2011 Christmas shopping list ideas – for the gals

Posted on 4 December 2011 | No responses

Whether it’s a gift for a co-worker, friend or neighbor, there are so many great things to gift.  Whomever you are buying for keep in mind who that person is and what they like; type of lifestyle, etc. I’ve put together some gift ideas for the holiday season.

For the fitness/health/gym Queen:

• Lululemon headband.  Look stylish while keeping the hair out of your face.
• Lululemon run shirt. This thing is so comfortable and functional – for multiple different types of exercise.
• Workout DVD’s.  No surprise here, as I am a HUGE fan of these.  Some of my coveted videos are:  Billy Blanks Tae Bo; Jillian Michaels 30 day shred and Yoga Meltdown.  Denise Austin Pilates for Everybody.
• Women’s Health magazine subscription.  The best subscription I have.  Loaded with practical workout ideas, recipes, beauty talk and a plethora of informative articles.
• Polar Heart rate monitor. Keep an eye on distance, calories burned and heart rate info to maximize your workouts. This is the model I have and use.
• A massage at a local spa – you can never go wrong here!

For the beauty junkie:

• Sigma make up brushes.  Similar to MAC, maybe better, and at a much more reasonable price.
• Urban Decay Naked Palette & Naked 2. Perfect for the girl who likes many shades of neutral. If you sign up for their newsletter you will receive an email for 10% off an order! Double score.
• Fresh tinted lip balms. A must have for an on the go girl who needs balm + sheer color.  I believe the set of three in this set is a special holiday set.

Other gift ideas:

• Amazon Kindle. An absolute must have for any avid reader.  Best gift I ever received. No tax and free shipping.  Win win on this one!
• Amazon gift card. This allows the recipient to choose something they would like in many different categories.  Everyone should do most their online shopping here.
• Pajamagram jammies. A one click stop for all your pajama shopping needs for women, men, kids, etc.  So many different options.  They have great pajamas but I have to say their gift packaging cannot be beat.
• Quotable mugs. Drink a beverage and get inspired.

What great gits do you recommend?  Any super unique finds?

Merry Christmas !

xoxo Stephanie

Blended salad anyone?

Posted on 17 August 2011 | No responses

I’ve recently stumbled upon Megan Elizabeth who is a raw vegan and have learned there is a whole world of raw foodies amongst us.  She has some great recipes on her blog and YouTube channel. And through her I have stumbled upon Arnold’s Way who is a quirky gentleman on the east coast who has his own healthy food store and often makes videos in the store.  I love soaking in new information and hearing peoples testimonials of how the simple change of diet (something we all control ourselves) changes your life, literally.  You can relieve/overcome many ailments, disease, lose weight, obtain beautiful skin….the list goes on of the benefits of keeping a raw vegan lifestyle. In fact, you may have heard of Kriss Carr who had stage 4 Cancer and is still alive due to her lifestyle change…Talk about amazing.   One thing Arnold said regarding the transition to a raw lifestyle was something to the effect of it’s not about removing things from your diet, it’s what you add in. When you add in all the nutrient rich raw foods, you want cooked food less and less.  I think that is such a great perspective. Really this could apply to anything really, right?  It’s seeing the glass as half full. Another thing that got my attention was the fact that the smoothie is easily digestible since the ingredients are already broken down making it easier on your digestive system.

I watched one of Arnold’s videos on ‘green‘ smoothies and was intrigued.  There are different ways you can make them but they contain green leafy veggies and fruit.  I have been experimenting with different variations and consistencies and they are surprisingly good.  Of course I have had a few that tasted like fresh cut lawn on a spring afternoon too.  I’ve been taking pictures of my green drinks and posting some on Facebook and Twitter and one of my friends thought it would be helpful if I posted the benefits of these little delights.  I’ve been using a handful of spinach and kale or mixed greens (collard, mustard & turnip) with different fruit mixes (small amounts) bananas, apples, pineapple & blueberries and a little H20 to liquify.

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Paying it forward – and the winner is…

Posted on 5 July 2011 | No responses

Heather of The Raw Journalist is the winner of my DVD giveaway . Yay!!! What a synchronicity that Heather would win..did you see the name of her website? Wow…I have been thinking about and dabbling in the idea of going vegan – and raw vegan.  The universe connects people purposely.  Perhaps Heather is my teacher and I her student of RAWNESS..I’m intrigued!~ In fact, I was led to her Youtube channel which she recommended the The Raw Divas .  I am thinking about doing the free 7 day cleanse…so, thank you Heather for connecting.

Go check out Heather’s blog  – she’s got great info, recipes like Raw Bubble Gum Pudding?? Say what? Yep, all kinds of cool stuff going on over there.

Until next time… go get your sweat on~!

Beating bloat – 3 tips for quick relief

Posted on 12 June 2011 | No responses

So I started this post in Early May..here we are again one month later and the bloat is back. I’m sure you can guess what is happening.  I am not a person that gets really bad cramps usually.  In general I am sensitive to certain foods and know to avoid them or else I will get bloated. Isn’t it such a gross feeling? Ewww. Like who wants to feel 9mos pregnant when your not? No one I know. Not that being 9mos pregnant is gross .

However, during that one special time a month, I do get hit hard with a bloated feeling for about 5 days straight. Not fun. Certainly doesn’t help a girl feel sexy, that’s for sure. I recently discovered 3 things that helped manage the boated feeling.  1. Eating Less & eating much lighter foods. Lots of veggies (non gassy ones of course) like dark greens, spinach, romaine lettuce, carrots, butternut squash, celery for starters.  Secondly, YOGA. This has quickly become one of my go to workouts.

I just learned how to do a back bend. Currently working on my form, but I made it up right?

Lastly, Excedrin Menstrual Complete. This works wonders for me.  It says that it helps bloating, muscle ache, cramps & fatigue. Yep, it delivered.  It is an Acetaminophen, Aspiring and has caffeine. Also states that it is a diuretic.  I am not one who runs to traditional medicines for relief but a girl has to be comfortable & I am glad I found this miracle in a bottle.

Many women suffer from all kinds of PMS symptoms; there HAS to be other remedies that work right? If you care – please share.

We could use a few less bitchy broads on the street!! 

Are you getting Booty Calls? Totally G rated!!!

Posted on 24 May 2011 | No responses

Today was the second day I was able to roll out of bed before 5:00am to get in a workout.  I bought ‘The Mat‘ from Lululemon so I was very excited to give it a try.  I have been so excited to use it because the one I had was sooo super cheap and there was NO thickness/cushion & did not provide any grip to it at all.  I bought the cheap on from Target when I had not done Yoga and had no idea what the different mats were for. I needed a really strong grip-y mat that would stop me from sliding when doing down dog or any poses that required my hands on the mat.  After using the mat the first time I was able to instantly feel the difference in the level of a workout I got. I’ve never been ’sore’ from Yoga until now. The Mat is super thick, sticky (in a good way) and really helps you balance. The day after I felt like I really got a good workout.

I am a morning person so when my feet hit the floor I’m up and ready to rock. By adding the Booty call into my mornings, it has given me soo much energy for the day. Gone are the days of yawning at my desk. Who needs coffee? Not me, I am cracked out with energy (in a very productive, nice way) well into the evenings.

Doing Yoga has nicely complimented my interval training style workouts.  The early morning Yoga doesn’t count as my workout for the day!!! It’s a fat burning session aka Booty Call   according to my virtual trainers Katrina & Karena aka Toneitup. I have not only accomplished getting a workout when the vampires are still out, but have gone hiking after work too!!

So watch out L.A. this body is gonna be bikini ready before summer! (although you won’t see me in a tiny bikini) If your not following me on Twitter, jump on over and start. There is a great network of supportive people striving to be healthy and inspire others.

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