Forget the Iron, Get an Upright Clothing Steamer

My Jiffy Steamer is essential when it comes to taking care of my clothes.  I hate ironing!  The steamer is a perfect alternative. 

For under $200, it is a great investment.  I've had mine for over four years.  I have saved so much money on dry cleaning and my clothing lasts longer.  Compared to dry cleaning, the steamer is more gentle on your clothes, which allows your clothes to last longer.  Just steam the wrinkles out and they are ready to wear again.  Now, I send dry clean items to the cleaner, only when they are stretched out from wear or stained.

Fixtures International in Houston carries the steamer. 

Check it out!

Lite Workouts

When I workout, I like to workout hard!  Sweat dripping off my body and through my clothes.  I want to push myself as hard as I can go.  I like to "ride my edge," as they say.

Recently, I was reminded by my doctor and an exercise physiologist that it is important plan a few lite workouts during the week.  The idea is that if every workout is a hard workout, you are adding more stress to your body. When your body is stressed, no matter what the cause (work, family, or a workout), your body produces cortisol.  Too much cortisol in your body CAN make you susceptible to illness, decreased libido, decrease in bone density, high blood pressure and increased abdominal fat.

Working out VERY hard puts your body in fight-or-flight mode, just like if you were in a life-or-death situation.  Limit these workout to no more than twice a week. 

If you are under a high level of stress, keep your workouts lite.  Your body does not interpret the hard workout as a stress reliever.  Your body interprets the hard workout as another stressor.

For your lite workouts, get your heart rate up (to where you can hear yourself breathe), but don't push yourself to your edge.  Your body will thank you for it.

If you have questions, find an exercise physiologist or doctor that you can consult with. 

Breakfast Ritual

For the past month, I have been waking up 15 minutes earlier than usual and actually eating breakfast at the kitchen table.  Holy cow!  I don't think I have done this since elementary school.  I have to say that I love it!  I was thinking about doing this for years, but just couldn't seem to do it.

I am not a morning person, so the thought of getting up early to eat at the table or get more sleep was a no-brainer. I was going to choose sleep.

In the past, my usual routine was--walk the dogs, get showered/dressed, make the bed, toast waffles with nut butter and banana/berries (to eat in the car) or McD's Egg McMuffin (also eaten in the car).  I ate breakfast, but was in constant motion from the time my feet hit the floor in the morning.

Now, after I walk the dogs and before I shower, I make breakfast and sit down and eat it (on a placemat--extra points).  I admit, that my breakfast is a quick one.  I make eggs and toast, cereal with berries and almond milk, or whole grain toaster waffles with nut butter and bananas/berries (like a sandwich)---and of course, coffee.  It takes about 7 minutes to make, at most.

I do watch The Today Show during breakfast.  (It counts as news, doesn't it?)  The 8 minutes to eat is short, but just enough to make me feel like I am doing some thing for myself before the work day.  I notice that when I get to work, I am less frazzled and more grounded.

I must say that it starts my day off right.  A few minutes of ME time, in the morning does this body good.

I wish I were a morning person, but I accept the fact that it will always be a struggle to wake earlier than 7:00 a.m.  I hope that one day I will make a habit of waking up even 30 minutes earlier and meditate before breakfast.  One step at a time, though.  Another aspiration to add to the list!

iPhone Covers

I am loving these Jonathan Adler iPhone covers.  I have seen them on a few of my favorite blogs.  You can find them at several retailers online. 

I also heard from a fabulous coworker about iPhone covers made by young patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center.  Proceeds from your sale benefit the kids!

Kate Spade makes iPhone covers too! 

I think it is important to surround yourself with images that you love.  These days, we are constantly attached to our mobile devices.  If you have to look at it several times a day, you might as well make it look good.

Enjoy!

Figs!

I love figs!  I take that back.  What I really love, is the combination of figs (sweet) with blue cheese (stinky).  Love the combo.

You can find great recipes that include figs on Epicurious.  

The picture above is of a salad I threw together after a workout.  I did not use a recipe.  Here you go:

Arugula
Spinach
Purple Onion
Blue Cheese Crumbles
Blueberries
Juice of one lemon
Pepper
FIGS
Protein optional
Nuts optional (walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.)
Ground flax seed optional

I had all of these things in my fridge.  Try combining flavors that you may think do not go together--Figs/Blue Cheese.  The more flavors and textures you have in a meal, the more satiated you will be.

Enjoy the fruits and veggies of the season.  If you follow the seasons, you will always have a variety of produce.  Nature set it up perfectly.

Enjoy!

Keratin Complex Hair Therapy

I got my first Keratin Hair Treatment in December 2009.  I love it, because:

• For almost 8 weeks, I don't use any product in my hair;
• My hair takes about 5 minutes to style;
• I can literally wash-and-go, if I want;
• Keratin does not damage hair;
• I don't need as many haircuts (remember this to justify the cost);
• NO FRIZZ

Here is the process, in a nutshell:

• Stylist washes hair
• Stylist applies keratin product
• Stylist blow dries hair
• Stylist flat irons hair
• You do not get hair wet (water or sweat) for 3 days (total torture, but worth it)!
• You cannot bend your hair ( no tucking behind the ears, no ponytail/barrettes, nothing--more torture)
• You wash hair and cry tears of joy when you realize how awesome your hair is!

If you have fine and wavy hair, like I do, a Keratin hair treatment will straighten your hair and get rid of all the frizz.  If you have thick hair, the Keratin treatment will get rid of the frizz, but not straigthen your hair.  If you hair is thick, you should look into the Japanese hair treatment

The first time I got the treatment, my hair was super flat for the first few weeks.  So, the next time I had the treatment, about 15 weeks later, my stylist did not flat iron my hair to set the product.  She blow dried my hair straight with a round brush only.  My hair had more body and wavy, with no frizz, but it did not last as long (about 12 weeks).

The last time I had it done, my stylist flat ironed my hair, but I washed my hair after 2.5 days, instead of 3 days.  It has been about six weeks now and I am just about to the point of having to put a little product in my hair to style it.  The wave is gradually coming back, but without frizz!  I think it is a success.

Costs really vary from salon to salon and stylist to stylist.  I recommend that you consult with a few stylists.  Note that the thicker and/or longer your hair is, the more it will cost.  This is because it will take the stylist longer to work on your hair and we all know that TIME = MONEY!

There are few different companies that make the Keratin hair treatment products.  I use Coppola Keratin Complex and have great results. 

I also color my hair and it is safe for color.  There is even a special formula for blonds.  You will get the best results if you color your hair, then apply the Keratin treatment immediately afterwards.  However, you can't always get the timing of your color and Keratin perfect, so don't freak out if you can't do both processes at the same time.  It isn't that big of a deal.

If you stylist tells you to use the shampoo and conditioner for keratin treated hair, just do it.  It isn't worth the risk of stripping out the treatment.

For those of you in Houston, my stylist is Elia at Salon Ceron in the Uptown Park shopping center.  I highly recommend her.

People Magazine Crossword Puzzles

I admit that this is a silly post.  I am slightly embarrassed that I am admitting this, but I have thick skin.  I just subscribed to People magazine, after a long hiatus, for the crossword puzzle.

A few years ago, I gave my cousin a subscription to People magazine for her birthday.  She still talks about what a great gift that was--the gift that keeps on giving week after week.  She loves the crosswords and we have completed a few together.

I guess why I like it so much is that, let's face it, it is one of the easiest crosswords out there.  If you keep up with pop culture, you can probably complete the crossword with minimal effort.  I may not be able to complete the NY Times crossword without help, but damn it, I can complete the People magazine crossword.

The ritual of completing the crossword is fun for me.  Just 20 minutes to relax and do a little brain-teaser and feel like a member of Mensa for finishing it.  I love a sense of accomplishment--even if it is simple.