Review & Giveaway: JOJO's Chocolate

Who among us doesn't like chocolate?  I mean I'm sure there is someone, but that person is a rare oddity.  One of the hardest things about eating healthy and getting in shape is having to give up sweets, and especially chocolate.  Sugar is as addictive as heroin, and kicking it can be a painful process.

Enter JOJO's Chocolate.  JOJO's Chocolate was created Jodie Jones, who was diagnosed with breast cancer and throughout all of her treatments she realized she needed to change her eating habits. It started with handmade chocolate bark made right in the kitchen of her home in between radiation and chemotherapy treatments, and has since blossomed into a much bigger organization helping to promote fitness and good health.

JOJO's Chocolate is made with dark chocolate, pistachios, almonds, and cranberries to create a flavorful experience that is full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and more.  The idea is that one ounce of JOJO's chocolate a day will help you kick your sugar craving, and they even have a money-back guarantee if you don't crave sugar less by week three.  It's great with a company stands behind their product so much that they're willing to offer a satisfaction guarantee policy like that.

I received a week supply of JOJO's Chocolate, and I'm happy to say I can definitely see the health benefits.  When I have a chocolate craving I can have a small piece and feel satisfied, and the satisfaction lasts longer due to the pistachios and almonds inside that help me feel more full for longer.  I totally approve of and recommend JOJO's Chocolate as a healthy alternative to the sweets you crave as you kick the sugar habit.  It's a much better and more helpful alternative!

Just look at these health benefits, and learn more about them HERE.

The wonderful people at JOJO's Chocolate have offered one lucky winner a one week supply of JOJO's Chocolate.

Giveaway is open to the continental USA only and ends on 5/24/15.

Entering below agrees to all Terms and Conditions in the Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weekly Round-Up: Healthy Edition

♥ Hairspray & High Heels shared a great list of Summer Workout Essentials!  Make sure you head on over to the post to check out the full list-as this is just three out of several awesome products!

♥ Unabashedly Me wrote about how she's been slacking on her fitness (which I have been too) but how she's getting right back up on it and pressing forward!  And this image she chose is SO true!

♥ This post on body shaming from Healthy is the New Skinny is fantastic!  It does come at every size!

♥ The Skinny on Health shared a great post about The Benefits of Tea and it has great recipes for tea Popsicles, which sound like the perfect healthy snack for summer!

♥ To wrap up my healthy edition I have a treat from Lindsay Living Vegan!  Because it's healthy to have a treat now and then, and even better when you can replace some of the ingredients with healthier options!  Check out Lindsay's Fruit Pizza!  I'm generally a fruit pizza fan, so I definitely have to try this one!

<a href="http://www.mysocalledchaos.com"><img src="http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww257/agofish/For%20Blog/MSCC%20Buttons/weeklyroundup_zps248cb375.jpg"></a>

Share your favorite reads this week!

The point of The Weekly Round-Up is to focus on other people instead of just another post about ourselves.  It's to build better community, share insight into what we love to read, and hopefully introduce you to a new blogger you'll love and adore!  Wanna play along?  Write a post with links to your favorite blog posts from others throughout the week, put the button in it, and link up with us on Sundays!

Life Updates & Confessions

I got my custom illustration from Fat Babe Designs, and isn't it cute?  I love the watercolor background!

I confess... I bought an iPad.  I've had a hard time justifying the purchase since it's expensive and I already have an iPhone and a laptop.   But my laptopt went wonky and had to go into the shop, and I decided-hey!  I have a disposable income (because I have no kids!) so why the eff not?  I've been loving it-the picture above I drew with a crappy stylus using the Paper by Fifty-Three app.  So cool.

I also got a killer deal... I went for the 32GB one which costs $499, but bought it from Target... I ended up paying $498 out of pocket for the iPad and the case (normally $39.99) plus they gave me a $100 Target gift card with purchase.  So I really only spent $398.  That also included my roommate's employee discount, a 5% discount for signing up for the Red Card, and a 5% discount for letting the employee talk me into buying a case too.  BONUS! 

I confess... A couple of weekends ago I went up and spent the night at Kristina's.  We drove up to Ogden to pick up Courtney from her boyfriend's apartment... Which just so happens to be the same complex as my very first apartment... The apartment I shared with my first boyfriend and then MelanieGrace.  A time so rich in memories that standing there in front of that building looking up at the windows I'd see every day brought waves of nostalgia rushing over me.  It was pretty surreal.

I confess... I like my godkids... They're pretty much the only kids I go out of my way to spend time with (maybe I'm getting old and enjoying being child-free). And just look at baby Kat's mini gelly shoes.  I DIE.

I confess... I've been super tight-lipped about the whole boy/dating thing.  I'm just about ready to tell all-but mostly because it was Frank (you may remember me mentioning him briefly last November) that I let back in my life, and he's already out of it again.  Of course I still have to deal with him since we have friends in common and other stupid life events that I should have never gotten myself into... But let me just say-he turned out to be nothing like what I thought he was.  I'm not even sure "real" nice guys exist-or at least are single anymore.  This adorable little piece of art is by a fab artist and motivational source, Emm Roy.

I confess... I'm so lucky to have some fabulous people who support me in my life.  

I confess... I've been really bad about the gym the last three weeks... I went twice last week.  None yet this week.  UGH.  What is my issue?  I'm failing so hard at the #NOEXCUSES challenge...

I confess... Here's a little sneak peak at a giveaway I have coming up soon.  I'm terrible at painting my nails, but look how pretty these two colors are!  That's Pink! and Punked from Firecracker Lacquer!

Have you seen this?  Oh my goodness.  So clever-watch it now or you're really missing out! 

Linking up with:

Fitness, Scary Stories, Malachite, Cat Traps, & More!

I confess...  I took a four day weekend this weekend just because I could!  I had to work on Memorial day so I figured why not take a day off later in the week to make up for it-and then I thought, why not take two?!

I confess... I'm sticking with this whole gym thing and loving it.  I love feeling tired and sore, and I love that I feel sexy in my sports bra.  For the first two weeks I wore a sweater to the gym to hide things I didn't want bouncing around (a.k.a my fat arms) but it being 90 degrees out I finally decided I didn't care what people at the gym thought.  I'm just going to go and do my thing!

I confess... I'm a total girl.  I have enjoyed buying cute workout clothes too.

I confess... My heel has been hurting me for the last month or two.  It started out being just once in a while and now it pretty much hurts all the time.  Someone thought it might be an issue with arch support so I went and bought some shoes and inserts ($186 worth) that are made specifically for that and running impact at a store that does a test to see what kind of shoes you need.  So far my foot hurts worse in them...

I confess... When I heard that they are going to be making a Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark movie I searched frantically for my books.  Couldn't find them, so I immediately ordered a set on Amazon.  Love.

I confess... We went to our favorite bakery/coffee shop, Pierre Country Bakery & Cafe, which is owned by a cute French couple the other day.  The new manager is very nice.  When I ordered 1 Napoleon and 2 Thumbprint Cookies he said "I'm going to give you two Napoleons."  And he put them all in a box, handed them to me, and said "You know what, it's all on the house."  Well then sir.   Thank you.  A way to a girls heart and all of that is through her fat ass... And wallet-free is nice.  I'll take it!

I confess...I finally got my number one lemming nail polish.  Aly's Dream Polish Malachite!

I confess... It's officially Summer.  Maybe not by the calendar, but it's over 90 degrees now.  What kills me is that it's freezing at work, cool at the gym, cool in my car, and hot as hell in my apartment.  My body has lost all ability to regulate my temperature due to working in an ice box!  Oh well, I plan on using this Summer to soak up as many fun Summery moments with the roommate before he moves to Canada.  Like long evening drives and hopefully camping soon!

I confess... Dating is hard when you're out of practice.  It's been so long since I dated someone for more than just a few dates that I have no concept of timing... Or how to do it.  LOL, oh well... It's nice to be dating someone, if that is what it is.

I confess...  The cat traps are working.  (This is Shawn & Justin's Buff Wellington the third, or The Boy as we call him.  He is huge, and super lovey/cuddly.

What do you have to confess this week?

Linking up with:

A Makeshift Hot Toddy

So this cold I have is just not giving up without a good fight, despite being on everything I can think of... I'm taking Airborne/Emergen-C 3 times a day, Dayquil, Nyquil, Echinacea and Eucalyptus Tea, etc... So when I asked for help with suggestions because I really need to get over this, I got a slew of responses on Facebook, one of which being a Hot Toddy.  

Now I remember my dad making Hot Toddies when I was a kid.  Each time he was sick he'd get the buttered rum down from the cupboard (the one us kids couldn't reach) and make himself a hot concoction that smelled like Christmas, and then go take a hot bath with it.  I wasn't sure exactly what else goes into a Hot Toddy, and my roommate said for his family they were always just hot Whiskey with lemon and honey.  So I googled it.  Not having all of the ingredients the recipe called for, I decided to improvise with what I had in the cupboard, and add some cinnamon since it is supposed to be good for colds.  

So here's my makeshift Hot Toddy Recipe:

• Honey
• Cinnamon
• Echinacea Tea (or any Tea will do-but echinacea has good healing in it)
• Orange (or lemon, but all I had were oranges)
• Spiced Rum (or Whiskey)
• Hot Water

1. Boil water for the tea, when it boils put it in a separate mug with the tea and let the tea steep until it's strong.
2. Coat the bottom of your mug with the honey.  I put about 2 tbsp in, but you can adjust according to your taste and mug size.  
3. Sprinkle in cinnamon (I put about 1 tsp). 
4. Squeeze a quarter of your orange/lemon in to the cup.
5. Add Spiced Rum/Whiskey.  I used about 1/4 cup-but you can add more if you're feeling it. ;P
6. Poor the hot tea into the mug with everything else.
7. Add more hot boiling water as needed.
8. Stir, and drink! 

When this concoction came together I thought it sounded like it was going to be disgusting, but it was actually really good and soothing, and it put me right to sleep on the couch despite trying to watch Sleepy Hollow.  

Let me know if you have a good recipe or cure-all for a bad cold!  I'd love to hear it!

Stay Cool-Frozen Yogurt Smoothies from Red Mango!

Before being contacted regarding this promotion for Red Mango, I'd seen the stores in my travels or while out running errands, but have never actually gotten around to stopping in to try anything.  Apparently I had no idea what I was missing out on-because I think I found my new favorite Frozen Yogurt place.  I was instantly impressed with all of the information hanging up in the restaurant explaining that their products are natural and do not contain artificial flavors like some other fro-yo companies.  This is important to me!  I also love all the wonderful probiotics!

Red Mango is one of the fastest-growing retailers of all-natural frozen yogurt and fresh fruit smoothies.  They just launched 22 brand new superbiotic summer smoothies in four-lifestyle centered categories:

• Body Balance: Flavorful and functional yogurt smoothies formulated with beneficial boosts.
• All Fruit Harmony: Refreshing dairy-free and soy-free smoothies, made only with fruit, juice, and ice.
• Twisted Fruits: Smooth and creamy signature yogurt smoothies offered in new and innovated fruit-forward flavors.
• Just Kidd'n: Naturally delicious, snack-sized fruit and yogurt smoothies, blended just for kids!

They are also introducing a brand new line of smoothie boosts that have been formulated to meet the nutritional and dietary needs of today's health-conscious consumers who find it increasingly important to embrace a wholesome, well-balanced diet.  In addition to the protein, immunity, energy, and multivitamin boosts currently available, Red Mango four new boosts formulated with natural, wholesome, and innovative ingredients:

• MetablolicFit360™: A proprietary blend of protein, calcium, and African Mango which supports metabolic balance and promotes healthy weight management.
• Dark Chocolate Mate: Finely ground, Brazilian roasted mate and dark chocolate; a delicious, rich, low-calorie flavor which also supplies a nice dose of antioxidants.
• Tropical Hibiscus: Finely ground, premium Nigerian hibiscus blossoms infused with natural pineapple and lychee; a bright and tropical  low-calorie flavor and antioxidant boost.
• Green Tea Acai: Finely ground, premium green tea with acai berries, the Amazonian super fruit; a low-calorie antioxidant boost made with the best ingredients!

Special Offer:
Club Mango Double Points! Every registered and opted-in CLUB MANGO member will receive double points for every eligible purchase they make in a participating Red Mango location fromJuly 15-19, 2013. Club Mango points add up and can be redeemed for products at participating Red Mango stores. You'll receive a $2 reward just for signing up, and for every 500 MangoPoints you earn you'll get a $5 coupon!

Connect with Red Mango on Facebook and Twitter!

These smoothies were so fantastic-really I loved how they taste so much that I'm pretty sure I'm stopping for one today before I head out of town-YUM!  Red Mango also offers really great frozen yogurt.  Shawn and I went for lunch yesterday and really enjoyed our delicious treats.  I recommend the Mango flavor (which was delcious) with popping boba (which are so much fun to eat)!

What smoothie would you be most excited to try?