One Month Milestone: Time to Kick it up a Notch

Today marks the one month anniversary of my workout regime. As a motivation I try to do two things. First, I reward myself on every monthly anniversary with a nice pedicure for the hard work my feet have done (whether it’s running, Pilates, workout DVDs or Yoga they’ve kicked it up a notch.) The second? Well it’s to share what I’ve done, where I’m going, etc. with whomever reads this blog. Why? Because personal accountability is why people work out with friends or trainers.

My issue is I like my ‘me time’ when I work out. I like going to classes by myself, heading down to the workout area by myself, etc. I don’t want to socialize when it comes down to it. Classmates will socialize beforehand but rarely interrupt the actual workout (hence I am friendly with fellow classmates) and the same thing cannot be said of friends attending classes together. I need my independence, my ability to work at my own pace without judgement, and an escape from the daily grind without worrying about offending a friend if I advance at a faster or slower pace. I am there to improve myself, and in the end I need to worry about me. I know this sounds incredibly selfish but maybe we all need to be a bit more selfish when it comes to our health.

So today when I hit my one month anniversary I am not going to get a pedicure (that will be tomorrow) but kicking my workout up a notch and adding Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred back into my routine. When I started running I immediately started Pilates. I’m glad I did as the core workout will hopefully help me with Jillian. The reason I am adding a bit more strength training/cardio into my routine is to not only switch it up but also to build more muscle to burn more fat. The arms are the most noticeable area where you can tell if someone uses weights or not. Based on experienced trainers’ opinions, the addition of weights will kick up my metabolism, add muscle, burn fat and help change it up to keep me interested. In other words, get me one step closer to hitting my goals before my 27th birthday this August.

Pilates: The Real Deal

When I started Pilates three weeks ago (just going on Sundays) I knew it would be a different experience and a good workout but I never expected this. This being the transformation my body has begun, the complete difference in how I feel, stand, workout and increase in understanding my body. Cheesy? Probably. True? You better believe it. For anyone who wants to trim their fat, tone their body you should check out Pilates.

We've all heard that Pilates is a great workout and that it 'strengthen and elongates muscles' but I figured it would take weeks, months, maybe even years to really see/feel the results. Boy was I wrong. The first Sunday in June I attended my first Pilates class at Align Pilates. To say it was anything short of spectacular would be to commit libel. I was sore for two days afterwards, considering it worked muscles I usually didn't attend to the fact that running that Tuesday helped was a minor miracle. On Monday I was sitting at my office and sneezed. I usually sneeze in threes, and they're not quiet. I sneezed loudly and then whimpered in pain. My boss was in his office and asked me if i was okay, that's how much pain I was in. No, I didn't pull or strain any muscles I just never worked them that hard before either.

In three weeks my waist has lost inches. I've only lost two pounds but my pants aren't fitting due to excessive bagginess and the flab on my tummy is slowly disappearing. I have done a million different workout regimes, this is the only one that has had these results. I'm definitely a believer in Pilates, I plan on practicing the rest of my life and one day even becoming a certified instructor.

This past Sunday was my third class and it was easier than my first or second class. I was slowly building up my core muscles. I should mention, it was easier it was NOT easy. I've found myself looking forward to Sunday every week. It's an hour of 'me time'. I spend that hour focusing on my health, doing an activity I enjoy that is exercise at a studio I love. Isn't that what exercise should be like?

My Food Revolution: 'The End of Overeating'

When I first started on becoming healthier I had heard why eating out was a bad idea but the author's focus was more on eating healthier overall and he didn't delve into the science behind it. I had decided to limit going out to eat as it was harder to do when I was spending more on fresh produce as that food has an expiration date. So I focused instead on making homecooked meals and changing my diet towards eating healthy. I found that eating healthier was not as hard financially as many claim it is, when you go out to eat more often the food you have in the fridge that expires and then you have to buy more, wasting food and money. When I stopped throwing away food, I noticed there wasn't that big of a difference in terms of how much money I spent. I still occasionally went out to eat with friends, but felt somewhat guilty for doing so.

So when a friend recommended The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David A. Kessler, MD. I decided to read it. Finding it was only $2.99 prompted a quick buy and immediate reading. While I'm only halfway through the book here's my first impression.

1. The food that's super bad for you actually changes your neural pathways to reinforce the action of you eating it. This is essentially making food a drug but without the abundance of warnings and access to food at every corner on every street.
2. Some people literally cannot stop thinking about food. I have never understood this as I am not one of those people but to see how people describe their suffering is very similar to what an alcoholic goes through, it's fascinating and frustrating at the same time.
3. Chain restaurants are basically fast food places where you sit down and pay more. There's practically as much frying and processed food on your plate as there is when you eat from McDonald's. Your food isn't being cooked, it's being manufactured, so can we really call it food anymore?
4. Scientist are finding interesting studies showing how 'highly palatable' food is changing the pathways in animals and food manufacturers are using this information for a profit at the expense of our health.
5. We need to stop using food to reward good behavior or soothe us when we are stressed as it reinforces the 'desire' for food and forms habits that soon become automatic.

If this isn't enough to entice you to read the book then I don't know what is. The fact that the food industry not only puts so much fat, sugar and salt in their food to make us unhealthy but do it because it's addictive is a sign that we all need to educate ourselves. If after reading books on these topics we choose to eat the same way many currently do then that's a decision, it's a choice that was made after finding out all the facts. Because if we were to be honest, we know very little about what we're putting in our bodies, why we crave it and how to break the habits.

Pilates? Yes Please!

Yesterday on Twitter I asked my followers their recommendations for Pilates or Yoga and the responses I received on both were overwhelming. I have already done Yoga in the past and knew how much it helped; I really saw a difference in my body from doing Yoga in terms of feeling more lean and less bulky. So what is the difference between the two and why should I invest time and money into Pilates when I can do my Yoga DVD at home?

The distinction between Yoga and Pilates is not easy to find, for one Yoga is often connected with spiritual history and processes that focus much more on reaching actualization than they do on what their physical aim is. Pilates is more straightforward.

The Pilates method seeks to increase the strength, flexibility and control of the body. Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps to not only build flexibility, but also strength, endurance, and coordination in the legs, abdominals, arms and back.

Another site lists the benefits of Pilates and Yoga, citing they complement each other and one would benefit greatly from the combination of the two (which I plan to do - Yoga on Saturdays and Pilates on Sundays.) This site states that Pilates helps with the core, elongates muscles, etc. and Yoga's benefits are targeted towards the internal organs and overall health of the participant with the added bonus of stretching, flexibility, toning, balance as well.

I think fully understanding what you're getting yourself in for and why it's so good for you is essential to actually seeing it through. If you're looking for a good Yoga DVD I recommend 'The Biggest Loser Yoga' it's with Bob Harper and it's not as spiritually focused as some which I find to be boring but it definitely works. When I used it a few summers ago (it was free on Comcast under their Sports and Exercise section, I just recently purchased it on Amazon) I was running Lake Calhoun on a regular basis. I noticed immediately how elongated my legs looked and it felt great to stretch out as they recommended. My balance (which is awful) improved markedly and overall I felt great. I tried other Yoga workouts and never noticed the same results, often getting bored and listless during the workout and eventually dropping it from my routine all together.

And for those looking for a good Pilates exercise I suggest checking out local Pilates studios, there are often really good deals for newbies or to attend classes by a teacher in training. This upcoming Sunday I am taking my first ever Pilates class at Align Pilates in Uptown. Their 'Save Your Bucks Sunday' offers mat classes for $5 and reformer classes for $10, with personal one on one instruction for $20. So this Sunday I'll be on the mat, the following Sunday I'll be on the reformer. I'm excited to try something new, and for $30 a month to get a good workout in, I'll take it!

My Food Revolution: Not a Vegetarian, Just Meat Conscious

I love meat. I mean, I really love eating meat, there are few things in the world that beat grabbing a burger and drinks on the patio with family or friends on a warm summer day. All of my life I have eaten meat, it's something I thoroughly enjoy, something I plan on eating for the rest of my life. Upon watching Food Inc, after being sparked to start my own personal journey towards eating healthier by watching Food Revolution, I now think twice before indulging on said burger or even chicken tenders or steak.

The documentary was released in 2008, and anyone who has watched the news remembers more than a fair share of contamination and e. coli recalls. Just recently meat in five different states were found to have an antibiotic resistant strain of Staph in the meat. Not just ground beef but also poultry. Here is the link: http://t.co/sIsqTtz

So why is this happening? If you have seen any documentary or read any book about the subject you may already know. If you haven't, you need to. It's a vicious cycle that can be stopped quite easily, but it would cost too much money. First, there used to be thousands of meat slaughter houses across the country. Now there are too few. These slaughter houses have cows packed in, living on a corn diet. Well corn is not what cows should be eating. It fattens them up and they are not meant to eat corn. In turn, there is a spike in the e. coli virus in their gut. Now if you were to take that cow off of corn and feed it grass for five days - 80% of the e. coli would be gone. This doesn't happen. Instead the corn is fed to the animals, they're packed into an area that is too small and they can barely turn around. They have to poop where they stand, the poop is literally up to their belly. Instead of washing these animals off they are simply slaughtered and go through the assembly line getting cut up. The problem with this is that there is a good chance if just one cow is infected the rest of the meat can be as well. How? Well they stand in each others' feces and are cut by the same machinery. It can't be that hard to get even one spec of contaminated feces into the meat. And that ground beef you're eating? Most likely it's made up of thousands of different cows.*

So what can you do? Are you just supposed to stop eating meat and become a vegetarian? Well, trust me I have a hard enough time giving meat up for one day let alone a lifetime. Instead, why not decrease the amount of meat you eat but increase the quality? When you buy free range, grass fed beef you are buying meat from a rancher who treat their cows in a more humane manner, the cow is eating what they are supposed to be eating, and usually the ground beef you are having is going to be from one cow, not thousands. Not all of us can afford the super expensive stuff every day so the question is: Quantity or Quality? For me, I'll take quality any day over quantity. It may not be easy, but I'd like to avoid e. coli and Staph and any other unnecessary crap as much as possible.

If you can find a farmer/rancher who sells free range, grass fed cows / pigs / chicken and you have the storage space like my brother and his wife, you may want to consider 'buying a cow' and 'half of a pig' as they have done. They meet the cow, visit it and ensure that it's being raised in a healthy manner. Then they decide which cuts they want and store that cow for up to a year. They eat all they need from one cow.

*All information regarding slaughterhouses and the process is from the 2008 documentary Food Inc.

My Food Revolution: News Spices

In my quest to give up fast food I will be eating at home far more often. Because of this I decided I needed to make sure I hD the proper ingredients to cook some of my meals. As you may remember from my post in Olive Oil, I currently have an Olive Oil that is neither Extra Virgin nor all from one country. While shopping at Lunds yesterday I decided to do something about this.

Lunds is a pricier grocery store. My coworker noted that in Boston they have regular grocery stores and discount grocery stores. The same is true in Colorado, but Minnesota is completely different. In Colorado you could find a discount grocery store like Cub Foods but the regular grocery stores were Albertson's, King Sooper's, and Safeway. In Minnesota there is Cub Foods and Rainbow Foods. And then there is a whole other level of grocery store. What started as two separate entities is now referred to Lunds - Byerly's. There are Lunds grocery stores and there are Byerly's grocery stores, but the two have merged at their corporate office as well as for their own brand.

While most store brands are deemed to be less expensive and often viewed as lower in quality, quite the opposite could be said of Lunds - Byerly's. I had recently run out of Garlic Salt and thus found myself in the spices aisle, checking out what there was to offer. Lunds - Byerly's spices were all in glass, there are no additives or preservatives, and the ingredients were simple and without names that couldn't be pronounced. I picked up Black Pepper, Red Chili Flakes, and Garlic Salt. Across the aisle sat the Olive Oil and picking up the 'store brand' Extra Virgin Olive Oil I instinctively flipped the bottle to look at where the olives were grown, picked, and the process used. All olives were grown and cold pressed in Italy. While I still have my bottle of Bertolli, I knew that this would not only taste better on my salads, but also would be healthier for me.

Now I don't begin to pretend that there weren't cheaper items, items I had purchased even weeks ago. It's hard to pick up the better product when there is something that looks similar right next to it. So just to re-affirm my belief that I needed to pay more for what I assumed to be the better product I compared the Lunds - Byerly's Garlic Salt to the leading brand, the very brand I had used for years. There was less than a two dollar difference yet the LB Garlic Salt was in glass, contained garlic and sea salt. The leading brand? Well it was housed in plastic, and had five ingredients, including one that was used for 'ease of pouring' - what the heck does that mean? Why is it needed?

The total cost of my three spices and one bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil? $30. I realize this may seem like it's too much money for four items as it's hard to justify while only looking at the price. There are fewer ingredients, no additives, no preservatives, and no chemicals in any of the items I purchased. I have read the labels on the other items, I can honestly say that's not the case. So what are we really paying for? Is a dollar worth it to you to keep something unnecessary out of your body?

My Food Revolution: No Fast Food

Welcome to My Food Revolution, inspired by Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution I am taking my health into my own hands and changing my habits. Every two weeks I am going to try and do one really big change in my life. Throughout those two weeks I'll document my experiences and more so what I've learned and the difficulties I've faced. I need to be accountable and hopefully you'll decide to embark on your own 'Food Revolution'.

Today is the first day of my Food Revolution. As od yesterday I decided to remove fast food from my diet. Not for the most part, or all but once a month it needs to be gone. There are two fast food places I have a special craving for, but since I can only eat Chick Fil A once a year and In N Out Burger once every couple of years I will allow myself one more treat of each. Why am I removing fast food from my diet? I love fast food, I love the convenience, I love the taste, I love everything except for the fact that I consume enough calories in one meal to last an entire day. I have noticed when I limit fast food I drop a pant size. You'd think that would be enough of a reason to keep the fast food at bay but it isn't. Surprisingly it was hearing about how Chicken McNuggets were made, and seeing the Pink Slime that is used in meat for tacos and burgers. It's the fact that businesses don't care about what they give us.

A long time ago someone told me that no one else is looking out for me but me. I thought that was a really pessimistic and critical thing to say. Now I get it. Ultimately the only person responsible for the decisions I make is me, whether people care for my well being the only one who has the power and responsibility to take care of me is me. Businesses are in the market for profit, government is so broken it can barely function, and healthcare is more about staying in the black than keeping me healthy. Restaurants will get away with whatever 'tricks' they can employ to fatten their bank accounts while still providing food that we'll eat. Profit is the name of the game, health is something even healthcare companies care about *after* they've balanced their overhead and budgets. Lawsuits can be filed and complaints can be made but ultimately it is up to us to take care of ourselves. It is our right, ney our responsibility to take care of ourselves and make the right choices for ourselves.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life that I will actively try to keep fast food out of my body. I know it will be hard, I've grown up with fast food and love eating it. But here's the thing: I love me more. I am worth fighting for and I am worth paying more for better food. I deserve better, and so do you.

My Food Revolution

There's the difference between knowing and doing; knowing what is best for ourselves and actually doing what is the best for our health, financial security, happiness. I've known for a long time that fast food is bad, that processed foods aren't the healthiest, and that there are some scary things going on with the FDA. I've known and never fully committed to changing my lifestyle until now; I can't wait any longer to take my own health into my hands.

I am the average American woman. I'm around a size eight (which is horrifying to admit on the web but also necessary for accountability) - I've never participated in any fad diets, and just recently as my metabolism has slowed down due to hitting the big 26 last year I have finally started to somewhat track my calories.I'm not the girl who obsesses over size, health has always been more important to me. I ate what I wanted, refused to feel guilty, and tried to balance in fruits and veggies when possible. I fit in clothing sold in department stores, can run a mile without a problem and can probably train for a 5k in a month or less. I am hardly what I would think of as at risk for health. However, the growing epidemic of obesity combined with the fact that I have no family history at all has forced me to take pro-active measures to my own health. As an adoptee without any knowledge of cancer and heart disease history I need to make sure what I am doing is beneficial even if there is a history. I need to take care of me.

So what sparked this change, this drastic new view on food and lifestyle? It wasn't an overnight awakening but rather a gradual understanding and awareness of what we are truly doing to ourselves and our health. It started with the documentary 'America the Beautiful', I watched this documentary with my sister and brother in law over Christmas vacation in 2009. I was stunned by the revelations, even had a post drafted but left it un-posted. Then there was an author (who for the life of me I cannot remember his name) on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart talking about his new book (which had a big carrot on it.) He was there to discuss food and health. He made a statement that until healthcare cannot be denied to anyone the health industry won't care about our health and the McDonald's and Burger Kings of the world won't be held accountable for pumping us full of sodium, processed food, saturated fat, etc. It was a surprising statement to say the least but I never sought out the book. I was still unmotivated.

Enter Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution campaign and show on ABC. Food Revolution is partnered with the American Heart Association and Ryan Seacrest productions. Funny mix? Not really as the AHA needs an ambassador to reach out to the masses and connect with them to help their see the light. And Seacrest? Well for this show to help more people it needs to reach the masses. If he can make the Kardashians worth watching he can make something intelligent and necessary worth watching. I watched the first episode last night on my iPad after eating fast food. I've never felt so disgusting before. While I could tell you everything you need to know about the show it would be far better if you watched it. You can head over to abc.com and watch the episode on demand. You'll never look at a hamburger the same way again. But maybe that's not the worst thing in the world.

My decision to change my eating habits will be gradual, much like my understanding of why the natural foods movement is the right choice. I'll be documenting my choices and sharing any tips I find along my journey. And if you have any reading material or thoughts about the natural food movement please share, I'm more than happy to read anything on both sides of the story.

Lying about Virginity

This isn't what you think this is. This post is about Virgin Olive Oil. I know, right? More specifically Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Well, Olive Oil has been named the miracle oil, seen as beneficial in food, on skin, and all around amazing. I'd read the articles, heard the experts, and had generally accepted that it was as good as it seems, and for the most part it is.

I have an iPad, and one of the coolest things on the iPad is the apps. I love my entertainment apps. ABC player, Hulu Plus, Netflix, and Xfinity Television. I can watch almost everything I'd ever want to watch. And the Barnes and Noble Nook app? Another blessing. It was with said app that I discovered the truth about Olive Oil.

I purchased Teresa Guidice's ebook 'Skinny Italian' and read the entire book the evening I purchased it. Upon chapter three Guidice reveals one of the most interesting things I'd ever read about Olive Oil. While Guidice may not be an expert, her reasoning is, well, reasonable. Oilves are a fruit, squeezing olives gives you their oil. It's how we get virgin Olive Oil. Simple right? Here's where it gets tricky.

Go into your pantry and find your bottle or two of Olive Oil. Chances are you have a few bottles, I had two when I read this. The first, Carapelli and the second, Bertolli. Both in nice bottles, both more expensive than some of their counterparts. Neither one are Virgin Olive Oils, let alone Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Chances are, the one you have in your cabinet isn't either. So all those benefits of Olive Oil you've been promised? Well you're not intaking Virgin Olive Oil and may be missing out on them.

I did a little field research of my own, the next time I was at a Super Target. While it's nothing official it was certainly eye opening. I stood in the Olive Oil aisle and looked at all of the bottles. Virgin Olive Oil means that the olives were cold pressed the day they were picked. The best kind of Olive Oil is picked from one region and cold pressed the same day only going through the press once.

When I look for Olive Oil now, I only get 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil with olives only from Italy. Surprisingly, Target has a great Olive Oil that fits those requirements, in their own brand. And just in case you were wondering, those Olive Oil cooking sprays probably aren't that great for you either. Better idea? Do what my parents did and head to Bed Bath and Beyond and pick up a sprayer in the Kitchen section. It's a little silver canister that you put in what you want and then pump it before spraying. They put in pure Olive Oil. Then you get all the benefits of Olive Oil for cooking or baking with the ease and control of one of the spray canisters.

'Tis The Season

'Tis the season for spreading germs! I have had quite a few run ins with being sick this time of year, it's never fun. Here's a few tips for staying healthy this holiday season.

Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. I just went to orientation at a Fairview Hospital for volunteering. The general rule is any time you touch something that sick people have been in contact with you wash your hands before and you wash your hands afterwards. Their instructions for hand washing is as follows:

Turn the faucet on, rinse hands & then pump out soap. Scrub your hands at least thirty seconds or the tune of the ABC's or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Clean in between fingers, under fingernails, and all the way past the wrist. To clean off the soap place finger tips together and facing down. Start rinsing at the wrist. The idea here is to wash germs off and not back up. Use papertowel to open doors if possible. I usually wipe my hands off and then take one all the way back to my office and then dispose of it.

Cover that cough!! When my parents' generation was younger they were told to cover their coughing with their hand. When I had bronchitis in high school the doctor told me the younger, hipper generation was being taught to cover their mouths with the inside of their elbow. Rarely does one shake elbows, and it is still easily accessible. I've noticed many people who have a cough that lingers do so because in my opinion they keep the germs so close by. Instead of coughing into your hand and then touching your keyboard, phone, keys, glass, pen, etc. cough into your elbow and keep your hands clean and germ free.

Curb your oral fixation!! I have a problem with biting my nails, nervous habit. Well, even though I love to bite my nails I have a rule, no biting my nails during the cold and flu season, no chewing on pen caps or anything else that places dirty, germy objects anywhere near my mouth.

Lysol Wipes - Use 'em! Whenever I get sick at work I usually take no more than a few days before I've completely recovered. My trick? The second I detect a cold or the swine coming on I follow the above rules and a few others to help me get over the germs faster. Here's the if you do get sick guide.

1 - Drink TONS of water. Avoid alcohol, avoid soda. Drink juices, drinks with electrolytes, and water. Stay hydrated.
2 - CONSTANTLY wash your hands, even after touching regular surfaces. Our office has alcohol based waterless gel soap (aka Purell) and I use it every time I am in the copy room.
3 - Wash your pillow case EVERY night. When I had the swine flu I slept on a different pillow case every night. I washed my sheets as often as possible. When I was done being sick I made sure to change out my sheets as well.
4 - Gargle Listerine. Once in the morning, once in the evening, once before bed. If you're home sick and can do this more often I'd suggest once an hour. Kill the germs.
5 - Do NOT share beverages. No this is not an anti-mono speech, but rather something way worse. A few years ago my entire family had to be given medication for bacterial meningicoccal. What's that you say? Well it's the worst form of bacterial meningitis. How did we come in contact with it? Well, my Aunt Becki forgot to get her yearly shot for said disease because she has a weakened immune system. Not only did she put herself at danger, but she could also have been carrying the disease to the rest of us. How? Well it's Christmas, people were tasting each other's drinks, etc. The doctors decided to aire on the side of caution. The moral of the story is, eat off of your fork, drink out of your glass. Just because someone 'feels fine' doesn't mean they aren't carrying some sort of illness.

Twenty Five Years In The Making

What I've Learned in the past 25 years

It's taken me 20+ years to learn about myself. I'm finally figuring out wha'ts best for my body, diet, skin, hair, and overall health. A few tips I've found along the way I'll share with you today.

I have come to accept that I will never look like a super model. That being said, I don't need to settle for anything less than the best I can be. My frame may not be built to be 5'10" and super svelt, but I shouldn't be dying after walking up a few flights of stairs either. I've gotten back into running again (slowly but surely) and I've found myself slowly losing inches, feeling better after I run, and making an effort to get my diet in good order. The diet part is not in reference to dieting but rather what I eat on a day to day basis. I promised myself by the time I turned 25 I would be as close to soda and fast food free as possible. I gave myself the first 6 months of my 24th birthday to binge on greasy fries, potato chips, soda, etc. I have now been off soda for a few weeks (not as far along as I would like to be, but ti's been an on again off again relationship) and haven't had fast food for almost a month, and before that over a month. I'm getting better, it's just always a work in progress.

What I have heard about and have been experiencing diet wise has definitely sped up my metabolism. Here's a few secrets Oprah shared on her show recently:

Eating 1/2 a tomato a day (or a TON of tomato paste - gross) everyday for about a month will help reverse the signs of skin damage.

Switching to a raw veggie and fruit diet will help you shed about 10-15 pounds in 1-2 weeks. So if you're getting married, or heading out on vacation and need to be seen in a bathing suit here's a quick, easy, and somewhat healthy way to lose weight without exercising. Oprah had all of her contestants eat 2,000 calories of raw veggies and fruits (not cooked, only raw). What they found is that without exercising they lost weight. Why? You may ask? Well, because raw fruits and veggies have an unreal amount of natural fibers that help you 'go to the bathroom' more often and naturally.

In terms of skincare my whole life I have had red blothces right under my nose and struggled with awful blackheads on my nose. Attractive, no? I thought the remedy would be to use those Biore pore cleansing strips (which do work if you perchance have an off week but for the most part have blackhead free skin, otherwise it just keeps coming back). I used concealer under my nostrils, but everytime I had to blow my nose, I was unusually red again. I recently had dinner with a friend who gave me great skincare advice and then asked my other friend's dad (a facial and reconstructive plastic surgeon) what he thought of my friend's advice. The first piece of advice is ALWAYS wear sunscreen. Just because you don't burn doesn't mean the UVA & UVB rays are not damaging your skin which will show sun spots and fine lines later on. Regardless of ethnicity, sun exposure, hydration, smoking, alcohol and diet have a very dramatic impact on your skin's health. I try and use SPF 15 for every day wear, SPF 70 if I'm going running outside on my face and SPF 40-50 on my body. Two areas to remember are your neck and your ears, they often get left out and end up getting wrinkly (neck) or sunburned (ears). Lack of water throughout the day can cause your skin to lose its elasticity and youthful appearance, therefore I try and drink over 100 ounces of water daily. In fact, right now all I drink is water, the ocassional glass of orange juice, and milk. Now as for products that I swear by - they go as follows:

Cetaphil Facial Wash (pump) and Fresh Cucmber Foaming Facial Wash. I love these two products. I try and use Cetaphil each morning to cleanse my face and the Fresh brand at night to calm, soothe and reduce puffiness (cucumber). Neither are too harsh for my sensitive skin, and the Fresh is especially easy to rinse off in the sink, which is why I love it. I have a tendancy to get water everywhere otherwise.

Fresh Seawater Toner - this is quite possibly the most amazing toner I've ever used. It does come with a hefty price, but it's well worth it. I'm hoping Fresh repackages it in a non-glass bottle and lowers the price tag. The reason it's so amazing? I use it twice a day, just a little bit in the palm of my hand and I dab it all over my face and neck after washing my face, while my face is still wet. Since using this product my blackheads have decreased to almost non-existent. I realized the effect the other day and now swear by the product. It has no alcohol in it and is very good for sensitive skin. I'm absolutely in love with it and won't ever use another toner!

Skyn Iceland Eye Relief - I should also mention that when I do not get enough sleep I tend to get puffy eyes. I hate this look and hence have tried using the Cucumber Foaming facial wash in addition to the super intensive eye cream twice a day. This cream is made specifically for your skin when you haven't been hydrating, maybe have been partying, not eating right, etc. Their marketing scheme is brilliant, I highly encourage you to check them out if for no other reason than to read the box. I lightly pat this cream under and around my eyes, as it's the first area we typically notice lines, and since I want to one day look younger than my older sister, I will make sure I work hard to keep pristine skin.

Other secrets to reducing puffiness include - sticking spoons in the freezer and then placing them on your eyes. Cucumbers over your eyes, and my favorite using green tea to give your eyes a much needed caffeine jolt to look refreshed.

If you have any super good beauty secrets comment below!!

Pampering

Right now I'm training for three races, 1 definite 5k and two races where it's a toss up between a 5k & a 10k depending on how well I train. Those two races are also a week apart. This much training requires a few things.

1. Quality running shoes. If you are looking for any help with running shoes visit Run n Fun in St. Paul off of Grand Ave or The Running Room at its multiple locations. If you join Running Room's club you can get 20% off of your shoes.

2. Treating yourself to some treats. Such as pedicures, getting adjusted, massages, etc. For a quality pedicures along the way to treat yourself for all your hard work. Try Red Nails in St. Paul's Highland Park - not only did they get ranked #1 but they have a nice coupon online that gives you free stuff. I got one, and one hour and fifteen minutes later my feet were in heaven. A great place for massages is Keep In Touch - my bosses got me a massage there and I felt so cleansed energy wise, though I did have to go get adjusted for my sore muscles shortly afterward at Marty Chiropractic in my office building (quite convenient!) and she gives you packets of my favorite BioFreeze!

3. IcyHot/Benegay/BioFreeze/Freeze It - Basically anything the elderly take for their sore aches and bones, I use on my thighs and back.

Obviously some good running music helps so leave comments on your favorite tunes so I can add them to my iPod!

Skinny Girl Margaritas

I'm always a day late and a dollar short. Today I came across this 'group' on facebook called Skinny Girl Margaritas by Bethenny Frankel from the Real Housewives of NYC. Interesting I thought as I looked over it and found that Bethenny is a huge advocate of natural foods and had thus partnered up to provide women with a low calorie drink alternative. Available this summer are *NEW* Skinny Girl Margaritas that you simply open up and drink. Until then get recipes and other information at the Skinny Girl Margarita website. And when out - if the bartender does not have the ingredients readily available ask for your marg to be made like this:

Silver Tequila

Juice from 4 fresh limes

Small splash of cointreau or triple sec

And splash of soda if too strong.

Do not have the salt.

Boston Scientific 5K

In my attempt to train for a 10K this summer in Milwaukee, I have decided to also participate in a 5K for Boston Scientific this summer in Minneapolis at Lake Nokomis. Don't get me wrong, I do not like running. I do it because my pants don't fit and I eat unhealthy amounts of butter. Otherwise, I wouldn't run unless something was chasing me.

My dear friend Keri, errr Kara as others know her as, has recently invited me to gruel it out once a week with her at Como Park. There's a brief instruction by a fitness trainer at the beginning and then an hour and a half to train. We plan to yuck it up with gossip, girl talk, and just our thoughts. It's perfect because I still live in Saint Paul until May 30th, and then after that I can drive once a week to train and make myself somewhat less unhealthy.

For those of you who are unable to attend the weekly training session, try this wonderful website I was introduced to last week, it's called Runner's World which has information on anything you could ever want or need as a runner. Where to buy shoes, how to buy shoes, what shoes to buy. Where to train, how often to train, how long to train, and techniques to make you train better. It's a great resource for anyone in the running world, novice or expert.

For more information on the 5k & 10k on Lake Nokomis on July 25th, 2009 check out the website here!

Colorado: Least Obese

For the second year in a row Colorado is the state with the fewest percentage of obese people. Oklahoma is the state with the highest percentage of obese people for the third year in a row.

Maybe I can blame my weight gain on leaving Colorado....I mean, with the weather so nice ALL the time it is always easier to stay active.

And the possibility to wear shorts, t-shirts and other summery clothing all year long does encourage one to stay in shape. However, the second I utter the words, the reason I gained weight was because I left Colorado, I will hear my mother say "Well then you should move back, live at home, and find a husband." With my mother, you win none, you lose all.....

Want to check out how your state fared? Check it out!!

Going Green

With Spring here (finally) thought I would share a few salad recipes with you to get back to being healthy without it being painful. Bathing suit season is just around the corner and every little bit counts.

Light, Crisp Salad

Hearts of Romaine lettuce

Salt & Pepper to taste

Either 6 drops of lemon juice or a slice of lemon squeezed

Olive oil to taste

Add favorite vegetables

Origin – Nadine E.

Italian Style Salad

Italian style lettuce

Cherry tomatoes cut in halves

Semi-crushed walnuts

Croutons

Pepper to taste

Olive oil and Balsamic Vinaigrette to taste

Origin – Jon E.

Summer Salad

Spinach leaves

Sliced Strawberries

Feta Cheese

Semi-crushed Pralines (or sugared walnuts)

Raspberry Vinaigrette

Put each ingredient in separate bowl and allow guests to mix together.

Lunds Byerly’s has the best Raspberry Vinaigrette ($5+) but 2 tablespoons = 45 calories and you won’t use 2 tablespoons, maybe one.

Origin – Ellen B.

Oriental Salad

Spinach Leaves & Romaine Lettuce mix

Mandarin Orange slices

Sliced Almonds

Warmed Sesame Dressing from Macy’s

Origin – Elizabeth F.

Or for the simple folks:

Caprese Salad

1 toothpick

1 Cherry Tomato

1 Basil leaf

1 Mozzarella ball

Repeat.