Easy beachy hair

As I have complained about before, my hair is really curly and really frizzy. For some reason though, it always looks great at the beach! I found a recipe to make a spray that will duplicate that look that you can make easily at home.

You'll need 2 teaspoons of sea salt, 1 cup of water, a few squirts of water based hair gel ( the amount of gel is optional depending on how much you like or how much your hair needs) I have also heard of people adding a few drops of a great smelling hair oil. I did not add that, but it seems like a good idea.

Put in a plastic squirt bottle, shake to dissolve sea salt and spray on hair. Hair that is dry and not freshly washed works best. Twist hair into spirals or do pin curls in large sections and secure with clips. Add a light coat of hair spray and let dry. Run your fingers through your hair to style and that's it!

I love this because I am sick of blow drying and straightening my hair. Not only is it time consuming, it is also damaging.

Bring on SUMMER!

Rachel Zoe

First let me say how much I love HER! I've seen all of her interviews, read articles about her and love "The Rachel Zoe Project". Her show would touch on her weight issue from time to time. Now everyone, including myself, is talking about it again. I think this picture is unflattering and she does look too thin ( since I am not a doctor I don't know what a healthy weight is for her). But, I would be a hypocrite to say that I am not a little envious. I spend a good part of my day trying to get thin, exercising, coming up with healthy meal ideas and recipes. I don't know the percentage, but don't most women want to be thin! Don't they spend hours trying new diets, joining gyms, and starving themselves to lose weight? Should we gossip, talk bad and look down upon her because she is what we wish, to some extent, to be. Sorry, I can't be hypocritical. While I think she should gain a little weight to maintain a healthy mind and body, I can't say I'm not just a little jealous of her ability to stay thin. I wish her the best and I think we should all leave her alone, I will too.

Frizzy hair tips

I have really frizzy hair. Besides using the "frizz control" shampoos and conditioners here are a few more ideas:

1. Do not wash your hair everyday! It dries it, strips it and you lose a lot of the natural hair oils you need to calm your hair down.

2. Use De-Frizzing serums after you style your hair. I use all of the Pantene De-frizz products.

3. Once a week sleep with olive oil on the middle to the ends of your hair. Be sure to cover your pillow with a towel before you sleep.

4. Rub a little of your facial moisturizer between your fingers then into the frizziest part of your hair when you've finished styling.

5. Run a fabric softener sheet from your dryer over your hair!

Great eye shadow to go......

I love these!

What a great idea.

You can toss them in your overnight bag or purse and go. One shot. Perfectly coordinated. You don't have to carry all of those eyeshadow cases!

They are sets of 30 single use eye color cards.

$12.00 on Sephora .com

Diet tips from Jackie Warner, Bravo's Work-out, Sky Sport Spa

I really loved this artical and I wanted to share it.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=1078836

I love Starbucks, but OMG!

I do love Starbucks, but the calories in the foods and drinks are incredible! For some reason, Starbucks seemed healthy to me. The freshness of the products, the way they are displayed, the whole ambiance of the place makes me feel cozy, warm, healthy, organic......but please! Don't read any further if you don't want to know.

Carmel Signature Hot Chocolate (venti) 720 calories, 32 grams of fat, 85 grams of sugar

NONFAT White Chocolate Mocha (grande) 420 calories, 13 grams of fat, 60 grams of sugar

Iced Caffe Mocha (grande, 2% milk, NO WHIP) 200 calories, 6 grams of fat, 26 sugars

Nonfat Hazelnut Hot Chocolate (tall, no whip) 350 calories, 9 grams of fat, 57 sugars

Now pair it with a Banana Nut Bread, Blueberry Scone or Maple Nut Scone and add another 500 calories, approximately 20 grams of fat, and approx. 40 grams of sugar.

That's why I say, OMG! I see many people grabbing the large size drinks, with extra this and more of that and some sort of bread or muffin or scone to go with it! Maybe I am watching and commenting negatively because I am jealous of the people eating them......or maybe I want to wear a bikini this summer.

7 beautiful ideas for a rainy day...

Bad weather can make for a great beauty and cooking day. Here are 7 ideas to make the most of being stuck inside.

1. Make a healthy pot of homemade chili. Make enough so you have it for a few days! It's better a day or two after you make it anyway. My recipe is very simple.

Ground turkey meat

Onion

Bell pepper

Green chili's

Mushrooms

Stewed tomato's

Canned red beans

Dry chili mix

Fry turkey meat in a large pan. Remove meat and drain any fat. Then fry onion, bell peppers,

chili's ( I remove the seeds from the inside if they are really hot ) and mushrooms. When the onions are soft add beans and stewed tomato's. Add meat and dry chili mix with a little water, beer or wine. Let simmer on low for about 20 mins. Really good. Really healthy.

2. Make a homemade facial mask. Mix together a 1/2 banana and 1/2 cup of oats. Apply to face for 20 minutes, rinse with cool water. Or try an avocado mask. Just mash avocado and apply to face and neck for about 20 minutes. Also cucumber and yogurt make a great mask!

3. Give yourself a mani- pedi.

4. Push ups, sit ups and squats are a great rainy day exercise in front of your favorite movie.

5. Give your hair a deep conditioning treatment. I do straight olive oil on my hair for and hour or so. Mayonnaise is also good.

6. A self tanning treatment is great on a gloomy day. I use the self tanning lotions, I have never tried the spray ons.

7. Bleach your teeth! There are many store treatments out that work great.

Now your body and face are beautifully tanned, your skin is soft from your mask, your teeth are white, your nails and hair are beautiful, you've exercised and cooked a healthy meal with left overs. That's a great use of a gloomy day.

10 Super Foods for Women

Health Magazine experts say these 10 foods make the list of "super foods" for women. I found it interesting so here is a list of the SUPER FOODS.....

!. Wild salmon: Boots mood and fights depression.

2. Oats: Lowers cholesterol.

3. Wild blueberries: Super high in antioxidants.

4. Walnuts: Protein, fiber and vitamins.

5. Broccoli: Helps fight breast cancer.

6. Greek yogurt: High calcium content.

7.Olive oil: Protects against Alzheimer's.

8. Dark chocolate: Reduces blood pressure.

9. Avocado: Fights belly fat.

10. Red beans: High in antioxidants and fiber.

This is why I am not afraid of 46......

Monica Bellucci. She's my age and also Italian. If women can look this great in their mid forties, what's so scary about it? Okay, she must eat right, exercise, take great care of her hair, face and nails. Sure, she probably has a trainer, nutritionist and stylist. But, you know she is still beautiful with out all of the "Hollywood" extras. I am just happy to see women like this, looking great and proud to be in their 40's. It makes me want to try harder.

How many calories will I burn when I am......

How many calories am I burning when I am.....

( all numbers are based on a person weighing 150 lbs. and doing each task for 10 minutes )

Carrying small children = 36 cals.

Household chores = 42 cals.

Brushing my teeth = 28.5 cals.

Gardening = 53 cals.

Grocery shopping = 40.5 cals.

Dancing = 57 cals.

Tennis = 83 cals.

Jog/walking = 71 cals.

Walking (2.5 mph) = 36 cals.

Bicycling = 95 cals.

As you can see, if you just try to keep moving through out the day your calorie burning will add up without even trying Some tricks I do to keep myself moving is always parking far away from your destination. My friends absolutely hate going places with me when I am driving. They hate the extra walk. It not only burns calories but, it saves your car from door dings from people parking too close to you. Also, taking the stairs instead of an elevator when you can, walking your dog more often, walking from place to place while running errands.

If it's possible to not move your car when you run from the grocery store to the dry cleaner to the post office etc, don't move it! Park once and get everything done. You'll burn tons of extra calories doing this. I live in a small town, so today I jogged to Starbucks and had my coffee, walked to the grocery store, did my shopping and walked home. It's about 3 miles round trip. Saves gas, burns calories and saves wear and tear on my car. All around a good idea!

A few low carb fruit choices....

Avocado 1/2 cup = 6 carbs

Blackberries, fresh 1/2 cup = 9.2

Blueberries, fresh 1/2 cup = 9.4

Boysenberries, fresh 1/2 cup = 9.2

Cherries, sour, fresh 1/2 cup = 6.3

Fig, 1 small = 7.7

Grapefruit, fresh 1/2 cup = 9.5

Guava 1/2 cup = 9.8

Most melons 1/2 cup = under 8 carbs

Peach, fresh, 1 small = 8.8

Strawberries, fresh, whole 1/2 cup = 5.1

Remember if your trying to lose weight to stay under 20-25 carbs per day. Fruit adds up quick, so in the beginning you need to be careful with your fruit choices.

Tip of the day: Start a food diary.

Keeping track of your food, beverages and exercise can be a wonderful partner in helping you reach your goals. By keeping track of these 3 things you will be able to see where you succeed and where you need to change your habits. Doing this can help you stay motivated and on track.

While many " diet professionals" say DO NOT weigh yourself everyday, I encourage it. ( Do it at the same time everyday because your weight fluctuates through out the day.) This, along with a journal of your eating habits, will let you know when something is working or going terribly astray!

Always reward yourself when you have had a good week. Do not reward yourself with food. I give myself a goal for the week or the month and if I reach it I reward myself with a new perfume, or a haircut, a pedicure, a new book, anything that feels like a treat.

Having a hard time losing weight? Try this......

If your having a hard time starting a diet or can't lose weight on your current plan try these simple tips.

Number One: If you normally have toast, bagels, muffins or anything starchy for breakfast switch it out for a week for 2 eggs, any style, and a piece of turkey sausage. Or, turkey slices with cheese wrapped in lettuce, or an omelet with onions, bell peppers, ham, cheese etc. Make the swap for a week and see what happens. Atkins bars are also great for breakfast if your on the go.

Number 2: If your usual lunch is a sandwich, chips and fruit, try your sandwich meat wrapped in lettuce with low fat cheese, a( low carb) piece of fruit and almonds instead. Or a hamburger patty with cheese and tomato's, etc. Take your starches out. It's easy to do.

Follow the same idea for dinner. What about a piece of fish or grilled chicken or a small piece of steak with cauliflower, broccoli, salad, green beans etc. ( Skip the potato's, peas, carrots all very high in carbs ) These changes make all of the difference in the world.

Number three: Do some sort of exercise. Anything will do. Just start moving.

And drink water. This is my down fall and I am trying to work on it. I have to force myself to do it. If it were Chianti I would have no problem at all.

Running vs. walking, what's the calorie difference?

I started running again yesterday. I have never been good at it. I run a little, walk a little. My friend, who is 20 years younger than I can run 2-3 miles, not get winded, doesn't stop for anything, just flies by me like I am 102 years old. I printed an application for both of us to run a 5k in March. That is my birthday present to myself. I don't care if I come in last, I just want to finish and not walk my way through it.

Running 1 mile burns about 105 calories for women. Walking burns about 75 per mile. Not a huge difference, but good to know.

No one is 100% one hundred percent of the time.

Blast chips, salsa and bean dip! I got involved with them last night. I could not weigh myself this morning! I did run a mile and 1/2! I had a perfect low carb day today and made my cleansing soup. I am also banning the cocktail hour today.

(The cleansing soup is great. The recipe is listed on my blog.)

I've been doing a lot of reading about Atkins again. Just getting reacquainted with the plan and refreshing my numbers of carbs in the foods I eat. Atkins has a great web site, Atkins.com. They have a free sample of their bars as well. I have been having 1 with my coffee in the morning. If you have not purchased a carbohydrate counter yet or printed a counter off the Internet I encourage you to do so, it's hard to maintain with out one.

Well, I feel good tonight. I had an overall good day.

147.6 lbs today!

Yesterday was a good day. I just got back home from a long trip and planned to really kick this diet up! I want to be 135lbs. by my 46th birthday, which is March 9th. About 12 lbs to go and about 2 months to do it. That's 6 lbs. a month, OK! I can do it.

I have not mentioned it yet, I don't think anyway, that I am a fast food junkie and yesterday proved it. I had 2 of my fave meals out. # 1, Carls Jr. I eat 2 of the "Big Hamburgers" .99 cents each. The meat is very thin. I order them as lettuce wraps, with extra pickles. So they have a lot of lettuce, onion and pickles. High in vegetables, low fat, low carbs and $2.00! You can't go wrong! Then for dinner, El Pollo Loco. Side salad with light cilantro dressing and 2 chicken legs. So good and $4.00! I also had my usual cocktails. For my breakfast for the next few days I am having Atkins bars. I like them with coffee.

I did go to the book store yesterday to get the 02 diet book, but they were sold out! I live in a small town so I guess I will have to order it on-line.

135 lbs. by March 9

I am finally home. I have been away from home for 6 weeks! It's not easy eating right and exercising when you live out of a suitcase. With that being said, yesterday I was traveling all day and did carb watch but, no exercise. Today will not be easy either. I've made plans already to run with a friend tomorrow. I will weigh in and start again on Friday. I am on my way to the bookstore to buy the 02 diet/healthy eating book. I will let you know the basics. It sounds great!

My birthday is March 9. I hope to be 135 lbs. by then. I also want to tone up. Nothing worse than a flabby 46 year old women in a bikini!

Slow but steady.....

Today's weight 149.0

Yesterdays breakfast:

1 fried egg with fresh salsa

Lunch:

2 thin slices of meatloaf over a large bed of lettuce, goddess dressing

Dinner:

Large salad with onion, tomato, feta cheese, a few dried cranberries and a piece of pork rib cooked in tomato sauce ( don't use bbq sauce it has too much sugar)

Snack:

1/2 orange and a few almonds

Drinks:

1 water, 1 sugar free lemonade, 2 coffees, 1 light beer, 1 glass of red wine.

Exercise:

Walked 20 minutes

Why start dieting for summer in January?

"Why start now? It's still cold outside!"

Well, It depends on how much you need to lose or tone up. This process is very slow. You have good days and bad. Days you follow your eating program and days you fall off. It also takes a lot of time to tone. I prefer old school running, push-ups and squats but, what ever you like to do is great as long as you are moving! Walking, dancing, gardening, boxing anything!

Swim suit season maybe months away, but it will come sooner than you think and you don't want to miss the fun hiding behind an umbrella and beach towel.

Down a little....

Today's weight is 149.6

Yesterday I had my usual 2 egg breakfast with chopped onions.

Lunch was a hamburger patty, 2 slices of tomato and a slice of cantaloupe.

Dinner was a large green salad with tomato, onion, and a little cheese with olive oil and rice vinegar dressing and Italian sausage.

Snack was a hand full of almonds.

Here's where I blew it....... a slice of lemon cake! Why? Oh well, this is a journey and I am bound to make mistakes....

To drink I had 1 water (that needs to change to 8 glasses)

2 vodka on the rocks, 2 coffees, 1 sugar free lemonade, 2 glasses of wine.

I walk/jogged for 30 minutes.

All in all, not a terrible day. Lets see how today goes.

I was watching the news this morning and saw a very interesting segment on a diet called 02.

I want to read more about it!

Results from day number 1

Zero weight loss.

What I ate: Breakfast

2 eggs fried in Pam cooking spray, chopped onions, a small amount of cheese.

Lunch:

(This was mistake #1) I skipped it, got home too late and decided to wait until dinner.

Snack:

Spoon full of peanut butter (not a good choice,too high in fat, but great for protein)

Dinner:

2 bowls of soup with ham, beans, tiny pasta, vegetables.

What I drank:

1 water, 2 coffees, sugar free lemon aide, 2 vodka rocks, 1 red wine

What I did wrong: Skipping lunch so then I ate more for dinner. Should not have had the pasta in soup. Should have had more veg in my day and a piece of fruit. Should have had only one cocktail! Not enough water!

What I did right: Exercised! I walked 30 mins. 50 push-ups, 50 squats

It's 6:45 am on day 2, today I will try to do a little better than yesterday....

The summer diet and exercise starts

Okay! It's 6:30 am Jan 2. My plan for a summer bikini body starts now. I weighed in at 149.8. I knew I had gained a few pounds over the holidays, but that's fine.

Todays plan is 30 minutes of cardio, power walking, and 50 push-ups. I plan on 30 mins. of cardio daily and then one specific exercise for arms or abs etc. Honestly, I hate exercise, so it's hard to get motivated. I will eat under 25 carbs, watch my fat intake and limit my alcohol. I will keep notes of how today went and post exactly what I ate today, tomorrow morning. In a few days I want to take all of my measurements as well to track my toning from exercise. We'll see..... time to start.