“Me Time” at Hotel Valley Ho – VH Spa

Every person needs some “me” time, whether it be a mom, dad, a significant other or even teenager!  You work all day, deal with people and just need a little time to yourself.  Rob’s “me time” is cycling or Mountain Biking, mine is painting (which I haven’t done in forever), Reading (which is impossible sometimes) and going to the Spa Happy Hours that the Spa at Hotel Valley Ho puts on. Let me explain:

So, about every month or two the Spa will showcase one of the product lines they carry – some have included Moroccan Oil, Priori, PinoNatural Spa Therapy and the one that happened yesterday was FarmHouse Fresh.

FarmHouse Fresh is a company that carries a line of beauty products that are 90-99% all natural and smell amazing. Most of their stuff is Vegan/Gluten Free and Paraben & Sulfate Free.  You really need to try them out! I own Fluffy Bunny, and it smells like marshmallows! 

The Spa Parties are 3 mini sessions that you can choose from (out of 5 or 6 options)  on the HotelsSpa reservation site, or by calling. The choices can be things like: facial, foot scrubs, arm scrubs, arm massage, scalp massage, paraffin treatments, Polish changes or makeup applications.  I usually go with facials and arm treatments- they are my favorite =)

The best part of the whole thing is that it is super affordable! It’s 25$ for the mini sessions, plus you get a 20$ gift certificate to the spa shop where you can purchase one of the showcased products, plus you get a goody bag filled with awesome samples and treat AAANNNDDDD you get cocktails! Who doesn’t love cocktails?

Everyone should sign up next time, it is awesome to hang out, chat and mingle! When you get the email blast you better hurry because there are only 40 spots each time and they fill-up in like a day!  Let me know if you are interested and I will let you know when the next one is. 

Here are some of FarmHouse Freshs' products! They were voted Oprah's Favorite things 2007!

more products! 

Drink of the night: Tea forte infused Vodka with Watermelon Juice and a splash of Basil! It was so good

This was my splurge with the 20$ certificate! I already had some of the FHF products! I love Butter London Nail Polish! 

More like Muscle Failure!

OMG! What was I thinking? So, I have been wanting to go to the classes that MountainSide Fitness offers, and what do I do? I pick THE hardest class! I made Rob go with me, so it was much easier to keep motivated even though i wanted to walk out so many times. Ha!

I thought it was going to be a “toning” class, as in lifting light weights for many reps. NOPE! It was like doing a Jillian Michaels get ripped in 30 DVD only for an HOUR! The first 30 min were just squats and lunges, which seemed like it was never going to end. EVER! The rest of the 30 min was arm work and core, which I am much better at, because it seems that I have ZERO leg strength.  I know this because I am sitting here three days later still in pain, and it kills when I sit down or stand up.

Guess what? I am going back on Sunday! Especially since I had Monday and Tuesday off from the Gym, mainly due to Monday having last minute Mouth Surgery (ok, I had four fillings replaced and one of them had a cavity, but still I feel like I was punched in the face)  and Tuesday was a “me” evening coming in my next post =) Oh and another reason I want to continue to do squats? Well I am pretty sure you saw the MTV VMA’s…. enough said. 

What's being a Woman got to do with working out???

As you know, I have had to battle with Hormones and being super sensitive to them, as well as water retention. I decided to some research about it maybe having to do with “Being a Woman”, and how that maybe affects the way we need to work out. I found this great site that seemed to explain things in a way that makes sense.

It divides the month into two sections Day 1- Day 14 and Day 15- Day 28. With each section (they are called Follicular and Luteal, in that order) there need to be different eating habits and work out routines.  Day 1 is the start of the Follicular Phase, or “Time of the month” and thus your body does better with muscle building and fat burning. The Second Section, which is Day 15- 28^th and the Luteal stage, Start when you “ovulate” until, well, Day 1 and is more of a “sugar burning” stage due to Progesterone being more present.  Read the Two articles HERE and HERE, but I did take the snap shot of the “main” bullet points for you underneath this. The first part is a diet and training schedule and the second is a more informed Training schedule. I added a picture of what my September Calendar looks like so far ;)

So the training and diet schedule may look something like this:

Follicular phase:

·         3 Times weekly full body weight training.

·         3 Times weekly long-duration moderate intensity training.

·         Normal calorie and carbohydrate intake at most meals with most timed after exercise to enhance training adaptations and muscle growth.

Luteal Phase:

·         3-5 times weekly short duration high intensity metabolic conditioning, HIIT, and sprint training.

·         Normal calorie intake with carbohydrate kept low, using exercise to create the correct hormonal environment and caloric deficit to burn fat and minimize any muscle loss.

·         Plenty of relaxing restorative exercise like leisure walking, sauna, tai chi, etc.

Protocol Overview

So the female phase training protocol looks like this:

·                     Follicular phase (Days 1-14): 30:40:30 macronutrient intake (carbs:protein:fat). 3 times weekly full body traditional weight training (squat, bench press, back row, shoulder press), 4 sets of 10 using a 8-12 rep max. 5 days per week steady state moderate intensity cardio (40-60 minutes).

·                     Luteal phase (Days 14-28): 20:40:40 or 10:45:45 macronutrient intake (carbs:protein:fat). 4-5 days per week metabolic conditioning (mixed weight & cardio interval training). Daily leisure walking (as much as able)

·                     Repeat next month

• The follicular phase is shown to be a more anabolic time overall allowing women to engage in more cardio based exercise with less chance of losing muscle as well as derive enhanced lean tissue gains from weight training.
• The luteal phase is more of a catabolic time for muscle tissue making long-duration cardio less beneficial and higher protein diets more prudent. There is some evidence the luteal phase has a greater EPOC and afterburn effect associated with it.

I am going to try it for a month and see if it makes a difference, and if it helps with my weight loss. I mean the concept makes sense, so why not? I have to work out anyway lol!

OH! On a side-note!!! I have a metabolic problem that we have been trying to figure out, and I was NEVER able to get my average heart rate up above 130, even when running! WELL yesterday  was able to!!! OMG my average was 141!!! I felt so good, so that means my thyroid meds must be doing the trick! 

Cheat Meals.... More like HELL Meals....

Why are they called cheat meals??? They are not a “treat” or a “delight” for that matter! They are effing torture! This is the first time I have really and I mean REALLY stuck to a healthy diet of no crap and or processed foods (ones that I can control).

Last night I decided that I was going to “treat” myself to what Lena and rob were having- French fries! My absolute FAVORITE… not so much anymore.  Everyone has seen those “food baby” pictures, and if you haven’t Google them, its gross. I didn’t think I would get one from only after a week of eating healthy, but boy was I wrong. I have never had so much pain in my stomach! My stomach was so hard and I felt like I could not move. When I laid down it was worse and it was so uncomfortable. I decided to maybe help it out that I would try and drink a glass of water to maybe help, IDK I was in a panic.

This morning I felt better, but I am for SURE not going to do that again until I am ready for the consequences! 

EEEWWWW what is that?? Is that my skin?

Skin!

Yeah so obviously jo-jo dieting didn’t help, but neither did giving birth to the 22 inch, 9.2 Pound baby that was the size of a three month old, and whose head circumference was 15 inches (thus she never dropped).  So, I am working on fixing this issue while I am losing weight. There are three things I am doing to help with my obsession of getting myself back in primo shape before we even think about having another one. (Also, I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY MOM THAT FEELS THIS WAY) 

ONE is Dry Brushing

This is something my German Oma always swore by! “Jennifer you should be doing this because it helps with tightening skin and circulation and cellulite” Obviously she was speaking German and it really did not resonate to a 12 year old. However the retired nurse was 100% right!

Get yourself a dry brush and start doing this IMMEDIATELY! I looked online and they ran for around 8-19 dollars, until I had the genius idea to check ROSS! They have everything random! Sure as shit, they had one left for 2.99$!!! AWESOME!

The way you dry brush is also important. You are gonna want to start at your ankles and in round circular motions work your way up. Be warned, it does not feel good, nor should it. You are rubbing off dead skin and circulating blood in your body. When has beauty every = no pain??  I hope this goes unsaid, but just in case, YOU HAVE TO BE DRY, the brush does not get wet!

Do this 2-3 times a day if you like….. shower afterwards.

Then do number TWO

Body scrub!

I made my own last night and I must tell you it was fantastic! My skin is super smooth and feels so much better. The Dry brushing helped for sure.

I made my scrub out of Coconut Oil because of its amazing benefits (to see them and its uses check out Gigi’s Beauty blog HERE) and EPSOM Salt.  Underneath is the link, but there are so many besides for health.

USE A SEPERATE DRY BRUSH!!

EPSOM SALT USES: BEAUTY

Exfoliate dead skin - In the shower or bath, mix a handful of Epsom salt with a tablespoon of bath or olive oil and rub all over your wet skin to exfoliate and soften. Rinse thoroughly.

Exfoliating face cleanser - To clean your face and exfoliate skin at the same time, mix a half-teaspoon of Epsom salt with your regular cleansing cream. Gently massage into skin and rinse with cold water.

Dislodge blackheads - Add a teaspoon of Epsom salt and 3 drops iodine into a half cup of boiling water. Apply this mixture to the blackheads with a cotton ball.

Remove foot odor - Mix a half cup of Epsom salt in warm water and soak your feet for 10 minutes to remove bad odor, sooth achy feet, and soften rough skin.

Remove hairspray - Combine 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 1 cup Epsom salt. Cover the mixture and let set for 24 hours. The next day, pour the mixture into your dry hair and leave on for 20 minutes before shampooing as normal.

Hair volumizer - Combine equal parts deep conditioner and Epsom salt and warm in a pan. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

Helps muscles and nerves function properly

Studies show that Epsom salt can help regulate electrolytes in your body, ensuring proper functioning of the muscles, nerves and enzymes. Magnesium is also known to be critical in the proper use of calcium, which serves as a main conductor of the electric impulses in your body.

Eliminates toxins from the body

The sulfates in Epsom salt help flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances. Your skin is a highly porous membrane and adding the right minerals to your bathwater triggers a process called reverse osmosis, which actually pulls salt out of your body, and harmful toxins along with it. For a detoxifying bath, at least once weekly add two cups of our Ultra Epsom Salt to the water in a bathtub and soak for 10 minutes.

More Info…..

How to make it?

Get an airtight container that you can keep in the shower, and that way its handy.

Take your Course Sea Salt and mix your Oil in at a 2:1 ratio.  For example I mixed 2 cups Salt with 1 cup of Coconut Oil. You can add some essential oils if you want to add a fragrance to it, but I just left mine plane. Good ones would be lavender, peppermint or even coconut if you like the beachy tan smell.

Scoop a little out and start massaging it into your skin like you did with the dry brush, be careful because the floor of your shower is going to be oily and you could slip! Which would not be pretty….. no! No one want to see that!

Then rinse in the shower! It is so moisturizing! You will  LOVE it!

Ok the THIRD is sure CHEESY!

But super awesome! It was also a ROSS find and a last minute idea! You have all been awake at like 2 A.M and seen the stupid adds for THESE:

Well I used it at the gym and HOLY CRAP! I was sweating like crazy and it seemed to do the trick! I know its all water and stuff, but why not heat up that zone while I am on the machines right?? I am going to keep using this bad boy! Hey for 6.99$ that’s 10$ less than spanks lol!

x.o.x.o jenn

Jenn's Favorite Things......

 Oprah has a "Favorite Things" list, so I figured I could as well! No you are not getting a car or a Humpback Whale..........

So I told myself I would give it a month of taking my thyroid pills and getting used to them first before trying anything crazy to help me loose weight. The month is up and I have some exciting things that I have been doing. 

First, I want to thank Instagram (even though my husband might say otherwise since I have been on there so much) for letting me stalk, follow and “research” some awesome ideas during that month hiatus. I have found so much inspiration through that site, along with Pinterest! (if you want to follow me   and the people I follow click on the links on the side)  She might not know it, but my friend Gigi’s advice all those years ago still resonates with me today and when I do my meal planning I think of her, because she gave me great food advise and told me that planning was the best thing to keep me in check. She also have me YUNS of work out advice that I will be implementing as well. The best part about her is that she is also a beauty blogger (besides the best hair/makeup/clothes stylist in the world) ! Read her Beauty blog HERE and her professional website HERE!

Secondly, here are some of the staple items I am using right now to help me lose weight, get in shape and stay on track!

•        I got myself one of these bad boys!

 I LOVE my 6 Pack Bag!! Do you see how much stuff fits in there??? I am trying to figure out how I can use this as a purse as well lol, so I am not lugging so much around to work. You can get your very own HERE! Look for coupon codes like on Retailmenot.com, because I found one there for 15% off, which saves you pretty much the shipping. 

•      Yes I take all of these pills a day!

   The breakdown will be from top left to bottom right….

•     Folic Acid –So many beniefits some are Muscular degeneration, helps prevent cervical cancer         and heart disease, helps with anemia, muscle pain, sleep problems etc.
•     Spirulina - (which is in a bag because it smells like fish pond water)- too many to list, google it lol 
•     CLA- some benefits are reduction of body fat, stomach fat loss, cancer, obesity, Increase                metabolic rate, especially helps people who are HypoThyroid
•     Calcium - I was low so I am taking more
•     More CLA
•     Gum….. for hunger lol
•     5000 iu’s of Vitamin D- so important for everything

•      Here is a sample of my meal planning!

 Its pretty simple for now, because I am working on the basics of eating clean.  Lean protein,  veggies and a carb 3 times a day. I also eat a QuestBar for breakfast! This is something else Gigi advised me on. I HATE breakfast and need to eat something to start my day, so I eat half of one in the morning and then have been eating the other half after working out. Seems to be doing pretty well! They are so good, especially in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.

• Joined the GYM!
•       So I have a new JOB!!!! Yay! I am going to be so much happier now, because not only is it 5 min from work, but the people are nice and the employee benefits are awesome.  They give you a stipend of 60$ a month on a gym membership! Awesome, Right? So Rob and I signed up at MountainSide Fitness and really the only out of pocket we will have is the kids drop off, which is peanuts. It has been so nice going to the gym and having ZERO excuse to workout. I forgot how good it feels just to at least do 30 min or cardio without a two year old running around like crazy!

• WATER!

      I HATE water, or having to drink it I should say. However, I have decided I have no other choice since it is part of losing weight and flushing out your system. I have a water retention problem that is pretty bad, and I know that ironically drinking more water helps get rid of the excess bloat. Yuck! But I will do it! That’s all I have to say about that! In the picture are two of my favorite things: Jillian Michaels and an electric Espresso Machine! I mean who DOESN’t have one!

       That is it for now! I am working on another post that has to do with skin care (the moms might like this one.... or anyone that is losing a lot of weight)

       x.o.x.o jenn