Healthy Obsessions of a Girlie Tomboy

Two of my new favorite things

2011-11-17T18:07:00.001-08:00

Did anyone else have a hard time with technology today? I had to restart my work computer three times. The updated Flash Player that I needed installed only works on Internet Explorer and not Mozilla. Then our copy machine went on the fritz! Utter techie weirdness!

In addition to that, a little bit of snow came to the mitten! I don't know if I'm excited about it or not. I love Fall, so I'm sad to see it go away. However, I'm warming up to the idea of winter. Why?

I have two new favorite things that will keep me warm for the winter!!!!

New Favorite Thing #1: FUZZY SOCKS!

Yes, I'm wearing two different socks. I love them both! The ankle, purple and black socks is fun and warm. The longer black, white, and gray sock is so comfy that I sometimes forget that I'm wearing it! Fuzzy socks are great for lounging around the house on a lazy, chilly day. It's also breathes well, while my feet are nice and warm, they do not get all sweaty!

New Favorite Thing #2 Running Gloves

This was an impulse buy at Target. I needed a pair of everyday gloves for driving to work, walking the dog, and running. These gloves are amazing! It keeps my hands warm. The material is the same used for running t-shirts or shorts, so it allows the skin to breath without causing sweaty palms. I love the material because it's also very light weight and flexible so my hands move just as freely as if I wasn't wearing gloves.

So if today is the beginning of snow in Michigan, I say BRING IT!

I also want to leave you with a cool song that has been stuck in my head all day. I have no idea why, but it's a feel good song, so why not share the love:

Loki "Loco" K - An Update

2011-11-10T08:11:00.001-08:00

So I know that I skipped out last week. Honestly, the things I want to write in my "eating healthy" weeks I can't until I get a much needed piece of machinery back into our household. (What?) I will explain later.

This week is typically a "How to stay active" post," but I'm changing things up a bit.

I wanted to give you all an update on Loki. His been with us for a little over 6 months and he is doing great! Also, he has definitely been keeping us active! With daily walks/bike rides, and obedience training, we have been up and about with our furry friend!

With that said, I give you Loki's video blog debut. First up, some old tricks that he already knew before we adopted him:

Here's one more:

But, that's not all. We've taught him a couple new things as well! Come when called, High five, and catch (with food):

The best one is "Park." Loki gets really excited when new people come over, so we taught him to "park" so that he doesn't get in the way and barrel people over with his hearty welcome. This was a really easy command to teach and he has been doing well with it. Check it out.

Having Loki as part of our family has been such a treat. It's so awesome to come home and see both my husband and our dog open the door and greet me with smiles (and in Loki's case wiggles). I will have to get a video of that for you guys soon. It's the absolute cure to a bad day!

Besides, how can you not smile when you look at this face!

Isn't he handsome!?

A Low Key Anniversary

2011-10-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

On 10/16/10,

This tomboy got married!

So on 10/16/11 (well, 10/15/11), Marcin and I celebrated our One Year Anniversary with a romantic dinner at Opus One.

Pic Source

We had a great time! During our dinner:

1) We got a complimentary bottle of champagne!

A surprise for us - all thanks to our former wedding coordinator and friend . . .


Wedding Coordinator Extraordinaire Sarah!

Sarah now works for Opus One and she called ahead to let them know we were coming. We were treated with like VIP's!

I had the duck . . .


and it was delicious

Marcin had the Surf & Turf. . .

I got to have a few bites. . . YUM!

The owner came out to let us know that Sarah had called a head. So we made sure to convey how AWESOME she is and how much we love her!

We also ordered desserts, but the batteries ran out on my camera! :( I had a delicious creme brulee!

But before we got to our desserts, we were presented with a nice gift from the restaurant. . .

HALF A POUND OF DARK CHOCOLATE!!!!

Took us a whole week to finish this bad boy!

Needless to say, we Wined & Dined on our first year anniversary!

On our actual anniversary (Sunday), we took a family bike ride with Loki, hung out at home and caught up on our DVR, and cooked dinner. I made a crock pot Mac & Cheese recipe that I got from Pinterest!

Twas Yummy!

Next year, we are thinking of doing a mini trip to Traverse City. Looking forward to that!

And thus, October comes to a close. I can't believe that November is right around the corner!!! See you then!

Hello my name is Jessica . . .

2011-10-20T18:02:00.000-07:00

. . and I've been a blogger slacker!!!!

Sorry guys :(

Work has been rough the past month - crazy busy with events and a lot of new things in the works. I've been so burnt out when I get home, the last thing that I want to do is go back on the computer and blog.

Both Marcin and I have had pretty hectic weeks at work. Then our weekends have been eaten up with social commitments. Sigh. . .

So here is my slow attempt to get back in the blogging game.

So this is "Fashion/Beauty" week on my blog schedule. I've been mostly writing about beauty tips and tricks before my hiatus. Basically I sort of hit a "A-HA" moment back in July when I got the July Glamour Magazine with Blake Lively on the cover.


(Sidebar - I have a girl crush on Blake Lively! I started watching Gossip Girl for the last season and a half. But what really sealed the deal in my girl crush was her role in the Green Lantern. She had the best line that redeems all comic book heroines!)

In her article she said,

"Style is how you say, "This is who I am today.'"

When I read that, something sort of clicked for me. While I'm not exactly a trend setter or fashionista as Blake or my fashionable friends, I don't have to fit into a cookie cutter mold of style. So I haven't been posting about my outfits because who am I to say that something is stylish for the masses.

If it's stylish for me, then that is all that matters!

So if I feel a bit girlie one day for a wedding, I can rock this look:

At my friend, Angela's wedding

If I'm feeling sporty, then . . .

At the UM vs. San Diego game . . GO BLUE!!

If I'm feeling random . . .

I'm calling this Rustic Chic. Don't ask about the horse. LOL!

So style is really what you make of it, not what others say is "in" or "cool."

Although, I do have to say, trends are cool to watch and experiment with - just be money conscious about it! Oooh, do I detect a new post idea??? Stay tuned next month . . .

;)

Next week, check out my Anniversary post! Marcin and I celebrated our one year anniversary! It will also be the 6 month anniversary of adopting Loki!

10 LAYERS OF ME

2011-09-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

This marks my 250th post on the blog!!!

I honestly never thought I would reach this point when I started this blog 3 years ago . . .

Normally this week would be about "active living," but I haven't started my dance classes yet, so I really do not have anything.

Instead, I pulled this blog survey from my first personal blog. It's a survey I took in 2006 and 2007. I want to see how my answers changed or stayed the same . . . so here goes!

LAYER ONE: ON THE OUTSIDE
Name: Jessica

Birth date: May

Birth place: Dearborn, MI

Current Location: My house (2011); Organizational Studies Program,UofM (2007); Academic Advising Center, EMU (2006)
Eye Color: brown
Hair Color: black
Righty or Lefty: Righty
Zodiac Sign: Taurus

LAYER TWO: ON THE INSIDE
Your heritage: Filipino, Spanish
What Shoes Did You Wear Today: Silver flats (2011);black flats (2007); blackboots(2006)
Your weakness: Social Media (2011); shopping (2007); sleep(2006)
Your fears: Something happening to my family (2011); going to the doctor about my headaches (2007);falling asleep at work and get caught (2006)
Your perfect pizza: Cheese, black olives, and bacon (2011); Cheese,green peppers, pepperoni (2007 & 2006)
Goal you'd like to achieve: Maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle (2011); Get out of debt (2007 & 2006)

LAYER THREE: YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW:
Your most overused phrase(s): Wicked (2011); Holy Goo! (2007);"Seriously"- Damn Grey's Anatomy! (2006)
Your thoughts first waking up: “Is it my turn to let Loki out?”(2011);"I just fell asleep!"(2007& 2006)
Your best physical feature: My eyes . .or my smile (2011, 2007, and 2006)
Your bedtime: whenever: 10:00-11:00 pm (2011); whenever(2007 & 2006)
Your most missed memory: waking up in the hospital to find a plush Garfield toy from my dad (2011);hangingout with my friends in the UC (2007 & 2006)

LAYER FOUR: YOUR PICK:
Pepsi or Coke: Pepsi (2011, 2007,& 2006)
McDonald's or Burger King: Burger King (2011,2007, & 2006)
Single or group dates: any kind of date (2011,2007, & 2006)
Adidas or Nike: neither (2011, 2007,& 2006)
Lipton Tea or Nestea: Lipton (2011,2007, & 2006)
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate (2011,2007, & 2006)
Cappuccino or coffee: Coffee (2011); cappuccino (2007 & 2006)

LAYER FIVE: DO YOU?
Smoke: An occasional cigar (2011); No (2007, & 2006)
Cuss: why yes, thank you for asking! (2011,2007, & 2006)
Take a shower: yep . . .the only way to wake up in the morning (2011, 2007, & 2006)
Have a crush: yes I do and I married him! (2011)
Think you've been in love: Yes (2011, 2007, & 2006)
Like(d) high school: hells no (2011, 2007, & 2006)
Want to get married: Yep, and I did! (2011)
Believe in yourself: Sure do! 2011); I do, but I have my moments ofinsecurity (2007 & 2006)
Get motion sickness: Quite frequently(2011); sometimes (2007 & 2006)
Think you're a health freak: Yep, but Ilet myself indulge (2011); Ha! Right (2007 & 2006)
Get along with your parents: Sure (2011,2007, & 2006)
Like thunderstorms: Only if I can stay home, curl up on my couch and watch T.V.or read a book (2011, 2007, &2006)

LAYER SIX: IN THE PAST WEEK
Drank alcohol: Yes
Gone on a date: yep
Gone to the mall: No (2011); Yes! LOL! I told you, it's my weakness!(2007)No (2006)
Been on stage: No; (2011, 2007,& 2006)
Eaten Sushi: No (2011 :( ); yes (2007 & 2006)
Been dumped: no (2011, 2007, &2006)
Gone skating: No (2011, 2007, &2006)
Gone skinny dipping: nope (2011,2007, & 2006)
Dyed your hair: no (2011, 2007,& 2006)

LAYER SEVEN: HAVE YOU EVER
Played a game that required removal of clothing: no (2011, 2007, & 2006)
Gotten beaten up: no (2011, 2007,& 2006)
Changed who you were to fit in: Nope (2011); I changed my communication style (2007 &2006)

LAYER EIGHT: GETTING OLDER
Age you hope to be married: I was 29(2011); hmmm . . before I'm 30 (2007 & 2006)
Numbers of Children: 1 or 2 (2011,2007, & 2006)
Describe your dream wedding: NAILEDIT! (2011); small and simple withlots of dancing at the reception (2007 & 2006)
How do you want to die: never really thought of that (2011,2007, & 2006)

LAYER NINE: IN A GAL/GUY
Best eye color?: brown (2011, 2007, & 2006)
best hair color?: hmmm . .don't really have a preference (2011,2007, & 2006)
Height: Taller than me! 5'7-5'10 (2011, 2007, & 2006)
Best first date location: Royal Oak (2011, 2007, & 2006)
Articles of clothing: Not preppy (2011, 2007, & 2006)

LAYER TEN: IN THE NUMBERS
Number of people I can trust: 4 (2011);2 (2007 & 2006)
Number of CD's I own: yeah, that would take awhile (2011,2007, & 2006)
Number of piercings: two in each ear that I never put earrings in (2011,2007, & 2006)
Number of tattoos: 0 (2011, 2007, & 2006)
Number of times been on T.V.: 2 or 3 times (2011, 2007, & 2006)
Number of times my name has appeared in the Newspaper?: A couple of times (2011,2007, & 2006)
Number of scars on my body: 1 – almostall healed (2011); 4 - man I'mclumsy! (2007) gosh... right now, two. (2006)
Number of things in my past that I regret: one (2011, 2007, & 2006)

So there be my layers . .aaarrrg!

The Beauty Detox – A Book Report

2011-09-01T18:13:00.000-07:00

Hello September!

While it is still warm out (hello mugginess in the mitten!),it’s that time of year when all the kids gear up to go back to school (or arecurrently experiencing their first week back at school). On campus, more and more students are walkingaround, waiting in lines at the local coffee shops, and coming in and out of buildingsas they map out their fall schedules.

In honor of “Back to School,” I give you a report on thebook that changed my whole thinking on healthy eating:

The Beauty Detox by Kimberly Snyder, C.N.

The author, Kimberly Snyder, is a licensed nutritionist who hasworked with ChanningTatum, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Vince Vaughn, and DrewBarrymore. I happened upon herwebsite/blog through a celebrity gossip website that I frequent. Needless to say, her advice and tips on herblogs intrigued me and I order the book late March. She advocates a raw food/vegan lifestyle, but advises on ways for meat eaters can maintain their love of meat and still lose weight.

Once I got it, I read through it quickly to get the basicgist of her concepts. I startedpracticing some of her tips as I read through her book and saw immediatechanges (increased energy, better looking skin, and weight just melting away). Wanting to take this weight loss to the nextlevel, I took the book with me on our honeymoon and read each page verycarefully. I even brought a highlighterwith me to make notes. In a way, Istudied this book!

Just like being in class again!

What I like about this book:

Her approach:

I know that some of you read “Detox” and thoughtsimmediately went to the “Master Cleanse” or the “Juice Detox.” That is not the case here. In Kim’s approach, “detox” and “cleanse” areverbs not nouns. She writes aboutchanging the way you eat and the order food is eaten to support the body’s natural way ofdetoxifying and cleansing itself.

In addition, this is not a 2 week highly restrictiveprogram. This is a lifestyle change. Byincreasing your water, vegetable, greens, and fruit intake, you fuel your bodywith natural foods that the body can easily digest. Of course, this is something that we all knowabout, but . . .

Her focus:

Kimberly explains how the process of digestion works in thehuman body and that the order we eat food affects that digestion process. If we eat improper food pairings (e.g. carbs +protein), or eat out of order (Protein before fruit), our digestive system goesinto overload and more energy is needed into to digest the food. When the body can’t completely digest food,the undigested food and toxins get pushed away from the internal organs andcreate fat.

However, an efficient digestion (with proper food pairingsin the proper order) equals more energy freed up in the body to heal otherareas – melt away fat, smooth skin, strengthen hair and nails (the “beauty”part of the diet). So it’s avegetarian/vegan/raw food diet with a twist.

Her phases:

Now, I’ve tried the South Beach Diet and the Eat Clean dietand saw some results. Unfortunately,after two weeks, my energy levels dropped and I felt like crap. With these diets, the first stages are highlyrestrictive for a short period of time. The crappy feeling is the built up toxins freed up from the body and noway of getting out of the body. In asense, the body is detoxing too fast.

Kimberly advocates a different approach in her phase. Instead of being highly restrictive in thebeginning, you start with a less restrictive phase for a month (instead of twoweeks), the second phase is a little bit more restrictive, and the third phaseis the most restrictive. She stronglyrecommends that you stay in each phase for at least a month before thinking ofmoving into the next phase. This is toensure your body is detoxifying and cleansing in an efficient way withoutcausing a “crash.” I've gone through the first two stages and saw results (went down a size, noticeable difference in my body shape, and most importantly, no crash!).

Her open-mindedness

One of the biggest thing that I appreciated is her open-mindednessthat not everyone will be like her. Whileshe is advocating a raw food, vegan lifestyle, she realizes that some of uswill not give up meat. When sheeducates her readers about the pitfalls of animal protein and dairy, she also givesalternatives and/or best practices to continue to maintain an omnivorelifestyle.

If all of this intrigues you, I encourage you to:

Go to Kim’s blog
Get her book
Follow her on Twitter
Follow her on Facebook . . .to learn more.

Kim is so friendly and very responsive to tweets and WallPosts. It’s like having her as yourpersonal nutritionist!

*I do not personallyknow Kimberly Snyder or is any way, shape, or form compensated for thispost. It’s just THAT good of a book!

Wild Card Week - Q&A

2011-08-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

August just flew by didn't it! Soon it will be September and it's "Back to School" time. Since I work in an academic setting, I still pretty much live by semesters. It's a bit different then when I was a student since I have to think at least two semesters ahead of the current one. But I still long for Thanksgiving and Christmas vacation like every other student. This time, I get paid to be on vaca! I even like Spring Break. Even though I'm still at work, the campus is quiet so it's calming.

So, I started this new weekly format for my blog and the fourth week of the month is the "Wild Card" week. I had other plans for this week post, but I got a few questions from my last post that I wanted to write in more detail here.

Q&A - From the My Top Three Beauty Advice

From E B posted in the comments:
This is great advice! Question..how often are you supposed to clean/replace your sponge? How do you make sure it doesn't grow bacteria? Any advice on that? Thanks friend!

JustJayTomboy:
That is a great question. I'm a bit of a germaphob myself (comes from being a daughter of a nurse). So here are steps I take to keep the sponge sanitary.

Step 1: When you are done washing your face, rinse and squeeze the sponge until all the product has washed out (basically when the water runs clear).

Step 2: Once all the product has washed off, give the sponge one final squeeze. The sponge should be just slightly moist.

Step3: Store the sponge in a separate container. I had a extra travel soap container that I use:

I use the bottom portion that had the ridges so that air could circulate on the bottom . . .nerdy, I know!

Step 4: Store the sponge and the container out of the way when not in use. I put it in "my" drawer in the bathroom and bring it out only when I use it.

By following this, I usually keep the same sponge for about a month-month and a half. Usually when I throw it away earlier than that it's because I got lazy in taking my mascara off before washing my face and the sponge gets dark because of it.

From T K posted on Facebook:
I have a question about beauty tip #2 - What can you use in the AM to wash your face? I don't like how oily my face feels in the morning, so I always wash it...is there a particular product, like cold cream, that is acceptable for the AM?

JustJayTomboy:
Well, after about a week of switching to only washing at night, I noticed that my skin was less oily in the morning. Sometimes, the excessive washing may cause the skin to become more oily. Try washing your face every other day with a mild soap during your morning shower. Then, as you get more comfortable with the idea of not washing your face (and by washing I mean using a product), then try just rinsing your face with cold water. Normally just rinsing my face in the shower is plenty enough. When I get out of the shower, I continue with my toner, face moisturizer, and eye cream. But it only works because I was my face at night - every night.

So there you have it. I hope I tied up any loose ends from my previous post!

Good Night folks!

My top three beauty advice I ever received

2011-08-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday Folks!

Another work week done, and many more to go! I'm very excited this weekend. I'm heading out to Traverse City with a few of my girlfriends. A quick girl's weekend get away to chill on a beach and drink some good wine!

But before I leave, I must give you my top three beauty advice that I ever received/read.

Beauty Tip #1 - Use a sponge

My friend Michelle gave me one of the best advice that she received from a dermatologist. Take a wet sponge...

(I use the Ecotools Celloulose Bath Sponge )

. . .and put your face product on it and use the sponge to wash your face. I do an alternative version of this. I take my face wash product and use my hands first to work the product into a lather and then spread it on my face. I take the wet sponge and work the face product in more using a circular motion around my face.

Once I started this, I noticed a huge difference in my skin. My pimples, when I get them, are much smaller and heal up quicker. My complexion is clearer and smooth. This is because the sponge helps to exfoliate not only the gunk that has accumulated on your face throughout the day, but also gently exfoliate your skin as well!

Beauty Tip #2 - Use face wash products only at night
I can't remember which magazine wrote this, but the advice was to only use your face product to wash your face at night. Why? Well, at night is when your body goes into healing mode, so the product will work better. If you use it in the morning, the product will evaporate off your face once you get outside. Also, since you had just used the product 7-8 hours before, you may be drying out your skin more or doing more harm than good. Another surprising bonus, you save $$$$$. Since you are using the product half the time, the product last twice as long. I'm still using my Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel that I received in my Boscia Skin Care Sample Set that I got in December, but didn't start using until March.

This 1.86 fl oz bottle has lasted 5 months! I still have more product!

Obviously, this advice works best if you are a morning shower person like me. In the morning, I rinse my face in the shower and then continue on with the rest of my beauty routine (toner+eye cream+moisturizer).

Beauty Tip #3 - Wash your face EVERY night!

Beauty Tip # 1 and #2 works the best if you follow Beauty Tip #3 . . .wash your face EVERY NIGHT! No matter how late or how tired you are, it's so important to remove the day's worth of pollutants, make up, and other gunk of your face before you smush your face into a pillow (or as my husband tells me, dive into the pillow like I do). What I try to do is wash my face before I settle on the couch and cuddle with my pup and hubby. But I forget often and I'm notorious for falling asleep on the couch. So when my husband wakes me up, I have to really motivate myself to wash my face. I just remind myself of the big pimple that may pop up over night!

So try it out for a month and see if you notice any improvement!

Have a good weekend!

Taking Dane Cook's advice. . .

2011-08-11T14:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard this skit from Dane Cook?

*Caution: this sound clip contains adult language (read = swearing)

You only really need to listen up to 1:20. . . feel free to skip the rest. . .

I always love this clip because I'm that girl. In my clubbing days, I just wanted to go to the dance club to dance and have a good time with my girlfriends. Unfortunately, I was mostly likely with girls who felt that they had to get drunk in order to dance or they were looking to flirt with boys. Good thing my husband also loves to dance (or at least loves to dance with me) or else I would never have a good time!

Anyways, I started to rethink my fitness goals. At the start of the summer, I was completely burnt out by running. That and the extreme heat that we received in the Midwest made running almost unbearable! So I eased up on the running.

Recently, I started to venture out again with Loki. We go for little one miler walks and eventually worked our way to running during the mile. However, my hips have decided to rebel against me. As I sit here typing this, my right hip is screaming at me for the 1.45 mile run I did with Loki yesterday evening. So I've come to the conclusion that running will not be my main focus this year.

Instead, I'm going back to my true passion. . . dance!

One of my co-workers recently discovered a dance studio near our work that offers adult hip hop classes.

My coworker (who also loves dancing) told me that this is exactly the type of dance class that I would love. You learn choreography to Top 40 hits and just dance it out. I'm excited to start classes in September! I've been missing dance as a part of my life for years now and I'm happy that I get the chance to pursue it again!

I will definitely update you as I begin taking lessons. Maybe I will have the courage to ask the teacher to film us dancing at some point . . .but first I have to shake the dust off of my dancing shoes and get going!

As Dance Cook says, "I just want to dance!"

Season Premiere of Healthy Obessions of Girlie Tomboy: Season 2

2011-08-04T18:33:00.000-07:00

Happy August Everyone!

I can't believe that summer is almost over! A lot of fun times this past summer! Complete with:

A trip to L.A:


Part one of our honeymoon. The Harry Potter section at Grauman's Chinese Theater is appropriate in honor of the last movie! I fit into Emma Watson's hand prints!

A trip to Kauai:

Part two of our honeymoon!

And the book that changed my entire perspective of "healthy eating":

Expect to hear more about this book next month when I give you my "book report" on The Beauty Detox by Kimberly Snyder, C.N. A book report is very fitting for September don't you think!

So to introduce you all back to my blog, I give you my revamped About Me section. It fits in more with where I'm at now in my life and in my journey. It also gives you an idea of how my blog will be structured for this season! Enjoy!

Season Finale

2011-05-31T07:02:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog Friends,
I apologize for being MIA for the past week or so. I decided to give myself a mini break during my birthday week to enjoy the spoils and relax a bit. So after some R & R, and some vacation planning, I have decided to go on a mini hiatus from my blog in order to regroup and redesign it. After looking at some of my pages, and really thinking about where I am in life, my blog needs a bit of construction. So like the good State of Michigan, I'm putting up the orange barrels on my site and will be working on bits and pieces of it after my honeymoon.

I hope everyone has a fantastic Summer! Catch up with me when on my Season Premiere post on August 1. Got a Twitter account? Follow me at @justjaytomboy to stay in touch. Facebook? Check out my Healthy Obsessions of a Girlie Tomboy Facebook Page!

Happy Summer folks! Remember to stay healthy but have fun! Try out a new activity. Me - I'm going hiking and zipling on the island of Kauai!

See you in August!

Feeling Reflective

2011-05-10T12:23:00.000-07:00

This marks my last week as 29. Next Monday, I will turning the big 3-0! If you asked me a year ago what my thoughts are about turning 30, I would have crinkled my face and said, "Eh, a bit uncomfortable, but it happens, right?"

Right now, as I think about what I have done up to this point and what I have plans to do, I say "BRING IT!" I've done so much with my life and I'm looking forward to what else is in store for me!

Last year, I did a monthly countdown to my birthday with the top 16 items I want for my birthday. I'm not doing this again this year, because I don't have 16 things that I want. If I did, I'm in a good place financially (FINALLY!) to get them myself.

Instead, I've been more reflective about my friends and friendship. My friend Stella recently wrote this fantastic post about friendship and what her thoughts were. I myself have been thinking about my circle of friends and wondering about the value and energy I put into those friendships.

I'm going to preface this by saying that I feel that I'm an OK friend. I can be there when you need me, but when my stuff gets in the way, or I don't agree with something that you are doing, then I tend to fade into the background. I find that fading to the background works for me a hell of a lot more than being confrontational. Too many bad experiences in my elementary school days with "friends" that turn into "mean girls" when I do not agree have taught me that. Another reason why I'm just an OK friend is that once I consider our friendship done, I just do not communicate with that person anymore. I've only directly ended a friendship once in my life. It was a decision that, at that time, I thought was best for me as I was in my "selfish" phase. I've since made ammends with that person and we are working on starting a new friendship.

When I spent thinking about this, I realized that I can categorize my friends into 3 groups:

Group A) I have a great group of friends that have never put me in a position where I "fade into the background." They want to hear my thoughts and opinions and have been open minded and not pushy about hearing it and accepting my points of view. Most of these are friends that I have meant in college and after. Some of them within the last year!

Group B) I have a group of acquaintences that I want to really put in more effort to get to know and turn that acquaintence-ship into a friendship. Mostly these are people in certain groups of friends that I wouldn't have met if it weren't for one previously established friendship. I would also add in this group the amazing friends that I do have that I do not get to see very often! I recently hung out with my friend Kyle (who I hadn't seen since my wedding!) and it was just like old times.

Group C) I have a group of friends that our friendship has lasted a long time, but I just don't "feel it" anymore. I do not feel the connection. I do not feel the comraiderrie. I can't seem to remember why we are friends. In addition to that, some people in this list are a bit self-serving. Most of the people I would categorize here only want to talk about themselves or ALWAYS brings the general conversation to be about them. Not to say that the conversation has to be about me, but a conversation has more than one side and more than one story, and it amazes me when people bring it back to themselves. I've been reading alot of people who are energy suckers, and I feel that this fits this group of friends to a T!

So after spending some time reflecting, now what?

Well, as I look to balance my life, I've come to realize that it is OK for me to redirect my focus to those people in my group of friends that are not going to drag me down. Those in Group A and especially those in Group B. I really need to foster those relationships that I know will be equally beneficial to both me and the other person.

As for Group C. . . well, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt and give them space to grow, so I'm just not going to be as active with those friendships. If a situation presents itself, yes I will hang out. But I'm not going to put in any effort to make special plans.

So I'm going into my thirties with a new outlook on my life, my time, and my friends!

Next time I post, I will be 30! :)

My Week with Kombucha

2011-04-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

WOW! I am feeling the love from my last post! It's been one week since we have welcomed Loki into our home and he has been a joy! He is a crazy nut and we have so many nicknames for him right now. Loco is our favorite, but we've also used Guiness (because he is black, brown, and white) and Crazies.

Here he is crashing Marcin's Guy's Night!

Well now that the "dog" is out of the bag, it's time to get back to this healthy living stuff huh? Well, having a dog definitely adds in more activity, so I'm definitely moving around more. Daily 20-60 minutes walks around the neighborhood, wrestles and training with the pups, but I digress.

Two weeks ago, I embark on a new "project" to replace my morning coffee. I think I probably have a handful of posts where I state how "tired" I am with the taste of coffee. So I will go off of it for a week and then slowly return to the daily habit. Well, I was getting to that point a few weeks ago and I needed to do something!

Enter Kombucha!

To learn more about Kombucha (a fermented tea), I sugget you visit Matt's blog, The Athlete's Plate. He is a regular drinker of Kombucha and the inspiration for my project. In his interview for another Kombucha drinking Blogger, Matt mentioned how he started drinking Kombucha instead of coffee and didn't "get that afternoon crash with Kombucha." I was intrigued and decided to do the same for one week.

I went to my neighborhood Holiday Market and bought 6 ($3.99 a piece!).

Thoughts:

1) The taste is something to get used, but I was familiar with it from the few times I had Kombucha. I've always had the Original, so this new line of different flavors was an experience!

2) Energy - Like Matt said, no afternoon crash! I blazed through my work and didn't need another afternoon tea pick me up.

3) Regularity - Kombucha aids in the digestion process and boy does it ever! Without going into TMI territory, I felt that Kombucha helped me eliminate all the toxins and waste from my system, but in a healthy way. I wasn't running to the bathroom for an "uh-oh," but when I went, I went!

4) Hangover cure? - I partied a little to hard on a Saturday and woke up with a major hangover! the multi-green Kombucha helped me detox all the bad toxins from my body and rehydrated me. I recovered a bit faster than I normally would have.

5) Bloat beater - I did noticed that my stomach looked flatter than normal. It could be that the Kombucha gave me more energy to pull through my workouts that week. But I also think that the probiotics in Kombucha help keep the bloat factor down.

Conclusions:

Kombucha is definitely a great substitute for coffee. I think it's also a great aid in fitness and healthy eating. I feel like drinking it in the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day, so my choices are better.

However, the price will completely break my wallet if I try to substitute coffee completely. I think I may invest in 3 bottles per week (or whenever I get to Holiday Market). Flavors that I like were Original, Trilogy, and cosmic Cranberry. While the Multi-green is good, the flavor is a but too powerful that I need to pace myself with that one.

Have you ever tried Kombucha? If so, what are your thoughts?

Big Announcement in the House of K

2011-04-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog friends (and those personal friends that clicked on the link on my Facebook!),

So I know I’ve been M.I.A. for two weeks on this blog. I have many reasons, one of them being my allergies which came into full force two weeks ago on Tuesday. It’s been a manageable flare up thanks to Zyrtec, NeilMed and Nasonex, but doesn’t leave one itching to blog after fighting through 8 hours of works.

But another reason I’ve been MIA is that the hubby and I have been seriously talking about our family. We hit the 6 month mark on 4/16 and we were evaluating on taking our marriage to the next level.

After a couple of months of deep discussion, and some trial and error, we decided . . .

to have . . .

A DOG!!!!!!

. . or rather adopt a dog.

LOL! You thought I was going to say "a baby" huh! Nope, we’ve only been married for a little over 6 months . . . completely not ready for that! But we decided that we were ready to have a dog.

Meet the newest edition to the House of K

Loki “Loco” K

Few stats about Loki:

Age: roughly 2 years old

Sex: Male

Weight: 90 lbs of muscle and dog

Breed: American Bulldog/PitBull mix

Temperament: Loki has a little bit of separation anxiety issue, but all around laid back dog.

Loves naps . . .

watching TV . . .

and rough housing. . .

This is why we nickname him Loco . . because does this crazy dance on his back when we start to play with him

How Loki came to be a part of our wolf pack of two and turn it into a wolf pack of three:

I first met Loki a month ago. He was turned into the Buster Foundation (a pitbull rescue) a few months earlier (probably at the beginning of the year). He had another foster home, until our friends Tasha and Brian decided to foster him.

Best Foster Parent's EVER! (Here they are singing at our wedding!)

Tasha, being the most awesome foster mom, started a blog on Facebook about Loki and I was intrigued by a few pictures that she posted of Loki with their dogs Miika (Catahoula ) and Lola (pit bull mix).

After a workout date with Tasha, I met Loki and his charm knocked me over. Actually he literally knocked me over because I was not prepared for 90 pounds of dog to come after me with licks and snuggles! I fell in love with his face and his temperament.

His sized scared me a bit, but his charm won me over. I immediately texted Marcin to come over and meet him (I had showed Marcin the same pics that Tasha posted, and he wasn’t too impressed). After an evening of wrestles with Loki, Marcin became more curious about dog ownership Loki.

The next week, Tasha brought Loki over to our house for a visit because we wanted to see if our house was “dog-friendly.” Loki made himself right at home on our couch!

He also likes our kitchen floor!

After this visit, we decided that we ready to consider adopting not just a dog, but Loki specifically. He fits in right with both our personalities, we just couldn’t say no! We met with Deniece from the Buster Foundation and Tasha to go over the process and what dog ownership of a bully breed would mean.

As I stated before, Loki is a pitbull (you can see that part of him when he smiles) and American bulldog mix (where he gets his size from). Now I know what you are wondering. For two first-time dog owners, why on earth would you get a bully dog mix?! Well for one thing, pitbulls are fairly misjudged. It’s the OWNER’S responsibilities to train and socialize their dog to behave well! Every terrible thing that you read about pitbulls are because the OWNER’S have been irresponsible and ignorant of proper training for this breed (Yes, I’m talking about you MICHAEL VICK!).

Also, I am a sucker for the underdogs (pun intended). I’ve always been the underdog growing up – always have, always will be. I knew in my heart that we would adopt a dog instead of getting a purebred. When I heard Loki’s story (abandoned first by his first owner, they given to the Buster Foundation after the next owner couldn't afford to take Loki, 3 boys, and two other dogs with him), it just broke my heart that anyone would abandon such a lovable, easygoing dog.

The next step was to do an overnight. We got permission from the Buster Foundation to do an extended weekend. So this past Easter Weekend, we spent four wonderful (and educational) days with Loki. We’ve had a great time taking him for a walk,

We are teaching him to stop at the street corners

Napping (he’s big on snuggling close)

And of course taking pictures (even though he is a shy model)!

So instead of having a “bun in the oven,” we have an awesome new four-legged friend! After this weekend, Marcin and I expect to lose 5 pounds with this pup!

Big THANK YOU to. . .

. . .the Buster Foundation and Deniece for giving Loki a chance to be adopted.

. . .Tasha and Brian Lord for giving Loki a home while we ready ourselves for Doggie ownership.

. . . My friends Leanne and Denise, Stella, and Michelle and Nick for all their help, advice, and support throughout this process! We wouldn’t have been able to make this next step without you guys!

We don't have a family picture yet but here are some of us seperately with Loki!

I'm going to admit . . I'm in LOVE!

Non-Scale Victory

2011-04-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday folks,

So I haven't been in a blogging mood. Mostly because I had ALOT of catching up to do at work which left me to little to know energy for blogging after work.

But I have a little time to throw some love at this blog of mine.

Yesterday I accomplished something that I thought I NEVER would.

I ran . . .

four miles . . .

on the treadmill . . .

WITHOUT music!!!!!

Now, I could run one mile without music just fine . . but FOUR!!!! My Zune player ran out of juice even before I started my run. It was my fault. I forgot to check to see if it was charged before we went to the gym. (Note to self: bring charger and Zune to work to charge).

In the healthy living sphere, this is my Non-scale Victory - an accomplishment that doesn't equal a decrease in pounds on the scale, but something that makes me feel good about myself.

Why didn't I change my exercise for that day? Just do 30 minutes on the elliptical? Throw some weights around?

There are a couple of reasons why I went ahead with the four miles.

A) I posted it on my Facebook, so I kind of had to commit to it. The exact post was "I will run four miles, I will run four miles, I will run four miles . . ."

B) I am sort of, unofficially, following a half marathon training schedule. Four miles was next on the list.

C) I wanted to prove that I can do it!

It was tough, I slowed to a walk at the end of miles 2 and 3, but I did it! I have to say, I am a bit proud of myself.

As for B, I have a half marathon training schedule printed and posted on our fridge. I've been following it for about week. I'm not as to the letter as the schedule suggest, but I use it as a guide to my workouts. I found myself floundering a bit when it comes to challenging and motivating myself at the gym. I didn't want to always run, and I needed to shake things up. So by following this training schedule, I have something that is challenging and varied. It is also pushing myself to take my running to the next level which is what I need to get me out of this workout funk I'm in. So for me, it's hitting new milestones, and perhaps more Non-scale victories.

Thank you Rachael Ray!

2011-04-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday folks!

So something that has been absent from my blog of late has been recipes. Why? Well, the hubby and I have been just doing the same type of meals with random variations.

Steamed fish (various seasonings) + Buttered Potatoes + Steamed Vegetables = Our Meals of Late.

However, during my week long migraine attack, I found comfort in the Cooking Channel and the Food Network. I caught Rachael Ray's new show Rachael Ray's Week in a Day. The first show that I caught centered around chicken. The recipe that I intrigued me was her Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese Cornbread Casserole. In the show, she had poached a whole bunch of chicken breast in order to use in 5 dishes. I wanted to attempt both this casserole and poaching chicken.

Part One
Rachael Ray's Poached Chicken Recipe
(There is more ingredients at the webpage because the recipe goes on for two more recipes.)

Ingredients:
6 cups chicken stock
8 6-to-8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts (For this meal, I used 8 pieces of chicken tenderloin since we already had that)
2 carrots
2 ribs celery
1 fresh or dry bay leaf
2 small onions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) In a large high-sided skillet with a tight fitting lid place the chicken stock and bring up to a boil.

2) Once boiling, add the chicken breasts, carrots, celery, bay leaf and onions.

3) Shake the pan to nestle everything into the stock (or push down with a wooden spoon).

4) Place a lid on the skillet and bring back up to a boil, turn the heat down to medium and then simmer the chicken for 18-20 minutes (for the chicken tenderloin, I let the stock simmer for about 18 minutes), turning the chicken breast over in the skillet half way through he cooking.

5) Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and let cool, reserve the poaching liquid for both the dishes.

Made two big leftover stock!!!!

6) Shred cooled chicken wtih two forks. Chicken should easily pull apart.

The chicken came out moist!

Part Two

Rachael Ray's Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese Cornbread Casserole

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided

Poached Chicken
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 stalks celery, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, grated
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup hot sauce (add more if you want more of a kick!)
1 box cornbread mix, such as Jiffy brand
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (I'm very allergic to Blue Cheese, so I substituted Feta Cheese instead)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375º F.

2) Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 5-6 minutes.

Aside: This is the first time I grated garlic.

3) When the veggies are tender, push them all to the edge of the pan and add the butter to the skillet. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute.
(NOTE: Make sure the butter is all melted before you add the flour. Also at this point, you may want to turn down the heat a little bit so that butter doesn't burn!)

4) Add the stock and hot sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Bring up to a bubble, add the chicken back to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and simmer the sauce until thickened, 2-3 minutes.

NOTE: I added a couple of tablespoons of Barbeque sauce to add a little sweet to the spicy hot sauce mix!)

5) While the sauce is simmering, in a medium-size mixing bowl, prepare the cornbread according to package directions, using water as the liquid and folding in the feta cheese crumbles.

6) Transfer the buffalo chicken mixture to a casserole dish and drop the feta cheese cornbread batter on top in spoonfuls.

7) Pop the casserole into the oven and bake until the cornbread is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 20 minutes.

And PRESTO!

It smelled fantastic when it came out of the oven!

In addition to this casserole, we made buttered potatoes and spinach:

At the dinner table:

My helping:

SUCCESS! This meal was filling without being heavy. Adding the barbeque sauce definitely eased the spiciness of the hot sauce. I really do not think I was missing out on the blue cheese (especially since I am allergic!). I think that poaching the chicken instead of browning it as the posted recipe suggest definitely saved on calories and taste. The poached chicken was flavorful and still tender.

So if you are looking for a healthy casserole to make on the weekend, I give this meal TWO THUMBS UP!

*Sorry for the lack of pictures throughout the recipe. As this is the first time making the dish, I wanted to make sure that I didn't miss a step. Spent more time staring at the recipe than grabbing my camera and taking pictures.

On the Beauty Front Wednesday: Boscia Kit - Review Part #1

2011-03-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Hump Day Folks!

Back in December, I ordered a Boscia Skin Care sample set from Sephora. The funny thing is, I went through all the free samples that got first (you can read my reviews on most of those samples here, here, and here).

I wanted to wait until I was pretty much done with my current skin care products before I started with the Boscia products. Last week, I finally opened this bad boy up!

I was interested in Boscia products because:
A) It's oil free which is great for my combination skin!
B) Boscia is a preservative free and botanically-based skin care line.

So when the opportunity came to try this sample set came up, I took advantage of it. I started using most of the products since last week.

Purifying Cleansing Gel (5oz) - $26.00

This cleanser is really light and you really do not need a whole lot of the product to cleanse your face. One pump from the sample is more than enough to cleanse my face and neck every night! The lack of a overpowering scent is also a bonus!

Daily Hydration with SPF 15 (1.4oz) - $36.00

I use this in the morning under my make-up. If I'm using a moisturizer like this, then I typically do not wear a primer. This does have the same consistency (and a little hint of scent) of a sunscreen. It does smooth over quite well over the face and absorbs well. Also, unlike a sunscreen, the daily hydration does not leave an oily sheen on your face.

Skin Perfecting Primer (1oz) - $28.00

I typically use this for evening events since in the morning I use the daily hydration. Lucky for me, I had a very special occassion this weekend to test out this product!

My friends Adam and Rachelle got engaged!!!!

Congrats to the happy couple!

So I used the primer under my make up when getting ready for the celebration:

The primer absorbed very well and helped keep my make-up in place. Isn't my husband handsome!?

Enlivening Amino-AG Eye Treatment (.5oz) - $38

The jury is stil out on this one. I've been using Garnier's Skin Renew Eye Roller and I feel that the roller applicator works to massage the product around your eyes without the pulling from your fingers. I'm being good and using the ring finger to apply this product, but I just feel like I'm not getting enough of it around my eyes. I may just use this strictly at night. So the only thing I can really say is that so far, I have experienced no irritation.

Oil-free Nightly Hydration (1.4oz) - $36.00

Like the Daily Hydration, the Nightly Hydration is light and smooths over the face very nicely. The lotion is lighter than the Daily Hydration. I'm assuming that is because it doesn't have SPF in it. It aborbs well into the face and does not leave a greasy, oily sheen.

Boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens (100 sheets) - $10.00

These "linens" are very thin, but do a good job of absorbing the oil. I would love to get a pack for the summer, when it is really humid in Michigan, because that is when I am SHINE CENTRAL! The Green Tea ones do not have a strong scent (it's almost non-existent). I typically use one in the afternoon, but that is only because I think about it. I probably need another sheet in the early evening depending on what I'm doing.

So the only product that I haven't use is:

Clarifying Detox Mask. I may do that tonight after my run! Stay Tuned!

Need to calm down - so let me give advice

2011-03-29T07:07:00.000-07:00

That's probably a bad combination to do, but I had a terrible drive into work today where I almost got into a fender bender twice. One would have been the other guy's fault and the other would have been mine. I need to do something creative to calm myself down so that I can get some work done . . .

Anyways, here is your weekly does of healthy tips that I have learned:

Healthy Living Tip: When in doubt - Steam it!
I discovered steamed foods about a year and half ago. One of my grad school friends had lost a significant amount of weight with weight watchers and one of the things she mentioned was ordering Chinese and asking for steamed vegetables and brown rice. Next time I went to a chinese restaurant (Lucky Kitchen), I saw that they had a "healthy option" section that lists steamed tofu, steamed chicken, steamed shrimp, etc. I took a chance and ordered steamed chicken.

OMG, the taste was so clean and refreshing! Afterwards, there is no heavy feeling at the bottom of your stomach from all the heavy sauce!

The next adventure was to actually try to cook it. That is when I discovered my best friend had another use:

Both of our rice cookers (yes we have two) come with a steamer that sits on top! In this picture, we are steaming fish in the white rice cooker and vegetables in the steel rice cooker! Love multitasking.

Some tips on steaming food:
1) I always prep my food before I turn on the rice cooker. That way the spices and marinade can soak up while the rice cooker is heating up and the water begins to boil.

2) Wait until the water is at full boil before you add your food. This will cut the cooking time tremendously because you are adding the food in at the hottest point.

3) Cooking times: Chicken (cut into little bite size chunks) - 8-10 mintutes, depending on the size of the chunks. Whole fish fillet - 8-12 minutes depending on how done you like it (8 = medium rare; 12 - well done); Vegetables - 5-7 minutes depending on how crispy you like them.

4) Steamed Chicken: Pound the chicken with a meat tenderizer:

Season and marinade it, then steam it . . it will taste pretty darn close to what you get at the chinese restaurants!

So there you have it . . enjoy your forray into steaming with these tips!

Do you hear the people sing?

2011-03-24T17:34:00.000-07:00

Singing the songs of angry men!

Yesterday, my husband treated me to part one of my 30th birthday gift - main floor seats to the 25th Anniversary tour of Les Miserables!!!!!

I've been obsessing about this musical since January and my hubby got us tickets!

For the 25th anniversary tour, the production companies (one for the U.S and one for the European tour) has revamped the production with new stage designs and graphics inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. I believe that last time I saw this play, it was roughly 10 years ago. I remember that the set design was very sparse (on purpose) and a lot of movements was pantomined.

Things that I loved about my experience:
1) Our seats: This was probably the second time that we had main floor seats. Although we were in the last row, we could see the entire stage and the actors expressions very well. I felt a bit closer to the action

2) The new set designs: Without giving anything away for those who may be going to see it in the future, I really enjoyed how the set designs really added to the story. Sets were pushed together or pulled apart depending on what was needed. They also had a multitude of uses which I thought was very cool. I also loved the use of the projection screens in the background and the use of lighting to add more to the drama.

3) The actors and singing: Even though one guy jumped the gun with his cue, everyone was on point that night. It always takes me awhile to adjust to the live production of musicals, because I want to hear the songs exactly how they are on the CD's. But it only took my two songs into the show to just let that go. The actors had really good voices and held their own through their solos. I was really impressed with the actor who played Jean Valjean that night - Ron Sharpe.

4) New surprises: One that I thought was really cool occurred during Javert's solo - "Javert's Suicide." The new way the handle his jumping scene was spectacular! Nothing flashy or big, but ingenious! Another surprise that caught me off guard was the random displays of . . um . . inappropriate behavior. I mean, the actors were clothed, but simulating certain acts was a bit shocking. I'm not a prude, but that definitely caught me by surprise!

Things that I missed (which was only one thing):
1) Rotating Stages: In the production that I saw ten years ago, the set was sparse, but had three rotating spots on the stages. It really added some dimension to songs like "Turning Through the Years" and the revolution scene. Especially during the climax of the revolution when there is the big explosion and all was quiet and the barricade slowly rotated to reveal all the dead students. With the new set design, they took out the rotating stages and instead had sets coming from the sides of the stage. For the barricade scene that I described, they gave the death scene some impact using light. It made the point, but I felt didn't have the same punch as the rotating barricade.

So all in all, it was a great performance and a great night!

I leave you with one of my favorites from the musical - the finale. This song always gets me every time and gets stuck in my head!

This is from the 25th Anniversary Concert special that has been playing on PBS! If you can't make it to the show, catch it on your local PBS station! It is FANTASTIC - even if with Nick Jonas. . .

Best Tips Monday

2011-03-21T16:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday folks!

I don't want to jinx anything, but I'm loving this spring-esque weather that we are having in the D! But I'm not going to say "YAY! Spring is here" . . .yet!

So, in the midst of Illness February, my blog hit the one year mark! I decided that instead of going on and on about the foods I eat and my exercises, I should feature the best tips that I have found best helped me on the healthy living journey. So each week will feature one "Healthy Living Tip" and one "Active Living Tip" that I feel have helped me the most. Don't worry, I will still post about special recipes that I have attempted. But we are at the point right now where we are not cooking any thing new, but changing our staples up a bit.

So here we go . . .

Healthy Living Tip: Giving Up Soda

I have read countless articles, in a variety of magazines, for years about this. "Save on empty calories, stop drinking pop, even diet." Honestly, this was the hardest to do. There wasn't quite like the bite of carbonation from a tall glass of Pepsi. But then the afternoon Pepsi fix always brought on the dull headache and the jitters. So how did I do it?

Soda Water! (Pic Source)

Honestly, the thing that I love most about Soda/pop was the bite of the carbonation. When I read how some ingredients in Coke or Pepsi could degrease an engine (!) that definitely motivated me to stop drinking the stuff. So now, at restaurants, I ask for a soda water instead of soda or pop. If I'm feeling like splurging, I would order a San Pellegrino (how snobbish huh?).

Active Living Tip: Interval Workouts
As I started running, I came across my first interval workout via Self Magazine. I call it my Pyramid Run in this blog. Once I started adding interval runs into my running program, I saw better performance in my endurance and speed. Interval runs also torches a lot of calories in a shorter time period. During the winter months, interval runs make the "dreadmill" a bit more bearable for those of you who like to run outside.

It's a challenge to get started into intervals, but once you accomplish one, it's quite a rush. Check out Self Magazine for some great interval workouts. They usually feature one for the treadmill, bike, or elliptical. I'm attempting Minka Kelly's Interval run this week!

So there's the start of Best Tips Monday! Enjoy!

On the Fashion Front Wednesday - What's in Your Purse?

2011-03-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

Well, looks like I can get back to my normally schedule blogging. Things at work have died down a bit. Normally, I would blog about my March purse, but I already did, last year. It appears that we have come full circle in my blog regarding my "Purse of the Month." I decided to dedicate a blog page to the schedule. However, this means I need something new.

So here I bring a new segment to Healthy Obsessions of a Girlie Tomboy - What's in Your Purse?

I got the idea from two places:
1) Brooke from Brookies Cookies & More: One night we were all at our neighborhood pint night. As her and her husband left, I handed her two ton purse! I exclaimed, "Geez, Brooke, what do you have in there!?" Then it became a discussion of how I can take a picture of her purse and blog about what she can fit into it!

2) Marie Claire: To be honest, I only look forward to one section in this entire magazine.

In the Bag

In this section, the magazine features a fashion expert, stylist, designer, artists, actors, etc. and what's in her bag. I get some good ideas from this section and it's interesting to see the type of bags these "on the go" women have.

So here's is my version. Every month, I will feature someone's bag and what they have in it! Of course, I have to start with me!

The Bag: Faux Chanel from Bella Mia (Plymouth, MI)

My Essentials:

Urban Outfitters wallet with my Moo Business cards for my blog!

Magic Wallet

I love this Magic wallet! I've had it for more than 10 years now! I use it to hold my driver's license, gas card, insurance card and registration. Believe it or not, I use to carry only this in my undergrad days. I was in my "I don't need a purse" phase.

My Make-up essentials - Revlon lip gloss, Nivea lip balm, Clinic lipstick, Body Shop brush, Bare Minerals compact. Yes, technically I have two mirrors, but the brush is great and the compact is better for make up fixes.

Measuring tape - I started carrying this in my purse ever since we moved into our house and started decorating. Honestly, you have no idea how handy this is when you are in Home Depot or Lowe's!

Hand Essentials - The winter months are horrendous on my hands, so I need lotion, nail files, and small nail clipper to stop me from picking at my hands!

My make-up essentials, measuring tape, and hand essentials all fit into this clear, plastic, TSA guidline approved pouch. I got this pouch at a martini bar no less! I think it was one of those alcohol-sponsored giveaways.

And last, but certainly not least - My Droid Eris Smart Phone!

So these are my basic purse essentials. These items can be found in my purse at any given time.

Want to participate in "What's in Your Purse?" Contact me via Facebook or Twitter!

An Official Unofficial Diagnosis

2011-03-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

Hello my blog friends,
So I have been decidedly absent from the blog world. I apologize. February was not my month. It started with 2 weeks of bronchitis. Once I recovered from that, I was hit with a week-long intense migraine attack. This was not like any migraine attack I have ever experienced. Typically my migraines last about a day. I can pretty much sleep the migraine off and the next day I will be fine the next day. I have experienced cluster migraines, but they are usually bearable and I can function at work or at home.

This was different.

Monday - I got what I thought was a bad case of car sickness. I was fine all day until my husband picked me up from work. Somewhere along the commute home, I felt pressure in my head and became really nauseous. After getting sick (read = vomit), grabbing some dinner, shoveling the snow, and blogging, I was fine.

Tuesday - I was able to drive myself to work, but felt mild pressure in my head all day. One of my coworkers noticed that I was in pain and asked if I was getting a mirgraine. Since the pressure was all over my head (and not focused over my right eye as my normal migraines occur), I told her that I didn't think I was. I thought that maybe I was becoming more sensitive to the weather fronts that were coming through Michigan (Snow storm, then forty degree weather, then snow storm again). However, when I drove myself home, I got carsick again! This time I didn't get sick, but the pressure increased through the evening, and I missed yet another pint night.

Wednesday - Woke up and immediately got sick. I took the day off from work and went to see my doctor. He couldn't tell what exactly is the cause of the pressure, but gave me medication (an anti-inflammatory and vicodin) to manage the pain. I also got a CatScan done to see if there was nothing more serious that was causing the pressure (my scans came back clear). After that, I pretty much slept through the rest of the day.

Thursday - I went to work (even though I was still feeling pressure all over my head). I attempted to get as much work done as I can, but after I would complete a task, I would run to the bathroom and got sick. By 11:30 am, I couldn't take it anymore and I went home. I called the doctor and he wanted me to try Motrin + vicodin and sleep it off. If I didn't feel better by the next day, he wanted me to come in.

Friday - Felt worse than before. Went to the doctor, got sick twice in his office, had another CatScan (results were clear again), and was prescribe an anti nausea in addition to the anti inflammatory and the vicodin. Again, I slept through the rest of the day and evening.

Saturday - Started to feel a bit better. I still felt some pressure, but not as intense as it was during the week. I was able to run errands with my husband, but he had to drive.

Sunday - I would say that the pressure came and went. Late afternoons and early evening was the worst of it. I was still taking all three of my meds (reserving the vicodin for the evening so that I can sleep.

I felt 100% back to normal by the following Wednesday. On Thursday, I threw up a new page on my blog so that I can do something creative now that I was feeling better.

I also got a MRI done. While the MRI didn't show an exact cause of the intense pressure, it showed something else.

I have what the doctor called a "developmental vascular anomoly" of the brain. In short, the blood vessels in my brain developed in a different position than most people. I am quite literally "wired differently." So while this is not a cause of the pressure, it may play a role in my migraines.

Official Diagnosis: There is no immediate or life threatening cause to the intense pressure that I felt for a week.

Unofficial Diagnosis: My brain is wired differently which may or may not play a factor in my migraines . . or the attack.

I'm going to take my MRI results to my neurologist and see if this changes anything in my migraine management.

As a result of this week long attack, the following things have developed:

1) Extreme thirst: When I got better, I also got extremely thirsty. I would drink 16 oz of water when I woke up, chug water like it was nobody's business throughout the day, and drink another 16 oz of water before I went to bed. This habit has subsided quite a bit, but there have been days when I just feel like I can't get enough water. I told the doctor about this when he called about my MRI results. He told me that if it persists to call him again. Since it has subsided, I think I'm in the clear.

2) Dead sleep: I've been sleeping deeply throughout the night. Up until I got sick, I was having a bit difficulty staying asleep. I would wake up at the same time, about an hour or two before my alarm would go off, and not fall back asleep. Now, I just sleep through until my alarm. If I do get up, it's to use the bathroom, because of all the water I have been drinking, but I can fall right back asleep.

I wanted to ease back to my normal routine by first starting with work. I had ALOT of catching up to do and evening events to finish planning. Next up, my social life. Since I was a social piraya for the month of February, I NEEDED to get out like it was nobody's business. I got to have dinner with some friends, workout with other, go shopping (got a nice dress for my honeymoon!), and just hang out!

So now I'm getting back to blogging. I have some things up my sleeves to help me ease back into it while still getting the rest that I need. I'm hoping that something more substantial comes out of my appointment with my neurologist. I have my thoughts, but I'm not a doctor.

In the meantime . . .

2011-03-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

I'm currently recovering from a horrendous, week-long migraine attack. I've been through a couple of different tests (Cat Scans and MRI's) to find the the cause. While I'm recovering, I bring you a new page to my website . . .

My Purse of the Month Schedule!

I figured I had enough content about my purses to justify a separate page!

So enjoy. Hopefully, I can return to regular blogging next week!

SnowPocalpse 2011.2 ???

2011-02-21T16:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday folks!

So for those of you who live in the Southeast Detroit area, you can blame my husband (or Minnesota) for the snow blizzard that followed the 50 degree weather we were having last week.

While my husband safely returned home from a business trip in Minnesota, the blizzard that almost delayed him from coming home followed him to MI two days later! More on that later . . .

On the healthy front
Well, being sick all last week had some pluses. I mostly wanted bland foods and or soups because of my nasty cough. Even after being diagnosed with bronchitis and getting the proper medication, my appetite was not all there. I think the medication was taking my cravings away.

The only time I really gorged myself was at a friend's wedding on Saturday. Even then, I was careful not to stuff my plate.

MyFitnessPal has been helping me stay honest and helping me really look at my diet. I'm so glad that I found it.

On the active front
Well, I haven't been able to really work out in awhile. Last Monday, I went to a belly dancing class with my friend Tiffany (who is also a Mrs. K!). She was my Valentine as my husband was on his business trip and her husband was working late. The Mrs. K's United! Unfortunately, by the ended of the night, I was in one coughing fit after the other. The next real exercise I had was dancing at the wedding on Saturday (again, ended the evening in a coughing fit), shoveling the 4 out of the 8 inches of snow that fell on Sunday, and the hour spent this evening shoveling the rest of the 8 (possibly 10) inches of snow from the rest of the storm.

Here's our front yard after we were done. You can't tell, but the snow banks on either side are really snow mountains! On one side, the snow pile is as tall as I am!

I'm hoping to get to the gym sometime soon. I think I'm going to ease in with strength training for a couple of days before I get into cardio.

Weigh In:

I've been at 133 for a couple of weeks now. I'm hoping that once I can really get back to the gym, I can really focus on my goal. Just 3 pounds away from my mini goal of 130 by the end of February. I think that is doable.

Hope everyone was safe during the snowstorm!

Special Post Thursday - Z-Pack + Blog Awards

2011-02-17T12:23:00.000-08:00

So I finally broke down and went to the doctor today. After a whole night of coughing fits, I just couldn't take it anymore. I called in sick to work and went to the doctor's. I have bronchitis. The doctor said that he is seeing a lot of cases of bronchitis lately so he prescribed me Z-pack and a cough medicine (liquid . . yuck!). I got home and took my first dose and I'm feeling about 75% better. My coughing has greatly decreased, but now I'm just exhausted because of the lack of sleep last (I fell asleep in the doctor's office while I was waiting!).

So I'm resting up and spending QT with my DVR . . . Keep your fingers crossed that I get a good night sleep at last.

In the meantime, a fellow blogger gave me two awards!

Thank you to Mrs. Bee from Buzzin' Around With The Bees! Check out her blog. She's witty, funny, and a fellow Michigander!

Now for the rules:

Thank the person who gave you the award! DONE!
Share 7 things about yourself
Pass the award on to 10 other versatile bloggers.
Let those other bloggers know that you gave them the award.

Seven Things About Myself (I'm going to try to tell you guys 7 new things about me)
1) I love Tulips. They remind me of spring and make me smile! Check out the tulips that my husband got me for Valentines Day this year!

2) Chinese take out and sushi are my weakness. For most people, it's something sweet. For me, it's a big bowl of Lo Mein or a 2 or more sushi roll!

3) I'm addicted to magazines! I love Self, Glamour, Health, and I'm thinking of getting a subscription to Redbook!

4) I love to read serial novels. My favorites are:

Harry Potter

Nora Roberts - The MacGregor Series

Nora Roberts - The Bride Quartet

I love reading serial books because it's fun to see the characters carry over into the next book or story!

5) My least favorite house chore to do - cleaning the toilet! Nuff said!

6) My favorite house chore - it's sort of a tie between washing the dishes and the laundry . . . not sure why?

7) I have a irrational fear of the car wash. I hate taking my car to the car wash and having it be controlled by a track. I also hate the noises and the equipment that are used. If there is a car in front or behind me, I get nervous that one of them would crash into my car. I usually go through wash with the radio blaring and I'm singing at the top of my lungs in order not to panic!

Now onto #3 - Give the award to 10 bloggers! (in particular order)

1) Brookie's Cookies and More

2) Fashion Meets Food

3) Bringin' Becky Back

4) Jen West Quest

5) The Athlete's Plate

6) Skinny Emmie

7) Smart Pretty and Awkward

8) Shrinking Blubeari

9) Bikini Birthday

10) The Chase Project

I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little bit! Enjoy discovering these new blogs! :)

Aaaaand I got sick

2011-02-14T08:01:00.000-08:00

Hey Folks,

For all of you who have been following my tweets, you all know that I was sick all last week. I still went to work since I never had a fever and February is a busy and stressful month for me with a lot of things that need to get done and a lot of waiting on other people. Unfortunately, this meant that I never had enough energy to blog after work. On Friday, I finally gave up and left work in the middle of the day. I had cancelled all my weeknight plans and had to cancel my weekend plans [buh bye Spa Weekend :( ]. Well, I'm on the mend thanks to the assistance of . . .

NeilMed:

I was introduced to this by my coworker, and was hooked. You have probably heard of the

Netti Pot:

This is the same concept, but instead of a pot, it's a squirt bottle. I think that is a little bit more effective because of the force you can put behind squeezing the bottle. Anyways, when I finally had enough energy to go to Target to buy a new bottle (you are supposed to replace the bottle every 6 months), I did a round of NeilMed and instantly felt better. But that took care of my drippy, congested nose, for my itchy, dry throat, there was:

Vicks CustomCare - Dry Cough:

I guess I should give you guys some background info about me and syrupy medication. In a word, I HATE it! With a bloody passion! Ask my husband! Whenever he tries to get me to drink the stuff, I pout like a five year old child, I throw a hissy fit, and yes, I bring on the tears in the hopes that he will take pity on me and stop forcing me to drink. It never really works, so I take the stuff, cry a bit more, and he gives me a hug and tells me how proud he is that I took it. YES, I am THAT pathetic when it comes to liquid, syrup medication. I blame it on Robitussin! My mom would force me to drink that stuff as a child and I would get even more sick. The last time i had it, I threw up! Therefore I made it my mission to only take pills and NOT liquid medication.

So you are probably wondering, why all of a sudden, I'm drinking Vicks Custom Care. Well, the lack of sleep on Thursday night was the final straw. I buried the hatchet of my fued with liquid medication and have been taking the Vicks every night to help me sleep. I'm telling you it works! Of course, it does make the morning incredibly gross since all the stuff that the medication breaks up wants to come out of your system. I've factored in 10 minute into my morning rountine to clear the stuff out of my nose and throat (TMI I know, but I had to warn you guys!).

So armed with those two items, plus copious amounts of tea, I feel like I'm on the mend.

Unfortunately, being sick all last week meant that I was extremely inactive in the exercise department. I'm hoping to change that around with a Cardio Belly Dancing class tonight!

So that is the update on this sick Girlie Tomboy. How was everyone else's week/weekend?

I am not getting sick, I am not getting sick!

2011-02-07T18:27:00.000-08:00

And it's Monday . . .I anticipated a hectic and busy work week, so I was prepared for that. But what I wasn't ready for the sneeze that turned into the icks! But more on that later . . .

On the Healthy Front
I was doing really well with my food tracking and eating within my calorie limit. Then the wedding extravaganza hit. Rehearsal dinner at Buddy's Pizza, early wedding day prep that included bagels, sandwiches, and family style dinner. I couldn't really keep track, but I'm pretty sure that I went over my calories. The goal was to counter act the weekend of eating with increased activity throughout the week, but I may be coming down with something. But I'm trusting MyFitnessPal to help me counter act the weekend of bad eating with a week of better choices. Today was a wash, but tomorrow is a new day.

On the Active Front
Last week was pretty good.
Tuesday (2/1) Went through some weight bearing exercises that I got from my Mhealthy Fitness Consultation. I did 3 sets of 10-15 for 6 different exercises.

Wednesday (2/2) Spent one hour shoveling 8 inches of snow that Southeast Michigan got during Snowpocolypse 2011.

Saturday (2/5) Wedding dancing! I dance my shoes off.

I'm trying to figure out what to do for the rest of this week. I got hit with the icks at work. One sneeze and all of pressure and crudy feelings overcame me. It's funny that this happened since I participated in the first ever daytime fitblog chat and one of the questions asked was "How do you motivate yourself when you get sick?" My answer: Airborne, green tea, and exercise. So, I'm going to practice what I preach. Step one, Airborne before bed tonight. Green tea all day tomorrow. A light workout (perhaps 30-40 minutes on the elliptical) followed by another round of Airborne. I know that people think that Ariborne is a bunch of bunk. But I like it because it relaxes me and helps me sleep. A restful night sleep is key to getting better faster. So I really use Airborne as a night cap when I'm sick.

Have you tried Airborne?

What are your get-rid-of-the-icks tricks?

Fashion Wednesday - Purses, Purses, Purses

2011-02-02T10:54:00.000-08:00

Hey folks!

So, who survived Snowpocalypse 2011 (or Snowmageddon or Snowtastrophy if you prefer). I decided not to risk my life and car in the 20 mile commute to work and stayed home. Unfortunately, my place of employment never closes, so I have to eat up a vacation day in order to remain safe and sound.

Anyways, it's been awhile since I posted anything purse related in a while. I mentioned earlier that because of Season Gossip Girl-a-thon that I enjoyed recently, I went to my neighborhood Marshall's and purchased two awesome bags for a steal!

First up, my new workbag:

Nicole Lee

I've been seeing a lot of her bags, all drool worthy, in many different stores. I'm not entirely too impressed with her latest collection showcased on her website though. Most of the patterns are too busy for my taste. I think I will just stick to finding jewels like this bag in the stores (Marshalls, Loehmans, boutiques, etc.). Besides, that's the fun in shopping - finding one of a kind items!

I designated my second bag as my January purse:

Sparrow True

I like this bag for many reasons:

1) It's gold and not the blah blacks and grays that are very prominent in the winter. The gold adds a hit of flash!

2) It has two straps - a crossbody and a shoulder. I'm beginning to be partial to this style more and more.

3) It has loads of pockets both inside and out. Check out this perfect pocket in the back for my Droid!

My Droid fits in this sucker like a glove!

I have never seen this brand before, so I was intrigue to do more research. Alas, I came up empty. The brand itself does not have a website, so most of my searches are listings on ebay and amazon for other Sparrow True bags.

But wait there's more! It's February, so that means "Good-Bye" to Sparrow True and "Hello" to Kathy Van Zeeland!

In honor of Valentines day, I shall be sporting my Kathy Van Zeeland and my pink Urban Outfitters wallet. This purse may look small, but it is actually quite spacious! The wallet is also nice too because it helps me consolidate what I REALLY need in my wallet.

Together I think they make a great Valentines day combo!

Whew, now I'm all caught up on my purse related items for your viewing pleasure.

Happy Snow Day Blog Peeps!

My New Best Friend- MyFitnessPal

2011-01-31T13:19:00.000-08:00

Hey Peeps,
I know I know, it's been a week and I was M.I.A once again. I was:

1) Recharging myself after work because it was another crazy and draining week. I still need to catch up a bit, but I think I'm in a good place.
2) I've been realigning my goals so that there are more realistic and and therefore more attainable
3) I've been enjoying my husband company since he has been home from a business trip.
4) Rethinking my blog schedule and fleshing out more ideas for different topics.
5) Attending activities for Wedding Palooza February. Two of my friends are getting married within two weeks of each other, so if it is not one activity for one wedding, it's something for the other!

Needless to say, I've been one busy girlie tomboy!

However, all is not lost! I do have lots to tell you.

1) I have a new best friend! During Pint Night last week, my friend Brooke told me about an app she downloaded for her IPod Touch. Since I had a droid, I looked for something similar and found MyFitnessPal! You track your meals and your activity every day. I will have to admit, I have been hesitant to track my meals before because the database usually never include international foods. However, MyFitnessPal's database is pretty extensive. I even found an entry for BiBimPap a Korean dish I ate today! I started tracking my food and activity on Tuesday (I backed track after I had downloaded it on Wednesday). Since then I've lost a healthy 2.2 pounds and I'm now at 133.8. (Tracking Tip: to search for food, it helps to add the brand of the products that you are eating. E.g. Kroger 2% milk. The tracking is easier and accurate that way!

2) New Fitness Goals - So after meeting with a MHealthy Fitness Consultant, we both agreed that I needed one more day of some sort of activity. I've been mostly doing two days a week with the Hubs, with the occassional hour long run on Sunday. My new goal is to consistently workout 3 days a week (4 if it is possible). Two of which I will do 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of strength training (she gave me new exercises to do) and one day of 60 minute cardio with light core workouts. So Sunday is hour long cardio day, then two more days throughout the work week for the rest. So far, I did the following:
Sunday, 1/23: 30 minutes on the elliptical; 3 sets of 12 assisted chin ups
Tuesday, 1/25: 30 minutes on the treadmill; 3 sets of 12 front lifts with 10 pound hand weights; 3 sets of 15 decline crunches.
Sunday, 1/30: 60 Minutes on the treadmill, 5.4 speed, = 5.3 miles

I'm hoping to get to the gym on Tuesday and Wednesday (weather permitting, are you going to get hit with the Snow-Poclapsy!?!) before the wedding festivities.

3) New Weight Loss Goals - While I think that getting to 120 by May is doable, I need to have smaller milestones in mind so that the number on the scale do not scare me as much. The new goal is 130 by the end of February. Hopefully the Monday, February 28 I will report this goal achieved!

4) Working on Nutrition - I also made an appointment with a MHealthy Nutrition Consultant to help me with my eating habits. I'm hoping to work out some strategies for quick, fast lunch options. A variety of options in this area is needed.

5) New Blog Format - I think I'm going to move to a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday blogging schedule. Healthy Living and Active living will be merged into the Monday post (Now dubbed Healthy Monday). Wednesday will be Fashion/Beauty Wednesday. Finally Thursday will be Special Post Thursday. I will still accept guest bloggers for the weekend if anyone is interested! If so, post on my Facebook Wall!

Well, that's all for now! Catch you on Wednesday! :)

Oh where, oh where has JustJayTomboy go?

2011-01-24T13:21:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

So I've be M.I.A. for the past week. It was a CRAZY time at work which left me extremely drained at the end of it. Since, oh, 95% of what I do is on the computer, the last thing I wanted to do after work was hop onto my home computer and blog. While I do find it therapuetic to blog about my progress, last week was just not the week for it! So, let me just recap a bit and I can hopefully get back to our normal schedule program:

1) On the Healthy Living Front: I am going to be completely honest. I feel like I've started some bad eating habits. Secret eating, starving myself, binging on bad foods. While I lost two pounds from the week before, I just began to feel like food was controlling my life. I would skip one breakfast, scarf down some take out chinese food, then starve for the rest of the afternoon out of guilt for such a bad lunch choice. I would also have a snack (like a small salad) then get a huge burrito and scarf it down like there was no tomorrow. Once I recognized this, I paused, took a breath and started to be more conscious of my choices. I'm also being more thoughtful about my bites. I've recently noticed that I had adopted the "I must scarf down every bite like I'm not going to have this food ever again" habit. It's a bad habit because you never really feel satisfied. If you are more mindful of each bite, you appreciate the taste of the food and become more satisfied with less. I tried this recently during a work event in which pizza was served. I normally have like four pieces and scarf them down. This last time, I took two and was really thoughtful of each bite. Sure enough, after the last bite of the second piece, I felt full, satisfied, and not overly stuffed.

2) On the Active Living Front: I've shoveled my driveway four days out of the past 12. That in of itself is a workout. I did manage to hit the gym yesterday and did 30 min on the elliptical and 3 sets of 12 assisted chin ups. I also took a dance class that was such a workout! I was hoping to sign up for more, but alas, it's normally scheduled time is during working hours (CURSES!). To be honest (again), I need to shake things up a bit with my exercise. Running on the treadmill is just not fun or challenging to me anymore (yes even with my crazy interval workouts!).

On both the Healthy Living Front and the Active Living Front, I decided to enlist the help of MHealthy which is a program at U of M to assist UM faculty, staff, and students achieve their health goals. I have an appointment tomorrow, so I will be sure to report back to you guys about it!

3) On the Fashion Front: A marathon of Gossip Girl Season one lead me to Marshalls where I purchased two new handbags. I will be sure to post the pictures on Wednesday. As my sister Sherry said, "Like you need another show to feed my purse addiction!" Ah well. At least I have sources for affordable purses!

So that is where JustJayTomboy is at for the present moment. How's everyone else?

Special Post Friday - Happy Birthday Daddy!

2011-01-14T08:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday is was my dad's birthday! For his birthday, Sherry and I attempted to make his favorite cake! Filipino Mocha Cake.

Sorry for the lack of pictures during this process. I was shoveling the snow when Sherry got started with making the cake. I jumped in when it was time to incorporate the batter into the fluffy egg whites.

We had to fold the coffee mixture in the left bowl into the egg mixture in the right bowl a little at a time.

Check me folding:

Brooke taught me how to fold recently, so I took a chance to practice!

Sherry got in on the folding action:

Once all was incorporated, into the oven it went for 20 minutes. Sherry worked on the frosting and the finished product:

hmmmm . . . . not quite right. . .

The cake on the left is how it was supposed to look like!

Ah well, I told my dad when we presented the cake to him that "It was made with love, not talent." He laughed.

Lessons learned for the next time we maje this cake:

1) I need a stand mixer! I have a hand mixer but I think a stand mixer would have been better for the eggs.

2) Start early - the cake needs to cool before you can add the frosting. Sherry stayed up late to frost!

So that was our adventure in Mocha Cake baking this week. I shall leave you with my Dad enjoying his cake!

On the Fashion Front Wednesday - New Purse Obsession

2011-01-12T12:45:00.000-08:00

I have a few minutes to give you this news update - I have found another purse to obsess about!

This obsession is brought you by ABC Family's show - Pretty Little Liars

I know, I know! Why am I, a 29 year old, watching a show based on a Tween Book series!? I can only say that I just had to watch the first episode because it intrigued me that the actresses who play the main characters either look like a Bratz Doll or an American Girl doll. I had to see if the acting was up to snuff. . . then I got hooked.

Another reason - the clothes and accessories! I'm loving some of their outfits. My sister and I are planning a trip to Urban Outfitters soon to try to recreate some of them (just for fun).

Anways, back to the task at hand - my obsession.

So one of the characters, Emily Fields . . .

Isn't she pretty!? Oddly enough, she's the tomboy of the group. How fitting!? (picture source)

. . .has an AWESOME bag!

her bag is on the far left (picture source)

I've been obsessing about it ever since I saw it on the show. I've also been trying to Google it to see if I can find out what brand it is . . but no avail!

So the search is on to find out what brand this bag is, to find out how much it is, and to OWN IT!

Thus concludes the rantings of an obsessed tomboy!

Belated - On the Active Front Tuesday - A Quickie

2011-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry guys, not only is this post late, but it will have to be quick.

Anyone else got hit with the snowstorm? My normally 35 minute commute was about an hour. I only almost got into an accident once when a big SUV decided at the last minute to get on the ramp. > : O

So here was my activity since last week.

Thursday
Incline walk: Basically my speed was between 3.0-3.5 and the incline set at 10 or 15 for five minutes at a time. I will have to post the steps at a later date. This was a good fall back workout because I wanted to be at the gym, but I didn't know what exactly what I wanted to do.

Sunday
My second attempt at an hour long run. I completed 5.2 miles in 60 minutes! I was a bit shock with the mileage. I mostly ran at 5.3 for 50 minutes. From 50:00-58:00, I ran at 5.5. Then for the last two minutes, I ran at 6.0. I owe my success to my Zune Player and to the Food Network. I was at a treadmill in front of a Tv and switch the channel to the Food Network. I watched two episodes of Best Thing I Ever Ate (well an episode and a half) and then Guy's Big Bite. Oddly enough, the food shows didn't really make me hungry, but it kept me entertained and distracted.

Tuesday
Shoveled the drive way. And yes, that counts as being active! And this wasn't a "pushing a snow blower around." We are old school at our house - good old fashion shovel did the trick . . and worked up a sweat!

Sorry for the quicky guys, but this is a hectic week both at work and at home! Tonight, my sister and I are going to cook my Dad's birthday cake for his birthday on Thursday . . . Stay tuned for this Special Post!

On the Healthy Front Monday - I was right!

2011-01-10T13:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday Everyone!

Well, it's not too happy for me as I am suffering from a stomach bug from some bad fish tacos that I ate last night. :( A night of bad sleeping and stomach aches = a day of eating bland food and laying around the house. I think my stomach has settled a bit, so I'm going to make some tea in a bit. I've been watching the Food Network and the Cooking Channel all day. Oddly enough, it's not really making me hungry, it's been calming and entertaining instead.

Anyway, last week, I received my weekly e-mail from Carb Lovers Diet.

This e-mail was 9 Get-to-Goal Strategies that Really Work.

Take a look at #3:
"3. Cool your food. If you enjoyed cold pizza or spaghetti for breakfast in college, now’s a good time to get back in the habit. Cold foods are thought to help you to burn more fat and fill up on fewer calories. Cooking actually reduces the amount of resistant starch in a food because it causes the starch to absorb water and swell, breaking up the starch and making it more digestible.
As a food cools, however, the starch recrystallizes back into resistant starch. This is why a cold boiled potato has twice as much resistant starch as a hot one. Eating cold, high-resistant starch foods may fill you up faster, so you don’t need to eat everything on your plate. It will also provide you with an extra metabolism boost."

So I've mentioned a couple of times that I prefer a cold lunch during the work week because I feel better afterwards and do not go into that food coma that I typically get from after gorging on a warm lunch. Who knew that this was also a fat fighting tip as well!!

My favorite cold lunches?

My faux Tuna Salad Kit - Wasa crackers, Chicken of the Sea Tuna Salad Cup, and fruit

Carb Lovers Diet Express Lunch Plate (Egg, fruit, cheese, and Wasa Crackers) Sorry that this is not the prettiest picture.

So these meals will definitely be on my regular rotation for lunch! Lucky for me, I had stocked up on Chicken of the Sea Tuna and Chicken Salad cups! I also have crackers and fruit a plenty!

Well, now it's time for the weigh in!

0 pounds lost and 0 pounds gained from my first weigh in of the year.

Hmmmm . . . I guess this is good. At least I didn't gained. Ah well, the next two weeks should be better in terms of planning meals and working out.

Well, it's time to get back to the couch and some Lemon Ginger Tea.

Special Post Thursday - She Said/She Said: A Black Swan Movie Review

2011-01-06T06:39:00.000-08:00

My sister and I are opposites.

She’s the oldest (Big Sis) and I’m the baby (Lil Sis). I have straight black hair and she has curly black hair. I’m loud and outgoing and she’s quiet and loves nights in. I love my neutrals and she’s all about color (if there is color in my wardrobe of late, it’s entirely her influence!) I'm brown and she's light. I obsess about purses and she can’t seem to stop buying cute sweaters!

But the one thing that we have in common is movies. We love the world of cinema. We each have a background in the area (production for me and film study for her). So a couple of weeks ago, we had a date to watch Black Swan directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, and Vincent Cassel.

We sat down together to discuss the movie afterwards:

***IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN BLACK SWAN AND DO NOT WANT TO READ ANY SPOILERS DO NOT CONTINUE. ***

What did you like about the movie?

Big Sis: One of things I liked was Natalie Portman’s acting. Her portrayal of a meek-mannered ballerina obsessed with being perfect was mesmerizing and sometimes scary to watch, especially when she transforms into her black swan. I am not familiar with ballet but I also thought she danced pretty well for a non-professional ballerina. Since she has to dance in character, she not only had to learn the dances but dance them in a tightly controlled way especially when she initially dances Odile’s (the black swan) dance because her character is obsessed with being technically perfect. She deserves all the pre-Oscar hype that she is getting for the role.

Lil Sis: I agree with you. In the beginning of the movie, her voice was so weak and quite and light. Almost to the point of annoyance. Also, the way she apologized for everything in the beginning. Then as she “changed” her voice became stronger and she talked backed. She took action and whether it was right or wrong, she did not apologize. Natalie Portman’s acting was stellar in this movie.

Big Sis: Another thing I liked was the Swan Lake score. Even though I own a music box that plays the main theme, I never really listened to it. The composition is hauntingly beautiful. If I was studying this film for a film studies class, I would analyze the music from where it falls on the ballet and compare it to what is happening in the scene in the film. I would want to examine whether the music is commenting on the scene itself or the emotion of the scene.

Lil Sis: That was what I like most about the movie - the use of sound. But just not the musical score. There was another layer to it. In the scenes where Nina (Portman) was dancing, you heard her breath. That too changed as she progressed. From controlled breathing when she was trying to be perfect to a more sensual sigh when she fully became “The Black Swan.” Having a bit of dance background, I found myself breathing with her. I think it was a conscious decision to include the sound of her breath into the foreground. Breathing is a big part of dancing as it is with every activity so to include it in this gritty performance was genius. Also in scenes when Nina started to lose grip on reality, you heard in the music whispers of her name. Like it was her darker half calling out to her.

Big Sis: Despite the fact I was not familiar with the score, I did have some superficial knowledge of the story of the ballet thanks to Wikipedia. From that brief perusal, I discovered that there are multiple endings to Swan Lake. I thought the ending that they chose for the ballet in the film (where Odette the white swan sacrifices herself to be free of the curse) fits perfectly with the theme of sacrificing oneself that is portrayed in the film. If they had chosen the more romantic ending (Siegfried and Odette die together), it would not have been effective because there was no romance in the film. Therefore, Nina could not relate or lose herself in the dance because she has no experience of it. However, she was experiencing losing herself to her darker impulses and thus sacrificing her meek-mannered self in order to dance the black swan part perfectly.

Lil Sis: Plus the only major male figure in the entire film was Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) and there wasn’t really any romance there. I think his role was to be the Seducer to Nina’s innocence. But I love the twist that it was Lily’s character that seduced Nina, albeit in subconscious indirect way.

What did you not like about the movie?

Lil Sis: While I thought that the camera work was very appropriate for the film and some of the scenes, I really got sick of looking at the back of Natalie Portman’s head. I get the the idea was to show the tunnel vision aspect of dancing and being the star of the show, but in the party scene where Leroy (Cassel) was maneuvering Nina through the crowd, it got very boring fast.

Big Sis: Well, the shots that I did not appreciate were the close-ups of her blistered toes and peeled-skin. You know that I am pretty squeamish when it comes to the human body. I know there are necessary to show the ugly side of ballet, which is generally perceived as a beautiful form of dance, but that did not stop me from looking away at the screen.

Lil Sis: I think that the actual purpose of some of those (the skin peeling and scratching) was to add another layer to Nina’s psyche. It’s actually an OCD or impulse control disorder to pick at one skin (dermatillomania). As being someone who suffers a mild form of this, I can relate. The constant strive for perfection sort of turns on you and you keep digging or “scratching” the surface to find the perfection. I actually thought that it was a brilliant move to add OCD behaviors to Nina’s character. You also saw more OCD behaviours when she lined up the trinkets she stole from Beth (Winona Ryder). It was a process that the compact, the lipstick, the nail file, and the perfume was placed just so. Even when she panicked and returned the items to Beth, she still placed the items so that it formed a square.

What did you find most confusing?

Big Sis: When watching a film that deals with the perception of reality for the first time, there will be moments where it will be difficult to discern what was real and what the person perceives as real. This film is no exception. I think it will take multiple viewings in order to grasp the difference. The two scenes that I would want to examine would be Nina’s second visit Beth at the hospital and the club scene.

Lil Sis: I agree. I would also add the scene where Nina catching Leroy and Lily having sex and when Nina and supposedly Lily return from the club. I guess I would also add the cab scene too. For me, the confusing part was the mother’s role (Barbara Hershey). At first she was the supportive mother who wanted her daughter to succeed, but then she locks Nina up in her room on Opening Night??? Most “Stage Moms” would make damn sure that the their daughter, the “Star,” gets to the theater. I know that the mother was sort of the controller in the relationship and as Nina acted out, she saw that she was losing that control over her daughter. At the end of the movie, I had absolutely no idea what her motivation was. Did she want her daughter to be the Star or did she not want Nina to succeed where the mother (as a failed ballerina) failed? Maybe a second viewing would help clarify that.

What would you have like to see developed more?

Lil Sis: Lily’s role. Perhaps she was simply the impetus of Nina’s decent into madness, but I felt she wasn’t given her due. You saw so many different sides of Lily and not all of them were real. Was it the laid back California girl that just did what she wants? Was it the calculating competitor to Nina? Going back to the scene when Nina “sees” Leroy and Lily have sex, would Lily really do that? When Lily questioned Nina earlier in the movie on “How was he?” it’s obvious that she’s ok with the concept of sleeping with the boss. So is it plausible? I would have loved to see more scenes with Lily to get a better sense of her character. That and I’m a big Mila Kunis fan!

Big Sis: While it may be easy to say that Lily could use some character development instead of being a character archetype of the wild, sexy chick, at the same time we are not supposed to truly know her because this film explores the nature of Nina’s reality. We are supposed to accept or understand what she feels and perceives as real. So in the case of Lily, we are supposed to see her as the personification of Nina’s darker side, the one she has buried so deep in pursuit of perfection.

The same principle applies to her mother. As you mentioned earlier, her motivation seems unclear. Even though most of the mother scenes seem to occur in reality, maybe a second viewing would reveal a little clue of a subconscious perception. Maybe Nina sees her mother celebrating her success at getting the lead role but perhaps that was not the reality.

Upon further reflection, I have no answer to this question because if elements of the film had more development, it would take away from the film’s exploration of reality formed from a perfectionist ballerina. The development comes from the viewer and what he or see wants to accept as the reality of the film and the reality from Nina’s mind’s eye.

Final Thoughts?

Big Sis: Since this is my first time seeing a Darren Aronofsky film, I had no preconceived notions about his directing style. That being said, I thought the film was beautifully directed and effectively captured the dark side of capturing perfection. One of the things I would have to look at upon a second viewing is the camera movements when Nina is dancing the white swan and when she is dancing the black swan. I remember that in some rehearsal scenes, the camera movements mimic a tightly spun pirouette, but I forgot if that was when she was doing the black swan or the white swan. I would also like to see if the camera movements were freer doing the final black swan sequence. I was too awed by the special effects used to add feathers onto her as she turns.

Lil Sis: It is really hard for me to say that I like or don’t like this movie. I felt that it did a really good job of getting inside your head and drop a little mind bomb on you. There was so much that I love about this movie that appeals to the movie production geek in me. At the same time, the play on reality sort of frustrated me that makes me think that maybe Aronfsky just added things just to add them (like did we really need to see Beth stab herself with a nail file? Was that real? What did that do for the story?) There were also some technical things that bugged the continuity error pointer in me. She scratches her shoulders where you think that’s where the wings would spring from, but then when she makes the transition, it’s her arms that transforms into the wings . . . not very logical, but whateves

So I think we both agree that Black Swan is actually Oscar worthy. Right Sis?

Big Sis: Right Sis. It deserves all the accolades that it gets. I hope this film or The King’s Speech beats The Social Network at the Oscars, especially for Best Picture.

Lil Sis: Ooooh, them's fighting words Big Sis!

On the Beauty Front - Sephora Samples Review Part Three

2011-01-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

Whew. . . Can you believe that I'm still working my way through the plethora of samples that Sephora sent me with my recent purchase!

Well on to the next set!

Kinerase Daily Defense Lotion SPF 30 ($135 for 2.8 oz)

Holy Expensive Lotion Batman!

From the website: "Kinerase Daily Defense Lotion SPF 30 defends the skin against the harsh rays of the sun with the added benefit of active ingredient kinetin, a powerful antioxidant scientifically proven to visibly diminish the appearance of fine lines wrinkles by enhancing skin's ability to maintain 25% more moisture."

My Thoughts: This was actually pretty good as both a moisturizer and sunscreen. It did have a hint of that metallic sunscreen scent. The first day I wore it under my make up was fine. I did have to blot my face in the afternoon. The second day, my skin broke out a little bit. I ran out of the sample to see how day 3 would be like. All in all, it was an ok product. I would probably want to test it out during the summer months, which in Michigan, is very humid. That would be the best test for this product. But many dermatologist recommend wearing sunscreen all year round and if you are looking for one that works well with combo/oily skin. This could be up your alley (if you can shell out that kind of cash).

Product Grading:

Texture: A Your typical sunscreen feel without the greasiness

Scent: A- Slight hint of "Hey, I'm wearing sunscreen!"

Staying Power: N/A I don't think I could really grade on this since it is winter. I think I could grade this in the summer when I'm more active outdoors . .and at the beach!

Overall: A- Not a bad product, just the wrong season for a good review

Urban Decay De-Slick In A Tube ($28 for 0.67 oz)

From the website: "De-Slick in a Tube provides oil control and oil-absorbing action in an easy-to-use formula. The gel is completely color-neutral, so it works great on naked skin, under foundation, or over makeup. It's formulated to help tighten your pores for a youthful, shine-free finish. It's a great compact-free alternative to stay shine-free day or night!"

My Thoughts: De-Slick? More like De-ICK! Oh, it absorbed the oil alright . . .and left my face all sticky! Where as the Smashbox and the Sephora primer left this soft silk feel on your skin, this Urban Decay primer left my skin feeling like the sticky side of scotch tape. Out of the tube the primer looks and feels like a cross between a cream and a Vaseline. But when you spread the primer on your face, it sops up the oil and then some. If I patted my face after application, my hand would stick! YUCK! Outside of that, it did keep my make up in place and I did not need to blot my face later in the day.

Texture: C The product is ok right out of the tube, but when you work it into the skin = YUCK!

Scent: N/A

Staying Power: A It kept my make up in place.

Overall: B- I really want to give a lower grade, but the primer did it's job, it just left a horrible feeling once you apply it on.

In December, Marcin and I went out to celebrate our 6 year dating anniversary. I took the occasion to try out the rest of the make up samples that I had.

Benefit High Beam ($24.00 for 0.45 oz)

From the website: "Benefit High Beam is an ethereal pink liquid highlighter that creates a radiantly dewy complexion. For an angelic sheen, this pink shimmering lotion adds a soft, natural afterglow."

My Thoughts: I've actually tried this product before. I've always loved it. Done right, you can look like your glowing. Done badly, and you look like you are a sweaty mess. I'm actually a little disappointed that they gave me such a small sample with order.

Product Grading:

Texture: A It has a bit of a nail polish texture but more leans slightly more to a liquid.

Scent: A Subtle scent

Staying Power: B I always found that this product wears off by the end of the night. Of course a majority of the time I was a hot, sweaty mess from dancing.

Overall: A If my social calendar ever involves more formal outings, I would definitely invest in this.

Sephora Eye Shadow

Sorry, I can't seem to find the pallet that this is related to so I can't give you a price or a website description.

My Thoughts: It was really hard to pick up any of the colors with my brushes. I used them all up while getting ready for my date with my hubby. Even then, I really don't think you can see any of the colors. You be the judge:

I would be unfair to grade this product because the sample package that it came in was not good. So I would just chalk it up to a fun free sample.

So you would think that with three posts I would be done right? Nope, I have to face gels and perfume samples still left to go. I do have one more foundation sample, but it is in Light, and I am anything BUT light! Anyone want to volunteer and do a review for me? Anyone?

Happy Hump Day folks! :)

On the Active Living Front - Part two of the planning

2011-01-04T13:12:00.000-08:00

So in addition to not having the time to plan for my healthy eating, I didn't develop a workout plan either. I know that I have to kick up my running and work outs up a notch, but I don't want to over do it. I do not want to burn out in the first two weeks. But that doesn't mean that I have been a complete couch potato!

Monday 12/27 - I attempted my Pyramid Run for the first time in months! In case you have forgotten what that entails:

0:00-5:00 minutes = Jog = 5 Minutes = Speed of 5.0

5:00-5:30 minutes = Sprint = 30 seconds = Speed of 7.0

5:30-6:00 minutes= Jog = 30 seconds = Speed of 5.5

6:00-6:45 minutes= Sprint = 45 seconds = Speed of 7.0

6:45-7:30 minutes= Jog= 45 seconds = Speed of 5.5

7:30-8:30 minutes= Sprint=60 seconds = Speed of 6.5

8:30-9:30 minutes = Jog = 60 Seconds = Speed of 5.5

9:30-10:45 minutes = Sprint = 75 seconds = Speed of 6.5

10:45-12:00 minutes = Jog = 75 seconds = Speed of 5.5

12:00-13:30 minutes = Sprint = 90 seconds = speed of 6.5

13:30-15:00 minutes = Jog = 90 seconds = Speed of 5.5

15:00-16:15 minutes = Sprint = 75 seconds = Speed of 6.5

16:15-17:30 minutes = Jog = 75 seconds = Speed of 5.5

17:30-18:30 minutes = Sprint=60 seconds = Speed of 6.5

18:30-19:30 minutes= Jog = 60 Seconds = Speed of 5.5

19:30-20:15 minutes= Sprint = 45 seconds = Speed of 7.0

20:15-21:00 minutes= Jog= 45 seconds = Speed of 5.5

21:00-21:30 minutes = Sprint = 30 seconds = Speed of 7.0

21:30-22:00 minutes = Jog = 30 seconds = Speed of 5.5

Around the 13:30 min mark, I had to slow down and walked for a minute, but I ramped it back up again and finished the run.

On New Years Eve, I had a another go of it. This time I conquered it! I even did my sprints at a speed of 7.0 for the 30, 45, and 60 seconds sprints! So excited! What a great way to end 2010!

Yesterday we went to the gym and this time, I did a strength training workout.

10 minutes of cardio - the elliptical
3 sets of 20 decline crunches
3 sets of 15 leg curls and leg extensions
3 sets of 15 Adductor and Abductor exercises

I finished up before Marcin finished his exercises so I did something for the upper body as well.

Jumped on the assisted pull/chin up machine

This is similar to the one that they have at Snap Fitness 24-7. Next time I'm at the gym, I will try to remember to take a picture!

Anyways, I use this machine to help me stretch my calves and basically my whole entire body. I also did 3 sets of 10 of assisted pull ups. I know that I should do more reps, but my upper body strength is not there, so I need to work up to that!

I was thinking of going to the gym tonight and try to do a fast mile just for fun, but the blizzard that is raging outside is starting to scare me. I know that my drive home is not going to be fun. I may just do ab workouts at home before we go out. . .

Thursday is going to be plan plan plan evening for me. I want to make sure that I do this right.

On the Healthy Front Monday - Steps to Planning

2011-01-03T18:02:00.000-08:00

The new year has begun and a new goal has been set.

Unfortunately, the laziness of the holidays got in the way and I am haven't really planned anything in terms of better eating habits. I have vague plans in my head, but nothing set in stone and our fridge is stuffed to the gills with leftovers that we really do not want to go to waste. The goal now is to go through them in healthy portions and make good meal choices around them.

So here are some steps that I'm taking until I can sit down and plan:

1) Drink water first thing in the morning: I read this from the Eat Clean Diet. The idea is that the water rehydrates you after a night of sleeping (when you lose a lot of moisture). It should be the first thing that you drink/eat in the morning. I have vitamins that I need to take in the morning, but normally I take them with my morning coffee. Taking them with water is an easy replacement.

2) Protein shake for breakfast: Not everyday, but when I have five minutes in the evening before to make them, a protein shake is easy, quick, healthy, on the go breakfast. I'll mix it up a bit with the Carb Lovers Diet shake and the Yahoo Holiday Detox shake. Sometimes I will throw in a spoonful of dark chocolate peanut butter.

3) Increase my servings of fruit: I can get some of my servings in my protein shake (frozen berries and banana), but I do miss eating real fruit. I remember when I was young and my dad would buy those huge oranges from the grocery. Eating an orange was an event for me. We have grapefruit right now and it's the same deal. Whenever I'm craving a real sugary dessert (like right now as I'm blogging, I'm mentally drooling over a big bowl of ice cream . . .good thing we don't have any in the house), I will grab for a citrus fruit and go through the production of peeling the skin and eating each individual slice. You will be surprise at how filling that is when you make a ritual out of eating your fruit.

4) Use my Carb Lovers Diet book for meal options: Especially for lunch. The book offers different varieties of cold lunches. I find that having cold lunches at work is better for me not to fall into a food coma and become sluggish.

So there is my start. I'm hoping to carve some time Thursday to get my meals in order for next week. Grocery shopping on Sunday should be fun! I will also resume Weigh-In Mondays next week with my EatSmart Precision Bathroom Scale.

So here's to the first full week of 2011! While we may not be able to start off like a rocket, we can take baby steps to get to our goals!

EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale Review

2011-01-01T15:01:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!

So it's 1-1-11. What better way to start any healthy living goals this new year than at quite literally SQUARE ONE! As you all know, I have a new goal. Get to my happy weight of 125 by my 30th birthday. I'm actually aiming for the 120-125 range because I feel that aiming for a range is a bit healthier than a solid weight number.

One tool that I will be using to help me reach is the EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale.

In early December, I received the EatSmart Bathroom scale from EatSmart to review. I've spent the past couple of weeks comparing the scale to my cheap Target scale that I original had:

Here are my thoughts on the scale:

PROS:
1) CONSISTENCY: The EatSmart scale is extremely consistent. It gave me the same measurement each time I stepped on the scale within a few seconds. The Target scale . . not so much! Consistency is key when trying to gauge any gains or loss in weight as you begin your healthy living practice.

2) IMMEDIACY: The EatSmart Scale is design to measure your weight as soon as you step on the scale. There is no need to "tap" the scale to activate it. Step with one foot and step with the other and your weight displays within seconds. Once it is done measuring, it will blink the weight three times.

3) CLARITY: The EatSmart Scale display is bright and clear: I will let the picture do the talking:

This picture was taking standing up with a little bit of zoom on my camera

CONS:

1) SIZE: The EatSmart scale is a bit wider (12" x 13") than I'm used to for a scale. It took up quite a bit of room in the corner of my bathroom along with my Target scale. But really, how many people have two scales? So I'm thinking that when I FINALLY get rid of the Target scale, the size of the EatSmart scale will be negligible.

2) GLASS: The EatSmart scale is made up of sturdy tempered glass which is a neat, clean, modern look. However, if you are a klutz like me, the glass makes it really easy to forget that the scale is there and you can easily bump into it. Again, because I had the scale side by side to my Target scale, it was taking up too much room, and made it awkward to work around in my bathroom. Again, once I get rid of the Target scale, I think that this is also negligible.

So overall, the EatSmart scale is a great investment ($28.95 on Amazon.com) for your weightloss needs. The scale comes ready to use out of the package and 4 AAA batteries are already included.

Today, at 1-1-11, I'm starting my journey to get rid of those last pesky pounds to get to my happy weight. My starting weight:

Yikes! I gained four pounds since my last weigh in! Not good! But I will not let myself feel defeated about this. Instead I'm going to look forward. It's a new year and by golly, I will achieve this goal!

Thank you to the folks at EatSmart for taking a chance and giving this newbie a chance to do her first product review!

Happy New Years everyone out there in the blog-o-sphere! Let's make 2011 a great year!

Special Guest Post Thursday - Why I Love New York

2010-12-30T11:16:00.000-08:00

2010 is almost over and I have been doing a great job of ending it on a calm mellow note. But, I do not want to leave you readers high and dry as you ring in 2011. First up is this awesome guest post from the fabulous Molly from Smart Pretty and Awkward. Her blog is so entertaining! Go there and check it out . . .well. . .after you read her guest post here first!

Why I Love New York

by Molly from Smart Pretty and Awkward

For this Healthy Obsessions of a Girlie Tomboy guest post,

I'd like to discuss the main interest of me, Molly from the East Coast.

My preoccupation is not a dress, a food, a boy, or a shoe,

But New York City--a city of bright lights, where any dream can come true.

A small town is great, I come from a lovely one myself

But I always felt I needed a town with an entire street dedicated solely to....buying felt.

No, I kid, there's a lot more to love besides the Garment District.

I like Penelope Cafe, 230 Fifth, Butter Lane....just not the Knicks.

Every night a new restaurant, for a million nights in a row.

Or at least a new takeout spot--hopefully one that delivers Bordeaux.

"Hey, did you see that hot new cultural exhibit or show?" "What, no?"

Honestly, I didn't either--but it is nice to always have the option to go.

But hey, if Manhattan isn't your cup of tea, that's okay! I'd still like to be friends

I understand NYC can also be the city of high rents and shady activities that often offend.

But for me, Molly from the East Coast, at the end of long day when it's time to sleep,

There's no place I'd rather be than looking out my NYC window while I dreamily count sheep.

My Dad, The Mad Genius!

2010-12-27T16:42:00.000-08:00

I would like to take a break from our normally scheduled blogging this week to cover some special things that have happened over the holidays. First up, let me tell you folks about my dad.

I am what you call a "Daddy's Girl."

Not the "I can bat my eyes at my dad and get away with murder" Daddy's Girl. But a "I love my dad to bits and was his faux son growing up" Daddy's Girl. I think that is why I became somewhat of a tomboy. I wanted to impress my dad with my boyish skills. That and I didn't think that "Because I am a girl" was good excuse not to do cool things like change a tire, change my oil, or paint a room. But I digress.

Anyways, in addition to getting my tomboyish ways from my dad, we also have a lot in common.

We both love to dance:

See the look of glee in his face? He was some smooth moves. Smooth enough to have almost every one of my girlfriends want to dance with him!

We make goofy faces (in general and when we dance):

This is his "yeah, I'm cool" face.

This is my "I'm in the zone" face. See the similarities?

He's also where I get my love of cooking from. He came over to the States in '79 without any knowledge or skills in the kitchen. My mom taught him two Filipino dishes that she knew (and promptly "forgot") how to make and spent time in front of the television watching "Wok with Yan" to pick up the rest. Now he is a cooking machine. As evidence by our Christmas FEAST!

And this is not the half of it!

Let me break it down dish by dish!

Mash Potatoes

Steamed baby carrots and asparagus

Tomato, Mozzarella, Cucumber Stackers

Beef Stew (I'm not gonna lie, I went NUTS when I saw this. I LOVE Beef Stew)

Sweet and Sour Pork (He served the sauce separately)

Drumsticks with Shaved Parmesan on Radicchio

Shrimp Stir Fry

Pan Seared Salmon with cream sauce (served separately)

Honey Baked Ham (the ONLY thing I had asked for)

There was also a dish with buttered corn, but I forgot to take a picture of that.

So I know what you are wondering (other than "Where's my invite to the next feast?") . . . How many people were coming to dinner? This is what my dad makes for . . .wait for it . . FIVE PEOPLE!!! Yep, it was just my family and Marcin for Christmas dinner. So there was 10 dishes for 5 people, 3 of which were girls with small appetites. I'm telling you the man is crazy!

See that smirk on his face? It's saying "I cooked so you better EAT!"

I couldn't really talk about our Christmas without talking about my Dad mad cooking skills. Every dish was delicious and between Marcin and I, I think we covered everything. And of course, we took some home! Still working on some of those leftovers!

So there you have it folks, my dad, the mad cooking genius who will stop at nothing to have you leaving our house stuffed to the brim and clutching onto leftover to your dear life!

Now say "Bye" Dad!

*Wedding pictures by Kelly Dobson Photography

On the Fashion Front Wednesday - Ugly Sweater Purse

2010-12-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted my December purse because I didn't really have a new purse until a couple of weeks ago. Then I just kept forgetting to post it! So here it is:

a.n.a Fringed Studded cross body From JCPenney

I was actually in JCPenny to see about a different purse, but this one cought my eye. I can't really explain it, but I was very intrigued by it. I definitely like the knitted material. However, I was not a fan of the leather studded:

But it's sort of grown on me. It's fun to play with as you are waiting in line. Plus this bag have LOTS of different pockets. So not only is this my December (and possibly January) purse, but I have dubbed this purse as my "Ugly Sweater Purse"

I think it's appropriate for this time of year. I have seen countless "Ugly Sweater" parties at bars lately:

So I thought "Well, if people can proudly rock the Ugly Sweater deal for a party, I can rock the ugly sweater purse for the month of December!"

So there you have it folks, my December purse! Hope everyone is as excited about the Holidays (and the Holiday Break if you are in the Higher Ed world!)! Happy Holidays everyone! Be Safe!

On the Active Living Front - Tuesday - I need my Foam Roller!

2010-12-21T08:47:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it's 4 days until Christmas!?!? I don't know about you, but I'm definitely looking forward to the break. I'm still debating on how active I want to be during the holiday break. I definitely want to get some more runs in after Christmas and before New Years. The Hubs and I have some much needed SCHEDULED lazy days planned, so I would need to counter that with some active days!

So in addition to being more conscious about my eating for the next few days, I decided to kick up my exercise a notch. First up - an hour long run!

A while ago, I said that I was going to incorporate one day a week to do a long run (which is a one hour run for right now). However, I haven't been able to find the time to do it, so I have been failing in this regard.

So on Sunday, after I committed eating better for the next couple of days, I went to the gym and told myself to stay on the treadmill for one hour. I WILL listen to my body and slow down when I need to. I WILL try to run for as long as I can before I need to slow down. Lastly, I WILL STAY ON THE TREADMILL!

I really had no plan going in, but I just kept telling myself to stay on the treadmill! Walking is not failing, it's still moving!

Here's how my hour went:
0-10 minutes - Walking at 3.0
10-20 minutes - Running at 5.3
20 -25 minutes - Running at 5.5
25 - 30 minutes - Walking at 3.0
30-50 minutes - Running at 5.3
50-53 minutes - Running at 5.5
53-55 minutes - Running at 5.7
55 - 57 minutes Running at 6.0
58 - 59 minutes - Running at 7.0
59 - 60 minutes - Walking at 3.0

As you can see, I was trying to end strong with a sprint at the end, but after one full minute, I just couldn't do it. I think that one reason for the erratic running was that I was having issues with my right leg. It just felt tight and it felt like I was always on the verge of a charlie horse. I made sure to spend a good amount of time stretching after this run. While I'm not happy about my run, I'm not disappointed. I ended up covering 4.52 miles on the treadmil, so that is a plus! I definitely need to take care of my leg before I attempt this again!

So you would think that after a run like that I would crawl (well drive home, get inside, then crawl) home and reach for my trusty and barely used Foam Roller:

But nope, instead, I took a bath and try to give myself a leg massage. It sort of work.

Yesterday (Monday), I went back to the gym with the Hubs (got to love working out with your Significant other) and did a variety of different exercise:
1) 15 minutes in the Elliptical (The Treadmill and I are on a break)
2) 3 Sets of 15 crunches on the decline bench
3) 3 sets of 15 crunches on the medicine ball
4) 3 sets of 15 side crunches (both sides) on the ab machine
5) 3 sets of 10 assisted chin ups
6) 10 minutes of stretching.

All in all a good workout! But today, the back of my knees are screaming at me! >:O

So, today is a break from the gym and QT with the foam roller. I'm going to be screaming in pain, but it will be a good pain.

Who else is excited for Christmas?

On the Healthy Front Monday - Faux Detox

2010-12-20T12:23:00.000-08:00

So this weekend involved a lot of ups and downs for me. Well, just one downer. A good friend of mine died Thursday night and I was contacted Friday morning. He was a good man and a dear friend and I will miss him very much. R.I.P. Charles "Chuck" Fulford.

But there were some positive things that happened this week. A double date, an anniversary, and tackling an hour long run. All of which will be summarized soon.

But on to the task at hand. First up, the weigh in . . dum dum dum!

From the Target Scale:

A 4 pound loss from last week's weigh-in

From the EatSmart Scale:

A 2.6 pound loss from last week's weigh-in

Hmmm . .I should probably give myself a pedicure if my tootsies are going to make a cameo on my blog!

So yeah for some loss! I'm actually going to believe the EatSmart Scale over the Target scale. Why? Well, because the EatSmart Scale consistedly displayed 134.8 as my weight when I had to do a couple of weigh ins because my camera was spazzing out. I kept getting blurry pictures. The Target scale kept changing the weight until I finally got the 131.5 measurement for the picture.

I decided to sort of clean up my eating for the next couple of days before the Christmas pig out (not really) at my parents house on Christmas eve. Yahoo.com recently posted a Holiday Detox eating plan after Thanksgiving. It looked reasonable, delicious, and clean. I'm going to substitute some of the meals to at least one or two of my meals for the next three or four days. I started on Sunday dinner with steamed salmon and broccoli and carrots.

Busted out both rice cookers to steam the fish (8 minutes) and vegetables (10 minutes):

The seasonings for both the veggies and the fish are really simple. Lemon, pepper, and I added an egg wash for the salmon.

It was simple and delicious!

After dinner, I set to work to making salads that I will eat for the next few days:

In each serving of salad, I put:
1) Bunches of spinach
2) 1/3 of a sliced red pepper
3) 1/3 cup of red kidney beans
4) One whole celery
5) Mint leaves (I had some leftover from a Ceviche recipes I made a couple of weeks ago. Recipe post to follow soon!)
6) 1/3 of sliced cucumber

For the dressing:
1) 1 teaspoon of Olive oil
2) 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
3) 1 tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar

Some cooky things that happened while making this salad:
1) My red pepper had a green pepper baby!

Have you ever seen a pepper within a pepper! I also found a tinier pepper in the other half, but I forgot to take a picture! Wild!

2) I peel my celery:

It's hard to see in the picture, but I have been taking a peeler to my celery lately. It's a tip that I picked up from Emeril in some show. Peeling the celery is supposed to bring out more of the celery flavor. I do notice a hint of difference in the taste.

For breakfast today, I had a protein shake as suggested by the Holiday Detox eating plan:

In this delicious mix you have:
1) 12 oz of 2% milk
2) 1/2 cup of blackberries
3) 1/2 cup of whole strawberries
4) 1 scoop of vanilla protein
5) 1/2 a banana
6) 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
7) 1 teaspoon of wheat germ

I actually made this as a post workout treat last week and loved it. It's really simple to do and I will be making this for my breakfast for the next couple of days.

So that is the plan for the pre-holiday "detox." A protein shake for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and either a fish dish or saute tofu dish for dinner. I may do the protein shake and salad for the post holiday detox, but I also want to spend the holiday break cooking. I want to take another stab at making chili in the slow cooker. We also want to make a decandent breakfast of french toast and mimosas and maybe bloody marys one day during the holiday break. So I will play it by ear.

What are your plans to not sabotage your health goals this holiday?

On the Beauty Front Thursday - Sephora Samples Review Part Deux

2010-12-16T08:01:00.000-08:00

It's almost the weekend . . .It's almost the weekend!

That mantra has been running through my head all morning. I don't know about you guys, but I am definitely BURNT OUT! So much has happened this fall semester (yes I live my life by semesters still. That's what I get for working at a university) that I'm ready for the holiday break. The trick though is not filling all the days up with activity! I'm trying my best.

Anyways, I'm continuing my review of the Sephora samples I received with my recent purchase.

Sephora Smoothing Primer ($15.00 for 0.05 oz)

From the Website: "Improves foundation application while minimizing skin imperfections. Makeup lasts longer and skin is left velvety smooth with a matte finish. . . .Ideal for combination-oily skin types. "

My Thoughts: I remembered using this product a while ago, but that was when I was doing moisturizer + primer which turned out to my a bad combination. Now that I keep my face bare of products in the morning, I was very excited to try this again. I keep hearing that gels are better than creams for oily to combination skin, so I was expecting this primer to work better than the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer which is a cream. So when I first tried it, I was surprise at how quickly the gel absorbed into my skin. I dotted my face with product before I evenly spread the product on my face. With this primer, the product instantly absorbed into my skin, which is a good and bad thing. Good because it absorbs quickly. Bad because I felt like I couldn't evenly spread the product to the rest of my face. I sort of felt like I had to add more product, but I refrained and was able to work what little product remained to the rest of my face. When I added my Bare Minerals make-up, it stayed on the same as the Smashbox primer and I didn't have to blot my face later on in the day.

Product Grading:

Texture: A-; light on the skin, but absorbs way too quickly! Probably best used in the summer.

Scent: N/A

Staying Power: A = kept my face moisurize and my make-up in place

Overall: A- = I think I would use this one in the summer and the Smashbox in the winter.

LAVANILA The Healthy Baby Lotion ($15.00 for 7 oz)

From the Website: "This 100% natural lotion contains 30 essential vitamins and minerals that support the health and development of delicate baby skin. The ultra-light, easily absorbed formula blends soothing Sunflower and Vanilla Oil with nourishing Calendula and Noni Juice to lock in moisture and protect against dryness."

My Thoughts: Sometimes, you jsut never know if products for babies can be just as effective on adults as they are for babies. I use baby shampoo when I take a shower after working out because it is a bit gentler. However, this was not the case here. This lotion is definitely for delicate baby skin because it did NOTHING for my skin. The lotion was watery and I practically used the whole sample just to moisturize my hands! I may consider this for any future babies that may be in my future, but it is definitely not for adult use. I do love the fact that it's all natural and paraban and sulfate free!

Product Grading: I'm grading this based on adult use and not for babies.

Texture: D - Completely watery for the winter months!

Scent: A - very light

Staying Power: D - It does "easily absorb" and then disappear!

Overall: D - Again, not for adult use.

Stila One Step Make Up Foundation ($44.00 !!!! for 1 oz!)

From the Website: "A skin-loving makeup that combines the benefits of a primer, foundation, concealer, and powder in one long-wearing formula. This innovative, medium-coverage formula is energized with Stila's exclusive Ionic Mineral Complex™ that reads and reacts to skin zone-by-zone, visibly priming, balancing, correcting, and optimizing for a supremely flawless finish."

My Thoughts: I will admit, I was very hesistant to try this. I LOVE my Bare Minerals make up. I love that it doesn't cake on my face like most foundations. But, for the sake of the blog, I grit my teeth and applied this foundation. Since it was a primer/foundation/concealer/powder all in one, I was expecting the product to be HEAVY. Boy was I wrong! The One Step was as light as a primer. It also glides on easy on the face and settles well. Unfortunately, the sample that they gave me was a medium and I guess for Stilla, I need Tan. It was a touch shade lighter than my skin. So I did apply my Bare Minerals Tan over it to give me some color. How did it fair for the rest of the day? AWESOME! It stayed on, it didn't cake up or become oily. I almost forgot that I had make up until I looked in the mirror and saw how flawless my face was.

Before Stila

After Stila

But is it worth $44.00?? I'm not sure. I may have to play around with other version and see if I experience the same coverage and feeling.

Product Grading:

Texture: A+ - Initially it feels creamy, but it absorbs and settles into the skin quite nicely.

Scent: A - Didn't have the heavy foundation scent that I don't particularly like.
Staying Power: A - I would give this an A+ if I could test the foundation by itself without the additional mineral powder since it is the wrong color for me.
Overall: A - Again, would have like to give this an A+ but I didn't have the right color and I'm not sure the price is worth it. :)

Can't wait to start using more products! Stay tuned for more reviews!

On the Active Front - Belated!

2010-12-15T07:54:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,
Sorry for not posting yesterday. I was tied up at work. Then there was the slow drive home. Also, I needed to get a workout in, so I did that instead of posting. I've been off my game lately, but I just keep telling myself that I just need to survive till Christmas Eve eve!

Anways, last week I worked out 4 times! Go me! I went to the gym on Monday and did some ADD running on the treadmill. I really had no focus and kind of just did whatever moved me.

On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, I went to a Beginner's Pole Dancing class at Vixen Fitness. I had a blast! Not only was there a dancing component to the class, but I learned things that I thought I would never be able to do. When I leave from the studio, I think "Oh my god, I just lifted my body weight and spun it around a pole! I thought I would never be able to do that!"

One thing I like about the class is that yes you are learning to appreciate your body and think sexy, but as my teacher said in every class "The Sexy comes last." What you are also doing is challenging yourself! It's sort of like yoga. You first think, "I'm supposed to put my body in THAT position." Then the teacher walks you through it and you think "Oh is that all there is?." Then BOOM, you are doing it! Shaky at first, but with practice you get the hang of it . . .then you bring the sexy in!

This week, I took a stab at the Carb Lovers Diet Tone Up exercises in the book.

First up, three sets of 15 reps of the Squat to Overhead Press

I took it easy with this one because of my knee issues. I did this in front of a mirror in order to make sure my form was correct and to remind myself to keep my abs tight.

Next, three sets of 15 reps of the Single-Leg Dumbell Row

This one is my favorite. It reminds me of my favorite yoga pose.

The third exerise, three sets of 15 reps of the Superman (no idea why the picture is wonky):

I like this one too and I'm so feeling it today! It's simple, but effective.

And lastly, three sets of 15 of the Dolphin Plank.

Again, simple but effective!

Thoughts:

I like how the Carb Lovers Diet details the workouts and show beginning and after pictures of the positions. These workouts are great if you want a quick workout at home. There are two more exercises listed in this set, but I didn't do them to protect my kness. I will probably rotate that with the Squat to Overhead Press.

For the rest of the week, I have one more Beginner Pole class and then gym time at Snap Fitness!

I'm trying to factor in a long run somewhere in the weekend, I don't know when, but it WILL be done!

On the Healthy Front Monday - And the tracking begins!

2010-12-13T16:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday Folks!

So who else got hit with the snowstorm?

Michigan got hit with a snowstorm on Sunday! Made for the drive into work this morning quite fun (she says sarcastically).

Anyways despite the snowstorm, I had a fairly relaxing weekend. Also, even though Christmas is 11 days away, I got an early present!

EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale

The folks at EatSmart were looking for bloggers to review this scale. I happily volunteered for the task. I had some time to think about how to go about reviewing this delicious new scale. I could only think of one thing - a good old fashion Compare/Contrast & Before/After.

Compare & Contrast

I am going to compare and contrast the measurements on the EatSmart scale to my old and busted scale I got from Target a couple of years ago. The EatSmart scale is said to accurately measure your weight to the nearest .2 lbs. So with the help of my handsome assistant:

The Hubs

We went ahead and took our first measurements on both scales.

The Hubs measurements:

Target Scale:

EatSmart Scale:

My Measurements:

Target Scale:

EatSmart Scale:

The hubs hypothesized that the EatSmart scale would measure more than the Target scale and it looks like he was right.

So the Before and After Measurements? Well, the hubs is going to track his measurements before and after workouts. I'm going to track my measurements before and after . . .um . . .something I like to call "The Duece." It's a nickname to a bodily function that one of my friends came up with one trip. It sort of stuck with me.

I think that tracking my measurements till the end of the year should give me some good material for my full on review. Plus it would help me stay on track with my weight loss plans! I have 10 (or 12 pounds) to lose before June (or maybe I would make it to my 30th birthday in May?).

So there will be a "Weigh-In" component to my Monday On the Healthy Living Front posts. I'm a little nervous doing this, but if I want to be accountable, I will have to be honest and put my measurements out there, right?

Wish Me Luck!

On the Beauty Front - Sephora Sample Review #1

2010-12-08T13:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Hump Day Everyone!
Remember last week when I got a boatload (well more like a bag load) of samples with my Sephora order?

Well, I've started to use some of the samples and I thought that I would give you all my review. First up,

Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream

From the Website: Yu-Be's website boasts that its longest selling skin care line in Japan. This moisturizing skin cream is the "original #1 seller in Japan." A glycerin base moisturizer, this cream was meant to have the same effect as petroleum-based products minus the greasy mess that follows.

My Thoughts: Well, I actually didn't read about the product before I started using the sample. My intial thought when a put a drop of product into my hand - "Oh, it's like Vasaline." However, it has a creamier texture than vasaline and I was able to massage the product into my whole hand (unlike Vasaline, where you feel like the product stayed at the inital point of contact on your skin). Once I started to work the cream into my hand, I noticed the smell. It wasn't overpowering, but it was distinctive. The scent was very similar to Vicks Vapor rub. At first medicinal, but somewhat calming. I think it's the camphor that is listed in the ingredients that gives it that smell. The smell goes away once you stop rubbing the product into your skin.

And staying power? Well, it did much better than the Lubriderm lotion that I have been using of late. Of course, since it was a small sample, I've been a bit stingy when applying it to my hands. I did notice that the cream did smooth over the numerous dry cracks on my thumbs. I think it also helped heal some of them quicker than the Lubriderm lotion. I also like the fact that once absorbed into the skin, there wasn't that filmy feeling that you would get with petroleum based products.

Product Grading

Texture: A

Scent: B+

Staying Power: B+ (will need to try a bigger sample to get a better sense of this)

Overall: A-

I've been changing around my morning/make-up/and evening beauty routine around to get the most out of my products in the leasr amount of time. I've been reading in recent magazine that it is ok to skip a cleanser in the morning. The active ingredients will just dissolve from the radicals in the environment anyways, so you are really wasting product and $$$ by cleansing your skin in the morning AND evening. A simple rinse with warm water in the shower is good enough.

However, I've noticed that my make-up doesn't quite stay on as well as it did when I did my cleanser+toner+moisturizer routine in the morning. Solution?

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light

From the Website: This oil-free primer creates "a perfect canvas for foundation application with this silky, lightweight blend of vitamins A and E, grape seed extract and green tea. Worn alone or under foundation to increase longevity, our best-selling primer helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores for flawless skin with a velvety-smooth finish." This primer also won the Best of Sephora Award for Best Primer, one of Marie Claire’s “25 Products That Will Change Your Life,” and an InStyle Best Beauty Buy.

My Thoughts: I've used primer before and while I love the intial silkiness of the cream when I first put it on, my skin always becomes oily by the afternoon. I would go through numerous oil absorbing sheets (and when I'm in a pickle - tissues) to sop up all the extra oil. Well, it turns out that I was using foundation primer wrong! Since I have been just rinsing my face with water in the morning, my face is a blank canvas for the primer (I guess that moisturizer + primer was just too much for my combonation skin!). So when I put this primer on face, I got that initial silky feeling on my skin. My make-up (Bare Minerals) buffed onto my face with ease and has remained there for the rest of the day. It wasn't until I was driving home during the first day that I realized that I DID NOT reach for an oil absorbing sheet to blot my face after lunch! Even now, 4:00 pm on day two, my skin doesn't feel like an oil slick and my make up is not rubbing off of my hands.

Product Grading:

Texture: A - as primers go, this one was light and absorbs well into the skin

Scent: N/A - didn't detect a scent

Staying Power: A+ It keeps my face from feeling tight in the dry winter air and helps keep my makeup in place

Overall: A - I may be picking myself a bottle of this real soon!

Can you believe that it's 17 days till Christmas?!?!?1

Combo Post - On the Healthy and Active Living Front

2010-12-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

So I just finished the weekend from hell. Why? Because I suffered a migraine ALL WEEKEND LONG! If I'm really honest with myself, I have been suffering a migraine all of last week. But I really didn't want to admit it and I just wanted to fight through it. I had a lot of stuff going on including Marcin's Birthday, a friend's Thanksgiving Dinner, a bridal shopping event, and christmas shopping. I was able to get Marcin's Birthday going and successful, but the rest of the week just fell through.

By Saturday morning, I was in pain and could only muster energy in short spurts. In those spurts, we were able to decorate the house for the holidays though:

Hung Christmas stockings for the whole family.

Merged our ornaments together for our Christmas tree

And that is pretty much it for Christmas Decor. Typically, I go the day after Christmas and by the ornaments on sale. I think I will aim for more around the house decor than ornaments like I normally do. I do want a christmas tree skirt for sure!

Also, I found some energy to cook as well. I found that when I was cooking, I really didn't feel too much pain. So over the weekend, I was able to make:

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins (Recipe from Matt at The Kitchen of a Runner . .Thanks Matt!)

In this batch I used whole wheat flour and canola oil instead of spelt flour and coconut oil. It was what I had on hand.

This muffin was particularly beautiful, so I had to take a picture of it! FYI - All of the muffins were DELICIOUS!

On Sunday, I found some energy to make a hearty Lentil Chili that Marlon from Men In the Balance forwarded to me. Thanks Marlon!

Lentil Chili Recipe from LilVeggiePatch.com:

Ingredients:

2 TBSP vegetable oil
½ onion, chopped - I actually used a whole onion I wanted to use it up
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup lentils
3 cups broth
1 can tomatoes - I used Mexican Diced
2 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP cumin
1 carrot chopped
3 stalks of green onion chopped
(the last two ingredients I added because, again, I was trying to use them up so they wouldn't spoil!)
Salt and pepper - added at the END of cooking

Directions:
1) In a large pot sauté the onions and garlic in the vegetable oil over medium heat. Once the onions are soft (about 5 minutes) add the lentils and broth.
2) Add the tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder if you didn’t use fresh garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for an hour covered.

An hour later . . .

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not add salt until the very end, when you salt and pepper to your family’s taste. Cooking lentils with salt makes them hard, and you can simmer until the lentils disintegrate and you’ll still have tough lentil mush. On this note, you should also try for a low-sodium broth, because the ones that have a lot of salt in them will obviously have the same effect on the lentils.

Delicious vegetarian substitution to meat chili!

Anyways, it was all downhill after cooking the chili. I had to cancel on both the bridal shopping event and on my friend's Thanksgiving Dinner because I just couldn't take any more of the pain and nothing was helping. On Monday, I woke up to more pain.

So I decided to not be stubborn any more and listened to my body. I called in sick to work and stayed in bed. I even banned myself from electronic devices. I told myself not to watch any TV or blogged until I was better. Marcin took the reigns and went out to get me what I really needed to stop being in pain!

My neurologist started me on a B2 regimen last year (I can take anywhere between 100-400 mg a day) and it has been working great! The only times I had a migraine is when I ran out and it took me a couple of days to buy another bottle. Well, I ran out of these vitamins the week before Thanksgiving and have been without them ever since. They are very hard to find and if I'm at a store that doesn't have them, I forget that I need to buy them. They ran out of B2 at the Rite Aid by my house, so Marcin went to a nearby GNC and bought me FOUR bottles!!! His first words when he came back home was "You are good for another 4 months!" And that is why I married him folks!

So having this migraine attack affected both my eating (as in I didn't want to or wanted to eat junk) and my activity (how was I supposed to go to the gym when the right side of my brain felt like it was doing the Mexican mamba?!). I took 400mg of B2 yesterday and today and will probably continue that dose for the rest of the week. The goal is to progress back to 100 mg daily. The 400mg dose late Monday afternoon gave me enough energy to hit the gym. I basically spent almost 3 miles on the treadmill. My goal was just to be moving whether it was walking on a steep incline or running for a long as I can without getting winded. For the rest of this week, I have 3 Pole fitness class at Vixen that I'm excited for!

So what did I learn about myself throughout this ordeal? That I try to do way too much in a small amount of time. (I can hear my sister smirking at this because she used to tell me this every since I started getting migraines in undergrad!) But it's true. When the weekend comes, I sleep in late, but once I'm up, I'm trying to cram 48 hours worth of activity into 8. In addition, I try to be very social and overcommit to countless social activities. Since Marcin and I have various groups of friends, in gets a bit overwhelming to try to balance everything. One group wants to one thing on the same day as a different group. It's usually one of our events that merges everyone together and we can only do that so often!

So what did I decide to do about? Well for one thing, stop saying yes to every damn thing until I confirm with Marcin what we have going on. I have two commitments this weekend and it's going to stay that way! I need to take care of me and my friends will have to understand that. Marcin and I promised each other that we will spend one weekend night just at home to relax. Friday does not count because we worked for 8 hours and both of our jobs have started to become stressful.

So I guess I have my News Years Resolution for next year (or at least one of them). It's a work in progress, but I think I can get there.

Special Post Thursday - Thanksgiving Dinner and Birthday Dinner

2010-12-02T13:16:00.000-08:00

Working on this post a bit early because:
1) I will be shopping with my sister tonight to take advantage of some good deals at Old Navy.
2) Work WAS going well until the duece hit the fan. So I need a bit of distraction in order to calm myself down, focus, and get back into my groove.

So today, I give you our Thanksgiving Dinner! We hosted for both families. This was the first time either of us has cooked a full on Thanksgiving meal for the whole family. Needless to say, I was quite nervous since my dad and my in laws are very good cooks. In a way, this was sort of my right of passage into adulthood - cooking for the family.

On the menu was:

Deviled Eggs - My own recipe!

Basically I removed the yolk from the eggs and in a seperate bowl added mustard, seasonings, horseradish, and mayo to taste. Sprinkled paprika for garnish.

Salad

Stuffing - This turned out to be a big hit at dinner! I got the recipe from SparkPeople. Since the Turkey highjacked the oven, I made the stuffing in the crockpot on low for 2.5 hours. (Tip: Definitely add all 2.5 cups of chicken broth)

Green Beans with Bacon Vinaigrette (Recipe from Real Simple)

This was one of the last things I made and wasn't quite as successful as I thought it would be. However, the green beans were crisp and tasty. The vinaigrette . . not so much. Loved the hints of bacon though!

Cornbread Sweetcake

You're supposed to scoop this up from the pan, but I decided to turn them into Cornbread balls. I liked it. I think next time, I would use a pie plate or maybe the ramkins.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Muffins! (Recipe from Good Housekeeping)

These were also a hit with the group! My sister made these for me while I went for my run.

And of course, the MAIN EVENT!

Turkey! This was Marcin's first time Marcin made a turkey.

All together:

Not a bad spread, if I do say so myself!

One of the best part of this dinner:

Got to break out the fine china!

Marcin carving the turkey!

All in all a great dinner. So great that Marcin asked a repeat of some of the dishes for his 30th Birthday Dinner!

He wanted . . .

Stuffing - This time I made it in the oven and it was equally delicious!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Loaf

I wanted to make this into a loaf instead of muffins for fun (TIP: If you are making this as a loaf, put it in the oven at 400 degrees for 50 minutes)

For the main course, Marcin wanted Tuna Steak Salad

This is from my South Beach Cookbook

It's a really easy recipe. Wash and spin some salad greens and chick peas. I marinated two small tuna steaks in lemon juice, coarse grain mustard, salt, and pepper for about half hour. Then I cook the steaks in a pan with 2 tablespoons of oil for 1.5 minutes on each side (that is if you like medium rare, if you want it a little bit more well done - 2 minutes on each side).

Marcin said that it was the best birthday dinner ever! I guess I set the bar for myself! That's ok, I like the challenge!

Happy Thursday Folks. I hope you didn't have any fires at work that you had to put out like I did!

On the Beauty Front Wednesday - Why I L.O.V.E. Sephora & Ebates

2010-12-01T18:20:00.000-08:00

Last week, I made the leap and made my first online purchase through Ebates.com. The website links to numerous websites for your shopping pleasure and gives a percentage of your order back. I've subscribed to the website a long time ago, but haven't really made any orders. I decided to try it out.

So in my first adventure with Ebates, I went to Sephora.com and bought some supplies. It arrived today with some extra goodies!!!

My original purchase included:

2 bottles of Klorane Dry Shampoo and The Boscia Skin Care sample set.

I've read great things about both products and have been wanting to try them for some time. I figure these sample sizes was worth the free shipping and first order from Ebates.

But wait, there's more!!! The combo of these three purchases not only included free shipping, but I also included:

A LOT OF FREE SAMPLES!

When I was finishing up my order, I added a code from Ebates for a free gift. Since I'm also a member of their Sephora's Beauty club, I was able to redeem points for more free samples. THEN, since I was ordering online, I had more options for MORE FREE SAMPLES!!!!!

Free Samples included:

1) One gift clutch - Black Patent leather you see on the left.

2) 4 Make-Up Samples - Stila One Step Make-up in medium; Cover FX Cosmedic Concealing Clinic in Light (probably not going to use this one since my skin is NOT light! Any takers?); Benefit High Beam; Sephora High Intensity Eye Shadow

3) 3 Primer Samples - Urban Decay Mattifying Gel; Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light; Sephora Smoothing Primer

4) 3 Intensive creams/gels - Kate Somerville Cyto Cell Treatment; Lancome Genifique Concentrate Activateur; Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Hydrating Gel

5) 3 Lotion Samples - Kinerase Daily Defense Lotion SPF 30; Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream; The Healthy Baby Lotion

6) 3 Parfum Samples - Clean Warm Cotton; Versace Man Eau Fraiche (obviously going to Marcin); Aquolina Pink Sugar

15 free samples!!!!! HOLY COW!

I think I'm going to tackle these samples one at a time instead of a doing a combo. I'm thinking of starting with the make-up. While I love my Bare Minerals, I'm up for experimenting with other foundations to see what's out there!

Extra bonus, with this order, I got 3% of my order "refunded" back to me via Ebates. You can either have the money funnel into a PayPal account, or Ebates can send you a check. So next time you go and order online . . .check out Ebates! If you are a fan of beauty products, like this tomboy is slowly becoming, check out Sephora!

Good night folks!

On the Active Front Tuesday - Finding time to workout

2010-11-30T14:23:00.000-08:00

I was really proud of myself last week. While I didn't go to the gym on Tuesday or Friday as expected, I found time on Thanksgiving to go for a 2.5 mile run outside. It was cold, but I warmed up by the half mile mark.

It was a good run. I found a pace that I could maintain. I did one loop around the park doing intervals. It also helped me calm down.

Thursday morning was very emotional for me, and when I started to cook at 8:00 AM, I just knew that I had to go run. Luckily, my sister was there and she took over making one of the dishes so I can go for a run. (FYI, I found out that a run is great at depuffing your eyes after a cryfest!)

Unfortunately, the next time I could do a focused workout was yesterday. I ran 2.0 miles and did a combination of interval running to music and jogging. I also worked on abs and back. I will have to take a picture of this machine at my gym that I'm falling more and more in love with!

For the rest of this week, it is so jammed pack with events, I have no idea how I'm going to find the time to workout. It's a definite balance of working 8 hours (with a 30 minute commute both ways), doing chores around the house, finding time to workout, and have a social life.

How do you balance it all?!?!?

On the Healthy Living Front Monday - Good News/Bad News

2010-11-29T14:16:00.000-08:00

So the Good News:
I got on the scale on Sunday after all the Thanksgiving eats and about a month of not so great eating . . .I'm happy to say that I've only gained 5 pounds since the wedding. I was quite relieved to see the number that displayed on the scale as I thought it would be worse. So with my ego and confidence not too deflated I move onto the . . .

Bad News:
I gained 5 pounds since the wedding. I really didn't want to fall into the post - wedding weight gain trap, but it was unavoidable. With the Vegas trip, after hours work events, myriad of social events at bars/restaurants, and the thanksgiving holidays - it was unavoidable. Also, we relied on take out and our parents cooking up until the wedding because we didn't want to spend $$ house groceries AND Thanksgiving groceries. It also didn't help that both our parents practically shoved leftovers into our fridge. Needless to say, I'm a bit sick of leftovers . .period!

So what I'm going to do about it? Well, I'm glad that you asked!
1) Steam, Steam, Steam: Steaming is easy, fast, and so clean! Marcin and I discussed this before Thanksgiving that in between the holidays, our meals will consists of vegetables and steamed whatever - steamed chicken and steamed fish. I did my part today and got Steamed chicken with vegetables from Lucky Kitchen:

Bonus Point: I still have half of it left! I didn't finish the whole thing like I normally do and end up feeling disgustingly stuffed for the rest of the afternoon! I'm thinking steamed fish fillets for dinner tonight with green beans.

2) Green Tea Afternoons: After feeling terrible Saturday afternoon, I realized that I barely drank any water all vacation. So I've been trying harder to reach for water instead of pop or alcohol when I get thristy. A few months ago, I used to drink my one tumbler full of coffee in the morning, then a Green Tea Energy Tea that I got from Erica at Fashion Meets Food in the afternoon. Not only is it a pick me up for the 2:00 slump, it also helps me get more water in. When I finish the tea, I typically go back to the water cooler and fill it back up with cold water. I will still taste the remants of the green tea so it's flavorful and refreshing!

3) Eat Breakfast: The bad eating decisions stem from the fact that before the holiday, I was waking up late and skipping breakfast. This led me to be starving by 11:30 and ordering greasy or not so healthy take out from a neighboring restaurant. Not a good way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. So I am making a point to either leave with something for breakfast or find the time to sit before I leave and have breakfast at home. This morning, I had a simple piece of toast with cream cheese. It funny though, it took me a while to eat that toast, but when it comes to lunch, I can devour an entire chinese take out lunch special! Well, except for today, I saved half of it because I got full. See eating breakfast as infinite number of pluses!

4) Have a goal: So before, my goal was the wedding. I wanted to look great for it and I like to think I accomplished that goal. So what is the goal now???? Minus 10 Pounds for Hawaii!!!! Our honeymoon will be in June of 2011. Again, I want to be my fittest when we go. Before the wedding, I was roughly 5 pounds to where I wanted to be at. Now with the additional 5, I have 10 pounds to drop (or at least turn into fat burning muscle) by June. 10 Pounds in about 7 months? BRING IT!

So this is my new challenge and my new goal. Wish me luck!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T06:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I will be on a little hiatus this weekend since we are hosting Thanksgiving at our house for the first time! Can't wait to tell you guys all about it.

Enjoy some turkey, some sides, and some dessert with your friends and family!

On the Active Living Front Tuesday - Mixing it up

2010-11-23T12:55:00.000-08:00

So last week, I attempted to be active on 3 days. I achieved that goal!!!!

Monday
I did my Incline Run

Wednesday
Strength Training - I have fallen love with the assited Pull up and Shoulder Dip Machine at Snap Fitness!!! I've been using this machine for my post run stretching. Last week, I did three sets of 10 pull ups with 100 pounds of assisted weight. I'm trying to work my way down to half my body weight. Wish me luck. I also did some cross body chops (3 sets of 15 on both sides).

Saturday
Vixen Fitness - As part of a present from my Personal Shower, my good friend Tasha got me a gift certificate to Vixen Fitness for a Pole Dancing class. She joined me in a Beginners class even though she's already taking the Intermediate classes. I had the best time! I've been missing a dancing element to my exercise. Tasha said that for a beginners class, the teacher was teaching us some advance stuff and that I did great! I signed up for 6 more classes! 3 more for at the beginner level. If I do well, I may use my last three for the intermediate!

The plan for this week . . .
Today (Tuesday) - Cardio. I'm still debating on whether to a interval run or just try to do the fastest one mile ever. Jury is still out on that.

Wednesday - I have the day off to help clean the house and grocery shop since we are hosting Thanksgiving this year. I'm thinking the cleaning and the grocery shopping is activity enough . . . especially the cleaning!

Thursday - Turkey Day - Cooking and Eating . . nuff said.

Friday - Actually going to venture out on Black Friday and try to buy a laptop. Maybe get some gym time in to work out the frustration of being in a crowded store.

Saturday - Ryan's 30th Football game and watching the UM vs. Ohio State game.

Sunday - I'm hoping to take care my Christmas shopping so walking around the mall should do the trick!

Needless to say, I'm taking this week to sort be active, just not in a focused "time in the gym" sort of way.

On the Healthy Front Monday - The Weekends

2010-11-22T16:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Week Folks!!!

I was having some issues over the weekend with tweeting and Facebooking my Weekend Guest Post, so if you have a chance, please check it out! Thank you Brooke for contributing!!! Remember, if you would like to serve as Guest blogger, feel free to contact me at healthyobsessions [at] gmail [dot] com!!

So I have to admit, my eating habits are great at the beginning of the week! The weekend arrives and depending on the social event or the occasion, the healthy eating habits fly out the window! This weekend featured Red Lobster Surf and Turf, chinese with my parents, and Buddy's pizza with friends.

I apologize in advance for the lack of pictures . .I need to get back into the habit for taking them!

Red Lobster Surf and Turf:
After seeing a commercial for Red Lobster's Surf and Turf deal, we made it a date to go. I had the Lobster tail and Sirloin. Of coruse, the main down fault of Red Lobster are their cheddar-baked bisquits. When we took our leftovers home, we order another batch to take with us. Lobster was delicious. Sirloin was ok. I ate all of the broccoli and half of the potatoes.

Hong Kong Chop Suey's Szechuan Beef:
We went to dinner with my family and they picked a Chinese restaurant that I haven't been since undergrad! They have the best rolls and food that I know! I ordered the szechuan beef. The portion since was GINORMOUS! I ate only a third of it and took the rest home. My parents provided desserts back home and I had a slice of pumpkin pie.

Buddy's Sicilian 4 Square Pizza:
Sunday, we had dinner with friend before seeing the new Harry Potter movie. We met up at Buddy's pizza since it was near the IMAX theater that we were seeing the show. We split a 4 square Sicilian Pizza (pepperoni, ham, tomato, green peppers, and olives. We also split a salad. I didn't finish my two pieces. But I was stuffed! Of course, that didn't stop me from stopping at a Kroger before the show and buying a package of Twizzlers Pull & Peel for . . . .

HARRY POTTER 7!!!!

OMG I loved the movie!!!! Seeing at the IMAX theater was a great experience too! I want to see it again!!!!

Are you a Harry Potter Geek/Fan? What did you think of the movie? Which one is your favorite?

Out of all the ones that are out, I love the Goblet of Fire and Prisoner of Azkaban!

But back to the post at hand . . .
So the weekends are what kills me. I'm not on a set schedule during the weekends, I wake up much later than during the weekends, eat breakfast later, typically skip breakfast, and then eat a big dinner. I think going back to eating smaller portions throughout the day should put me on track.

Unfortunately, the holidays are coming up so I definitely need an immediate action plan. Gym time is a must! Also, we are hosting Thanksgiving at our house for our family. My motivation to not overeat - LEFTOVERS!

Do you have a plan to prevent the holiday weight gain?

Guest Post Weekend - Michigan Birthday!!!

2010-11-19T11:20:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! My name is Brooke, and I run a little blog called Brookies Cookies & More. Jessica asked me to be her guest blogger this week, and I'm quite flattered!

I must be honest and tell you that it was rather hard for me to come up with something that I'm obsessing about right now. I've been in a rather "blah" mood for the last week or so (I blame Daylight Savings Time!), and haven't really felt like myself. I think I'm starting to snap out of it though. We have a rather big event coming up here quickly that requires me to throw a party. No, it's not Thanksgiving. It's my husband's thirtieth birthday! Not only does he turn the big 3-0 on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but he's turning thirty on the most important day of a Wolverine's year: The University of Michigan vs. Ohio State game. Oh yeah. It's a big deal.

There's nothing like planning and hosting a party to bring me back to feeling like myself. I *love* being the hostess.

I love everything from finding or creating the perfect invitations...

...to buying the perfect serving pieces (from Von Maur)...

...to finding great deals for the menu. We have a local pizza place that gives out coupons for free breadsticks, salad, and a 2L of soda just for buying any size pizza. Oh yeah, you've got to love a deal like that!

I even have some M shaped pasta I might use for pasta salad.

I'm most excited to use the Michigan napkins my cousin got us last year. I haven't had the perfect opportunity to use them. Until now that is...

I truly believe that the details make a party. Of course, you can certainly have a great party without thinking about every. single. detail.

All you really need is good company, but isn't more fun when it's all pulled together with cute football shaped dishes? No? Is that just me? ;)