Nike + Running Monitor

For those who are like me and like to track their progress, you’re going to love this!

I started running about two and a half years ago. I’m a goal setter and I like to feel accomplished. I was told about the Nike + Running Monitor by a friend. It was originally advertised to be used with Nike + compatible running shoes. Just put the sensor in the bottom of the shoe and it would track your progress when used in conjunction with an iPod. I can’t wear Nike shoes as my feet are too wide. I did some research and found that there are several varieties of pouches and lace holders that you can use to hold the sensor in place on any sneaker of your choosing.

I first started with the LaceLid pictured above. It worked really well, my only issue was that it was a pain to change it from shoe to shoe. You had to essentially completely untie your shoes in order to take it off one shoe to put it on another. That may not be an issue for some people, but it annoyed me. I then decided to get the Marware case. I love it.

Once you’ve completed your run, just sync your iPod to iTunes and it will upload your run data to the Nike Plus website. Here is an example of what the website looks like when you’ve uploaded a run.

You can also change it so that you can see your runs daily, weekly, monthly or yearly.

Nike + has also created an iPhone App called Nike + GPS, which allows you do track your runs through the GPS without the use of the sensor. This is more convenient for some. Personally, I find running with the iPhone to be uncomfortable. I love the small size of the shuffle, it fits perfectly in the mini pocket on my running shirts but there are occasions when I will use my iPhone armband to allow me to run using the GPS app.

If you have friends who are runners, you can either use the App or the website to create challenges to compete against each other. This is very effective when you’re trying to prepare for an upcoming race.

You also have the option of posting your runs to Facebook or Twitter from either the App or the website. That’s the most motivational part for me. I feel like it keeps me honest and holds me accountable. I prefer to run alone, but having everyone and their mother know that you skipped your morning run is a good motivator

This is the best $20 running accessory I’ve ever bought. I recommend it to everyone who is looking to get into running and wants to find ways to stay motivated. Track your progress, challenge your friends, and brag about your accomplishments!

Laser Hair Removal

Unwanted hair is an issue for many women. Especially those unwanted whiskers under your chin! Or perhaps it's the tad too dark hairs on your lip that make you look like you have a mustache. Laser hair removal may be a great solution!

Facial hair is something I started dealing with right around puberty. I'm not talking a little too thick side burns. I had brown hair all over my face - the way most girls have blonde hair that you can only see when the sun hits it just right. My mom started noticing and bought Nair for me to use on the hair under my chin and neck. It got to be so bad that I had to start shaving every morning before school. As I got older, I started plucking and even waxing if I could manage to stay away from people long enough to let it grow out.

I had a friend who went to esthetician school and told me I should consider getting laser hair removal done. There was one place in town that did it and they wanted $185 just to do my sideburns. They said it would be a minimum of 5 treatments but possibly as many as 8. Like I said, that didn't include my chin, neck or upper lip. I couldn't commit to spending that kind of money when I made just enough to pay my bills.

Now, 6 years later, I decided I was worth the investment. I was tired of pulling away from the man I loved every time he touched my face for fear that he'd feel the stubbles. I hated how insecure it made me.

I made an appointment at Body Wise Specialists, a medspa here locally. They wanted $300 to do laser hair removal on my whole face. I called my esthetician friend to see what she thought. She told me that was such a great price she was concerned that maybe they weren't using the best lasers and I wouldn't be getting my monies worth. She decided to call and pretend to be a perspective patient and ask about the types of lasers they use. After 15 minutes, she calls me back and tells me that they're using the best laser available and I should definitely do it!

I just had my third laser hair removal treatment and I couldn't be happier. After the first treatment, there was significant improvement. After two weeks there was no hair at all. I waited 10 weeks before getting my second treatment. I had the same experience the second time. The laser almost pushes out a lot of the hair during the procedure but there are some that will naturally fall out over the next week or two. I waited 14 weeks until my third treatment and the hair didn't even start growing back in until around week 12. Of course you want to wait until there's significant growth before getting another treatment do you're getting the most for your money. The doctor who performed the procedure said those exact words to me after my first treatment - if that tells you anything about the doctor and the way she runs her office.

The laser experience isn't a pleasant one. I'm not going to lie. It feels like someone popping a rubber band against your face over and over again. The offer a numbing cream you can have applied an hour before that I get each time to help with the pain. The doctor is even nice enough to put hydrocortisone on my face after to help the swelling. My skin looks irritated - almost like I had a reaction to something and have little hives all over. By the next day, you can't even tell anymore.

One of the unexpected benefits - its almost like getting a skin treatment done. The laser is attracted to dark spots. It's burned off most of my freckles in the areas where the hair was. This of course made me slightly concerned about the freckles on the rest of my face becoming more prominent. To combat that, I started getting the Vi Peel - but that experience I'll share in another post!

But for you ladies with unwanted facial hair, I highly recommend getting laser hair removal done! For no other reason that You're Worth It!

Cooking For ONE Made Easy!

Personally, I find cooking for one to be more hassle than it's worth.  When you live alone, you have no one to answer to but yourself.  It's so much easier to go and get fast food.  It's quicker.  There's no cleanup.  This was something I had to overcome in order to be successful at losing weight. 

To be succuessful, you have to hold yourself accountable.  You have to start answering to yourself.

I started trying to find ways to make cooking for one easier.  I came across Perdue chicken breasts that are individually wrapped.  This allows me to defrost one at a time and not waste food or money.  They have them in two different sizes.  I get the full breast and not the 4oz version.  They're not fatty and taste delicious!  I highly recommend them if you're cooking for one.

Importance of Vitamins

I cannot impress upon you enough the importance of taking vitamins every day.  When you drop down to a diet that only contains approximately 800 calories a day, your body is going to go through a malnourishment period.  When your body isn't getting the nutrients that it needs, there are three places that it will pull from first to help preserve itself - your hair, your skin and your nails.

They say that on average, a person will lose 100 hairs a day.  When I started pulling handfuls of hair out in the shower, I didn't really think too much about it.  My hair was really thick.  I assumed I was just shedding a lot.  After a while, I started to get scared that I was going bald.  My stylist commented on how thin my hair had become and how much I lost when she washed it.  It was then that we started talking about the diet changes and the impact it was having.

I have a friend who dropped down to a 500 calorie a day diet for three months and was practically bald on the top of her head because of it. 

Being skinny wasn't worth isn't worth being bald if you ask me!

Take a multi-vitamin, multi-mineral each day.  The dermatologist told me that Folic Acid is also good to take to help your hair regrow, so I've started incorporating that into my daily vitamin intake.

Be sure to buy good vitamins - not the vitamins you can buy at Publix or Wal-Mart.  Go to a health food store to buy them.  I buy Solaray brand due to the recommendation of a nutritionist that I went to.  If you look at the ingredients in the brands sold at Publix or Wal-Mart and those from a health food store, you will see how many fillers there are in the cheaper brands.  You're getting a lot less vitamins & minerals for your money when you buy cheap.  You don't have to take my word for it - you can read it for yourself on each label!

Wendy's Salads

Has anyone tried the new salads at Wendy's?  I strongly recommend them!

I'm obsessed with the BLT Cobb salad.  The best part - the dressing packs are only 110 calories!

I've also had the Berry Almond Chicken Salad, which is also really good. 

I love that more food chains are posting their nutritional facts online so you can make the smartest choice when you are short on time.  I've provided a link below

Wendy's Nutrition Facts