Monday, July 5, 2010

4 Things for the 4th!

HAPPY BELATED 4TH OF JULY!!


I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!  I was house/dog sitting for my parents this weekend, which I enjoy because it's kind of like a little getaway.  However, I have been studying allll weekend.  But don't worry, I'm not that boring! I also enjoyed a little red wine, delicious food, yoga, and fireworks! I think the only thing that keeps me sane during these final days of studying is a good workout, good food, and some good time with my hubby and puppy! 

Max and Major and their love for sticks. 
Max is my parent's dog, we are a mini schnauzer family!

Fun with Fireworks!

I used to be really into fireworks on the 4th until a Black Cat blew up in my
 hand when I when I was 12ish years old. Don't be surprised...I was a BIG tomboy.  

My Dad and Sam trying to simultaneously light the fuses...boys and their toys.


In honor of the 4th of July I would like to share with you the 
4 things that I am obsessed with right now 
(I think this might be a new thing... I don't know, what are your thoughts??).


1.  GROUPON
If you haven't yet discovered this, you MUST check it out!  It's based on the concept of getting discounts when you buy in bulk, or in large groups.  If you sign up, you will get an email with "The Deal of the Day."  The deals will be for fun events, restaurants, services, etc in YOUR CITY.  These deals are LEGIT!  It's always a huge discount, like 80% off. They are definitely not your normal coupons.  Watch this short video to see how it works!  I just purchased a signature facial and brow wax at Facelogic in Fort Worth for $30!!! The regular price for both of these services combined is $100... that's 70% off!! I just paid with my credit card online, and then a couple hours later I received an email saying my groupon was ready to print off.  Then I called Facelogic to schedule my appointment... works like a charm!



2.  My Water Bottle


Not only is this my new favorite water bottle, but I bought it at my new favorite store...lululemon!  The saying on this water bottle is a mantra I like to live by, "sweat once a day," and I love how I get a reminder of that every time I quench my thirst.  It's motivating.  lululemon has athletic apparel for both men and women, but this is not your normal workout clothes.  These clothes are so comfortable and stylish at the same time! We just got a lululemon showroom store in Fort Worth, and they are using the showroom to see how well the store does in the area.  Apparently, it is doing well, and they are hoping to open a big store one day!  The store also hosts complimentary yoga, boot camps, and other classes on the weekends.  Love it!

3.  Kukicha Tea
In the morning, a cup of this tea is the perfect compliment to my overnight oats.  It has all of the benefits of green tea and more but with very little, if any, caffeine.  I love the earthy taste of this tea mixed with a little agave nectar or honey.  Here are some benefits to kukicha tea:


Contains six times more calcium than cows milk thereby helping to build bone density
Contains  2 1/2 times more Vitamin C than oranges
Reduces high blood pressure.
Helps with digestion.
Combats fatigue
Benefits people suffering from bladder infection and heart diseases
Reduces the risk of certain types of cancer.
Fluoride helps reduce plaque and bacterial infection
Helps lower cholesterol levels.
Low in Caffeine
Burns fat

Here are some more details on the tea and tips on the best way to brew it.  I get the loose leaf tea from Central Market, which requires the use of a tea strainer.   I bought the tea strainer at CM for about the same price as the one on Amazon.  But you can also buy it already in the tea bags so you wouldn't need the strainer. 

Tea Strainer


4.  A Good Steam
I discovered another new obsession this weekend... a steam!  My parents have a steam shower, and I took full advantage of that while I was out there.  I steamed for 15-20 minutes in 108 degrees and just relaxed my mind during that time.  Although I was hot and sweating, I was really relaxed.  Sweating like that is so good for you as it is a detoxifier for our bodies.  The steam goes perfect with the saying on my water bottle, "sweat once a day!"  (No picture for this one, sorry!)

So there are my 4 things for the 4th!! What things are your enjoying these days??  My next CPA exam is on Wednesday... wish me luck!  Then, we are out of town for a relaxing weekend.  Hopefully, I will talk to you again before we leave so I can share with you the healthy place where are going! *Hint: It's named after the lake on which it sits in the state's capital. 

With Love, Health, and Happiness,
Cami

Have I mentioned Major's love for sticks... 
particularly sticks twice his size!

Have a great day!


3 comments:

Jennifer said...

i like the water bottle! might have to get me one of those as motivation on those days i'm not feeling a workout..
i have a fitness question!i enjoy feeling sore the day after a workout because it reminds me how hard i pushed myself, but do i have to be sore to get a good workout? Sometimes I don't know if I'm working hard enough.. what's a good way to gauge when to add more weight/reps/try harder??

Cami said...

Fitness question... I love those! Good question btw.

You don't necessarily have to be sore to get a good workout. If you do new exercises, then you will be sore because your body/muscles aren't used to that movement.

However, your muscles plateau after about 6 weeks and your body no longer is reaping as much reward from those exercises because they are just too used to that movement. At this point, I suggest incorporating some different exercises or changing the weight or order in which you do those exercises. For women, we should be fatigued after about 12-15 reps. If you are not completely struggling by the last rep, then you should add more weight.

To change up the exercises you can simply do a different exercise but still work the same muscle. For example, if you usually do regular bicep curls, change it up, and use a resistance band adjusting the resistance as necessary by standing on the band (picture link below) http://www.atlantacoa.com/newsletters/signal_6_2_06_files/image032.gif

Or use the pulley machine, and do bicep curls with the rope that you use for triceps.

Little changes like that will keep your muscles guessing. P90X is all about that... muscle confusion. But to answer your question, you don't have to be sore to get a good workout, but your muscles should be fatigued afterward for sure. I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any questions about it.

Michelle said...

So I joined Groupon the other day and I was so excited today that there was group Pilates classes for only $40!!

Great recommendation! I hope it gets enough ppl for the deal to go through :)

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