Active88 - Fat Face fitness wear

The brand Fat Face launched a new active wear range last year, Activ88. Activ88 performance products have been designed for running, jogging, walking, cycling and yoga. This new Summer collection features lots of blues, patterns as well as plains just like their regular range, some contrast neon stitching and is perfect to mix and match.

I've tested my Activ88 items out around the house, at yoga and on the bike and I have to say I love them The Activ88 collection features flat-lock stitching, a soft-touch finish that’s comfortable during exercise, and is made from polyamide which takes sweat away from the body. The range comes in sizes 8-18 (big bonus for me because some fitness ranges stop at a 14) and there's a selection of styles ranging from vest tops, capri pants and zip up hooded jackets.

I love my Activ88 Moonlight Garden Vest. It comes in at £25.00 and is a loose fitting longline vest top. It has a cute all over floral print with a mesh racer back to help my stay cool whilst working out.The pattern is very subtle but makes it stand out from the rest of my plain black work out clothing and it's super light and comfortable.

I also love my high waisted capri style work out leggings. They have a thick comfortable waistband and pretty printed panel detailing which matches my vest top. They have a internal pocket that's perfect for a gym card or locker key.I much prefer wearing these to yoga instead of my long trousers that are flared at the bottom. The extra fabric can get in the way but these are perfect. They come in at £38 a pair which I think is good value for money for an attractive and comfortable item.

These are excellent quality items.They make me feel confident and comfortable when working out.

Have you tried Actviv88 yet?

Heart Health - Betavivo cereal review and giveaway

It really is never too early to start thinking about looking after your heart.

New research suggests that making small lifestyle changes in your 30s, which include a healthy diet and keeping physically active, can help improve cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease later on in life.

According to research published in the American Heart Association Journal, every decade an individual has high cholesterol increases their risk of heart disease by almost 40%! Wow, pretty sobering.

Dr. Charlotta Buch from Betavivo, the Swedish cholesterol lowering cereal said: “People in Sweden do start to think about their heart health quite early on, earlier than those in other countries. We maintain an active lifestyle and well balanced food culture; We like to walk, run, go for a cycle ride and eat food that’s traditional and natural, like lots of fresh fish, vegetables, berries and whole grains.”

In the UK heart disease accounts for almost 100,000 deaths every year, with coronary heart disease being the biggest single cause of death! Heart disease has been a huge problem in my family and I've lost some pretty special people for too early in their life so heart health is something that weighs heavy on my mind.

The research also highlights that even slightly high cholesterol levels in adults aged 35 to 55 who are otherwise healthy can have a long-term effect on heart health. What we’re doing in our 20s, 30s and 40s impacts on our blood vessels and is paving the way for disease later in life.

Eating a healthy diet, following the healthy eating guidelines and consuming foods proven to reduce cholesterol, such as avocado, nuts and Betavivo can help you stay heart-healthy. Betavivo is the new crispy oat heart cereal from Sweden.The all-natural cereal contains beta-glucan, a soluble fibre derived from oats, which is known for its heart health benefits and ability to maintain healthy blood sugar and cholesterol. Beta-glucan works by dissolving in the stomach to form a gel that binds bile acids. As the liver produces new bile acid it “draws” cholesterol from the blood and carries these out of the body.

One sachet of Betavivo provides 3g of beta-glucan, the daily amount required for the health benefits. This is three times the amount available in other sources such as a bowl of porridge.

One sachet a day mixed with some fresh fruit and a little yogurt makes a delicious breakfast and is a great start to the day. I've had it with some milk and fruit and sprinkled on top of yogurt and it's a tasty and filling breakfast. I loved seeing just a few ingredients on the back of the packed too, no funny stuff inside. 

If you would like to win a months supply of  Betavivo and see the health benefits for yourself then please leave your contact details in the comments below. A winner will be chosen on 24.3.15. Good luck!

Betavivo is available from Lloyds pharmacies, Holland & Barrett and Independent Pharmacies.

RRP: £14.99 for a box of 15 sachets

For more information visit: www.betavivo.co.uk

Exante - simple treat swap solution

I've been trying to lose a few Christmas pounds for ages now, it's just not shifting and the cold dark days mean that I crave comfort food. Lots of carbs and a biscuit with my mug of tea. Christmas is in the distant past now so there's no excuse for the weight to be hanging around and I thought I would try some products to help keep my cravings at bay.

I was sent some exante products to try out and made simple swaps with the things I already eat. If you've not heard of the brand before Exante Diet is the UK’s leading online, diet and weight-management service offering a huge range of meal-replacement products, including diet soups, diet shakes, diet bars and more. They have a large range of  meal-replacement meals which are enriched with vitamins and minerals and also high in protein, to help you get your Recommended Daily Allowance (RDAs) while you lose weight or manage your weight in the long term.

You can use the foods as a meal replacement for weight control or swap them for the treats you normally eat but the vitamins and protein in these can be much more beneficial to you.

I loved the mousey light texture of the chocolate pudding. It's high in protein, low in fat and enriched with vitamins and minerals, a single Diet Chocolate Pudding contains a 3rd of your daily RDA and may help you lose weight. It's also really simple to prepare, you just add 60ml of water while stirring with a whisk or fork, until well dissolved. Put the mix in the microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds and consume within 5 minutes. Simple!

I also tested the peanut bar and the cookies and cream bar. The cookies and cream dough bar is smothered in white chocolate and is topped biscuit crunch. It makes the perfect guilt-free treat when you’re out and about. The bars would be great to keep in your bag or have as a post work out boost. If you're used to eating protein bars you will love these, they don't taste like your favourite chocolate bar but are filling and hit the spot.

Nutritious and high-in-protein our Deliciously Different Cookies and Cream bar has a unique blend of nutrients to support your weight-loss regime and help you feel fuller for longer.It's been fortified with vitamins and minerals including, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, E & K for optimum diet health and is only 200 calories per serving.

After years of dieting, I have found that if I deprive myself then I start craving the food I am trying to avoid leading to a junk food binge. What I loved about my exante products is that I didn't feel like I was missing out at all.

If you have some weight to lose and want a simple solution with minimal fuss and preparation time I would suggest trying these products.

Perfect World - 'Heathier' Ice Cream

What if ice cream was good for you? That would be amazing wouldn't it?! Perfect World desserts taste and feel just like a premium ice cream but they have some health benefits too. All their flavours have no added sugar, so they are suitable for diabetics and anyone wanting to cut down on sugar. Good news for anyone who has vowed to avoid sugar this lent. 

They are also dairy and wheat free and low in salt. The  Taste of Carrot Cake flavour is also high in unsaturated ‘good' fats, high in vitamin A, a natural source of vitamin E, and a source of dietary fibre.  

Perfect World have created the UK’s very first non-dairy and no added sugar ice cream alternative uses a blend of nuts instead of dairy, providing all the creaminess of ice-cream yet from unsaturated fats. It’s designed to taste as good as real dairy ice cream but with fewer calories and none of the downsides often associated with dairy and added sugar. Perfect World also avoids adding sugar entirely, using a special blend of sweeteners from natural origins, including Stevia.

We loved the chocolate flavour, it felt really decadent but we didn't feel guilty or have a sugar slump after eating a couple of scoops. The strawberry flavour worked amazingly well served with some fresh fruit and was really creamy in texture. If you're following the Weight Watchers plan it has a ProPoints value of  only 3 per 100ml for Strawberry and 4 for the other flavours. Amazing, right?

The range includes four flavours to suit every kind of sweet tooth; Belgian Chocolate Brownie, Loads of Strawberry, Banana Walnut Chip and Taste of Carrot Cake. Perfect World Ice Cream is available in 120ml (£1.99) and 500ml (£5.49) sizes at Holland & Barrett stores across the UK and online at Ocado.