Who Feels Like Sweating?!? Not me!

Yeah, so, I totally don't like to sweat. I'm known for it, actually. Back in school, I'd hide from the P.E. teachers to avoid having them call my name to run. I was perfectly satisfied with a "C" for walking my mile on the track so I could conversate without losing my breath and God forbid, perspiring. I even had it last period before school let out and I still wasn't havin' it. I tell you what though, even that walking helped keep my figure the very hourglass shape I took for granted. By the time I no longer had to take P.E. and I started driving and got my parking space in the senior lot, walking was long-forgotten.

Fast-forward about 14 years and here we are. I still don't like to sweat. I don't avoid working out because of the actual physical exertion. I'm not actually a wimp. I'm not a typically lazy person. I'm not a dainty flower. You get where I'm goin' here?? lol This is how my brain works when I think about exercise, not even exaggerating. Here goes..."Okay, I should really work out today....but when? If I do it in the morning then I lose sleep but I'll be able to wash up and get ready for the day before the kids start bugging me. Wellll, maybe I should do something relaxing and just warming of the body so I don't actually sweat before I have to start my day. Because I won't be able to shower until tonight. Oh! Okay, so maybe I'll work out after the kids go to bed! Then I can just hop in the shower and really not worry about giving it all I got. But then I'm really tired...and I'm not really in the mood to get all sweaty when it's my wind-down time. So maybe I'll do some yoga or pilates so I don't sweat. Then I can shower earlier, veg a bit and then I'll do my exercise." And guess what....yeah it never happens. Avoiding the sweat always wins.

Do you ever play mind games with yourself? Setting the alarm earlier to compensate for your automatic snooze reflex? How about moving your phone across the room so that you have no choice but to physically get out of bed to silence the awful noise that woke you from your slumber. I've done it with my checkbook (did I not mention I'm old school??) and plenty of other scenarios. I also do it with exercise. Now, this isn't a replacement for a good, challenging workout. Creating and sticking to that habit is still a work in progress for me at this point. But to actually move, tone and avoid the excessive flabby, floppy, "whyyyy do I look like this this week??" issue requires some minimal exercises...and you guessed it, most of them are "old school" and have been used since the dawn of time.

This is a great exercise for "standing abs" and gives you that "cut" in your lower waist/oblique area. I'm telling you, within DAYS, you'll see a huge difference. You may still have flab but you'll see that "cut"! You can also lift the knee straight in front of you and alternate while twisting your waist to tap the opposite thigh coming up. LOVE standing abs!

 

Without thinking too hard about my choices, I usually gravitate towards something like a Thai Cheng (Beachbody), YogaZone workout, Scott Cole's Thai Chi, Gaiam's AM/PM Yoga or my own list of "no-sweat exercises".

 



 

 

These workouts can be done in the morning or evening so it's great if you're a night exerciser or you've just let the day get away with you and you realize you haven't worked out yet! If you're working on centering yourself in the morning with meditation or prayer, personal development time and a more serene morning, this is definitely a great exercise option to add to the mix.

 

Some of my go-to moves are:

 

- Dancing. In the kitchen, living room, any kind of music. The kids watch the videos on YouTube and Mommy dances. Sometimes my daughter joins me. I do my exercises to the beat or I just move and dance. There are no rules but I guarantee my breathing is shallow and my body is warmed....I might start sweating but it's so much fun I kind of don't mind. ;-)

 

- Sun Salutations, stretching up and out with your arms, bending at the waist and warming up the entire body.

 

 

- Arm circles, forwards and backwards

 

 

- Knee lifts, as mentioned above, in front as well as at an angle to the side to work the abs in different ways.

 

- Squats, talk about warming the body! Wowza!

 

- Counter push-ups, for the real fuss-pots out there...don't even get on the floor. Stand a 2-3 feet away from your kitchen counter, lean towards the counter with your hands on the edge and plank yourself forward leaning towards the counter with your body weight. You'll feel it, I promise. Do as many as you can, just make sure you do it barefoot or in a way that your feet don't move. Don't want you knocking your precious teeth out by slippin'!

 

- Leg lifts, leg completely straight, forward like your doing karate kicks, out to the side like a pendulum, and to the back corner (works the bum!) and straight back (another bum!)

 

 

- Trunk twists, stand feet slightly apart and twist your waist and stretch the opposite arm to the corner and alternate, twisting your "trunk".

 

- Laying down (even if it's on your bed!), legs up in the air...air bicycle!

 

 

- Laying down still....one leg straight down, bring the other straight up and point that toe towards the ceiling. Keep going until that leg gets tired, then alternate.

 

 

- Laying down some more, lift both legs in a V....keep holding!! You're shaking....lift that V!.....Go as high as you can and EASE back down.....do that a few times a day and watch how fast that Mommy-pouch tightens up!

 

Using resistance bands of any kind, the flat rubber band style or the ones with handles, whatever you like, keep those handy. Any free moment, you can use them sitting on the couch, laying on the bed watching something or even doing some leg lifts in the kitchen while waiting for dinner to cook.

 

These aren't new and spectacular ideas but it just shows you how truly easy even the most minimal effort can change our bodies or at the very least, keep us from getting REALLY mushy. You won't sweat with any of these exercises. No need to shower or plan your day with these in mind. You may shake, feel the warmth and breathe a little differently but I know that if I don't do these simple movements, I see the negative change very, very quickly., especially in my tummy. These are truly "no excuses" ideas so let's get moving....and we won't even have to break a sweat!

 

 

Keep up with me on Instagram @baharluvsmakeup for quick reviews, ideas and to stay connected between posts!

 

 

 

 

 



Sunday Sum-Up

  Well my loves, another week has flown by. It's the middle of April and I've already seen people out in shorts and flip-flops. We don't get much of a Spring season in Northern VA. We're either freezing or shvitzing. lol I don't know about you but Sundays are indeed a day of rest. I'm not much for the weekend crowds and all the left-over crazies from Saturday who still go out on Sunday and wreak havoc in public. I wish I was exaggerating but if I told you what happened yesterday at lunch, you wouldn't believe it. The one other family on the patio besides us, and utensils were thrown, there was yelling...and it was just from the MOTHER. *blink, blink*....I felt called to offer her some kindness but she wasn't havin' it. Oooh boy, let's just say I don't think her day improved much once they bounced. And I mean bounced...they didn't pay their check. It was an experience. Saturdays in public are not for the faint at heart.

Anyhoo, while I sit here sipping my tea in my homeschooling mug from Café Press.."HomeSchool ..Everything we really need to know we learn at home" -I'll sum up the week for you. First thing, of course, is the tea..my mom's favorite choice, with Cardamom. One teaspoon of sugar in her glass tea mug. I still saved two of them, even my kids know those glass mugs. I packed them away because I'm afraid being glass, they might break. She only drank tea out of HER "cups". And it makes me feel a part of her with me, especially on Sundays like today when the kids are with their dad.

I've been a lover of coffee for years now but as a mom, hoo boy, do I need the coffee. It won't keep me up at night and I could seriously take a nap after a cup of coffee, but the caffeine does something...well, maybe it's psychological. Whatever it is, I like it. I also LOVE my amaretto creamer. No alcohol..just straight up refrigerated creamer. It's heavenly in a cup o' java. It also helps my cravings when I'd rather have a big ol' piece of fudge cake or a handful of cookies. BUT....creamer has calories. And coffee just doesn't do it for me if it isn't the way I like it. So I've been weaning myself off the caffeine this week and having tea instead. Totally not the same and definitely doesn't do what coffee does, but it's taking the edge off. I'm drinking the tea straight up, no sweetener. I usually have it with a slice of cinnamon bread and natural peanut butter. Which brings me to my next point.....

I'm cutting down but I'm not dead. I had a couple more salads this week. I tried to get around too many additional carbs. I had one breadstick with my salad at lunch the other day when I used to just keep going on the bread. I had a couple bites of my daughter's mashed potatoes instead of ordering a side of it for myself. Between the two of us, we barely made a dent in that pile of potatoes. I also have a Tupperware container full of Girl Scout Samoas...usually my favorite. Not feelin' 'em this time for some reason. Just not in the mood. I could probably polish off a sleeve of Oreos if I had them right now...oooh that does sound good...with a tall ice-cold glass of milk......good thing I don't have any here though! lol I've had sweets this week but I've been more conscious of what and when I'm having them. I also don't go overboard like I would have done with the "whatever" mentality.  And that's the thing, if it's here, I'll eat it. If I have to crave it, think about it, go out and buy it, chances are it won't happen. And my gut will thank me later.

I also cut out my beloved Coke. Yup, straight up Coke...or Pepsi....or Cherry Coke....not diet. Not Zero. Just regular. With caffeine. Have I mentioned I'm down on the caffeine this week? Yeah...made it twice to Target and wasn't even tempted to buy some....but I'm not gonna lie, I had an evening where I was looking in the fridge hoping a can of Coke would magically appear.

I don't drink soda with an open can walking around like it's glued to my hand. But with lunch or dinner...ohhh yeah. Hits the spot like no other. So basically baby steps on the food and drink this week.

We've had a busy week but I made healthy choices even when we had to grab something on the way home. I didn't feel like I "can't have"....I'm just cutting the unnecessary here and there. For each meal, I look at what's most important for me at that moment. For example, eating lunch at a restaurant. I wanted the breadstick. I knew I was filling up on salad. I didn't order a carb with my entrée. And we didn't have dessert. So there you go.

I've purposed to make time for personal development every day. Whether it's listening to a motivational podcast or cd, working on social media projects, organizing clutter or listening to a positive YouTube video while folding laundry or doing my makeup. Make those moments count.

As the weather gets warmer, it's easier to eat lighter, fresher foods and move more with the kids. Every dollar I spend is spent knowing it brings me or the kids joy, serves a purpose or adds value in some way. And as I plan for the coming week, I know that adding in a new goal is important. I'm working on a motivational collage to help visualize my goals. I can write them down, I can speak them, hear them in my head, but visually, it's important to see the goals on a regular basis.

 Here I wrote about striving to go to bed earlier and wake up with a sense of purpose and serenity, having time for myself and taking time for personal development before starting my day. That goal continues for the coming week. And lastly, it's been hard for me to make time for working out in a set block of time. When we get busy, it's easy to push that off until the last part of the day and guess what, you're too tired. No surprise there. So my newest goal is to make it a priority if not in the morning, at least during the earlier part of the day before I feel my batteries start to wind down.

 

What are your current weekly goals and how did you do last week? I'd love to hear from you and stay connected. You can email me at bpmomathome@gmail.com, contact me through the blog or find me on Instagram @ baharluvsmakeup   Have a wonderful week!

Motivational Monday - The Art of Waking Early

Ahh, Monday is almost over, isn't it? Well, it's a Monday, I was busy earlier! lol Actually, for not doing a whole lot, it was productive and we even had a skinned knee added into the mix. I told her not to run in flip flops but ahem...somebody didn't listen.....

So what's this "waking early" nonsense...we should all be lucky we showed up to participate in life on a Monday, right?! Well, I've been seeing memes about "don't miss a Monday workout" or "wishing you a short Monday with middle fingers and plenty of coffee". We don't have to wonder why that is...we're all starting yet another week filled with errands, work, school, kids, appointments, bills and the list goes on. Even stay at home/homeschooling/retired folks who seem to do nothing all day but eat bon bons (WHY is that still the assumption?! Only now it's "don't you just hang out on Facebook all day?!") Yes, even the people who are "home" still have busy lives and truth be told, are rarely "home" all day 24/7. That's just not realistic.

Why do we need to pray our way through the start of the week and wait for it to be over just in time for Friday evening? #1 reason: We're pooped. Yup, we're stinkin' tired aka pooped. We fight for those last minutes of sleep in the morning...run ragged all day, get the kiddos to bed and breathe a sigh of relief when there are no more young voices chattering in our ears, no more butts to wipe, chores to do...now we can finally unwind and enjoy the evening. So if you're like me, you enjoy it. For like, at least 5 hours. ;-) Time flies man...especially when I go from email to Facebook to Instagram, have a beverage (yes, I've been known to have an evening coffee..it doesn't keep me up and it's better than the damage I could do to some sweets!) then I'm on YouTube and Oh, there's something I wanted to check on Amazon/Ebay/Ulta/Sephora and next thing I know it's at least midnight.  There's not a whole lot of personal improvement going on in this block of time. I'm TIRED. I don't want to do anything productive. If I didn't want to sleep on the bed, I wouldn't even bother to fold the laundry waiting for me patiently. (I purposely dump the laundry on my bed so that I HAVE to fold it before I sleep...otherwise it sits in baskets for DAYS.  I'd still rather fold clothes than do dishes though.)

**Here's a tip: Combine mindless activities with mindful ones. If you have clothes to fold, dishes to wash, mopping or whatever...listen to a self-help/motivational cd, a podcast, a positive message on YouTube or an audio book at the same time. Not enough people do this on a daily basis and their level of growth really reflects the lack of personal development in their day to day lives. It's not corny or silly and personal development receives a bad rap.  Would you rather you mind fester on the many stresses in life, or would you rather receive uplifting words that can help change your attitude throughout your day or especially, before you lay your head down at night?? **

So in the last month or so, I've purposed to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. It doesn't happen every day but it's a work in progress. I first read on the benefits of waking early after I noticed that most fit, healthy people wake up early to meditate or pray and then exercise before getting on with the rest of their day. I read  this book and the author goes through the entire day and night relating the hours to different chi cycles and parts of the body.  Now, I'm not all crunchy and I don't have a man to say, "Hey babe, this guy says we should be making love at 9pm so let's get to it" but I got enough from the book that I thought it was worth sharing with you.  He talks about the benefits of warming the body first thing, through food, exercise and personal time to get connected with your body before you begin your day. He's not the first to say this and it just goes to show that these healthy people are on to something.

 

If you're like me, you need at least 6-8 hours so that you're not a raving lunatic the following day. I don't like to nap because that makes me grumpy, groggy and in a foul mood. I'd rather have less sleep than more, for the same reasons I don't nap. If I sleep too much, the next day I feel like my head weighs a ton and I've been run over by a truck. No thank you. So little by little I shift my bedtime back about half an hour so that I don't knock my personal clock out of whack. When I wake up, I do some tummy exercises right there on the bed. Leg lifts, air bicycle, reverse crunches, etc. Then I get into the bathroom first to potty (I'm a mom, that's what I'll call it for a while yet) and cleanse and tone my skin. (I don't moisturize until right before I do my makeup.) Depending on how much time I have before my kids wake up, I'll make coffee, have some quiet time to read or check on posts for the day, plan my makeup/outfit/accessories..anything that is soothing to me and allows my mind and body to wake up slowly but surely. While I'm in my closet, I usually do my standing exercises. It's amazing how these exercises help me from feeling too bloated or blahhh even without the full "workout" label attached. (I'll do a whole post on those exercises soon!) Then I'm warmed up and ready to start hearing the chatter and requests for breakfast this and that. 

 

 

I encourage you to start this week and start shifting your bedtime back little by little and allowing yourself time in the morning for just you. Before the rush of the day, make time to wake yourself up mentally and physically with whatever eases your spirit. For some, it may be devotional time and prayer. For others it's meditation and yoga. You may get in a major workout session, shower and then be ready for a major breakfast with the family. Whatever it is that works for you, make sure you make it a priority. Going to bed with stress, only to stumble out of bed, popping those eyes open to the day hitting you smack in the face with no time to prepare, well...I'd rather have a moment or two if you don't mind. ;-)

 

 

Let me know how you're doing this week and in what ways you're choosing to spend your waking hours. You can keep in touch by messaging me through the blog, emailing me at bpmomathome@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @baharluvsmakeup 

The Fatty Mentality

Yup, I said it. The Fatty Mentality. I'm going to pull the "I am one so I can say it" card. I'm not going to be politically correct in this post because, well, that's exhausting. I'm going to probably use a lot of adjectives and they most likely won't be very flattering. Tough love, real talk and all that jazz. So here's my story, the background all the way through to the present.  I'm on a mission and it's multi-layered. I'll get into the "layers" in future posts but for now, I want to share with you my why and how I came to be at this point in my life.

When I say "fatty mentality", it's usually to define someone who has been overweight or obese for the majority of their life. This is someone who may or may not have a food addiction. This describes a person who has struggled with ups and downs of weight loss and gain, the embarrassment, the shame, the wishing and yearning for leaner bodies and less bondage. I know quite a few who have had surgery and still struggle with the ups and downs. Many are in therapy prior to surgery to help with the mental aspect of their weight issues....but it never fully "cures" them. It's a lifelong struggle. I know it's controversial to talk about food addiction. Some say "it's totally NOT the same thing as drugs and alcohol, just don't eat so much!" and some eye a plate of food like it's a glass of Scotch at an AA meeting. Everyone is different but if you have doubt, ask what it's like for the individual you are tempted to judge. I'll bet they'd rather open up and relieve some of that pressure by explaining their struggle.

Here's where I get a little candid. So I wasn't a fat kid. Well...I was a tiny baby, then a chunky baby...then by the time I started walking I lost the pudge. I wasn't every skinny, lanky, scrawny...I was just average with a little belly. You wouldn't look at me and say "Oh yeah she was fat." You'd say, "Oh you were just normal honey!" But throughout elementary school, I wasn't as lean as my cousins so my mom would tell me I needed to watch and not pig out at birthday parties and things like that. Little by little I started to sneak. Now, before you get all "Ohhh, so that's why! Her mom was too strict!"....she was...but that really wasn't it. It did definitely make me feel like I couldn't appreciate those years, because now I think, "I was totally fine, why did I think I was huge?!" But as far as food goes, that wasn't a huge issue at the time. Now, a little more background...my mom's side, they're all lean folks. Some might gain with age, but they're all slim for the majority of their lives. My dad's side, the women can add some pounds. Diabetes also runs on his side. My dad has always been blessed with a lean body, never a big beer belly or anything like that. Lucky for me, however (eye roll), I went after his side. So neither parent could really understand what my struggle was like.  I thought I was the abnormal one amongst all my cousins until I met my cousins from my dad's side. "FINALLY, I look like you guys! I'm not the only one!" Not that we can't stand to lose a few, but it's always nice to know you ain't the only one strugglin'.

So by 6th grade I was developing more of an hourglass figure. I was about a 0-2 in Women's dresses by then. It wasn't until about 10th grade that I started feeling a little chunky compared to my friends. My dad commented once that I was "bigger than the other girls" when he dropped me off for a slumber party. I was curvy where they were slim. I had the butt and the gut and the boobs and I was also wearing makeup and moussing my hair and they were rolling out of bed and into some jeans and a t-shirt. So obviously my whole style was different. Between 10-12th grade, I gained some but I wasn't "fat" still, just technically overweight by medical standards and had the older guys drooling. High school guys don't appreciate a womanly figure. lol By high school graduation I was 135lbs. A size 10 jean skirt. I think I still have that skirt. I might have a pair of shorts too. I look at them and think, "no way I'll ever fit into those again in my lifetime". 

I worked, took some classes at the community college, worked some more. Then I got a job in corporate world and went from a size 10/12 to a 14/16 in about a year and half. I "blew up". I know what I ate too. I had a secret love affair with the peanut m&m machine. And the snack machine. And Subway. And I wasn't getting turkey and mustard either. Nope, it was steak & cheese. And chips. And soda. And cookies. I was also eating sushi. And pasta. And trying new restaurants and being social and I had money and blah blah blah. By the time I got my passport for a trip to London, my diamond/oval (yes, there is such a thing as a diamond face) was round and I was hiding under big sweaters and not really giving a hoot. Over the next two years following, I went up and down and settled at 160 when I met my husband (now ex, father of my beloved kiddos). I was "thick", had a definite belly and my confidence was kind of in the toilet. (Life lesson #3,487: Don't stick with a rebound, a rebound is meant to get you over your previous relationship and on to the next one.)

I got pregnant with my son and gained 28 pounds with that pregnancy. The doctor told me he'd be 8 pounds because of my size...uh....that's ME with that gut, not the poor baby. He was 6.14oz. After he was born, I lost some but by the time he started sleeping more, I had more time to eat. I also had time to shop a little more so I was buying junk and quick, easy stuff to eat. I wasn't happy on so many levels. But when he was about a year old, my husband was gone for the whole summer for work and I decided to try Jenny Craig and surprise him when he got back. I busted my hump for three months to lose 20 pounds so I could be closer to the weight I was when he met me. (Life lesson #3,488: Don't ever work on YOU for someone else. They won't ever appreciate the effort or the results like YOU will. So do it for you, babe.) So obviously he wasn't jumping for joy. Little by little I said some colorful things in my head and ate more. Again. Around that time I got pregnant with my daughter. I had a toddler and a husband (I think I blocked a lot of this time period from my memory, a "challenge" doesn't begin to cover this time in my life) and not much time to pig out. I remember eating mostly cold sandwiches for lunch and dinner because they were easy, quick and I didn't have to think about anything. So I only gained 14 pounds with my daughter. Again, they said I was going to have a "big baby" because of my size. She was 5.75oz when she was born. I barely fed her when she was in my tummy, poor thing! I had some complications after having her and I lost some weight after that but again, around the 4-5 month mark, I started eating again.

My highest after having my children was 190. I was BLOWN UP. I'm 5'2..5'3 if you count my curly hair. I hold my weight relatively well for being short but at the same time, even 5 pounds makes a big difference in look and feel, let alone 50lbs + extra. When I saw pictures of myself around this weight, my face was puffy and the makeup wasn't enough to hide the bloat. I remember buying a 1x dress for a wedding. AND it was black. I don't want to think what I would have looked like in those pictures if it wasn't black.

 

 My kids are 8 and 6 now. My daughter says, "If you get skinny, we won't be able to recognize you." That about says it all, folks. I've been big for so long that it's now who I am. I don't like it. I don't want to be known for being divorced/fat/single/broke/needs a man/needs a house/needs a pet/needs to put down the soda and chocolate etc etc. None of those things are positive attributes and in the last couple of years, I feel like I might as well be wearing a sandwich board that says that crap. So it's time to turn things around. The health,the budget, the looks, the goals, everything. You know when you see those shows where they remodel a bathroom or a kitchen and they only fix a couple things to keep everything within budget? And you sit there thinking, "Why didn't you change that over there?!?!" Well, that's me. I'm not changing just one corner, it's the whole flippin' thing.

Now, I'm not delusional. We are what we repeatedly do. So up until now, I've yo-yo'd. I've gotten on the wagon, then fallen off...then been run over the wagon and tried clawing my way back on it. I've seen the eye rolls (I'm usually the first one to roll 'em) and I know when people think, "Ohhhhkay, you go right ahead sweetheart, we'll be here when you get tired." It'll take time to replace the current norm with the new one. I get it. It took me YEARS to be blahhh and unhappy with my body. So I'm not going to be a transformation "after" overnight. It'll take months. But that's okay. Because the "layers" I mentioned earlier will take time to develop as well.

My mission is to turn this thing around, from mental to physical, from head to toe. I am so passionate about skin care and makeup, enhancing a woman's natural beauty and bringing out the best version of herself. I'm saying the right things, doing the right things....but oh, you can't look lower than my neck. Isn't that silly? So I want to encourage others with their wellness in body and mind, in the same way that I do about the "girly stuff". It starts with me first. I can't tell you to put on some blush and concealer because you look like death warmed over if I look like a haggard mess myself, now can I? Well, the same thing goes with body health and fitness.

I don't want to take advice from someone who has been lean all her life and doesn't know what it's like to sneak the 4th package of something in an hour. Or the chick who complains on Monday about the 2 pounds she gained over the weekend when she'll poop a couple times and be back down to her typical 120 weight by Thursday. Honestly, I can't relate to someone who is 100+lbs overweight either. It's a different struggle. Some points I get, but to that person, I'M the twit who is complaining about the 50 pounds when she has 175 pounds to lose, you know what I'm sayin'?

Here are my goals for the near future: The next 21 days are for Beachbody's Shakeology and 21 Day Fix Challenge. The latter part of the month will be double workouts, at different parts of the day to help rev up my metabolism. The fitness program also comes with meal plan and special portion containers to help my eating stay on track. I'm experienced with many Beachbody programs but this will be my first time combining Shakeology with one of the programs, and 21 Day Fix is new for me! My overall goal is to lose 50 pounds. I'm hovering between 175-180 and have been for at least the last two years. 130lbs would be my approximate 12th grade weight. Curvy, hourglass but a world of a difference compared to what I am now.  That was my "hottest" time...so if the goal is to be the best version of ourselves, that was my best version. It's not "medical standard" weight according to my height but I'm not looking for that. I know that as I come down on the scale, I'll be able to tell what my "healthy" feels like and that will allow me to hover at a more comfortable place on the scale.

 

As I work hard on this challenge, I hope to encourage others along the way. I won't beat you over the head with fitness posts because, let's be real, that can get annoying when you're sitting there reading while you eat a bag of chips, right? (Been there, totally done it a million times.) I do hope to combine my passion for the face AND body and one day, be an example of wellness from the inside out, from head to toe.

 

DermExclusive - Anti-Aging Skin Care

  I hope you took a few minutes to watch the video above, it's an amazing line, nothing overwhelming. No bathroom filled with products while you scratch your head wondering how to use them. They've taken the guess-work out of these fabulous anti-aging products. 

If you're 30+ and find yourself thinking "I better step up my game before it's too late." then starting or improving your current regimen should start now, not later.  With anti-aging products to fight sun and environmental damage as well as the natural aging process, you'll have the key to unlocking that door to youthful, vibrant skin. I always tell clients and friends that you can't simply do nothing and then wake up in your 40s crying over why you look or feel terrible. "Whyyy are there lines around my eyes all of a sudden?!?!" Well, my dear, you washed your skin with dish soap and ignored the delicate skin around your eyes for decades. (You may not be "that bad" but I kid you not, I've said those words a few times before.)

I know you want to be the most beautiful version of yourself. If you have dark spots or uneven texture, the DermExclusive Intensive Repair Serum will be amazing for you to help treat your skin.  You don't need expensive laser treatments or Botox to help with firmness and fine lines, the Collagen Lift and Fill&Freeze can do that for you! 

If you're intrigued by the products but you have questions about whether this line is right for you, please send me a direct message in the contact form to the right or you can email me at bpmomathome@yahoo.com  I'm here to answer and help you any way I can. My passion and goal is to help you feel your best. 

Out with the old....

    Yup, that's it. Just out with the old. No new stuff comin' in. Well, let's be honest, I do like pretty things and us ladies always need to be prepared for the next precious holiday decoration (hello, clearance sticker!) ...can't pass up the little black dress, you ALWAYS need a good black dress for any occasion! Sigh...Anyway, a couple of nights ago, when I was up wayyy later than I should have been (look out for a post on 'sleep' coming soon), I was scrolling through my newsfeed on Facebook and stopped on this post.  Perfect timing, because I had been staring at my closet earlier...just thinking. You know how you do, you just stand there, thinking. Not daydreaming. Just thinking about "oh yeah that shirt looks horrible on me" or "I don't even wear those shoes, how long have I had them....oh yeah...I got them when....and then I...and yeah, still not wearin' em'." So I decided I was going to start with my closet.

See, the thing is, I think we're all used to doing this from time to time. We donate or hand down clothes to others and then go shopping again. Well, this time is different, sister. It's a new month, a new turnaround time for me. I foresee another move in a few months and I didn't have much time to donate/Craigslist/Ebay the last time. I'm still annoyed at all the shtuff I had to make room for in the storage unit aka garage. So, with that in mind, I decided I'd start the process now and just whittle away at it. 

Here's the plan. I went through my winter wardrobe and set aside one trash bag of clothes. Then I went into the garage and went through my bins of spring/summer clothes and filled another bag. (That's not including the bag I filled a couple weeks ago with some pieces from my closet and the kiddos' closet.) Done. While I was in the garage I spotted some comforters and linens that could be donated, another two bags. My trunk is now full and ready to be emptied at the donation drop-off tomorrow. Yay! Ohh, but I'm not done. There are household randoms, decorative bits and pieces, books, dvds, and so much more that I want GONE. Did I forget toys? There are bins and bins of toy pieces and sets and cars and animals and who knows what. If my kids didn't have amazing memories, I'd just stack the bins and shrug, "We don't know what's in each bin if we don't open them so maybe nothing will be missed??" The kids won't stand for that, however. But I did promise myself that before we move, we'll go through each bin and clear out before hauling it again.

That's it, right? Get it ready for donation pick-up and we're junk-free! Ahh, but we're forgetting the items that are worthy of the Craigslist crowd and the even more savvy EBay consumers. If something is un-shippable or for a certain target market, EBay is the route to go. And lastly, there's the pile that won't go the route of Craigslist and EBay and must be given away to friends and family. This last pile means more than the rest because with every item, I know who will smile and be grateful for each thing and that means more than the bags and bags of money gone in an afternoon.  Makeup is a whole 'nother story because they money adds up quickly, you have to consider things that can be sanitized or not, and you're limited on who you can pass the items on to, usually only close friends or family. Thankfully, it brings me a lot of joy to be able to share with my people and they are ever so grateful. 

It's hard getting rid of things because A. We spent they money with every intention of using/enjoying these things, B. We don't know which route to go to be rid of them and C. There are often memories attached to tangible things, as silly as that seems. (There was a bin I found in the garage that held several pairs of old jeans, my esthetician uniforms, and a couple of skirts and dresses, all too small for me to wear now but items that hold memories and a chance to compare to the 'old me" one day, hopefully sooner rather than later!) and D. We think if we hold on to these things as least we didn't throw money away, when in reality, we already did. So now it's time to at least bless someone else with it. Never worry about giving away. We are promised to be repaid for this generosity for what we gave and then some. As soon as we release these things, the clutter, the tangible items that fill our rooms, houses, garages and minds, we feel the weight lifted. That is a great initial "payment" for giving.

If you haven't worn it this season, time to say goodbye to it. If you have items from last Spring/Summer, give them another chance this year and at the end of Summer, reevaluate. Same goes for household items and other miscellaneous things. If you forgot you had it, don't ever use it, can't remember why you bought it, pass it on. Take a look around you and start Spring Cleaning by clearing out and making your living space easier to move around in, with less to dust and wash and dry, less to pick up after playtime or even less remorse for the items that aren't getting any love. You know that feeling when the carpet is freshly vacuumed and the living room looks clean before people come over? Think of having that feeling long-term. Now that's a great feeling.