So, my daughter got married!!! And ramblings about skin care lol

Yes, that's one reason its been quite a while since I blogged.  My oldest daughter got married to an absolutely wonderful man.   We couldn't be happier for them both.  So we were a little busy though for a few days.  Here's a picture of my brand new family

I took vacation, and it sucked to have to go back to work after the wedding.  I mean it really sucked.   I really should have taken one more day off but oh well.

So, I've been trying some new stuff for skin care.  Back last year I was doing the Korean 10 step skin care.  Most days was only 5-6 steps, but one to two days a week I did the whole 10 steps.  My skin looked good,  and felt good.
So over the winter and this spring, I've tried some new stuff. Just well, trying out new stuff.  Um, I"m not nearly as happy with my skin.  Oh, its not bad, but its just not quite as happy as it was back last summer.
So I guess I'm going to be going back to that 10 step program.  Its going to be slow, cause I do want to use up some of the skin care that I have.  I mean I paid money for it and want to at least mostly use it up.  I can do it.  And as I use stuff up, replace it with the Korean stuff that seemed to work so well for me.

Guess I shouldn't try to fix stuff that seems to be working for me, right?   I'm sure in a few months, I'll get that itch and try another line etc and it won't work as well as my 10 steps.  Sigh.  Always looking for what's bigger/better.  The American way lol

Ok, so my Fitbit steps are usually CRAPPY!

I've had a Fitbit for a very long time.  Been through several versions.  The first one made ever, which I wore so much I broke it.  Charge,  now a Blaze and an Alta HR.  I like to alternate them depending on what I'm doing etc.

Well, my step count has gotten WORSE the older I get. I'm getting more and more lazy as I get older.  Oh, I workout, but unless I'm at work, or working out, I tend to sit on my ever growing butt.  All my favorite activities involve sitting.  Reading, watching tv, playing video games. 

So, I've decided to set a goal for my daily steps this month. I actually did it back on May 1,  But I've hit it everyday!!!  Ok, so its a pathetically low step number.  5000 steps a day.  I've hit it everyday.  And a few days I've gone way over, much closer to the 10,000 steps they say people should hit to be as healthy as you can be.

On June 1 I'm going to bump up my count to 5500.  I'm going to slowly bump it up every month until I'm hitting 9000-10,000 a day pretty consistently. 

I'll admit, I've had to step on the treadmill for 10-15 mins a few times kind of late at night to get to my goal, but hey, I got up out of my chair, and hit the treadmill to get those last 800 steps or so in, so good for me!!!

Been keeping up the Crossfit workouts at home.  I'm planning on keeping them up for a couple more weeks, then get back to straight heavy lifting at home.    I've really been enjoying doing my Crossfit workouts.  Its kind of nice to do them and while I push myself, I don't try to kill myself like I tended to do at the Crossfit gym.  I can just do it at my pace, and keep going or take a breather, and then go back to it.  

Not been buying a lot of makeup here in the last couple weeks.  Kind of on overload.  There is so much new stuff coming out and quite frankly, not much that's coming out is fresh.  Oh, Juvia's Place is coming out with a couple new palettes that look amazing, but other stuff, not really.  The same old nudes,  etc that I've got 10 palettes of.  Yawn.   Where are the greens, the purples, the colors?   I guess they don't matter to the brand name makeup companies.  Oh well. Plenty of indie brands I can buy from.

That's about it for me for now.  I hope to be buying a Concept2 rower in a couple weeks!

Crossfit at home, its not to bad

So I've been doing more Crossfit workouts at home in my home gym.  Been kicking my own butt, or trying to.  My cardio capacity SUCKS  really really SUCKS!  so I need to get that better.   So I'm kind of forcing myself to do workouts with cardio aspects, such as jumping rope,  I can't do double unders quite yet, box jumps/box climbs.  And next week I will do burpees.  I hate them, but they are a great cardio move that actually uses quite a few muscles.

Today my torture was:
5 round of
5 hang cleans
50 single jump rope
10 ab mat situps.
I thought I would die.  But I did it.  That's not counting my warm up, a couple min on the rower, some air squats and mobility work. 

I also ordered this:

Depending on how you have it set, its 16, 18 or 20 inches.  Box jumps, here I come.  Pray for my shins lol.  I guess I'll be wearing my knee high socks.

Been saving up Crossfit WOD in my Pinterest page.  Between Pinterest, the books I ordered and what Crossfit boxes post, I'll have WODs to keep me busy for a while.

I did order 2 things from BH Cosmetics, but that will be it for a while.  Time to save up for either a new bike or a new rower.  I got the new Caril Bybel palette and a highlighter palette.  

I work the next 3 nights in a row, then I get a few days off, err, nights off lol.   I did pick up one night shift at the nursing home, but other than that, I'll have like 10 nights off.  I won't want to go back I'm sure.  This will be good for me.  I think I was needing a whole bunch of nights off in a row.

Hubby and I went up to see Guardian's of the Galaxy Vo2 today.  We loved it. No, its not quite as good as the first, but I liked the opening scene better in the second over the first.  Baby Groot!!!
But there is a couple sad things, but I won't spoil them.  And we also picked up our daughter's wedding dress and hubby's new suit for her wedding in 2 weeks.  So it was a great day.

Hope you all have as good a day as I did with my hubby!

Less makeup, more fitness!!

So, I've decided something for this month.  I'm going to buy less makeup, cause really, how many eye shadow palettes do I need, and save up for more fitness stuff.   I literally have a list of stuff I want to buy.

Here's a few things I want to buy:
An Airdyne bike.  That's one of those bikes where the arms move when you peddle.  Great for getting the heartrate up.
A new rower.  I really want a Concept2.  I've got a real cheap one, but it doesn't show the number of meters that you row.   I want one that shows the meters you row.  And I've used a Concept2 before and its very smooth. 
A box or two for box jumps.  Or one that is multiple heights depending on what side is up.  I've got a step for step aerobics, but those are not stable enough for real box jumps.

So as you can see, I've got quite a list of stuff I want to get.  Why, well, I need to start focusing on my fitness.  Yes, I've been lifting weights, but I need to do more to get my fitness back.  So I need to start doing Crossfit stuff again.  It really works everything.  I think 2 days of pure lifting and 1-2 days of Crossfit style workouts.  I ordered 2 books that have Crossfit Wods so I can be ready.

 I ordered 2 books that have Crossfit workouts, a lot I can do at home.   Now comes the hard part. Forcing myself to do burpees.  I hate burpees.  I mean I really do.  But I need to make myself do them.  They are a great cardio move.  I need to do them. Maybe if I tell myself that enough, I'll actually do them lol.

So,  that's my plan.  I think the next thing I buy will be the box for box jumps. 

I do have a couple things of makeup I'll be getting.  Nothing much but a little.  I'm not going to go cold turkey in not buying makeup lol.  But if I cut back, I can actually use what I've already got, and buy fitness stuff.  And buy just enough to keep my You Tube channel happy with reviews and stuff.

Speaking of which, I need to film something this week.  I know just what I'm going to film, I just need to film it and edit it.  "Why did I buy that"  A  video on stuff I kind of wish I have left in the store.   Look for it soon.

Hope you all have a great day!

The good, the bad and the regrets

So today was overall good, with a little bad, and some regrets.

The good:
My oldest daughter Cyndi and I went to Des Moines.  She treated me to a facial, she got one too.  Then we had lunch and she had her second fitting for her wedding dress.  She looks so beautiful in it!!  Then we headed home.

Also good, my Total Gym was delivered today. I wasn't expecting it.   I didn't figure it would get here until next week.  I ordered it for my hubby so he can start his own fitness journey.

The bad, well, um,  eating. OMG!  I planned to eat fast food today for lunch.   We were only going to have  just under an hour between our facials and her dress fitting.  That was to include lunch and the drive there.  So fast food it was.  Fine, I made allowances for that.

The regrets!  OMG!  We went to buy more mats for our home gym for the Total Gym.  So we ate out again.   UGH!!  I feel so freaking fat and bloated now.  REGRETS!!!    I was going to workout, but man, my stomach kind of hurts.   I hope it feels better tomorrow.

I have to work the weekend.  I really don't want to lol.   Two nights in a row isn't bad, but that third gets to me.   Then this next week we have "training"    Stupid ass training. On days that do not work for 99% of us night shifters.  Cause they are days.  And one, I have to drive 40 mins, to go to training for 20 mins, then drive home 40 mins.  What a freaking waste of gas.   SMDH.    And the other,  I'll be going on very little sleep, so you know I won't care, I won't learn, and I won't be happy.  But they don't really care.    Oh well  I'll suck it up and do it cause I don't have much of a choice.  I just wish they would have just one or two more time offerings.   Or a couple more days.

Short blog today.   Still burping up supper.  Maybe a nice bath will make my tummy feel better.  Or maybe some Tums.

Why is it so expensive???

So I've been looking into fitness programs etc online.  Some are online programs that are kind of generic, some are literally just written weight lifting programs with some diet advice.  And some are more tailored to you, or so they say. 
Holy crap!  They are freaking EXPENSIVE!!!   One is $48 a month to be in the little exclusive club where you get some encouragement and programs that are somewhat tailored to you.   Then one woman, who is in great shape, she has written programs for weight training,etc.  Its like $90 for one program. WTF!  You only get a download.  If you want it printed, you have to use your own paper and ink.  Holy crap!    There are all sorts of these programs that are so freaking expensive and you don't even get to physically touch the person.    I paid less than that for my Crossfit and I had a hands on trainer, who helped me with form, programing, etc.   Of course, I'm now working out at home, so lol.  But still, I can get FREE workouts/programs on Bodybuilding.com  and I can pay a few bucks for books at the bookstore, like New Rules of Lifting or something like that.    And yes, I've gotten a few online programs. Usually when said person has a sale, and things are 50% off.  Helps justify the cost a little.  And yes, they are good programs, but right now, with my work schedule, just not something I can do.   So until I can manage to workout for 90 mins 5 days a week, I kind of wasted me money, Sigh.

So I just need to get into really good shape, and then put some programs out there on the internet and charge and arm and leg for them, and roll in the money lol.  Yep, that's the plan.  Get into awesome shape, or learn how to really do great photoshop lol, and charge like $100 for a program lol.   Sure, that will work lol.

Picked up a new palette yesterday. 

I  really liked the colors, and you can use them wet or dry which is nice.  I'll be using this one over the weekend.   I'll let you all know how it is.

I think I'll be slowing down on the buying a little bit.  Mainly cause well, there isn't all that much coming out I really want.   How many neutral palettes do I need?  I saw some sneak peeks at stuff coming out and well, I was a bit  "eh"   Literally I was like, I've see it, I've got it.    So well, I'll just try to use up what I've already got.  And trust me, I've got A LOT!

Show me the FOOOD!!!

So, I've decided to do something.   After years of off and on weight training, doing just enough to keep from losing muscle mass I've decided to do something about it.  I'm in my late 40s.  At my age, I'm starting to lose muscle.  Now, I don't know about you, but I like muscle.  That's what will keep me getting up off the toilet by myself when I'm 90.  That's what burns a lot of calories that I like to eat.  That's what give arms that nice shape, and will eventually make my butt look great.     And I don't want to lose this muscle.  

So, here's what I'm going to do.  I'm going on a bulk.  Ok, I can hear you now.  What the "F" is a bulk?   Its where you eat above your calories that you need to maintain your body weight.   And you lift a lot of heavy weights.   You put on muscle cause with the extra calories, and lifting heavy weights, a lot of heavy weights, you build muscle.  Ok so I'll probably put on a little fat a long with the muscle.  That's just one of the side effects.

I'm going to go slow.  Not go over by much, and try to keep my foods as healthy as I can.   That will help keep the level of fat that I gain as low as possible,

Then after a few months, you cut back on calories, and start burning off the fat.  And it might be a little easier cause with the extra muscle, you have more fat burning capacity.    Or that's what I'm hoping lol.    Build some muscle and it will help burn off the fat without having to do a major cut of calories. 

I've been getting some makeup and stuff.  Of course I have lol.  Ordered some stuff from Sephora during the Rouge sale.  And tomorrow I'm planning on going to Sephora and picking up the Huda palette.  I hope it is there.   I'd love to get a Natasha Denona palette but WOW.  They are expensive.  Maybe for my birthday.   I think that's a great birthday present to myself.

Hitting Des Moines tomorrow. Have a follow up with the dietician I saw.  I'm going to have her help me with my calorie goals for my bulk.  Then I'm going to see if I can find a bra, cause mine are getting old, and then Costco time.   If I'm going to be eating a little more food, I need to stock up some.  And we also need pet food and stuff. 

I hope all is great with you.