Category: Blog

So, I don’t know about you but after being on numerous sports teams since the age of ten, continuing traditional and intense exercise as an adult seems daunting. I know that a rigorous exercise routine will (with a good diet) give me results. But quite honestly, I just don’t want to work that hard anymore!

I’m not overweight and not looking to lose a significant amount, but I want to maintain a more lean physique year-round. To do that, the routine has to be sustainable. So I’ve found 5 methods that, when combined with a balanced diet, help me stay in shape but don’t keep me in the gym!

Yoga

If you have read any of my past blogs, you know what an advocate of yoga I am. I don’t think it’s necessary for everyone to be super flexible and able to do 犀利士 handstands to be healthy and fit. I actually believe that the stretching and mindfulness of yoga are the most beneficial parts. That being said, even just light daily stretching can make such a difference in your circulation, flexibility, mobility and even mood as we age.

Join a Team

Now this may be the last thing some of you want to do but there are actually tons of options! You can join a softball team, a sand volleyball team or even a dance team. Most non-academic teams are not nearly so competitive, this being the case you shouldn’t need any intense conditioning. But this gives you at least 1-2 nights (and some weekends) a week with physical activity and excess calories burned. 

Walk

One of the easiest ways to get in some exercise for the day is to just walk! Besides exploring your neighborhood when you walk your dog, try walking downtown and exploring your own city a bit, I promise you haven’t seen it all. And of course, walk at local parks or even the mall—especially if it has stairs!

Hiking & Biking

And if you have already explored your local city or town to the fullest and are ready to branch out, start with local hiking trails. You’d be surprised just how many are out there. Some for motorized vehicles and others for mountain bikers, hikers and even mountain climbers.  And if you have a bike just collecting dust in the garage but aren’t much for mountain trails, ride it everywhere else! Whether it’s for simple errands or just to get out of the house, every little bit helps!

Diet

And everyone’s least favorite word, diet! I’ve done plenty of diets growing up and into my adult years, and I’ve found out that I can’t stick with them long term. So I gave up trying to create meal plans for myself and started focusing more on portion control rather than restricting certain foods. I try to make sure I’m getting enough protein, carbs and fats, but I still also enjoy the foods I love just in smaller doses!

All in all, I don’t think rigorous exercise has to be a part of your life forever, you can certainly pull back on your hours at the gym. However, you’ve got to replace that activity with something else, even if all it is is walking the dog more often throughout the day. Just look for simple ways to stay on your feet daily and quite honestly, out of the house!

From the very beginning our hair is put through a lot. Every time you use a hot tool, brush while wet, or even stay in the sun too long, your hair’s health suffers. Now I’m not saying that the sun is doing the same amount of damage as your curling iron, but if like me, you plan on getting outdoors as much as possible, you may need to consider how you can shield your strands from excess summer damage.

Summer Sun Protection

Like some, I love the summer lightening effect the sun has on my hair, but unfortunately this is a sign of sun damage.  Having your hair exposed to the sun for long periods of time can be very damaging to your scalp and hair.  Especially since more often than not, when lying out during the summer, your first priority is protecting your skin with SPF. But believe it or not your hair could use protection too!

Don’t fret, there are a few things you can do to protect your strands while still frolicking in the sun. The first, and most obvious tip is to try to wear a hat or try wrapping up if you plan on exposing your hair to UVA/UVB rays for very long.

But before you even step outside you can add extra protection to your hair. You can actually apply a hair mask that contains SPF for some added protection. And of course find a hair and scalp friendly SPF to either put all over or just in your hair’s parting to avoid a burning, flaking scalp later.

Healthy Summer Hair Tips

First things first, do not wash your hair everyday! Washing your hair everyday strips your hair of its natural oils, which actually do quite a bit to nourish your scalp and hair. This doesn’t mean to not shower daily, just don’t wash your hair with oil stripping shampoo every day because this is likely to dry it out. Shoot for washing your hair 2-3 times a week and use dry shampoo between washes to keep your hair fresh.

Next, if you have never used coconut oil on your hair, you are missing out! My hair gets extremely dry in the summer months, especially if I find myself at a beach or near salt water. So I will use a coconut oil mask twice a weak, (on days that I wash my hair) to really lock moisture into the strands. This mask obviously does not contain SPF, so if protection is your main concern, do at least one SPF mask a week as well.

Last but not least, find a good hair, skin, and nail supplement. It’s just as important to give your hair what it needs on the surface as it is to provide for it from the inside out. Along with eating a well balanced diet, it’s important to make sure your hair has enough of the vitamins and minerals it needs to grow strong. Vitamins that can help restore hair health are: Vitamin A, B-Vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Vitamin E. And be sure you’re drinking plenty of water to keep your body, skin and hair hydrated from within.

Don’t avoid the sun or the outdoors this summer, soak up as much Vitamin D as possible. Just be sure you’re protecting yourself from the elements and giving your hair a fighting chance!

I’m sure you have heard this multiple times in your life—because I know I have— your skin is your body’s largest organ! And during the summer months, when the sun is out most of the day, caution must be taken to protect that organ.

Our skin is also the easiest organ to damage, since it is your outer most layer, it is your body’s first line of defense and plays a huge role in protecting your other organs. 

We get scrapes, bruises, scars and plenty of sunburns as we grow up, but regardless of your age, protecting your skin needs to be a priority 365 days a year!

Daily Sun Damage

Skin damage in general is quite difficult to reverse naturally, so if you can prevent damage up front, you’ll save yourself headaches and probably money in the long run.

Every time you go out into the sun without some sort of SPF you could be damaging your skin. I know that is terrible news for those of us who love to lay out and get a good tan, but unfortunately it is the truth!

Now, that being said, we need Vitamin D and the sun to survive, and being active outdoors is also important, but do your best to keep from baking in the sun with no protection.  Wear sunglasses, sunscreen, hats etc., and skip any sort of tanning bed in favor of spray tans or at home self tanner—if like me, having some color in the summer months is your preference.

Topical Protection

If being tan is of little or no concern to you, then perhaps

just making daily moisturizing  and SPF a priority is all you need to do. But you may need to be pickier than normal when deciding on what products to use.

My suggestion is to find a very rich and thick moisturizer for your body and a more lightweight, non-pore clogging, high SPF one, for your face!

Unfortunately I’ve found finding a face friendly SPF to be very difficult due to having sensitive and acne prone skin. So I usually lean more towards mineral based sunscreens, which use natural minerals (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) to deflect sunrays, rather than harsh chemicals that can be found in other sunscreens.

Sensational Skin Vitamins

While topical protection and moisture are super important and no doubt will help protect your skin from the sun, focusing on what goes in your body is important as well. This means your daily diet and even the vitamins you take.

To improve your skin through diet, you’ll need to add more fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats onto your plate, and avoid refined sugars and simple carbs.

But if you feel that even after adjusting your diet accordingly you’re not seeing much improvement, perhaps you need to turn to vitamins and supplements that can help make up for what your diet is lacking.

Here is a list of the top 7 Vitamins that can improve your skin’s health:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin D
•  Vitamins K
• Vitamins B3
• Vitamin B5

And don’t worry there are many supplements out there that focus on skin health and contain many of the vitamins you need to improve it from the inside out. These supplements can be easily added into your skin care routine and can help keep your skin looking and feeling it’s best all year round!

I think it’s safe to say that when the weather gets warmer the first thing most of us do is put on shorts and a sleeveless shirt. And I don’t know about you, but after a long and dry winter, my legs aren’t quite ready to be on display for summer.

But recently a new trend is emerging for pampering products and believe it or not it’s a leg mask!

There are only a few brands with specific leg mask products in their lineup, but there are already enough to choose from if you’re a fellow at-home-spa-goer.

Some masks can be used on both the face and body, but the skin on your body is going to have different needs and sensitivities than that of your face. So in my opinion it’s best to have options for both.

Benefits of Leg Masks

I think we can all agree that one of the main benefits of leg

masks is to add additional moisture to the skin, but surprisingly—depending on the ingredients—leg masks can do much more.

For example leg masks that contain charcoal can gently exfoliate the skin, helping to brighten and smooth. While clay based leg masks are best at de-clogging pores by absorbing excess oils, dirt and other pollutants from the skin.

Besides clay and charcoal masks there are also masks for tanning if you’ve got an event or anything special coming up in the summer months – like weddings! And with tons of other natural ingredients added to leg masks, the results are endless!

When you first search for leg masks online you’re likely to find that the well-known brand Nair has a couple different types to choose from. And because they are Nair leg masks they also contain “A unique hair removal formula that dissolves hair below the skin’s surface, removing stubble, minimizing regrowth and extending the life between your shaves.”

Leg masking is meant to be a relaxing activity SO if you have sensitive skin use caution and always test the product out before covering yourself in it.

The Nair directions suggest lighting a candle before pampering and defusing your legs. Using your hands to spread a think layer over your legs (don’t rub in). Then after washing your hands it’s time to chill for 5-10 minutes. After which you simply remove the mask with a damp washcloth revealing your bright and smooth legs.

Sign me up!

Bottom Line

As an at home self-tanner I have used heavy moisturizers and body exfoliators before but never a leg mask! The main way to maintain any natural or fake tan, is properly moisturized skin, and masks can certainly help with that! Not to mention masks can also help deep clean your legs after the self-tanner wears off!

Unfortunately, I’ve looked into it and creating a DIY leg-mask is more difficult than face-masks because certain ingredients like clay, seaweed or algae are expensive and can be hard to find. So store bought masks are probably the way to go for at home users, but luckily for all of us this trend is catching on and I’m sure more and more options will come out to suit everyone!