Slim Down....by Drinking Chocolate Milk?!

It's true. The Calcium, Vitamin D & Protein found in 1% Chocolate Milk can help you slim down! And notice I said 1% -- not Fat Free! Apparently your body needs *some* of the fat to help break down the Vitamin D. Check out the details here:

The Chocolate Milk Diet | Eat This, Not That

All you have to do is drink chocolate milk three times and day and eat nothing else for a week.

.....AHHHHHHHH, JUST KIDDING!!!!

It's actually not a "diet" at all. They just suggest drinking chocolate milk (along with your regular routine of diet and exercise) 3 times a day -- once in the morning, once before you workout, and once after you workout. If you don't workout that day then just drink a glass morning, afternoon and evening. Doesn't sound so bad right?!

My husband is gonna be thrilled. He LOVES chocolate milk!

Beautify Me!

So I've kinda been debating on what to do with my makeup on the day of the wedding. I see different brides on weddingbee and such talking about hiring professional makeup artists for their big day and I'd love to do this BUT....I live Birmingham, AL. It's not exactly NYC or LA and we don't have a plethora of amazingly talented makeup artists that do the makeup of celebrities and such on a daily basis. So...I wasn't sure where to start or what to do. Throughout my planning process, I've hit this same road block multiple times.....living in Birmingham, things aren't as easy access as other places. I mean just look on the boards for the Knot or Weddingbee and you'll notice that there aren't nearly as many brides from AL commenting on those sites and there aren't nearly as many reviews of vendors in our area. That's just how it goes. B'ham (and AL in general) hasn't exactly picked up on this trend it seems. So, if i can't necessarily turn to the internet (where I find practically EVERYTHING for the wedding) then where could I turn??

Well, I tried asking different vendors that I'm using in Birmingham. That lead me to one makeup artist who seemed very good...but she was booked for my date. She then suggested a few others and I of course tried googling them. I found websites for two of them and from one of the girl's website I found a "cosmetic spa boutique" in Birmingham. Coincidentally, it was right around the time of my FMIL's birthday and my fiance was having trouble coming up with a present to get her. I suggested that we get her a gift certificate to NVogue (the cosmetic spa boutique) because they offered a service called "Makeup Lesson". This service included both the makeup lesson AND the cost of the lesson was redeemable in products. Sounds like a good deal, right? And who wouldn't love a makeup lesson from a professional?? (especially when they had a big event coming up like their son's wedding!!) :) So, Mark and I talked it over and we decided to get this for her as her birthday present. When I called to purchase the gift certificate I decided to inquire about bridal makeup. And guess what?? They most definitely do bridal makeup!! The fee to have this done was less than what i had been quoted previously (from the M/U artist that was booked) and it included a trial run, day-of, free lipstick AND a free makeup session for the Mother of the Bride on the day of the wedding! Um...sold!!! So, I made appointments for my FMIL and I to have our makeup done at the same time at the spa.

I told the makeup artist at Nvogue (Tammy) that I would like a fresh/natural kind of look that played up my eyes a bit. I told her I wanted something very soft and romantic, but something that would show up well and look good in pictures - not to mention last ALL day in the May heat of central Alabama!

Here's what she came up with:

So what do you guys think?? Do we have a winner??

Jillian Michaels Kicked My Booty - Part 2, Level 2

...that's right....Level 2

I started doing the 30 Day Shred DVD by Jillian Michaels on February 3rd. I was sore the next day...quite sore. But the day after that, I was EXTREMELY sore. I mean the kind of sore that hurts to sit, to walk, to shift positions...even to move your legs while you're laying in bed. Oh yeah, I was in pain. My quads were PISSED. I knew all those squats and lunges were gonna do me in...and they did! My arms were sore too...but that soreness was hardly even noticeable compared to my legs!! So yeah, I admit it...I took a little time off from Miss Jillian. But I did still go to the gym (mostly cardio and some abs). The following Tuesday, 2/10, I popped the DVD back in and tried again. To my surprise, this time around was a LOT easier. My legs felt worked and a good level of soreness at the end. And I could walk properly the next day! Woohoo!! I can't say that I did the DVD every day that week, because I didn't, but I DID do the DVD 3 times that week (mixing it up with yoga and workouts at the gym). 

That brings us to this week. Monday, I went to the gym; Tuesday I did the Shred DVD, and today (2/18) I did something a little unexpected....I did Level 2 on the DVD. That's right!! I stepped it up! ...And man was it hard!!!!! whew! I thought I was going to die about half way through. I was POURING with sweat. Seriously. In this second level, Jillian tricks you a little bit. Her circuit is 3 minutes strength, 2 minutes cardio and 1 minute abs...right? Well in Level 1 it is just that....but in level 2, the cardio all of a sudden becomes strength/cardio. Oh yeah. She LOVES the plank position. A LOT. You get in plank, you jump your legs in out from a bent leg pike position back out to the straight legged plank position. This is considered cardio? Oh no, no, no...Our cardio was jumping jacks and jumping rope and butt kicks remember? Um, yeah...that's not the case in Level 2. Yes, there was some jump roping; Yes, there were a few jumping jacks; and Yes, there were high kicks....but guess what else you work while doing high kicks? Your abs. And your legs. I guess you could call it "smart cardio", but I call it "Jillian Michaels fooling me into doing EVEN more strength training in my workout". Whew!!

I better see some results Jillian!!!!!! I mean I better be looking like this soon:

(speaking of results...I think I've lost about 2 lbs since the beginning of Feb....so that's something right?!?)

Jillian Michaels Kicked My Booty

Whew! Seriously....

Last week I ordered the DVD workout video 30 Day Shred from Amazon. My plan was to start February with a workout and weight loss routine....because, well...January came up on me too fast! :) I've been working out semi-regularly since last January, but I really needed to kick it up a few notches...I want to tone everything up and loose about 10 pounds before the wedding. Yep, I'm jumping on the bridal weight loss bandwagon! I never really thought I'd be one of those brides that would stress over the way they look on their wedding day and want to change things about myself before the wedding in order to look my best....but hey, if I'm putting this much work and this much money into 1 day then I better look good! Right?!? 

So, the adventure to a healthier, more toned version of me is beginning now (well, yesterday actually...I went to the gym)! And even though I've been eating pretty healthy for a while now, I'm going to kick that up a notch as well. I'm cutting out beer completely until the wedding, drinking less coffee (and more green tea! which i love as well), eating more fruit and veggies, and cutting back some on red meat. I'm going to try to add more fish into my diet as well. I've been eating whole grains for a while now so I'll continue that as well. Oh, and I tried a Boca Burger (the vegetarian burger substitute) the other day and it was really good. For real!

Back to the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred DVD. WOW. It finally came in the mail today and I couldn't wait to try it. If you plan to do this DVD you'll need a mat, some hand weights and a high threshold for pain! :) This DVD kicked my butt! The workout is only 20 minutes long, but damn that was a LONG 20 minutes!! Her workouts are based on a 3-2-1 pattern...3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs. Then you repeat that progression several times. NO REST in between. Seriously...one move to the next. The strength was hard...lots of squats/lunges with arm work at the same time...it made me wish my weights were 3 pound instead of 5! The cardio was mostly jumping jacks, jump rope (simulated...no rope) and a running in place sort of move. It was definitely enough to get you out of breath...especially when it comes immediately after those strength moves! The abs weren't so bad...in my opinion. But that's probably because I do ab work quite regularly. On the other hand, I do NOT do squats regularly...which I should, obviously. Now, all of that I did today, all that was described....was Level 1. That's right...there's multiple levels - 3 in fact. Once you get comfortable in one level you're suppose to move on to the next.  Oh my. 

My legs were BURNING by the time I was done and I could already feel the soreness setting it. I hope I can sit tomorrow without wincing! :) If I can do this video everyday for 30 days while progressing through the levels then I just might look like Jillian Michaels by the end! Speaking of which...I'll have to see how it goes tomorrow with my soreness to see if I can do the DVD again. If not then I'll just be going to the gym. I figure that I need to at least do the DVD 4/5 times a week until I build up my endurance and then I can begin to do it daily. Thank God I still have 4 months till the wedding!! (oh my god, I only have 4 months till the wedding!!! AHH!!!)

Old Habits Die Hard

yeah that's right...habits. We all have them. Some probably more embarrassing than others. But habits are breakable right? right! I've been thinking lately...there's a habit that I'd like to, love to, need to break. What is it? My skincare routine.

What?!? Are you disappointed?? Surprised? Did you want a juicier secret? Well...hold tight...we still have 6 months to go till the wedding - who knows what's gonna come out of my mouth before then! 

So back to my skincare routine. It currently consists of this:

Yep. Sad huh? Same stuff I used when I was 15 (sidenote - i think i've gone through several other cheapo drugstore cleansers...but they're all along the same line as good 'ole clean & clear). I'm now 25. Think it's time to switch?!? I do! Sadly, I think I'm getting to the point where it's important for me to use a good cleanser and a good skincare routine in general. I guess I'm finally realizing that I am, in fact, 25 years old and it's starting to show...on my face! Fine lines around my eyes, dark circles, dull complexion...and all of those fun things that come with age! Granted, I haven't taken the best care of my skin...5 years of lifeguarding coupled with countless hours in the sun, a few tanning bed trips (ahhh!!) and a lack of regular sunscreen use probably wasn't the best idea....

So, I'm on a search for a new (a REAL)  skincare routine. One that will help combat the fine lines and refreshen and moisturize my skin. Sounds easy enough right?!? Well, I have no idea where to begin. Honestly, I'm not even sure what skin type I have. Combination...maybe?!? I mean I don't think I'm oily...I never really look shiny. Although, my makeup definitely does fade by the end of the day...a side effect of oily skin? (then again that could be the fact that I only use a tinted moisturizer instead of foundation) Also, I don't think my skin is dry...although I definitely have to moisturize after I wash my face b/c my skin feels kinda tight. BUT...that could be the crappy cleanser :) 

So see where I'm at? I'm totally lost!!! Should I see a dermatologist?? I mean I don't necessarily have any problems with my skin so maybe that's not the route to go. I just figure that they are the actual skin professionals so maybe they could shed some light on my skin type and the best products for my skin. But do they even do that sort of thing?? I've never been to a dermatologist before (yeah, I made it all the way through my teens without any major skin problems...actually my skin is probably worse now than it was then! I literally used  to wash my face in the shower with dove soap and that was my skincare routine) I guess my other option is to go to Sephora or to a makeup counter and talk to one of the employees there. I've gotta be honest though....should I trust the advice of those employees? Do they really know their stuff?? Or is it just a part-time job for them? I mean if I'm talking about spending some money on a great skincare I want it to be the best one possible for my skin. You know??

I came across this product line on the Sephora website. 

Source

Does anyone know anything about it? Ever used it? It's the Philosophy brand Miracle gift set.

So...I desperately need your advice (as you can see!). Any good skincare products that you swear by? Dermatologist or Sephora/Cosmetic Counter Employee? Even if you can tell me what you think my skin type is....I'm game! Anything you've got for me...bring it! :)

Thanks so so much everyone!! I really appreciate it!

signed, 

the indecisive bride/ admitted skincare dummy