My Current Skin Care Routine and Finding The Best One For Yourself

I know, I know.I said that I would post every Tuesday and Thursday by 10 am PST, and I have failed! I am so so sorry! Sadly my computer died on me and it took me a week to get the hard drive replaced, and get my computer close to where it use to be. I tried to get a post up from the app on my phone, but I am not a fan of typing that way, and not being able to look at everything I have written because I am not on a computer screen.

Note to all that are like me and don’t backup their data as much as they should. DO IT, NOW, this very moment in time, because you never know what could happen. I do not want any of you lovely people to have to go through the heartbreak of losing all of your documents, photos, ect because you haven't backed up your computer. I know not all of us are Mac users, but if you are, they make it super easy with time machine. I went and purchased an external drive, set it up, and now every Thursday I have an alarm set to plug it into my computer and in a whopping 15 min all of my info is backed up and saved!

Well there is my excuse, rant, and advice on technology all in one! But, back to the real topic of this post, Skin Care!

I am just like any other person who has struggled with a skin condition. You can open up my medicine cabinet, and see TONS of different facial cleansers, toners, lotions, and serums and more. Any product was promising to give me the chance at beautiful, clear, skin.

I was recently introduced (not personally, but over the internet haha) to LUSH products by a vlogger I love, Jaclyn Hill, a makeup artist, and her sister Rachel Barkules, an esthetician. I don’t live near a LUSH (but one is coming soon to my area, yey!) I waited until I went into San Francisco, to make sure that I was getting the right products, and boy, did I! I have been using the products now for 2 weeks, (It has been so hard to contain my excitement over them) and my skin has already responded wonderfully to my new routine.

I am using Herbalisim as my facial cleanser, Tea Tree Water for a toner, Enzymion as my moisturizer.

I also purchased Ocean Salt for an exfoliator a couple days a week on my face, and daily on my body ( I have horrible ingrown hairs).

All of these products are made with fresh materials, and if they have synthetics in them they are “safe” or as I say, easy to pronounce and easy to look up to see what they are. 

Over all,  my face is clearer, toned, and moisturized with a matte feeling, just what I like! With only 2 weeks under my belt, and because my skin has responded wonderfully to LUSH products and I will be keeping this routine as long as I am seeing these results. I will be sure to do another update in a couple of weeks.

My advice is do your research. Talk to estheticians, cosmetologists, dermatologists about what is good for the skin. Pick up a basic anatomy book and learn about how the skins layers work together, how what we do on a day to day basis affects the way our skin looks/responds. Remember, products that work for me, will not necessarily work for you. It is a journey for all of us, but take the time to put your best face forward by finding the products that suit you.

Biggest Loser Controversy

While I was waiting for my car to be done at the shop for a routine oil change( which has now turned into new tires! Yey! This is why this post is late, so sorry!) I noticed that one the "trending topics" for pages that I follow and,  posts that my friends have made are all regarding the most recent Biggest Loser winner. 

I personally have not followed the show this season, but it is always cool to see what the winner accomplished in the time spent on The Biggest Loser set. After seeing SHAPE Magazines post,( here is the link SHAPE Magazine) I decided to comment. Especially because of the horrible things that people were commenting. 

I personally have worked at a summer camp, for children from the age of 9-18, and our main focus was weight loss. Children and Teens came for any time from 3 to 9 weeks, to achieve their weight loss goals. Some came with true goals to accomplish, and took the most from the camp. Others, this was a routine thing, a place where their parents sent them every summer, to lose the weight they put on throughout the year. 

I  mainly worked with a group of girls that ranged from 15-18, some were at the camp for the first time, and others were returning campers. They had and followed a strict meal plan, and every hour we rotated through "stations" if you will, to different workouts/games to keep them active throughout the day. The camp weighed in every Sunday before breakfast, I would say based from what I heard campers lost an average of 5-10 lbs (depending on their effort through out the week, and their starting weight) and this type of weight loss continued for the duration of their time at the camp.

This program is very similar to The Biggest Loser in the sense that it is an immersion program, where the campers for me, and contestants for the show, live and breath exercise, diet and, weight loss. Where meals are made for them, there are trainers that have workout plans made for them, and staff on hand for mental support. With this type of program, you will see DRASTIC changes, there is no avoiding them. The real challenge for these people is when they get home, thrown into their old world, and have to do things themselves, that were done for them for 9 or 14 weeks.

Personally, I do believe that the weight loss Rachel had is unhealthy, ideally you do not want to lose so much weight so fast, but for the program she was in, and the supervision that she had, I feel that she did it the best way she possibly could. I think what we all forget is that not everyone is made to look the same, and at the day of her weigh in, like other contestants that is the lightest they will ever be. Many of them say they put on about 10lbs when they get home, and that they are comfortable with that, for the reason that they understand they are not in the same environment any more.  

I say CONGRATULATIONS Rachel! You had many physical and mental challenges through those 14 weeks, and not only did you win a good chunk of money, but you also bettered your life. You can live the life that was intended for you, and no longer be hindered by weight or social stigma. I am so sorry that because you have publicly gone through your weight loss journey, you will never be good enough for society, you will forever be too thin or too large. But, always remember you are a beautiful, strong, and loving woman ( based off the interviews I read/saw) and no one can ever take that away from you.

A Good Sports Bra, and What It Could Do For Your Girls

A Good Sports Bra

and What It Could Do For Your Girls.

Other than a good pair of shoes ( after having your gait evaluated, of course), the second most important piece of gear for a womans workout wardrobe is a supportive bra. A bra that is going to offer you exactly what you need for whatever sport you are participating in. It is so important to consider the impact that is being put on your breasts during that 30 min run or the killer WOD with box jumps, double unders, and running.

I am going to give a few different descriptions of what a bad bra feels like during/ after a workout, what a good bra should consist of/ and feel like when wearing, what brand I would personally suggest for high impact activities ( like running), and what brands/style bra’s I wear for activity and everyday wear.

“Support, comfort, fit and style” (Moving Comfort) are all factors that women should consider when finding our next pal to support our girls, does that sound like it could apply to another part of our lives ;) ?

Have any of you finished any type of workout, and notice the “give” that your bra has, like the elasticity has worn since you took it out of the dryer? or when you finish up with a run are you noticing the pain in your breasts rather than the soreness in your legs already coming on from that long run? Those are both signs that the bra that you are currently wearing is not giving you the support that you need. Ultimately you are causing permanent damage to your breast tissue,by putting them through constant bouncing and stress. Basically, you need support that is going to minimize any excessive movement, no matter what breast size you are, from A-E

I have gone through m y share of Target Champion brand sports bra’s, thinking that was all I needed, and if I felt that I need a little more support, I would just double them up. That works and should be good enough right? WRONG!

After coming to work for Sole2Soul (a running specialty store in Fresno, California)  I was exposed to Moving Comfort, a company that makes workout clothing specifically for women. They go through extensive testings,all the way to a bio-mechanical level to make sure their bras are providing women of all sizes with the support that they need.

I am a 32 D, and after my first run with the Rebound Racer, made by Moving Comfort, my world was changed! and I can never go back to a champion bra ( unless I am using if for yoga, maybe). I no longer have to double my bra’s, I have no tenderness after a long tough run, and am fully supported during my crossfit workouts. The Rebound Racer would be my #1 suggestion for high impact activities.   

For other activities I do use a range of Lululemon’s bra’s for low to medium coverage. I am going to talk about a couple of their low coverage bra’s that are my favorite!

For everyday wear, I use the Free To Be Bra, it has a super cute design and is beyond comfortable. I am lucky enough to still be a student and have a job at a running store, so I do have the luxury of wearing this type of bra every day, and I hope that never changes! :) I like that it gets away from the typical racerback style that I wear frequently, I feel that this helps me avoid issues like back acne, give my skin a chance to breath, but continue to have support.

Next, I use the Flow Y IV. This bra reminds me of a Target Champion bra, but with better fabric, which I think flows over to the feeling of more support. I love that it has removable cups   (as do most of   Lulu‘s bra’s), breathable mesh on the back, and can easily be worn under any racerback tank.

End of story, every woman works hard to keep her body in the best shape, this is why we workout. We don't realize that while we are working to stay in the best shape possible, we are losing the shape of our breasts! I hope that the information about good and bad bra's,what they are both doing for your body, will help you find another bra that works best for you, during whatever activity you are doing. Here are some reminders for finding the right bra!

Tips For Finding a Bra That Will Work Best For You:

• shaped straps
• compression
• wide bottom band
• hook- and- eye closure
• adjustable straps

If you are in the Fresno ares, Sole2Soul Sports sells moving comfort bra's, Sports Authority also carries them. You can find any Lululemon store/showroom with their store finder on their website.

Till next time,

xoxo

Tori

For reference: I would suggest using Moving Comforts Bra Finder!

http://www.movingcomfort.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-MovingComfort-Site/default/SBFR-Show

Out With The Old, In With The New.

I have decided to change the focus of my blog.
I want to still use this a place/site for me to express my opinions, but to also help others with whatever journey they may be on.
I have recently started following a TON of YouTuber's, Vloger's ( I am not sure what the right term would be haha) and I love what they are doing with subjects that they are passionate about. Whether it be make-up, fitness, health, skin care, or politics; they are getting their point across, and helping others along the way.

I am interested in so much, and this is a great place to share it.
So! Some of the things you will see (more frequently) on this blog are tips, tricks, inspiration, or just a Q&A format for things I need help on working through and more on topics that I love. Like: fitness, giving tips on what types of exercise is most effective, proper warming up and cooling down, the benefits of certain types of workouts, my spin/circuit class playlists and more.

I am excited to see what is to come of this blog!
I will be posting every Tuesday and Thursday by 10am PST, keep your eyes open!

Stay golden,
xoxo
Tori