How to eat pizza & still lose weight

Are you on a low carb, weight loss program, but still want to eat something yummy like pizza? You can.

Here's how......

Ok, ok, so it may not be an actual pizza, but it tastes just like one...without the added fat, calories and overload of carbs.

And it couldn't be easier to make.

Firstly, lay out a piece of Mountain Bread.

Then layer with your favourite (healthy choice) toppings, some low fat cheese and a sauce.

On this one I have used:

• fat reduced ham 
• thin slice of low fat, tasty cheese
• mushroom
• capsicum
• olives
• a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce

Heat up your frying pan and place the folded wrap in. I like to use the trusty Glad bake to prevent it from sticking and saves me time doing the washing up.

Now this probably looks a little weird, but it works really well.
Place a metal saucepan lid on top of your wrap to cook. It flattens it a little and makes a nice crispy crust. No need to go and buy one of those sandwich presses.
Don't forget to flip it over and cook the other side!

Serve it up and enjoy a yummy pizza treat without ruining your weight loss program.

PS: Don't forget to enter my Schwarzkopf giveaway (go here). 

It's drawn on Thursday, so get a wriggle on!

Linking to

Logies Hair & A Give-Away!!

The 2012 TV Week Logies aired recently. I don't always sit through the whole thing, but I never miss the red carpet arrivals. I love seeing what the celebrities are wearing and of course what's happening in the hair and make-up department. 

I'm sharing my favourite hairstyles this year and a guide on how to recreate these looks at home for your red carpet event. They're all fairly simple styles that create big red carpet impact. The sleek "up-do" that Asher Keddie wears so well would be a great one to try for an outdoor event that could be a little windy...like the races or maybe a beach wedding. 

I also have a giveaway thanks to Schwarzkopf, so keep on reading to see how you can win.

Trend: Loose Long Curls

Delta Goodrem and Carrie Bickmore nailed the number one red carpet trend with their long locks and soft curls

(Source)

To get the look:

1. Great hair starts with a great hair regime. Treat it with Schwarzkopf Marrakesh Oil and Coconut Express Mousse treatment.
2. While your hair is still wet use your fingers to distribute one pump (about the size of a golf ball) of Schwarzkopf Curl Flex Mousse through your hair for long lasting curls.
3. Blow dry your hair, starting at the roots to create volume. Tip: Blow dry your hair upside down for ease and when almost dry use a large, round brush to smooth out the ends.
4. Separate your hair into three sections, securing with a clip and begin curling one inch segments with a wide barrel curling iron. (ceramic irons are the best)
5. Alternate the direction of the curl as you work your way through each section for a more natural look.

(Source)

Trend: Tousled Ponytail

This soft, feminine look has continued as a major trend in 2012. I love how Jennifer Hawkins wears hers. This one is super easy.

To get the look:

1. To minimise damage for heat-aided styling, treat hair with Schwarzkopf Hydro Collagen Express Repair Leave In Treatment after washing.
2. Blow dry your hair, starting at the roots.
3. Create waves by wrapping 2 inch sections around a wide barrelled curling iron. 
4. Finger comb waves to create a loose, messy look.
5. Pull your hair back into a low ponytail, gently teasing out tendrils around the side of the face and finish with a spritz of Schwarzkopf Ultimate Styling Hairspray to ensure the style maintains it's hold.

(Source)

Trend: The Sleek 'Up-Do'

Asher Keddie was an all round winner on the night, bringing a classic, elegant look to the red carpet with her version of the sleek 'up- do'.

To get the look:

1. For extra sheen apply Schwarzkopf Liquid Silk Repair and Gloss treatment to just washed hair.
2. Create a low side parting using a narrow tooth comb.
3. Pull your hair to one side at the nape of your neck as though you were creating a low side ponytail, ensure your hair is gathered smoothly with no "lumps or bumps"  at the roots.
4. Wrap and twist your hair around itself into a bun-shaped knot and tuck in the ends using grips to pin it in place.
5. To achieve maximum hold, finish with a light spray of Schwarzkopf Extra Care Super Styling Lacquer Extreme Hold.

(Source)

 I'm giving away 2 packs of hairstyling products (from their Professional Range) thanks to the lovely people at Schwarzkopf.
Each prized is valued at RRP $74.20


To win, all you have to do is:
Please note: The prize is open to Australian residents only (sorry). I will have a giveaway very soon for my international readers.

1. Follow this blog on Blog Lovin or Google Friend Connect (check it out in the right sidebar)
2. Leave a comment on this blog telling me which one of these looks you would you choose for your next event and why.

Or

1. You can follow me on Twitter (click here) or Facebook (click here) and leave your comments there. Don't forget to share with your friends and followers.

Or 

All of the above. Enter as many times as you like.

I'll choose 2 winners on Thursday afternoon (Melbourne time) and announce the winners here on the blog, Facebook and Twitter.

See you on the red carpet.

Smouldering Siren Make-Up ft. Face of Australia

I love this look and it's really simple to do. The trickiest bit is to get the lips neat as red shows every mistake. Just line the lips well and use a brush to fill in the lip colour. I used false lashes here too, but a couple of coats of a good, black mascara will do the trick.

Thanks Sue for being my model....it was fun.
BTW : I do "touch up"my photos a little (who doesn't), but I didn't touch Sue's teeth...they really are that white!!....and the blue based red lip colour enhances them even more.

All of the make-up I used for this look is from Face of Australia cosmetics. They photograph so well!

Available online here

What I used

On the face

• Face Base Primer
• Stick Foundation in Outback Beige
• Translucent Powder
• Blush in Terra
• Mineral Therapy Illuminating Pearls on the tops of the cheekbone to highlight

On the Eyes

• Colour Max Eyeshadow Palette in Mercury Rising
• Liquid Eyeliner in Black
• Mechanical Eye Pencil in Black
• 2 coats of Impact Curl Mascara
• Full strip false lashes (from e-bay)

On the Lips

• Mechanical Lip Pencil in Red
• Lip Quench Lipstick in Forbidden Fruit (my new HG of reds)

On the brows

• Colour Max Eyeshadow Palette in Gold Mine (the brown colour B) applied with a slanted brow brush.

Disclosure: I received these products from Face of Australia as gratis for my work as a Make-Up Artist.

PS: My apologies as far as my promised giveaway is concerned. I had a computer issue this week, but everything is all fixed now (fingers crossed). I'll be letting you know about the giveaway over the weekend...promise.

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How to snack less and beat those cravings

If one of the biggest challenges you face when trying to lose weight is snacking or eating too large a portion at mealtimes, then keep reading cos I've got something to tell you that could end up being your HG of weight loss. 

A few weeks ago I received a cute little package in the mail from leading sports & nutrition brand Body Science. I already use and love their other weight loss products (you can read my thoughts on them here). I use the Shaping Protein for Women every day, so I trusted the brand and was eager to try their latest product launch Body for Women Zotrim.

Body for Women Zotrim - the proven diet aid shown to help appetite control, reduce food intake and support weight loss - with no side effects.

Since it's introduction into the UK market more than 5 years ago, Zotrim has helped more than 13 million people with their weight loss goals.


Studies using Zotrim in the UK found an average weight loss of 5kg over 45 days when clients supplemented their calorie controlled diet with Zotrim. 


Body Science is introducing Zotrim to Australia, standing out amongst the many other weight loss products on the market. Instead of relying on the stimulatory effects of caffeine to impact metabolism, Body for Women Zotrim has a natural ingredient mix shown to have no adverse effect on heart rate, digestion or abdominal comfort. 

"I have been using Zotrim religiously for 3 weeks and had noticed absolutely no side effects!!  Except the fact that I'm not even thinking about snacking between meals and I sincerely feel fuller at mealtimes, which I believe has helped me stay on track. Last week at my PT weigh in, I had lost 2kg, with an average loss of one kilo a week, so I'm getting closer to my goal every day!"

So, what's in it?


A blend of three organic plant extracts; Yerbe Mate, Damiana & Guarana, this natural mix has been shown to be both safe and effective to manage hunger and food intake. I take as part of my calorie controlled diet, a few minutes before main meals.  Simple.


You can get Body for Women Zotrim (here) RRP $39.95 for 90 tablets.

This week I'll be talking more about was has been helping me on the weight loss journey and there will be some GIVEAWAYS too.  So pop back for a visit tomorrow.

Disclosure *This product was sent to me for editorial consideration, but when it runs out, I will certainly be purchasing more. 3pickles has no affiliation with any companies mentioned and has received no remuneration for posting this review. All opinions are those of the author.

Disclaimer: The owner of this personal blog is not a registered dietitian nor a medial practitioner and her advice should not be taken in place of your own personal health care provider. All material posted on this blog is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.

This Means War - {Workout Tunes}

Have I told you how much I love Nickelback? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have.

Gonna keep this short and sweet. K?

My PT Elizabeth lets me play my iPod during our sessions (especially the boxing..I swear this song makes me punch a little harder) and this is one of my favourites. I'm not sure what war Nickelback are singing about, but in my mind, whenever I play this song during training, I think about war against lard arseness....(yes, I have decided that IS a word)

BTW, Nickelback have told me (in a Tweet just to me...ooh yeah) that they'll be coming to Australia this year for their Here & Now tour. I've started my VIP "Meet and Greet" fund, so if anyone wants to donate to this very worthy cause, please drop me a line ...lol

 Enjoy the vid and get the album...it's on iTunes as we speak

Lose the carbs and still enjoy dinner...simple

Looking for something simple, healthy & tasty for dinner tonight?

This is such an easy dish to put together and if you're watching the carbs like I am, then it'll be perfect for you and the family.

Garlic Chicken & Steamed Veggies with Sweet Chilli Sauce

Cube some skinless chicken breast. I do this in the morning and throw it in a ziplock bag into the fridge..I can then make portions of this dish quickly and without a lot of mess, especially great when Mr3P and Pickle#1 are at soccer training and I feed myself and the 2 remaining pickles early.

Take a bag of frozen stir fry veggies out of the freezer. (told you this was simple) I like the Stir Fry veggies from Aldi, but I use whatever is in the freezer....or use fresh veggies, but that's a little more work...lol

Pan fry the chicken.  I like to use the Glad Bake to brown the chicken, much like I do with the bunless burgers (here). I will drizzle about 1 teaspoon of good olive oil over the chicken and then add some salt and a good heaped teaspoon of crushed garlic. Give it a toss and add the veggies. Heat them through.

Drizzle a small glob of sweet chilli sauce over the chicken and veggies and serve.

Simple, healthy and tasty.

Getting Plastered/Getting Laid {House Update}

The house renovation extension is coming along. Not a lot to say, but I've had emails from readers asking about what stage we're up to, so I've taken a fews snaps this afternoon.

 Proof (sorta) that I've been doing some work.

Plaster up and primer coat almost done downstairs.

I fell down this ladder 2 weeks ago and still have the bruise (no, I'm not showing you)
I'm OK by the way...thanks for asking ;)

all the bits and pieces ready to be installed (plus my stash of Coke Zero cans)

Concrete driveway and paths ready to be laid.

a whole new layer of earth in the courtyard as seen through the glass hallway that connects the two buildings (and needs a clean)

So, there we have it.
Would anyone care to come and help me paint?

More updates as soon as I seem em!

See you soon.

{recipe} The No Bun Burger

When you can't eat carbs at night and you want to eat a burger with the rest of your fam, what do you do?

Lose the bun, of course.

Seriously, I never thought of doing this before I started this weight loss journey & I don't even notice the bun missing now.
All you need to do is make burgers in the usual way and pile it up on your plate. I like to use an iceberg lettuce cup to hold the filling, but you could just use a knife and fork.

 Now, please don't think I'm some freaky extremist when it comes to cooking....I'm not. But, because mince from the shops is the fattiest meat and contains unknown "stuff", it's not the greatest choice for a healthy eating plan, let alone weight loss. I still love it, so I'm forced to make my own and it's really not that big a hassle. I got the mincer from Kmart (homemaker brand) and we get the meat from the wholesale butcher (a HUGE hunka chunka of beef) trim off ALL the visible fat and mince away, I freeze it in 500g portions. It is the tastiest mince ever and it contains only what you put in it and no nasties. Once you try it, you'll never buy it pre-made again.

 I also like to cook without fats, so I use Glad bake (baking paper) in the frypan. Nothing sticks and burns and there's virtually no mess to clean up. Great if you're cooking kebabs or other marinated meats. The burgers in the pic are made from: my mince, grated carrot, onion, an egg to bind, small amount of wholegrain breadcrumbs, salt & pepper and whatever herbs were in the garden.

Pile it up with your faves.

Enjoy!

{review} John Frieda Precision Foam Colour

When I was recently asked if I would like to review the new John Frieda Precision Foam hair colour, I was excited and scared at the same time. 

Reason being was that it has been a long time since I've tried an at-home hair colour and I had NEVER tried it as a blonde. The fact that it was a John Frieda product was reassuring (you may already know I'm a fan...you can read about that here)

The 20-shade collection was developed by John Frieda® Creative Colour Director and sought-after UK colourist Nicola Clarke, who is responsible for some of the most iconic hair colours in Hollywood. 

There are plenty of options for blondes, brunettes and

redheads — all of which provide 100% grey coverage. (The grey coverage is something I need and I was pleasantly surprised when it did indeed cover...lovin' that)

The colour I used was 8N Medium Natural Blonde and I'm really happy with the result. 

I asked if I could have 2 packets of colour to use as my hair is super thick (witchy-poo thick) and I've always (in the past) needed 2 packets of regular at-home colour to get enough coverage. I didn't believe it when one packet was more than enough. The non drip foam just kept on a comin and spread on really smoothly and easily. I used to need Mr3P's or my Mum's help to ensure I was getting it even at the back and through the layers, but the ease of this product truly makes it a one woman show, which means I can colour when I want to and not have to "book in" an assistant.

It smells really nice too.

Here's the how-to:

John Frieda® Precision Foam Colour includes everything you need to create salon-quality, flawless colour results easily at home. Apply the Salon Professional Gloves and gently mix the Colourant into the Developer. Squeeze the centre of the bottle to dispense foam into gloved hand and apply directly to hair. Massage foam into hair with fingertips to thoroughly cover each strand from root to tip. The foam easily coats even the most hard-to-reach areas, including the back of the head and hairline. Let stand for 20 minutes (30 minutes for grey coverage) and rinse with lukewarm water until water runs clear. Apply Conditioner to seal in colour, while keeping hair soft and silky. Leave for two to five minutes before rinsing.

Easy.

It's funny that as I sit here writing this post, Mr3P walks past and comments about my new hair colour and how much he likes it. He has no idea I'm writing about my hair as he thinks I'm on Facebook....lol

On sale at John Frieda® Hair Care stockists nationally, including major grocery and pharmacy retailers. For locations, phone 1800 468 318 (AU) or 0800 403 504 (NZ). Available from March 2012. RRP $22.99


Check out the colours available at John Frieda's Website
(click here)

Hunger Games Inspired Make-Up

This make-up was inspired by Girl on Fire from the movie The Hunger Games and the blog Makeup Utopia, who is hosting the Hunger Games Challenge.

Thought I'd give it a whirl.

My sweet friend Helena was kind enough to be my model.

I recently was the Melbourne Make-Up Artist for Face of Australia Cosmetics at the Dolly Magazine Model Search Roadshow, (post coming shortly). Face of Australia were kind enough to give me a kit of products to use and keep and I haven't stopped using them since (although I've been a fan and customer for many years too). I used the products in the photo above to help create this look.

• Face Base Primer
• Mineral Therapy Foundation in Honey Beige
• Translucent Loose Powder
• Mineral Therapy Illuminating Pearls to highlight the cheekbone
• Liquid Eyeliner in black
• Lip Quench moisturising lipstick in Forbidden Fruit (this red is the shiz)
• Mechanical Lipliner in red

Face of Australia Illuminating Pearls 

 Face of Australia Impact Curl mascara. 

I used the ones at the Roadshow and gave them all away to the entrants, so as soon as I got back home I went out and bought this one for my kit and one for myself  (and it's my new favourite) RRP $11.95

NYX Candy Glitter Liner in #15 Red - used over the liquid liner once dried

 False lashes from Gorgeous Cosmetics - Madam Lash Lashes - mini

The yellows and oranges from this 88 matte palette. I also used Kryolan aquacolour in yellow as a base for the eyeshadow, sorry I forgot to take a pic.

Hope you like it. 

Feel free to link you Hunger Games inspired make-up posts in the comments.