Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Pretty in Pink
I think I have a February hangover. I have been obsessed with pink lately. Something about the first signs of Spring make me want to dress like an Easter egg. Nobody does pink better than Kate Spade and Lilly Pulitzer. Have a great Monday!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara and Chubby Sticks- A Review
Happy Thursday! One day closer to the weekend! And 9 days closer to a vacation for me!
Today I have two products to review:
First up: Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
I actually kind of thought this was a dumb idea at first. I mean why do I need a separate mascara for my bottom lashes? Well, it turns out this is a genius concept. I know Clinique is not the first to do this, but it's the first one I've bought so it's all new to me. I really like this. The wand in teeny tiny so you can really get your bottom lashes coated. The formula is pretty good. It stays on all day. I did notice when I applied a little to much one day I ended up with a few flakes by mid afternoon. But overall I like it. I give it a 4 out of 5. It costs $10.00.
Next up: Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Balm
This is a lip balm stick that's loaded with mango and Shea butter to moisturize and give a sheer wash of color. I bought the Whole Lotta Honey which is more of a nude color. I'm still on the fence about this product. I like the idea and the ease of it, but to be honest it kind of dries my lips out a little which defeats the purpose. I have found that I'm applying another clear balm over it to keep my lips from looking like a lizard. I'm wondering if I got a bad one and if I need to try one more before I totally knock it. I do like that you don't need a sharpener for it though. I don't want to rate this one just yet until I try another one. But bottom line, love the color and concept of it, just wish it was a little more moisturizing.
Anywho, that's all I have for today folks. Not much else going on in my life right now besides wedding planning and job searching. (boo to the latter!) Have a good day ya'll!
Today I have two products to review:
First up: Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
Next up: Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Balm
Anywho, that's all I have for today folks. Not much else going on in my life right now besides wedding planning and job searching. (boo to the latter!) Have a good day ya'll!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
A Quick Thank You
Thank you to those who emailed me and commented on my Grrr! post last week. You have no idea how much your words of encouragement help me out and I love ya'll for that. I'm hoping my life will calm down soon and I can be a better blogger and be better about responding to your comments. But just know that they do mean a lot to me and once again thank you!!
My Top Ten Health and Fitness Tips
With swimsuit season looming ahead, I've noticed a lot of my friends talking about their "diets" on facebook. This has gotten me thinking about the common nutrition mistakes people often make when trying to lose weight. My area of emphasis for my degree is nutrition so I spent a large portion of college doing case studies on people ranging from morbidly obese to those trying to lose the last of the baby weight. Here are my top ten tips for a healthy lifestyle:
1. Decide that this will be a lifestyle change. It's not just about losing weight, it's about having a healthy heart, feeling strong and energetic, reducing your risk for Type II diabetes, and being in tune with your body.
2. "Diet" food is not always good for you. Check the nutrition label. Most likely it will be loaded with sodium and/or sugar. Eat "real" food. When you're in the grocery store, shop the outer walls. These are the walls that have the produce and un-processed food. Most things in the middle aisles of the store are junk.
3. With this in mind, not all organic food is low calorie or low sodium either. Just because it has the word organic stamped on the box does not necessarily mean it's a smart choice. Do your research and always read the nutrition and ingredient labels.
4. Eat at home as often as you can. When you make your meals at home, you have more control over what goes in to your food. Restaurants load their food with butter and salt.
5. Make smart substitutions. I have heard a few of my friends talking about coke cakes. Basically it's where you take cake mix, stir in diet coke, and bake. This is an example of a bad substitution. Instead try this: When baking brownies, use all of the regular ingredients and just switch out the oil for applesauce. I promise you won't taste the applesauce and it cuts down on calories and fat. But to be honest, just have the real thing every now and then. If you control your portions and don't eat a pan of brownies every night you will be fine!
6. Sodas are poison. No really. If you are only going to make one change to your diet, cutting cokes out is it. And yes, diet sodas are also equally as bad. I mainly drink unsweet tea and water. I keep things like sliced lemons, mint leaves, and sliced cucumbers handy to add to my water or tea when I need a flavor kick.
7. When it comes to working out, there is such a thing as working out to much. I have a facebook friend who always posts about being on her second or third workout for the day. A) I don't know who has that much extra time on their hands, but B) Your body needs time to recover from workouts. You need to let your muscles heal and let your body rest. Also don't forget to stretch after your workouts. Flexibility is a big part of fitness. You want your body to still be agile as you age. Always end your workout with stretching or some yoga poses.
8. A multi-vitamin is not going to cut it. Aim to get your vitamins from food sources. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies throughout your day. If you are going to take a supplement, take an omega 3 like fish oil or flax seed oil. This will help keep your heart healthy and your skin looking beautiful. I prefer flax seed oil because fish oil left a weird aftertaste for me and I always worry about mercury content.
9. Get enough sleep. Studies show, we need 7-9 hours a night. I know that is really hard for most women especially if you have children. I am so guilty of not getting enough sleep sometimes and it shows not just under my eyes, but how my brain works throughout the day. I personally have a hard time turning my brain off at night and can't quit thinking about work, the wedding, or my growing to do list. I sometimes take a melatonin supplement to help me fall asleep faster and actually stay asleep. It's natural and non habit forming. It's definitely worth researching if you have sleep issues.
10. And last but not least, love your body. God only gave you one so take care of it. Don't abuse it by eating junk, smoking, or yo yo dieting. Simply eat a healthy diet of "real" foods, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and for crying out loud quit drinking cokes! And always remember that no two bodies are the same.
I hope someone finds something helpful from this! I am by no means saying that I have all the answers here but I just think it's important to start focusing on healthy lifestyles and not fad diets.
Happy Wednesday night lovelies!
1. Decide that this will be a lifestyle change. It's not just about losing weight, it's about having a healthy heart, feeling strong and energetic, reducing your risk for Type II diabetes, and being in tune with your body.
2. "Diet" food is not always good for you. Check the nutrition label. Most likely it will be loaded with sodium and/or sugar. Eat "real" food. When you're in the grocery store, shop the outer walls. These are the walls that have the produce and un-processed food. Most things in the middle aisles of the store are junk.
3. With this in mind, not all organic food is low calorie or low sodium either. Just because it has the word organic stamped on the box does not necessarily mean it's a smart choice. Do your research and always read the nutrition and ingredient labels.
4. Eat at home as often as you can. When you make your meals at home, you have more control over what goes in to your food. Restaurants load their food with butter and salt.
5. Make smart substitutions. I have heard a few of my friends talking about coke cakes. Basically it's where you take cake mix, stir in diet coke, and bake. This is an example of a bad substitution. Instead try this: When baking brownies, use all of the regular ingredients and just switch out the oil for applesauce. I promise you won't taste the applesauce and it cuts down on calories and fat. But to be honest, just have the real thing every now and then. If you control your portions and don't eat a pan of brownies every night you will be fine!
6. Sodas are poison. No really. If you are only going to make one change to your diet, cutting cokes out is it. And yes, diet sodas are also equally as bad. I mainly drink unsweet tea and water. I keep things like sliced lemons, mint leaves, and sliced cucumbers handy to add to my water or tea when I need a flavor kick.
7. When it comes to working out, there is such a thing as working out to much. I have a facebook friend who always posts about being on her second or third workout for the day. A) I don't know who has that much extra time on their hands, but B) Your body needs time to recover from workouts. You need to let your muscles heal and let your body rest. Also don't forget to stretch after your workouts. Flexibility is a big part of fitness. You want your body to still be agile as you age. Always end your workout with stretching or some yoga poses.
8. A multi-vitamin is not going to cut it. Aim to get your vitamins from food sources. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies throughout your day. If you are going to take a supplement, take an omega 3 like fish oil or flax seed oil. This will help keep your heart healthy and your skin looking beautiful. I prefer flax seed oil because fish oil left a weird aftertaste for me and I always worry about mercury content.
9. Get enough sleep. Studies show, we need 7-9 hours a night. I know that is really hard for most women especially if you have children. I am so guilty of not getting enough sleep sometimes and it shows not just under my eyes, but how my brain works throughout the day. I personally have a hard time turning my brain off at night and can't quit thinking about work, the wedding, or my growing to do list. I sometimes take a melatonin supplement to help me fall asleep faster and actually stay asleep. It's natural and non habit forming. It's definitely worth researching if you have sleep issues.
10. And last but not least, love your body. God only gave you one so take care of it. Don't abuse it by eating junk, smoking, or yo yo dieting. Simply eat a healthy diet of "real" foods, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and for crying out loud quit drinking cokes! And always remember that no two bodies are the same.
I hope someone finds something helpful from this! I am by no means saying that I have all the answers here but I just think it's important to start focusing on healthy lifestyles and not fad diets.
Happy Wednesday night lovelies!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
