Vacation prep week 5

1 month in and I am finally starting to see some results. I know I haven't posted a picture of my before yet, but that's because I am so embarrassed at what I looked like before. Besides going to my core cross fit class twice a week, I have added cardio after the class, and changed my eating habits dramatically. I am a sucker for sugar and carbs. So whenever I get hungry, I automatically navigate towards the bread, cake, or chocolate I have sitting around. I am proud to say, I bought halloween candy last week and I haven't even eaten a piece.

What have I been eating?

Meat. Veggies. Fruit. That's it. I usually have a protein shake in the morning and one after my class to help recover. I use the Melaleuca chocolate protein with natural peanut butter in it. I get the taste of chocolate without all the sugar and added calories I crave so often.

Am I beach ready?

Definitely not. I am trying my best to be acceptable in a bikini before our cruise in December. I am no where near any fitness model, or NBA cheerleader, but I am improving myself each day and that's all I care about. I have noticed a change in attitude lately along with a change in my body.

I am starting to view sugar as a drug. We all get addictions- some are drugs and alcohol- but mine is sugar. It affects my attitude, my body, and my overall perspective of myself. Obviously I haven't given up sugar entirely. But, I have changed a lot of my eating habits and noticed a lot of changes in my body because of my decision. My jeans are starting to fit so nice- I actually have a somewhat lifted butt again- and my love handles aren't spilling over like they usually do. It takes quite some time to see a big change in your body, but I am determined to increase my time at the gym, and healthy food I eat everyday.


Here are my befores- please don't judge- I'm definitely not perfect and my bathroom is most definitely a mess :) These were taken before I started working out more and eating differently 5 weeks ago.

I took a few different angles in two separate swimsuits because they fit differently. 

I will post some pictures weekly as I remember. :)

Vacation Prep- Week 3

Here it is, week 3. I have somewhat changed my eating habits, but I have completely changed my exercise habits. I attend the gym twice a week- and I am also active on the weekends. The first two weeks I focused on my Cross Fit Core class I decided to join. If you haven't done Cross Fit before, and are looking to ease into the transition, I highly suggest Cross Fit Core. It is a 30 minute class that focuses on your core and building your endurance. I've loved it so far.

This week, my sister and I decided to do body pump before Cross Fit. Wow. Talk about a workout. My friend Jodi Stonehocker teaches the class and literally kicked my bum. It was such a great workout! After, we went to Cross Fit which resulted in us being completely exhausted by the end of the night. I have started to see results in my arms, and in my abs. My pants fit a lot better, and my legs don't look as bulky. If you are interested in trying out the OAC, feel free to check out the schedule here. Below, I have listed a few workouts I have done in the past few weeks that I found to be beneficial.

The KettleBell swing-

I love this exercise! It strengthens your core, along with the fronts of your legs, and abs.

Begin with the KettleBell between legs. Legs should be a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Using your abs and hip flexors, swing KettleBell up to eye level and force back down. A lot of people don't force the KettleBell back down, but you will realize it adds an extra exercise. As the KettleBell comes down, it should go between your legs. I do as many as I can in 30 seconds, with a 10 second rest- for 4 minutes.

The Jackknife-

This is another challenging exercise that is great to do after running a lap around the track. 

As you approach your lap, immediately get on the floor and lay flat on your back. Bring your entire body up into a V shape, and back to starting position. Do as many as you can in a one minute time frame. This is great to increase your cardio and endurance. 

One last exercise I love- 

SlamBall- 

I have a love-hate relationship with this exercise. Start with a SlamBall around 20 pounds. This way you can work up to it. A SlamBall is similar to a medicine ball, but does not bounce, and is full of something similar to sand. 

Start in a deep squatting position- bring SlamBall up towards the ceiling, while allowing yourself to stand completely. Throw SlamBall down to floor, quickly going into a squatting position in order to catch it after it slightly bounces. Continue for 30 seconds with 10 second rest. This exercise is perfect for endurance, building your glutes, legs, and abs. 

Overall, this is a great workout in and of itself. I've enjoyed my routine thus far, and look forward to adding in some cardio and more classes soon! 

Norwex- easy, environmentally safe cleaning

Let's be honest. No one likes to clean. 3 years ago, my sister approached me with two cloths and promised me it would clean my mom's entire house. All 6400 square feet of it. Ha. Yeah right. So, I took the challenge. She and I went to town- including the outside windows that were filled with dirt from when the house was originally built. Needless to say, I was hooked. The cloths were Norwex cloths.

Norwex? Yes, a completely chemical free product that can clean your entire house, cutting your cleaning time in half and making it safe for your children. I, along with my entire family, sincerely love Norwex products. I have a ton of nieces and nephews and safe cleaning is always a concern. One of my nephews likes to lick the glass after I have cleaned it- just to make another mess. However, I feel completely safe with him doing so because he is not picking up any left-over chemicals from the cleaning supplies.

We live in a world where we need to do our part to become chemical free, and eco-friendly. Norwex is a company that is doing their part, eliminating the need for harmful cleaners and chemicals in order to disinfect and thoroughly clean your home. Personally, I have found more success using this product rather than any other cleaning product because it just does a great job.

So, let's talk about a few of the products. There are two products that you can clean 98% of your house with- the enviro-cloth and window-cloth. The enviro-cloth is made of a special microfiber that picks up dirt, clinging to it until it is rinsed under hot water where it is released into the sink and down the drain. It also has silver in it. Ever heard of the expression- Born with a silver spoon in your mouth? The reason being is silver is a natural disinfecting agent. Since the enviro-cloth has silver in it, you are able to take a raw chicken, rub it all over the counter, then wipe it away with the cloth and along with it goes the germs like e-coli and salmonella.

The enviro-cloth can also be partnered with the window cloth. For example, I can clean all windows in my home, mirrors, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances with the two cloths. The window cloth acts like your paper-towel. It leaves no streaks on your windows, I can even smooth butter on the window and use the cloths, and it wipes it right up, no streaking.

Now, here's the secret ingredient- water. Amazing right? Want to learn more? Send me an email- I would love to help spread the word about this amazing product. Want to tell your friends? Host a party. I will come and clean your house, plus you will get hooked up with amazing hostess specials!

I want to get the word out of this amazing product. Of coarse they have several other products I love, but I just wanted to give you a taste.

Let's be environmentally friendly and leave our children a better place to live in!

XOXO

Week 1

OK, I really am going to start this week. The past few weeks have been crazy. So, I decided to sign up for a crossfit core class that engages your core, along with some cardio and muscle building. I figure this is the first step to success. The class is twice a week- 30 minutes. Doesn't sound hard right? WRONG. I, along with every other person in the class, can hardly breathe at the end of the class. I will be posting some before pictures soon- I just hope I can get a significant difference so the before and after pictures don't look the same :)

Corrective Skin Care

It's October! The leaves are changing, the smell of football season is in the crisp, cool air, and it is finally the right time to start correcting your skin! Through out the years, sun damage, free radicals, acne, and the environment/pollution have all taken a toll on our skin. We all want the beautiful, glowing skin we see on models and movie-stars. Why not take the time to achieve it? We are just leaving the summer months- months of being at the pool, wake-boarding at the lake, going on road trips, and even doing some yard work. Now is the perfect time for a deep exfoliation- a chemical peel.


Let's start with Free Radicals- what the heck are they? If you want a deep understanding, click here. Long story short, they are the molecules that don't have a buddy and can cause damage to your skin. How do you prevent free radicals from damaging your skin? Antioxidants! Antioxidants can be introduced to the skin in a number of ways- proper skin care, and chemical peels. Antioxidants are good for the body, so of coarse they are great for the skin. They give the skin the needed vitamins it needs in order to protect itself from free radicals in the atmosphere. Where do you get such antioxidants? A great skin care regimen and chemical peels.

Sun damage- this has been huge in the media as of late. It's a constant broken record of 'stay out of the sun', 'wear a good sunscreen', 'wear a hat'. But what happens when you didn't do any of those things and now you have freckles, brown spots, age spots all over your face? You guessed it- A chemical peel can help with that! Along with a great skin care regimen, a chemical peel can help lighten the brown spots you have on your face that can become cancerous. A chemical peel can also help with the cell turnover rate increasing your skins nutrition and increasing the anti-oxidants your skin receives.  Obviously I'm not here to treat cancer, so if you have a questionable spot, please, go see a dermatologist!

Acne- most of us had acne some point in our lives. Whether it be a smaller grade that consisted of black heads and minor pustules, or if it was deep, cystic acne that oozed puss upon movement of the skin. This is one of the primary reasons I wanted to get into skin care. I suffered from acne has a teenager, resulting in acne scars on my forehead. These weren't the regular white scars- they were red and purple- popping out like a sore thumb. After visiting a dermatologist, I was told to use 3 different prescriptions- none of which completely cleared up my skin without harsh side-effects- i.e. sensitivity to sun, upset stomach, bleaching clothing and sheets. It not only scarred my skin, but it also took a toll on my self confidence. I have a niece who at the time was 17 when I decided to get into esthetics. She had grade 2 acne- numerous pustules all over her face, blackheads, and scarring. She was very unhappy. I wanted so badly to help her. Little did I know, a series of chemical peels, along with a skin care regimen fit for her skin type, would help rid her skin of acne scars, and clear up her zits- resulting in a tremendous decrease of acne and smooth skin.

Now, obviously I have given three separate situations as to why you would want to receive a chemical peel. I wanted to add my own personal experience with chemical peels. As I went through the courses of basic and master esthetics, I received numerous chemical peels, microdermabrasion, non-surgical face lifts, facials- you name it, I had it. It was the last chemical peel of the class- we experience each and every chemical peel we perform in order to relate with the client- I had a 'mac daddy peel'. Of coarse this peel you have to prepare for- being on a solid skin care regimen, having had numerous chemical peels prior, I was prepped and ready for the TCA. After receiving the most painful peel of my life, my skin was tight. The next few days, I would feel like a monster. My skin began to crack- sheets of skin peeling off my face- but then something came to my attention. There were a few dark spots on my left jaw line I never noticed. Having been scared to death by my instructor of possible scarring if you pick at the skin, I left it alone. By the end of the week, my skin became 'baby' smooth, flawless. No freckles- scarring was eliminated. I noticed the dark spots on my jaw line were gone. It turns out, as I went through the esthetics course, I developed a few zits on my jaw line- they were under the skin- un-poppable. The dark spots were scars left from the zits that had been brought to the surface and peeled off. Bottom line, chemical peels can help enhance the look and condition of your skin. A similar chemical peel pulled sun damage from my husband cheek we never knew was there!

Does everyone peel from chemical peels? Absolutely not. Depending on which peel you have, and what you are aiming to achieve with your skin, chemical peels can drive hydration into dry, sun damaged, tired skin, increase vitamins in acneic skin, and even give you a bright glow.

Since it is the beginning of 'skin care season', I decided to have my monthly specials centered around corrective skin care. Below are the specials I am offering for the month. Don't be afraid to post a comment if you have any questions! Chances are, someone else has the same question. Anyway,
welcome to fall! I hope to see you in my spa soon!

Introduction to corrective skin care:      $60

This includes:
Client consultation
Mini-Facial
Chemical peel based on clients skin


Corrective skin care package:                $80

This includes:
introduction to corrective skin care package
One cleanser and One moisturizer recommended by esthetician


Glowing Skin Care Package:                 $100

This includes:

Corrective skin care package
One additional chemical peel based on clients skin


Elite Skin Care Package:                        $150

This includes:

Client consultation
Series of 3 chemical peels
3 products to take home based on recommendations from esthetician
20% off next service booked at time of appointment