How to Slay your Home Workout

Hello everyone! How are you doing?

As always I like to be honest and share my trials and challenges with you guys!

I wanted to talk about working out today, and let you know that not all workouts are created equal.
Most days I cannot wait to workout, but there is the odd day I don’t. Like I know I want to but my brain is saying “yeah it’s not happening”.

I realized a large portion of my motivation came from having a gym to workout in. The music, the machines, and the atmosphere were all part of it. I felt like my at-home workouts weren’t as good as my gym workouts and lost my groove during this whole pandemic.
This is where I realized the problem wasn’t my lack of fancy gym equipment, but my commitment and mindset.

I needed some motivation and knew what app was going to help me find it…
So I took to Instagram! and this is where my first tip comes from.

1. Get some inspiration from your favorite Fitspo. Now I have to stress the difference between inspiration and comparison. Do not compare your body to anyone else EVER. It is not mentally healthy, and such a hard habit to kick once you start. However, it is ok to get fired up from your favorite fitness account!
   I have many fitspo accounts that I love but there are two in particular that are my go-to every day! I am inspired by the encouraging words of @rachmarieofficial and the knowledge of @cschmidt.fit. I fully believe in having an upbeat, positive feed and these two really keep the vibes high!

2. Put on that pumping playlist before you do anything. Music has the power to change your mood and blasting your favorite playlist can take a workout from ok to super in seconds.

I love to find new playlists and keep my music up to date so I never get bored. Also my cardio playlist is very different from my lifting playlist! I like different genres for different exercises. For example when I do cardio, I’m usually listening to upbeat techno or remixes, and lifting I just like and kind of Rap or Pop music from 2012 up to now.

3. Always have your weights or equipment out and handy, or easy to access. Making your workout easy to start and set up lets you focus on actually doing it. If you have to dig through your bedroom to find your sports bra, then track down your resistance bands and Pre workout, you will be exhausted before you even start. 😂

4. Have a workout plan ready. A lot of the time you might be motivated but have no plan to put that energy into. Make a workout plan that you can stick to. I know it’s hard not to get ahead of yourself and want to get the best workout possible, but you have to have realistic goals set for yourself. Ones that you can achieve without exhausting yourself for the rest of the day.

5. You can have a great home gym set up without spending too much money. Just know where to spend it… I find having good quality resistance bands is the most important for me. I was ready to melt down when my old cheap ones kept rolling up my legs during my workouts. I decided to invest in some good ones from Peach Bands and never looked back!

I hope some of these tips can help you! While I am not a personal trainer or fitspo (though I like to pretend sometimes haha) I find these tips are great for anyone staring out! I am very stubborn so I’ve had to learn what makes me want to workout on my worst days and use it against me. 😂

Other places you can be a bit cheaper and get creative at home with your weights. I kid you not, for a while I was using my jumbo box of kitty litter to do hip thrusts since it was the heaviest thing I owned!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Fall Makeup Favourites.

Hello everyone! Happy Friday!

Truth be told, I am sitting on my couch writing this while it pours with rain outside. Hot coffee in my hand it feels only suitable that I am writing about my Fall Makeup Favorites.

I recently bought the NARS Extreme Effects shadow and have fallen in love with it very quickly. It’s the perfect blend of Fall colors. I love buying from Hudsons Bay because you always receive a bunch of freebies with your order, making it that much more exciting. This time around I got a free eyeshadow primer from NARS and a whole goodie bag from Clinique!

The palette itself is just stunning. NARS is hands down one of my favorite high-end brands. The quality of the shadows are pigmented, yet apply buttery soft.

Along with my NARS eyeshadow, I’ve been obsessed with the NYX Soft matte lip creams. My go-to shades right now are Copenhagen and Stockholm. I had to re-stock these shades because I ran out of my selection from last year. I know this might be different from other opinions, but I really like how light they feel on the lips after they dry. I dont like how some liquid lipsticks feel thick and chalky. These are an absolute dream to wear.

Those colours though! Such a fall aesthetic 😍

Also I’ve been looking at Tik Tok lately… Should I use it? Am I missing out if I don’t?

I feel like it’s going to be something where I don’t like it at first, and then suddenly I’ve fallen deeply into it and totally obsessed. I am still not entirely sure how to use it.

Anyway, TGIF everyone! What are your plans this weekend?

I’m going to carve pumpkins and drink a bit of wine with my friends. 🎃 🥂

Welcoming Autumn

Hello everyone!

I feel like I’m welcoming Autumn with an especially warm hug this year. It’s as though I am finally able to breath deep and catch a glimpse of a more relaxed pace. Does anyone else feel this way?

Besides being relaxed, I am so excited for all the fun Autumn activities we are still able to enjoy during these ever changing times.

Things I am looking forward to this Fall are: enjoying everything in Pumpkin Spice Flavour 😋 Staying in watching movies on stormy nights. And more mushroom picking adventures with Alex and our pup!

What are your favourite Fall traditions? 🎃

Happiness Journal Prompts…

Hello everyone 👋🏻

I’ve been in and out of doing my happiness journal and I loved reading through all the prompts that they offer in books and online.

As I was reading them though, I was inspired with my own that I absolutely loved and I thought everyone would love too!

I love questions that not only make you think, but make you think it different ways than you normally would!

Think of the questions that kids ask, they are so honest and unafraid to ask, it always throws you off guard in the most wonderful way!

It’s definitely been one of my favourite ways to start the day, especially with a cup of tea or coffee. ☕️

Here is my list of questions to make you smile, snicker and scratch your head:

🌸 What is your favourite plant or flower? Why is it your favourite? The colour? the smell?

🍔 When was the last time you ate your favourite food? Where were you? Who were you with?

✍️ Write down 5 not physical traits you like about yourself.

😆 Do you remember the last time you made someone laugh? Or the last time you had a good laugh? What was happening at that time?

🚗 What is a favourite road trip or vacation you’ve been on? This could be as a child or recent.

❤️ What is something selfless you did today that was out of the kindness of your own heart? It could be as little as saving a spider.

🤗 Who was the last person you hugged? How did you feel? Was is a goodbye hug or a hello hug?

🤔 What is one challenge you faced and overcame today? It can be big or little!

💕 When was the last time you helped someone? What were you doing?

🍭 What is your favourite candy and why? Or if you’re more savoury, what’s your favourite savoury snack?

✨ Who is someone you truly look up to in your life and why?

✏️ Write down 5 pivotal moments in your life so far, and write a short explanation of how they’re important.

💦 When was the last time you happy cried at a movie? Which movie was it? What was happening in the movie?

🐻 What is your favourite animal and why? I know this is a simple question but I think it tells a lot about a person 😊

⏰ If you had a stopwatch that could freeze time, what would you do with it?

💃 If you could learn any skill instantly what would it be?

🌈 This is a first thought exercise, there are no wrong answers… What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you see the colour yellow?

🌱 What is your first thought when you think of the smell of fresh cut grass?

⛈ What is your first thought when you think of a thunder storm? This could be a memory, or even something like a scene from a movie.

🎄 What was your favourite holiday growing up? Do you still love the holidays as much now?

🐕 What was your favourite childhood pet growing up? Can you recall a favourite adventure with your past pal?

🙋🏼 If you have a sibling, what is your favourite memory of them growing up?

📖 Do you remember your first book you read as a child? Or your favourite memory of a book that was read to you?

👋🏻 What little habit would you like to work on for yourself? Write down 5 action steps you can work on every day this week.

🗺 If you had the chance to re-write history once, what change would you make? This can literally be anything you want.

I hope these questions inspire you to start writing in a journal , or even jot down your thoughts on a napkin. 😊

My Top 5 Fitness Must-Haves

Hello you lovely people,

Today I wanted to talk about my favourite fitness must haves. I feel like more than ever nowadays, there is an overwhelming sea of products for fitness and healthy living. At times it can be hard to sift through that plethora of information to find an honest and experienced answer.

So here are my 5 favourite workout goodies, and why I absolutely love them!

1. And Probably my most favorite of all is the Fitbit Versa Lite. This is a necessity for me as I LOVE keeping track of things lol. The Fitbit Versa tracks my calories burned, steps, and most importantly (for me) my heart rate. I love the colors it comes in, although I definitely would have loved it even more if it came in pink. Overall it’s a wonderful device. One of my favorite features that is the most underrated is the ‘Relax’ app. It will track your heart rate while it takes you through breathing exercises, using colors to indicate if your breathing/heart rate is in a great, good, or needs work zone. I use this quite often at any time of the day if I’m feeling anxious or stressed. It is an easy and discreet way to slip in a guided meditation.

2. I decided to fully invest in some good quality resistance bands and it improved my workout game so much! I decided to get the Peach Bands Resistance bands. I did some research looking for a Canadian fitness company and I was immediately obsessed with their bright pink and purple fitness gear. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but the bands themselves are resilient and have a great feel. They don’t roll or pinch (unless you really twist them). The weight of these bands ranges from Light (10 lbs) to Xtra Heavy (35lbs) giving a broad range of weight. If you need to have heavier resistance you can easily double up on the bands and get that weight you need without any discomfort. These bands are a slender shape making it easy to use 2 at a time. They also pair great with dumbbells or by themselves for the perfect quarantine workout. (Should I do a post on my quarantine workout?!?!)

3. Sweet Sweat Workout Enhancer. This stuff has taken my cardio from average to a full-on sweat sesh. It is a bit of an adjustment applying a product like this to your skin as it’s not supposed to soak in. The whole idea is you apply it to the surface of your skin and it makes you sweat like 5x more than normal (not an actual scientific number but you get what I’m saying 😉) You apply to slow-reacting areas or spots you want to focus on in your workout and presto, you are sweating your booty off. I find it helps me be less sore in the morning and helps my muscles be less fatigued at the time of my workout.

4. Keto Bomb Coffee Creamer. Just thinking about this makes me so excited for my morning cuppa coffee. Like I’m actually salivating a little bit 😆 Save your money you would spend on expensive ‘specialty’ coffee, and try some Keto Bomb. My favorite flavors are French Vanilla and Caramel Macchiato. The best part is enjoying the amazing flavors and knowing they are a fraction of the sugar you would normally have with a regular Starbucks coffee. Not to mention you’re giving your body the fuel it needs with Vitamins like Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. I love using my Bodum frother to top it off and making it deliciously frothy and aesthetically pleasing. ☕️ ✌️

*A a side note here….specialty coffee if fun and delicious and nothing is wrong with enjoying them! I love a PSL and nothing will hold a candle to that. The amount of sugar in a food doesn’t make it ‘good’ or ‘bad’. 😘

5. Is the most basic but makes the most sense and that is a Yoga Mat. I got my yoga mat so long ago I can’t even remember the brand 😂 But I use it every workout. Not only is it an important cushion for your body but it’s nice to have a designated area laid out for working out. I find it creates guidelines for me when I’m doing exercises. It helps me center myself and check my form.

I hope everyone is having a happy Saturday and I’d love to hear about your favorite fitness goodies you can’t live without!

✌️❤️

• 

My Post Workout Routine

Hello everyone! How are you all on this beautiful day?

I admit! This might be my last non Christmas/Holiday related post for a while. 🥰

Throw back to the summer!

I have found that with the gloomy weather and shorter days I’ve been even more motivated to workout. Oddly enough I think it’s the lack of daylight that is letting me focus more on getting my workouts done by having less distractions. I have a lot more motivation at night to workout because it makes me feel so darn good beating those winter blues, as well as working towards my fitness goals.

So, I’ve worked out… now what to do?

I’ve created my own post-workout routine, perfect for recovering my muscles as well as my mind. 💖 I found that the key was to have a routine that was enjoyable and easy enough that I could actually do it every time I workout. Some things I don’t do every time, but you get the point. 😊

1. First things first, if I haven’t already been chugging water enough I will have a big ol glass of water 💦 I always knew that hydration was important but when you’re working out it is mandatory!

2. I will do some gentle stretching on my Yoga mat. This is also where I take some time to meditate, feel the stretch and find the rhythm of my breath and my heartbeat. Connecting with yourself after is important. I know that raised cortisol during a workout can make us more alert and potentially more stressed so it’s important to let yourself cool off after. As someone who has anxiety and high cortisol to start with, this is an important step for me.

3. Have a big meal! It’s so important to be well fuelled after your workout. Your body just used a ton of energy to jump, lift or push you through your workout. Time to give it the nutrition it needs. I always make sure I’m having a hearty meal post workout and it contains a healthy amount of protein, carbs, and fats. They are all equally important.

4. Run myself a steaming hot bath 🛁 Now I don’t do this every workout, but maybe once or twice a week I’ll have a hot bath. The heat feels amazing on my muscles and I’ll usually add some Epsom salts to help relax my sore muscles even more. While I’m relaxing I make sure to have an icy glass of water or something hydrating with me because the bath can make you feel very parched after a while.

5. Before I go relax or do whatever for the rest of the evening I make sure to give my skin a good cleanse. I always use a clay face wash and my facial sponge. I find it does the best job removing all the impurities from my skin, especially the sweat and oiled that was built up during my workout.

6. Lastly I’ll take my night time vitamins. Personally I have my vitamins and supplements split up into morning and evening so they can benefit me at the right times I need them. What I take at night is calcium, magnesium, and a supplement I take for my anxiety. These not only help my muscles relax and restore, but helps me sleep suuuuuper good at night. 😴

Just writing this post makes me excited for my next workout and post workout routine!

I hope that anyone working out, or just starting to workout find this helpful and inspiring. 💖

June Ipsy Bag!

Hello everyone!

How are you all doing on this lovely day?

With the whole pandemic happening I put a pause on any unnecessary spending for about 3 months. I did this mostly to save just in case anything happened, but I’m not even sure how much I really saved because my makeup budget turned into a snack budget real fast 😂

When I saw that little pink parcel in the mail I was over the moon. What’s that song again?

🎶 Brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favourite things. 🎶 … but pink instead of brown… you get the picture lol

I did something I never usually do and had a sneak peak of my bag when Ipsy released the lpreviews. I was so happy with what I saw it definitely fuelled my anticipation.

The bag they came out with this month is so cute! I love the bright yellow colour as it immediately makes me think of summer. And the pattern is just so fun! I’ll definitely be using this to pack all my little Knick Knacks in.

I’ll start with what I was looking forward to the most, and that was the perfume Juliette Has a Gun, in the scent Vanilla Vibes.

Ipsy has never sent me a perfume that I didn’t love. They’re always such a good size sample too, it tends to last me a really long time!

The funny part is that I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect summer scent. Something light and fresh that captures the essence of summer. Then Ipsy sent me this, and I was immediately in love. It was literally the exact scent I’ve been looking for. Usually perfume is just plain overpowering for me but this is honestly just the right combination. It also just smells really good on me, like it goes well with my body chemistry… does that make sense? It’s a thing right? 😂

Anyway I 100% plan on buying a full sized bottle once I’ve gone through the sample. And that is really saying something! They always get the perfume right with me.

Honestly if you’re ever unhappy with your Ipsy bag it’s a good idea to re-do the quiz because

a) It’s just a fun quiz to take in general and

b) It will totally change your bag to what you actually want and are going to get use out of.

Moving on!

The other product I was most excited for was the #inmo Cosmetics Velveteen Dream Shadow in the shade Kween Bee. Starting with the packaging I was obsessed. The little illustration on the front made me think of a Sailor Moon character.

For the actual shadow, I am always drawn to gold shimmers, they look amazing on any eye colour and skin tone. Unlike other shimmery shadows, this one actually applies amazing and the brush picks it up perfectly. Hardly any fallout and true to colour. Nothing more I could want! It’ll be at the top of my giant collection of gold eyeshadows!

I was very happy to receive the Youth To The People moisturizing cream as I have never tried the brand before. Supposedly this cream is filled with a whole list of superfoods including kale. 🤔 It can be used all over your face, or as a spot treatment for under your eyes. It’s a whipped consistency so it feels light on your skin but leaves you hydrated. I’m using it mostly for my under eyes and since it’s not very heavy, nor is it scented, it feels very refreshing.

Next this in my bag was the lipstick from Real Her cosmetics.

Honestly something about miniature lipstick just makes me so happy. Most people would probably say this shade is nothing to write home about, but to me it is the exact colour that matches my natural lip perfectly. It enhances the natural colour of my lips beautifully 👄 It’s not the longest lasting formula but it feels very comfortable on the lips, as it’s not drying or too smudgy.

Lastly was the Kohl eyeliner by Sugar. I’ll start by saying I’ve never found an eyeliner pencil that has worked for me outside of Makeup Forever or Mac. Unless it’s luxury quality it tends to melt down my eyes immediately… and that’s definitely what happened here. I was looking like a member from Kiss at the end of the day and it was not working on me 😂 I will be sanitizing and putting this is my kit so it won’t be a total loss!

Well I really loved this Ipsy bag and I’m already excited for next months bag 🤩

Does anyone else get Ipsy? I want to know how you’re getting on with your June bag ?

My Favourite Healthy Meal: Tuna Poke

Oh my gosh do I have a good one for you. Just the thought of this recipe makes my mouth water 🤤

This recipe combines all of my favourite things: fresh fruit and veg, seafood and so many sauces to top them off.

The best thing about this recipe is you can mix and match with so many different veggies and toppings it will always be delicious.

When I make Tuna Poke I always make enough for two because it is one of my boyfriends absolute favourite meals. I’ve been perfecting it for a while and I think I get a little better every time.

The ingredients are:

250 grams of Ahi Tuna (however much you enjoy really) or about $10 worth.

2 cups of Prepared sushi rice or regular is good too

2 Avocados

2 Mangos

1 cup of bean or pea sprouts

1/2 Cucumber sliced thin

The Marinade for Tuna:

1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil

1 Teaspoon Wasabi

A pinch of Salt and Pepper

Splash of pickled ginger juice

1 Tablespoon of chopped pickled ginger

And some assorted sauces!!! This is the fun part where you get to make a custom dressing to top your Ahi Tuna.

One of my favourite and most simple sauces is mixing a 2 to 1 ratio of wasabi and mayonnaise. Just so easy and tasty. You can mix it to your taste too if you like a more spicy Mayo, just add more wasabi.

I also use an in store Chipotle Mayo as a topping and then lots of ginger to garnish the side.

With the actual plating of the food you can display it in so many different ways. I use my handy bamboo boards but using a regular bowl and placing all your ingredients on top is just as lovely.

I tend to mix up all the ingredients when I eat it, so the display never lasts very long anyway. 😂

When I first had a Poke bowl is when I learned that healthy food can taste good, be enjoyable AND be within budget.

While we might not eat it every week it’s still a fairly budget friendly meal. Especially with the amount of takeout that is being ordered right now during this whole Pandemic, it’s been relaxing to make a really nice meal to sit and enjoy at home.

I hope this inspires you to take the time to make your own meal and sit and enjoy! There is something very therapeutic about cooking and then enjoying your own food.

• 

Travel Tips You May Not Know…

Hello everyone!

Over the last 6 months, I’ve become a bit of a master traveller in the short term category. I guess a master commuter is a better term? Traveller sounds more catchy haha!

I wanted to share some tips and tricks I’ve learned while commuting every week the last 6 months. It feels crazy to say I’ve been in school for 6 months which means I’m halfway through my course! 😮

We are just starting makeup for Film and Television and it’s been an absolute blast so far. We learned how to stipple on beards and I realized how much I do look like my brother. 😂

On to my first tip, and for me it’s a huge one because I CANNOT travel without music or I will go insane.

1) Set a reminder/alarm on your phone or device to charge your iPod/iPhone and pack your headphones ahead of time. Usually, if I know I’m going to be running out the door in a hurry I will do this just in case. I always set it for a good amount of time before I leave, usually in the morning or early noon. There’s nothing worse than getting out the door with no headphones or having 2% battery on your phone. (Also if you were super adamant on not forgetting your headphones, have a spare pair that never leaves your purse) I also charge my portable battery at the same time as my phone as a backup. I just have a cheap Duracell one but it works in a pinch!

2) Bring water and Snacks.  This is another thing to pack ahead of time. Every time I’ve thought ‘No it’s too heavy I’m not bringing snacks’, I’ve regretted it so fast because there I am, stomach rumbling on the bus or ferry. My favourite quick snacks are nuts, granola bars, and some chocolate. Basically, things that won’t squish easy and provide quick energy.

3) Plan ahead the best spot for your bus/train fare. I travel to Vancouver every week as some of you may know and the transit system is pretty awesome. (I know some will say different but for a small town gal like me it’s really good) We use Compass Cards, and I hate that last minute feeling of racing to the bus and racing to find my card.

4) Go for the stylish AND comfortable travel bag. I used to make rather inconvenient travel bag choices until I invested in my dream backpack. Its equal parts comfortable to wear has SO many pockets and is super fashionable. I got mine from Forever 21 (no shock there hehe) and its been all over B.C and to L.A so it’s definitely held up!

5) Invest in some handy Apps… It doesn’t take any money at all to have super handy apps on your phone. The #1 app I use is the Bus Tracker app. I think every city probably has its own version. I hate running to the bus stop only to figure out I missed it and the next one is 15 mins away. Basically, this app tells you which buses go to that stop and exactly when the bus will be there and even when the next 3 will arrive.

6) Last but not least… Investing in a couple gadgets can go a long way. For me my favourite gadget is my phone clip. I hate holding my phone for fear that someone could snatch it easy, but if it’s away I can’t, well, use it. That’s when I realized Otterbox gave me a phone clip with my case. I’ve been using it ever since and it’s changed my transit routine. I clip it to my waistline and I can have my hands free and tuck my shirt over to hide it if I need to. It makes listening to music while I walk so much more enjoyable! The other is a simple lanyard or extendable strap for your transit card (my friend from school inspired this one ☝️) Another amazing way to keep your hands free and your transit card safe and secure.

I hope this tips have been handy for you! I felt the need to share my knowledge 😂

The Perfect No Makeup, Makeup Look ft. MAC and NYX Cosmetics

I wanted to share my personal , perfect no makeup makeup look today. I really love it because it doesn’t use a billion products but just enough to cover all your bases.

I wanted to use beautiful neutral colours and the first thing that came to mind was my quad from MAC that contains Taupe, Espresso and a white and black (which names I’ve forgotten 😂)

The stars of the look are definitely my Rimmel Match Perfection (as always) and my favourite affordable powder from NYX the Stay Matte Powder Foundation. Besides my primer this is the base especially on my good skin days it’s all I like to use.

The biggest reason I love my MAC quad is the multi use I get out of it. The taupe shade is all I wear in my brows (with a tad espresso mixed in) and then I can make a natural eye look, and even more dramatic looks like a smokey eye.

Eyes: MAC Espresso and Taupe

Brows: MAC Taupe

Lips: MAC lipstick in Myth

Face: Rimmel Match Perfection and NYX Stay Matte But Not Flat Powder Foundation

Lashes: Rimmel Total Tease Mascara

Do you have any favourite no makeup, makeup products??