Health and Fitness Favorites- Beauty

Hello everyone!  This is the third and final post for me health and fitness series (for now).  I may do a collage representing my favorite forms of exercise, if there is enough interest, so if you are interested, be sure to comment below!  This post is for all the beauty lovers that read my posts, and if you're a guy reading this-kudos!  Ha!  Anyway, although many of these products do not necessarily "improve fitness", they do definitely provide those feel-good vibes, that can help you to feel more confident!  There are also several products that will keep your skin looking and feeling healthier!  Of course, natural beauty is important, but we all like to feel like we look our best from time to time, and these are some of my favorite products to achieve that!  If you are totally sold on natural beauty, I completely respect that--just please try to respect that I happen to be a bit of... well... a makeup junkie! :)

Anyway, without further ado, here is my collage of my favorite beauty products!

1) Revlon Lip Butter-- If you've been anywhere near the beauty community on the web, I'm sure that you have heard more than enough about Revlon Lip Butters, but I will be redundant and say that I am completely obsessed with them!  They are super smooth on your lips, have amazing color payoff, and they even have SPF in them to protect your lips from the sun!  They are the perfect addition to your lip collection even if you are not a fan of lipstick. They also have a large selection of colors from nudes to bright reds!

2) L'Oreal Revitalift Complete Day Lotion-- This is a great daily moisturizer with SPF to protect your skin from the sun.  It also has an anti-aging complex in it that will smooth away any fine lines and wrinkles.  Now, I know what you're thinking "Catheryn, you're 22.  Why on earth do you need an anti-aging product?".  Well, I really use it more as a preventative measure.  Plus, it works great under makeup, and it really is not too much more expensive than any other facial moisturizer.

3) Aveeno Positively Radiant Skin Brightening Facial Scrub-- This is a great exfoliator for your face and neck!  It has small scrubbing bits that improve your skin tone (it's fabulous for hyper-pigmentation!), texture, and clarity!  It is gentle enough for everyday use, but could also be used every other day, or however often you felt the need.  It's an especially great product for this time of year because your skin will be going through its own natural 'shedding' process.

4) Rimmel Natural Bronzer-- Now, if you follow me on YouTube, you would know that I've already raved about this product!  It is the perfect bronzer, and when I say perfect, I mean *perfect*!  It is a very natural bronzer that isn't orange at all on the skin, nor does it have any excess glitter or shimmer like many other drugstore bronzers.  It gives your skin an all-over glow, and actually works quite well for contouring too!  They do have options available that have the glitter and shimmer in them too, if you are a glitter gal, so just pick according to your style!  (Nothing too dark though--just maybe a shade or two darker than your natural skin tone!)

5) Goody Jelly Hair Bands-- I could not find the exact name of this product, but they are hairbands (made by Goody) that are jelly-like instead of fabric.  I love these for ponytails and buns!  They do not slip out, and they are actually more comfortable to me than regular hair bands.  You can have a much tighter ponytail when you use these, which protects your hair from drooping, so they are perfect for working out!

6) Organix Renewing Moroccan Argon Oil Weightless Healing Dry Oil Spray-- Whew!  What a mouthful of a name for such a small product!  This is actually a very recent discovery for me, and let's just say it was love at first spray!  It smells fantastic, and it really does work wonders for your hair!  It works like many of the other very high end Moroccan Oils, but can be purchased for a fraction of the cost!  It's a perfect leave-in treatment, or just perfect to spritz in your hair after styling it!

7) Coppertone Sport Continuous Spray SPF 50-- I am the type of person that really tries not to go anywhere outside, for an extended time, without a protective sunscreen.  Skin cancer is one of the main kinds of cancer, and it almost 100% treatable if you think ahead and wear a sunscreen.  This kind is great in particular because it stays on even if you come into contact with water, or if you get sweaty!  There are generic kinds available too, so don't shy away!  Protect that skin! :)

8) Colgate Optic White Toothpaste-- Again, this is a very recent discovery for me, and I noticed immediate results when I used it!  Ir really does whiten your teeth in one brushing, and if you stick with using this product at least once a day, it does significantly make a difference.  It is very inexpensive compared to other whitening systems as well, which is great!  In other words, it contains the same ingredients as the white strips without the cost! :)

9) Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Lacey Lilac-- My favorite nail color for spring!  It is right on trend with the other pastels that are so coveted for spring.  It also will make an excellent summer color as well because it would look great against a tan!  It's super fun, and a great conversation-starter!  I had three people ask me where I got this color the other day! :D

So, those are my favorite beauty products as of right now!  They are all perfectly geared for this season, and will get you prepped up for the best summer ever! <3

Let me know if you'd be interested in my favorite exercises!  Otherwise, I'll be back to my random posts :) 

Health and Fitness Favorites- Food

Hey everyone!  This is the second post for my health and fitness series, and as you could probably guess from the title, this segment is all about FOOD!  Yes!  Prepare to drool!  Haha, okay try not to on your keyboard, but it might at least make your tummy grumble!

Over the last six months, I have found that having a clean diet is absolutely essential to maintaining a healthy body.  Of course, I still leave plenty of room to indulge in the occasional sweet!  You cannot deprive yourself!  I'm certainly not an expert when it comes to nutrition either-although, I would eventually like to pursue certification in nutrition because it is such an important aspect of life!  One motto that I absolutely love is "you can never out-train a bad diet".  This is so true!  I remember working out fairly regularly for years without seeing much difference.  It wasn't until I started working out at least five days a week that I started to notice any changes.  Then, I started adding small changes to my diet.  From there, I kept adding in new healthy habits, and now here I am--35 lbs lighter and healthier!  And no, it's not all about the number on the scale!  It's really all about how healthy you feel! 

With all of that discussed, I would like to now include a collage of some of my recent food favorites!  These foods keep me feeling energized, and they have some really amazing health benefits too!  

1) Crunchies are actually a very recent discovery for me!  I actually found these at my local Lewis Drug.  I am always searching for healthy options wherever I go, and so when I find something, I always have to try it out! Crunchies are actually freeze-dried fruits.  Since they are freeze-dried instead of air-dried they actually retain more of their nutritional value!  They also do not have any added sugar, and make a great low-calorie snack.  They are also perfect to throw into a nut mix!  My favorite kind is Mango currently because I simply LOVE mangoes!  Mangoes are super healthy for you in general because they are a great source of Vitamin A, C, and B6.  They are also full of antioxidants and can help improve your skin!  My only complaint about Crunchies is that they are relatively expensive-around $5 a bag!  So, these will be just a treat for me!

2) HONEY!  First of all YUM!  Haha, second of all, it's pretty much good in everything--okay not everything, but it is my favorite natural sweetener.  (For any Vegan readers out there, Agave is a great natural sweetener that is pretty similar!)  Honey actually has some sources of antioxidants in it as well, and it is just an excellent sugar substitute!

3) Mango and Peach Black Tea has been another favorite of mine recently.  It is just the perfect pre-workout pick-me-up, or just great for the three-o-clock slump!  It is fairly high in caffeine, which is not a substance that everyone likes to use, but there are decaf versions available!  Black tea in general is quite good for a person (much better for you than any diet soda--which I just recently managed to kick the habit!).  Black Tea has been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease!  Add in a teaspoon of honey and it will be delicious, I promise!

4) Clif bars are another great pre-workout snack!  They are 70% organic, which is pretty awesome!  Most granola bars are actually not very healthy at all!  These contain 10 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber which is great, and they have 270 calories, which really is not too bad considering.  They can also make a great meal replacement--along with a piece of fruit or two! 

5) Besides water, Fuze drinks are my absolute favorite!  They are low-cal, full of antioxidants, and they actually have electrolytes too, which will keep you hydrated.  Overall, Fuze is my sports drink of choice, just because they are actually made with real fruit juice, and they are very low in sugar (most of the sugar deriving from the fruit itself).  Make sure to get the slender version if you can, because the full-cal version packs 100 cal per bottle instead of the very low 15 cals per bottle for the slender.

6) Kashi Go Lean original cereal has been an absolute staple food item for me.  Not only is it great in taste and texture, but it has 13 grams of protein per serving and 10 grams of fiber which is awesome!  Protein is such an important part of your diet!  It has been shown that people who eat low-cal, high-protein diets lose more weight than those who eat low-cal, low-protein diets!  

7) Finally, I have included Kiwi fruit!  I know this is a random selection, but they are currently my favorite fruit.  I love all fruit really, but Kiwi fruit is full of health benefits including boosting your metabolism!  They are also high in fiber which will help to keep you feeling full.  They also have antioxidants which will help your body stay strong.  Some studies have also shown that Kiwi fruit can also help asthma sufferers!  

That concludes my favorite health and fitness foods!  I know I had a lot to say about each item, but I am truly becoming so passionate about nutrition.  Of course, I still eat cake, pizza and other not-so-healthy things, but I try to eat clean about 75% of the time.  And if I have a day where I am particularly 'unhealthy', I just try to compensate the next few days by eating clean at every meal.  So, no worries!  Everything in moderation!  If you try one of the options I have listed, let me know what you think!  If you have any suggestions, always, feel free to leave them below!  Thanks for reading! :)