PiYo Starts Tomorrow!

Happy Sunday!

Since quitting CrossFit in April I really haven't started another structured program. I still run 10 miles a week, and I have been incorporating some weight workouts. I have realized that I am the type of person who needs to follow some kind of program, or have a specific goal in mind. If I just leave it up to however I am feeling I'd always lean towards the easier/fun workouts. Where's the challenge in that?! 

I am starting PiYo tomorrow! I've put off starting it a couple times, mostly due to work travel so I decided I just need to suck it up and start it ASAP.
PiYo is Beachbody's newest program that is led by the energetic and awesome, Chalene Johnson. PiYo is a cross between Pilates and Yoga, low impact but still delivers great results. I have to be honest - I am not a fan of yoga besides Bikram, but i really think my body needs this in addition to the running I've been doing. Another thing I am going to love about this program is that it uses your own body weight - and the workouts are fairly short so there are no excuses not to do this when I'm out of town!

I have a couple of friends who are doing this program, both have raved about how much they love it and how it's changed their bodies and made them more flexible. I'm anxious to try it out and hopefully I'll see the same changes in my body. I plan on taking measurements and some before/after pics tomorrow, and then again throughout the program to see how it's going. 

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Breaking off any relationship is a hard thing to do. In this case, I broke up with my CrossFit box this week. It was a really hard decision and one that I have been struggling with for a while. I started CrossFit in June 2013 on a Groupon, scared to death of what would happen to me in the first class. One class turned into 10, 10 turned into the monthly membership - I was hooked. I attended classes about 4-5x a week, and honestly looked forward to getting my ass handed to me. I am not sure what changed, or when the change happened. I started noticing that I just didn't feel like going and I was more than OK with canceling class. I think CrossFit is great but somewhere along the way I realized it wasn't for me. I know it's not necessarily a "weight loss" program, but I felt like no matter how often I went I never lost any weight, but rather got bigger (NOT my goal at all!)   I am going to miss a few of the people at CrossFit. Going for a year, to the same class you get to know some of the regulars, you celebrate with each other when you hit a new PR, you encourage each other to hit new milestones. Thank God for social media so I can keep in touch with them! 

I might try it again in the future but there are some other programs/classes I want to try out. A few that come to mind are the Bar Method classes, 21 Day Fix, Body Beast... I don't think I'll have a shortage of things to do. It does freak me out not to have another program ready to jump into, but you can't continue something if it no longer benefits you: 

Word. :) 

-AJ

Breakfast Love - Overnight Oats

I've never been much of a breakfast girl. Given the choice, I would choose spaghetti over eggs, sweet potatoes over (soy) bacon. However, I am making myself try various breakfast food and I find that it's not so bad after all. My main problem is that I never really have time in the morning to sit and eat a meal. I have tried different recipes for breakfast, or sometimes I'll just drink a Shakeology but nothing has kept me full and satisfied quite like Overnight Oats. Plus, it's easy to eat on the go so it doesn't keep me from leaving the house on time. 

I found the recipe for overnight oats on Pinterest (of course)  - it's easy, quick to prepare, and you can make it so many ways! 

Below is the recipe that I've been using:

• 2/3 cup almond milk (coconut milk tastes great too! You could use any milk you want)
• 1/2 cup organic rolled oats
• 1 Tablespoon of Greek yogurt 
• 1 scoop of protein powder (chocolate is awesome - tastes like pudding)
• tsp. of honey
• any additional toppings such as fruit, nuts, coconut shavings

Just put all of the ingredients into a mason Jar, give it a shake and stick it in the fridge. I make 5 jars at a time so in the morning I can grab and go. 

A couple of my favorite adds for Overnight Oats are sliced strawberries, organic frozen blueberries and blackberries. 

Super Easy Taco Soup

Here in the Midwest we are having a very cold and sleety kind of day. I keep telling myself that winter will have to be over at some point, right? On days like today I really don't feel like doing much except for hanging out on the couch - I definitely don't feel like cooking. A while back I found a recipe on Pinterest for Taco Soup and made some modifications to fit my eating preferences. Not only is it easy to make but it makes quite a bit of food, and it's low in calories! 

Super Easy Taco Soup: 

1 can Green Enchilada Sauce
1 can Cream of Celery Soup - I buy the 98% fat free. 
1 can Red Kidney Beans, rinsed
1 can Black Beans, rinsed
1 can Pinto Beans, rinsed
1 can Sweet Corn, drained
2 cups Veggie Broth
1 packet of Low Sodium Taco Seasoning

Throw everything into a crock pot and let it cook on low for 4 hours. Enjoy! 

Fitness Friday - My Favorite Running Songs (Part 1)

As mentioned on my short list, I have a 2014 goal of running 10 miles per week. Truth be told, I am already getting a bit sick of the treadmill and the only thing that keeps me going at times is the music I'm jamming out to. I thought it'd be fun to put together a list of my favorite running songs that keep me going! My musical preferences are all over the board, so it's a pretty good mix of alternative, hip-hop and even some classic rock. 

Hopefully there are some new tunes on this list that others will benefit from. I love hearing about and reading others' playlists so please share what you like working out to! 

My (current) running playlist: 

Cults - Abducted
Bruno Mars - Locked out of Heaven
Juanes - A Dios le Pido 
Rihanna - Diamonds
Handsome Furs - I'm Confused
The Spill Canvas - All Over You
Estelle - American Boy
Everclear - Amphetamine
Massive Attack - Angel
Journey - Any Way you Want it
Anberlin - Breaking
Alt-J - Matilda

There's more songs that I incorporate, but I figure I'll save those for another time. 

-AJ

January Fitness Favorites

Happy February! 

Now that we're already in our second month of the year I wonder how many people are sticking to their fitness resolutions? I heard this morning that it takes 60 days for a new habit to stick, so hopefully everyone has at least 30 more days in them! 

This year, instead of making one general resolution (I will lose weight) I thought it would be better to make some specific goals I would like to achieve. All my goals, fitness and otherwise, are listed in my 2014 short list. Since January 2014 is now behind us, I wanted to share some of my Fitness Favorites from the past month: 

                                             1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

1. Nike + App (Free, iPhone) Since one of my goals this year is to run 10 miles a week, this app has become my go-to to track my progress.  You can track your distance/pace/time, calories, share your progress with your social networks and listen to your own playlist while you run. Additionally, you get 'badges' for milestones you hit, and you can set it up to run against others. 

2. P90X Results and Recovery Drink (49.95, My Beachbody site) We have been loyal fans of the Results and Recovery Formula since 2010 - it provides your body necessary vitamins after your workout to reduce muscle soreness. Oh, and it tastes amazing, like an orange dreamsicle!  It is such a reward after working out. Because I am a Beachbody coach, we get the drink for $37.96/mo.

3. Ninja Blender and Food Processor ($69.99, www.kohls.com) I LOVE this thing! We literally use this every single day for the aforementioned Results and Recovery drink, and for our daily Shakeology meal. I also use the Ninja to make soups, sauces and chop up just about anything. We had our old Ninja since December 2009, and I just bought a new one last week. Our old one still works great, but there's a crack in one of the containers and I was able to get a new one on sale at Kohls. The only thing that I don't care for is you have to hold the top down to blend, it's not like a blender where you can set it on a particular setting and walk away. Not a big deal, but I wish there was an option to keep it turned on. 

4. Shakeology ($129.95, My Beachbody site) I drink a Shakeology shake every morning for breakfast - not only does it fill me up, but I know it is loaded with tons of vitamins and antioxidants. We get the "home direct" shipment, which is free shipping and gives us a new bag every month. So far we've tried the Chocolate, Vanilla, Tropical Strawberry (vegan), and the greenberry. We have a bag of strawberry coming right now, so I am looking forward to trying that one. I like to add some almond butter, a banana, or whatever fruit I have laying around. I admit the price tag seems steep, but since I am a Beachbody coach I get Shakeology for $97.00/mo and the home direct saves money on shipping. Yes, still expensive but worth it for us. I highly recommend that if someone wanted to order this regularly they should do the coaching and take advantage of the discount (you get discounts on everything, including fitness programs, the Results and Recovery drink..)

5. Nike Air Relentless 2 Running Shoes ($59.60, similar here) I found these on sale at DSW and I couldn't pass it up. I have been a loyal fan of New Balance running shoes for a while, but wanted to switch it up. A coworker, who used to work for Nike and is also a runner, had just talked to me about how much he loves his Nike shoes so I figured I would give it a shot. They are light, but not too light - they feel great on my feet and provide added support to my heel and ball of the foot.  

6. My WOD App (free, iPhone) I love this app for keeping track of all my CrossFit WODs (workout of the day). I love how all of the hero WOD and girl WODs are already loaded into the app. I ESPECIALLY love how I have all of my PR's (personal records) saved so I can see when I've improved. 

There you have it..my Fitness Favorites from January! I hope if you try any of these you'll enjoy them as much as I do. 

-AJ

Adult Snow Day

In the St. Louis area we got 12" (give or take) of snow between Saturday till today! I haven't seen this much snow in a really long time, and I think we may have the coldest days since 1982. Brrr! I hate the winter with a passion but I have to admit, it was kind of pretty (I said kind of) to watch the snow fall, knowing I had no place to go. So, what do you do when the weather is so cold and there's a ton of snow on the ground? You make snow ice cream, of course! I saw some people posting about this on Facebook, so I decided to give it a try. It was actually pretty good! 

Snow ice cream is super easy to make:

6-8 cups of snow

1/2 cup milk (I used almond)

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

I put about 4 tablespoons of cocoa in mine :) 

Mix the milk, sugar, vanilla  until the sugar is dissolved, then add in your snow and keep mixing. I added the cocoa in last. 

This tasted like chocolate ice cream, but I do have to admit that I was weirded out by eating snow and any other dirt/debris that could have been in it. Plus I have a dog, so.... 

I also read that St. Louis apparently detected high levels of radiation in the snow (unsure if this is true) so if you live around here, I advise just making a trip to the grocery store and buying some ice cream. 

Last night my boss emailed to say that we could work from home if we wanted to...so not a total Adult Snow Day, but I worked all day in my PJ's which was pretty awesome. I am realizing why people work from home - no distractions, peace and quiet..I could get used to this! 

Stay warm!

Snowapocolypse 2014

FabFitFun - Winter Box Goodies

Last fall, I decided to stop my Birchbox shipments. No particular reason, I just wanted a change and had learned of the FabFitFun VIP Box. FabFitFun is a quarterly subscription box ($49.99/quarter) and it includes over $120 of the hottest of the season items from Giuliana Rancic and the FabFitFun team. This is the second box that I've received from FFF and so far I am really enjoying the goodies I receive! Below are the items that were in my winter box and a brief description/review of each: 

Winter Fab.Fit.Fun box (kitty not included)

Beauty For Real Lip Gloss in Light My Fire ($22) this is one of the products that makes you think, "Damn..why didn't I think of this?" The packaging on this item is awesome - the gloss has a mirror on the side of the tube and a light! In the tube, the gloss looks like it would be really dark which is not something I'd normally wear but when you put it on it's a pretty red/berry color. And it's a plumper...score! I am going to look into getting some other colors when mine gets low. This is a new brand for me, but so far I'm super impressed.

MeUndies Gift Card ($20) - I've never heard of MeUndies before - am I alone? As a loyal Victoria Secret undies girl, I wasn't too impressed with this item in my box. But, it's $20 so why not give it a shot. I went to the website and checked out the prices. Whoa.. 5 pairs of undies for $89?? I think I'll just buy one pair and see how that goes. They do have other items such as socks, t-shirts and pants that look pretty comfortable. A couple cool things about this company (a) they have a subscription service - underwear sent directly to your doorstep! and (b) free shipping..all the time

Skyn Icelandic Relief Eye Cream ($45) Again, another brand that I've never heard of (that makes 3/3 now) so far I'm loving this eye cream. It is really thick and really creamy but it feels light and smooth when you put it on. Another thing I love is that it feels so cool against your skin which is nice and refreshing. The cream is supposed to reduce puffiness, dark circles and fine lines, so far I can't really say that I've noticed a huge difference but it's only been a couple of weeks. I do remember to put it on every day, and there's not a lot of products I can say that with - that counts for something. 

NYX Eye shadow Palette ($8) A couple days before receiving this box, I had splurged and bought the Urban Decay Naked 2 eye shadow palette so I didn't experiment with this one for a while. I decided to try it out, and I like it OK - the colors are what I would have probably bought anyways but with the Naked 2 monopolizing all of my eyelid real estate, I think I'll tuck this one away for a while. 

Simple Foaming Cleanser - not pictured ($7.49) I love a foaming cleanser, and I am still using the one I received in my last FFF box (Bliss Oxygen Cleanser) but I am excited to start using this one. I have wanted to try the Simple products due to the fact they don't use dyes and keep things as natural as possible. 

Bioxidea Miracle 24 Face Mask ($20) I've never heard of this brand either but I am really excited about using this face mask! I was going to use it on the weekend but I think I'll wait until I have someplace important to go since it's supposed to make your skin look visibly younger - I need all the help I can get in that department. 

The Giving Keys Never Ending Necklace ($55) love, love, LOVE the idea behind this necklace! I have to admit that when I first got it I  wasn't sure if I would wear it, let alone give it to someone else. However, after doing some more research on it and thinking about the concept - I really fell in love with this idea. I also love the idea of this necklace getting passed from person to person. The company behind the Giving Keys employ people transitioning out of homelessness, how great is that?! The necklace I received is "Strength" so I'll make sure to pass it along when I come across someone who could use it. 

Lorna Jane Bracelet ($29.99) I wasn't familiar with this brand either (I must be really out of touch!) but after visiting the website, I like the items I see! The pricing is higher than my normal workout attire, but I could see myself splurging on some of these clothes. The bracelet is to be worn as a symbol of sisterhood, and to remind us to Move, Nourish and Believe - a wonderful message. The color is too bright for my taste, but I do really like it regardless. 
After visiting the website I am now obsessed with ordering the 2014 Move Nourish Believe Diary. With my FFF box, I received a 20% off coupon and the site has free shipping.

Physique 57 Online Classes ($25) This coupon is good for five online workout classes. I am pretty into my CrossFit/Running regimen now, but I can see myself using this for when I travel and I'm stuck working out in a hotel room. A great concept for those who don't/can't make it to a gym. 

TruEnergy Earbuds ($39.99) Who doesn't need another pair of earbuds? Don't know about you, but I keep losing mine or they get so tangled/quit working. I loved seeing this in my FFF box! I love the color (coastal) and they are comfortable and they work well. They also have the splitter feature so you can share your earbuds with someone else

The retail value of this box was $272.47!I would say the $49.99 was a good price as I'll use the majority of these items. 
I'm already looking forward to the next FFF box!

AJ

Happy New Year!

Why, Hello 2014!! 

It's so hard to believe the craziness of Christmas/New Years is over already! I guess it's true as you get older they seem to pass so quickly but this year it felt like the blink of an eye. 

I do love the promise of a new year, the goals, the 'fresh slate' to start things over, or the resolution to begin others. With that said, I have been working on my 2014 Short List. I didn't do so great on my 2013 Short List (you'll see a lot of repeats!) but hopefully this year I'll be better about tackling the items that didn't get completed last year. 

I hope everyone had a safe and Happy New Year! 

Happy November!

Wow, is it really November?! Each year seems to fly by faster than the one before. The good news is that my spending hiatus is over (credit card companies, rejoice!) and the other good news is that it's time to think of a new goal for the month. 

As mentioned in a previous post, I have been doing CrossFit since June. It's hard but challenging and I am loving it! However, I felt like I needed to do something to supplement the CrossFit workouts which leads us to November's goals:

Run 10 miles/week - Since October 14th I have started a new goal of running 10 miles a week. I can definitely tell a change in my body since throwing in the running, which makes me muy happy. I can also tell a change in my endurance since CrossFitting - I can now run a couple miles in about 18 minutes (I am still breathing like a walrus, but at least I can run it all without stopping!) 

Eat 80/20 Paleo  - being mostly vegetarian (I eat fish) it is really hard to follow the paleo diet 100%. However, thanks to Pinterest, I am finding a ton of new recipes to try! Some of my favs are: cauliflower stir fry, paleo chocolate chip cookies, brownies, sweet potato and cauliflower soup. 

Non-CrossFit goals for November: 
start crossing off the items on my short list! The weeks left in the year are rapidly decreasing and I still have lots of checking off to do! I also need to start thinking about next year's short list. 

Art lesson a week: On my Pinterest page, I posted a bunch of art tutorials. Since I will probably not be able to take an art class this year I can just practice drawing and painting in the comfort of my home (and while in PJ's)

October - aka the Month My Credit Card Companies Cried

I decided to do a little self challenge for the month of October. It's going to be a tough one, and one that requires a lot of self discipline and possibly at some point, restraints. I have decided that.. <Insert big dramatic sigh>.. I am not going to spend any money for the entire month of October. I know.. what!? I will keep my credit cards and checkbook tucked away in my new Tory Burch purse (said purse is part of the reason for my financial lock-down). 

Some people may not think this challenge would be that difficult. I applaud those people, and secretly despise them a little bit (kidding..sort of). I decided on this challenge because for the past few months I was spending money like it was going out of style. We went to Chicago a couple weeks ago, bought a lot (damn you, IKEA!) and ate out a lot. I also have a horrible compulsive shopping problem. I think I “need” things such as hair product, nail polish, makeup, etc when I have probably 10 years’ worth at home. What I really ‘need’ is this challenge to force me to stop spending money – even if it’s a few dollars here and there.  

This is much harder than I thought it was going to be. I work in an area that houses just about any store you could imagine. I feel like my lunch hour turns into a one-hour race of “how much you can buy”. I joke about power shopping, but it’s very real – and I am freaking awesome at it. However, my money isn't just being spent on ‘stuff’; there are also a lot of really good restaurants around work too. It makes turning down a lunch offer very difficult. The first day on my challenge I found myself daydreaming of where I would go for lunch – should I buy the new OPI nail polish? What about those new gym shoes? I opted for lunch in my car and I started reading a book that has been on my short list. Success. Day 2, same situation – knew I had to get my dad a present for his birthday (see fine print below) and thought that maybe I would pick up this hair stuff, I mean…what’s an extra $6? But, I fought the urge, bought the present only (not even a gift bag). Yay me. It’s Day 4 and well, lets just say there's been a few temptations   Yesterday, I caught myself thinking ‘what can I buy on November 1 as a reward for completing this?” Clearly I still have to grasp the meaning behind this challenge :) 

Okay, so the fine print: I get to still buy groceries and gas for my car (duh. I am not looking to waste away or lose my job here). There are also a few things that will require money, which I've already committed to this month. Those events have been grandfathered in to my challenge, but shouldn't exceed a total of $100. 

Florida Fun!

As mentioned in my birthday post, I recently got back from a trip to Florida. The main reason for the trip was our annual work conference, but since it was in Orlando I thought pairing it with a family vacation would be fun! 
My mom, brother, sister, 3 year old niece (Brooke) and I piled into our rented mini van to drive the 18ish hours from IL to FL (MapQuest says it takes 14.5 hours..big, fat LIE) It was a long ride, as in Painful, as in never again. We made it into FL on Sunday afternoon and met my dad at the hotel (he flew - smart man). We headed to Disney the following day. First of all, can I just say that Disney is SO freaking expensive! For an adult 1-day ticket it is $95. That part made me sad, how could an average family of 4 even afford to go? That's almost $400 in tickets, not to mention airfare, then you have food, etc. Anyway, I digress. 

To be honest, I wasn't sure how I would feel going to Disney, being a thirty-something childless woman hanging out at the Magical Kingdom seemed a little odd but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised!! Of course, my favorite part was seeing Brooke's reaction to everything. Brooke was able to meet Mickey and some of her favorite princesses, which was super cute. We went to Cinderella's castle, rode as many rides as possible, and of course shopped in the gift stores. My family and I enjoyed the boat rides; It's a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Ariel's Adventure. My sister and I braved Space Mountain (and I confirmed that I am a total chicken). We had great weather, although it did rain for about an hour pretty heavily, but during that time we just went back to the hotel and relaxed for a bit.  My mom, sister, niece and I all went back to the park after the rainstorm and stayed for the fireworks and parade. The following day I had to leave the family to attend my work conference (which was also a lot of fun) and the family did some more touristy-stuff. However, if you ask my niece what her favorite part of the trip was she'll say the Beach. Hmm..go figure..the one free attraction they went to :) Gotta love kids. It's a trip I know that I will remember forever, and hopefully one the rest of the family will cherish as well.

We made it!

Disney parade

The Fam (minus my sister)

Happy Birthday to ME!

It feels like my birthday comes quicker every year! This year on September 1st, I turned 36 (I actually cringed when typing that) and I have to admit that officially being in my late 30's is a hard concept for me to accept. However, as much as I am going to bitch and moan about my age I am also very thankful that I am healthy. Recently, I got some routine lab work done to check vitamin levels and such and everything came back perfect! I also did some bio metric testing at our work conference last week and everything came back great on that as well. I attribute this to an active lifestyle (although I feel I could always do more and my weight is never where I want it.. :/ ) and a mostly healthy, mainly plant-based diet. 

Because it was my birthday (or close enough) I splurged and bought this Tory Burch Dena Bag!  I was in Florida for work last week and they happen to have a great outlet mall nearby so I headed there as soon as I could and bought her. Isn't she pretty?! 

My birthday present! To: Me.. Love, Me

The store was giving away free iPhone cases with the purchase of a purse, so I was happy about that since my old one had a crack in it. The purse is a very soft black leather with the gold TB logo on it. You can fold the top half down and remove the strap to use it as a clutch, or keep the strap on and use it as a fold-over cross body. My favorite look is using it as a longer bag (i.e. not folded..not sure what the technical term is? Bucket? it is what is shown in the picture)

I didn't have a new purse on my short list, and I still have a few big-ticket items I'd like to buy this year but I thought this was a good find. Also, it was about $65 less than the retail price..and the fact that you can carry it 3 ways makes it even more worth the price (look, I have to justify it somehow, OK?) 

More about my FL trip in a separate post, but when I got home from the trip, the H suggested we go to the Animal Protective Association (APA) in Missouri to look at this cat I had my eye on. So..needless to say we came home with our newest 4-legged family member, Pierre! I really wish I could take credit for his name, but it was given to him at the shelter. He is the sweetest cat ever and so far he is fitting in nicely with the other animals. 

Me.Ow.

He's so cultured

All in all, it was a great birthday, even if I am now in my late thirties (groan). I look forward to the next 36 years! 

-AJ

Um.. yikes...

Wow..it's been over 2 months since posting on the blog. I really have no good excuse other than the fact I am getting really frustrated with not being able to design this the way I want. I know it is going to take some time and some trial and error, but damn.. it can't be this hard! I have an IT background, for crying out loud! I have Googled, YouTubed and read countless articles/videos/etc on this but still can't get it to do what I want. 
I should just sit down one day and really dig into HTML, or really take the time to learn it. OR, perhaps I should just hire someone to design the look for me? I am way too stubborn to do that - after all, I love this stuff, right? Sigh.. 

Aside from blog design woes, I have been busy with my new fitness obsession..Crossfit! I've heard a lot about this fitness phenomenon so when a Groupon popped up in my area my friends and I jumped at the chance to check it out. At first, I'll admit I wasn't totally on-board with the idea...I mean, in the classes we flipped tires, we lift really heavy weights, we tear up our hands doing pull-ups and climbing ropes! But then something changed, and it became "Hey - guess what? I flipped a 300lb tire...10 times!" or, "look at how torn up my hands are from climbing the rope!"  I wear the bruises, cuts, callouses proudly like battle wounds. I can't wait to get into the "box" and give it all I have, then I enjoy the high at the end of the workout while telling myself, wow..you really just did that! I know it sounds corny but seriously, I have learned a lot about myself in the month or so since beginning the classes. I look forward to the day where we are pulling trucks with ropes (and we've been forewarned that is coming) 

-AJ

May Birchbox Review

Once again, I am posting a bit late on the May Birchbox. Upon opening this box, I was excited to see some brands that I have been wanting to try. 

Below are the contents that I received in the box for May: 

Kérastase Bain Chroma Captive - this shampoo states that it will offer protection to color-treated hair while keeping the color radiant. This was very timely, as I just got my hair colored and wanted to make sure I kept the color looking good as long as possible. I have been wanting to try this brand for some time, now but the products are a bit on the pricey side. I would say that I do really like this shampoo - it didn't give me Jennifer Anniston's locks or anything, but it did make my hair feel more smooth. The jury is still out on whether I'll purchase the full-sized version. Kérastase makes tons of other products so maybe I'll check out another line instead. 

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel - This organic line has been on my 'must try' list for a while now. I like the idea of using organic products and I've read good things about this brand. This peel is an alpha and beta hydroxy acid complex with apple, lemon, grape, raw sugar and willow bark. 

I really loved this peel! It goes on creamy like a moisturizer, and tingles a bit (which I love..makes me feel like it's working). You leave it on for 15 minutes and then wash it off. It left my skin feeling really smooth and tight. I am looking forward to doing it again (probably tonight!) I would like to buy the full-sized sample but it runs around $45 so I'll use up some of my other products first. This was definitely my favorite item in the box! 

Cargo Water Resistant Blush in Los Cabos- I wish I would have taken the picture with the cap off to show the color but it's a deep coral and very pretty. I have used it a few times, but it tends to go on a bit darker than I'd like so I have to rub some off after applying. There's a slight sparkle to it, but it's not too bad - you won't walk around looking like someone threw glitter on your face :) 

Coola Organic Sunscreen SPF 30 - I have my HG sunscreen (Elta) that I use, but I have used this a couple times so far - it smells delicious, like cucumbers. It goes on smooth and isn't greasy at all. I like the fact it is organic, but I love my Elta so much that it would take a lot for me to use something else. 

Hail Merry Macaroons - These vegan, gluten-free and raw treats came in the chocolate almond flavor. I love anything that is chocolate, and these were pretty good for being so healthy. :) I just had an actual macaroon for the first time (in Paris!) and they were like little pastel colored bites of heaven. These weren't bad, I guess I was just expecting something sweeter. I do like that these are vegan and gluten-free - if I had a bag of these at home I would totally eat them but I don't think I would buy them. 

So far, my three favorite products have been the Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel, Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Mask (I just bought the full-size from Ulta last week!) and the Marcelle BB Cream I reviewed in the March post. I should also mention that I received my first issue of Women's Health magazine that was offered in April's box and it was such a great issue! I'm really looking forward to my June box, which should arrive this week..whoot! 

-A

2013 Short List Update

We are almost 1/2 way through 2013 already...EEK! Where did the time GO? As I often do, I blame the weather...winter seemed to last well into the spring months which is going to lead us directly into the hot, humid summers of the midwest which is making the year just fly by. 

I thought I would do a quick update on my 2013 Short List.  Unfortunately, I am not making as much progress as I would have hoped at this point but I still have 6 months, right?

There are a couple items that I have started on (that counts!) Let's start with those and then finish with the ones I've actually completed. That will make me feel a bit better about myself. 

Items started: 

#4 Create a blog header I like: So, if you look at my blog header you might be thinking "is she for real?" Yes, I am. I like the simplicity of my header so far. What I don't like are the stupid buttons across the top that aren't evenly spaced and just plain boring. So..it's still a work in progress. I'm getting there, though. 

#13 Get a chemical peel: well,  I didn't exactly do this but I found a new dermatologist and she recommended a few things. I've been using these brightening pads on my face every night to try and help with the melasma (I think it's working). Then she also prescribed a Retin-A for the scars (and it also helps with wrinkles..holla!) She told me that if I wasn't happy by the fall then we can do some chemical peels

#21 Do the Color Run: This was a semi-fail because I waited too long to sign up (did I mention I am a horrible procrastinator?) but it worked out because I did the March of Dimes walk instead. I was able to support a friend of mine, and to be part of a very wonderful and touching event.  

#23 Eat brunch at Lola's: My friends and I went to Lola's last Saturday, the 11th. We had been talking about it for a while and were so excited to eat there. We walked in the door only to find out it was closed that day for a private party..WHAT?! We were floored... it ended up well because we had lunch at a nearby place called Blondie's that had the most AH-mazing banana french toast. 

Items Completed (YEAH!)

#19 Be introduced to something new every month: In March my friends and I had the best sushi ever at Tsunami in Baton Rouge, LA. Definitely a first for all of us! In April, I read a book called "Greyhound" by Stephan Piper. This book was a wonderful, feel-good story about a young boy who sent to live with his grandparents. His mom puts him on a Greyhound from CA to PA (his mom is definitely not mother of the year material). Along the way he befriends a young ex-con, and together they encounter a lot of interesting experiences in their journey together. It is an easy read, and one that had me hooked from the first page. I can now cross that off my list of books to read! In May we went to Blondie's for brunch (was supposed to be Lola's) still yummy nonetheless.

#20 Finish the Couch to 5K program: this was HUGE for me..beyond huge, actually. I am not a runner. In fact, I really dislike running - especially running for extended periods of time (which is anything over 3 minutes). However, I completed the program and ended by running 30 minutes straight! I didn't stop one time! I was so proud of myself. Do my legs still hurt from that run last week? Yep. It was worth it, though. Oh, and guess what? Running isn't so bad after all! I think I will continue with it at least a couple days a week. It does really help to clear your mind.

#26 Do Brazil Butt Lift - completed this program. By the end, I was so DONE. Not because it was hard, but I got so sick of doing the same 4 or 5 workouts over and over. It is a fun program and a good one, but I was burnt out. I had been doing P90X, Insanity, Chalene, TurboFire, so i was ready to be free for a bit. 

#28 Take a Les Mills Body Pump Class - My friend and I bought a 5-class card for this class and I love it! It's hard, but I am happy to be incorporating weights into my routine again. I like the class so much that I am looking into being a BP instructor. We'll see -- at this point it might be lip service but I would like to follow through with it if possible. 

So much for the "quick" update :) I feel pretty happy/proud of the progress I am making. It's funny because the things I would like to complete the most (the artsy stuff) are the things I haven't started on. Interesting. Hopefully by the next update that will change! 

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April Birchbox Review

I'm a bit behind on this post, but I wanted to make sure to do a review for April's Birchbox. As mentioned in a previous post, I subscribed to Birchbox back in March as a way to get a monthly gift of makeup, skincare and hair products (because who doesn't love getting 'fun' mail?). So far, I would say the small $10 per month price tag has been worth it. I do have to admit that I have been bad about using the products that I get but I am trying to get better at that so I can report back on what I liked/didn't like.

Below are the contents that I received for April: 

Caudalie Divine Oil - I feel like I am up to my eyeballs in different types of oils. I use olive oil to remove eye makeup, coconut oil for my lashes/eye area, Josie Moran oil on my hair so I have to admit that I haven't used this oil too much. When I have used it, it's been on my hair which is super dry and wouldn't look smooth even in if poured a whole bottle of oil on my head. Nothing miraculous happened after applying, unfortunately. However, I will keep using it in my rotation because it does have a good smell and is light enough where it doesn't make me feel greasy.

Nexxus Youth Renewal - I love hair products...maybe a bit too much. As mentioned above, my hair is super dry from all of the heating tools, coloring,  products, etc. This product is a shine-boosting serum that will revive dry hair and fight against the aging of your hair. I have to admit, I was really excited to get this sample because I've had some good luck with Nexxus products lately. This was just mediocre at best.. I did not see any difference in the way my hair looked or the amount of shine. :( However, I will see the sample out until it's gone.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Anti-Shine Mattifier - It wouldn't be fair for me to say anything about this product since I've never used it. My face tends to be on the drier side than shiny, so for now it's in one of my makeup drawers waiting to be used. 

StriVectin Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles - I do like StriVectin's products, and I especially love any product that is going to promise the reduction of fine lines and puffy circles. I have used this a few times, it goes on smooth and isn't too thick - I can't really vouch for the diminishing of fine lines and wrinkles yet but I'll keep at it. The sample is a good size that should last quite a while! 

Welda Body Lotion - I'm not a huge body lotion fan (I know) so I haven't opened these yet. I am pretty intrigued by the different scents and I bet they smell really good. In my box I received Pomegranate  Wild Rose and Sea Buckthorn. 

Women's Health Magazine - I think in the April box, I was most excited to get this! It's a free year subscription to the magazine. I love magazines, although a lot of mine seem to go unread for a while. :) I especially love Women's Health so I'm anxious to get my first issue! 

As you can probably tell from my "meh" reviews, this wasn't my favorite box so far. I actually just received my May box yesterday (I said I was behind) and I was excited about the contents, so I am looking forward to that post which hopefully will be coming up soon! 

Update on a product received in the March box: 
I used the Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Mask and it is AWESOME. It makes your hair feel so soft and silky, not to mention the smell is like a vacation. I will definitely be purchasing the full size of this product! 

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Smoothie Challenge

On April 1st I started a Smoothie Challenge (no joke). The challenge was to replace at least one, perhaps two meals per day with a healthy smoothie that consisted mainly of veggies and fruits. Since I have been drinking my Shakeology religiously every morning I thought it would a good transition to try something new. Don't get me wrong - I love  Shakeology but a change of pace is always a good thing. 
The Simple Green Smoothie challenge was started by two friends who wanted to incorporate REAL food into their diets. I've been pretty inspired just reading about them on their website - what a cool concept and they have acquired quite the following! 
I heard about them through a friend who completed the smoothie challenge at the beginning of 2013. She would rave about the recipes and the way she would feel by drinking at least one smoothie a day. I made the decision to commit to 30 days of at least 1 yummy fruit/veggie smoothie a day (i know, sounds rough doesn't it?) :) 
I am now on week 3 of the challenge, so I only have one more week to go but I will certainly continue keeping on keeping on with this smoothie trend. I have mixed things together that I never thought would taste 'kinda' good let alone awesomely good. 

Also, these gals make the challenge super easy - every Friday they send out an email that contains recipes and a grocery list. I typically pick a few recipes from the list and head out to my local Trader Joe's to pick up the items. Also, another thing I've been doing is adding a tablespoon of coconut oil to every smoothie I make. This is just my personal preference, I love coconut oil and have been trying to incorporate it into everything lately! I will also sub water for coconut water, or almond milk for rice milk but for the most part I don't stray from the recipes provided. Below is a pic of one of my favorite smoothies: 

spinach, almond milk, blueberries, strawberries, banana and almonds..Yum!

As far as the benefits go, I do feel pretty energized! I also feel full in the morning and I'm not staring down the clock until 10:00am hits (when I have my mid-morning snack). Additionally, my skin is looking good - i have been trying out some new stuff from my dermatologist but I am positive all the goodness I am drinking is helping too! As far as weight loss, I haven't been weighing myself so I don't know if it is helping in that area or not. I don't think so, but then again this is to be healthier, not necessarily to drop the lbs quickly. 

I hope you check out the website because smoothies are a great way to incorporate the nutrients our bodies need! And if you are wondering how spinach and mangoes can taste good blended together,  just trust me..these drinks are are De-LISH. 

Cheers! 

March Birchbox Review

As a self-proclaimed product junkie, I am always interested in getting samples and trying new hair care, makeup and skin products. Enter Birchbox! For those who don't know about Birchbox (I didn't until last month) it is a monthly subscription where you get to sample products from high-end brands. The monthly charge is $10 but the value of what you receive is much more! 

Late March, my first Birchbox arrived *excited squeal*. I thought the packaging was very simple but also very nicely done: 

I was so excited to see what was inside! I've never subscribed to anything like this and was really hoping that it wasn't just a bunch of junk (i.e. neon eye shadow) that would sit unused in a drawer. Here is what I found when I opened the box: 

A brief breakdown and review (when applicable) of the contents: 

Macadamia Nut morrocian oil - I am a huge fan of the Josie Maran Argan Oil and wasn't sure how I would like this oil in comparison. I should also confess that I cannot stand the Morrocian Oil brand - IMO it stinks really bad and doesn't do much for my hair so I was really hoping this oil would at least smell better. The Macadamia oil reminds me of the patchouli smell so I don't mind it too much because it's not overbearing. It works nicely in my hair, it doesn't feel heavy or make my hair feel greasy. For now, I think I will stay with the Josie Maran oil, but just because it would be really hard for me to like another brand more.

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Mask - I haven't used this yet, but I am really looking forward to doing the mask. My hair is really damaged and dry due to years of coloring and using a blow dryer/straightener almost daily. I am so jealous of people who naturally have smooth and beautiful hair...hopefully this mask will help with making my hair look more healthy.

Marcelle  BB Cream in Golden Glow - this is my favorite product so far. I received a .5oz tube and have been using it every day. It has just enough coverage to hide imperfections but it isn't too heavy and doesn't look cakey. Sometimes I put it on with a brush, and other times just with my fingers. In both cases it goes on smooth and easy. A full size version is 1.6 oz and costs $27. While it is a bit pricey for BB cream, I would definitely purchase it in the future.

Stella Cadente Miss Me perfume - I am not a big fan of perfume at all and if I do wear perfume I am super picky about what it is. Usually in the fall/winter months I'll wear Michael Kors or Burberry London. In the spring/summer I will wear my new favorite scent, Jo Malone's French Lime Blossom. I also like Bobbi Brown's Beach for the summer. This perfume by Stella Cadente is a bit too strong and floral for me. I liked it at first sniff but it is the type that I would quickly dislike after wearing it for a couple hours. The scent itself is nice, it's just not my style.

Supergoop Everyday Face/Body lotion SPF 30 - this is a nice lotion with a good amount of SPF in it. However, because I just bought a fabulous sunscreen from Elta (recommended by my derm) so I haven't used the Supergoop yet. According to my dermatologist you should use sunscreen with Zinc and Titanium in it, Elta has both.

Maxwell Emery Board - this was the extra in the Birchbox for March. It has a pretty floral design, and I like it because I seem to go through emery boards faster than I know what to do with them.

Overall, I was pretty happy to see the contents in the box, I am going to give this a few months to decide if I am going to keep the subscription or not. If you are interested in subscribing, click here to sign up. As mentioned above, it's only $10 and you can cancel at anytime.

N'Awlins - Part Two

Last week I returned from another trip to Louisiana. This time, a few friends and I decided to drive (yes, the entire 10.5 hours from STL to LA) so we could spend some much needed girl time in New Orleans. Because I had to go for work, we started out in Baton Rouge - I was pretty much dedicated to work obligations and didn't hang out too much. However, on the last night in BR when I was done with work stuff was done we went out for the most AMAZING sushi dinner at a restaurant called Tsunami. As you can see from the picture, we got a pretty good spread of sushi including some fried oyster sushi (yum), and gator sushi (I passed on that one). It was seriously the best sushi we'd ever had, hands down! 

Best.Sushi.EVER.

After Baton Rouge we headed to New Orleans, where we rented an awesome condo right off of Bourbon Street. As you can imagine, 4 girls + New Orleans = crazy and fun times. Even though we were technically in New Orleans only for two days (which trust me, was plenty of time!), we have so many funny stories and great memories that we'll be talking about for years to come. I feel very lucky to have an amazing group of friends that I have a blast with!