Crystal Madrilejos

So, just a couple things about me personally. I normally don’t wear a ton of makeup. I prefer a dewy look to my skin, rather than a matte look. I’m really into moisturizing for fear of getting a wrinkly neck. And I’m almost positive that chapped lips run in my family.

1. Waxelene – This has been my lip balm of choice for a little while now. But I’ve also been known to slather it on like lotion when in a bind. Andrew uses it on his entire body (good thing it comes in a huge jar) because he’s got really bad eczema and uses this when he needs to break out the heavy artillery. It’s a great, natural alternative to Vaseline. My only complaint is that it doesn’t smell super great. It doesn’t smell bad, but it has a distinct smell to it.

2.) RMS “Un” Cover Up & RMS Lip2Cheek – I love how creamy these two products are. They cover without making you look like you have a ton of makeup on.

3.) JASÖN Vitamin E Oil – I’ve used this on my face and body and never had any problems with breakouts. It has a nice scent and doesn’t make you look greasy, like you would imagine slathering oil on your face would do. I also use this to cleanse my face. I rub an excessive amount all over my face like you would with a normal cleanser, but instead of washing it off I wipe off the excess oil with a tissue/soft cloth and all the dirt and stuff comes off with it.

4.) Love & Toast Honey Nectar Body Butter – This is a new acquisition for me and it’s not heavy in rotation. I mainly got it because I needed a moisturizer that I could carry around in my purse because I hate driving to work with dry hands! I had been using the Waxelene in such situations, since I always have a little container of that in my bag, but again, the scent wasn’t ideal. This stuff smells great!

5.) Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil – We started using coconut oil when Andrew read somewhere that it was really good for eczema (which I’m sure works for some people, but didn’t really do much for Andrew’s extreme case) but I really like it as a light moisturizer. This is also what we used in our “Deo for Your B.O.” from our last post. Another thing that it’s great for is baby moisturizer. It’s not super greasy and you can rest assured it safe for their sensitive skin.

6.) Dr. Hauschka Liquid Eyeliner – Like I said, I don’t wear much makeup. But I HAVE to wear liquid eyeliner. It’s the only thing that stays put on my oily, Asian eyes. I swear. That being said, this eyeliner is okay. I find that I still have to do a lot of prepping to get it to stay put. But I’ll deal with that rather than use something that stays on longer, but has bad stuff in it.

7.) Zoya Natural Nail Polish in Avery – I wish wish wish I could have perfectly manicured nails all the time. However, it’s just not possible for me. Too much time and money that I don’t have to spare. Plus, the more I read about nail salons and the chemicals they use and the chemicals in non-clean nail polishes the more I think it’s best to just do it myself. This polish works great and doesn’t seem to last any longer (or shorter) than it’s non-clean counterparts. I’m considering this color and this color too because I’m really into just having neutrals on hand when I’m feeling the urge to get fancy.

8.) John Masters Pomegranate Facial Nourishing Oil – I’m really into using oils on my face. It seemed crazy and scary at first, but then the more I read and thought about it the more it started to make sense. I always thought that I had oily skin. Turns out that I have dry skin! My skin was just overproducing oils to compensate for the fact that it wasn’t properly being moisturized. Now that I use oil on my face, I never get greasy/shiny.

9.) Nubian Heritage Raw Shea Butter Soap – This is also a new acquisition for me. I’ve tried a few Nubian Heritage products and have been pleasantly surprised every time. When I first bought, I was worried that maybe it was too manly a scent, but I’ve found that it’s really subtle and I don’t smell like a man at all (or at least no one has said I do!)

10.) Nubian Heritage Olive & Green Tea Lotion – Okay, so I’ve been saying how much I love oils and such. But sometimes, I just want to put some fancy smelling lotion on my elbows. So, sue me! One thing about this lotion is that it is VERY VERY thick. And sort of hard to get out of the bottle. It’s more like a cream and probably should be packaged in a tub rather than a bottle. There is no way you are getting every last drop out. You’ll have to cut that sucker open. Which I plan to do.

11.) Alima Pure Satin Matte Mineral Foundation – I used Bare Minerals forever but then for some reason (maybe the pregnancy?) it started to dry out my skin. Plus, I could never find the perfect shade for my skin tone. Alima Pure has A MILLION shades and you can order samples to try before committing to one shade. I think I ordered like 10 of them or something crazy. I prefer to mix it with my face oil to make it more like a liquid/tinted moisturizer rather than apply it just straight as a powder. I like the coverage better and plus I can kill two birds with one stone.

12.)  John Masters Lavender Rosemary Shampoo for Normal Hair – Natural shampoos were one of my first forays into “clean” products. I remember my college roommate telling me how chemicals were absorbed through our scalps and that freaked me out. Scary facts aside, one of the best things about switching to all natural shampoos has been the fact that my hair hardly ever gets greasy. I used to have to wash my hair every single day or risk getting a bad case of the greasies. But now I can go 3 or 4 days without washing my hair! Yes, I go 3 to 4 days without washing my hair.

Only after I did that fancy photo collage above, did I realize that I forgot a few others so I’ll post about those another day. Plus, this post is way too long and I’m positive no one is reading at this point. Bonus points if you made it this far.

Without sounding too preachy, I know some of these things are pricey. Hell, all of them are pricey if you are used to buying drugstore cosmetics these days. But I think it’s worth the investment to live healthier even if it means just switching out one of your products for a clean one. Less chemicals is always better. Anyone else have products they recommend?

-c.

[Photo by Lauren Crew]

For the past year or so (maybe longer, who can remember that far back?), I’ve been slowly but surely transitioning to “clean” health and beauty products. We all know that there are bad chemicals/toxins/stuff in everything nowadays. So much so, that you can’t even trust when something says “All-Natural” or “Organic” these days. Andrew and I do our best to arm ourselves by staying informed and educated, but it can be frustrating and down-right depressing to find out things that you thought were good for you, are actually not as good as you thought (I’m looking at you SIGG).

Luckily, there are quite a number of resources online for checking out how “clean” a product is. No More Dirty Looks is by far my favorite site for beauty products. These lovely ladies live for clean and green beauty products. Run by Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt, who co-authored the book No More Dirty Looks: The Truth About Your Beauty Products and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics, this site is a goldmine of knowledge on all types of brands and products. I used to work with Siobhan back in my NYC days and I can attest that she is one smart cookie. Also, I have tried many products based on their reviews and recommendations and have not once been disappointed. Not only are these ladies super smart and charming, but they have a following of like-minded folks that comment on their site and offer even more advice and suggestions for cleaning up your beauty routine.

One of the surest ways to know what you’re putting on (and eventually into) your body is to make it from scratch. Obviously, this works better in some scenarios than others. Recently, I came across this recipe on the No More Dirty Looks site for DIY deodorant, cleverly called Deo for Your B.O.! Andrew and I tested it out on the 4th of July and it worked awesome!

Mix equal parts corn starch, baking soda and coconut oil (we use Nutiva Virgin Coconut Oil) and, Voila!, awesome, homemade deodorant cream that keeps you B.O. free even on the hottest day of the year. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a natural deodorant option.

-c.

Image by Ben via Flickr

Finally went running last night! And it’s confirmed, I suck at running.

Ok, I know I’m not giving myself much credit. I ran a mile. And I felt like I was dying. I know some of you are thinking “A mile?! Big whoop.” But I haven’t run in awhile. It’s been probably a year or so. And I wasn’t very good at it then either. It’s weird. My legs don’t get tired, but I can’t get my breathing under control. I sound (and possibly look) like someone having some sort of attack.

Andrew and Q ran with me, which helped a lot. Andrew pushed Q in the running stroller. It’s hard for Andrew to run with me because he’s almost a foot taller than I am and running at such a slow pace is almost painful for him. But he did it anyway, what a guy! And Q fell asleep a half-mile in.

Going to try to go running tomorrow. It’s supposed to be a scorcher, so hopefully I don’t pass out and make a fool of myself. Wish me luck!

-c.

Image by ►CubaGallery via Flickr

Golf? Yes, actually.

A few weeks ago a friend of mine put out a call for ladies to join a local golf league and with absolutely no golf experience whatsoever (unless you consider hitting golf balls from the backyard into the woods as “experience”) I decided to join. Ok, I guess I’ve had some experience. I mean, I can hit a golf ball even if it’s with terrible form and some cursing and swearing. But I had never actually PLAYED golf, like, on a golf course.  The first day of the golf league was officially my first time ever setting foot on a golf course!

So began my current (and weird) love affair with the sport. It’s like we love to hate each other. I’m not an uncoordinated person. I can throw a ball and look relatively normal while running. But trying to hit a golf ball with the correct form is unbelievably unnatural and extremely frustrating. And yet, I find myself enjoying the process of commanding and willing my body with all my might to hit the dang ball correctly. Luckily, Andrew has a childhood of sports related experiences and lessons that he is willing to share. He’s been very patient with me and has helped me figure out what I’m doing wrong.

There were many times when I threw up my hands and said, screw it, this isn’t for me! But the other day Andrew and I were just hitting balls around the yard and something just clicked. I could see and feel what I was doing wrong and was able to fix it. I’m by no means “good” but I feel like I’m improving which, if anything, feels good!

Wish me luck!

-c.

Image by kevindooley via Flickr

Sorry I’ve been MIA the past few days. I was sick on Friday and had to stay home from work. I thought I would be able to squeeze in a post from the couch where I was laid up for most of the day. But instead I opted to hover in and out of consciousness while watching Howl’s Moving Castle and hugging on my baby boy (who also was weathering a cold.)

I haven’t posted about the progress of my workout lately because, to be honest, I’ve felt embarrassed at how badly I’ve been slacking. I hate to throw around excuses, but I will anyway. The main issue I’ve been having is that Q’s schedule has changed. He’s been going to bed later which means I have to start my workout later and most times I’m just too ding-dang tired! Luckily, last night Q fell asleep at 8:30 so I was able to squeeze in a round of Core Synergistics. I’ve even considered maybe trying to go to bed at 8:30 and wake up at 5am to workout instead of doing a nighttime routine. Knowing myself, that probably won’t go over well.

I think P90X is really great if you want to see results relatively quickly, BUT I’m starting to realize that unless you are the type of person who’s already in the habit of working out regularly, the whole 90-day thing isn’t the best approach. I think that’s my problem. I keep thinking, I just need to get to 90 days then I’m done! But I’m not done. Exercising isn’t something temporary, it’s something that has to become part of my lifestyle. More than anything, I need to change my perception of how exercising fits into my life. It needs to become something that just needs to be done regularly, like showering and brushing my teeth. What’s that saying about old dogs and new tricks? Sheesh, they weren’t kidding. It’s not impossible, but it’s freaking hard!

Time constraints aside, overall I am just lacking in motivation. Maybe I need to start a new routine? Maybe I need a workout partner (or just six kids, like Gloria in that picture above)? How do you, dear readers, stay motivated?

-c.

P.S. I reread this post and realized that I sound like a lazy bum who hates even the thought of lifting a finger, which is not the case. I actually enjoy being active. But, to me, there is a distinction between “being active” and exercising for the purpose of losing weight and strengthening muscles. The latter being what I’ve been bitching about in this really long, text heavy post!

Image by sparth via Flickr

Ok, so this past week was my worst week yet. I’m going to blame it on PMS. Maybe that’s too much information, but I’m not going to be all holier-than-thou and act like I’m immune to its forces. I bitch and moan and stomp around. Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.

I only worked out two of the requisite six times last week. According to my calculations, I’m now two weeks behind schedule on this P90X thing but I WILL finish. This week would have been my last week if I hadn’t been such a slacker. So now, three more weeks! I’m going to try my absolute best to just finish strong and not miss any more days. We’ll see how that goes.

My post-P90X plan is to try this running thing again. I’ve mentioned this in earlier posts but I’m just going to expound on this idea for a second. I really like the idea of running. I think in another life, maybe i was a runner. But in this life, I hate running and suck at it. I mean, I can run for a couple minutes and feel fine. But I don’t enjoy doing it for any significant amount of time. I don’t know why I have this feeling that I should enjoy running. I think it’s because I have this romanticized image in my head of me effortlessly running with nothing but a stretch of open road and beautiful landscape ahead of me. But the real image is me huffing and puffing around a track while complaining about how tired I am and how much I just want to stop. It’s not pretty. And yet! I’m still compelled to give it another try.

Any runners out there have any tips for a runner-wannabe?

-c.

Image by Christopher Paul via Designpiration

In the famous words of Tony Horton, I’ve been doggin’ it. Not sure what exactly that means, but basically, I’ve been slacking in my routine. I missed 2 days last week. I never thought I would feel bad about working out ONLY 4 days instead of 6. That’s what exercise does, it turns you into a crazy person! And last night I might have, maybe, possibly, just skipped doing Ab Ripper. Ha!

So, my solution to this problem is that every workout I miss I have to make up. P90X is a 90 day routine, hence the name. It’s been roughly 40 days since I started, but now am about a week behind schedule due to a combination of everyday life and laziness. But in all honesty, my main issue is that most days I can’t get to my workout until around 9PM. By that time all my enthusiasm, patience, and general good naturedness (not a word) has all but dissipated and I begrudgingly work my way through the exercises fueled only by negative thoughts and a desire for the workout to be over! It’s no way to live!

I really need to work towards being more positive. I keep thinking about all the bad vibes I’m putting out into the world with negative thoughts. And I don’t want to contribute to that.

On a positive note! I weighed myself this morning for the first time in awhile and I have officially lost 15lbs since the beginning of the year. Oh yeah!

-c.

UPDATE: So, not only does exercise make you crazy but it apparently also effects your mind’s ability to do simple calculations. I said I had been doing P90X for roughly 40 days… try 60!! Jeez, all that pain and suffering completely disregarded.

Image by Molly | Orangette via Design is Mine

I’m on day 64 of 90 in P90X. I missed my workout yesterday, ugh. Yeah, I know it sucks. That just means I’ll be working out on Sunday instead.

Tonight is Chest, Shoulders and Triceps PLUS Ab Ripper. This workout kicks my ass so hard. I can’t do push-ups to save my life and this workout is pretty much all push-ups. It’s so dumb. I complain throughout the whole thing every time. Ab Ripper sucks too, but I’ve actually seen improvement in my performance during that workout so I don’t hate it as much.

So, I know I talk about the workouts a lot but I don’t think I’ve elaborated much on the diet. This part sucks too (but not as much as I thought it would). Basically, for the first 30 days you eat a ton of protein and veggies with a little bit of fruit, a tiny amount of carbs, and no sugar. For the next 30 days it’s basically the same, but with a little less protein and a little more carbs. I was pretty strict for the first month, but I’ve relaxed a little now that I’m further along in the program. I still limit carbs and sugar, but I’m not a freak about it.

If you’re wondering, I eat the same thing almost every day with the exception of dinner. And weekends can be a crap shoot but here is what I eat most days, if you care to know such things:

Breakfast:
2 Turkey Sausages
1 Egg
1 Whole wheat bagel – OR – 1 cup of oatmeal with a banana and berries
1 cup of Tea with skim milk, no sugar

Morning Snack:
1 small/medium Apple – OR- Banana

Lunch:
Salad with Chicken and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Afternoon Snack:
Cheese or Yogurt

I drink water unless I want a special treat, then I drink flavored seltzer water. Dinner is usually whatever Andrew feels like making. He’s good about taking my diet into consideration, plus Q eats what we eat so it’s usually something pretty healthy. We try to be conscientious about what we feed Q. We keep processed foods and sweets out of his diet as much as possible, so I started thinking this would be a good rule to live by: “Don’t eat anything I wouldn’t feed to my son.”

I think it’s important to enjoy eating even if I’m trying to lose weight. So I treat myself , but only on occasion. Anyone else have any tips for staying healthy AND happy?

-c.

Image via oliviathebig

I started a new job at the beginning of the year. A few days into my new job my team of co-workers in the marketing department decided to start a weight-loss challenge. I figured, why not? I had some baby weight that I still wanted to lose, so I figured it would be good incentive to try to get back to where I was before I got pregnant.

I guess I should preface the outcome of this story with some information about me. I am naturally a small person. I eat healthy (though I do have a pretty bad sweet tooth) but I never got into the habit of exercising on a regular basis. I’ve remained basically the same size throughout my adult life and hadn’t had to lose any significant amount of weight for someone my size. Until I had a baby.

I wasn’t one of those lucky ladies whose body agrees with pregnancy and who comes out of it looking and feeling better than they did before. For all of you who aren’t familiar with the rules of pregnancy and such, the recommended weight gain for someone who is of average weight is 25-30lbs. I gained 50. Both Andrew and I were baffled especially since I had gestational diabetes and was on a diabetic diet (low carbs, no sweets) for a good part of my pregnancy. After giving birth and losing the initial post-pregnancy weight I was still 20lbs over what I was when I got pregnant.

The weight-loss challenge started on January 5th and today was our final weigh in. Aaaand……. I WON!! Awesome, right?

I honestly didn’t think I would win. And really, I wasn’t trying to. Pretty much for the whole month of January, I didn’t do anything. But then in February I started P90X and have since lost 9.42% of my body weight.

I didn’t start P90X to win the weight-loss challenge. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to win and feel like I really accomplished a goal. But ultimately I just really wanted to get healthy and feel good.

Just 5 1/2 more weeks of P90X to go…

-c.

You might have noticed a new navigation bar up there above the posts. It’s part of my grand scheme to expand this blog. Basically, it’s a way to highlight the different aspects of this blog. The new things being the “self” and “family” categories.

This post will actually sort of encompass both of those topics. I’m a small person. I have been my whole life. So during (and after) my pregnancy, I had a hard time handling my new body. I’m getting to the point in my life where my body is only has strong and fit as I make it. Unlike my younger self with my fast metabolism and boundless energy, being healthy as I get older is more of an effort. Which I’m sure is the case for lots of people.

A couple months ago I decided it was time to take my body back and stop feeling bad mentally and physically. That’s when I started my “other blog” about trying to keep track of this new phase in my life. I have since moved the few posts I had written on Tumblr, over to this site (you can find them under the “self” tab up above to get up to date. Keeping track of my progress has kept me motivated to a certain extent. Though I have to admit, it’s been really hard. Last week was a tough one for me. Currently, I am in week 9 of P90X (week 1 of phase 3) and have 5 more weeks to go until I’m done with this craziness.

Then I think I may give this running thing a try again. I hate running.

-c.