How to "Winterize" Your Skin Care Regime

Winter weather can be a real challenge to keeping skin hydrated and looking healthy. The harsh outdoor elements take their toll, along with indoor heat and other factors. Skin can easily become chapped, dry, and stripped of its natural beauty and luster. Here are five simple tips to keeping your skin looking fantastic despite the weather outside! And the real beauty of these beauty insider tips? They won't break your beauty bank!

(image from www.graphics8.nytimes.com)

1. Drink lots of water. At this time of the year, especially in colder climates, we often look to our beverages to bring us some warmth. Thus, we are less likely to drink water and more likely to drink hot tea, coffee or cocoa. Do not forget to drink water, and plenty of it during cold weather! In door heating and the elements can dehydrate us, keeping hydrated will not only keep you healthier, but keep your skin looking great.

Winterizing Tip: Furthermore, with more holiday events and parties, we may be more likely to indulge in drinks containing alcohol. This, too, can dehydrate us and our skin, so a great tip is to drink one glass of water for every cocktail you savor at your holiday bashes!

2. Exfoliate. During the winter months and cold weather our skin can begin to look a bit dull. Many of us do not think of exfoliating as we do during the warm weather months as we may (and should!) be using safe self-tanning products that require exfoliation and shaving more often during that time of the year. It is important to still exfoliate, from head to toe to keep skin looking clean, clear and energized.

Winterizing Tip: When it comes to exfoliation (especially with salt scrubs!) make sure that you do that prior to shaving. Not only do you avoid any stinging sensation from the salt on newly shaved skin, you also avoid any irritation from the scrubbing and exfoliation elements on freshly shaved areas. Best of all, you get a better shave when you exfoliate first!

3. Moisturize. The winter months can be tough on skin, and sometimes we need to look at our moisturizer to ensure that it is up to cold weather duty. Most moisturizers do the job year around, but for some of us, our skin requires more moisture, especially when our heaters are running day and night! Many dermatologists recommend applying your moisturizer while your skin is still a bit moist.

Winterizing Tip: A great way to keeping skin moist is to use a humidifier during the months that you are running your heat in your home, especially in your room while you sleep at night.

4. Avoid hot water. I am the first to want to warm up the Jacuzzi or take long, hot showers and baths to "thaw out" at this time of the year. Unfortunately, prolonged exposure to hot water is not good for your skin. That hot water can strip your skin of necessary and natural oils and rob your skin of its natural ability to keep your skin moisturized. While it feels great to soak in a tub with oils and other soothing ingredients added, most of that is simply drained away when you drain your tub. It is better to shower in lukewarm water and avoid excessive exposure to spas and hot tubs that are excessively hot.

Winterizing Tip: A great rule of thumb here is that if you skin turns red in a jacuzzi or shower, it is truly too hot. Cool it down a bit to help maintain the natural and necessary oils your body produces to protect your skin .

5. Still use your sunscreen! You may think that when you see less sun in the winter months, you do not need to apply sunscreen everyday as you do during warm weather months. You are still being exposed to the sun and its potentially damaging rays in the winter. Apply sunscreen to your face and other exposed areas (for some of us, not much else in exposed in this cold weather!) and ensure that you stay on a routine to keep your skin healthy year around.

Winterizing tip: A great product is to find a multi-tasking product that provides sunscreen and powder or foundation style coverage for your skin. This makes applying sunscreen on a daily basis a "no-brainer" and a simple routine!

How do I know all of these amazing tips? I am a retail industry insider with over 15years of retail management experience. My background includes extensive experience in health and beauty products, including managing large volume health and beauty departments and staffing and training beauty consultants. I have been awarded both regional and company-wide awards driving beauty counter sales with one national retailer.

Furthermore, I am an admitted beauty product junkie. I have worked with at least one major beauty company to test products prior to market launch. If you would like me to test your products, or you would like me to blog about your beauty products, please feel free to contact me! I love to try new things and help give exposure to new products and new product companies.

How to Create an Actionable and Successful New Year's Resolution

This is an article that I wrote which was recently published! Feel free to visit the article here as well: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Create-an-Actionable-and-Successful-New-Years-Resolution&id=1791609

It is again that time to evaluate the year that is coming to a close and to dream of what could be in the New Year that is upon us. Some of us will develop New Year's Resolutions and dream big. Some of us will look with a cynical eye at that process and let another year go by without fulfilling a dream. Unfortunately, the latter approach stems from how so many of us have created those New Years resolutions only to find that we are not successful within months, if not weeks into the New Year.

Here are some basic tips and examples of how to create a New Year's Resolution that you can truly incorporate into your every day life. Go ahead and dream big, you can be successful with a New Year's Resolution! Make 2009 your year to accomplish greatness and use these tips to help loved ones accomplish their desires along with you!

The first step is to decide what is a realistic desire or dream is and to write it down at the top of a piece of paper. You have to define what your goal is. Furthermore it has to be something that you can realistically accomplish. "World Peace" is amazing, and I admire that sentiment. But that is bigger than me, and I need something that I can work on every day that I own and can directly impact.

Then, on this same piece of paper draw a line down the middle of that paper and one half of the page should be titled Qualitative and the other have should be titled Quantitative. The Qualitative side describes the qualities of your dream or desire. How will it feel, how will it change your life, how will it impact those that you know and love? The Quantitative side is how it will be documented, weighed, supported and measured. Once you have brainstormed this on our own, I strongly suggest sharing these ideas with a loved one. You can get their input and ideas, and even more importantly, their "buy-in" to help support your goals! Putting all of this together on your sheet of paper is the foundation to creating an actionable game plan to accomplish this resolution.

Here are three of examples to assist you in understanding how easy this process is, what it could look like and provide some ideas for your New Year's Resolution!

Example 1:
I want to create a budget to save money.

Qualitative factors:
I will have to prepare myself to go without something that may be special to me.
I will sacrifice to save that money.
I will feel better if I have some extra money in the bank, for an emergency or for something fun.
I love my daily mocha at work, but that would be something that I could sacrifice that would save me a lot of money.

Quantitative factors:
That beloved mocha costs $3.95 each day that I work.
I work roughly 260 days of the year.
If I do not buy that mocha each day, I will save $1027.00 with this resolution.
To ensure that I save that money, I am going to set up a bank account into which I will transfer $3.95 for each day that I go without my mocha.
By the end of the year I should have $1027.00 in that account (without any adjustments for interest, of course!).

Example 2:
I want to lose weight this year.

Qualitative factors:
I know that I will feel better.
I will be able to fit back into my skinny jeans.
I will extend my life expectancy and enjoy my family longer!

Quantitative factors:
It is realistic to lose on the average 1 pound per week, so my first goal is to lose 20 pounds this year. I will strive for that first 20, and continue forward once I have hit that goal.
To lose approximately 1 pound per week, I need to cut about 300-500 calories per day.
A daily mocha is about 330-400 calories, depending upon the milk I ask for (nonfat slightly less than whole milk, of course)
If I no longer drink a daily mocha, I will save at least 330 calories per day.
I will track my daily caloric intake in a weight loss journal and add up the calories each day. I will not add anything to my diet that would take the place of those 330 calories!
I will weigh in every Monday and ensure that I am losing my 1 pound each week.
I will enter that weight each week into my weight loss journal and ensure that I am on track to lose my one pound per week.
I will also increase my exercise by using that time that I typically got the mocha and sat to drink it to walk instead; walking each day, 5 days a week for approximately 30 minutes.
I will note that walking each day in my weight loss journal to stay on track with my overall weight loss goal.

Example 3:
I want to focus on family this year.

Qualitative factors:
I know that it will bring my family closer together.
I know that we will have fun together and create family memories to last a lifetime.
I may save even more money by not going out.

Quantitative factors:
As we are a busy family, we will post a family calendar.
We will set each Friday night aside as a family night and put that on the calendar.
Everyone can plan their week around that evening.
We will create a rotation of who gets to select what we do that evening to keep that evening interesting, fun and spontaneous.
That rotation will be noted on the calendar by calling each Friday night by the family member's name and chosen activity, like Kelly's Cooking Night in which we all cook a meal together.
We will also document each evening by taking pictures or video and create a yearlong digital diary of our evenings together.

As you can see, New Year's Resolutions can be fun and can help you create true change in your life. By discovering both the Qualitative or subjective and emotional roots in your resolution AND the Quantitative or objective and measurable aspects in your resolution, you will be far more successful in accomplishing your resolution all year long. You can dream big and still be successful! With just these few statements on either side of my Resolution page, I can craft a game plan that will work, that is actionable, that is measurable and that will help me save money, lose weight and/or improve my family life.

From here, I suggest typing up your New Year's Resolution and laminating a couple of copies. One posted by your mirror so you are reminded of it every morning is a great way to start your day in the right direction. Put one copy by something that is a constant reminder of your Resolution. For example, if you are trying to lose weight, post it on your pantry door. That way you can think about your Resolution before opening that door for a snack! Of course, you will also need to prepare and have your tools handy and in a place that you touch every day. For example, for weight loss, you may need to get a pedometer and a journal in which you can track your calories, weigh-ins and your exercise routine. Keep that on your desk if you check email each day, or in your purse or briefcase so you can track your progress throughout the day.

Finally, don't forget to celebrate the wins. If you lose your first 20 pounds, treat yourself to something special. Maybe a new pair of jeans you have had your eyes on, or a makeup makeover! If you save your budgeted savings, pay off some debt and celebrate your steps toward financial freedom or retirement! If you find that you enjoy those amazing family nights together, create a digital scrapbook as a gift to your loved ones next Holiday season. Make a calendar that spotlights 12 of your favorite pictures together, or create a journal of your favorite pictures for your kids.

Start your 2009 Weight Loss Gameplan NOW!

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Green Gift-Giving!

Looking for eco-friendly gifts for friends and loved ones this holiday! Look no further than Gaiam!



Gaiam is the online destination for people living a lifestyle of health and sustainability. We offer over 4,500 products in categories including; yoga, Pilates, organic cotton clothing and natural and healthy products for your home.

And...as an added benefit, Gaiam is offering great holiday specials to make your holiday shopping not only fit your lifestyle, but your budget as well!



Click here for more fantastic gift ideas from Gaiam:

Gift Guide Landing Page

Vitamin D and Heart Health

I was watching The Today Show this morning and saw a segment on the connection between Vitamin D and Heart Health. Being that I have heart disease in my family, I wanted to do a bit more research.

Reuters reports that, "People with a deficiency in vitamin D may be at increased risk of heart and blood vessel disease, the authors of a new review of current research on vitamin D and cardiovascular health conclude."

Then, I read on a bit further..."Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to heart attack, heart failure, stroke, diabetes-related cardiovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease, the researchers report, adding that studies have also linked inadequate amounts of vitamin D to high blood pressure and diabetes." Yikes.

We all know that an ideal source for Vitamin D is the sun. As little as 20 minutes of sun exposure each day can help the average person boost their Vitamin D levels. However, not all of us live in climates in which we can get 20 minutes of sun every single day, and some of us have sun sensitivities or suffer/have suffered from skin cancer and avoid sun exposure.

Vitamin D supplementation is highly recommended. Even Reuters quotes Dr. John Lee of the Mid America Heart Institute and the University of Missouri in Kansas City ast stating, "vitamin D supplementation is simple, safe and inexpensive".

HERE IS YOUR "SIMPLE, SAFE AND INEXPENSIVE" ANSWER TO VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTS:


VitaMist Spray Vitamins offers the easiest way to get your daily dose of Vitamin D! Spray vitamins are easy to take, are readily absorbed by your body, and are a fantastic way to keep your heart healthy! Click here for more information or to buy your VitaMist Vitamin D Spray Vitamins today!

Please register in the upper right hand corner of this blog and I can send you FREE information about VitaMist and a FREE sample!

Break the Walking Boredom!

I have been walking quite a bit lately. I love walking, especially at this time of the year in So Cal when it is cooler througout most of the day. I don't have to wake up super early or wait until it is dark to walk in a reasonable temperature!

With all of that walking, however, I have been getting a bit bored...and not feeling that my walks have been as challenging as they could be. I probably need to add some jog intervals, but I am also trying to be kind to sports-damaged knees!

The other day I picked up some ankle weights at Target, this exact pair:


("2 lb. Wrist/Ankle Weights - Pair", $11.99 at www.Target.com)

Wow. What a fantastic difference! I could feel it about half way into the walk, once I hit some hills that I had some extra work to do to lift those feet! I definitely felt more challenged, and can still feel an additional tightness in my calves, my thighs...and...well...my buns, too!

I did have on yoga-style pants that I love to walk in. I say that as I feel a bit like if I were wearing shorts, it may have appeared that I was attempting to break free from house arrest! The ankle weights were a bit on the bulky side, and I could only imagine how they could look like house arrest ankle monitors...ummmm...not that I should know what those look like! :)

I have to say that I am really bummed that I did not get these, as they are adjustable and go up to 10 lbs! This is going on my holiday wish list:


("10 lb. Wrist/Ankle Weights - Pair" $44.99 at www.Target.com)

Speaking of holiday gift wishes, give the gift of health this holiday season! Here is a great gift idea for anyone who is focused on their health and wellness! Green tea has amazing health benefits, and Adagio teas has something perfect for the tea lovers in your life:




Click on images for more information or to purchase today!

Give the Gift of Health and Wellness!

With so many of us on budgets this holiday season, many of us are trying to find gifts that have meaning and purpose. I know that many of the gifts that are on MY wish list are focused on my health and wellness. Those will be gifts that truly continue to give long after they are opened!

One such gift idea: Borba! BORBA luxury skin care products. Skin balance water, antioxidant cleansers, complexion & wrinkle repair, eye creams and more at Borba.com.


(Click picture above for more information or to order today!)

I love to drink lots of water, but admit that I get pretty bored with just water, water, and more water. Borba "Aqua-less Crystalline" packettes are the answer to not only making water more exciting, but also providing you with seriously amazing benefits for your skin! I want the sampler pack for Christmas, which includes four packettes of each Crystalline:

Clarifying Aqua-less Crystalline (4 packettes)
Age Defying Aqua-less Crystalline (4 packettes)
Firming Aqua-less Crystalline (4 packettes)
Replenishing Aqua-less Crystalline (4 packettes)

Make Borba part of your gift-giving solution this holiday season and give the gift of healthy skin to one you love (and to yourself!) BORBA ® - Official Site Drink you way to beautiful skin. Get Internet Specials Here! www.borba.com

Chocolate Covered Cherry Treat!

I have blogged in the past about Herbalife and how I love to experiment with creating shakes. I love the idea of meal replacement shakes, but need variety and interesting flavors to keep me on that routine. I have received some emails from people asking me if these shakes are really "all that". Yes, they are "ALL THAT"! I know, I know...I hear you...there are shakes out there that taste like lousy, lumpy, sawdust-y concoctions. Nope. Not my Herbalife shakes!

In fact, after scouring the pantry for ONE LOUSY PIECE OF HALLOWEEN CANDY this weekend, I was struck by an idea for a healthier way to soothe my sweet tooth! I simply got some Herbalife Nutritional Shake Mix out of my pantry and pulled out one of my favorite fruits from my freezer. Here is my recipe for a Chocolate Covered Cherry shake:


8 oz of Rice Milk (you can use milk, skim milk, soy milk, etc.)
2 heaping tablespoons of Dutch Chocolate Herbalife Nutritional Shake Mix
8 Frozen Pitted Cherries. I got these at Ralph's in the freezer section, and they are called "Private Selection Dark Sweet Pitted Cherries"
6-8 ice cubes


I put all of that in my handy blender, blended until smooth...and when that nectar, yes NECTAR, hit my lips I knew I had a new favorite shake! It is like drinking a chocolate covered cherry! And, far fewer calories and fat had I found that elusive candy!!!


Would you like to try Herbalife? Just send me your name and email in the registration box at the top right of my blog, and I can send you information about Herbalife, how it can positively impact your health, wellness and weight loss/weight management goals and even send you some of my secret shake recipes!!

p.s. I am a huge fan of frozen fruit as it makes for a very refreshing treat. My kids even love frozen fruit. One of our favorites is freezing grapes. They are like litten frozen sweet nuggets!

Green Tea and its Health Benefits

I have admittedly never been much of a tea drinker. I have tried a wide variety of teas, and never quite connected with it. However, I think that my love affair with coffee got in the way, and I recently kicked a 20 year long addiction to Diet Coke. However, in my effort to improve my health, and cut back further on caffeine, I have been dabbling a bit in trying different green teas. After all, I have to be able to drink something a bit more interesting than...water!!! And, honestly, I am pleasantly surprised!



Why Green Tea? Well, according to Wikipedia, "over the last few decades green tea has been subjected to many scientific and medical studies to determine the extent of its long-purported health benefits, with some evidence suggesting regular green tea drinkers may have lower chances of heart disease and developing certain types of cancer. The tea has also been useful for weight loss management."



Sounds like the perfect beverage for someone looking to improve their health, focus on heart health and potentially lose weight or manage their weight. Sounds like the perfect beverage for me!



Furthermore, according again to Wikipedia, there are many more extensive claims, not proven, but interesting to note:

* Stopping certain neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
* Treatment of cancer
* Treating multiple sclerosis
* Preventing the degradation of cell membranes by neutralizing the spread of free radicals which occur during oxidation process.
* Reducing the negative effects of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) by lowering levels of triglycerides and increasing the production of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol).
* An increase in levels of the metabolism speeding brain chemical norepinephrine (noradrenaline).
* Japanese researchers claim that drinking five cups of green tea a day can burn 70 to 80 extra calories. Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a self-proclaimed anti-aging specialist, appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and told Oprah's viewers they can lose 10 lbs (4.5 kg) in 6 weeks drinking green tea instead of coffee.
* Some green tea lovers commonly restrict their intake because of the stimulants it contains — equivalent to about a third the amount of caffeine as is found in coffee.



I highly recommend trying the teas from Adagio, their green tea sampler is fantastic! I find that I can enjoy these teas hot or cold. In fact, I prefer their "Citron Green" that has a nice, crisp lemon/lime taste poured over ice. I recently took a water bottled filled with icy cold Citron Green tea and it was incredibly refreshing! Click on any of the images in this blog post to experience the wonders of green tea for yourself!

Steal your kid's Nintendo DS today!

I have found a very cool tool to help me keep track of calories and exercise, but I first had to steal my son's Nintendo DS! Nintendo's My Weight Loss Coach for the DS.

My Weight Loss Coach is a great way to have fun while doing some of the very most mundane aspects of weight loss: Tracking your progress, tracking your intake, tracking your exercise. My Weight Loss Coach is easy to set up, and actually very fun and entertaining to use. You truly do end up with a "coach", an adorable stick figure who assumes your gender and walks you through a variety of screens. In fact, one of the first thing "she" asked me to do was drink a glass of water...and she crossed her arms and tapped her foot until I clicked that I had followed her directions!

You have the ability to set up your personal info, and then My Weight Loss Coach tracks and even graphs your progress for you. I typically log in every day, if I miss a day or two, my "Coach" tells me that she missed me. It is a great way to ensure I stay connected. Along with your profile, You are offered little, fun challenges. Some are super easy: Hide your Salt Shaker. Some are not so easy: Create and post an inventory of what is in your fridge. As you achieve them, you can mark them completed and select more. As you achieve your challenges, your progress is tracked and you achieve interesting milestones, like passing through the Panana Canal. Very clever.

You receive a pedometer with the game, not the greatest one in the world, but fairly functional and easy to upload your number of steps into the game. I found the pedometer to be a bit bulkier than some of the slicker ones that I searched for online, but it was certainly eye-opening to see how many, or how few, steps I took on any given day! It truly made me think about parking further away from the store while running errands, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I found it resetting on its own occasionally, so I have to be a bit careful with it. There are other options, at sporting goods stores, Target, Amazon, etc., and you can always simply enter in your total number of steps without using the pedometer that comes with My Weight Loss Coach. You can also enter in other physical activities from a variety of choices.

You can also enter your daily food intake. You get to drag little food icons over your Coach and she "gobbles" up your intake! You do get some coaching to ensure that your intake matches your exercise. The food choices are pretty rudimentary, I would love to see more specific choices, but once you get the hang of it, you can get it very close to what you consumed. I was not sure that I quite got the "energy unit" vs. carbs or calories...so I was a bit confused at first. But, I have to say that it got me in the mind set that food is energy, which is a positive mindset to have when trying to lose weight, I suppose! I would prefer an "advanced" version of the game, for those of us tracking more specific dietary goals.

Results to date? I lost seven total pounds, but did not achieve the goal that the game gave me to meet by month end. But, progress is progress! Time to work harder, consume smarter "energy units" and continue to meet my coach's daily challenges. My poor kid, he may never see his Nintendo DS again! Get My Weight Loss Coach today by going to my Amazon picks on the right hand side of my blog and clicking on the My Weight Loss Coach icon!

Traveling and staying focused!

Lately, I have been doing a bit of weekend traveling. One weekend in Las Vegas, another long holiday weekend in San Clemente. It gets tough to stay "good" while away from home with many temptations, but I am pretty proud of what I have continued to accomplish!

For my Couch to 5K programs, I still surpassed the total number of training minutes. Week 3 I was to have walked a minimum of 70 minutes, I walked about 240 total minutes. I think that this is actually understated, but we were walking the beach and not truly keeping track of time. Plus...beach walking is INSANE...a much tougher workout than my usual walking!

In Week 4, the total goal minutes were 80, and I clocked in at 270 minutes. Again, I believe slightly understated as the better part of one afternoon in Las Vegas was spent walking up the strip. Granted, there were a few stops in between (wow, O'Shea's is a very, very interesting place...and the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace provided some distractions!) but over all, it was a lot of walking!

Eating away from home gets tough, but making good choices is getting easier and easier in many restaurants. I tend to stick to proteins, and stay away from bread baskets, pastas and...of course...desserts. Fisherman's in San Clemente tends to have some really good options, you just cannot go wrong with ordering a great salad or fish entree!

While staying at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, we had an AMAZING dinner at China Grill. We chose the chef's tasting menu, and had truly amazing appetizers, salads and entrees that tasted fresh, were perfect portion sizes, and were high on the protein scale, low on the carbs scale! Now...I cannot say that the Lobster Mashed Potatoes totally fit that bill, however, I let my fiance dig into those while I just had more of the Kobe Beef!

This week starts some of the jogging, and I have to say that I am really excited about that. I tend to lose weight very quickly once I pick up the pace, so I am looking forward to seeing some serious results this month! I think it will be about time to update with some progress photos, so I would love to get a week or two of some jogging in before those pics are taken!!!

Walking and more walking!

Last week I definitely hit my stride (forgive the pun) with my Couch to 5K program!

The goal for Week 2 was to walk a minimum of 60 minutes...I walked 405 minutes!

Two things that keep me going: Walking to get my son from school. He loves to scooter home, and with the recent GORGEOUS weather here in So Cal, it has truly been a pleasure to do so! The walk to and back from his school is about 45 minutes total, but I want to start to add another leg to it to bring it up to 60 minutes.

This weekend, we did the roundtrip walk to Fisherman's on the pier in San Clemente. That is a beautiful walk, down a path (under construction and "closed" yet we ran into countless people walking, jogging and biking down it all weekend long!) to eat lunch. I somehow have talked myself into figuring that if I do that walk, it justifies a healthy lunch! On Saturday, I had the Crab Cake appetizer as my meal, on Sunday I had Fish Tacos (soft tacos, grilled fish). So...I think I probably did break even!!!

I am excited to continue to build my minutes week to week, and be 5K ready by the end of this summer!

Couch to 5K

What a difference some glorious sunny weather makes! For week of of my Couch to 5K challenge, I had to walk at least 50 minutes. I actually walked 180 minutes!!!

Not only am I inspired by the thought of being ready to run a 5K at the end of my training period, but finally...yes, FINALLY...we have getting some sun and a bit of warmer weather here in So Cal!

This week has been really glorious! It is warming up a bit, and this weekend should really be beautiful. So, with this week's training goal of walking for 60 minutes, I have walked at least 45 minutes each day so far this week!

And this weekend I anticipate doing lots of great beach walking! That is an even tougher workout to walk in the sand. I am looking forward to burning off more and more calories and getting closer and closer to my goal of COUCH TO 5K!

Frustration...to INSPIRATION

The month of January has been a bit of a struggle for me with regard to my weight loss goals. I have lost 7 lbs, and while it is easy to say that that is a healthy weight loss pace, it still just feels like very little progress. Without making any excuses, I have had a couple of obstacles...two weeks of being sick or nursing someone else back to health...and this rainy weather here in So Cal making it more of a challenge to get outside and exercise.

However, I finally checked out a blog of a dear friend of mine, Danielle Copeland Bethke. She, too, set out on a weight loss challenge, and her results are nothing short of amazing! Her blog is so wonderful, detailed, personal, and INSPIRATIONAL. What I really loved were seeing her photos of a 5K that she ran, and how incredibly happy she looks in those pics.

Well...I thought...hm...what if I could get ready for a 5K, and join her on one! I found several links for a "Couch to 5K" training program. I have always been very active, used to really love jogging in fact, so I really thought that this might be the true kind of inspiration that I need to get on track and stay on track. I think that I need to focus more on my overall fitness, less on that hardcore weight goal.

I found one website that had a couple of variations of the Couch to 5K, and I selected the most conservative program. I know that I can blow the first few months out of the water, the first week is only walking a total of 50 minutes! I will probably have 50 minutes in by Tuesday. However, it is all about baby steps, and I know that if I follow this program, I will be ready for a 5K in 7 months (if not sooner). In fact, here is my exact schedule for month one, starting today:

Phase I Warm up phase Month 1 All Walking (Times in minutes per day)

Week M T W TH F S S TOTAL
1 Off 10 Off 15 Off 10 15 50
2 Off 10 Off 15 Off 20 15 60
3 Off 15 Off 20 Off 15 20 70
4 Off 20 20 Off 20 Off 20 80

Grand total: 260

So I will be tracking my progress with this goal in mind, and I hope to hear from those of you for whom this was a successful way to achieve your fitness goals, or if you would like to join me in my fitness journey! And I cannot wait to run a 5K with Danielle, too!

Starve a cold, feed a fever? Feed a cold, starve a fever?

Been feeling pretty lousy for a week or so, and it has not helped that my kids have been sick too! It is one thing to have to take care of your own flu bug, but cleaning up and nursing two kids back to health has kicked my bug back into action!

I have still been losing weight, I am happy to say. I was not sure if I should be feeding my fever or starving it (!) so I would say that I tried both methods, and still lost another 5 pounds!

One lifesaver has been taking Herbalife products. I have to say that the H3O helped ALL of us stay hydrated, and it is much better than some of the other electrolite drink products from the store. LiftOff provide that "boost" to get me off of the couch and get productive. Let's face it, the laundry does not stop, dirty dishes don't magically disappear...mom still runs the house even when a flu is running her!

And, finally, a miracle product that I truly think has helped reduce my overall symptoms...and kicked the bug the first time around (before I got so run down caring for everyone else!) is....Best Defense!



So, if you are under the weather, suffering from a cold or the flu, there are great Herbalife products that can help to mitigate your symptoms, help you stay hydrated, and can help bring you some much needed energy! Go to LifeChange2008 for more information, or drop me a line at kelly@kamacejewelry.com!

$aving Money=Saving Calories!

I am slowly coming around from my Diet Coke Cold Turkey withdrawal...and "slowly" is being generous! I could barely move for a good chunk of the day yesterday (compounded by a flu bug, nice double whammy!) so I got close to nothing done yesterday with my jewelry biz. However, I figured I could do one thing to help me out of my stupor...how much MONEY would I save if I no longer drank Diet Coke???


Trying to find the silver lining in this dark withdrawal cloud, I put pen to paper.

Check out this math:

My last 12 pack of Coke cost $2.50
Plus Ca. Redemption Value** $ .60
Total Cost of 12 pack of Diet Coke $3.10

(**I am not factoring out the CRV as I do recycle, but do not recycle to recoup that amount**)

I figured, on an average day, I would drink a minimum of 6 Diet Cokes. I will fully admit to the fact that there were days where I came close to killing that 12 pack! But, I will say that I drank an average of 6/day:

Total Cost of 12 Pack $3.10
Divided by 12 in Pack 12
Total Cost per Diet Coke $ .25

Total Cost per Diet Coke $ .25
Times 6 Diet Cokes per Day 6
Total Daily Diet Coke Consumption Amount $1.50
Times 365 Days per Year 365
Total Cost of Yearly Diet Coke Comsumption $547.50

WOW! That is an amazing figure...and truly...on the low side. This is not taking into account the Diet Cokes I had in restaurants, from fast food joints, etc.

That could be a new Coach bag for me! Now, kickin that Diet Coke addiction feels mighty awesome! Or, I could set that money aside for an upcoming vacation...or to buy new skinny clothes! I will be so proud that I did this, mostly for my wellness, but also for my pocketbook!

What is your expensive vice...and what would you save if you kicked that habit???

Grouchy...

Arg...I am super grouchy today. I think that it had to do with quittin' Diet Coke COLD TURKEY. I have been drinking Diet Cokes since...college, I suppose. Diet Coke is what I wake up with, even BEFORE my cup or two of coffee! And, a Diet Coke or two while I work and create jewelry (such an inspiration!), one maybe with lunch...one while the kids do homework...and at least one more with dinner. For years...


And, I love all of the Diet Cokes, even before they had the citrus versions, I would squeeze Lime or Lemon in them. Cherry Diet Coke...yummy. And, Diet Dr. Pepper is a another favorite. Did the Pepsi Challenge, always preferred Coke. For all of those Coke or Diet Coke haters out there, I went toe to toe with you to proclaim the wonderfulness of Coke products!

Those days are over. I need to do this to focus on my weight loss plan, and to truly focus on my health and wellness. Yes, I get the whole moderation thing, and I could just have like one a day, or two as a special treat. But, I clearly cannot get the moderation message when it comes to my addiction to Diet Coke.

I will miss that bubbly delight...I will miss the caffeine comfort...I just have to stay strong, be a grouch for a day or two (I apologize now to friends and family!) and with this willpower I will have made an important long term impact on my health.

Walking Must Haves!

I love to take long walks, and I have some killer hills by my home that are truly butt-bustin'! I have a few "must haves" that I always have on my walks, to keep me motivated and to intensify the workout!


My Touch Ipod...love it! I have had Ipods since they were first released, as I am a total music lover! This one, however, is just my favorite! I love to listen to music while I am walking, to help me set my pace and to keep me going when the hills get steep! Plus, I get to load and share pictures (including pictures of my jewelry to show potential customers or boutiques!), I can use the wi-fi internet functions and watch videos/movies when I am not walking!


Herbalife LiftOff...gives me the lift that I need when the walking gets tough! Check this out: no sugar, no calories, and only 1 carb! Lemon-Lime is my favorite, and it is sooooo refreshing in icy, cold water. Staying hydrated is important, and LiftOff makes it much easier! Want a free sample? Email me at kelly@kamacejewelry.com or go to Lifechange2008 for more info!


Herbalife H3O...another great way to stay hydrated, especially when I get burnt out on drinking plain water! Great benefits, too: Quenches thirst and replaces lost fluids. Essential electrolytes support cellular re-hydration. Energizing carbs for immediate and sustained energy. Powerful antioxidants protect your body from fatigue and soreness. No caffeine and a healthier alternative to high-calorie/high-sugar beverages. Would you like to try a free sample? Email me at kelly@kamacejewelry.com or go to Lifechange2008 for more info!

What are some of your walking or work out essentials??? Would love to hear your favorites, and what works for you!

Have you hugged your colon today?

Have you hugged your colon today? I have! And, I encourage you to do the same!

How? I started the Herbalife 21 Day Herbal Cleansing Program a few days ago, and I have lost weight, I have gained energy and I hugged my colon!

This is a natural way to restore and maintain balance in your colon. It supplies prebiotics, probiotics, herbs, botanical enzymes and other nutritional factors to promote a natural self-cleansing. All I can tell you is that you will feel a change in a few days, without the wacky detox dieting (I could not stand the liquid concoctions I was expected to swallow!) or a colonic procedure, which in the wrong hands can be downright dangerous!

It is so easy...two AM tablets with water, two PM tablets with water. That is it...and, I have been drinking more water throughout the day, as well. How easy is that???!!!

With a flatter tummy and improved energy alone, I am a pleased customer! With the long-term benefits of improved absorption of my nutrients I am confident that my weight loss plan will be aided by this 21 day investment! Come and join me in a 21 Day journey to improved wellness...and hug your colon today! Email me at kelly@kamacejewelry.com with any questions, or go to Lifechange2008 for more info or to order today!

Yummmm....Cafe Latte....

Nope! I did not cheat this morning and enjoy a calorie-laden latte from...well...you know where! I enjoyed my very own Herbalife Cafe Latte shake, and it truly rivals the blended concoctions that I can no longer afford--health-wise or wallet-wise!

For lunch I had a salad with tuna fish. The salad is the Asian Supreme salad mix from Fresh Express. I absolutely love to eat salad, but seldom have the time to create the salad, the shopping, the cutting, etc. So, this way I can have my salad and eat it too!

I also really love the new lines of "spray on" type salad dressings. What a great way to get a taste of dressing, without the calories and fat from pouring it on your salad! I try really hard to get dressings on the side when I am eating out, and these spray salad dressings really help to control the portion size and give you plenty of really great enjoyment!

Good luck, and please share with me your tips to weight loss success!

A Happy Week!

I am sooo pumped! I HAVE LOST 7 POUNDS IN THE LAST WEEK!

I know, I know...I need to get a new picture posted, but I have been madly working on my jewelry business this morning.

I am very, very excited, and feel that this is such a huge victory for me. However, I have to seriously remain on track and focused. I have done this before, only to lose that sense of urgency. Even last night...I cheated...I had my only weakness in the world...CHIPS AND QUESO...and salsa, I tried to at least be a little bit good with the salsa???!!!

Share with me your victories, or even your frustrations. It is not easy, and there are so many of us out there in this together. I really do believe that Herbalife has been at the center of this successful week, and I am going today to pick up more of my not-so "secret weapon". Drop me a line if you are interested in more information, or you would even like some free samples to try for yourself. kelly@kamacejewelry.com is my email...No investment is needed, just an investment in your time and commitment to your health and wellness! Go to LifeChange2008 for even more info!

Good luck to you, and thank you for all of your support and good wishes! I will post pictures this week to show my progress!

Yummmmmmm...

In my weight loss challenge, I am totally tempted by food all day long. I work from home as a jewelry designer, so I am literally steps away from my fridge and pantry. ARG!

So, I have been trying to stay focused on the end results, not the immediate desire to SNACK! One of the things that tends to save me are the Herbalife shakes.

I love the Wild Berry...put some of that in a blender with soy or rice milk, a handful of mixed fresh or frozen berries, and you have a shake that will beat anything from Jamba Juice (and, thankfully, without all of those calories!).

I am dying to experiment with the Chocolate shake that is coming on Monday. I am wondering how I can concoct a Mocha shake...some Herbalife Chocolate, some milk, a shot of espresso...Then I could put Starbucks out of business!!! Herbalife Chocolate, a few ice cubes, a spoonful of peanut butter...hmmmmm....a peanut butter cup in a cup!

Come and experiment with me! Lets exchange favorite shake recipes! Shakes are a great way to replace meals, or give yourself a high energy, high protein, calorie controlled snack. Tell me your favorite shake recipes, or email me if you are interested in some samples of Herbalife. I have canisters of the shake mixes of the competition collecting dust in my pantry...this is the only one that I truly believe makes something that is not only drinkable, but truly ENJOYABLE!

Contact me at kelly@kamacejewelry.com with any questions or if you are interested in finding weight loss success solutions with Herbalife!

Welcome 2008!

I know that I have been reading in many forums that people despise making New Years Resolutions. However, I happen to be one of those people who truly need to set specific goals so I know what I need to do and how I am going to get there!

One of my commitments for 2008 is to lose weight and get healthier. I want to lose weight to look better, of course, but mostly to get healthier. I have a young family, so I need many, many more years ahead of me!

I am going to incorporate Herbalife into my wellness plan, as I need to have a solid plan of attack. Furthermore, I have found in the past that some of the prepared diet food companies (who shall remain nameless) were expensive, were often not really that tasty, and I found that I was eating a totally separate meal from the rest of my family. I won't need to do that with Herbalife, it is more economical from my viewpoint, I will replace meals with really delicious shakes and will be able to eat a very sensible dinner with my family...and prepare only one meal!

And I pledge to get more exercise. Being a jewelry designer and working from home can be pretty challenging for me. For years, in retail management, I was able to control my weight just by being on my feet for several hours a day! Now, I need to find a way to balance the sedentary work of a jewelry designer with walking and other exercise.

Finally, I am charting my progress here on the this blog (I am so very brave to do this, no?!) and I am part of an Etsy Biggest Loser competition! I am so very, very competitive, so this will be a great inspiration to me to go up against over 50 other Etsy artists to see who will be the BIGGEST LOSER! Starting tomorrow, I will have my "before picture" on this blog, as well as my weekly updated pictures. I can't wait for you to see my progress!

I thank you for being part of my personal journey, your support and kind wishes are much appreciated! Feel free to contact me with any questions regarding Herbalife. I can offer a great program in which you join a Nutrition Club and you can get Herbalife products for up to 42% off of the retail price! Drop me a line at kelly@kamacejewelry.com with any questions!