying...

Peace

--Free

Disclaimer: This is a non-political post. I spend as little time as I can thinking about Trump or his antics. Less stress.

What's Sparkling in YOUR Water?

Water. It's the one thing that my Keto diet recommends that I was having trouble with. (Well, that and giving up my Almond Joy creamer!). Don't get me wrong, I am drinking more water than I used to, but unless I get the kind I like, it's a challenge. If you're having the same problem, take a look at some tips I've had suggested to me:

• Adding lemon (or lime) juice to the H2O. Lemon is supposed to be good for the body anyway so, adding some to the water makes me feel like I'm doing doubly good.
• Getting the water as cold as possible works for some folks. I'll explain to you about my temp preference in a moment.
• Drinking the water at room temperature works better for some people.
• Drinking through a straw. I've heard some of my friends say that they can do triple the amount of daily water just by using a straw. It's something to do with getting more per gulp.
• Adding low-cal or no-cal "water enhancers". I went through a kick of bingeing on the Target and Walmart brands of those tiny squeeze bottles of flavorings. Watermelon-Strawberry was my first and favorite. I got burned out though and only use them every now again. The best thing about them (or at least this is true for the Market Pantry brand) is that they don't have any of that icky aftertaste of no-cal stuff. Oh, and they are no-carb** also. Score!
• Training your taste buds to like water. That might mean cutting back in the juices and other sugary sippings.
• Choosing bubbly water. And that's what I really want to talk about.

There are all kinds of fizzy waters. Fizzy, bubbly, sparkling - whatever you want to call them. I generally shop Walmart, Target, Costco and Sam's for the bulk of my groceries. The common bubbly waters I see are Perrier (so chi-chi!), Pellegrino, La Croix, and this newer one (to me anyway) called Voss. Oh, and don't forget the club sodas and seltzers. 

Just a quick note about the differences between the seltzers and clubs and mineral waters. It seems to have to do with what gives the drink its bubbles or fizziness. Clubs and seltzers get the carbonation from carbon dioxide. Mineral waters are bubbly from naturally occurring carbonation.

For me, the winner is....

Just looking at the pic makes me crave!

Now, you wouldn't think that there'd be enough difference to influence preferences. Wrong! I, for one, am extremely picky about my bubbly water. I am just so-so about Perrier, but I looooove San Pellegrino water. Not the flavored kinds (too many carbs and there's something about the taste), but the plain old mineral water. I am seriously addicted to the stuff and have been for years. Thank God I have a Costco membership. I can get a 12 pack of the 25.3oz glass (love the glass, by the way) bottles for just about $20. The case wouldn't last more than a couple of weeks if I had a bigger budget, but I manage to make the purchase last most of the month.

The reason I prefer Pellegrino does not come down to just taste. Pelligrino has n advantage over some other "bubblies" such as, say, Perrier. Here's what another blogger notes:

Perrier is, in fact, certified by the French government as a natural mineral water, which means that it has a stable composition of ‘healthy properties’.  San Pellegrino, however, not only contains minerals, but can actually claim to have some naturally occurring bubbles (although they are indeed enhanced substantially by the addition of carbon dioxide).

Since I learn a lot of information about my keto diet from people with more actual experience, I was pleased when I saw what I found on Bulletproof regarding sulfates in San Pellegrino.

I wanted to do a comparison of nutrition labels. Naturally, I went straight to the sources - the sites of San Pell and Perrier. I can tell you another thing I prefer: the less annoying and easier loading site of San Pell. (Did you notice I'm on familiar terms with "San Pell"? Hahaha) Neither site makes it easy to find nuts and bolts info - such as detailed nutrition labels. Mostly, they are all fancied up, showing off how elegant their products are. The freaking websites have more sparkle than the waters!

Let me stop and shout out a message to these brands:

Not everyone drinking your water does so as a class statement. Some of us are just "regular" folk (aka: not rich, famous, jet-setting, or trying to impress anyone else). We like your water and would like it even if it didn't 'pair well' with certain foods. So please get over yourselves. Maybe you could make separate websites for us 'common' folk. 

Okay, rant over.

I was able to find labels on Wikipedia, so here is a side-by-side:

My beloved San Pell has more magnesium, sodium, calcium, and lots more sulfates . And... hold up the horse-drawn carriage! San Pell has lithium???? Hot dang. No wonder my nerves are a bit more b.s.-proof after a couple bottles of the sparkly! (By the way, like many people, I kept mixing up sulfates and sulfites.)

I have no idea what "strontium" is so let me go look that one up. Apparently, like anything, this supplement has benefits and cautions listed, so do your homework. What I found most interesting is the possible use of strontium to treat osteoporosis. Hmm.

Taste is my primary reason for preferring San Pellegrino. Perrier tastes like it's trying too hard. I get a slight Alka Seltzer-y taste from it. I like putting a bottle of San Pell in the freezer to get super chilly, then I use one of my metal straws to sip it up. Love it. With Perrier (which I have several 16.9oz bottles of thanks to a friend who picked them up for me when she saw a sale), I have to add a little bit of lemon or (and my docs might freak) a few grains of salt. Someone suggested that I add a couple teaspoons of apple or orange juice but... I'm a keto chick now.

I haven't tried many other waters, but I hear people talking all the time about the different brands. There are so many. I have tried La Croix and it's not bad - although a little more seltzer-y than I like. It's what I get on sale when I can't afford San Pell. Schwepps is not bad in a pinch.

If you want more info about the different brands and varieties of waters, check the site 10 Best Water. That's the name. Seriously. Or try BevNet (for info on all things beverage). I'd love to find out about some more affordable waters. I will budget for my San Pell, but I'm going to start looking for coupons!

The main thing that I've learned over the past few years is how important it is to get enough water. Since I've been doing keto, I've cut my beverages down to water and coffee (minus the sugary creamers). I do feel better and I know that between the water and the fats that I'm getting more of has done incredible things for my hair and skin. My hair is growing (and getting thickness back) and the eczema on my feet is almost gone. Even my perfumes smell better and last longer. I think that has to do with the fats I'm eating so much of!

So, drink your water. Find one that you like and read the label, then research the label. And chug, chug, chug! If you notice, the first thing most weight loss programs suggest is to drink lots of water. Not just because it's filling but also because it just so good for you. So, drink up!

Peace
--Free

** Some very strict keto folk will argue that the substitute sweeteners in the no-cal water enhancers are a no-no. I'm middle of the road on the subject. I no longer go overboard with them like I used to, but they are really nice for certain occasions. Beats drinking a soda when you are out somewhere having a meal.

**ALERT** Keto Summit 2016 (Hurry!)

You've heard me raving about the keto diet. It's low carb/high fat eating to lose weight. If you want to learn more about it, go over and sign up for the Keto Summit. 

You can sign up for free but if you want extra access features, there are paid options. I'm doing the freebie! Here is the link to sign up for a ticket to be sent to your email:

The Keto Summit

The 2016 summit runs from September 25 - October 5th and it's an online event. I see that folks can sign up as affiliates so you might want to check that out.

In case you are wondering, I am not getting paid or compensated for this shout out. I just want to share the word about the keto diet. I'm happy with the way I am not eating. I am losing the weight slower than some people but I don't care. The way I am now eating is so satisfying (and cheap), filling (and cheap), and easy to live by (and cheap) that I can't even think of it as being on a diet.

Some people I know have been asking about how to get started on this keto regimen.  I'm still learning the basics myself. I just know that I feel better and look better since I've started lowering the carbs and adding healthy fats to my nutrition. So this summit might be the best way to start accumulating information. Also, I will be adding links to more information in upcoming posts.

Someone in a Facebook group told me about the summit and I was glad. I'd never heard of such a thing before. For a diet? Wow. Okay. So I am just was curious as anyone else about the event. I will recap afterwards, depending on how things go.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Skoother Skin Smoother

First off, let me say that the name is silly. I lost the box for mine and needed to find an image to use for this post. I Googled foot "Smoother" and "Soother" to no avail. Finally, I found a photo on Amazon only by looking up general foot care items. Brands need to be original, I get it, but stop with the cuteness when naming stuff!

Rant over.

This is what I'm talking about:


It's the Skoother Skin Smoother. (Okay, the name is sort of cool, I guess.)

I have to say that I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond for about $6. I can't remember what the original price was, but mine was marked down because the packaging was torn and beat up. The item itself was not used so I was happy to get the bargain.

This is a really nice treatment for the foot, but I still struggle to understand who would use it on any other part of their body. The best thing about this is the mesh filing diskette. It's sort of like PedEgg with more precision.

There are two different mesh screens: one for rougher skin (think calluses), and one with a finer meshing which is supposed to be for more delicate skin. I'll say this one more time, I don't know who would use even the fine mesh on their "delicate" skin. The mesh is finer, but it's still a metal mesh file. Hear me? Metal. Mesh.

The file came with one mesh screen installed  (mine was with the rougher pad), a second callus screen and a screen for more delicate skin. I'm going to smirk every time I talk about that one...

PROs:

• This does work really, really well. I used the heavier mesh for my calluses. The finer mesh screen is perfect for my heels and the more delicate areas - of my FEET.
• The filing is very gentle (but make sure you don't over-use without pausing to check your progress) and took very little elbow grease to use. LOL
• I didn't end up with a lot of skin ash flying all over the place. That was a problem I had with the PedEgg and other "regular" foot files. It's really gross even if you do the filing over a dirty towel.
• I like the shape. It's ergonomic and even someone with less hand strength could use the appliance.

CONs:

• You do need to clean the screens after almost every use. That's partly because they work so well as removing your dry dead skin! 
• Removing the screen for cleaning is fairly easy, but you have to watch your fingers. I wish there was a cover for the screen when not in use. 
• The holding area (a small depression under the mesh) could be a bit deeper. Depending on how bad your feet are, you need to empty the Skoother often. Like I said, it's not hard to remove the screen for cleaning and dumping out the holder, but it's not a joy either.
• Back to a cover for when not in use, I'd like or something to store the gadget and the extra screens. I just kept the plastic shell of the packaging but that takes up a lot of space.

Those are pretty minor Cons though. The Pros definitely make up for any minor inconvenience. 

You've all heard plenty about my dry a** feet! I've used just about every kind of foot file known to Walmart. This is definitely the best in the category of small, affordable and easily available.

I neglected to take Before photos of my feet for this post. Actually, my feet are looking pretty good ever since I started using a special cream from my dermatologist (eczema issues). This foot smoother is great for my heels and the calluses I get on the outer part of my foot. 

Finally, I have to reiterate this: I don't think it would be a good idea to use anything this abrasive on anything other than the feet. That's just my opinion of course, but there you go.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie

I've been tough on a lot of hair products in the past. Miss Jessie's and Shea Moisture are two of the brands that have disappointed me more than once. Both brands are very expensive for the average working class consumer so I think they should be held to a high standard. I've only found one Miss Jessie's product that I would rate as so-so (which is better than my usual Thumbs Down). Recently, I came across a Shea Moisture product that I actually like quite a lot.

That's the Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie from the Shea Moisture label. It self-touts that it will moisturize and "curl define" thick, curly hair. I know I should be thrilled about all the things the product claims to be free of:

• Sulfates
• Parabens
• Phthalates
• Propylene Glycol
• Mineral Oil
• Animal testing

Oh - and it's also color safe and carries the Allure seal. I should care about all that and I do, kind of. What I care most about though is whether or not the stuff works. That's the bottom line for me. After all, a lot of products make the same above claims, but if they don't work, none of it does me a bit of good.

So. Does this "smoothie" define curls and moisturize the hair? I have to admit that it did both for me. Also, the price works. I think I paid around $8 for the 6oz jar at Sally Beauty Supply. That's probably the cheapest Shea Moisture product I've ever seen.

Here are the other Pros:

• The cream smells amazing. I'm not sure that I smell much of the coconut fragrance and I'm not sure I recall what hibiscus smells like, but the cream smells very fresh and slightly floral. It's not a heavy scent, but it's nice.
• It doesn't take a lot of the product to moisturize my hair even after washing and drying (when it's at its driest), and it really does add definition to the curl pattern.
• The cream also provides a bit of "stretch". This is important right after I have washed and dried my hair because that's when I get a lot of shrinkage.
• I love that the cream is not "heavy" or oily.I can touch my hair without worrying about transferring residue to anything else I touch.
• The moisturizing and defining effects generally last a few days. There's no need for me to twist or coil my hair to get the definition I like. I can literally do the sleep-and-go thing for up to three to three and a half days before I need to remoisturize.

I think my favorite thing is that, because of the lasting effects, I can get so much use out of this one jar. I'm glad for the affordable price and think it would still be a good bargain if I had to pay a couple more dollars.

Now is when I will go ahead and admit that I am pretty hooked on this stuff. It's all I've been using since I got this jar. 

I think I mentioned recently that, since I've changed my eating habits to keto, I've seen an improvement in the health and growth of my hair. Usually, when I get hair growth, I have problems keeping it styled well. My curl pattern gets crazy with any changes in length. This curl smoothie has been wonderful. I love being able to finger style my hair - instead of having to twist or coil it every few days. And the moisture! It's so nice to get some curl without the crunch!

(The photo is one I took for another post, but you get the idea.)

This one product has made me want to take a look at some other SheaMoisture items. Not the hair stuff because I think the smoothie is all I need for my hair. What I'm talking about is the line of makeup by SheaMoisture. I'd heard about them before but, because I was on an anti-SM groove, I refused to even think about trying something else from them. Now, maybe-maybe. If I do try the makeup, you'll hear all about it!

Peace

--Free 

**RECIPE** Lemon Cream Cheese Fat Bombs

I made some of these the other night from a couple of recipes that I modified so I can tell you that they taste wonderful. I had to modify the recipe because one of the recipes I saw sounded complicated (mentioning to heat, simmer, etc....) and the other didn't have lemon juice (which is something I wanted).

The reason I wanted these fat bombs instead of the chocolate ones I did before is because I'd heard that you could flavor cream cheese fat bombs to taste like little bites of cheesecake (and even red velvet cupcakes). Yum.

OK, here's a pic of one I dug out of the tin with a fork...

... I mean, since I'm sitting here stuffing my face with one!

It's important to really, really like whatever fat bombs you are going to eat if you have trouble (like I do) with getting enough calories and fat. Like I've mentioned before, there are days when I just really am not hungry at all.(NOTE: To get around 120 grams of fat with these bombs, I need to eat about 17 of them, That's going to add up to about 1080 calories and 17 carbs. Both within my daily range. Great for if I'm in one of those no-meal moods. Not something for every day, of course, but it's a get-by for every now and then.)

This is what I eventually came up with, using what I had on hand. I can just about promise that you cannot screw these up. I didn't! Just taste-test your batter before freezing the bombs. That way, you can add more lemon or cream cheese, or whatever.

Lemon Cream Cheese Fat Bombs

Blend all the following:

• 8 oz cream cheese (softened enough for your blender)
• 2.5 oz unsalted butter (softened) 
• 1.5 Tbs coconut oil
• 3 Tbl lemon juice (room temp)
• 1 Tbl Swerve sweetener (or your preferred sweetener to taste)
• about a teaspoon of Vanilla Extract (I didn't measure!)

Prep/Freeze:

Lightly grease a sheet of tin foil with a little bit of oil or butter & place the foil on a cookie sheet (or something that will fit in your freezer later.)

(recipe nutrition info is for 24 servings)

Once the mixture is completely smooth, drop balls of mixture onto the foil and put into the freezer for at least 20 minutes. When the balls are fully firm (frozen), you can store them in a plastic baggie in the freezer.

Nutrition Info per serving (24 servings):

• Calories = 63
• Carbs =1gram
• Fat = 7grams
• Protein = 1gram
• Fiber = 0
• Sugar = 0

By the way, I used MyFitnessPal to calculate these numbers.

I was going to show you a photo but my first batch was done in un-oiled metal muffin tins. Rookie mistake. The drops stuck so badly that I have just been digging them out and eating them one by one. The only reason I screwed this up is because my chocolate fat bombs were fine in the metal tins. The cream cheese in this recipe threw me off!

Here are photos of the second batch (done right):

Now, what I did was to spoon these onto the foil, let them freeze, then I spooned a bit more on top of the frozen pieces and put them back in the freezer. That gave them an interesting, UFO-ey kind of shape!

How do mine taste? So freaking good that I think I should feel guilty every time I eat one. With my first batch, there was the very slightest aftertaste coming from the Swerve. For the second batch, I cut back to about a half tablespoon of the sweetener. Much better.

In hindsight, if I were to tweak this recipe any kind of way, it would be to add a touch more lemon and maybe some lime juice. The sour citrus was such a good tangy addition to the flavors.

Finally, a light warning: If you intend using these to occasionally meet your calories, make sure to watch any other food you eat that day. 1080 calories is under my 1600 daily calorie limit, but I can kill a lot of calories with my buttered and creamed coffee... Just watch yourself, is all I'm saying. These things are addictively yummy.

Peace
--Free

Ketogenics. It's a Balancing Act

Trying not to be this person

So, it's Day Whatever-I've-Stopped-Counting of my commitment to a keto lifestyle. I've lost and gained and lost. Good news is that I've lost more than I've gained. Also, someone pointed out that the bathroom scale is not a friend.

To look at what I have learned and am appreciating about this eating regimen (I love that word), I have to admit that I am more pleased than I expected to be. For one thing, whether or not I lose weight as fast as I want, I am still doing my body (and health) a lot of good.

Pros:

• I don't feel as tired as I did when I was eating so many starches and processed foods.
• My hair loves the keto diet. I think because I'm getting so many good oils in my diet, my hair is staying healthier and more hydrated - even on the days when I don't get enough water.
• My blood pressure is down.
• I am losing inches faster than I am losing weight. (I really do need to come back and do an update on my measurements, now that I am thinking about it.)
• I'm saving money on groceries. Lots and lots of money.
• I'm losing my taste for sugar/sweets. (More on this in a moment.)
• I'm breaking the connection with "bored eating".

Cons:

• It's tough finding the right combination of macronutrients for my personal needs and goals.
• I'm having to get used to grocery shopping in a new way. There's a lot of time spent reading and comparing labels for everything I buy to eat. This goes even for the things that keto allows.
• No one else in my family practices the keto lifestyle. That makes it tough to store and prepare food because of sharing storage space (for foods) and finding time in the kitchen.
• I'm experiencing a sharp decrease in appetite and sometimes have to make myself eat.
• The first couple of weeks was tough because I was quite physically exhausted and felt sluggish.

The positives are definitely stronger than the negatives. All the Cons are things that I can work around or count on improving as time goes by.

You notice that I mentioned I am losing my taste and cravings for sugars and sweets. Do you remember how when I started low-carb eating I spent so much time crying about my Almond Joy coffee creamer? Well,  I broke down yesterday and picked up a bottle. My intention was to just have some as an every-now-and-then treat. 

Guess what? The first time I treated myself, I used the usual amount (about four tablespoons, which is a lot I know) and... Ugh! Too, too, too sweet. I had to dump some of the sweetened coffee and add some fresh black brew. Still, the taste wasn't the same. I almost couldn't bear the smell of it eiher.

What this tells me is that it's true that every change takes time. It's been not quite three weeks of limiting and then cutting out the flavored creamer. In the meantime, I've been using heaving cream, butter and, in rare instances, a little bit of sugar substitute. I must have gotten used to that because it now is preferable to coffee with flavored creamer. Instead of the Almond Joy, I think I will try "treating" myself by adding a little bit of brown sugar in with the cream and butter.

When I tell you that my hair loves keto, I'm serious. I'm going to find a photo from at least a month ago to compare with one I'm going to take today just for this post:

August 15th 2016

September 15th 2016

By the way, I am using the timestamps form my camera. Just lucky that I found the "Before" photo that was from this date last month. I literally paused in the typing of this post to go and take a bathroom mirror shot for you! (My face has slimmed down quite a bit, but I covered it up because I'm not doing makeup-free photos today. LOL)

When I say that keto is a balancing act, I'm talking about getting the ratios of protein/fat/carbs regulated. Not only is this tricky (because it varies from person to person), but it's also ever-changing.

One of my Instagram buddies was doing keto long before I started (and that's one reason I started following him on Instagram) and he is always tweaking his ratios. Everybody I know of (all only online for now) doing keto mentions hitting plateaus, intermittent fasting, egg fasting, and fat fasting. That's because the way the diet works (basically burning body fat for energy rather than storing it) depends on your energy output and calorie input. I guess this is true for any kind of eating plan, but because keto is based on burning fat, the balancing act is trickier. (I hope that all made some kind of sense!)

I've gone through stages of getting too much protein and not enough fat. That's why I had my first stall in weight loss. Now that I am getting more fat in my diet, I need to concentrate on calories. I need to make sure I am getting enough. This is tough because, like I mentioned a moment ago, I have a decrease in appetite.

This is the way my usual day goes with food:

Breakfast - coffee with heavy cream, butter & maybe some coconut oil. No food. I am not a morning eater.

Lunch - if I eat anything, it's usually a brat that I slice longways down the center so I can fill it with about a tablespoon of cream cheese. (Lunch is easy for me to skip because I am usually writing or running errands. I'll make do by warming up my morning coffee.)

Dinner - An Atkins frozen entree. IF I EAT A MEAL. Lately, I've been snacking instead. I like to eat baby dill pickles and green olives with a bit of cheddar cheese, or a handful of raw almonds and about eight or nine mini-pepperoni slices.

My biggest water intake is from the Pellegrino mineral water. Love that stuff and, thanks to Costco, I can get a case of the 25.3oz bottle for around $20.

Sometime this week, I am going to make some cream cheese/cacao powder fat bombs. I will add some coconut oil, Kerrygold butter, and some sugar substitute. I can snack on those when I just don't want to eat.

I'm glad that the seasons are changing because I can use the winter "down time" to lose more weight. God willing that we are all still here, next summer... my skinny jeans will be in full effect.

Peace
--Free

P.S.:

I know that I have been skimping on product reviews. Sorry, but I will try to get back to them soon. My Amazon Prime is up for renewal in October and I honestly can't say yet if I plan to re-up. The shipping and other restrictions on Alaska customers is just annoying. Even though businesses usually give me codes for free products, if I don't renew Prime, I will be doing fewer reviews since I won't have the free shipping. Prime shipping has gotten so slow and unreliable that, for the annual fee, it's just a bust.

P.S. to the P.S.:

I made the lemon and cream cheese fat bombs. OMG, SOOOO good. One problem: I didn't add enough coconut oil and they stuck to the pan. I think they were supposed to be done on the cookie sheet and not in muffin tins...