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It is some kind of law that you will run out of several beauty products all at once, isn’t it? An expensive trip to replenish for sure!! Today I want to share some of my essentials with you all. These are the products I use daily and replace religiously. There are a few higher end things, but also a few drugstore finds. Balance, you know? I just like stuff that works!
Cera Ve Hydrating Facial Cleanser – My dermatologist recommends this brand, and I have been using it for years. I always have two face washes, one for evening and one for night. This is my night one that sits at my sink that I also use in the morning if I am skipping a shower. (I have a strong no shower Sunday policy, unless I have major plans.) My skin is finicky AF and this stuff has never ever done me wrong. I like that I don’t get that tight/dry feeling after use. My skin can’t do that anymore.
pura d’or Original Gold Label – My hair is super thin/fine. I also have a lot of hair loss in the shower, or after brushing. Now, I don’t believe in using the same shampoo every wash. I have blonde highlights that I need purple shampoo for from time to time to keep them from going brassy. But other than that, I pretty much used this stuff for 6-8 months until the bottle was gone. (It is huge!!!!) I wasn’t sure if it was working or not, so I tried something new after I finished it up. You guys, that amount of hair in the shower again is insane!!! This stuff DEFINITELY works! I am back on it and never giving it up.
Revision Intellishade and Revision Intellishade Matte – This is another dermatologist recommendation that is amazing!!!! This is my daytime moisturizer. I use the Matte in the summer and the regular version in the winter. This gives you SPF, anti-aging ingredients and it is shaded so you can wear it alone if you are going for a no makeup day and get a little skin evening benefit. I cannot recommend this stuff enough! Plus, there is free shipping with dermstore all the time, so yay!
Elta MD PM Therapy – This is the moisturizer that my dermatologist has me use in the evenings. I absolutely love this stuff!! It makes my skin feel so good. Plus, it is a decent price for a PM moisturizer.
I have been doing this skincare routine (in conjunction with La Roche Posay Hydrating Cleanser in the shower and Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Attack in the mornings…and my skin has never been better. I rarely get breakouts anymore and it is more even and a better texture. I do also use retinol at night and this mask when I remember.
Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Deodorant – I struggle with deodorants bad. I have tried every natural one out there, and none of them work for me. Drugstore brands like Secret and Dove also stop working if I use them for too long. This is the only one I never have any issues with. I always alternate between a drugstore brand til it runs out and then purchase one of these. And in the summer, this is the only one I use.
Buxom Lip Gloss – I have been using this stuff for years and years. It is my absolute favorite for every day. My go-to color is White Russian.
NYX Super Skinny Eye Marker – A girl that works at my Target used to work at Sephora for years. She is a gem in the beauty department there and is always recommending me amazing drug store brand products. Like this liner! Perfection! No need to purchase anything more $$$ than this!
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Happy Friday! I hope you all had a wonderful week. It was a weird one for me. Chris and I had off Monday, but Zoe had school. We got a call during nap that Zoe woke up screaming about her throat and ears, so we headed over to go get her. I took her to the doctor Tuesday morning and was really happy that she tested negative for strep. He said that she just had an ear infection and her throat was a little swollen, but probably just from drainage. I worked from home with her the rest of the day so she could get some rest and went back to school Wednesday.
All the days sort of blend together lately because it has done nothing but rain down here. Honestly, I am on the look out for Noah and the Ark! This is the third week in a row there has been a delay at schools around here due to flooding. Can anyone confirm that the sun is still a thing??Supposedly we are supposed to see it today. I am not holding my breath.
Favorite Moment: I have been “talking” to a mom from the daycare for about a year now. Her daughter and Zoe are no longer in the same class, but they are only few months apart. Her daughter came to Zoe’s birthday party, and we have also had a playdate to take them to see Frozen 2 back in December. Well, we decided to take our relationship to the next level, and have lunch! I met up with her on Wednesday, and I have to tell you, it was so fun! It was so nice to talk to another mom without having the kids around and have an actual adult conversation. Mom friends are hard to come by. I am not really sure why? Hopefully we can make our lunches a regular thing!
Favorite Spring Lusts: I am so not one to rush winter. I love cold weather. But we haven’t really had a winter this year, and I am so over the rain and dreary days. I see all the pretty stuff coming out for spring, and I have an eye on a few things at Target! How cute are these sandals???
They have a lower, and more of a flat platform. I tried them on in stores to make sure they weren’t too clunky or heavy and they felt so comfortable! I love the gold color, but they come in several other shades as well. I want to scoop them up along with these…
I also really like this leopard dress. It feels like it is more of a boutique dress than one from Target. It comes in several plain colors too. It has a baby doll fit, so it runs big and I am considering sizing down. I tried it on, and the length is longer than what the pictures show. It hits more at the knee. The lighter colors are lined, so they aren’t see through. Really solid dress for work to carry you through spring and summer.
Favorite Recipe: When I was out to lunch awhile back, they were walking around with trays to try their new appetizer, whipped feta. OMG!!!! It was incredible! I am determined to recreate this at home. I think I will use this recipe as my starting point. The ingredients sound similar to what I tasted. Have you ever made this? They were serving it with a pita chip, but I dipped my cucumbers in it #keto.
Speaking of Keto, I shared my thoughts on it yesterday, along with several low carb recipes that have been on repeat around here.
This post is a novel, and if you are only here for the recipes, you can scroll to the bottom! I tried to section this out and keep my thoughts from going all over the place. I am not sharing before and after photos today, as I am still on my journey. One day, I hope to be brave enough to put my before pictures out there. The real ones, not the ones where I am hiding under over-sized clothing. Here we go….
The What and The Why
For me, I have struggled with weight my entire life. I get stuck on a loop of some kind of diet, falling off the train, trying to get fit, finding balance, etc. For the most part, I lived by an 80/20 rule, or more like….be good all week and free for all on the weekend. I have done several rounds of Whole 30, meal replacement protein shakes, slim fast, low fat, Weight Watchers, MyFitnessPal, Body Beast, T25, several Julian Michael’s programs. You name the diet, I have probably tried some version of it. And you know what? I am sick of it all.
Keto is certainly not a sustainable diet. Not for me, anyways. But I have seen so many people lose a significant amount of weight on it. And I needed that. I needed to see some major change in a short amount of time to kick my ass into gear.
In conjunction with Keto, I joined in Thomas DeLauer’s Intermittent Fasting Challenge. (I highly recommend his videos if you are researching IF or Keto. He gets all science geek about everything and I love it.) Thomas says you shouldn’t do IF every day, you should do it every other day, or find a way for it to work for you. Now, there have been a few weeks where I have done it every day since it is just easier for me to not eat breakfast in the morning. But I have also done a few days where I don’t fast because I wanted to eat with Zoe, or I was just really hungry or feeling off. On days I fast, I typically fast for 16 hours and have an 8 hour eating window.
If you would have told me a few months ago that I was going to be all into Keto and IF, I would have told you that you were crazy! I was so against IF. How can you go so long without eating???? I get hangry!!!! I will get all shaky and pass out. I wake up at 4am and work out, how can I wait until noon to eat?? Now that I have done my research and do it right, I don’t really run in to any of those problems. Sometimes I even crave that feeling a few hours before I break my fast. My body is so aware of everything that is going on because I am not digesting anything. I can basically feel it burning fat.
The Results To Date
I am down 17 pounds since January 6th. That is a significant loss in a short amount of time. (For me anyways.) I know some of that is water weight, obviously. But I have had two people who haven’t seen me since Christmas comment on how much weight I have lost. And Chris said he can definitely tell too. A lot of my clothes are big and falling off of me. I went to buy some new pants the other day, and every pair I took back were too big!!! Huge non-scale victory for me!
Other benefits include stabilizing blood sugar, anti-aging benefits, improved digestion, uses stored body fat as fuel, help manage hunger, stabilizes mood. I have seen signs of all of these things.
What I Have Learned and My Thoughts
I am very much aware of how many carbs I was consuming before. Way too many. Keto has killed the sugar monster in me. I finally don’t have that itch at 3:00 pm to grab candy or eat mindless snacks. After drinking black coffee for over a month, I can’t stand anything sweet in my drink either. If I am having a second coffee in the day, after I break my fast, I may add a little heavy cream to it. But flavored creamer or syrups, nope. Can’t do then anymore. My new favorite drink at Starbucks is a Flat White, no milk, add half heavy cream half steamed water. Delicious!!! I don’t need the calorie ridden, sugar filled butterscotch latte. Even though it used to be my absolute favorite. I can enjoy my new flat white just as much.
I have found so many ways to make meals a lot healthier/low carb. We have enjoyed onion rings, cookies, burger sliders, zucchini fries. I don’t really feel like I am sacrificing a ton when I make a meat and cheese board on a Saturday, and it is all keto compliant. Or when I have my homemade roasted pecans/walnuts on my drive home in the evenings. (To die for!!!)
There is constant research in the health and fitness world, and sometimes what we used to think isn’t what is best. Our bodies are constantly evolving, but we also have to remember that we were hunters/gathers at one time. We were told growing up that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, IF sort of tells you that you can skip it completely and benefit from that. Not every diet is going to work for everyone, and we all have to figure out what will work best for us.
I am the kind of person that needs to go all in and do something drastic to make a change in my life. So, doing something like Keto and IF was best for me at this time. I have tried, unsuccessfully, the last year or two to be consistent with anything. When something takes too much effort, like tracking with Weight Watchers, I start getting lazy and not being honest about how much I am actually consuming. Oh, I don’t need to count the 20 goldfish I had when I was getting Zoe’s dinner ready, do I?. Keto and IF is easy for me. I know what I can eat and when I can eat it. There are rules and I can follow. I need rules.
The Cons
The thing about a diet though, is just that. It is a diet. And eventually, you have to stop. I know there are people who have done Keto or IF for a long time and it works for them, but it is not something I ever meant to keep up. It was a jump start. I am terrified to start eating carbs again, but here is the honest truth about some of the side effects of Keto.
I am tired AF. Not having any carbs to fuel me, no matter how I tweak my macros, is not really working for me. When I get up in the morning, it is sooooooo hard to make myself get dressed and go workout. There have been several days where I just skip my work out or half-ass it because I am too tired. I feel like I am not gaining the benefit of energy you supposedly have with IF because I am not consuming carbs. But at the same time, Keto and IF go so well together.
Also, we are going to get personal and I am going to tell you that this has messed up my period so bad. I lost it for a month, and when I did have one, it wasn’t normal. So I caution anyone who may be trying to get pregnant or regulate their period to stay away from keto and IF. There is research on both that show that this could happen, so I am not sure if one or both are to blame for me.
My hair has changed. It looks more damaged and I notice a lot more fall out. My skin is dryer as well, and I am having to compensate with more moisturizer. I will say that a lot of people recommend collagen protein for this, and while I do have some and use it sometimes…it is hard for me to fit it in every day since most people do it in their coffee and I cant because I fast in the mornings and that can break your fast.\
I never felt like I had keto flu. There are ways to ease yourself into keto that this shouldn’t really be an issue. But some other side effects are bad breath, constipation, dehydration, sleep problems, drowsiness, dizziness, reduced strength and physical performance. I haven’t really had any issues with sleep, but I have experienced most of the other side effects at some point.
The Future
I am still working out how I want to come off keto, and what my long term plan will be.
I want to be able to live life. I want to be able to order a cheeseburger if I want one, or take Zoe out for ice cream and enjoy my life. The keto diet really doesn’t allow for those things. While I don’t place happiness on food like I used to, I do enjoy socializing with family and friends and lets be honest, that usually revolves around food. I am still working on my view on food, and I am trying to eliminate words like bad or naughty when it comes to food. There is no good food or bad food, it is all food. Everything is ok in moderation, and it should be more about you making better decisions for your optimum health and wellness. To fuel your body with nutrients to be able to take on your day and live your life. I think that is a hard concept for a lot of us to grasp.
I have considered macro counting, but I hate logging every single thing I eat. So I am still up in the air on this. I have started doing research into the 800 gram challenge after watching a Tedx Talk on it last week. Have you heard of it? Basically, you eat 800 grams (about 6 cups) of fruits and vegetables every day. It is more about adding that to your diet, and not eliminating any one food group. The idea is that you will fill up on the healthy foods and not have room for much else. You can take it a step further and set a protein goal for the day as well, and then eat anything else as you like. This seems more of a lifestyle change, and one that would be more easily obtainable.
Recipes
I know this is why you are really here. Link will follow each picture.
It is a holiday, is it not? Our production team is shut down today, so I am calling it a holiday for me! That and I have been sick, so I don’t want to be the asshole that spreads my germs around the office when I don’t have to be there. Gotta love cold season, am I right? In all fairness, we went from 71 degrees to 27 in the same day. My body didn’t know what to do.
This was the first weekend in a long time where we didn’t have anywhere to be. It was much needed, as I was feeling under the weather and we have been going 100 miles an hour since we moved in back in November. On Saturday, we did go out for breakfast at Metro Diner and hit a up a few discount stores before calling it a day and heading home. I spent the rest of the evening in Zoe’s playroom playing “barbies” with her. Her imagination is so funny.
Valentine’s Day was good. Chris surprised me with presents this year! Other than our first year together, we normally just exchange cards and I made homemade lasagna. This year, he got me a beautiful basket full of locally made bath and body products that smell incredible. (Forgot to take a picture before I ripped it all apart, bad blogger.) He also got me the Canon Selphy printer so I could send photos from my phone to be printed. I am awful about prints, and hardly have any from the last 10 years! It was easier when we were using disposable cameras, right??? I am quite impressed with the ease and quality of the photos. If you are in the market for something, I would definitely check it out!
Zoe had a Valentine party at dance and school, plus we always like to get her a few things to make her feel special. She basically lived in her Elsa dress all weekend. I took her for a donut before school on Friday too, and she asked if we could take some to all of her teachers. So sweet.
Last weekend, Chris took Zoe to a Princess Ball. Zoe dressed up like Belle, got her first corsage from Chris….and got to meet Elsa and Anna!!! She had a BLAST and has talked about how much fun it was pretty much every day since. It was soooooo cute seeing her leave with Chris.
Chris has been working hard on the theater room downstairs. We have a collection of arcade games now, and he got some lights to go around them all. Here is one wall of them, it looks so cool!!!
I have gotten a lot of compliments on my nails lately, something I am so not used to. Still loving Colorstreet! My girl through in some petite ones that I want to try with Zoe.
Finding fun low-carb recipes has been an obsession of mine over the last several weeks. I can’t really say that we are sacrificing a ton when it comes to dinners, anyways.
I want to do a post soon on my thoughts on Keto and Intermittent Fasting, my plans long term, and share some delicious recipes that anyone can appreciate, low-carb or not. I am writing you today 17 pounds less than I was last month. So obviously, it works.
I hope that you all have a fabulous week! I am about to go get Zoe up and take her to school….and figure out what I want to do with my free day?!?!
Linking up with Steph and Jana for SUYB! I am actually starting the year out pretty strong, and am ahead nine books according to Goodreads. Lets see how long that lasts. Last year I made a goal to read 60 books, but I fell short by a few. This year my goal is to finish one per week.
I think this is my first Avery Flynn book. I am in love! This was so cute! I love the characters, I love the story line, and who doesn’t love a dog in a book? Anchovy is such a cute name for a dog. I was just slightly annoyed with Zara towards the end of the book, I wont say why to ruin anything. But outside of that, there were the right amounts of fun, build up and steam. Definitely can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.
This was about a woman who is obsessed with fad diets and what celebrities are eating. I cant imagine following any of these diets that she talks about. I believe she writes columns on this topic, and that might be more how this book reads. I will say, this book could be a trigger for people with eating disorders. And I hope that people don’t actually take it seriously.
Bottom Line: This book is really short, so I wouldn’t suggest purchasing it. I borrowed the audio version from my library to entertain me in the car. I sort of got a little bored after the first few diets, because really it is all the same. I would probably pass.
Where do I start with this one?? I love the premise. Bev inherits an athletic wear company from a grandfather that she barely knew around the time that she loses her job as a preschool teacher. She has to then run it with a guy that thought he would be getting the company and was close to her grandfather and a load of employees who she cant trust.
But then there were parts of the book that got on my nerves. Like the fact that Bev wasn’t exactly athletic and it was constantly pointed out throughout the entire book. Liam even tells her she needs to work out. WTF? He seemed a little too controlling and I didn’t really click with him. I liked Bev, but didn’t like how she was a bit of a doormat at times.
Bottom Line: I am not sure what I want to say about this one, it passed the time fine and I gave it three stars (probably should be 2.5), but I got annoyed about parts. I picked this one up for free on Amazon and its about what I expect for a book that is free.
I really liked this one! I loved watching Nick and Grace fall for each other, but also, I really loved the bat shit crazy family antics as well! We spend a week at Grace’s brothers wedding festivities with an uptight mom, a crazy grandma, an ex husband, and a sarcastic cousin. What could go wrong? This one had me laughing and swooning. I do love some family drama…when its not my own.
Continuing on with this series and still loving it! I think that the third book might be my favorite so far. It was packed full of action and snark and I cant wait to get the forth one.
Bottom Line: If you are into cozy mysteries and like the Stephanie Plum books, give this a try. I actually think I like this better than Plum!
This book was a short one, but man was it packed with beautiful writing, emotion, class, race, family hardships, discovery, love and loss. The characters were so well fleshed out in such a short book. This is one that will stay with you a little while.
I read the 20th Anniversary edition of this book, and it could have been written today. I think we all went to school with the very characters in this book. I loved the message behind the book about using your voice. I think this is a book that should be required reading in high school.
You all know my love for RS Grey by now! This is a great workplace romance. I loved the relationship between Natalie and her brother, and watching the relationship change with Natalie and Connor.
I felt like there wasn’t some huge thing to overcome in this one. I mean, there was, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. It didn’t take away from the book, perhaps it made it feel more real? I also liked more of the inner monologue of Connor. This one was definitely cute and hilarious.
Bottom Line: Read it if romantic comedy is your thing.
So I am not going to say to not read this book. The reason why I quit, was that I had two other books come in at the same time from the library, plus a ARC that I promised an author I would finish by release day. But the main reason I quit was because I wasn’t really resonating with the author. She has her own business and the privilege to travel a lot and visit her lake house and can take all summer to take a break from life. I am an average mom who works a full time job for an international company. And while I am grateful for the flexibility that my job offers….it isn’t anywhere near to the extent of her life. This read more like a memoir and didn’t really offer any practical or inspirational advice for me.
I 100% appreciate the title of the book and the concept behind it. I just wanted something different from it. Maybe if I stuck with it I could have gotten there, but I don’t think so.
