Peppermint Foot Scrub

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup almond oil
• 5 drops Peppermint essential oil

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and transfer to an air tight tupperware container.
2. Store at room temp.

DIY 2 Ingredient Blackhead Remover

My husband and I decided to get a little crafty today after I found a recipe on Pinterest for a DIY blackhead removing mask-one that only contains 2 ingredients: honey and baking soda! We decided to test it out.

The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp organic raw honey
• 2 tbsp Arm & Hammer baking soda

Directions

1. Stir the mixture in a small bowl.
2. Immediately apply to face, rubbing in a circular motion.
3. Leave the mask on for at least 30 minutes.
4. Wash off with warm water.

*if you paste is too thick, add a tbsp or two of warm water and that will help make it a bit easier to apply!

Upon putting it on, it actually felt great! It was very soft and soothing-and wreaked of delicious HONEY! I tried not to eat it, especially since baking soda tastes less than pleasant. 

I kept my mask on for ten minutes because the way it made my face feel slightly bugged me. My husband kept his on for the whole entire 30 minutes. 

The result?
My face was incredibly soft even though I did not leave mine on and my husband's was even softer. I noticed a lot of the redness (patches, rashes) on my face were no longer visible and my husband's blackheads around his nose were practically gone.


Verdict:
It's a win!

Our Family Shoot

Total Body Underwater Workout

Swimming has so many benefits! Did you know that water is about 800 times denser than air? Because of this, it provides about 12 times more resistance to your movements. Therefore, you end up giving your entire body a killer workout-without the high risks of developing injuries or hurting yourself.

We have a little total body underwater workout for you to try next time you take a dip in your pool.

Total Body Underwater Workout

Warm up: Tread water for 3-5 minutes

Underwater Handstand

• Make sure you are in at least 4 feet of water to try this.
• Submerge yourself into the water, flipping your body upside down.
• Anchor your hands steadily on the bottom of the pool floor.
• Lift your legs straight up and out of the water to point your toes towards the sky.
• Use your abs to balance your body, keeping yourself upward.
• Hold for 5 seconds (or as long as you are able) and come back up to the surface.
• Repeat 10 times.

Underwater Medicine Ball Sprint

• Take a 12lb medicine ball (or a weight that suits you best) and walk into the shallow part of the pool.
• Walk down towards the deep end, holding the ball steady.
• Hold your breath as you enter the deep and start running, using the ball as a weight to hold you under the water.
• Run for 5-10 seconds (if you can hold your breath longer, then you can do what is most comfortable for you. if you cannot do 5-10 seconds, do what you can).
• Run back towards the shallow, holding the ball.
• If you ever feel like you need air immediately, drop the ball and float back up to the top.
• Repeat 3 times.

20 Underwater Lunges (per leg)

• Complete this exercise in the shallow end of the pool where your body is well grounded.
• Just as with any lunge, stand up straight and begin by stepping forward with your right leg while keeping your torso upright.
• Maintain balance and inhale as you go down.
• Using mainly the heel of your foot, push up and go back to starting position as you exhale.
• Repeat for 20 reps each leg.
• You may use a water noodle to help balance or you can also use dumbbells for added weights.

25 Underwater Squats

• Complete this exercise in the shallow end of the pool where you can stand grounded.
• Using free weights (or your body-weight alone), get into squat position-knees bent, back straight.
• Squat down slowly as low as you can go.
• Slowly come back up to complete the rep.

One Minute Underwater High Knee Sprints

• Run from one end of the pool to the other, lifting your knees with each stride while your arms swing forward and backward at a 90-degree angle.
• Repeat for one minute. Do 5 sets.

 

Cool Down: Freestyle swimming for 10-15 minutes

Photo Source: Details Magazine, Pinterest

2 Ingredient Moisturizing Make-Up Remover

Coconut oil is one of the best natural resources on this planet. You can practically use it for everything: hair, skin, nails, cooking, weightloss, lotion, rashes or blemishes, energy-you name it!

I actually loved coconut oil so much, I used them to help fade my stretch marks and old scars.

However, my favorite way to use coconut oil is to remove my makeup. Store bought makeup removers tend to contain harsh chemicals and alcohols that can actually DRY and AGE your skin! This recipe is all natural and you can tell a difference in your skin within a couple of weeks. Also, it makes taking off your makeup a cinch.

2 Ingredient Moisturizing Make-Up Remover

Ingredients

• 1 cup Coconut Oil
• 1 cup Water

Directions

1. Melt the coconut oil by leaving it out in the sun or at room temp.
2. Pour oil into a spray bottle or bottle, following the water next.
3. Spritz or dab onto your face or a washcloth when ready to take off your makeup. You may even do this nightly as a moisturizer.

Store at room temp and shake prior to use.

Then & Now

5 Myths About Breast Implants Debunked

There are so many women out there who already have implants or who are considering getting them. So many questions, fears, and worries come to mind revolving around the surgery and the implants themselves.

I made the decision to go under the knife in 2011 and shared my personal story of the whole process. Before my surgery, I heard millions of things that honestly almost scared me from even going through with it. However, I am glad that I did and love my look!  I can tell you that most things that you hear are either outdated or big fat myths!

Here are the top 5 myths about breast implants and the truth behind the myth:

1. MYTH: You cannot breastfeed with implants.  This is not true for many women. I breastfeed with my implants and it is absolutely fine! I chose to go the submuscular route so that my mammary glands would not be effected or cut into. However, on the flip side, some women are not able to breastfeed with implants because they went the subglandular route or somehow the surgery damaged their nerves, breast milk ducts, or milk glands. Where and how the implant is inserted has everything to do with the likelihood the woman will be able to breastfeed in the future. If you avoid a nipple incision and instead put the implants under the breast crease – a procedure called an inframammary incision – or if you put the implants under the muscle of the chest wall, the majority of patients do not have a problem breast feeding.

2. MYTH: Breast implants are dangerous. Contrary to popular belief, breast implants are no longer as "dangerous" as they used to be. They have actually come a long way from when they were first introduced. However, they do carry some risks-just as with any other surgical procedure out there. The FDA mentions the following risks associated with breast implants:

• Additional surgeries, with or without removal of the device
• Capsular contracture, scar tissue that forms around the implant and squeezes the implant
• Breast pain
• Changes in nipple and breast sensation
• Rupture with deflation of saline-filled implants
• Rupture with or without symptoms (silent rupture) of silicone gel-filled implants
• 
  

3. MYTH: Implants must be replaced every ten years. Most surgeons recommend that implants be replaced by the 10th year or so. However, this is just a basic guideline because the FDA intends for the implants to not be "lifetime devices"  since with time, implants can be more susceptible to tearing-but that is not a guarantee. Most women actually can live off one or two surgical procedures since implants only need to be replaced if there is a problem with them-though most women choose to redo their breasts after pregnancy, breastfeeding, and with age as gravity tends to take its toll.

4. MYTH: Implants feel "unnatural" or "fake." Not at all-especially if you choose the silicone gel route. They are actually very natural feeling and looking; moreso than saline implants. There are other factors that come into play that can make implants feel absolutely natural such as the amount of normal breast tissue you already had, the implant's covering, the position of the implant, how the implant was inserted, and of course your doctor! Always do your research and if you want them to look completely natural, speak up! You should never go too big for your frame.

5. MYTH: You will look awesome right away. This is usually NEVER the case! Immediately after surgery, you are swollen, bruised, and your implants look as it they were stuffed in your neck. It takes time for swelling to go down and for the implants to "drop" into their places. You usually do not come out looking your best-more like Frankenstein's bride. However, the look of your implants will get better!

Do you have implants? What has been your experience?

Skinny Frozen Yogurt Strawberry Bites

Skinny Frozen Yogurt Strawberry Bites

Ingredients:

1 Container of Strawberries
1 large container of Greek vanilla yogurt

Directions:
Rinse and dry the strawberries.
Cut the berries in half or even quarters depending on what size you desire.
Put the yogurt(s) in a bowl to use for dipping.
Get out a sheet pan and line with parchment or wax paper.
Use a toothpick or spoon to dip the strawberries in the yogurt.
After dipping the berry place on the sheet pan.
Once you’re finished dipping all the berries, make room in the freezer and place the pan in.
You can leave them in the freezer for a few hours (2-3) or even overnight.
Pop them in a tupperware and leave in the freezer to snack on anytime of the day!

8 Things That Divorce Taught Me

I have been divorced before.

I was way too young and pretty dumb about it. Also, I did it for all of the wrong reasons. I barely knew him. I wanted to get out from underneath my parents to have my own life and feel grown up- and I wanted to feel love and happiness. I though that by being married, it would bring me love and happiness. You know, like in fairy tales and Disney movies.

Boy, was I so wrong.

When I look back on all of the red flags throughout the 3 years we were married, I want to punch myself! How could I have been so stupid, naive, and ignorant?

Until one day, I got some balls and I decided to get out.

Divorces suck. No matter the circumstances. However, my divorce taught me 8 important things that I would've never known if it had not happened to me:

1. Don't change for anyone. The one who truly loves you will not care if you like blasting Taylor Swift behind closed doors and that you secretly enjoy playing bingo with the old folks on Thursday nights. If you feel yourself having to change to make somebody like you, then that is a HUGE red flag. My current husband is the first man I never had to change for. And boy was that nice! He loved me for all of my quirks- good or bad.
2. You've got to love yourself. This was one of my biggest  issues. I did not respect myself enough to leave until I had lost every part of who I was. I should have left when it no longer felt right, but I stayed for the other person and because things were just "comfortable". Don't make this mistake-life is way too short. Love yourself and most of all listen to yourself! It does not mean you are selfish. It just means you know when you have had enough of a bad situation.
3. There are no regrets or mistakes, just lessons learned. Take your divorce and use it as a learning experience. Use it to make yourself wiser and to learn what to do or what not to do for the next time around. Now, you know exactly what you do and don't want in a mate. Make a list and save it for future reference.My ex-husband was:
   • He was selfish, arrogant, immature, conceited, heartless, and moody.
   • He loved himself mostly.
   • His priorities were screwed up and jaded.
   • He was terrible with money and loved spending and gambling.
   • He was never content with the life he had. He always wanted more and more.
   • Most of all: he was not happy and probably never would be.
4. You can improve yourself. We are not perfect, we are human! But if there were any parts of you that contributed to the divorce that you wish you would have changed-change them now. But, do it for yourself-not someone else. Marriage can teach us very important details about ourselves-some positive and some negative. Use this revelation to learn and grow within yourself.
5. Life goes on. After your divorce, you may feel feel like you do not know what to do with yourself. It is okay. Why? Because life isn't just going to stop. If anything, you now have the freedom to LIVE your life the way YOU want it to be. Start a new hobby or take a new class.
6. You will experience a rollercoaster of emotions. Even though you could or couldn't stand the person whom you are divorcing, you can guarantee you will feel at least some of the following emotions: anxiety, confusion, "what ifs", hopelessness, sadness, happiness, thankfulness, regret, anger, bitterness, the list goes on. Redirect the negative feelings into something more positive. Such as a hobby or making new friends. I freaking love Pinterest-it is my favorite way to past the time or take my mind off of things (besides chasing my son around all day long) because you can find crafts to make, new workouts to try, new recipes to cook-options are freaking endless!
7. Life has a bigger plan for you in store. If I would have known that I would've met my husband today, I would have skipped through all those sleazy boyfriends and ex-husband and just went straight for him. But, hey, that wouldn't be very fun, would it? It's like skipping to the very end of the book without reading all of the chapters. Today, my husband and I have been happily married for the last two years and have the most beautiful little boy we could ever imagine! I never knew life could be so awesome! 
   
8. Shit could always be worse. Like, for instance: The Big Bang Theory coming to an end or Starbucks shutting down. No, but really though.

Medicine Ball Push Ups

Blueberry Protein Fluff Recipe

I was in the mood for something sweet yet light & fluffy and so I went to looking around for the perfect recipe that wouldn't tip the scale. I found this amazing protein fluff recipe on BodyBuilding.com! It is a low calorie, high protein snack that tastes like a very marshmellowy ice cream. Drool. It almost reminded me of these blueberry whipped cream bites.

Try it for yourself! It is super simple and easy to make. Mind blown.

Blueberry Protein Fluff

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Vanilla, Banana, or Strawberry Whey Protein Powder
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 cup Frozen Blueberries

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and blend until smooth, frozen mixture has been created.
2. Using an electric whisk, whisk mix for 5-8 minutes until it gains volume.
3. Eat immediately.

Calories: 234
Total Fat: 4g
Total Carbs: 26g
Protein: 27g

Recipe & Photo Source: Bodybuilding.com

21 Day Plank Challenge

They say that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit.

This 21 day plank challenge will put your core to the test and send your strength through the roof! All you have to do is hold the plank position for the amount of seconds noted for each day. It may seem easy, but wait until you try it!

21 Day Plank Challenge

Day 1: 15 seconds

Day 2:  25 seconds

Day 3: 35 seconds

Day 4: 45 seconds

Day 5: 55 seconds

Day 6: 65 seconds

Day 7: 75 seconds

Day 8: 85 seconds

Day 9: 95 seconds

Day 10: 105 seconds

Day 11: 115 seconds

Day 12: 125 seconds

Day 13: 135 seconds

Day 14: 145 seconds

Day 15: 155 seconds

Day 16: 165 seconds

Day 17: 175 seconds

Day 18: 185 seconds

Day 19: 195 seconds

Day 20: 205 seconds

Day 21: As long as you can!

Think you can handle 30 days? Try this 30 day plank challenge!

6 Easy Moves to Blast the Tummy Pouch Away

Tummy pooches. Some of us have them and it is a b**** to get rid of. It can be possible-with lots of effort and time. Aiming for at least 30 minutes of cardio daily can help decrease your overall body fat percentage, which will include your tummy area. However, a clean diet is always a MUST. 

 As always, a clean diet is essential for getting rid of the tummy pooch. Here is a Get Lean Grocery List printable for your fridge!

Here are 6 key moves to target your tummy pooch. This is not a form of spot reduction, since spot reducing does not exist. However, this helps to create muscle which will help tighten up loose skin a bit and burn that stubborn belly fat.

 

1. Basic Plank

• Start off on a yoga mat in the pushup position. Starting with the pushup position is the easiest way to get into the plank.
• Lower both your forearms to the ground so that both your elbows and fists are flat to the ground. Your palms should be balled up, and directly underneath your shoulders.
• Curl your toes under and engage your abs by tilting your pelvis and pulling your belly button toward your spine.
• Straighten your body but keep your neck and spine neutral. Imagine that you’re a plank of wood, and that you’re straight as an arrow.
• Flex your abdominals and squeeze your glutes. These are the two major muscle groups you’ll be working out in this exercise.
• Hold this position, also known as the plank, until after the burning begins. Keep your eyes on the floor in front of you. Avoid raising your behind. Your body should make a straight line from your heels to the back of your head.

 

2. Sit Ups

• Lie down on the floor placing your feet either under something that will not move or by having a partner hold them. Your legs should be bent at the knees.
• Place your hands behind your head and lock them together by clasping your fingers. This is the starting position.
• Elevate your upper body so that it creates an imaginary V-shape with your thighs. Breathe out when performing this part of the exercise.
• Once you feel the contraction for a second, lower your upper body back down to the starting position while inhaling.

 

3. Reverse Crunches

• Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
• Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
• Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
• Lower and repeat.
• It's a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.

 

4. Bicycle Crunches

• Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground and contract your core muscles.
• With your hands gently holding your head, lift your knees to about a 45-degree angle.
• Slowly, at first, go through a bicycle pedal motion.
• Alternately touching your elbows to the opposite knees as you twist back and forth.

5. Russian Twists

• Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels about a foot from your butt.
• Lean slightly back without rounding your spine at all. It is really important, and difficult, to keep your back straight, but don’t let it curve.
• Place your arms straight out in front of you with your hands one on top of the other. Your hands should be level with the bottom of your ribcage.
• Pull your navel to your spine and twist slowly to the left. The movement is not large and comes from the ribs rotating, not from your arms swinging. Inhale through center and rotate to the right. This completes one rep.

 

6. Scissor Lifts

1. Raise both legs toward the ceiling.
2. Keeping them straight, lower your left leg until it’s about six inches off the floor.
3. Lift your head and shoulders off the floor and grasp the back of your right leg, gently pulling it toward you.
4. Switch legs and repeat on other side.
5. Quickly complete 10 reps (no pausing!)

DIY Vintage Soft Shirt

What you need to fabricate a vintage T-shirt: 1/4 c sodium carbonate washing soda + 2 c salt + 1 pack fine-grit sandpaper + 1 new T-shirt

Step 1: Make Your Mix
To create a vintage T-shirt, start by mixing together the washing soda and salt. The salt acts as an abrasive, making the shirt look older. The alkaline washing soda breaks down the new shirt's built-in coating that keeps it stiff, crisp, and . . . well, new. Start with one size larger than you wear; it will shrink considerably.

Step 2: Do The Wash
Throw the shirt into the washing machine with a towel or with other shirts you're trying to age. Set the machine on the highest temperature. The heat weakens the fibers. After the water has risen past the top of the load, dump in the soda/salt mixture and your usual detergent. After it's done, dry the shirt on high heat. Then mix up another, smaller batch of soda and salt, and repeat the whole cycle three to five times, drying on high heat after each wash.

Step 3: Brush It Off
Now for that pesky logo. Most printed shirts are screened with a resin-based material called plastisol. You can distress the hell out of the shirt, and the plastisol logo will still be pristine.  Here's where some elbow grease comes in. Using fine sandpaper, lightly swipe at the logo using circular but irregular strokes. You have to make the aging look natural.

DIY Source: Men's Health, Pinterest

Featured Image Source: Bloglovin

Total Glute Workout

Our New Car

Can't believe it's been one week since my husband and I have purchased this car! It's been so good to us already. We are so blessed! #dreamcar #gobig