Cassey Ho's Blog, page 87

What is happening to my body??? | Day 27 of 90

Yesterday something crazy happened. After going for my 3 mile morning run, I took off my shirt to get in the shower, but when I took a glance at my reflection in the mirror I gasped.

“Wait, what IS that???” I thought.

Lo and behold – I saw some faint lines on my stomach.

You guys. This is a BIG DEAL to me.

The last time I had any sort of line on my stomach was when I was crazy restricting, eating 1000 calories a day and working out 4 hours a day. Even though I was under the guidance of a coach, the way I cut down for my bikini competition was unhealthy and left me in a state of disaster – physically and mentally. I was the leanest I had ever been, but so incredibly unhappy and unsatisfied.

Here I am, only 4 weeks into my 90 day journey, NOT starving, NOT counting calories, only working out for 1 hr a day, and mentally and creatively THRIVING in my work and my personal happiness. It is insane. To see that what I am doing is actually working is crazy to me. Because nothing has been working for me. I work out a lot and I eat pretty healthy normally, but my body is immune to it all.

It is miraculous what FOCUS can do for you. Writing down everything in my Fit Journal daily, writing to you here on the blog, working out daily, cooking my food – the whole thing has become my happiness ritual. I am loving every moment of this journey so far and I just am SHOCKED by what has happened. I really can’t believe it. I really think being kept accountable by all of you is what is really make it work this time (so far)!

I’d like to reiterate that this journey is not one about abs or vanity. My “why” is not about that. My “why” is to get in the best shape of my life physically and mentally. This focus has my soul LIT from inside.

Eeeee!!!!

Oh and since I’ve been running a lot more than usual, I wanted to share with you what I am using for runs. These are my fave shorts for running.

These are the Secret Run Shorts from POPFLEX. I like them because it’s looks like a basic running short from the outside but it has booty shorts inside…with POCKETS! I put my phone there so I can listen to my audiobooks :)

Because I have unusually tiny earholes, I can’t wear earbuds without having to push them into my ears every 5 seconds. So, when Sam saw that I was getting serious about running on my 90 day journey, he surprised me with these beautiful wireless headphones! The sound quality is great, they don’t slip off, and the leather that caresses my ear feels so soft. It feels like the same quality as my Beats, but way better price point!

I started off running in my Nikes but they made my achilles heel feel too stretched out. It was weird. Then I remembered that my running friends only wore Asics, so I put mine on for a try and it made SUCH a difference! These are the Asics Gel Kayano 26.

I also wear my POPFLEX socks when I run. I am so glad we made a weekly pack, because I kept waiting an entire week until I could wear my avocado or carb socks again! There are 5 new designs now. This one is one of my faves because it features house plants!!! And the bottom of the sole says “plant lady” because I totally am one :P

After I showered, I microwaved some egg cups (from Costco) and ate them in the car! Sam and I shared. By the way, I have mastered the art of feeding Sam while he drives. Anyone else do this too!?

For lunch, I made Caesar salad! OMG, it was DELISH. I can’t believe I haven’t eaten Caesar salad for so long! I put rotisserie chicken, cherry tomatoes, cheese, and bacon over the romaine lettuce. I also made Sam a Caesar salad too and he LOVED it! So filling and so good.

Snack time – chili roasted pistachios! By the way guys, I want you to know that I usually eat more chili roasted pistachios than I show in these pics. I just take the first pic of the first time I eat them because I don’t want to bore you with a billion pics of pistachios in my blog posts.

Snack time again – bacon with sweet baby bell peppers. This combo was LEGIT!!! Also I ended up making myself a second plate. I say this because I saw that some of you were concerned that I was starving myself. Guys, I promise you – I am very full and very happy. My Fit Journal says what I am eating and these pics are merely to give you an idea of what I’m having, not the exact quantity.

Now…Dinner time!!!

Sam and I went out with a couple friends to try out a new restaurant called Fin in the Larchmont area, one of my fave walking areas in LA. We had never been to Fin but judging from Yelp photos, it looked like a place that would be keto friendly! For appetizers, we ordered these eggplants. OMG. They were SPECTACULAR. Dead.

Then shishito peppers. Cuz obvs. I’m obsessed.

Whenever there’s green beans on the menu, I order them. It’s like a natural reflex or something.

Same with brussel sprouts! I have this thing where I just NEED to know how the brussels taste at every restaurant I go to. These ones were okay.

The beef carpaccio with mushrooms on top. AHHHH this was one of my fave appetizers. Absolutely delicious! Soft meats with crunchy mushrooms on top. Perfection.

The filet wrapped asparagus. YUM AGAIN. I felt so happy because it’s scary when you’re picking a restaurant you’ve never tried before, but wow – I was honestly super impressed before I got my main dish.

And for my main meal, I got salmon over veggies with a butter sauce. UMM. This was SOOOOOO good. I need to figure out how to make this sauce!!!

There you go guys! 2 more days until my weigh in. So far I’ve already got some good progress this week – which is super cool! Yay, gotta keep it up. Hope you had a good time drooling over the deliciousness in this post!

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Published on September 11, 2019 10:54

I tried freezing myself to…burn calories? | Day 26 of 90

Yesterday was the day!

I went in to get my blood drawn for 4 different tests. I was so scared you guys. I started crying when the nurse put the needle in my arm. And the worst part – the needle wasn’t working so she had to do it TWICE!!!!

Because I was getting 4 tests done, they needed to draw a lot of blood. And I mean, A LOT.

OMG that picture makes me queasy. But it’s ok, cuz it’s for science! Once again, this 90 day journey is about me doing things that SCARE ME, so mission def accomplished with this appointment! ;)

I had been doing a lot of research about what tests I needed to get done in order to better understand my body. I used to think weight loss was all about creating a calorie deficit but what I am learning now is that a calorie is not a calorie is not a calorie. And that the way calories work in people’s bodies is totally different based on who you are and your genetic makeup. So, these are the tests I ended up getting:

#1. Baseline Test

This test is my basic blood test which will give me info on complete blood count, testosterone levels, lipid panel, metabolic panel etc. The last time I did this was several years ago, so I am curious how my health will compare.

#2. Food Sensitivity Test

I want to know once and for all what my undetected food sensitivities are. There could be foods that I am eating that are not optimal for my digestive system, my mood, and my overall body composition. For example, I’m curious if I should be consuming gluten or not. I know that when I eat it, I bloat and my belly feels super tense and uncomfortable. So I’d love to officially confirm if I should be gluten free, with medical reasoning and scientific backing.

#3. Micronutrient Test

Currently, the only supplement I am taking is collagen for my hair, skin, and nails. Once in a while, I’ll take protein powder. But I don’t take supplements at all because I think I’m getting everything I need from my food. But I do wonder…is there something I could be taking make my body run more efficiently and effortlessly? Am I deficient in a certain vitamin or mineral?

#4. Genetic Fit Test

Every body is different. That is why what works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. I want to know how my body uniquely metabolizes fat, sugars, nutrients, and vitamins. I’m supposed to learn what workouts are best for my body type.

I hope all of these tests are reliable and that they will give me solid data on the current state of my health. I bought a pretty expensive package (kind of embarrassed to say!!!) from Next | Health in West Hollywood, and I am praying that the tests come back telling me something I DON’T know. I will be sad if I paid a ton of money to learn what I already knew about my body.

Oh well, I guess you don’t know until you try! And honestly, I would much rather spend my money on things like this over buying designer handbags and shoes. It just doesn’t excite me as much as this kinda stuff. I just hope I didn’t completely waste my money. There’s a skeptical part of me that thinks I’m gonna get a report back that is kinda detailed but not really detailed, kinda like an aura reading or zodiac horoscope.

Anyway, after the blood draw, the staff offered me a free cryotherapy session and I was like sure WHY NOT.

According to the Next | Health site, cryo “involves exposing your body to an extreme cold environment of less than -150°F. This intense cooling induces a number of incredible physiological changes in the body. Initially, as the blood vessels constrict, blood moves away from the limbs and toward the vital organs. This is a protective and natural measure the body takes in response to the extreme cold. During this process, several systems within the body are triggered and the benefits begin. The immune system powerfully increases white blood cell count, the circulatory system reacts to increase its productivity, and inflammation is significantly reduced. In addition, the endocrine system jumps into action to release endorphin and norepinephrine that inflate “feel good” hormones in the blood stream. Blood sample studies have shown a reduction in cortisol and an increase in testosterone and DHEA.”

On Forbes, a consumer tech reporter explained that “When one is exposed to extreme cold, it is activated and helps to burn regular white fat cells on your hips, stomach, legs, and so on, in order to generate heat. Consistent exposure to cold increases the amount of brown fat an individual has.”

So, do we want brown fat? Apparently yes according to The Journal of Clinical Investigation. “Researchers say that mildly cold indoor air appears to activate the body’s stores of brown fat, which, unlike most fat, burns lots of calories.”

I stripped down to my undies and put on socks, mittens, a face mask, slippers, and a towel wrap and stepped into a super cold freezer for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. They asked if I wanted to do 2:30 since it was my first time but I was like NAH – LET’S GO ALL IN.

As soon as my skin felt air inside the freezer, I yelled “OMG IT’S SO COLD!!!!!” Then they closed the door. I had headphones on and asked to listed to T-Swift for my time inside. You guys. I was so cold my skin started hurting! I didn’t know how to pass the time so I started stretching and breathing slowly. I kept thinking about how if I ever put George in here it would definitely qualify as animal abuse. LOL.

When I got to 2:30 I was like okay, only 1 more minute. You can do anything for 1 minute!!!

I stretched my hamstrings, closed, my eyes, breathed deeply, and before I knew it – the attendants opened the door for me and I stepped outside dramatically exclaiming how cold I was. Hahahaha. They must be used to this.

Anyway, after I finished that sesh, I paid, and met Sam and George outside! They had been waiting for me the whole time so they could drive me to the office. Sam was afraid the blood draw might make me weak but I was ok!

As soon as I got in the car, I ate some chili roasted pistachios. No, not the whole bag guys. This bag is supposed to last me a week or so at the office for snack time!

Oh and I don’t think the cryo really did anything for me. I just felt better once I melted back to normal temperatures.

For lunch, I made zoodles for both me and Sam! Here we’ve got zoodles with paleo sausage, cherry tomatoes, and alfredo sauce. I put all the ingredients in the tupperware the night before, 100% raw and uncooked. Then when I got it out for lunch, I just microwaved it for a few minutes and everything tasted GREAT! I wasn’t sure about microwaving zoodles and tomatoes, but it worked out beautifully!

As an afternoon snack, I tried this “Cocoyo” kombucha yogurt that I bought from Whole Foods for…$5.99. I know, I know. SO EXPENSIVE! But cute glass jar packaging got me and so did the nutrition label on the back!

Only 4g net carbs and the only ingredients are basically coconut and raspberry! So…how did it taste???

At first the taste was a bit confusing. It really did taste like kombucha yogurt. So like, kinda fermented and kinda sweet and kinda creamy? A few minutes in, I started enjoying it and digging the unique flavor. Now it’s def not like real yogurt level but it’s still pretty good and makes for a lovely afternoon snack!

Yesterday we also had a POPFLEX fitting! This is me trying on the small and Misty trying on the 1X! She is our plus size fit model and has been with us for years now! Can’t wait for you to see what we have in store for you guys!

For dinner, I made these super cute hors d’oeuvres! It’s a cucumber with cream cheese and lox on top! They were absolutely DIVINE!!!

After dinner, I mixed some collagen matcha in with my almond milk. Sorry for the weird green everywhere. I should have mixed the collagen in BEFORE I added all the ice. Either way, it was delish and I kinda enjoy the matcha chunks.

Here is my Fit Journal entry. Feeling good. Weight, body fat, and muscle mass are looking good and trending in the right direction.

There you have it! My test results come back in about a month so I will have an update for you then! I have a 2 hour appointment to sit down with the doctor to go over every single specific detail of my health. I’m really curious to see what the results will be.

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Published on September 10, 2019 10:46

I deserve me. | Day 25 of 90

Every night I go to bed feeling exhausted, but whole. Every morning I wake up feeling like I have a purpose to fulfill. Everyday since the beginning of this 90 day journey, I have felt more ALIVE than ever.

It’s the start of my fourth week and I feel like it’s been FLYING by. I don’t dread any of my workouts. In fact, I look forward to each one of them – even the running ones! The thought of being able to move my body, push it further, and make it stronger gets me so pumped. I am feeling so much joy from the workouts – it’s like I’m taking a drug or something. (I mean, I’ve never taken drug-drugs so I can’t actually tell ya, but I imagine it’s something that makes you escape reality.)

For me – working out is my drug. It’s happiness. It’s therapy. It’s meditation. It’s my time for self-care. I love that I can be 100% selfish because my body deserves ALL of my attention.

Why? Because I deserve me.

And when it comes to the food? The fact that I am putting so much thought and love into how I nourish my body, makes me appreciate my food infinitely more! No longer am I stuffing myself with boredom and emotions – I have consciousness. I have clarity. I have a reason why I eat and why every ingredient matters. I eat to feel good. To feel strong. I eat to fulfill my purpose.

This journey has already given me so much goodness, and we’re now a quarter of the way through. I’m actually gonna be a little sad when it’s officially over in November. Who knows where my mental and physical state will be then – but I predict a whole new level of Cassey will emerge. She’s already sprouting quick…

DAY 24 RECAP:

I started off my Sunday with an 8am workout…with Sam!

We did a circuit training class at Training Mate – an Australian style gym boutique with some of the funniest instructors ever. They always make me laugh.

Sam almost never comes with me to my early morning workouts but since our friend was supposed to join, Sam felt he was required to go. Well – funny thing is – at 6:30am, my friend texted me and said he didn’t sign up for class early enough and all the spots were sold out! So he couldn’t go, but Sam still had to. Hahahaha.

Fit journal entry! I started off the day with my drink from last night that I didn’t finish. I couldn’t stand the green tea with water alone (so bitter, eew), so I added almond milk and monk fruit sweetener and it was the perfect morning wake-me-up beverage!

I had it with some chili roasted pistachios. I am addicted. These things are so legit. I wonder when I will get sick of them. WILL I get sick of them???

For lunch, I made more zoodles!!! OMG I can’t get enough of zoodles right now. Obsessed.

I used to use a huge fancy professional spiralizer, but honestly – it made making zoodles too big of a deal. Then I found this device which is basically like a pencil sharpener for zucchini – and it is LIFE.

Make sure that when you use the pencil sharpener zoodler, that you use the side that says “THICK”. The thin zoodles are too thin and will basically turn into water when you sauteé them in the pan!

LOOK AT MY CREATION!!! LOOK!!!

This is a masterpiece and would probably cost $28 at a restaurant in LA.

It’s sauteed alfredo zoodles with chicken sausage and cherry tomatoes. ‘Twas perfection. Even Sam liked it.

Dinner was rotisserie chicken with butter lettuce smothered in Jalapeño creamy sauce. I had this with a side of mushrooms and sriracha. Man, I love mushrooms so much. They taste like they could pass for meat or tofu. So transformative. Mushrooms are awesome.

Hope you guys choose to give yourself the attention you deserve. Go be selfish!!! Love you guys so much!

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Published on September 09, 2019 16:04

Sneak peek for something you’re not expecting | Day 24 of 90

Just gonna put this right here.

I’m releasing a video next Sunday that will explain everything about this photo. But this is all I am going to give you right now.

Any predictions on how this one is gonna play out?

DAY 23 RECAP:

Progress continues! As you can see in my Fit Journal, I’ve actually begun to take out dairy for the weekend and after analyzing – it seems that the cheese may have been one of the root causes of my stagnation and bloatation. My stomach feels so much better! I don’t crave dairy anyway, so I don’t feel like I even had to make a sacrifice.

I went to a 7am circuit training class so I could make it in time for my 10:30am interview with Hey B*tch Podcast! The girls invited me on to talk about my 90 day journey and we got super raw. I held nothing back. We talked about all the controversy that’s been surrounding this whole thing. It was a great conversation and we covered BOTH SIDES in depth. The episode will be out in a couple weeks!

If you look back to day 1 and read the title of my first post, it was titled “Doing this for myself“. I force myself to remember anytime I feel misjudged by others for my decisions. The reminder keeps me going strong.

I am so proud of myself for continuing to do things that make me more authentically me, in the face of continual backlash. I set out to get in the best shape of my life and I will not let anyone deter me from achieving that.

I AM going to improve my mental health.

I AM going to improve my physical health.

And you know what? This focus has me THRIVING on a new level. I feel so much more happy and so much more confident than I did just 3 weeks ago. You guys – this whole 90 day journey thing – it’s actually working ;)

Anyway, for breakfast I had chili roasted pistachios and matcha collagen water. I’m kinda addicted to these nuts. They are so good.

For lunch, I made a version of what I made yesterday! Cauliflower rice, sauteéd mushrooms, a soft boiled egg, avocado, fresh cherry tomatoes, and a side of left over shishito peppers. Oh and of course the sriracha drizzle. I actually ended up drizzling like 3x more on there throughout the meal :)

For din, I basically had the same thing.

For post din fun – Sam and I wanted to go out and get drinks! Now, when I say drinks, I mean boba. Or matcha milkshakes. (I don’t drink alcohol – I’m basically allergic. It tastes like rubbing alcohol to me and I my skins turns bright red everywhere.)

Sam got a matcha kit kat milkshake with boba and I got unsweetened green tea!

I really thought that the unsweetened green tea would taste fine, but actually it was SOOOOOOO bitter! I couldn’t drink it. I had to go home and add some monk fruit sweetener, and even then it still was too bitter for me. I ended up adding some unsweetened almond milk to to it, and it tasted a lot better! I think I’ll just make this at home for myself. So much easier and cheaper. Unfortunately, Sam didn’t love his either. He thought it was too sweet and the mix of matcha and chocolate wasn’t the best combo. We’ll try again next time!

Oh and yeah, I had more chili roasted pistachios :P

Have a great rest of your weekend guys! Time to go spend some time with Sam and George!

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Published on September 08, 2019 16:20

UMMM this is the best meal I’ve ever had! | Day 23 of 90

First off, I made a mistake in yesterday’s post! I had a 0.2% loss in body fat, not 0.5%. And I gained 0.1% in muscle mass. Whoopsies and thank you for those who caught the error!

Secondly, I want to go over my Fit Journal week 3 recap and compare it against week 2 – to see if I stuck to what I said I was going to do!

My week 2 recap said that I should START stretching at least 2x/week and STOP buying the same foods and to try something new! This past week, I ended up only stretching once that week. So I need to try to up it this week. It’s just that the studio is far from my house, so maybe I’ll need to do one stretch sesh at home. But in terms of trying new foods, yes, this week I bought new foods and everything was so tasty!

THINGS TO START: Next week, I want to get my blood work done to check for things like food sensitivities and any weird things going on with my hormones. I currently have an appointment on Monday. I am SO SCARED of needles, but I really want to understand the state of my body. The more info I have, the more I can strategize how I should eat and work out. I’m excited and nervous all at the same time!

THINGS TO STOP: Also, my goal next week is to decrease how much dairy I am consuming. I’ve never really been a cheese fan, but since keto allowed lots of high fats, I decided to begin eating it because I could! But I’ve found that it doesn’t add that much taste value for me. Plus I also think it’s causing some bloat and indigestion. So let’s see how week 4 goes with less dairy products.

Before we get into what I ate yesterday, I wanna show you my game plan page in my Fit Journal!

It is SO SATISFYING to see this page getting filled up with all sorts of workouts! As you can see, I love varying my workouts so that I never get bored. What also helps me is going to classes. For my job, I am always choreographing workouts and teaching people, so it’s nice to have another instructor whoop my butt for a change! I like it when they kill me (the same way I kill you)! So far looks like I am averaging 6 workouts a week and 1 rest day. Just like your monthly workout calendar!

DAY 22 RECAP:

Yesterday, I made the best dish I have made in a LONG time. It was PERFECTION!!!!

This right here is cauliflower rice, ground turkey seasoned with Nom Nom Paleo magic mushroom powder, sautéed mushrooms, a soft boiled egg, and a fresh half avocado with sriracha. AHHHHHHHHH. THIS WAS SO GOOD!!!!

So good that…

I basically had it again for dinner! Except I added fresh tomatoes, took out the egg and avo, and put some black beans in chili oil on top along with the sriracha. It was spicy and amazing!!!

Also, those tomatoes? FRESHLY PICKED off of my new tomato plant!!! These taste so sweet and smell so fragrant. I hope I can keep my tomato plant alive. It’s been a week so far and he seems to be thriving.

For snacks, I went nut crazy. I ate spicy peanuts and Thai chili almonds…and then…for another snack later that night…

I found the best nuts I have ever tasted. You guys. I bought this bag of chili roasted pistachios from Costco and OH MY GAWD. ADDICTING. You need to try!!!!

Okay that’s all for now! I’m missing my keto ice cream. Thinking of getting it…should I get it!!??? :P

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Published on September 07, 2019 18:42

Week 3 Weigh In and Non-Scale Victories. | Day 22 of 90

Before we get to the week 3 weigh in, I’d like to share some non-scale victories!

I have blogged every single day for 22 days!!!! WHOOOOOOO!!!!!
After 4 years, the Blogilates HQ is finally painted a color I like! Apricot Jam! And it has new gates with electronic key pad thingies! SO LEGIT.
New POPFLEX designs have come back and the fit is so good.
We’re currently casting for a really important body positivity video I’m making and I think we may have just chosen the final ladies who will star in it…
My splits are getting lower!!!! EEEEE!!!!

Front splits. This was me on August 19th.

This was me yesterday! September 5th.

The biggest difference here is that the hole under my hips is getting smaller! One day I hope for there to be no light shining through!

Middle splits. This was me on August 19th.

This was me yesterday! OH MY GOSH.

I am actually lower. WHAT IS HAPPENING!!????? I think one day I may be able to ACTUALLY touch the floor with my crotch!!! When that day comes, there will def need to be a huge celebration! Like, I’m gonna get myself a blue velvet cake and balloons and throw myself a crotch touching the floor party :P

Now, before we get into the week 3 weigh in, I need to say this once more since there was an uproar a couple days ago about a post I did. Even though I do weigh ins and track my progress more than some people would like to see – I want to make it clear that analyzing numbers is not an unhealthy obsession – for me. Analytics are simply how I am able to strategically plan my next move. It’s what I do with my career and my businesses as well!

Week 3 weigh in:

I already predicted that this week, there’d be no change or even an increase in weight. Turned out this was true – I know my body well. The good news is that I had a 0.5% decrease in body fat! That is awesome! Whoo!

I’m happy to see that whatever I am doing – it is working! Slow and steady wins this race. Nothing drastic or crazy, no starving, no fad diets. It’s just me being super focused. Enjoying my food. Enjoying my workouts. This time around, I’m doing it MY way…and I feel so alive.

DAY 21 RECAP:

Yesterday I went for a 3 mi run and then headed to stretch class at night! It was an interesting day for food. I wasn’t as ravenous as usual. Maybe it was because I had matcha collagen for breakfast? Not sure, but I ended the night with a very unusual dinner. I decided to go with what my heart wanted :)

Lunch was this keto bowl from Tocaya Organica. It had cauliflower rice, ground beef, brussel sprouts, bell peppers, avocado, olives, cheese, and hot sauce. I took out the olives. Not a fan. I also ordered guac on the side to share with Sam. So good. This one had pumpkin seeds and pomegranate seeds on top! Super filling. Would def order again.

Post lunch snacks – a slice of pepperjack cheese plus thai chili almonds and cashews.

When I got home for dinner, I wasn’t actually hungry but I did want something “fun” to eat. So I made myself a nut milk collagen matcha drink…and then…I was like…

I NEED ICE CREAM. So I ate the rest of the tub. It was glorious. It was perfect. I loved it. I’m willing to relinquish the cheeses from my lazy keto plan, but I dunno guys – this ice cream is too good!!! It’s gone for now…but I might just have to go get another tub!

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Published on September 06, 2019 09:49

What I do for hair growth and glowing skin | Day 21 of 90

I couldn’t resist the urge. I ordered a scrunchy and OMG how cute is this!!??

Should I design some scrunchies for POPFLEX!? Maybe to match our next collection??!!! Vote in the comments!

Now…onto skincare and hair care…

I am so proud of my hair growth and the state of my skin. Over the past year, I’ve been paying a lot more attention to it and the work is paying off. For the first time ever in my life, people are actually complimenting my skin – something that used to be a huge source of insecurity for me.

As a teenager, I had lots of acne, and because I constantly picked at it, I had scars as I entered young adulthood. I continued that picking habit even after the acne went away and basically ended up with dark spots all over my face. In addition, I never had a skincare regimen. Like literally, I’d do a half makeup wipe at night and then maybe throw on some moisturizer before bed. Some Vaseline for the lips. No facials. No cleansing foams. No toner. No SPF. Nothing.

About a year ago, I decided that it might be a good idea to start washing my face – like, for real. I envied the smooth skin of the girls who could go foundation-less. It would save me so much time in the morning if I didn’t have to put on foundation, I thought. So I invested time in my skin health. So here’s what I do for my face everyday!

By the way, this is not a sponsored brand deal at all. Yes I am using affiliate links, so I’ll be rewarded a teeny amount if you happen to click on the link and buy something, but there’s nothing beyond that. These are all things I REALLY use. Some of the brands have sent me product in hopes of a shoutout (perks of being an “influencer”), but that’s not how things work around here. I’m not here to sell you stuff all day long. I’m here to teach you how to find the joy in working out while living your happiest and healthiest life! But for the purpose of this particular blog post, I know you guys will ask me what brands I use anyway, so this one’s gonna be a little different!

My Actual Skincare Routine

My process begins in the shower. I like the steam to soften my face and begin dissolving the makeup. Plus, it relaxes me and puts me in a good mood for skin care :)

#1. Step one: I do a Neutrogena makeup remover wipe for my entire face and eyes.#2. Step two: Then I take put a dollop of First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser…

#3. Step three: …and I put it on my spin brush! The one I use is the Vanity Planet Ultimate Skin Spa Facial Cleansing Brush. I spin the cleanser on my face for about a minute. I like doing this in the shower so I don’t have to worry about cleanup around my sink.

After my shower, I check my skin in the mirror and it is literally tight and shiny. It’s like I have a gloss all over my face. It’s kinda amazing. I stare at myself for a moment every night after this. I don’t know what it is with the brush but I think it really does take away dead skin cells or something because the shine is for real!

#4. Step four: I put on night cream. Currently, I am using Night Fix Enzyme Treatment by Murad. It feels light and smells really good. This makes my face feel really soft.

#5. Step five: I put Vaseline on my lips! This is something my mom taught me when I was a little girl. I’ve been doing this since FOREVER and it keeps my lips from being chapped.

#6. Step six: In the morning after I wash my face, I put on some Murad Perfecting Day Cream with SPF 30. I was told recently that if I don’t wear SPF during the day, my skin will get damaged and that my acne scars will darken. So I got scared and started using SPF moisturizer during the day and I think it’s been helping keep my skin even-toned.

I should also probably be using toner, eye creams, serums, and other things I don’t even know about yet, but give me time. This is a lot for a simple skincare girl like me! I love learning about ways I can better my skin health, so I’ll update you when I begin adding more elements to this current regimen!

#7. Step seven. This isn’t really a step 7. It’s more like an all day erry day thing. But I think the number one reason why my skin looks good is because of how hydrated I am and because of the type of food I’m eating. I drink enough water so that my pee is lime juice colored most of the time. And I eat a lot of vegetables. Oh and I’m taking collagen, which is supposed to help fill out wrinkles and increase the elasticity of my skin. More on collagen in the next section!

My Hair Growth Hack

Okay, I don’t have any scientific evidence to prove that this is the actual reason for the increase in my hair growth, BUT I believe it is because of the collagen I am taking! I’m taking it a few times a week (I just put it in my water), but seriously you guys – my hair was at neck length about 1.5 years ago and now it’s at mid back!

Normal collagen doesn’t have any flavor so you can just put it in your water. But, I started using this matcha collagen from Vimco Wellness and it’s honestly REALLY good. It tastes like matcha with a hint of sweetness.

The sad part is, they discontinued their matcha collagen line, so I’m trying to ask the owners to please reconsider! I love this stuff so much!

There you go! Hope this helps you guys in some way. What’s your skincare regimen?

DAY 20 RECAP:

My Fit Journal entry. Yesterday, I started to finally feel that KBBQ wear off! Yes, my digestive system is THAT SLOW. My stomach is feeling better now. Def not going to go to an all you can eat restaurant again for a while! :P

I did a HIIT class at lunch time and got super sweaty. Didn’t have time to work out in the morning (which is my preference) but hey, you gotta get it in when you can get it in! I don’t really like non morning workouts anymore because I feel like it breaks up my flow. I’d rather start off hard so that the rest of the day feels easier.

Lunch was the ahi tuna salad from Tender Greens! Yes, again. This week has been crazy. No time to meal prep lunches.

Snack was pepperjack cheese with thai chili almonds. I think I’m going to start cutting out cheeses pretty soon from my diet. I think it’ll help me get out of my stall. But I gotta finish out what I bought first! Will NOT waste food!

Oh, not pictured but I also ate a ton of cashews and peanuts. I think – nah, I KNOW I’m overdoing it in the nut department. Must be more conscious!

For dinner I made shishito peppers with scallops and cauliflower rice. I also had this with coconut aminos and sriracha. Absolutely delish!

Post dinner, I wanted dessert so I dug into my keto ice cream. SO GOOD. I’m eating straight outta the tub. Probs not a good idea. But I’m too lazy to get a bowl. Tomorrow I’m pretty sure this will be gone. Haha.

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Published on September 05, 2019 14:20

Work, Life, Imbalance. | Day 20 of 90

Last night I went to bed at 2am and today I woke up at 5:45am. Work has been extremely busy, and right now it’s just one of those season’s where I need to GRIND IT OUT. In addition to planning and designing new POPFLEX collections (omg some super cool stuff is on it’s way!!!), we’re slowly remodeling our Blogi HQ!

Back in February, I made a deposit for some new security gates to be made for our building – but the contractor kept making excuses like “I broke my finger”, “I’m in the hospital”, “My wife is in the hospital”, “My kids are sick”, “I’m sick”, “My mom’s sick”, “I’m going out of the country”…for weeks on weeks on weeks. I kept believing him, giving him the benefit of the doubt, but then, after a few months of this…I just felt really stupid for allowing myself to be led on. He kept promising he’d come next week, I’d wait, and he would never show up. He’d never pick up his phone calls and wouldn’t answer his texts. I cannot tell you HOW frustrated I felt and HOW cheated I felt. Sam – the more zen one between us – was like, just let it go. Think of it as a lesson.

ARRGHGHGHGHHHH!!!!!! I just felt constipated in my SOUL.

The worst part was, he was a referral from a trusted person. I never checked his Yelp reviews…until after the excuses started coming in. And guess what? He had a 1 and a half star.

*bangs head on desk*

Anyway, last week he decided to just straight up show up outta nowhere (on our work from home day) and demand the rest of his money…7 months later…for doing half the job. You know what, I could sit here and complain all I want, but the truth is, I’m just glad we have (half) our gates. I never thought they would ever come!!! (Don’t worry, we didn’t end up paying full price…but he did put up a fight.)

After the gates were installed, I felt this super heavy weight get lifted off my body. FINALLY I could flow again. I had been WAITING for the gates to get installed so that we could repaint the building! Immediately, I went to Lowes and looked at all of the color cards. The warm, peachy colors were calling to me so I ended up choosing Apricot Jam!

I am so lucky I was able to find a well rated painter to come and take this job this week. Things usually don’t come together this quickly. Especially not in my experience with contractors. I am also grateful because other things in my life and in my business have begun to oddly flow better as of recently. I don’t know what it is – but I think it has something to do with being honest with myself. Honesty hurts sometimes. And it can make you feel really really insecure and vulnerable, but I think it is so healthy to be there for a moment. Or else you end up living a life of delusion, wondering why things didn’t work out.

This blog has been so therapeutic for me, because I don’t try to be someone bigger than I am – which is kind of the game that “influencers” play on social media. I’m really sick of that whole scene. I prefer to be here, on my blog, just being me, doing my thing, figuring stuff out.

Anyway – life right now may be imbalanced, but at the same time, it’s in harmony. Sometimes I feel like my life is this chaotically choreographed dance. I’m spinning and leaping and bending every which way. No one knows what my next move is, sometimes not even me! But that next step is so important because if I don’t plant myself with confidence, everything will crash. And guys, I’ve crashed SO MANY TIMES. One day I’ll tell you guys about the things that cut me, but not yet. I’m just glad that my resilience has allowed me to get up and keep on dancing – bruises, cuts, and all :)

DAY 19 RECAP:

I left my Fit Journal at home (oops!), so no picture for today! Regardless, we’ll head right into breakfast.

So, I think I will need to begin cutting out dairy slowly in order for my progress to continue…but since I bought it already, I need to eat it! For breakfast, I made cottage cheese with blubes. You guys, the cottage cheese from Trader Joe’s is very mehhhh. I don’t like it! In fact, I despised it so much that I made Sam finish the creation above. Haha.

Pre-lunch snack was pepperjack cheese with thai chili almonds. YUM. This is actually such a fantastic combo.

Lunch was an ahi tuna salad from Tender Greens. As you’ve probably noticed by now, I eat a lot of the same stuff. I mean, why mess with perfection!!??

My sister came over and surprised me with this keto blueberry smoothie! Even though I was full, I downed it anyway. Honestly, I drink my calories way too fast. I downed this guy in like 5 minutes!!!

Was feeling ravenous so had some cashews post lunch and pre dinner.

We knew it was going to be a late night at the office, so Sam and I Postmated our dinner. I ate a slice of brisket with collared greens. On the side I had my mini bell peppers with homemade baba ganoush.

I am so sad to tell you that this time my baba ganoush does not taste as good!!! :*( OMG and I have so much to get through. The first time I used Chinese eggplants (long lighter purple ones) and this time I used the regular kind (black ones, more round). That has to be why.

Anyway, that’s my recap! Today my stomach feels less bloated so I think I’m getting back on track!

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Published on September 04, 2019 10:21

Work, Life, Imbalance. | Day 19 of 90

Last night I went to bed at 2am and today I woke up at 5:45am. Work has been extremely busy, and right now it’s just one of those season’s where I need to GRIND IT OUT. In addition to planning and designing new POPFLEX collections (omg some super cool stuff is on it’s way!!!), we’re slowly remodeling our Blogi HQ!

Back in February, I made a deposit for some new security gates to be made for our building – but the contractor kept making excuses like “I broke my finger”, “I’m in the hospital”, “My wife is in the hospital”, “My kids are sick”, “I’m sick”, “My mom’s sick”, “I’m going out of the country”…for weeks on weeks on weeks. I kept believing him, giving him the benefit of the doubt, but then, after a few months of this…I just felt really stupid for allowing myself to be led on. He kept promising he’d come next week, I’d wait, and he would never show up. He’d never pick up his phone calls and wouldn’t answer his texts. I cannot tell you HOW frustrated I felt and HOW cheated I felt. Sam – the more zen one between us – was like, just let it go. Think of it as a lesson.

ARRGHGHGHGHHHH!!!!!! I just felt constipated in my SOUL.

The worst part was, he was a referral from a trusted person. I never checked his Yelp reviews…until after the excuses started coming in. And guess what? He had a 1 and a half star.

*bangs head on desk*

Anyway, last week he decided to just straight up show up outta nowhere (on our work from home day) and demand the rest of his money…7 months later…for doing half the job. You know what, I could sit here and complain all I want, but the truth is, I’m just glad we have (half) our gates. I never thought they would ever come!!! (Don’t worry, we didn’t end up paying full price…but he did put up a fight.)

After the gates were installed, I felt this super heavy weight get lifted off my body. FINALLY I could flow again. I had been WAITING for the gates to get installed so that we could repaint the building! Immediately, I went to Lowes and looked at all of the color cards. The warm, peachy colors were calling to me so I ended up choosing Apricot Jam!

I am so lucky I was able to find a well rated painter to come and take this job this week. Things usually don’t come together this quickly. Especially not in my experience with contractors. I am also grateful because other things in my life and in my business have begun to oddly flow better as of recently. I don’t know what it is – but I think it has something to do with being honest with myself. Honesty hurts sometimes. And it can make you feel really really insecure and vulnerable, but I think it is so healthy to be there for a moment. Or else you end up living a life of delusion, wondering why things didn’t work out.

This blog has been so therapeutic for me, because I don’t try to be someone bigger than I am – which is kind of the game that “influencers” play on social media. I’m really sick of that whole scene. I prefer to be here, on my blog, just being me, doing my thing, figuring stuff out.

Anyway – life right now may be imbalanced, but at the same time, it’s in harmony. Sometimes I feel like my life is this chaotically choreographed dance. I’m spinning and leaping and bending every which way. No one knows what my next move is, sometimes not even me! But that next step is so important because if I don’t plant myself with confidence, everything will crash. And guys, I’ve crashed SO MANY TIMES. One day I’ll tell you guys about the things that cut me, but not yet. I’m just glad that my resilience has allowed me to get up and keep on dancing – bruises, cuts, and all :)

DAY 18 RECAP: