Worried about how you'll look in your bikini once summer hits? We've all been there.
"I need to get ready for bikini season!"
"Bout to get my bikini workout on! Two-piece here I come!"
"I've gained all this weight over the holidays..how am I going to be ready for bikini season in just a few months?!"
It's an overwhelmingly scary thought. I will most likely NEVER wear a bikini in public ever again, whether my body is fit or not. I have horrific stretch marks (hey, I've had 3 kids) and I look like a tiger..but that's ok, cause Katt Williams likes tigers.
However, there are ways to get your body in shape. I've been doing some working out over the summer, and I cannot BELIEVE how different my body looks because of it. I've been doing TONS of squats, leg lifts, and plies, plus walking at least 30 minutes a day. My thighs used to be considerably larger than my upper body. It was bad. In fact, I had no idea just how bad. I saw a photo of myself that someone took and shared on facebook, and it almost made me cry. I literally didn't know how big I was. Plus my calves were HUGE. I started eating right, limiting my calorie intake with the LoseIt app, and getting as much exercise in as possible. Oh, and drinking a CRAPLOAD OF WATER!! Give up sodas, for good. No, seriously. Do not drink soda. It will make you gain weight faster than anything. Just drink water.
I don't have a scale, so i honestly don't know if I lost any weight. But my body changed. My legs and calves were SO small and toned! I mean, they looked like skinny girl legs! And my thighs and butt actually looked like thighs and butt, not just lumpy stumps. They were smaller. They were more fit. My boyfriend couldn't believe how different I looked, and my confidence level was much higher. I haven't felt this good about myself in years. Yes I still have fat on my body, quite a bit of it actually. But I'm happier, and that's what's important.
So, in short, exercise, drink LOTS of water, and eat right. It may take a little while to see results, but please don't give up. It's so very worth it in the end. But hey, I'm sure you didn't need me to tell you that. :)
Oh, and here are my progress pics. :D
These are from June 4th. In the bottom pic, my thighs are so big they wouldn't fit in the photo.
This is July 3rd.
July 11th.
August 16th.
I don't have any newer pics than this because I've fallen behind a little with my workouts due to family issues and whatnot. But it's not permanent. I am not giving up.
Back in June, I attended an Influenster twitter party for the Spring Fling Vox Box, and won an invitation to an upcoming box. I had no idea which one it was going to be. Then at the beginning of August, I got a pre-qualification survey for said upcoming box. Still had no idea which one it was. No hints, nothing. Then, on August 14th, I got an email saying I was chosen for the Vitality Vox Box. I did not expect to get chosen for this box because so many of the people chosen had already received their box, and were sharing lots of posts of the products and things on social media. But, nonetheless I was still pretty pumped about it. The day I got the email telling me I was in the program, was the same day I got the voxbox. So there was no time to really anticipate the products or make guesses as to what they might be. But I got it, and I was really excited to open it up and see what was inside.
I got a box of Playtex Sport Fresh Balance tampons (which I also received in the spring fling voxbox), a tube of First Degree Advanced Burn Cream, a sample package of Bikini Ready Energy Gummies, a bottle of Pure Leaf Sweet Tea, a sample bottle of Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Caplet Serum, and the Softlips Lib Cube in the Pomegranate Blueberry flavor plus two $1off product coupons. How awesome is this?!?!
I am already pretty familiar with the tampons since I received them in the last box. I like them, but I REALLY wish Influenster had sent me the super absorbency instead of the regular. I have a 'super' heavy flow, and the regular ones just don't cut it so I do have to use a pad or a panty liner sometimes. But aside from all that, they do what they're supposed to do. They stay in place, and you don't have to worry about them becoming dislodged, or becoming uncomfortable. The applicator is fantastic, and they're so comfortable you almost forget they're there. Plus they smell freakin' awesome! But with all tampons, you need to get the appropriate absorbency to ensure there won't be any leakage. These are perfect for regular flow days.
Next up, the First Degree Advanced Burn Cream. I have never tried this stuff, but the information on the box looked promising, plus the fact that the retail price was a little pricey pretty much had me sold. Y'know, cuz usually the more expensive something is, the better it works. Usually. Anyway, the box says it's for minor epidermal burns, scalds, cuts, scrapes, and even razor burn. It also has a wound healing agent and an antiseptic. I gotta say, this product is pretty much perfect for me. I burn myself ALL THE TIME when cooking. I mean, it's every single time I cook. Grease splatters, trying to use my hands as utensils, and not to mention the hundreds of times I've burned myself on the oven because I'm too lazy to pull the rack out. And recently, the burn cream really came in handy. I was cooking those instant mashed potatoes for my 3 year old son (he loves masha taydos) and they started bubbling pretty hard, and some of the mashed potatoes splashed out on my hand. Luckily the boy wasn't around, so he didn't get hurt. But dang, it was hot. I immediately applied the First Degree Burn Cream, and it started to soothe the burn instantly. I had to keep applying it to get the pain to go away completely, but after a couple of days, I couldn't even find the spot where I was burned. So not only did the burn cream stop the pain, it eliminated the burn completely and kept it from scarring. Still can't find where I got burned. So this is some serious stuff! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who gets burned, scraped, or cut frequently. It's off the chain y'all!
The next item I got was the sample package of Bikini Ready Energy Gummies. These gummies boost your metabolism, give you energy to power through your workout, they don't have any artificial dyes or flavors, and they're gentle on the stomach. I think they're about the same as other energy gummies, except for the artificial dyes and whatnot. They did give me energy, and didn't leave me feeling jittery at all like most other gummies do. I only got the sample pack, so I don't know how they'd affect me if I had enough for a daily regimen. Most of the people who got the box got the sample pack, but select influensters got the full size bottle. That would've been nice!
My next item was the Pure Leaf Sweet Tea. I had never tried it before, and don't usually buy bottled teas unless it's Snapple. This tea was ok. I wouldn't say it's my favorite. Honestly, it just wasn't sweet enough for my taste. I'm used to REALLY sweet tea. This was more about the tea flavor than the sweetness of it. It definitely had a strong tea flavor, but it wasn't bad. It tasted really natural, unlike most teas that claim to be "natural". If they have an extra sweet tea flavor, I'd definitely purchase it.
The next item I got was the Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Caplet Serum. It's a small sample bottle of .17 fl ounces. I like the way it feels on my face, and those little pearls inside are so cute! It definitely makes my skin brighter and younger looking. Since I recently hit 30, I'm VERY concerned about aging, fine lines, and wrinkles. From what I've used of the sample, I've seen a little results but nothing super drastic. If I could afford the full size bottle, I'd totally buy it..but it retails for $60 an ounce. And there's no way I can just throw 60 bucks out for some face cream. But, it's still a good product.
The last item (but certainly not the least) was my Softlips Lip Cube in Pomegranate Blueberry. I have been dying to try this cube for a LONG time. It was included in select boxes during the Spring Fling Voxbox, and unfortunately I did not receive one and was super bummed about it. So imagine my surprise when it came in this box! Hyped UP!! I really really love it. It is super light when you apply it, and it doesn't have that greasy, waxy feeling on your lips. It actually absorbes into your lip skin, kind of like lip lotion. I've tried other lip balms and they just don't cut it. The product just sits there on top of my lips and eventually migrates to the corners of my mouth, and makes those little parentheses that George Carlin used to talk about. But anyway, the lip cube is awesome. Plus, it's got SPF 15 in it! It really hydrates my lips without making them look shiny. They just look and feel really soft, pouty, and supple. The flavor is great, and I will probably use the included coupons to purchase the other two available flavors. That is, if I can find out where the heck these things are sold at! I've searched walmart, meijer, walgreens, and family dollar. Can't find them anywhere. But don't worry, I wont stop looking.
I've also done an unboxing video, so feel free to watch it.
So that's my Vitality Vox Box. It's been a real treat. I wish I had been notified that I was getting it a little bit sooner, since it was thrown on me so quickly, but that's ok. I just like the anticipation. :) Pretty soon I should be getting my Rimmel and Kiss prizes from the Spring Fling Vox Box which are AWESOME prizes. If I can find the time (and we have an internet connection) I will most likely blog and post pics of what I get. Till then..
Eat up, y'all!
*I received the Vitality Voxbox and all of it's contents complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes*
I'd really like to know who reads this. Other than Influenster and myself, of course. I'm dying to know. I'm not sure if you can leave an anonymous comment, but if possible, do it. Just give me a hint. Initials. Something that lets me know its you. It wont be weird. Unless you're one of the people I really really dislike..but unless you live in Indiana and are related to my child, then you have no need to be anonymous. I've let go pretty much everything in my past except my prejudice against those who shall not be named. They're literally like the Voldemort of Indiana. Moving on.
Since March or so, or whenever my last post before the most recent voxbox, I've had a fuck ton of bzzcampaigns. I was up to 8 at one point. It's a lot to deal with. I've had 10 since march. Trying to test out 8 different products, and doing all the activities for 8 different campaigns.. It was very overwhelming. I'm more comfortable with about 5, and right now I think I have 6. But lord, the free stuff I got! I got a full size box of Quaker crunchy granola, a full size bag of Starbucks blonde roast ground coffee, a pack of good2grow juice bottles; 3 bottle toppers, 4 bottles, plus a single bottle, childrens claritin in liquid and meltaways, Chobani yogurt coupons, a box FULL of coppertone sunscreen, four Special K moments snack bars, a Mild kit from Kroger including a bag of honey mustard and onion pretzel bites and a bag of guacamole rolled tortilla chips (plus two chip clips), a citrus squeezer and coupons for free meat at kroger, and the most recent one was 5 -200 fuel point coupons plus a 500 point one for Kroger. It's crazy!!!
Not to mention all the rest of the regular mail freebies. I've gotten so many, I stopped taking pics. No time for all that when you have a super needy toddler boy learning to potty train and abuse the word 'mommy'. I may change my name to something he cant pronounce.
I'm kidding.
And hey, summer is upon us! Yay! School is out, so there's so much more time to spend with both kiddos. I taught Rizzle how to ride a bike with no training wheels, so that was pretty awesome. This summer will be a bit short due to all the snow days, but we're going to try our best to make the most of it.
Ok, I'm too tired to type anymore. I have to go to bed.
I recently received the Kiss Everlasting French Manicure in my Influenster Spring Vox Box. This is a glue-on nail kit with a french manicure design/finish. The package includes 24 nails in 14 different sizes, a tube of nail glue, a nail file, and an orange wood stick.
I have never used glue-on nails before, nor have I ever gone to a salon to get a manicure or pedicure. So this was my first time EVER having fake nails.
I put them on three nights ago, and even though it was my first time ever having fake nails on, I did ok. I had red nail polish on before I started, and even though I used acetone to remove it, it stained my nails and didn't all come off. I was too impatient to wait for it to wear off..so I put the nails on anyway. They look a little bit pink underneath. Lol. Some are crooked, some are different sizes (not symmetrical at all), but it was my first try, so I don't think I did too bad.
The soft tabs attatched to the nail made them really easy to apply, and they adhered really quickly. My only issue with applying them was the glue tube. I had to squeeze REALLY hard to get the glue to come out. Not sure if that's the norm for nail glue, but it was annoying to have to work that hard just to get a teeny tiny drop to come out, and try to spread that around on the nail. You can see under the nail where exactly the glue was, so I'm wondering if I just didn't put enough on there to avoid streaks and bubbles under the nails. Aside from that, they look pretty good, feel totally natural and are really comfortable.
They aren't heavy and don't weigh my hand down, and they're not too long so they don't look like claws or anything. They didn't snag on my clothes or other things at all. I filed them a little bit to round them off, because I don't really care much for the square-ish shape. They're really shiny, and haven't chipped once. I'm not girly whatsoever, and been a\a tom-boy pretty much my whole life, but these nails totally bring out my inner girly-girl.
After 24 hours of having them on, one of the thumb nails came off. The next day, two more came off. Now, I don't think it was anything to do with the glue or the nails. I am pretty rough on my hands because I do a lot of dishes and laundry (I'm a mom), so having them in hot water so much probably softened up the glue a little and caused them to come off. This would never deter me from buying the product because the remaining nails look great.
I think with more practice I could definitely do better. And now I know to be a bit more careful when wearing them. I saw some youtube tutorials and most of them recommended that you buff/file your nails so they become rougher, and the glue adheres to them better, so I will definitely try that next time. I haven't shopped for nails before, but I can guarantee that I will be very soon! Can't wait to see what other varieties Kiss has!
*I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.*
As you all know, the brand badge winners from the J'adore Voxbox were chosen. I was one of the lucky winners of the Boots Botanics badge, therefore I automatically qualified for the next Voxbox. The elusive Spring Voxbox. I got this gem on May 23rd, and I should be ashamed that I haven't blogged about it sooner, since it's been nearly a month since it arrived. At any rate, here it is. Oh boy!!
So, this is the spring voxbox. It's kind of a pale mint green color, which I love. The past boxes I've gotten have been mostly purple, and one pink. This color totally says spring. Here's what's inside!
The box was affiliated with the movie Labor Day, and there's also a Labor Day badge you can earn from Influenster. I believe it's open to all that were receiving the Spring Voxbox, but I'm not exactly sure. This box included a Peach Pie Car Air Freshener which is tied into the Labor Day Movie. I don't want to give too many spoilers away for those of you who haven't seen the movie, but there's a Peach pie scene in it, and it's EPIC folks! But the air freshener smells really nice.
The box also included a box of Kiss brand Everlasting French Manicure nails. I put them on last night, and even though it was my first time ever having fake nails on, I did ok. I had red nail polish on, and it stained my nails and didn't all come off, but I was too impatient to wait for it to wear off..so I put the nails on anyway. They look super pink. Lol. Some are crooked, some are different sizes (not symmetrical at all), but it was my first try. Hush.
They weren't hard to apply, just hard to find the right size for my nails. I'll just have to practice. They feel totally natural and comfortable on, and feel like my real nails. I keep mine a bit longer than this, and had to clip my long nails off to put these on, so that made me a little sad, but no worries. They'll grow back. Like I said, I've never had fake nails on..and I have to say I kind of like it. I'm not girly whatsoever, but this box has totally brought out my inner girly-girl. The nails aren't sharp, so I don't feel like I have claws. They seem to be holding up pretty well, too. Thumbs up Kiss! I like em!
The box also included Nivea Skin Firming Hydration Body lotion for normal skin. It is supposed to improve skin's firmness in as little as two weeks. I haven't tried it long enough to know whether that's true or not, but it definitely makes my skin soft and it smells FANTASTIC! I love a good-smelling lotion, and this is definitely one. It is a bit greasy, but it's not really a bad thing because it makes my skin glow. It's probably best to use before bedtime so it has time to soak up into your skin (like while you're sleeping).
Also in the box was a box of Playtex Sport Fresh Balance with Odor Shield, lightly scented, in Regular Absorbency.
The box smells amazing, btw. These are designed to fit your body and protect you from period leakage during your every sporty move. And, it's got a contoured applicator for comfortable, precise placement. I haven't had an opportunity to try these yet because my period is so irregular, but hopefully it'll be that time of the month again soon. These things look awesome!
Lastly (but certainly not leastly) the box included a Rimmel London Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara. I've mentioned in previous posts that I have never been able to successfully put on mascara. I received the same mascara from the Rimmel Stay Matte voxbox brand badge prize, and could not figure out how to put it on and actually have it look good..so I gave it away. I was totally confused, can you blame me? Well, not any more! I finally got the hang of that mascara and made it my bit--uh, well, I learned how to use it. :D Look how glamorous my lashes are!
This mascara makes me feel totally pretty, and girly! I love it! It's lightweight, doesn't clump up, and really makes your lashes look fuller and longer. I will never buy another brand, ever!
So that's my Spring Voxbox goodies. I forgot to mention that during the twitter party yesterday I got retweeted twice by influenster, and they favorited four of my tweets. What does that mean exactly? That means I got qualified for the next voxbox, ya'll!! The Caliente voxbox!! I'm thinking it'll be summer themed because summer is hot, and caliente means hot in spanish. Who knows. I'm so dang excited! Plus I unlocked the Labor Day Movie brand badge, the eBay brand badge, and for this box the Rimmel Retro Glam Mascara brand badge. :) But I wont be stopping there. Going to try to unlock as many as I can. Not just for chances to win prizes, but because it looks real good under the Brand Badges tab on my influenster profile. Hehe.
*I received the Spring Fling Voxbox and all of its contents complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes*
It feels like months since I've blogged. Hell, it may have been. All I know is that a TON of things are going on right now. Let's break it down.
I was recently chosen to participate in the BzzAgent Nasacort 24 hour allergy program. I got my Bzzkit, and got a full size Nasacort 24 hour allergy nasal spray with 120 sprays, several coupons, and brochures to hand out to friends and family. Unfortunately, BzzAgent closed the campaign just a couple days after it started, so there's nothing really to Bzz about. I don't care much for the Nasacort, and it just can't hold a candle to Nasonex. I'll share a photo anyway, though.
It was nice knowin' ya, Nasacort.
Some of you may have signed up to receive a chalice from Stella Artois back in December. I got an email Christmas even saying I would be getting one. I've waited 3 loooong months for that thing, and it finally came last week. I luuurve it!!
It's beautiful!!! I probably won't ever drink out of it though.
Moving on..
The Violet Voxbox from Influenster has long been over, and I've been waiting to see if I won any of the brand badge prizes. Well, I DID!!! I was chosen as a SoyJoy brand badge winner (out of 20 people!!) so I got one HELL of a prize. It's so freakin cool!
I got a reusable grocery bag, an apron, two boxes of soyjoy bars, a winter hat, a HUGE water bottle, a keychain, coupons, and a nice letter from SoyJoy. How bout them apples??
Sometimes on Mondays, Marlboro has amazing freebies. You have to be there right at 9am to snag them though. I was lucky enough to snag this gem. :)
It's a 3-in-one flashlight.
There's a compass.
A removable LED flashlight.
And a match stick holder with a striker on the inside.
REALLY freakin impressive. :)
Last week we learned that TJ's income tax return had been deposited. Know what we did first? Went to Lowe's to buy a brand new washer and dryer set. That's right. No more driving to Louisville to do laundry anymore. I cannot accurately describe the excitement. Lol. This past Monday, they were delivered right to my laundry room. I swear, I couldn't be happier. This is my very first set that actually belong to me, and they're brand new!
Yes, it's cramped in there. The laundry room was poorly built. But they work, and that's all that matters to me. I've done about 10 loads, and with each one comes a huge smile. It's sad how happy it makes me. Lol.
Also, I got a new phone!! TJ bought it for me, but I have promised to pay him back. It's a ZTE Source, and I FREAKING LOVE IT. It's not a samsung, or an iphone, but it does all the same things those do. And it's got plenty of space on it for all the apps I need. Plus, I got candy crush on there. Heheheeee!! My old phone was literally on life support. It wouldn't even stay on unless it was plugged in. Plus there was little to no space for apps, and it didn't even support most apps anyway. So it was definitely a much needed upgtade.
I've customized it since then, so the wallpaper doesn't look like this anymore. It has so many features, and it even has mobile hotspot, so when the neighbors don't pay their internet bill, I can still be connected. Hehe.
I've been invited to two new BzzCampaigns this week. The Quaker Warm and Crunchy Granola BzzCampaign, and the Starbucks Blonde Roast BzzCampaign. I am so excited about this! I checked the shipments, and my oatmeal is already on it's way. This is gonna be some good Bzz'n!
That's all for now folks. I have a ton of stuff to upload on social media sites, and very little time to do it. Plus we have to go shopping tonight for Jazzy's birthday presents. He's turning three Sunday, but we're partying it up tomorrow because the weather is gonna be nicer. TGIF!!!
As you all know, I got the J'adore VoxBox from Influenster. In it, I received Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask. I really really liked it.
It was really watery when I opened it, but after massaging the tube to get the ingredients back together, the consistency was fine.
I applied the mask, which covered my face really well and I didn't have to use a ton of it to feel like I had enough on there. It started out as dark green, but faded to light green once it dried. At one point, I looked like I was going into battle! It was an interesting look for me to say the least.
While it dried, I could really feel it tighten up on my face and it started to crack a little if I moved my face too much. I still felt the cooling sensation the same as I did when I first applied the mask, which was nice.
Once I rinsed the mask off and dried my face, my skin felt so soft! It really feels cleansed and blemish-free! It doesn't feel tight or dry at all. Just clean, moisturized, and super soft.
It does look like camo face paint. Lol.
In order to maximize the rejuvenating experience, I suggest doing this after your duties are done for the day, and/or when your children are in bed for the night. Get your mask on, light some scented candles, put on some relaxing music (I always choose The Cranberries), and get some cucumber slices for your eyes. Lay back in bed, and let yourself go wherever your mind takes you.
If you have the means, I highly recommend buying it. I've used it twice and it makes my skin feel amazing.
I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.
