Gluten-Free Diet Experiment

Ohhh, this weekend I survived my gluten-free diet experiment. Not as bad as I thought it'd be, but it'll be interesting to see how my body responds to this diet over time. I'm also going dairy-free for a while, as I suspect I might have an intolerance to too much dairy.

P.S. I just bought almond milk for the first time this weekend. Was scared to try it, but it tastes just like regular milk. Only downside is that it's low in protein, but that's okay, b/c I figure I'm getting my calcium in this way and I'll get protein from other food sources. =)

K, hope you have a great day!! And if you have any tasty gluten-free & dairy-free recipes to share, please do so!! Thanks. :)

The Nerida Joy Experience : Video Testimonial

Here was the video I was telling all the RCR ladies about & I wanted to share it with you before heading out tonight!


Haha, I feel kinda shy sharing this, and I'm not an actress by any means, sooooooooooooo hopefully you enjoy this candid video testimonial. =)

P.S. Limited "One" Time Bonus Offer: Mention this video when booking a facial or ordering Nerida Joy's products for a *bonus* gift (watch the video above for more details): http://www.neridajoyskincare.com or 866-777-8834 ... Also not mentioned in the video: If you want a travel size cleanser bottle, you can always ask for free mini *EMPTY* 2oz bottle with your next order/facial... This way your can fill it up with your favorite Nerida Joy cleanser & take it with you whenever you're on the go!! Or for free skincare tips & advice, just follow Nerida Joy on Facebook or Twitter.

Smashbox Photo Event with Steven Khan!

Yesterday I attended the Nordstrom Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Event and got to meet up with professional makeup artists and celebrity photographer Steven Khan. Steven Khan has been working in Los Angeles for the last 14 years as a fashion and celebrity photographer. Steven’s wide range of work has been seen in magazines such as US WEEKLY, ALLURE, ELLE, and VANITY FAIR. I actually reserved my spot about 1 month ago... How could I miss this exclusive event?!?!

Anyhow, I got my makeup done by one of Smashbox's national makeup artistry team members... I was so happy because he told me I had great skin, and so my makeup would be easy to do (Thanks Nerida Joy!!). On top of that, he told me I had cheekbones to die for!! Aww, I was gushing by that point.

In case you're wondering, Smashbox is a pretty great line. I already own their Photo Finish Foundation Primer and High Definition Foundation. I highly recommend both!!

Well, here was the special deal for yesterday's event: Buy $100+ of Smashbox Cosmetics and you get to have a professional photo shoot with Steven Kahn. You also get to keep all your pictures burned onto a cd. The photoshoot is limited to 30 pictures, but they ended up burning all 73 of mine. I was so happy about that! ...I ended up spending quite a bit that day though because they had other Nordstrom events going on. I even bought a T3 tourmaline curling iron!! ;-)

P.S. My brother took behind the scenes footage of this event. So I might have footage coming up sometime soon. :) He's the guy you see in the photos with me.

Me and my lil bro!!

Bikini Body 3.0 Live Chat *Recap*

Here is a recap from the I Want My Bikini Body 3.0 Live Chat. P.S. So much useful info!! Hope you enjoy! :)

Rehan Jalali (Nutrition Expert, all natural bodybuilder):

• Recommends liquid fish oil over capsules (Take 1-3 grams daily, prefers Barlean's Fish Oil brand)
• Recommends Women's Blend multi-vitamin from SuperNutrition
• Says that bruising can be caused by an iron deficiency. Silica also helps with bruising
• Green tea, Oolong tea and BioCell Collagen II supplement is good for the skin. The hyaluronic acid in BioCell adds moisture & softness
• Chia seeds are good for appetite control
• Guggul lipid is good for acne
• Fat burner pills are NOT magic, they are supplements to good diet & exercise. He recommends: Ab Gone Extra Strength (w/Green Tea), Clarinol Tonalin CLA targets abs, Red Line Princess
• If you have a sugar addiction, then you can: add cinnamon, switch out sugars and eat more fruit/honey, and eat more protein
• Rehan's books: The 6 Pack Diet plan, and Sports Supplement Buyer's Guide
• To strengthen hair make sure you're getting your amino acids (methionine)
• Recommends these Super Foods: Acai berry, Asahi, juicaroo (spelling?), agave nectar, raw unfiltered honey
• Carrots are FULL of sugar. Not really a good vegetable, helps to store fat in your body.
• For cellulite, vibrations such as using a jumprope are good. The cream/lotion aminophylline is good (derivative of caffeine). Yohimbine lowers body fat, but MUST be taken with a fat (for example: almonds). It does this by blocking the alpha 2 receptors that store fat in the lower body.
• Take 2-3 cups of green tea a day
• Take 20-30g (3-4oz) of protein at a time at meal time
• Moderation is good for complex carbs. Never eliminate a food group.
• If you have high cholesterol, then fiber is key.
• Diuretics should only be taken for 1 week MAX (i.e. prior to special occasion/event). Dandelion root is a natural diuretic and helps if you have extra water weight
• Caffeine is mild diuretic, EXCEPT when exercising
• Recommends VPX / Syngex Zero Impact protein powder

Nerida Joy (Skin Expert):

• If you have dry, dull skin you need to exfoliate 1x a week. Your skin needs some mild retinols and AHAs to give your skin a boost/glow
• Prefers papaya enzyme (papain) or pineapple enzyme. Does not like pumpkin enzyme for the skin.
• Blackheads are caused by overactive sebaceous glands. To reduce blackheads, you must keep skin especially clean before you goto sleep at night. Remember to exfoliate 1x a week, and if your skin is extra oily, change the pillow covers every 3-4 days.
• How to Cleanse the Skin: Your #1 priority should be to use a nonfoaming cleanser. Do not wet face. Apply/massage cleanser onto skin in AM & PM. Use wet warm wash cloth in circular motion. Then rinse off face. At nighttime do a second application. Pat dry.
• Clarisonic helps with cleansing, but you NEED thick skin for it (so be VERY careful). If you have sensitive skin, it actually thickens skin out over time (not in a good way though). Nerida does not recommend that you use this often.
• For dark undereye circles & blue veins, you want to use Vitamin K, arnica or melo extract to strengthen the wall
• For dark spots, Resorcinol is NO-NO. Mild retinols are best.
• If you have melasma, use sunscreen (at least 50 SPF on fair skin). Albaquin (spelling?) comes in a tin and is safe for lightening skin. Helps with freckles.
• You must apply eye creams all around your eyes INCLUDING your eyelids to add firmness. Most people forget the eyelids
• Indoor lighting can affect your skin pigment
• If you have oily skin (which many people do NOT), you must exfoliate every 3-4 days. Most people have COMBINATION skin.
• Dr Perricone recommends alpha lipoic acid and DMAE (helps with chicken neck & tone in skin). This can also help tone other areas of the body
• Sunscreen - solar protection SFP 40-50, water resistant
• Apply moisturizer FIRST, then sunscreen on face.
• Food intolerances: Dairy can cause milea (white bumps) to develop especially along the jawline. Wheat can cause skin to feel gritty. If your skin is too oily, then you might have an intolerance to peanuts or citris fruits
• Makeup: Minerals are great EXCEPT for dry skin. (Nerida uses Colorescience Sunforgettables - also sold at her office)

Anthony Slater (General Manager of Core Performance):

• ... Will Update soon! (Once I finish watching the chat)

Self Magazine Workout in the Park NY Event 2010

I hope you had a great weekend. Anyhow, the Self Mag event was loads of fun . However, in the morning I was at the Staten Island Ferry station when the ferry crashed into the building. If you read the news reports, then you'll know that dozens of people on that ferry were injured. I was not onboard, instead I was in the bathroom at the time, and whole ferry station shook. I'll be honest, I was scared since it felt like a bomb, and I didn't know whether I should run outside the building... I am thankful that I am okay, but at the same time I am praying for those that were injured.

Here you can see the crowds of people at the event. I took this video while waiting in line for a mini facial! haha, this line was long!! But well worth it (P.S. I even worked out a lil bit while waiting in line. Good times!! )... P.S. Super happy that I had sunblock on my face & a hat on! It got to be very sunny later on.


Mandy Ingber & I (ended up buying up her new Yogalosophy dvd... Can't wait to try it out!)

Sorry that it came out kinda dark. Anyhow, this is my overall recap of the event. Anyhow, in the video I mention the Vision Mat which you can order through yogamatic.com. Sounds awesome!! I thought it was pretty clever, considering you can see your custom Vision Board Mat whenever you exercise. Just thought it was inspiring.

Attending Self Magazine's Workout in the Park NY Event

I'm excited to be going to Self Magazine's Workout in the Park NY Event this Saturday. My friend went last year, and she said it was so much fun! Tickets are only $20 for the 3-hour event. Luckily I got complimentary VIP passes. ;-)

Celebrity Yoga trainer Mandy Ingber will be there too (P.S. I heard she trains Jennifer Aniston)!

When:
Saturday, May 8, 2010
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Rain or Shine!

Registration will open at 9:00 AM.
Note: Bags larger than a backpack will not be permitted into the event.

Where:
Rumsey Playfield
Closest entrance at 72nd Street and 5th Avenue
West Side Entrance at 69th Street and Central Park West
New York, NY

Join thousands of women and experience electrifying workouts, indulgent beauty and style consultations, gourmet delights and so much more!

Bikini Body 3.0 Live Launch!

Hi all,
Valerie Waters, Hollywood's hottest celebrity trainer, is having a LIVE Online Kick-off party/chat today (Monday, May 3 @ 3:00pm PST or 6:00pm EST).

Get your questions ready!! She's going to have some of Hollywood's most sought-after experts (Rehan Jalali & Nerida Joy... Anthony Slater might stop by too) coming by to answer them! Not only that, but she'll be giving away a ton of cool, free stuff... You don't want to miss this!!


I Want My Bikini Body 3.0

This is a LIVE streaming video event hosted on Ustream.com so you can participate from the comfort of your own home.

AHB 8-wk followup + Side/Lateral "Ab Matrix Roll" using Stability Ball

First up: This is just a followup to the 8-week AHB DVD program I was doing. My camera is probably gonna die soon... There is a lot of color/light shifting in this video. Sorry about that! I only lost 1 pound, but think I would have done a LOT better if I was more compliant with both the exercise & food.
How I'll kick it up a notch: Will get ankle checked soon, so that exercise can be back at 100%. Will also experiment with food soon, keeping it as clean as possible.


Second up: The "Ab Matrix Roll". This exercise reminds me of the famous scene in the Matrix movie where Keanu Reeves (Neo) is dodging bullets... This exercise will definitely engage your core & challenge your balance! When I add this to a workout, I normally do 3 sets of 20 rolls (10 in each direction). Enjoy!!

Followup

1 week left of the AHB program, just checking in for accountability. My ankle is acting up, so I will need to get that checked out.

P.S. My back is sore from this weekend. Although I did manage to do 3 sets of 4 pullups... Not my personal best, but I'm hoping to get back into the 8-10 rep range. Also I went back to my natural hair color, can't you tell? lol, it's so dark!!


Here's the crow pose video I mention in the previous video (If you can already do the crow, then skip to 4 minutes):

I occasionally add this and other yoga arm balancing moves to my workout routines. In a way, it helps me relax & focus (sometimes this is good for me on a personal note). K, hope you enjoy this video!

How To Do Flying Crow Pose

Please bare with me... I realize it looks a lil ghetto and I need a tan, haha!! This is my attempt to do a Flying Crow Pose (so there is definitely room for improvement ). Anyhow, in this video I also show 2 stretches that have helped open up my hips prior to doing the flying crow pose. Enjoy!!

Check out this other video I just found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNKAu2daTSM ...This is *NOT* me, but this is another demonstration.... I was literally cracking up!! Haha, check out 1:48. Classic!! LMAO!! Love it.

Oh and if you're looking for crazy flexiblity/strength in yoga, check out this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhSAc3CzMg0 ...Kino MacGregor is such an inspiration! =)

You're One Workout Away From a Good Mood!

Was super stressed from work. Danggggggggggggggg, didn't realize I hit the gym THAT hard!! Was a good workout, felt much better afterwards.

Also had a huge protein shake to fuel my body before & after my workouts!! :)

P.S. I normally don't hit the gym that long, but I guess that was my way of leaving all that stress out on the gym floor!


On a side note, I'm feeling MUCH better today... Does it help that it's Friday and I know the weekend is around the corner???? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!! lol

Life Happens!

Just when you think you got it all planned out. Life happens!! I can look back at yesterday morning and laugh now, b/c everything turned out well in the end . It was a very joyous day yesterday. Even with a few roadblocks, we MADE it happen!!

P.S. I had breakfast this morning at my parent's hotel (before they fly back to FL). I ordered up an egg white omelette with tomato, onions & peppers. Haha, the lady behind me and my mom was like "I didn't know you could order egg whites?!" So they ordered egg white omelettes after me. I also served a bowl of oatmeal with raisins & sprinkle of cinnamon. That oatmeal combo reminds me of LindaM's recipe, lol (except she just adds a scoop of vanilla protein powder to her recipe). Regardless, so yummy!

Vision Board

This week is extra busy b/c my sis is getting married soon! Anyhow, I'm feeling much less stressed out today after my workout.

This is the vision board I share in my video. For privacy, I blocked out certain info on the vision board check.


Hope you enjoy this and get inspired! :)

AHB Sculpt 1 Review, Plus Getting Ready for the Week Ahead!!

P.S. this weekend the food & exercise was spot on! Yup I was crazy-busy, but I still prepped my meals for the week ahead!

Oh, btw, I don't think I mentioned it in the video, but I also made the banana protein ice cream recipe by livewell360. It's still in my freezer (haven't tried it yet), lol. I just have to comment that you *NEED* a food processer for that recipe . I don't own one and so I made it with my blender and the texture didn't come out as great at the online recipe pic, so I added a tad bit more milk to help the consistency and then I stuck it back in the freezer. Ahhhh, you live, you learn!!

AHB Burn 1 -Review

OMG, I look dead tired in here. Please forgive me, no makeup haha. It was a longggggg day.

Gosh the first circuit in AHB Burn#1 is a killer!! Makes you sweat a TON!! Loved it. Moreover, in the video I share a corny joke some guy in the gym told me last week. Oh yeah, I'm hoping to try a new recipe this week (printed a few out from livewell360.com).

AHB Build 1

Last night I did AHB Build 1 from the dvd program... It's amazing how I really felt those moves!! These past few months I was lifting heavier than RCR weights, yet I really felt it with these lighter weights. I guess it helped me to really focus/concentrate on the muscles. My quads are kinda sore today!

Back to blogging!

I know it's been a long time since I've done a video blog post... I'm starting it up again for extra accountability (sorry if the lighting is kinda bad at my gym)! I'm going to be starting Valerie Waters' Action Hero Babe (AHB) dvd program. Let's see where these next 8 weeks will take me! Hope you enjoy my journey. :)



Enjoy!