Taking Care Of Yourself: Stepping Back

Hello readers! I am sorry that I have been gone for a couple weeks! Life has gotten busy with finding a new home and getting my life together for school! With that, today is my “break” and giving myself a mental health day from stress of life.

When going a mile a minute, focusing on your future can affect how you are living your present. Sometimes you need focus on what you need in your present more than what you need in your future. Take care of yourself right now and everything will fall into place. Well, that’s what I told myself once I slowed down and took a minute to think. With these tips, you should be able to slow down and get your life back into some order before starting to plan again.

Clean Your Space: Apartment, house, room, car or maybe all of the above — your space needs to be clean. I am a big believer in cleaning your space will clean up your life. Having the clutter out of your life physically could help ease the clutter in your mind. With me, clothes begin to litter the floor, trash piles, dishes remain dirty, paper everywhere — it is a mess. Grab a glass of white wine, a flat of fresh cherry tomatoes, the first season of Scandal, and begin to pick up those clothes! Cleaning is much easier when you take it at your own pace with some comforts. Not like when you were a kid and your mom made you clean your room or else you couldn’t do anything fun. Cleaning should be therapeutic, so make it enjoyable!

Read, Write, Watch a Movie: Keep your brain going, but in a nonstressful way! I like to grab a good book, a copy of the New Yorker, my journal or even put on a good movie and sprawl out on my bed and just be.

Play! Whether it is going for a bike ride, a run, a drive, shopping, or a fun night out with friends — do something active and don’t just sit on your butt at home! There is nothing better than laughing with friends and forgetting about the huge “to-do” list sitting on your desk at home.

Once you have taken a day or two to yourself, you will feel more motivated to tackle that list! Just remember that it’s good for you!

My Favorite Things: Best Beauty Products

Every girl needs an arsenal of basic beauty products. Moisturizers, scrubs, creams, shampoos, conditioners, and sprays are your secrets to looking your best without putting too much makeup on and keeping your skin and hair looking fantastic. These are some of my favorite products and maybe the will become yours.

Neutrogena Naturals Cleanser: (Target – $7) For a Neutrogena cleanser, it’s a soft and gentle one that cleans skin effectively. My skin feels fresh when I use this both day and night. My skin has a tendency to get oily, so this stuff clears that oil and keeps it looking fresh throughout the day. With a fresh, clean scent to it, it’s the perfect morning and evening cleanser.

Alba Botanica Natural Even Advanced Moisturizer with Sea Moss (Target – $15) Despite finding this at Target, it’s a little expensive because it is an organic moisturizer. This is a fantastic moisturizer. Again, I have problems with oily skin, but this moisturizer blends right in with my skin and is never oily. Not only that, but I love the SPF15 in the moisturizer. It leaves my skin feeling soft to touch and keeping all oil away.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Cleansing Pads (Target – $8) This is probably my favorite product out of all of them. Instead of using a regular exfoliater, I use these cleansing pads. Each pad has exfoilater already on the cleansing pad. One side is rough for exfoilating, one side smooth to finish off, and then simply rinse the pad to rinse your face. This is much easier than using a regular exfoilater and it does the job better with the exfoilating cleansing pad!

Burt Bee’s Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (Skagit Valley Co-Op – $5.50): For years, I have been ignoring my cuticles and my nails, thinking that as long as I trimmed them whenever they got too long and dirty then that would be enough. Over the last few months, I am learning that is not the case. With the natural smell of lemon, this cuticle cream smoothly goes n and keeps your cuticles moisturized and soft all day long.

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter (Target – $8): Since the beginning of June, I have been steadily losing weight. Ten pounds have been lost from constantly working, eating less, and eating right. Despite the weight loss, I have developed stretch marks from the lack of elastically in my skin at my hips. I have been using Palmer’s to get rid of the stretch marks, and while it is taking time, they are slowly beginning to disappear. This is a common problem for girls everywhere, so this is a product I highly recommend adding to your arsenal.

Aveda Smooth Infusion Shampoo and Conditioner (Aveda Stores – $21 a bottle): In my teenage years, I used the drug store shampoo and conditioner, Herbal Essences. I got tired of using the drug store stuff and I knew my hair could be healthier. I made a switch to Aveda. While the price tag may have you think twice, Aveda is all natural keeping hair looking healthy and less damaged than using the drug store shampoo with all of those chemicals (Garnier Fructis is fantastic for a substitute bleach for toilets).  Since using Aveda products, my hair has never looked or felt better! The smooth infusion keeps the frizz away and also keeps my hair feeling silky smooth without fail. Despite the price tag, it is worth every cent!

While this may be a short list of beauty products, it’s enough to get you started. Recently, I have decided that my collection of products needed to be expanded and I could no longer get away with the products or lack thereof like I could when I was a teenager. While these products work for me, they may not work for you. Use these recommendations as a base, but use your best instincts when it comes to your own skin.

Easy Protein Breakfast: Eggs and Spinach

Breakfast is by far the most important meal of the day. It jumpstarts your metabolism to get your day started. Without breakfast, you metabolism will slow, which will cause a weight gain instead of weight loss. Not only that, but half way through your day, you will feel starved and sluggish.

Cereal, Greek yogurt, fruits, or protein bars are popular go to breakfasts when dieting. However, thanks to my roommate, Emi and her blog benchingbeauties.tumblr.com — I found a new way to eat breakfast and approach weight loss and fitness.

Start with organic free range eggs. I always grab two rather than one because it keeps me full longer. Crack both eggs into a skillet and let them cook. If you prefer, add a dash of pepper to them for a bit of flavor. Keep away from salt and any condiments or else it will contradict the healthy breakfast aspect. Next, grab a regular cereal bowl and add a loose layer of spinach to the bottom of the bow. Once the eggs are done, simply scoop them into the bowl on top of the spinach. Personally, I like to mixed it all together in pieces so it’s easier to eat.

Before, I hated eating healthy breakfasts. In Pullman, I always found a way to skip breakfast or go out for breakfast. I was never full when eating “healthy” breakfasts. However, this breakfast is my comfort go to breakfast especially on those rainy Seattle mornings.

Whole Wheat, Avocado, and Turkey Lunch

Lunch is a meal that is just as important as breakfast. While breakfast gets your metabolism and energy going for the day, lunch continues keeping your body in check and energized. Without lunch, you can get sluggish, headaches, and will eat more than you should during dinner.

Today, I made a lunch that was healthy and under 400 calories.

I started while whole wheat bread. Whole wheat is better for keeping your metabolism up than multi-grain. It is important to keep some carbs into your diet for a natural source of energy. However, avoid eating white bread, keep wheat in your diet and you will have fewer problems with carbs. At 100 calories a slice, I made two slices today and toasted it.

Next, I grabbed a whole avocado and sliced it in half. Hallow out the avocado and place it into a Tupperware to smash later. Take the same spoon used for hallowing out the avocado and begin to smash the avocado so it is smooth and without any chunks left.  Avocado is an amazing substitute to butter and mayonnaise. I prefer using this on my sandwiches and bread instead of the others. Avocado is more substantial. It keeps your stomach full and great for your immune system, skin, and hair.

Once the avocado is spread, I take turkey slices and place them on top of the slices of bread. I use organic slices that are thick and 60 calories a piece, but the deli packages from Safeway are just as good. Just remember to use the serving size and nothing more.

Add a piece of fruit or sliced vegetables on the side. I went with a banana today for something sweet and to add more potassium into my diet. Strawberries, watermelon, or even slices of red peppers are a perfect side as well!

To top it off, I added a cup of coffee with a dash of almond milk. Almond milk is better than milk and less calories. With vanilla it adds a yummy taste to your coffee!

Remember to not count calories with vegetables and fruit. There is no reason to count the calories that your body will desperately need. There are no empty calories in fruits and vegetables. It is more important to focus on counting calories for the bread and turkey.

Simple, easy, and healthy!

Summer 2013 Bucket List

Summer is the perfect time of year. It involves warm weather, cute clothes, long days, and perfect weekend adventures, but more importantly, it is that time where anything and everything is possible.

Every summer something happens to change your  perspective on life. We find ourselves, lose ourselves, meet new friends, have unexpected conversations, and sometimes find ourselves doing things we never thought we would. Fitness and health are at an all time high because of the perfect weather or sports and numerous amounts of fresh fruit in season. Plus, sitting in bed all day is too hot!

Last summer, I worked onboard the Victoria Clipper and met some of my best friends. I read incredible books, enjoyed late night adventures, and unexpected adventures and words. Each such becomes more and more memorable.

With that, every summer I make a “bucket list”. It is not a true bucket list,  I add my own predictions and resolutions that I hope to achieve that summer. This year, instead of only writing up my bucket list, I will blog about each experience once it is crossed off. I encourage all of my readers to write their own and have their own memorable summer.

Pic Credit: Tumblr

Summer 2013 Bucket List

1. Paint a Chevron print.
2. Lose ten pounds in the month of May.
3. Meet a few new friends at Clipper this summer.
4. Go to a UW (University of Washington) party.
5. Go completely local and organic.
6. Buy a new Coach purse.
7. Buy a pair of Tory Burch flats.
8. Completely redo my wardrobe.
9. Find the perfect skin regiment.
10. Meet someone unexpected.
11. Learn something new about myself.
12. Tan naturally.
13. Become best friends with one of my new roommates.
14. Go to Portland.
15. Find the perfect bathing suit.
16. Start bike riding.
17. Go to a yoga class.
18. Read the New Yorker regularly.
19. Go to a local concert.
20. Find the perfect breakfast place in Seattle.
21. Read “Ten Little Indians” by Sherman Alexie.
22. Find the perfect desk for school
23. Order all the Batman the Animated series volumes.
24. Fall in love with grapefruit.
25. Get comfortable with my personality and body.
26. Fall in love with healthy food.
27. Start cooking.
28. Begin living holistically.
29. Finish Grey’s Anatomy.
30. See more independent films.