I've been eating (mainly) Vegan for a month!

Hey everyone!

So the last time I checked in I told you guys that I had been trying a meal delivery service called 'Freshly'! I also mentioned that I was about to start a different meal delivery service called 'Hungry Root' and that I would update you on that one once I'd tried it... well it's about that time!

Freshly Vs Hungry Root
'Hungry Root' is different than 'Freshly' in many ways - with freshly you get pre-packaged and pre-portioned meals that you simply heat up in the microwave and enjoy: while this offers great convenience and portion control I did feel an urge to start cooking my own meals once again(and not simply microwaving them). To read my review and blog about 'Freshly' click here!
With 'Hungry Root' however you receive fresh ingredients that you then follow instructions to cook and create amazing vegan meals. The idea behind 'Hungry Root' is to recreate indulgent foods using vegetables, legumes and nuts!

Going Vegan
I am a huge animal lover! I've grown up with lots of pets including dogs, cats and horses and living in Ireland I was never far away from farm animals such as cows, sheep, chickens etc.. I have a great respect for animals and I always connect really well with them. I feel that their souls are so beautiful and wise and I have therefore always had an interest in being Vegan and battled with the hypocrisy of loving animals and yet eating them. For many years I have stuck to a poultry or fish diet as much as possible and stayed away from red meat and pork! My main reasons for not trying veganism or being a vegetarian was 1) when living at home I ate what my family ate 2)not wanting to be too fusy when at other peoples houses or in company 3) thinking it was an expensive life style to adapt and 4) while I would often opt for the vegetarian or vegan option when eating out I did notice that accessibility and options were very limited!
However now that I am not living at home and living in a city where being vegan is very popular and therefore much more readily available in restaurants, cafes etc.. I figure why not give it a go?!!

When I found Hungry Root it seemed like a good foot in the door so to speak and a great way of trying out a vegan lifestyle! and I feel it has been just that! I am currently on my 5th box/delivery which means I have just started my 5th week using Hungry Root and I must say I am loving it!!!

About the food
The food is absolutely delicious and I can make most meals in under 10minutes! I have not been hungry at all - in fact sometimes I feel really full like I have eaten too much! the meals are hearty and there are plenty of breakfast, snacks and desert options! However despite feeling full I have lost 3pounds.. its not a huge amount but slow and steady wins the race and I wasn't adapting this lifestyle to loose weight in the first place! My skin has also totally cleared up and has been extra glowy! cough: major plus!

My plan
I am on a plan called 'The Good Life' and this plan is $99 a week! it is a lot but for me it has been well worth it as it is introducing me to recipes and a vegan lifestyle which I knew nothing about before! It also means that all I have to pick up in the grocery store is rice milk (for my be-loved irish tea of course) and maybe some bread and oatmeal. In the past I found myself spending $60/$70 easily when I went in to Trader Joes and yet was left feeling like I didn't have my meals for the week and would run out of what I did get very quickly!
With my meal plan I get 5 meals (but there's 2 servings in each meal so for one person you could see this as 10meals) plus 5 sides, snacks or sweets! for me one "sweet" such as the chickpea cookie dough would last me most of the week.. as I wouldn't eat the whole tub in one sitting - instead I split it and bake like a cookie a day (it's still a large cookie) and that's my desert!

Note: There is also a starter plan available which is cheaper if you wanted to give that a go first!

Here's an example of my meals this week! 

• Crispy coconut breakfast Hash: these are crispy browned sweet potatoes with a subtle sweetness guaranteed to spice up your morning routine. It includes the hungry root sweet potato ribbons and organic coconut curry. 

• Ginger Yuba Quinoa bowl: a hearty meal to satisfy taste buds includes organic Ginger Tahini Yuba Noodles and Lemon Artichoke Quinoa Bowl.

• Kohlrabi Kale with sauteed greens: This includes their Kalebeet Blend and organic Kale Pesto. 

• Sweet barbecue chilly jackfruit: this is the perfect melding of sweet, tangy and spicy! their Sweet Barbecue Chili Jackfruit is so hearty you won’t even know you’re eating a plant. Great on its own or paired with rice, pasta or greens (comparable with bbq chicken!)

• Black garlic superblend saute: The is the perfect dinner when you're looking for a hearty, creamy meal. It includes their Superblend Salad, organic Chickpea Alfredo and Italian Herb Chickpea Medley.

• Avocado chickpea noodle bowl: Packed with protein and healthy fats, this creamy noodle bowl will more than satisfy your appetite. Includes Sweet Potato Ribbons, Italian Herb Chickpea Medley and Avocado Crema.

• Chickpea pita mezze platter: party platter made with chickpea pita bread, a lentil medley and spinach artichoke dip. Includes Fluffly Maple Chickpea Batter, Spinach Artichoke Chickpea Dip and Cruncy Carrot Lentil Mix. 

• Butternut squash bean skillet (this is what I had for dinner today.. it was YUM!): Includes Butternut Squash French Fries and Cucumber Corn Black Bean Salad.

• Vanilla Bean Snickdoodle dough: This is delicious and definitely the one to satisfy your sweet tooth! you can eat it raw or bake it!

• Coconut lemon bites: packed with coconut and ready to eat! these taste like lemon cake in bite size form! 

The above shows this week's meals but each week is different - so far I have let the team at Hungry Root surprise me and I have not yet been disappointed! however you can also customise your delivery ahead of time to include the meal selection you would like! but hey variety is the spice of life!! :) 

This is how the ingredients comes packaged

and you receive these in a large cardboard box surrounded by ice packs!

 

Final words...

I really feel like I am enjoying the health benefits of using Hungry Root and eating a mainly vegan diet (I have slipped up once or twice but forgive me as it's only the beginning and at least I'm trying!). All their food is 1) Vegan 2) Gluten free 3) High in nutrients, fiber and good fats 4) Low in sugar, sodium and calories! check out their website to learn more!

I really love this service and I enjoy cooking the meals!I would highly recommend it to a friend! 

My only complaint is that they once sent me gone off cocoa milk but they did reach out to me and give $10 off my next bill and a free almond chickpea cookie dough in my next order.. however it is now 2 orders later and while I did received the $10 off I have yet to receive my free cookie dough :(

Please know that this is not a sponsored post - I wasn't paid or sent any of my meals for free.. I simply love it and wanted to recommend this wonderful service that I truly feel could literally be life changing to my diet of the future! However with that being said if you do feel like trying it out please use my code: https://www.hungryroot.com/r/OEZEOH 

with this you will get $30 off on your first order and so will I! as I plan on keeping this up it would help and why not benefit each other :) you will also receive your own code once you've started that you can then pass on to your friends for them to save and you too! 

Have a wonderful day! evening! or night! (depending on when you're reading this!) 

and if you made it this far then fair play as that was a long post! 

anyhow follow me on my socials @ShahiraBarry 

Lot of Love, 

Shahira XO

I tired a meal delivery service - FRESHLY

Hi everyone!

Hope 2018 is going well so far!

well it's the new year and you know what that means..everyone is trying to be on their "New year new me!" routine. It's the season of trying to get fit and healthy once again and the bid to get rid of those extra few pounds that we may have gained during the Christmas and holiday period! The gym memberships are likely renewed and it's all steam ahead to that summer bod!
However, as we all know - establishing a fitness routine is only half the battle and what experts say matters the most is what we are eating! as they say you can't out exercise a bad diet!

I know from my personal life eating healthily can be really difficult! My schedule is all over the place, I'm surrounded by bad food and drink temptation and finding the time to shop for groceries and then cook a healthy meal isn't always easy! and don't get me started on when I shop on a hungry belly.. that in itself is a recipe for disaster!! I pick up everything that is quick and bad for me, I'm sure you've been there before too?! Anyway, what's been popping up on my socials a lot lately are adverts for meal delivery services.. "Healthy" meal delivery services at that! and they've really intrigued me!

Now.. is it ideal?..No! in an ideal world we'd all have time to frequent the farmers markets and the needed grocery stores to shop organically and be really good in the kitchen at whipping up a fresh and healthy meal! However, we don't live in an ideal world - busy work schedules and hectic lifestyles where we're just doing our best to fit everything in gets in the way!
Also I believe that often cooking for one is quite the task in itself! I don't know who else is only cooking for themselves reading this.. (I guess most of these meal delivery services really are geared towards the lone dinner, lol) but I find - I buy a loaf of bread for example and half of it goes off and goes to waste, and getting the portions right when cooking for yourself is the same thing!

I've been so intrigued by the idea of these meal delivery services that I decided to check some out! A couple of months ago I started with 'Freshly'. When trying to decide on which service to go with I wrote a post on my Instagram story (@ShahiraBarry) asking if anyone had tried one of the services and could recommend which one I go with..?? Freshly were one of my options and they were kind enough to reach out to me after my post and offered me 9 free meals to try! this was fab as I was planning on trying them anyway! YAY!

Anyhow this is how they are packaged. As you can see you can simply eat them from their container after heating if you wish - I did this most of the time (lazy girl problems)

I am absolutely rubbish at plating and making food look appetising but here are some of my meals that I did plate and show off(I say that lightly)on snapchat haha

 

 

I received my 9 meals and loved the service!
Freshly offer chef cooked meals delivered to you! They promise convenience along with fresh and healthy meals!
Every meal is

• All natural and nutrient rich made from high quality ingredients!
• Packed with protein! 
• Free from refined sugars, artificial ingredients and hydrogenated oils!
• and gluten free! 

They have been written about by Forbes and The Huffington Post to name a few! 

How it works: 

• Freshly is a subscription service! each week your meals are delivered to your doorstep! they are packaged in a big box surrounded by ice packs and insulation to keep them fresh before they reach your fridge! 
• You customise and plan your own weekly meal selections ahead of time so you always know what you are getting! 
• All you need to do is heat up your meal and enjoy! 

The Cost: 

• Use code "nocook639" and you'll recieve $20 off your first order on a 6 meal plan! 
• After that 4 meals per week is $49.99 
• 6 meals = $59.99 
• 9 meals = $89.99 
• and 12 meals = $107.99 

It is quite costly but for the convenience, especially if you're living on your own, I think it's worth it! I was on the 6 meal plan and it really worked for me! I used to find myself a couple of times a week in Trader Joe's spending $60/$70 here and there and I never really felt like I had gotten that much or legit meals for the week! with a service like freshly I just needed to pick up some breakfast bits and milk and I was good to go (presuming one day a week I ate out or had another dinner).  It is a subscription service but you can cancel any time or skip a week if you don't fancy it or you're going out of town etc..! 

While I was given 9 free meals to trial this is not a sponsored post! I was not paid to write about or promote freshly in any way! once I finished the trial I happily subscribed to the service with my own money and have been using it ever since! 

The pros: 

• Super convenient!
• A wide range of meal selections including catering for some different allergies!
• Keeps you on top of and on track of what you're putting in your belly! 
• All the nutritional information is available on their website! 
• The portion sizes are decent: I find their size to be satisfying and it probably stops me from over eating from that point of view! 
• You don't have to be home to accept a delivery as the meals are well packaged.

The cons: 

• If shopping for more than yourself it probably would be cheaper to do a normal grocery shop! 
• While the meals don't compare to traditional microwavable meals (they are way better taste wise- Freshly meals actually taste GOOD!) after a couple of weeks of using them I do find myself wanting a break for a little while however I think this is simple because of the packaging - I could just plate my meal but I'm lazy! lol 

To wrap it up my first experience with a meal delivery service was a really great one! I'm pretty much hooked with the convenience of it! If it's something that would suite your life style I would definitely recommend Freshly! Remember to use the code "nocook639" to receive $20 off a meal plan of 6! (this is not my code fyi. it's just a general code that was given to me to share if I liked it but it is not linked to me and won't benefit me if you use it.. (again no sponsored post here) but it will save you $20 and saving is always a good thing!! :)

This week I am taking a break from freshly to try out 'Hungry Root' which is a Vegan meal delivery service (but with Hungry Root you do have to cook your meals - though most meals can be prepared in under 10 minutes) I will keep you posted on how I feel about it and how it compares to freshly! so watch this space! 

To check out Freshly and the meals they have to offer just click here! Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Shahira Xo 

Yeezy vs Ami clubwear

Hey everyone! 
Who likes designer dupes?!
MEEEEEEE!!!! Oh you too?..ok great!
Well one of my favorite (& cough affordable)online stores is AMI Clubwear & I recently stumbled upon a great dupe for the Yeezy Season 2 knitted Ankle boots which cost $725!

These boots have been seen on many celebrities!

I actually picked up these boots on the Ami clubwear site simply because I thought they were cute & versatile & not because Yeezy sprung to mind! Buttt I found every time I wore them people complimented my “Yeezys” & didn’t know the difference! So I soon realized they were a dead ringer for the Yeezy brand! & yet at $64.99 (on sale they went as low as $19.99!!!) they were a much better bargain! & who doesn’t like a bargain!


(FYI my entire outfit above was also from Ami clubwear)

Above is Ami clubwear & below is Yeezy! As you can see they look very similar :)

After seeing how similar these were I started to spot other Yeezy dupes on the Ami clubwear site! Just look at these!

^Yeezy over the kneee boots on Karruche Tran
And below Ami clubwear dupes for these .. which I don’t own yet but I need!! lol

So what are you waiting for? Go check out Ami Clubwear.com & also their instagram for styling ideas!
Lots of love, 
Shahira Xo

RIP Hugh Hefner

Hi everyone,

As we all know by now the iconic Hugh Hefner passed away at the age of 91 at his home The Playboy Mansion on Wednesday (April/9th/1926 - Sept/27th/2017).

 

I coincidentally only live under a mile and a half from the PB.Mansion and I was at home when I received the news - my roommate texted me about it and I couldn't believe it! Don't get me wrong I realise that at 91 Hef lived a great life (and if we all lived until that age we'd be very blessed) but it still came as a shock. I had always heard on the grapevine from people at the mansion etc.. (whether factual or not I'm not sure?) that his mother had lived until 105 and that he hoped to see that age also.. and being that he had such great care I didn't see any reason why he wouldn't do just that. 

However, I must say, over the past couple of years I did have my suspicions that perhaps he wasn't doing so well.. 

Although even as close as last month I was still attending events at the playboy mansion it had been a long time since I had been able to simply visit (without an event) or that I had seen Hef in person. If I remember rightly I think the last time I saw him was briefly on New Years Eve 2014 when I had the opportunity to bring my sister up to the mansion for a visit. After that I never saw him attend any of the parties again (I think he was pictured with his son Cooper at Mid Summer's Nights Dream 2016 but I believe it was a very brief appearance as I didn't see, or hear anything about, him attending). He had previously attended all of his parties and they were on a much larger scale than recent years. As well as that the weekend list which I was once a part of was shut down and the Sunday 'Fun in the sun' (where I first met Hef) came to an end. I thought only girls weren't going up to the mansion anymore(Hef was now married etc..) but I ran into a couple of Hef's old time friends that I knew as regulars at the mansion (some going u there 30+ years etc..) and they told me they were no longer visiting either as Hef wasn't doing so well and being the very proud man that he was I don't think he wanted many people to see him that way. 

Here is what I posted on my instagram upon hearing the sad news: 

I am so sad to hear about the passing of the absolute legend @hughhefner 💔 I feel blessed that I had an opportunity to get to know the man behind the brand & hang out at his amazing playboy mansion where I have so many wonderful memories✨ it is because of my experience traveling to LA & meeting Hef that I now live in Los Angeles - it opened this small country girls eyes to another life where dreams come true & if you work hard enough & believe.. anything can happen! 2012 was my first visit to the states, my first time at the mansion & it is where I made my first friends in LA. That year when I returned home I received a letter from Hef letting me know I was being put on a guest list to come/go .. I couldn't believe that such an iconic man took the time to write to little old me.. but that just shows how kind he was! (I have always cherished that letter & always will..perhaps I'll frame it) anyway I packed my bags to spend summer'13 out in LA & of course took up the guest list offer & spent most of my summer visiting the mansion along with my best friend at the time. We had the most amazing summer & I grew a self belief that I could be anything I wanted to be..after all how was I here? we lay by the pool by day, watched movies in the evenings, ate fantastic food, played with the animals, watched the fireworks on 4th of July and attended mid summers nights dream.. to this day some of the nicest people I've ever met was at the playboy mansion-the staff, the girls & Hef with his wonderful hospitality. Finally in 2015, now living in LA & visa in hand, I had the opportunity to test as a playboy playmate .. again little old me from Athenry😵🍀 testing at the playboy studios in Beverly Hills with one of the top playboy photographers.. I couldn't believe it! unfortunately my test was for 2016 when the mag went a more high fashion non-nude route and that's where my playboy dreams came to an end but the encouragement Playboy gave me will stick with me forever!🐰 it's been awhile since I last saw Hef in person but I feel I have a lot to thank him for.. for giving me the confidence in myself to move to LA & pursue my dreams, for the opportunities & the friendships✨ #riphef ✨

A post shared by Shahira (@shahirabarry) on Sep 27, 2017 at 9:23pm PDT 

I feel that I covered most of what I had to say in my instagram post but I just wanted to include a little tribute here on my blog. I was asked to chat about my experience with Playboy and meeting Hef on the Ryan Tubridy show on RTE Radio 1 and I took the call last night for a pre-recorded interview however unfortunately the line was too bad (thank you Sprint!lol). Anyway I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience! and I feel blessed that I had that opportunity in the years just before the end of an era.

It makes me sad to read negative comments online from people who never had an opportunity to meet Hef or indeed have anything to do with Playboy.. to those people I say perception and reality are two completely different things: you shouldn't judge something or conclude upon something you didn't experience or get to see with your own eyes.

The playboy mansion itself is a beautiful property. Yes it may be a little out-dated interior wise but that is what gives it it's quirky edge and that is what reflects the personality of the man that owned it - the legendary Hugh Hefner - to me that is what makes it one of the most untouched special places in LA!

As for Hef himself - he always came across as a very friendly, sweet and caring man to me. A man with the most amazing hospitality! I always described my visits to the mansion as a relaxing spa or trip.. he opened his doors to some lucky people and wanted them to experience this amazing life he had built. The staff were so warm and attentive and would bring you almost any food/drink you requested. As a guest you really were treated very well! In the evenings there was a full buffet followed by movie screenings and I will always remember Hef's cute voice shouting happily with an almost child-like excitement "It's Movieee Timeee!" before each screening. Friday's and Saturday's were older movies but on Sunday's there would be a screening of a new release.. I remember sitting in the theatre room on bean bags as Hef and his wife crystal sat directly behind me and my girlfriends and every now and then I would hear him comment or laugh at the movie.. each time I felt like pinching myself.. how am I here.. this is bizarre.. I grew up watching The Girls Next Door on E! and now I'm sitting here watching this movie.. I felt the same sitting on the lawn, again in front of Hef, on 4th of July watching the fireworks.. it felt like this amazing American dream.. and oh how it was!!

While the Irish media speculated on whether or not I would ever pose for Playboy and I went back and forth myself-when I finally got my visa, what I didn't talk about until now was that, I did get the opportunity to test as a Playmate in approx March/April 2015. Only my family knew of this shoot and I decided to keep it to myself as it had already been talked about in the press since my initial visit in 2012 and I didn't want to put any added pressure on myself. The shoot took place at the Beverly Hills Playboy Studios with a senior playboy photographer. I was very nervous on the day as I had never posed nude and I questioned myself on whether or not my body was good enough - I had real boobs! I was also very lean at the time and had recently come off birth control so they were smaller than normal and this was a big insecurity of mine!
The environment itself was extremely professional - I had my makeup and hair done and was styled with accessories and shoes. The professionalism of the team did make me feel more comfortable and I was happy that I went for it! However I was told that the 2015 spots were full and that this shoot was a test for consideration for 2016. Sadly January 2016 was the last nude playboy magazine and the brand had a re-launch and went a more high fashion route.. I'm 5'6 and curvy so I'm not a "high fashion" model therefore it left my nude test shoot to kind of just fall by the wayside and that was that. I don't know if I would have made it as a playmate or not but I am grateful that they believed in me enough to give me a shot and gave up their day to shoot with me, that must count for something! Thinking back it does make me a little upset because to this day it was one of the biggest opportunities to have come my way and in a way it was a long time coming with all the talk in the Irish press since 2012 to my actual test in 2015. It was a big build up.. but I feel like it was simply the wrong timing and I missed that shot by a hairs breath!
However, I do remember the photographer saying to me that the playmate at the time who was very likely to become Playmate of the Year (and she did) Dani Mathers was 27/28years old and that I was still quite young.. While I do feel it was a missed opportunity I also feel that I was indeed quite young and still very shy. I believe I would be able to handle something like that a lot more now that I am not as new to LA and have my barrings on who I am as a person, I've grown up a lot.. I don't know what route Playboy will take now that Hef has passed and now that Cooper will be officially taking over but I guess never say never because you don't know what the future holds!

I feel like the whole experience came into my life to open my eyes to the possibilities of life and to what you can make it if you dedicate yourself and work hard! Growing up my family and I always struggled with money - I was raised by a very hard working single mum who encouraged me and gave me the best that she could but financially there was never a time when we didn't struggle. While mansion and yacht hopping is taken for granted in LA and almost a part of normality for many it is a million miles away from my home town of Galway and the way in which I grew up. I am so thankful for my upbringing and no I haven't made all my millions yet, lol, but even to get to experience that life and at a young age & see "how the other half live" so to speak, truly encouraged me to aim HIGH with my own life and my own ambitions.. the sky is the limit! Your current situation doesn't have to reflect your future situation! Hef started Playboy magazine on a $8,000 loan and a single idea and he built it into a multi-million-dollar empire! That is inspirational and should be admired! it most certainly is by me!

I don't think Hef's funeral plans have been announced as yet but I have always heard that he owns the plot beside Marilyn Monroe at the Pierce Brothers Memorial Park just a block or two away from me in Westwood.

I have emailed Hef's secretary to send my condolences and I'd like to say it again here - my heart breaks at the end of a era. Hef meant so much to so many! and touched many different lives in many different ways! he even had a big impact on this little Irish girl! I send my deepest condolences to everyone close to Hef: his wife Crystal, his children and family, his friends and his staff both at the mansion and a part of the Playboy team. May his legacy live on forever!

Lots of Love, 

Shahira xo 

I've started waist training and using a sweat belt

Hi everyone! 

So over the past couple of years I've heard the buzz words 'waist trainer' a lottt with regards to getting in good shape (literally) and adding it to your fitness regime. Waist trainers can be seen all over instagram and social media and it's largely due to celebrities who are fans of waist training such as the Kardashian/Jenner girls, Amber Rose and Snookie (to name a few) who are all known for having incredible bodies with curves! an hour-glass figure is definitely sort-after by many!

I had a number of girls message me asking if I have ever waist trained. Honestly I had zero knowledge or experience with the concept so I decided to research it and ultimately decided to give it a go! 

Here's what I know so far

Waist trainers are said to...

• Reduce Back Pain 
• Improve Posture 
• Reduce Bloating 
• and Aid Weight Loss 

I see waist training not as a replacement to a healthy diet or exercise but as an aid to your healthy lifestyle and fitness routine!

My experience so far

I feel like I can definitely vouch for the reducing back pain and improving posture claims as I often work very long hours on set.

A while ago I was on set of a film for two long back to back days (12hrs) at the same location, with the same set-ups and approx same length of down time/standing/sitting etc... on day 1 I didn't have my waist trainer on and I experienced lower back pain after a couple of hours - This is often a problem for me! The following day I decided to wear my w.trainer to set! I didn't have any high hopes as such with regards to back pain and I had truly decided to wear it simply for fitness and shaping reasons... However to my absolute pleasant surprise I didn't suffer with any back pain that day and I also noticed that my posture was greatly improved and that I was sitting and standing up a lot straighter! It was a 12 hour set day so it could be assumed (I assumed, lol) that I would have some discomfort by wearing a waist trainer but in fact I feel it made me a lot more comfortable, took a way my pain and totally intrigued me to keep using it! It's worth saying that my w.trainer is a flexi trainer so it is stretchy and not as grooling as some of the other models I've seen online. 

If you work at a job where you are standing or sitting all day a waist trainer may actually help you, like it has me, with back pain and posture.

 I also love the shape that a waist trainer gives my body! I choose a beige/skin coloured trainer so I could wear it under a dress/clothes if I want to :)

When I was a teen my belly/back/sides area never gained weight - if I was to hold weight it was on my legs but since I've gotten a little older I've noticed that the sides of my stomach have started to hold weight more than they ever used to! and it's a common problem for girls to wake up looking great but feel bloated and chubby by the end of the day. Wearing a waist trainer persistently for a couple of weeks is said to create a more toned and tighter looking stomach region - who doesn't want that? I wore my trainer for 6 weeks straight for a few hours every day and I have seen great results! A couple of my girlfriends have even been encouraged to pick one up for themselves!  

 The different types of trainers available 

1. Day To Day: The Day to Day trainer is more elasticated, very safe and stretches to mould with your body for daily wear although still tight enough to constrain the waist region to achieve your desired results. (this is what I have) 
2. Latex: The Latex Trainer is stronger, thicker and sturdier, better for cardio or daily if you do not need to bend over or move around too much during the day as it restricts your movement more than the Day to Day. Latex is recommended for fuller ladies as it offers more support. 

I got mine from waisttrainerfitness.com

A waist trainer is not the only thing I've been trying out! I've also teamed my waist trainer regime with a sweat belt! 

I like to check out the fitness section of Ross from time to time because it's half price for some great equipment! I got my kettle bell, skipping rope and yoga mat all from Ross! (no shame) and it was there where I was browsing and found a sweat belt! (only $6 may I add).
Some people like to wear their waist trainer when they workout but I don't like the idea of this because it would quickly become sweaty and smelly and they're not cheap. Therefore the idea of a sweat belt intrigued me!
A sweat belt works, similar to a sauna suit, by making you sweat in that area and therefore aiding inch loss. There are many for and against arguments when it comes to sweat belts and indeed waist trainers - some say they work some say they do not.
I find that sweat belts are great for immediate results ie. loosing water weight. This can be great for your confidence if you have an extra tight dress or special occasion that day. However it is said that this weight will go back on and also that a sweat belt can actually stop your abs mobility and therefore prevent that tone. So what I do is I only use it for an extra sweat during my cardio - then when it's time to strength train or target my abs I take it off!

I personally feel that adding both the sweat belt and waist trainer to my fitness regime has helped me a lot - and my abs are starting to re-appear after a period of hibernation!

I am not a fitness/health expert I can only tell you about my experience so as with anything do your own re-search and proceed with caution :)

Follow me on Instagram @ShahiraBarry to keep up with my  pics and progress :) 

Lots of Love, 

Shahira Xo