A New Skincare Regimen

Hi! It’s been a few weeks and I’ve done pretty well with my diet and exercise. I pulled an ab muscle last week during my workout, so I’ve been resting it. It’s time to get started again though. I didn’t realize how much I use my lower abs until I pulled it. Talk about pain when I least expected it! Anyhow, I pretty much have a handle on what I need to do as far as eating and exercising is concerned and I have had a lot more energy throughout the day. So I’m excited about that. So what’s next for me? Skincare. Just this week, I picked up a bar of black soap and have been using that daily. I can’t really say I’ve done much research on it and other options yet, but I know I’ve heard good things about it, so we’ll see. I will probably experiment with other cleansers too, once I sit down and take a look at what’s out there. I’ve also switched to using a blend of oils as a skin moisturizer instead of my trusted Aveeno lotion. The blend I’ve been using is bought already prepared, but I plan to explore making my own. It’s amazing how much money you can save by creating your own products at home. Anyhow, I am somewhat of a moisture freak, so I will definitely only use what I deem is excellent. So far the oil I’ve used has been great. I do need something different for my hands though, since I wash them a lot at work and probably won’t be carrying a bottle of oil around in my purse. Also, my face is not included in this skincare regimen. That will be the next search.

I’ll let you know how the soap and oils work as the weeks go on and what else I may find. I’ll also be exploring the Raw Foods phenomenon more deeply in the next few weeks, so stay tuned for that experience. Have a great week and thanks for sharing my journey!

Basics Update

I’ve had a few questions regarding the detox I’m pursuing this week, so I want to address them. Basically, I’m only eating fruits, veggies, whole grains (excluding products with yeast), nuts and water is my only beverage. So what am I eating this week? For breakfast it’s steel cut oats with apples, cinnamon, pecans and golden raisins. Lunch, veggie burrito complete with brown rice, black beans and tomatoes. And for dinner I sautéed portabella mushrooms with onions and peppers in olive oil and for my side, I oven roasted potatoes…delicious! For snacks I have fruit, nuts, and popcorn I popped myself. There are plenty of options for meals that fit into this detox, but since I’m only doing it for 5 days, I will keep it simple. I guess it’s not a typical detox we hear about like juices or water only, but it definitely gives my digestive organs a rest and rids my body of impurities of a bad diet.

Day 1 down…

Back to the Basics

Happy 2012! A new year calls for new beginnings. I’ve decided to go back to the basics with my journey to natural living. Exercise and diet are the staples for this. Starting tomorrow, I will work out more consistently with the goal of 1 hour at least 3 times a week. Nutritionally, I’m detoxing by removing meat, sugar, yeast, dairy, and processed foods from my diet. I will do this for 5 days to give my liver and kidney a rest from all the hard work I give them when I’m eating poorly. It seems difficult with so few options to choose from, but it really just takes preparation. I’ve decided on a menu and cooked my meals for the week so I don’t have to wonder what to cook and end up picking up the quickest, most convenient meal, which usually means packed with awful ingredients. On top of my diet and exercise, I plan to sleep 6-8 hours a night to keep my body energized.

I believe starting with these basic goals will help me start the new year off right. I’ll keep you posted on my progress. Thanks for sharing my journey.