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Be ready for anything this summer with a new, limited edition Whole Foods #ReadyforAction bag!

6/24/2015

This summer, I've made some big changes! I've really focused on getting my nutrition and workouts back on track: I've joined the Barre3 Challenge, I've challenged Ardara to the First to 15, I'm trying to eat healthy (particularly reducing processed foods and caffeine), and of course, running tons of races! With so much going on, I've really started to understand the saying, "Failing to plan is planning to fail," and I've tried to be better prepared with my food, my workouts, and life in general. Having the right products on hand has made things SO much easier--it makes choosing good options easy. That's which is why Whole Foods is launching their first ever "Ready for Action Week" and "Ready for Action Bag."

Whole Foods Market kicks off its inaugural “Ready for Action Week,” June 24 to 30, to encourage active living and proper nutrition to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“Ready for Action Week” will focus on everyday physical activities like running, biking, yoga or walking, to emphasize the importance (and fun!) of being active everyday.
Beginning Saturday, June 27th at 10 a.m. local time, stores in the United States will offer a limited edition “Ready for Action” bag, packed with items to prepare for outdoor activities. Valued at $50, this bag will be sold for only $12. Bags are made with 100 percent jute and organic cotton lining from RIJI Green, a business committed to ending human trafficking.
Products include Boiron Arnicare Gel (0.5 oz.), Goddess Garden Organics Everyday Natural OR Kids Sunscreen SPF 30, Aubrey Pure Aloe Vera (4 oz.), Amazing Grass Amazing Meal in Vanilla Chai (0.88 oz.), Garden of Life Perfect Food Raw Organic Green Super Food in Chocolate Cacao (0.34 oz.), Spectrum Essentials Seed Blends (0.5 to 0.7 oz.), Nuun Active Natural Electrolyte Enhanced Drink Tabs (10 tabs), Toms of Maine Long Lasting Deodorant (2.25 oz.), a Spectrum Essential recipe book and three coupons (Amazing Grass, Aubrey and Cal Naturale Svelte.)

I love the items in this bag because it's perfect for my busy summers. Whether it's a weekend, or weekday, I'm on the go and cramming in at least one workout. So having deodorant (and a change of clothes!) in my car means I don't have to make a pit stop back home, and having shelf stable packets of nutritious superfoods means I can fuel my body on the go! I'm happy to see sunscreen in the Ready for Action bag as well, as it is an absolute summer MUST HAVE--I can't stress enough how important it is to protect your skin, even if you tan easily. Aloe and arnica are perfect for soothing skin and muscles, and I love the light effervescence of nuun electrolyte tablets for staying hydrated. And having an adorable jute bag to carry around my essentials is always a good thing!

PR Sample

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What's the point of a one day juice cleanse?

6/13/2015

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Press sample

After I decided to take up my friend Arron's offer to try a one day juice cleanse, another friend asked, "What's the point of only doing it for one day?" And at the time, I didn't really have a good answer. I mean, there's tons of information out there on the internet about the pros and cons of juice cleanses, and many methodologies, but I wasn't really sure what I personally thought I would gain in just one day. Arron's company Absolutely Juicy makes delicious juices, so that seemed like a good reason to give it a try. Also, I'd never done a juice cleanse before, and I was curious. So why not? I figured at worst, I'd be slightly hungry for one day but at least I'd be putting good fresh raw juices into my body for an entire day, and omitting caffeine completely. But I hoped that I would gain something more out of it, since I tend to eat too many processed foods, rely heavily on caffeine to make it through the day, and am totally guilty of being an emotional eater. I had already started trying to change my habits after Ardara and I decided to do the First to 15 challenge, by eating more whole foods and juices (that Ardara cooked and made for me haha), and by working out more regularly, but I had a long way to go, and was hoping to "reset" my mind and body.

My normal workday is roughly like this:
6:15am barre3 (no food or water beforehand)
8:00 breakfast of oatmeal or smoothie + black or green tea with sugar/stevia or powdered creamer
10:00 snack or juice
12:00 lunch (usually not good for me)
2:30 snack + energy drink
5:30 cardio
7:30 dinner

I'm not the kind of person that goes all day without eating, nor am I the kind of person who "forgets to eat." I don't usually like plain water--I prefer flavored water or infused water.

Here's how I did on the one day juice cleanse:
Arron said I could drink the juices in pretty much any order, but to end with a green juice (preferably Evergreen). He also recommended "chewing" your juice, because chewing releases enzymes that help with digestion and your body feels more like it's eating something. He said at the end of the day, it's easier if you avoid people who are eating. Funny story: the night before the cleanse, I had a nightmare that I forgot I was on a juice cleanse and totally ate junk food!

5:30am warm water with lemon (most juice cleanses recommend this). I started to feel hungry after this. I'm not really sure why--just maybe that my body is digesting something earlier than it normally does?

6:15am barre3. Felt alright just a little tired but not more than normal.

8:00am Juice #1: Evergreen juice (apple, celery, kale, cucumber, spinach, lemon, ginger). Tasty, but by 9:00am I was hungry. Got a little edgy overhearing coworkers talking about donuts. I sipped on herbal pukka "detox" tea (aniseed, fennel and cardamom), and kept looking at the clock.

10:00am Juice #2: Citrus Maximus (grapefruit, orange, mint). SUPER tasty... would be a great mixer. Chugged some water. A coworker ate something packaged and the sound of the wrapper totally sent me into--"WHERE'S THE SNACK?!" mode. After taking a minute to assess if I was actually hungry (I wasn't), the craving passed.

12:00 Juice #3: The Mint (mint, cucumber, pineapple, pear). The cucumber and pineapple make it pretty refreshing. Boss had me order cheesesteaks for the office for the meeting... glad I don't eat meat or I'd be having a hard(er) time. More herbal tea (pukka "cleanse" tea [organic nettle, fennel and peppermint]). More looking at the clock, and drinking water. While not AS hungry as I thought I would be, definitely still hungry. The tummy was grumbling loudly around 2pm.

2:30 Juice #4: The Mint. I felt much better after my juice. Like, actually satiated. Which is weird because usually once my tummy gets those hunger pangs, it pretty much wants a MEAL.

5:30 Juice #5 Citrus Maximus. I wasn't even particularly hungry but it was time for juice! I also drank lots of water since it was warm out.

7:00 Juice #6 Evergreen. Last juice of the day! I was worried I'd be starving by now so I had bought myself a salad, but I actually felt really pretty good. While I was cleaning up my little condo, a wrapper rustled in one of the race goodie bags, and I immediately felt compelled to see what kind of granola bar it was and eat it. It was weird when I realized how much of a habit just eating for the sake of eating had become. I assessed how I was actually feeling and realized I didn't actually feel hungry.

So what was the point of my one day juice cleanse? That I really benefited from it, even in just 24 hours. What you can see on the outside: my tummy looks less bloated and I lost 2.8lbs also. But more importantly, I feel refreshed. I feel good. I feel more positive. I feel hydrated because I was making an effort to really drink lots of water, and it tasted so good (the following days I drank extra water as well). I realized some of the processed foods that I felt like I just HAD to have weren't as necessary as I had thought, and that I didn't miss them that much when they were gone (like not putting sugar and creamer in my tea). I felt so great I decided to do mostly juices the next day as well. I would definitely consider doing a one day cleanse again, maybe even every month or two in order just to refocus.

Disclaimer: These are my own opinions and experiences. This is not medical advice, nor is it a guarantee of results Please consult your doctor before attempting a cleanse.

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Summer trend: lips in every shade of orange

6/9/2015

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Press sample

flash (L to R): Sunkissed; Fuzzy Naval; Push Pop; Firefly

Orange lips are totally trendy during the summer months. While orange can seem bold and intimidating, there are tons of options in terms of shade and finish. While true orange lips may be a little harder to pull off in real life than on the runway, there are tons of other shades of orange that are very flattering and easy to wear. The key is finding the best shade and formula for you--try some out to see what level of orange you're comfortable with. Here are four awesome orange options (say that ten times fast!) that I recommend, from Red Apple Lipstick. All of these products are gluten free, and made in the USA.

If you're looking to ease into the orange-lip trend, a sheer orange or coral gloss, like RAL Mint 2 Be lipgloss in Fuzzy Naval is a good option (pictured,), as is Sun Sparkles. These are great for everyday wear, whether you're at the beach or around town.

The training wheels of orange lipsticks would probably be a color like Push Pop (pictured). It's a slightly muted coral. Or, you can go straight for a true coral, like the oh-so-popular Coral Crush, the most requested color that RAL carries.

If you're ready to go full on orange, Sunkissed (pictured) is a great translucent red-orange (the perfect summer substitute for a classic red lip), and Firefly (pictured), a bold bright orange with yellow-gold frost.

If you prefer intense, true orange pigmentation in liquid form, RAL High Def liquid lipstick in Hot Pants might be a good option for you! Not for the faint of heart, this color is bright and bold.

Without flash (L to R): Push Pop; Fuzzy Naval; Sunkissed; Firefly

With flash (L to R): Push Pop; Fuzzy Naval; Sunkissed; Firefly

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ONE DAY ONLY: It Cosmetics "It's All About You Collection" on QVC [6/8/2015]

6/7/2015

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PR Sample

AND IT'S LIVE! For the next 25 hours (until Monday at midnight), you'll be able to purchase this QVC Beauty special collection from It Cosmetics: "It's All About You Collection." It Cosmetics makes really high quality products, and these special collections are an AMAZING value. This particular set is on sale for $59.95 + $3.00 S/H, for over $150 worth of products! I received a PR sample and love all four products--but if you don't think you'll use all of them, find a friend or two and split the set while it's at this great price!

IT Cosmetics IT's All About You! Customer Favorites Collection

$59.95 + $3.00 S/H

0.30-oz Celebration Foundation SPF 50, in choice of Fair, Light, Medium, Tan, and Rich
0.28-fl-oz Bye Bye Under Eye concealer
0.78-oz IT's Your Beauty Palette, including Vitality Matte Bronzer, Hello Light Creme, Bye Bye Pores Pressed Blush, and Bye Bye Pores Pressed Powder
Dual-ended foundation/concealer brush

What is it: This collection provides full-coverage, and the appearance of complexion perfection!

Who is it for: Anyone who wants makeup infused with skin-loving ingredients that helps solve multiple beauty problems.

Why is it different: Celebration Foundation SPF 50 is a hydrating, full-coverage powder foundation. Now with SPF 50 broad spectrum protection, you can treat and protect skin while airbrushing your skin for the appearance of complexion perfection.

Bye Bye Under Eye concealer is your full-coverage, anti-aging concealer. Infused with hydrolyzed collagen, anti-oxidants and vitamins A, C, and E, this concealer provides full coverage to visually camouflage the appearance of imperfections.

The IT's Your Beauty palette includes skin-perfecting products. Vitality Matte Bronzer gives the look of warmth to your skin with a talc-free hydrating powder. Hello Light Creme provides the look of light and lift. Bye Bye Pores Pressed Blush helps blur the look of imperfections across your cheeks while adding a beautiful flush of naturally pretty color. And Bye Bye Pores Pressed Powder will give your skin the look of airbrushed perfection and treat your skin to anti-aging ingredients.

The Heavenly Luxe foundation/concealer brush custom-cut to make easy application of each product.

The "It's All About You" Collection is really a great way to try out seven products (brush, bronzer powder, blush powder, highlighting cream, pressed powder, powder foundation, and cream concealer).

Celebration Foundation SPF 50 in Tan. I loved the silky smooth and hydrating powder formula that offered great coverage where I needed it. Never cakey! The color is really great in my opinion. I'm not usually
Bye Bye Under Eye concealer in Tan. This is incredibly pigmented, and a little dab goes a LONG way. Start with a pin-head sized amount and add more if needed. I love the coverage on my under eye circles, or any other areas on my face needing a bit more coverage.
IT's Your Beauty Palette, including Vitality Matte Bronzer, Hello Light Creme, Bye Bye Pores Pressed Blush, and Bye Bye Pores Pressed Powder. This four in one palette is everything I need to sculpt my face! The colors are all great, and fairly flattering for most complexions. I love how silky smooth the products are. They're moderately pigmented, so they're easy to apply and can be layered on for more intense color and contouring.
Dual-ended foundation/concealer brush. This brush is a fantastic multi-purpose brush. The fluffy bigger end is great for everything from powder foundation to liquid foundation to blush to bronzer! The smaller precision end is fabulous for concealer, but also great for dabbing powder or contouring my nose, or even for all-over eyeshadow color. I always grab this brush when I pack up my makeup bag. It Cosmetics makes some of the best brushes out there--I love how dense and soft they are.

The palette and foundation both come in sleek and shiny silver cases, each with a mirror inside. They're quite attractive looking, and have a nice quality feel to them.