Oh Charlie

I'm sure by now everyone knows that the beautiful & talented Charlie Hunnam is no longer playing Christian Grey in 50 Shades. Boo. I'm sad about this but if I had to choose to see Charlie in SOA or 50 Shades, well SOA wins every time. The show wouldn't be what it is without Jax Teller. If you don't watch the show then you just don't get it & well...I feel kind of sad for you.

Anyway, Jamie Dornan has taken Charlie's spot.  He's really cute, there's no argue there.  But as long as he can live up to the hype, he's good. All I know is that he's married & expecting a baby.

Ok so he's pretty smoking hot but honestly, it looks like a different person in each photo!  However I've chosen to get over it.

Yesterday morning I did the Level 2 of my new yoga DVD. It was hard, challenging & I was beyond happy that it was only 30 minutes. The workouts aren't as zen as Body by Bethenny but I do like them. It's a nice switch each day.

I got my October Birchbox a few weeks ago. This was a good one. Here's what I've used so far & what I think.

Stainiac Lip & Cheek Stain - I've only used this on my lips & like it but it doesn't last as long as I'd like. I put quite a bit on & let it dry, then put a little bit of gloss over it. The stain lasts longer than a lip gloss does but you still need to reapply it. I've never been one to wear any flashy color on my lips but this is the perfect amount & it's making me realize I like lip color! I'm more of a gloss & chapstick kind of girl but I'm starting to enjoy the color.

DDF Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer - This is pretty great. So far, I'm using it on my nose, forehead & chin & really like it. A little goes a long way & you don't need much. I checked out the retail value & a normal size bottle is around $80. That's a bit pricey. I'll shop around & try to find it cheaper but if not, I won't be buying this one.

Chap Stick Hydration Lock 8 Hr - ok this doesn't last for 8 hours. It's very moisturizing & soothing but I apply it maybe 2-3 times throughout the day. It's a good chapstick to keep in your purse or at your desk.

Atelier Cologne (Orange Sanguine) - Love the smell. It's very light & fresh with an orange citrus smell.

I'm not too excited about that hair thing.  My hair is short so it serves no purpose.

There you have it! I hope everyone has a great weekend. I have some fun events planned that I'll be blogging about next week!

Fergie, Food & Jewels

I thought I'd start this post off with a cute picture of Fergie. She got a new bed last week & loves it as you can tell. She has beds in almost every room except the workout room. I think this is her new fav though. Can't you tell?

I got a new yoga DVD & I really like it. It's a Jillian Michaels workout & it has two 30-minute yoga sessions on it. I was getting tired of my other yoga routine so I'll mix all 3 of these during the week. I tried Level 1 Monday morning. It's good, more of a cardio workout. You move through the poses a little faster so you aren't holding as long & your heart rate stays up but not so much that you're out of breath. It's only 30 minutes & is a nice addition to my yoga practice. I'll review Level 2 tomorrow. I think it might be a little harder.

I changed up my dinner Monday night. We had lunch catered at work from On the Border so I brought Husband home fajita chicken & veggies & tortillas. I decided to have some burritos instead of salad. I used the same amount of toppings as I do on my salads, I just evenly distributed to 3 burritos. Minus the lettuce b/c they were small & I ran out of room! They were delish! I love fresh tortillas.

Last week I received my new Baublebar purchase & I love it! I originally had another necklace in my shopping bag but by the time I went to checkout later in the evening, it was sold out. Everyone else must have my good taste. So I opted for this one & it's perfect. I'm crushing on rose gold right now & this piece is very delicate & would go great with another longer necklace. I have a $10 coupon to use & I have a few necklaces in mind. I would like a yellow or orange bib-type necklace so I've been searching on the website.

Have a great day!

Weekend Recap

How was your weekend?  If you live in the DFW area then Saturday night was filled with rain I'm sure. 

Friday night after work, Husband & I met my parents, brother & his girlfriend at Rusty Taco in Denton.  We've been here once before but it was in the summertime & we didn't get to enjoy the nice patio they have.  This time, we all sat outside.  It was a perfect cool night & we had a great time.  After dinner we couldn't resist walking down to Beth Marie's for some dessert.  I had a scoop of Sue's Snickers & Cupcake in a cake cone.  It was heaven.  I wouldn't have taken a picture but devoured it before I could get my phone out.

Our weekend was non stop busy so we went grocery shopping Friday after dinner to get it over with.  It wasn't that eventful.

Saturday I woke up feeling good.  I ate breakfast & took Fergie on a long walk.  Then I went for a run.  I was physically in the mood for a run but not mentally.  However I ended up having an awesome run.  My goal was 5 miles & I made it 5 1/2.   About 1 mile into it, I started to feel warm & flexible.   It felt great outside & was overcast so it was the perfect weather.

After I got done, I cleaned the house, did laundry and had a protein bar for a snack.  We had plans to take Fergie to a Halloween event in Highland Village around 3. They were having a puppy costume contest, games & safe trick or treating for kids in all the shops.   But right before we were ready to leave, it started raining so we left her at home.  We met up with our friends & their 2 girls.  There were lots of dogs in cute costumes.  It was really fun.

Princesses

This scarecrow was scary, he freaked me out

We had a Halloween party to go to so we ran some errands & then headed home to start getting ready.  This is when the rain storm began.  It was terrible!  I know we needed the rain but did it really have to happen when we're ready to leave?!  Our party was fun.  I went as a honey bee & Husband was dressed in 80's workout gear.  My costume lasted all of an hour.  It was itchy & uncomfortable & I was freezing so I ended up in a t-shirt & sweat pants, the perfect pajama costume!  We had a blast, maybe too much because we didn't leave until 3am.  I don't know how that happened.  My normal bedtime is 9 so it's a mystery how I lasted that long. 

My alarm was set for 7am Sunday morning.  It went off.  I didn't get up.  I ended up sleeping in until 8:30 & finally dragged my butt out of bed & took care of Ferg.  Then my butt made it's way back to the couch where I may have dozed off.  I wasn't feeling good, it could have been a combo of sleep deprivation & a mini hangover.  Eventually I got up & did my food prep.  We had friends coming over around 2pm so I was able to get a 45 minute cardio workout in & a brisk long walk with Fergie.

One of our friends was in town & we all try to get together when she visits.  It was a fun relaxing afternoon filled with good food & laughter.  And another friend brought her dog Luke, he is so precious.  Fergie will stay in the closet when we have friends over but Luke kept going in there to check on her & I spotted them laying together too.   Everyone left around 5 & we cleaned up then got comfy for the night.  I was grazing the food all day & wasn't super hungry.  Dinner was an apple, banana & egg whites.

Precious Luke!

Then I painted my nails.  This is one of my favorite colors.  It goes with any outfit.

Then it was bed time.  I think I lasted maybe 30 minutes watching TV in bed before I passed out.  I was exhausted.  Next weekend should be a little more relaxed!

Workin On My Fitness

When I was in Vegas, I was surrounded by lots of fitness pros & models in great shape with rock hard bodies.  I felt like a powder puff.  I mean I work out & eat healthy, but this took it to a whole other level.  So when I got back, I decided to change things up with my workouts & eating.  Talked about my new eating habits yesterday so today is all about fitness. 

I love working out in the mornings because it gets me off to a great start & keeps me feeling good throughout the day.  But my efforts to really push myself were starting to fade.  I was more exhausted each day and thought I needed a change.  I didn't want to totally skip morning exercise but wanted something that wasn't so intense after jumping out of bed.  It thought I'd give my yoga routine a try in the mornings & then workout again after I get home from work.  Yoga is hard & strenuous but in a different way.  It's calming, very zen & I definitely work up a sweat but it eases into the hard stuff.  And it's only a 40 minute workout so I get to sleep in a bit.  So far (minus my sick week) it's been working out great this way.  I feel really stretched & strong after the workout in the morning.  I got tons of energy drink samples so I've been having those after I get home from work to get pumped up for the afternoon workout.

Ok now on to some new workouts.  I'm working on toning up my shoulders so I'm working them out twice a week.  Also, I switched out Core for Plyo (P90X).  I've never been a fan of plyo since it's all about jumping & my knees always seem to get really sore after the workout.  But I wanted to try it & it's been a long time since I've done the workout.  Well I love it now.  I focus a lot on my form while doing the exercises.  It's like adding in an extra leg workout for the week, so good.  Also, last week I wanted to get a leg workout in before the run so on Thursday, I did legs.  I like getting all my strength training done during the week.  It leaves me more time on the weekends to focus on my running, yoga & walking Ferg a lot.  I'm still doing abs twice a week.  One routine is part of my power yoga I usually do on Sundays that pretty much kills me.  The other is a new routine I found on Instagram from someone I follow & it's really hard.  My abs were feeling it the next day.

Strength Training Circuit #1

Set 1

• 1-arm chest press on bosu ball
• chin ups
• shoulder shrugs

Set 2

• decline push ups (prop feet or knees up on a chair)
• supermans (5 sets holding for 10 seconds)
• deep swimmer press (bicep curl into shoulder press, reverse curl)

Set 3

• regular push ups
• chin up/pull up (switching every 2 reps)
• in & out shoulder flys

Bonus Set

• military push ups
• pull ups
• upside down shoulder press (in downward dog position)

Strength Training Circuit #2

Set 1

• standing tricep extentions
• in & out bicep curls
• shoulder shrugs

Set 2

• chair dips
• bicep curls
• deep swimmer press

Set 3

• tricep kickbacks
• hammer curls
• in & out shoulder flys

Bonus Set

• front & back extensions
• concentration curls
• upside down shoulder press

For both circuit workouts, I repeat each set 2x, one right after the next with 25 jumping jacks in between.  Then, after the bonus round, I go through one more round of each set (not repeating 2x) & then one more bonus round.  Really makes my muscles burn.

The P90X Plyometrics workout is basically 5 rounds of different moves.  Each round is 3 moves for 30 seconds then a 4th move for 1 minute.  Repeat it all 2 times.  There's just a short break in between each round for 30-45 seconds.  At the end there's a bonus round.  You're heart rate is totally racing through this whole thing.  Major fat burner & leg toner. It's really hard but in that good way! 

Here's the new ab routine.  I did 2 rounds the last time.  My goal is to get to 3.  I use this routine after my leg workouts on Thursday.

So that's what I've been doing since back from vacation.  I'm liking my new workout schedule.  It has been challenging on some days to stay motivated to workout once I get home.  But this week I started to see some change in my body & that gave me a good boost.  I've ordered another yoga DVD to add in my morning mix.  And if I get bored with plyo or just want a change for that week, I have some other options.  Kenpo is a great cardio routine & P90X2 has a plyo routine that I like.  I get bored really easily so I'm trying to change things up every 2-3 weeks to keep my muscles guessing.

All About Food

I have to apologize because I've been neglecting my readers on new fitness & food things going on in my life.  When I got back from Vegas I posted that I am sadly no longer following a vegan diet.  I know I failed but I put in great effort, I promise.  It was just too hard for someone like me to follow & practice.  If I have more time to cook & really experiment, maybe I'll give it another go in the future.  But for now, I am a carnivore (I don't like that word).  I am choosing to eat organic cage free eggs & chicken.  I fell better about that.  Since my post would be super long if I posted about food & fitness, I'm going to start today's post with my diet & what I've been munching on the past few weeks.   

Ok, so as far as my diet goes, I've been eating 6 times a day which is about every 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  That may sound like a dream & that's what I thought at first but it's hard.  The only meal I'm ever hungry for is breakfast.  The rest of the day, I just eat to fuel my body.  In a way that is a good thing.  I never over eat & don't seem to have cravings like I used to since I don't let myself get hungry.  I think the biggest tip for eating as often as this is portion size.  Take the time to measure your food.  I get the majority of my food prep done on Sundays so everything is ready for me when I need it.  And when I'm making my salads listed below, I'm very careful about measuring all my ingredients.  Salads can be unhealthy if you don't make them the right way.  And I have found that out in the past. 

I keep my portions small but filling & try to get at least 20 grams of protein for my main meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) & 10 grams for my in between meals.  This is a general day of food for me:

Meal #1 (Yogurt Parfait - 20+ grams)

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup Kashi cereal
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 1 cup blueberries (or other frozen fruit)

Yogurt Parfait - it might look strange but it's super yummy!

Meal #2 (20 grams)

• Cliff Builder protein bar

Meal #3 (12 grams)

• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese

Cottage Cheese

Meal #4 (Salad - 20+ grams)

• 2 cups spinach & kale
• 1/2 cup chicken breast
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 cup low sugar craisins
• 2 tbsp dressing

Lunch Salad

Meal #5 (18+ grams)
3 hard boiled eggs whites or a protein shake made w/ mix & skim milk

Meal #6 (I have 2 options for dinner)
Option #1 (Salad - 20+ grams)

• 2 cups spinach & kale
• 1/2 cup chicken breast
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• red wine vinegar
• sprinkle of seasoning salt

Option #2 (Fruit & Protein mix - 18+ grams)

• 3 hard boiled egg whites
• 1 apple with 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter
• 1 banana

I try to mix up my dinner so I don't get bored with salad since it's my main meal.  Eventually I might experiment with some other dinner choices.  Since cold weather season is approaching, I'm sure the crock pot will be used quite a bit.  But my lunch is mainly salad because it's filling yet doesn't leave me with that nasty bloated feeling of over eating.  Also, I'm trying to increase my protein intake to at least equal my body weight in grams.  I weigh about 130 but for now I'm taking in about 110 grams of protein.  That's pretty good for me because protein is so filling & it's hard to eat more of it.  I'm slowly increasing the amount of chicken I eat & if I feel like I need some extra fuel, I'll eat some egg whites.  Hard boiled eggs are one of staples for food prep on Sundays.  I make 2 dozen so I have extra & egg whites are super clean protein.  Doesn't get much better than that!

Well that's what I'm eating.  It's not too interesting or creative but I like simple & clean foods that are easy to prepare.  Since I take the majority of the food with me to work, it's nice to have things that are quick & easy.

Tomorrow's post will be all about fitness & my new workouts!

Tails n' Trails 5K

This weekend on Saturday morning was the annual Tails n Trails 5K run supporting the Denton Humane Society.  This is now the 3rd year Husband & I have participated.  I think this was the first time that we had really good weather.  It was chilly last year in the morning but this year was the best.  I was a little nervous about running because I've been so sick & have only done 2 long distance runs outside since the beginning of this month.  And it's always hard for me to get my breathing flowing when it's so cold out.  So I planned on taking a slower pace than I normally would.

We arrived around 7:30am to pick up our packets & then got back in the car to warm up a bit more before the run.  The 10K started at 8am & ours started at 8:15am.  Not only is this placed filled with dogs but most of them are in costumes which makes them even more cute to look at.

A little after our start time we were off.  It was really cold.  So cold my hands & feet became numb while waiting for the horn to go off.  It's always a cluster starting a race because everyone is so jammed up & there were runners with dogs mixed in.  But once we found our pace, it was smooth sailing.  The course got changed up this year & I liked it so much better.  There were more hills but they didn't last nearly as long as they used to.  Husband & I usually start together & then end up going at our own speeds once we find our rhythm.

I ended up having probably one of the best 3 mile runs I've ever had.  I started out strong & was able to keep a steady pace the whole time.  The hills actually helped since they were short so I kind of just let myself comfortably sprint downhill.  The last 1/2 mile I was running next to a really nice girl & she totally kept me motivated.  Every time I would fall back behind her, she encouraged me to keep her pace & before I knew it we were flying through the finish line together.  I always pick up my pace to a sprint at the end of a race when I have an idea how close I am to the finish line.  But she really pushed me hard & I was so grateful for that.

The run was fantastic & I don't know what my time was yet but even if it wasn't as fast as I normally run, it felt wonderful & I was proud of myself.

Afterwards, we chugged water & ate granola bars & fruit while taking in all the adorableness of dogs everywhere.  I'm the weirdo who will walk up to every dog & hug them & kiss all up in their faces.   Of course I carefully introduce myself & always ask if I can pet a dog.  I'm not that person who doesn't care.  But dogs can totally sense if you like them & it's pretty obvious that I more than like them.

There were tons of vendors also.

I love this run & already am looking forward to next year!   

Product Review: Clarisonic Mia

I haven't done a product review in a while so how about one!

A little over a month ago I was stoked because in one day I got my Birchbox, my Clarisonic & a new yoga DVD & blogged about it.  I kept the Clarisonic a secret.  I wanted to use it for at least a month before giving my opinion.  Well I've been using it for 5 weeks now & I can honestly say this product has changed my skin in the best way possible.

To start, I've made it clear how sensitive my skin is & it freaks out at change.  Like any change.  I can itch my cheek & have a huge red welt leftover.  Yeah, it's really fun to be me.  I did tons of research about the Mia & read oodles & oodles of reviews.  I only found 2 negative reviews & only 1 complaining that it caused bad breakouts.  So I decided to splurge & order it online.  I actually got a great deal & ordered from a website called lovelyskin where I get lots of my expensive beauty products.  This site always has some sort of sale going on, free shipping & you get a bunch of samples with every order.  Retail price for the Mia is around $125 & I snagged mine for $96.  Go me.  I also made sure to get in contact with the retail website to ensure a 100% money back guarantee if I didn't like the product.  No problem, you have 90 days for a full refund, no questions asked.  I also ordered a different brush than what it came with.  It comes standard with a sensitive brush & I also ordered the delicate.  Better safe than sorry.

Mia

Delicate Brush Head

Sensitive Brush Head

Ok, lots of reviews I read raved how once the Mia was used their skin was so soft & clear & they couldn't believe what a difference it made...blah blah blah.  I can only think these people must have never had a facial, never used any expensive skin care product & never ever exfoliated.  My first initial reaction after the first use was "wow this really made my skin feel clean" but I can't say I noticed an overnight change or miracle.  In fact, the first 2 weeks of using (I only use it at night) my face did break out.  Not massive volcanoes that usually erupt but it broke out randomly.  However the spots cleared up quickly & stayed small.  I expected this kind of reaction.  Different reviews described a "purging phase" for the first few weeks.  Ever use a Sonicare toothbrush?  Well it vibrates like a million times per second to give that feeling.  Maybe not that fast but really fast that you can't tell it's moving.  Same thing with the Mia.  So my description is that it vibrates all the crap that is deep deep down in your pores & pushes it to the surface of the face.  Now most of that dirt & crap gets rinsed away when you rinse with water but obvi not all of it.  And that might cause some breakouts aka...the purge.

I think around week 3 is when I had my "OMG" moment.  Let me explain.  I had really clogged pores to the point I could touch my face & feel all the tiny little clogged pores.  It felt like mini bumps all over my face & if you got close enough (which I am always inspecting my face in the mirror) you could see how clogged my pores were.  And I'm confident that's why I would breakout so bad, I just couldn't get my pores clean enough.  Back to my moment, I'm in the shower (that's the easiest way to use the Mia or you might get face wash everywhere) and I just used it.  I'm rinsing my face...& I suddenly realize my face feels smooth.  Not like freshly exfoliated smooth, like "um my pores aren't clogged anymore" smooth.  Hyperventilating I got out & got as close to the mirror as I could.  And yes, my pores were clear.  My skin was smooth.  I was in shock.  I've tried so many things to get this result.  Microdermabrasion, IPL, daily exfoliating, chemical peels, laser resurfacing (don't even get me started on that fiasco), etc. You name it, I've probably tried it.  Needless to say, I was beyond excited.

Another perk of using the Mia, because it provides such an intense deep clean, my other products are really working.  My toner, moisturizer and even eye cream.  It's amazing & I don't look in the mirror & hate my face anymore.  My face is still really red after getting out of the shower & pretty blotchy but I just put on my moisturizer, walk away for about 30 minutes & come back & literally it's calmed down.  I'm still in shock sometimes when I stare in the mirror & have no makeup on at all.  Oh yeah, I also notice that my powder goes on nicely & doesn't look gungy as the day goes on.  I still have some discoloration from really bad breakouts but those marks are slowly fading.  Overall I'm so impressed with this wonderful gem.  I really thought it was too good to be true & couldn't have been more wrong.   

The Clarisonic Mia was TOTALLY worth the money I paid & even worth the full price.  My skin is so much better and really doesn't break out that much anymore.  I still get some flare ups around my chin & jawline but that is all hormonal & I can deal with it.  It's a perfect daily cleansing machine & literally like getting a facial every night.  L.O.V.E.

Vegas Part 2

Since we stayed out kind of late on Friday, our Saturday morning workout was skipped.  We decided to sleep in a bit & then go to breakfast.  We got dressed & walked over to the expo.  I got my fix on all the samples from the day before so only grabbed a few things from the exhibits this time.  We met up with some friends & got into a booth to relax a bit.  After about 2 hours we were all drained & went back to the hotel.

Husband & I were hungry but wanted to get out of the hotel so we took the monorail back to the strip to walk around and grab lunch.  It was such a gorgeous day.  A little warmer than the past 2 days but sunny & breezy.  We ended up having lunch at a great Mexican place & then made our way through all the hotels.  I got hung up at the Flamingo once I realized they had a mini zoo inside!  I think I over did it with the pictures but I was in love with all the animals.

Flamingos IN the Flamingo...who would have thought!

While we were at the Flamingo we got a call from our friends that they scored some tickets to a party that night.  We had planned on just staying out at the strip & walking around for a low key night but plans change.  To kill some time, we went to the Venetian.  I love this hotel.  Super ritzy & the shopping ambiance inside is mesmerizing.  I did find my way into Michael Kors but didn't buy anything (I have a MK outlet store I'd rather go to).  I'm too cheap to buy full price!

It's Ted! 

Inside of Venetian, ceiling is so gorgeous

Just a cool art gallery

Around 4 we went back to the hotel to get showered & of course grab some drinks at the lounge.  The guys were going to Hard Rock for dinner so we met up with them afterwards & tried our luck at the slot machines in the hotel.  We lost $35 in like 5 minutes.  We got annoyed.  We didn't gamble anymore.  But on a high note, we loved this hotel.  It's not on the strip which kind of sucks but other than that it was very entertaining.  Sadly I didn't take any pictures except for this one to represent Crue for Husband.

Motley Crue was performing at Hard Rock

The party we had tickets to was across the street at the Rumor Boutique Hotel.  Well the party was a total bust and we didn't stay long.  We thought it had an open bar & were sadly mistaken when we arrived.  So we walked (yep more walking) back out to the strip.  And no, it wasn't a quick walk & keep in mind I'm wearing wedges.  I hadn't planned on any more exercising but I didn't complain.  I did almost trip about 3 times.  Husband & I opted to get back on the monorail & make it an early night while the guys went out for more gambling.  We said our goodbyes & left.  Next morning we packed, had our breakfast & went to the airport. I was glad I skipped out on more samples on Saturday because my suitcase was too heavy! I had a feeling that was going to happen. But we just did some shuffling around between our suitcases & problem solved! We were very excited to be on our way back to the baby!

Vegas was so fun & I would totally go back next year.  I'd probably cut it a day short & fly out on Friday, only go to the expo on Saturday & then head home on Sunday.   As much fun as Vegas is, it's also $$$ but loved every minute of it!