Wednesday, September 17, 2014

New Fall Favorites - September Edition of BeautyBox5

This month's edition of BeautyBox5 was  really nice.  There's an eyelight crayon,  deep conditioner and co wash, toe spacers, nail polish and 3-in-1 bright.  I will break it down to you one by one below.
I like the Natural Style by Fubu Deep Conditioner & Co-Wash.  Something different  to use as I  cut my hair shorter.It is equipped with 8 kinds of oils that helps repair your hair which I really like because my hair gets dull.  It also has a shea butter and it is paraben free.
So I have been going to bed early  and I am getting used to it.  Before,  I used to sleep after midnight but I changed that because it  is taking toll on my performance during the day.   On the weekends however, my kids wants to stay a little bit late so I have to stay late as well that's why I love this Chrislie Formulation 3-in-1 bright eye.  This reduces dark circles aand helps rejuvenates your skin.  
I am loving the eyelight crayon  from Nicka K New York.  I have  clothes that   would really match  this color if I go somewhere.  
Aside from the  Eyelight Crayon, the color of the nail polish is also gorgeous.  My Beauty Spot  have great selection of these pretty polishes for their  bold colors.  This gives me an opportunity to  give my toe nails some pampering.  The Sally Hansen Toe Spacers also comes in handy in  painting my toe nails.  
As you can see in the photos, my toe nails are  very small  that's why I don't go to the nail salon to have it painted.  It's a waste of money and time lol.  
I love the color of the  nail polish because it goes perfectly with my dress and bag, yay!  Balancing act is really what this month  BB5's goal with their selection inside the box.  
Thank you so much once again  Beauty Box 5 for the fabulous   selection this month!

Disclaimer: The author of this blog was NOT financially compensated to write this review. Opinions expressed is not in anyway influenced by other factors. The product/s mentioned above was provided for FREE for evaluation purposes.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Repair, Refresh, and Renew with Even Glow Serum

At 41, wrinkles and  lines are already visible in my face.  When I was younger, I don't really care too much about this stuff so I have never used any products that would take care of my skin.  Now that I am older, I am  trying new things such as  Serum and other  moisturizers just to enhance the  visible lines and other  signs of aging.  Both of my lower cheeks have dark spots  that started when I gave birth to my children and stayed  there  ever since.  I tried several products that could  lighten it up but  nothing seem to work.
When I was contacted via email and was  given a chance to try this Even Glow Vitamin C Serum  from Valentia, I was excited.  It said that it works as anti-wrinkle, an  antioxidant treatment  and quickly reduce Pores.  I have been using  this for four days now and I can honestly say that my skin is softer and feeling hydrated.
It's natural  ingredients such as organic  rose hip oil and sea buckthorn oil gives your skin that hydration  power all day.  Unlike the first serum that I have tried last month, this one is very smooth.  You can't really tell that you applied something after it dried out.   You can use your favorite moisturizer if you feel the need to  but you have to wait till this  serum  dry up first.  What I am looking forward in using this is to  even my skin tone and hopefully   erased my dark spots.  
I have learned through using this product that serums, unlike moisturizers, have smaller molecules and a higher concentration of ingredients and therefore deeply and quickly penetrate the pores in your skin in order to deliver  incredibly effective natural and organic ingredients. Serums are ingredient delivery systems. If used consistently, you will see more noticeable and dramatic results.  I guess I have to continue using this to  see a maximum result.
The antioxidants in  Even Glow Serum can take up to 4 weeks to completely soak into the skin and remove toxins that are causing dullness, dryness, and discoloration. The best way to apply the serum to your face and neck, in order to get full coverage, is to apply tiny dots all over and blend quickly but lightly.  I hope that this 1.8 fl. oz would last for a month  so I could  see the  difference in my dark spots.  

I only use this in the morning  after I shower  and I don't need to use anything else on my face.  It feels good actually.  This suppose to increase glow and radiance on your skin  but I don't know if you can see it in my picture.  You be the judge.  Anyway, you can buy this via Amazon, it is on sale for $35 from the original cost of $80.

Disclaimer: The author of this blog was NOT financially compensated to write this review. Opinions expressed is not in anyway influenced by other factors. The product/s mentioned above was provided for FREE for evaluation purposes.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Fitness Recap

This would be a  long post as I wasn't able to post my weekly  post for my fitness routine. Life go in the way and  blogging was put aside.  Anyway, here are some of the ones that I was able to document.

July 21 - Power walk with hubby, 5 minutes plank, and 20 squats.

July 22 - Did laundry, mowed grass, 5 minutes plank, and  20 squats.  That's pretty much about it.


July 23 - help other Moms in school in sorting out donated uniforms.  Also did some hula hoops and stretching at our backyard.

July 24 - 27 -  Did some  stretching and yoga and  family walk.  Glad it's over for this month.  It's hard to do anything when I have it since I always have cramps and migraine.


July 28
- /enjoyed a glass of  cucumber  and mint shake after burning 429 calories on a treadmill.


July 29
- Walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes, not much but it's good enough.

July 30 - Walked on a treadmill again for 30 minutes and rode the stationary bike for 5 minutes.  Another refreshing  cucumber and mint shake afterwards.


The whole month of August was the busiest for me.  Lots of things to attend to and prioritize so blogging was  pretty much neglected.


August 1
- Got my cardio done down the basement while doing laundry.

August 2
- EJ and I  took Bolt for a walk where we let him go down the field and chased him for about 10 minutes, it was fun!


August 5 - Hubby was at work so me and the kids went for a bike ride at our neighborhood.


August 6
- ran in our treadmill again and did some planks afterwards.  



August 7 - Our neighbor invited the kids for a movie night so hubby and I went for a walk  down to Starvaggi Park.  Thanks to the Howells for giving us some alone time.    


August 10 
- wasn't my best day.  I tried to run but my  right leg was very painful.  This  exercise only lasted for 25 minutes.



August 12  - When my kids are not home, I  usually ran in the treadmill while the laundry is going to make use of my time.


August 13
- Sometimes, I am in the mood to  hit the treadmill every single day but there are times that I talked myself out of it, especially when I am feeling crappy because of  my PMS.

August  14
- Me and the kids went for a bike ride.

August 15
- My daughter was invited for a play-date by her friend I entertained my son in going to the woods.  Then later on, we went for a bike ride.

August 17
- Did some indoor  exercise routine.  I have no  energy to  go for a walk outside for some reason.

August 21 - Hubby was off from work so we decided to go on a long walk down the cemetery to visit loved ones.


August 22
- Went for a jog after dropping off my kids to school.  Then in the afternoon, we went for a family walk.
August 26 - 28 - Now that my husband goes to work at 5:30, I walked my kids  everyday except Mondays when hubby is off from work.  I liked it a lot because it gives me no excuse  to go on my 30 minute walk in the morning after dropping them off.

We do a lot of family walk and bike rides while the weather is warm.  

This month, I have the same routine, a 30-minute walk after my kids have gone to school.  I will be  making a separate post for it at the end of the month.  Hopefully.

3 Dangers of Cross-Fit


The new Cross-Fit phenomenon has hit the general public hard over the course of the last 2-3 years with the push of high-intensity interval training methods. People are seeing results with various types of interval training within the general public, and as a result, swear by the workout routines of many studios and clubs around the country. Although athletes have been using HIIT techniques (high-intensity interval training) for decades, sometimes without even knowing they were doing it, the general public is relatively new to the idea.

As with anything new in life, there are bound to be some obstructions and hurdles to achieve success. These hiccups are mostly accidents, injuries, or even death from HIIT techniques like Cross-Fit that are looked at as isolated incidents – but studies and recent research may point to different long-term results for participants.

Athletes spend years building up to the capacity of interval training, such as football players, in order to build explosive speed and muscle endurance. However, even world-class athletes injure themselves and retire after year 30 – eventually crippling their way into their 60’s.
So the question becomes: how dangerous are HIIT techniques like Cross-Fit for the general public and why?

The Major Dangers of Cross-Fit
You are Not an Olympian – For retired college athletes or long-term body builders, Cross-Fit may be a great workout to get in shape – but for the general public it may spell hospital or disability. Over the past ten years, there have been many injuries and accidents occurring while training in Cross-Fit gyms. The problem occurs when you mix HIIT techniques, which are virtually muscle confusion-infused quick circuits done for speed and repetitions, with newly acquired weight lifters. Cross-Fit is a business and every business must make money. Therefore, most of the business that comes into the gym are not world-class athletes – they are accountants, school teachers, firefighters, etc. Mixing these people with Olympic-style lifts with only a small learning curve spells disaster. Participants are required to conduct power cleans, snatch and grabs, and thrusters – all of which are very dynamic, athletic movements.

Mentality – Cross-Fit has a reputation (more so than other HIIT-style gyms) of extreme discipline and dedication. In addition, the trainers are known to be ruthless and demanding of participants. While this is a good thing in order to produce results, the participants and the activities involved require too much skill and appropriate training measures to avoid short-term and long-term injuries. The real problem, as stated above, involves the aspect of business. Many athletes are developed through adolescence to perform powerlifting activities, and eventually hope to be recruited or paid to perform these tasks in the future as an element of their performance. However, when this model is reversed, and the general public is paying a Cross-Fit company to push them beyond their means, it can often result in disaster. Injuries occur when proper diets, stretching, and recovery techniques do not occur, even though the Cross-Fit workouts require these preparations. The average individual who has not trained for many years within the weight-lifting community and came in cold-turkey is more likely to incur injuries.

“No Pain, No Gain” – This is the mentality of many Cross-Fit gyms throughout the country who take on new members. Unfortunately, this is one of the worst approaches to exercise. Most HIIT techniques have many positive attributes because increasing one’s heart rate does create after-burn and allow the body to work harder while also building strength in a shorter amount of time. On the contrary, one of the biggest issues plaguing Cross-Fit is a condition called Rhabdo. The Cross-Fit community is attempting to address this issue in recent years, given the explosion of cases occurring throughout the country. Rhabdo is a potentially fatal condition that can be caused by several factors including severe exertion. Over-exertion is something that commonly occurs during Cross-Fit workouts and people often don’t know they are a victim of Rhabdo until the visit the doctor and discover very high CPK levels within their blood. This is very dangerous and occurs when skeletal muscle is damaged, releasing proteins into the bloodstream and overloading the kidneys – ultimately this can lead to kidney failure.

If you decide to try out Cross-Fit – just be careful. There are many benefits for HIIT gyms, including Cross-Fit, that produce sound short-term and long-term results. Overall, Cross-Fit can be healthy for you if done properly with the right training and knowledge of your body. You need to know when to push yourself and when to rest.

The writer, Matthew Hall, is a personal trainer who spent years learning to recognize when a person has pushed themselves too hard. When his clients have tried all the diet and exercise necessary to get in shape, and find it's still not enough, he recommends getting testosterone levels checked out before considering a risky workout routine, and the place in the Orlando area he would recommend most for that is Rejuve Health Clinic. You can learn more about Matthew by visiting on Google+.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Run Your Rox Off


When I first met my husband, he was so muscular.  He used to work out  and lift weights almost everyday so he was humongous.   When we got married and  got kids, he slowed down because  he wants to spend time with us  instead of  working out.  When he retired from the  service four years ago, we  bought some  exercise equipment and  have our own mini gym at the basement.  Both of us agreed that we should keep our exercise routine  so we could maintain being fit.  We are not  getting any younger so we have to make sure that we  exercise  as much as we can and  eat a balanced diet.


Last  Friday, August 29, my husband have participated to the 5k Run dubbed as "Run Your Rox Off" held at McKees Rocks in PA.  My husband came home early from work so he could get us and  witness his run.  We planned on participating on the 1k run with the kids but seeing the  venue, we backed out so hubby participated alone in the 5k.
 Driving there, the view was beautiful but when we arrived at the actual venue of the run, we were a bit concern.
 We had to drive down to the Bottom Dollar store to find a parking area.  Then we walked back to where the registration was, it was a vacant building, not sure what the building was.
After  the registration and before taking off, they had a photo opp and so I got  a few snaps of them too.
 Here's the participants  from my husband's company, Industrial Scientific.  I think, they were the biggest  who participated.
 Since we did not participate, the kids busies themselves  playing and doing  activities that were available at the event.
 The organizer have invited   some local business such as  Face Painting and Balloon Party  Decorations.  Here's my daughter after having her face painted.  The  lady did this in  a couple of minutes, she was good!
 This design is called  Princess Crown.
 My son wasn't into face painting but he went to the balloon tent and have him this  Bow Hat.
 Of course she has to get one as well hehehe.
We were waiting for my husband at the finish line when a nice lady approached us and asked my kids if they wanted some   temporary tattoos.
 My son doesn't like to have anything on his body so he refused but my daughter was all up for it.
 She got this I love Music with Hello Kitty and guitar that matches her outfit.
The registration fee was $25 for each participant.  MY husband company paid for their registration fee.  The organizer gave each participant this shirt and  a loaf of Cinnamon Swirl bread.  Each of them were given a number with a chip in it so they could check their time when they arrived the finish line.
 
 For a 45-year old man, I think hubby did well on his time.  He finished  89th out of 175, which would put him in the middle.  He said that he would try to run a bit faster next year.  His time is 31:08.  I think part of him being slow was because he work the whole day and then  he ran so he was already tired.
 It was nice being there for him especially with the kids.  It's inspiring.

 
 Over all, I think that the event was nice.  I just wish that  the venue would be a much nicer place.  We saw an older man wiped out because  there was this steep brick road that they have to  go down to  at the start of the  race.  One of the kids have tumbled down as well.  I  think that they should pick a much safer venue for this kind of race.  

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Home Improvement Project

I literally  spent my  labor day doing intensive labor lol.    I painted the   wall's basement  during the holiday  and I am so glad that I  am done  because my neck is killing me right now.  We painted those walls  purple-ish pink a couple of years ago but it looks so dark down there with that color so I told hubby that I am painting it white to make it brighter.  

I am loving the beautiful Bernhardt Furniture that I am looking at online.  I am in the process of  transferring my home  office in the basement   so hubby is planning to  transfer the  sofa  and couch that we have at the living room down there as well.  That means that we will need a new couch and love seat in the living room so I am kind of  scouting some choices online.

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