Product Review 1: RedoxFat

LOSE WEIGHT -- This has been my target right after I gave birth to my son. When I got pregnant, I gained 30lbs! Yes, THIRTY POUNDS! But guess what, after I gave birth, I went back into college 

and gained more more more weight! Hahaha! Blame it on my lazy ass and beer madness!

So as I gained those God-knows-how-many pounds, it made exercising more challenging as my heavy weight could affect my knees plus I'm too lazy to do workouts (happens most of the time)!

This laziness caused me to browse the internet and look for ways or should I rather say SIMPLER WAYS to lose few pounds even without the diet and exercise.Unfortunately, ALL OF THEM NEEDS DIET AND/OR EXERCISE. Luckily, I went to the grocery and found RedoxFat in the meds and supplements section.

I was hesitant to try at first because I haven't ever tried taking weight loss pills before! But then I got too curious that I searched the internet for some product reviews. Surprisingly, there were many reviews posted online. To cut the story short, I got convinced!

So if you're too curious to try it, here's how I'd review it:

PRICE:
A box containing 30 pills costs almost 400 (398 to be exact, Watson's price). Inside the box is a leaflet about the product and its recommended dosage. The instruction is to drink the pill twice a day, so in a month, you would consume 2 boxes. I've read online also that you could take 3 pills daily for faster and better results. Compared to other weight loss pills, this is way cheaper, right? Some L-Carnitine pills would cost around 600 to 800 per 30 pills.

BRAND RELIABILTY:
This is manufactured by ATC. I've been using some of their supplements for years already and I never had a bad experience. Plus, RedoxFat is available at Watson's and Mercury Drug, so I think it's safe to use.

SIDE EFFECTS:

• Fatty and Foul-Smelling Stool

Excuse me for bringing up potty issues but I think this is an essential part of the review. Yes, my stools were oily and foul-smelling while I was on pills. This I guess was the result of the fat burning process of L-Carnitine. It was a bit uncomfortable at first but I got used to it. The challenging parts were the washing and the flushing part. I suggest you use toilet paper first before you wash with soap and water. The flushing part, well, the oils will stick to the sides of the toilet bowl, so better prepare toilet bowl cleaners to wash off the oils. Having fatty stools can be minimized by avoiding fatty foods.

• Sweating

Sweating like a pig, literally! Yes, it was like your normal sweat got doubled.

I was lucky enough not to experience palpitations, nausea, headache, etc while using the product.

So, lastly, the RESULT: *dun dun dun dunnnnnn!!!*
After consuming 3 boxes for 1 month and 2 weeks, I lost 10lbs! Yes, you've read it right! 10-freaking-pounds without going to the gym, without cutting off my diet. The only thing I did was cut off my beer-drinking habit. I got compliments from my friends that my belly wasn't that noticeable anymore! HAH! Not bad for 1200 pesos, right?
 

NOTE: Before taking this product, make sure you consult your doctor if you have any serious illness like hypertension, heart diseases, diabetes, etc. Also, results of this product varies from one person to another. I've read one review online that she only lost 1 pound after using the product for a month.

Crochet Tip #2: Crocheting Large and Repeating Pattern

In crocheting large patterns, one of the problems that will arise is how to finish the whole pattern or project. Along the way, you'll get bored and suddenly you'll lose the interest of finishing your project due to monotony (repeating the same steps way too many times).

I don't know with the other crochet enthusiasts but for me, repeating steps with way too many stitches is very boring. If you're experiencing the same, don't worry, I found one good solution to that problem.

Since repeating the same steps is the problem, starting a new project helps. But what kind of project? One that is easy to make and won't take too long for you to finish it. Best examples are appliques and embellishments. You can make flowers, animals, beads and many more. You can also try making coasters, granny squares and many more. You can also start with a new project with large patterns like a blanket or perhaps a bag that you've been wanting to make. You don't have to burden yourself finishing it right away (well, unless of course if you have deadlines) but just make sure that whenever you start a new project, you must be able to finish it (again, not right away) so that it won't add-up to your pile of unfinished projects. ;)

Project 4: Fat Bottom Bag

Note: This post is long overdue.

If you've been reading my previous posts. I posted about my bag preference -- wide and spacious. After long hours of searching for a nice crochet bag pattern, I finally found one that's easy to do (beginner-friendly)

For the pattern, you can click here.

This project is a good practice for your half double crochet stitch (hdc) plus you'll be able to learn how to increase (v-stitch) and decrease stitches (hdc2tog). Now I'm working on altering this pattern to make a bigger version of this bag.

Things I used in this project are:

• 7 skeins of Red Heart Medium Worsted Weight Yarn (shade 10) -- approx. 35 m per skein
• 5.0 mm crochet hook
• tan-colored cotton cloth for lining
• sewing thread to match your lining cloth
• yarn and sewing needles
• stitch markers -- Why? Click here.

Reminders:

1. Count all the stitches to avoid errors.
2. Make sure you don't add additional chains when doing the single crochets on the edges of the bag.

All in all, this pattern is really worth a try! *thumbs up*

2 boxes full of goodies

Getting addicted to crochet means getting addicted to yarns! I've been reading posts about where to buy cheap yarns but I still don't have time to leave the house because my little boy doesn't have a babysitter yet.

Fortunately, I live in Manila where everything is accessible! I happened to browse on Coats Manila Bay Inc.'s Facebook page. It is actually the local manufacturer and distributor of Red Heart acrylic yarns, Caron yarns and threads, etc. in the Philippines. I decided to try contacting them if I can order yarns directly from them because it can be cheaper than the ones I get from the nearest yarn shop. After one call to their Customer Care, I found out that they accept orders! Yey! I took the email ad of the person who takes Red Heart orders. After few email exchanges and bank deposit, voila! YARN DELIVERY!!!

Now I'm one happy crafter! Yeehawww!

PS. Next time, I really have to experience that yarn bodega in Rosario, Pasig! I heard that it is a must-visit place for yarn addicts!

Crochet Tip #1: Counting Stitches Easily

Stitch Markers

Stitch is a word you often encounter on crochet tutorial videos and crochet patterns. This can be a single crochet (sc) or half double crochet (hdc) or double crochet (dc) and so on. 

In crocheting, particularly with large patterns, counting stitches can be difficult specially if you are still new to the craft. The use of stitch markers is a huge help. Less confusion and stress for you since you can easily count the markers. :)

You can buy stitch markers on craft stores that sells crochet materials or you can use alternatives like safety pins, paper clips, etc.

In my case, I'm using safety pins to mark rows since it's cheaper than buying plenty of stitch markers. :)

Recipe 3: Creamy Chicken Macaroni Soup (Sopas)

Creamy chicken macaroni soup or sopas, is a family staple not only during rainy or cold season but also for the random days that we don't want to eat rice. Every Filipino family has its own version of sopas and I'm proud and happy to share our family's recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 300 grams skinless chicken breast or thigh fillet sliced into tiny cubes
• 200-250 grams macaroni
• 2.5 liters water
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 pc large carrot, grated
• 1 pc sayote, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cabbage, sliced into thin strips
• 2 chicken broth cubes
• grated cheddar cheese
• salt
• ground pepper (black or white)

Procedure:

1. In a casserole, saute garlic, onions and chicken. Wait until the chicken is cooked then add the water then bring to a boil.
2. Add the macaroni and wait until it's almost cooked.
3. Add the cheese and broth cubes and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add the vegetables, salt and pepper according to your preferred taste and mix, turn off the heat then cover for 10 minutes before serving.

Ultimate Greenbelt Mother-and-Child Bonding in a Less Expensive Way

For a single mother slash college student like me, I have to squeeze my allowance just to have a budget for a "mother and child bonding". Every school week, I only have two and a half day to be with him because I study in Laguna and he's staying with my family in Makati, so I really need to maximize our time together.

I am very fortunate to live near the malls here in Makati, so what I normally do is take my son out. If you live in Makati or anywhere near, you can bring your child/ren in Greenbelt. Yes, you read it right. The place may sound luxurious but I didn't say you should spend your money shopping. Remember, you are after an ultimate bonding.

Greenbelt has this "park" ambiance that you and your child can enjoy. 

This is one of the many things you and your child can see. My son actually thought that this is a real zoo.

You can also see cats and ducks roaming around the area.

There is also a fish pond in between Greenbelt 4 and 5. Here, you can watch and feed the fishes. So, for extra entertainment of your child, you could bring crackers, bread, etc..

If your child is fond of reading, you can take him/her to National Bookstore in Greenbelt 1 for a reading bonding. They have a special section for kids in the middle of the store. My son and I would normally squat on the floor and he would pick a book he would like to read and we'd read it together. You can also visit Powerbooks in Greenbelt 3.

If you and your child/ren are hungry, there is a Jollibee near National Bookstore. You can also find Razon's, Hen Lin, Happy Lemon, etc in Greenbelt 1 or you can cross to Landmark and dine at the food court. Those were the places you can visit if you want a less expensive food.

There are many ways to enjoy Greenbelt without spending too much. You just have to stick to the main goal which is to have an ultimate bonding with your child. Plus there are other parks near Greenbelt where you can bring your child -- Legaspi Active Park, Washington SyCip Park, Ayala Triangle Garden. Or you can go "mall hopping" since there are still other malls near Greenbelt.