Lead a Fit and Healthy Life
Fashion/Shopping
Clarisonic Classic Skin Care System
Sep 4th
I have been meaning to write this post for a while but haven’t gotten around to it but today I read a post in one of the blogs I read regularly: Gigi’s Gone Shopping and it reminded me about it once again.
About 4 months ago, I decided to buy the Clarisonic Classic Skin Care System. I got it at Beauty.com with a 20% off coupon. I had been debating about buying it for a while because it’s so expensive but after thinking about how much I spend on facials in general, decided to bite the bullet and buy one. You have to think about it as an investment because taking care of your skin when you are young will reward you as you age.
The thing I like about it is that your face really feels clean when you are done. It’s not a harsh scrubber but yet my face has never felt cleaner. It’s water proof so you can bring it in the shower in the AM and wash your face. I use it in the morning in the shower and in the evening at the sink. I have a recharger as well so it sits in that when not in use.
I also have been trying to go more organic with my face products — so I started using Alba Products. Wegmans had a sale a few weeks ago so I decided to try these facial products and so far, so good!
After 4 months, I think the overall appearance of my skin has improved. It exfoliates and stimulates your skin which promotes 
growth and renewal. Also, it really does a great job of getting all of your makeup off at the end of the day without harsh scrubbing which can contribute to wrinkles. This pic is of me this month, with no make up on getting ready to go for a run. I think it’s a great example of how nice my skin looks and I think it has a lot to do with using the Clarisonic 2x a day.
So if you are looking for a good skin care system and believe it’s a worthwhile investment, then I recommend it because I really did hem and haw about buying it but I don’t regret the purchase at all. And I do recommend getting the one with the recharger. The Mia version will work great too but it doesn’t have the rechargable cradle and for me — that was worth the extra money!
Let me know what you think of the Clarisonic if you have one or share your own skin care regime.
Mixing up my workout
Aug 30th
I’m down in body fat and lbs this week. The 4th week of the 4 week boot camp session we get our body fat checked. While not 100% accurate – it gives you a general idea of where you are. I have been much more diligent about my extra snacking and have been trying something new. Before my 545a workout, I have been drinking 8oz of Fat Free Calorie Countdown Milk with 1/3 of a scoop of chocolate protein powder mixed in – so it’s like chocolate milk. My theory is that I need some fuel to get movin in the morning and so far, I am down 4lbs since I started doing that. I’m not saying that’s what is doing it because I have also curbed my after dinner dessert routine as well.
Because Scott is away – I had my neighbor Tim come over to watch the kids and I headed for a 915a boot camp. It’s good to try a different group every now and then to mix things up. It’s amazing how a smaller group of women can change the entire feel of the workout. Not good or bad — just different.
And I am not sure if it was the heat later in the day or the cup of coffee I drank before I headed off — but I had the dry heaves after finishing this workout. I probably should have eaten something but my routine was all off….or maybe I just pushed myself hard — who knows.
Warmup:
Rockette Kicks
Forward Lunge
Bounding
Backpeddle
Corex2
pilate half-pikes
crunches
bicycle up and downs
25 bottom up push-ups
general stretching
workout
15,12,9,6,3
65lb back squats
power clean press 25lb db
lunge squats x3
ring push ups x2
200m,100m, 200m, 100m, 200m
I’m on a week vacation from work and will be kicking it by the pool today with the kiddos. Ahh… pool time!
Nordstrom Uses Web to Locate Items and Increase Sales
Aug 27th
Nordstrom Uses Web to Locate Items and Increase Sales – NYTimes.com
I love Nordstrom and its customer focused philosophy. And it shows that by focusing on what the customer actually wants, not what you THINK they want is a win/win situation.
Wal-Mart hoped that deeper cuts in its standard rollbacks would be a draw, but then said the prices went too low. At Saks, perhaps
customers would go for designer labels if the lines offered less-expensive items. And for Macy’s, how about inexpensive clothes by Madonna?
The secret, at least for Nordstrom, has not involved a piercing insight into a customer’s mind. Rather, it has changed the way that it handles, of all things, inventory. And that has brought the department store more success in improving sales than at most of its competitors, whose recent reports signaled that their consumers were still cautious.
Fall Fashion – What Do Young Fashionistas Want?
Aug 27th
Fall Fashion – What Do Young Fashionistas Want? – NYTimes.com.
I love reading about fashion trends. Here’s an interesting article in the NYT about Millennials and their take on fashion this fall….what are your thoughts?
There is plenty of research about the so-called Millennials — people ages 18 to 29 — to suggest you can’t lump them all together. Not only is this group likely to become the most educated generation in American history, according to a Pew Research Center survey this year, it is also the most racially and ethnically diverse. At the same time, this generation’s 37 percent unemployment rate is certain to affect taste. It may explain an underlying conservatism in fall fashion — penny loafers, camel coats, longer hemlines — that goes beyond “Mad Men” hype.
Reflections on Letting Yourself Go
Aug 10th
Sometimes when I am driving to work or out doing an errand – I will randomly notice other women that look to be close to may age. Some of them look great – while others, well they don’t look their best. In some cases, it looks like they have given up any sense of self. They don’t put themselves together, take a few minutes each day to tidy themselves up. I am not talking about full on glamour, but more than just wake up and put on the first pair of sweats you find on the floor. It really doesn’t take that much to do. I think the way you look says a lot about the way you feel about yourself in many ways. So when I came across this on Piperline’s Facebook, I loved what it was saying- I used to not put a lot of thought into how I dress – then I found my passion and started to see the results of taking care of myself and part of that is looking my best.
I’m not talking about spending a fortune or having enough shoes to rival Imelda. I am talking about buying a few things that make you feel great, are comfortable and fit well. A great pair of jeans can be found relatively inexpensively and for most of us, nothing is more comfy than that. A great shoe – Target has some great ones to choose from. Just a few things that says to anyone around you – I do give a damn about me.
And if your reason is because you have gained weight or don’t like something about yourself — do something about it. If it bothers you that much, either learn to accept it or change it. To sit there stagnant is not the right thing to do. My heart sinks for some of the ladies I see out there – I am not talking about one certain kind of body type either. Fat, thin, skinny, tall, short – everyone can take a few minutes before they head out and fix themselves. So why not start tomorrow?
Summer suit season is here!
Jun 25th
Friday means Rest Day! I appreciate this day so much – get a few extra Zzzz’s, get up and don’t have to rush with the kids, and let my body rest. Makes me very happy – I am planning on getting up early to go for a run before the heat of the day comes tomorrow AM.
Summer is here and that means getting in bathing suits. For women, it means getting rid of unwanted hair so you can look good in your suit. Here are some suggested products to help you …
Guide To The Best Hair Removal Products
Some women get a little off schedule when it comes to hair removal during the winter months. But with summer on the horizon—along with shorts, skirts, spaghetti straps, and swimwear—now’s a great time to get back on track. Whether you like traditional blades, look to electronic aids, or yank it out by the roots, we found the best at-home hair removal solutions to get you beach ready in no time.
PSA: Anthropologie Sale
May 18th
I love the store Anthropologie. But man, it’s expensive. So I love a good sale. A blog I read: Anthroholic is a great resource for all things Anthropologie – sale info, outfit reviews, outfit suggestions, community, and support. Anthroholic is Kim – a bonafide Anthro addict and I am glad she is one. Here is her recap of the big sale that is going on starting today at Anthropologie:
Reuse, Recycle & Reduce: Kids Konserve
Apr 18th
I recently read about this product: Kids Konserve: A Common Theme … Helping The Environment. Sounds like a great company with a very good mission. I am always looking for ways to reduce our families footprint. I’m not perfect but where I can, I do. I am sure we all have ways we are trying to conserve and teach our families the 3 Rs – Reuse, Recycle & Reduce!
The Kids Konserve waste-free lunch kit and other reusable products were the natural outgrowth of what two women saw as a big need that required immediate attention. With the premise that any business they undertook had to help the environment in some way, it didn’t take much imagination to see how they, as parents of young children, were contributing to garbage landfills, pollutants and sending the wrong message to their own children. How could they set an example of conservation for their children and empower them to be the examples of change for the future?
Focusing on how school lunch programs operate opened their eyes and propelled them to create Kids Konserve. Calculating the amount of trash being produced each day at their own schools during the lunch hour alone, shocked them enough to begin more research into reusable products that dramatically cut down on Earth’s ever growing garbage pile.
Over-Tweezing: a possible epidemic?
Apr 2nd
BrowBeat: Confessions of an Over-Tweezed Teen: Beauty Blogger: Beauty: teenvogue.com.
While this article focuses on teenage males and eyebrow maintenance, I thought it would be worthwhile to broaden the scope of the discussion a bit. First a few observations to share.
A few years ago I returned to the good ole jersey shore to spend the day on the boardwalk and beach with my mom, sister, Scott, and the kids. What became abundantly clear to me on that trip was that many of the beach regulars look exactly like what I remember the Jersey beach regulars looked like when I was in High School — that is not necessarily a compliment! Time had stood still. One thing had changed though – I noticed the guys in their sleeveless shirts had their eyebrows waxed. It was so obvious, and many of them had nicer brows than women I know!!
Then last night, I was watching some cheesy reality show – The Millionaire Matchmaker – and they had this guy on whose eyebrows were a bit too shaped for my taste and I thought to myself — am I missing something here?
Don’t get me wrong – I certainly am not a fan of the uni-brow on a man, but I also don’t like a man who has perfectly coiffed eyebrows either. Neatly trimmed is the way to go in my mind for a guy…clean ‘em up but don’t over shape them!
For women – a nicely shaped brow can make all the difference in how you look. I am sure you have heard of Anastasia. She’s 
famous for her eyebrow shaping talents. I did not know this until my sister “C” told me – Anastasia offers eyebrow shaping services in some Nordstroms at her Anastasia Brow Studio. You can see if there is one near you at her website: store locator. I am told it’s expensive, but from what I have seen – it’s worth it. Many of the thousands of local nail salons offer the service too and I have found a few that do a great job – but it’s also a crap shoot. There are times when I have gotten a mediocre eyebrow wax and have had to finish the job or fill in any gaps when I got home.
As the article said – I, too, am a fan of Tweezerman tweezers. I have used others and always come back to my trusty Tweezermans. They tend to be a bit on the expensive side but it’s worth it and the company offers free sharpening. I have found some good tutorials on their website like shaping and maintaining your brows.
If you have never had your eyebrows shaped – I strongly encourage you to get it done. You will see a marked difference in your appearance and you will never go back!!
