Friday, June 22, 2012

Cooling Summer Spritz (courtesy MSNBC.com article)

I found this great article with a recipe for a cooling spritz that I wanted to share. I love the idea. I haven't tried it yet, but I will (probably make my own variation of the recipe). Enjoy!

http://thelook.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/21/12300647-diy-cooling-summer-spritz?lite

DIY: Cooling summer spritz

Chelsa Skees
By Chelsa Skees
Now that the summer temperatures are in full effect, I'm going to share one of my favorite skincare products for thirsty, sun-kissed skin. We all know to wear sunscreen to prevent premature aging and skin cancer, but harsh rays still tend to zap the moisture from our skin. To keep my skin from feeling parched I use a moisturizing face spray.
Face sprays not only keep your skin hydrated but can be used to set makeup after application, give you a healthy glow, and even revitalize your makeup after a long day. Think of your face spray the same as you would a tall glass of water on a hot sunny day refreshing! (Especially if you chill it in the fridge first.)

I recently made my own body scrub using skin-benefiting ingredients such as argan oil and rosehip oil, but after learning about these oils more in depth, I wanted to find a way to better incorporate them into my daily beauty routine. Argan oil is great for moisture and sun-repair, while rosehip oil is highly absorbent and excels at helping repairing scars. I decided to make a homemade version using these oils mixed with orange blossom water, a fragrant natural skin toner. Below is the recipe for my new favorite summer spritz:

 Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup orange blossom water 
  • 10 drops argan oil
  • 10 drops rosehip oil

All you'll need is an empty spritz bottle that holds at least 4 oz. of liquid. If needed, you can always adjust the measurements to fit any size bottle.

Combine all the ingredients above and shake well before each use. You'll find the lightly perfumed spray to be incredibly refreshing and moisturizing. Enjoy your beautiful summer glow!

Chelsa Skees is currently working as a freelance fashion stylist and writer. Her favorite color is gray, and she can beat just about anyone in a bubble-blowing contest. 

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Back to my (workout) grind

I fell off, big time... well, not so bad that I look like a completely different person, but I did put on 5 lbs in the past 2 months because I stopped running, and when I realized that I screamed "hell no" more than several times a day. And then I got  moving again.

One of the frustrating things I've experienced in my life is that it has been very difficult for me to identify that thing that helps me burn off the fat. In high school I was in dance workshop (a group that I had to audition for and got in, even though I had very little dance instruction, thank-you-very-much). Let me tell you about dance workshop. We're talking 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, NOT including the extra time I spent on the weekend fulfilling choreography assignments, as well as just dancing for the hell of it. This is 20 years ago. I never got that six-pack, or the lollipop-head/ anorexic look. And mind you I wasn't eating gallons of junk food (well, except some Pizza Hut on occasion) because I was at a boarding school on scholarship, which means if it wasn't a necessity, I most likely wasn't buying it. And even with all those factors in place, I never lost weight. Even though I still looked slim, but curvy, I accepted the "big-boned" theory and kept it moving. That was over 20 years ago, and even though I am the same weight I was 20 years ago, thangs just ain't the same.

If I don't do what I have to do, things start jiggling (not in that Trina. Beyonce, Magic
City-stripper-on-a-pole-upside-down-way either).  And while I get compliments for still looking pretty slim, or not overweight at the age of 37, I know what jiggle when you don't, and I ain't having it. Especially with all the weights and boxing and aerobics and other exercise equipment that I have had ever since I was living on my own. They gym memberships, the (expensive) personal trainer sessions, the dance classes, the spin classes, etc, etc, etc. What did work, as far as me seeing a significant transformation in my body and weight, was running (something that I used to do when I was 12 - ain't that a bitch. Maybe I should start jumping double dutch again too!).

So when I fell off - it started with "I' just going to take a break this weekend," to "this guy broke my heart and I don't want to get out of the bed," to straight-up "fuck everythang to the 10th power" - I knew that it was possible that I would revert back to the pudgy version of myself from last summer, but I still thought I had a little time before things starting jiggling again. Not so, good people, not so.

And with that, I got my ass back in motion. I used to run on the weekends, and maybe do a little something something before work on some days (we're talking MAYBE a mile). Well, now, I drop my son off at school in the morning, get to the Concourse, and jog the entire 2+ miles all the way home instead of hopping on the bus or train.

My knees hurt though, and so I walked halfway and then got on the bus last Friday.

I also decided to spend the weekend doing more strength exercises since I hate that shit - I'm bored with weights. Boxing I love but I can lose track of time, and being on such a tight schedule during the week, it's just not a good thing (especially considering there are many faces that I imagine on my heavy bags as I pound away. I'm digressing...). Today, I finally incorporated a workout that I got off a Military.com's fitness center section because, seriously, who better to model your workout after than the military, and it kicked my ass, literally. And what's funny is after I was done I thought "that wasn't so bad" and when I finally sat down and stopped moving, my ass muscles starting screaming at me.

Here's a quick overview of my workout.

Section 1: Wake up with Crunches
(10 reps each)

Regular crunch
Reverse crunch
Double crunch
Left crunches
Right crunches
Bicycle crunches
Plank pose (30-60 seconds)
Stomach stretch

(this was supposed to occur withing 3-4 minutes... I don't think I did all this in 3-4 minutes!)

Section 2: Jumping Jacks/ Push Ups
Do 10 reps for 5-10 cycles (I did 10 reps, 5 cycles, and I did my push up on my knees!)

Section 3 (I didn't do this. I honestly didn't understand the instructions until reading it just now. Basically it looks like I was to do section 2 again, but replace the pushups with squats. I'll do it next time)

Section 4: Multi-Joint Dumbbell Exercises

I did this with 10 lb weights

Bicep curl, military press, triceps extensions
Squats, bicep curl, military press, triceps extensions
Squat thrust, pushup, stand up, bicep curl, military press, triceps extensions

(It hurt just as much to do it as it does to read it!)
 

Section 5: Cardio
I ran for about 20 minutes (approx 1.5 miles)

This is why my ass is literally hurting right now. It feels good, but damn!