Witness my fitness - Post #2

Happy National Running Day!!!  I am really ready to start running badly but I am not cleared for training even though it has been 6 weeks (as of today) since my girl was born via c-section.  I'm still waiting on June 18th where hopefully I will be cleared.

In honor of running day I did  take my two babies on a good slow walk around the neighborhood.  Love the little things I feel I can easily work in with two babies and walking is one of them!  I also let my 3 year old make "trails" for us to skip, jump, walk, and dance on with sidewalk chalk on the driveway.  Even holding my one month old I can in slow motion do all of that because she thinks those motions are calming!  

Speaking of calming since I cannot do a lot of the things I do to relax my fitness plan has to include something's to reduce stress.  Stress is very toxic and I'm working really hard to be more relaxed.  I started researching ways to relax and lots of information pointed to some things I already do.  

Here are my normal stress busters:

-Prayer is very relaxing because I know that is the only way to truly be heard and get results God is awesome!

-Journaling is an amazing stress relief because I can write every feeling down let it all out and lock it up. Only problem with this is that I had to instruct family members to burn them if something happens to me :) plus right now especially if I cannot do something with one hand it isn't going to get done so I'm missing my journal

-Running and excercising which at this time isn't relaxing because I cannot get a good workout in due to some pain I'm having 

-Taking a nice hot jacuzzi bath with jets then adding my favorite LUSH bath bomb for a nice soak.  Again sadly I cannot do this till I know my incision is good to go in for a good soak.

-Going to the spa to get ... hmm ANY service I'm crazy about the spa.  Nursing schedule right now is blocking this because anyone that's ever been to a spa knows you should expect to be there for a few hours.

--Going on a trip to just get away.  Logistics on traveling right now are a nightmare and due to my baby girl being a month early we have tried to keep her away from public places.

-Cleaning the house for me is very therapeutic because a clean house clears my mind.

-Watching my kids sleep in my arms BEST feeling in the world to watch them sleep while I hold them ahh doing this right now as I type :)

-Cry it out!  Yes big girls do cry!

-Have one nice glass of vino tinto with some tasty Italian food. Not happening for a long time because I don't have even one drink while nursing.

-Make someone else happy feels SO good and calming

-Also I just found this on Pinterest http://pinterest.com/pin/151503974937348819/ it has some good tips too

So day two of fitness plan get rid of STRESS no more drama for this momma :-)

Happy Less Stressed Monday?

Since Monday seems to give everyone a feeling of stress because let's face it most of you would rather be doing something that you want to do rather than working for the money that lets you do it.  I thought today being Monday would be a great day to discuss our stressed out skin. 

Why is our skin stressed out?!? We as a Nation are getting more and more stressed therefore we are eating poorly, working long hours, having more sickness in our families due to the stress bleeding into our home life, rushing around with no time to wash our faces, and being in recirculated air filled buildings most of the time. 

Ahhhhh.... what are we to do?

I cannot help with the stress of course because it is there and to quote one of my fav movies Christmas Lampoon "I don't know what to tell you we are all in misery", but I do know that we all need PT, personal time.  EVERYONE needs those few moments to yourself locked in your bathroom EVEN men!  How can you find time for it?  Make and appointment on your calendar just like you would to go to a business meeting or to meet a friend or family member.  Put it on the books now because you are not getting less stressed and you are not getting younger so let's all make a date with our at home DIY spa! 

Prepare to use your time wisely.  Go to your local store where you purchase your everyday "luxury" items to pamper yourself or if your appointment with your DIY spa is several days away order some really glam pampering products online!

Here is a list of Allure's Best of Beauty that you can try.  I always try a few products from their list every year when I run out of certain products and it never has disappointed me!

Here are some of the products I am loving right now:

Burt's Bees Cuticle Cream - great way to hydrate those stressed out cuticles that we give little attention

Source: allure.com via Sprial on Pinterest

Gel Nail polish kit - AHHHHmazing they really do last more than two weeks and this kit will save you the $$$ going to a salon to get it done!

Source: sensationailgel.com via Sprial on Pinterest

Alba Unpetoleum - Great for hydrating tired stressed out skin!  Only use if you are getting ready for bed or not planning on putting on makeup for a while because this stuff is thick and really plumps up your skin for a nice glow.  Make sure you clean your skin really well before using this as well.

Source: diapers.com via Sprial on Pinterest

Burt's Bees has some great natural products and I love to scrub my face/neck at least one time per week, if not more, with this just to remove any build up in my pores plus get a refreshing clean feeling!

Source: soap.com via Sprial on Pinterest

In my opinion you always can relax with a bath so get some awesome bath products from LUSH! They will make your bath smell like a dream!  This is one of my faves the LUSH bath bomb in twilight (crazy name I know) but it is wonderful:

Source: lushusa.com via Sprial on Pinterest

Tons of other products I love, but these are a few to get you thinking about what you might want to try!  These are low end products so if you wanted to try them they will not break the bank either which might cause you to have less stress about trying to relax!

Happy less stressed Monday!! :)

Hitting the Bubbly

No I'm not drinking champagne! I'm talking about a nice relaxing bath!! I'm a spa type of gal but since I'm too cheap to pay for the spa now - plus who has time? I do spa treatments at home! One great way to do this is to take a bath or shower. When I get around a LUSH shop or order from ivi scents I love getting bath bombs and special bath soap. I must admit because I feel more clean and I know a bath uses a LOT more hot water I am more of a shower person, but on stressful days I soak my body and tired mind in a nice warm bath!

Here are a few products that are nice:
LUSH Bath Bomb - Twilight
LUSH Bath Bomb - Sex
LUSH Bubble Bar - the comforter
iVi Scents bath bombs
iVi Scents Soaps

Hope you have a wonderful and bubbly destress bath night :)