Healthy Eating

I wanted to dedicate this post to my new and improved diet and the app on my iPhone that helps me keep on track. It is honestly unbelievable to me that just by changing your diet you can feel 100 times better and it makes me sad I haven't started sooner. I started approximately a month ago. I cut out more than 50% of my bread intake, 100% of fast food, 90% of night snacking (AND SWEETS!), and started eating A LOT more fresh fruits and veggies. Portion control obviously helps, too! I posted a picture of my after work out snack for today. Like I said, portion control is important and really helps. 1 medium sliced granny smith apple, 10 pretzel crisps by Snack Factory (100 Cal.), and a spoonful of all natural peanut butter. Sounds lame but it was so delish. It took everything in me to not just shove it all down my throat.

I also have this app on my phone and it's actually kind of awesome. It's so awesome, even my friend Rachel uses it too. I don't pay for apps. I feel like the phone itself is already hundreds of dollars, why do I need to pay $5 for a weight loss app? It is called "Lose It!" and it's by FitNow under health & fitness. You can track your daily calorie intake, daily exercise, and (my favorite) your goals! You can set up your very own realistic goal based off your height, weight, and your daily calorie intake. My goal weight is 115 pounds, to lose about 1 1/2 pounds per week, all by taking in at least 909 calories a day. Sounds a tad bit far fetched but as long as you work out enough each day, your cals drop like flies. One of my other favorite features on this app is that it makes it easy for you to keep track of what you eat. It gives you the option to scan a barcode of product, restaurant foods, brand name foods, and even your own recipes! How crazy is that? So you don't have to worry and take the time out to input all of the nutrition facts... It's already all on there!

I'm done for the day! More this weekend!

Much love,
JTS

How Did Things Get So Bad?

It has been months since the last time I have updated. You can pretty much say I have been out of my mind busy. Things have been way out of hand (and when I mean things, I mean everything). Friends, family, work, school, which in other words equals stress, stress, and more stress...

Recently, my so called "best friend" chose his girlfriend over me. In my opinion, any girlfriend/boyfriend that makes their significant other choice between them and their friends should be shot. OK, maybe not shot, but definitely dumped. The reason she made him chose was because clearly I was a threat and I don't mess around. This girl decided to be sneaky while he was away at boot camp and I was the only one that had the balls to snitch. No one likes a snitch but I thought we were best friends. If the shoe was on the other foot, I'd hope he'd do the same. But unfortunately, I was on the losing end and I lost a friend. I guess we all live and learn but one thing is for certain, two is for sure, that in the VERY end, I will be the one who won and standing there laughing! Once he gets home from school in May, you all can guarantee those frauds will be put on blast.

Next on my list, work. Last I left off was I got a hostess job at a brewery. Starting after Spring break I am going to look for another job. The people there are unfriendly and the job in general is just... Awful. Did I mention the people there are awful, too? It took them about a month to actually put me on the schedule after I was completed training. You would think that they would put a new employee on the schedule if they were THAT eager to work. I need money! I'm not playin! This week is my first week actually on the schedule. How ridiculous is that?

School is just as bad. I've learn that for the past year, all of the classes I have been taking for my accounting major are not transferable. You can only imagine how stressed out I am. So in other words, all of my money and time have gone to waste (or at least most of it). This up coming week I am applying to colleges in SC (College of Charleston being one of them) and getting a move on so I can get the hell out of here by the Fall. The latest, Spring of 2014.

Luckily, some good comes with the bad and for the past month I have been ACTUALLY dieting and exercising. And yes, it is for real this time (last time lasted like 48 hours). So far I am down 5lbs! I am going for an entire new me. I can't wait for you all to see. I am aiming for 120lbs (started at 138lbs) and on my birthday (April 3rd), I am dying my hair and getting a tan. Doesn't sound like a big deal but for me... It is. I haven't done anything different with myself for years!

With some good comes bad, but then more bad. I have been breaking out like you wouldn't believe and about 3 weeks ago, I got my hair cut and lets just say it looks like a 2 year old took a pair of clippers to my head while I was sleeping. My skin literally feels like it has been crawling because of all the stress. My skin reminds me and looks like a 14 year old teenager going through some major puberty. So I have decided to do some product reviews for my first entry back in the blog game. First one being, ProActiv the 3 Step System! Today is my first day back on the system so this is just based off of my experience. TOP 5 Q:
WHERE CAN I BUY IT? I am pretty sure you can call or order off their website. I know they also have boutiques now that they are more popular.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? It depends on what kind of system you get. If you purchase the original 3 step formula it runs about $30. But if you need the extra strength formula (which I probably will try) runs around $50. Also along with the 3 step program you usually receive their refining mask, dark spot corrector, OR spot treatment as a "free gift." So you get quite a lot for the price.
HOW DO I USE IT? This is the tricky part. I used ProActiv when I was in middle school and it worked for me off and on (which is why I am so skeptical about starting it up again). BUT after reading reviews on ProActiv's site, I read that it really makes a difference on how you follow the 3 step system. First, using the "Renewing Cleanser", you gently wash your face like you would with any other cleanser with luke-warm water, rinse completely off, and pat dry. And when I say completely off, I MEAN COMPLETELY OFF, because it will bleach your towels. Next, use the "Revitalizing Toner" with a cotton ball or pad and swipe it evenly over your entire face. Next using the "Repairing Treatment Moisturizer," spread and rub in to entire face evenly like a normal lotion.
HOW'D YA HEAR ABOUT IT? Like I said, I had heard about it when I was in middle school and all of my friends were using it. It worked off and on as a teenager, so now that I am more grown up that's why I am going to give it another try.
WOULD I RECOMMEND IT? WHY? Based off of my experience in middle school as a teenager, I wouldn't suggest this product because it was not very reliable. Some weeks it would work extremely well, other weeks it would make my skin worse. But who knows, this is why I am trying it again. It might work better this time! I will keep every one posted.

Next and last product is Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred DVD. TOP 5 Q:
WHERE CAN I BUY IT? I'm pretty sure you can buy it at any Best Buy or video store. Where you can buy DVDs, I am pretty sure you can find this! I found my DVD at Target.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? This is the best part... It only costs around $10!
HOW DO I USE IT? It is a work out DVD. There are 3 levels of intensity and you progressively every week increase your intensity. I was on level 1 for about 2 1/2 weeks because I was that out of shape but by the end of week 2 I was able to complete the entire workout with out a break. Oh and did I mention the workout is only 25 minutes? Only piece of advice is that you will not see results unless you do the work out almost every day.
HOW'D YA HEAR ABOUT IT? Funny enough, my mom introduced it to me about a year or two ago and I never had the stamina or the discipline to do it every day.
WOULD I RECOMMEND IT? WHY? OH MY GOD, yes. I hate working out but this video motivates me to get up every day and do it because it is only 25 minutes long. Also, I have been keeping up with it and already I have seen extreme results. Go Jillian Michaels!

Much love,
JTS

DIY Gifts

I know you guys are excited to see what I put together for all of my friends and I also have a product review for the holidays! First, before I get in to all of my DIY presents... I bought Eric the "Workaholics Season 2" DVD (which I have yet to give him, so hopefully he likes it) and I bought my best friend Adam a thermal from American Eagle (which he seemed to like). Here is the link to it. I got it in navy. AND before my DIY, today was the last day I saw my friend Adam. He is leaving for the air force on Monday and his family and him are celebrating Christmas early tomorrow so I wouldn't be able to see him. I can't stop thinking about him and how much I am going to miss him. I couldn't stop crying and when he was about to leave, I didn't want to let go! It was a lot harder than I intended it to be (so shitty). It'll take time for me to fully get over it and not having the freedom just to call him up and have him come over. I can't wait to write to him every day because I already know what I'm going to say (pretty much 3 letters worth already).

MOVING ON! What I did for my three friends (three Jewish girls, so it was a little more difficult because I tried to make things not Christmas related), I bought a bunch of supplies from my local Michael's craft store snow flake gift bags, snow flake tissue paper, sparkley white chinese boxes, 3D snow flake stickers, sparkley ribbons, and white snow flakey cookie bags! I made Toll House's original sugar cookies and decorated them with a simple "icing" (we used this icing for our gingerbread men this year because the icing gets hard quick which helps for packaging) by combining 4 cups of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of meringue powder, and 4 tablespoons of water. I decorated them appropriately (because they are Jewish) and put blue, purple, and yellow sprinkles on them. After letting all of them dry, I started my next project (my favorite). I made "white trash." White trash consists of 1 cup of rice chex cereal, 1 cup of honey nut cherrios, crushed up pretzels, a ton of m&ms, and melted white chocolate poured evenly throughout the dry mixture and pressed on a baking sheet (here's the official "recipe"). Sounds a little funky, but if you know what I am talking about you know it is so delish! After letting everything cool, I got ready for packaging! I put cookies in the snow flake cookie bags and tied them tightly with the sparkley ribbon and placed them in the sparkley chinese box. After, I decorated the box with the stick on snow flakes and wrote each of their first initials with sharpie on the side. I also broke apart the white trash mix and placed them in the cookie bags and tied them with the ribbon (with a tag that says "you're my fave white trash"). That's not all! I also got each of them a different flavor of Archer Farms hot chocolate to put in their bags as well. Rachel got dark chocolate, Ashley got mint, and Bekah got salted carmel (all of them are so good and top of the line). They are really adorable because they come in nice cans (here's a link obviously). So after filling their gift bags with the cookie box, the white trash, and the hot chocolate, I also added candy canes and other holiday chocolates. Oh right and how could I forget... I got each of them a pair of American Eagle earrings. It turned out really cute and I had a blast putting it all together (not only all that but I even tied their bags with the sparkley ribbon :) ).

I haven't done a TOP 5 Q in a while so I have a new one for all of you to check out especially for those of you who were interested on whitening up your choppers for the holidays ;). It's Crest's 3D White Multi-Care Whitening Rinse in Glamorous White and it is alcohol free.
WHERE CAN I BUY IT? I'm pretty sure you can buy it at any convenient store or drug store like CVS.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? It costs around $7. I mean it's mouth wash? And it's 16 FL OZ. That isn't bad at all. Chunk change!
HOW DO I USE IT? I mean... I hope you all have used mouth wash before at least once in your life but just in case you forgot, what I do is after I brush my teeth real good, I fill up the mouth wash cap 1/3 of the way and swish it around in my mouth for about 45-60 seconds. I also use it morning and night (to make them extra white :) ).
HOW'D YA HEAR ABOUT IT? This is actually kind of funny but my aunt is my dentist and she always hooks me up with good products that actually work and this is one of them. She said that she was a big fan of Crest's white strips so just to help keep them nice and pearly white, she would use this rinse at night.
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IT? WHY? I would recommend it because even after only using it day and night for about a week I have seen extreme improvement (also keep in mind I use whitening tooth paste to double up the whitening process) and not only that it isn't super strong like some other mouth rinses. The only thing I would recommend when using this product is that just to be persistent. You definitely won't see all that much of a change if you only use it every other day. So I would make sure if I were you if you really want to improve your teeth to not forget to use it.

This was a long one. I hope you all enjoyed my DIY gift idea and T5Q. I hope everyone is having fun doing last week holiday shopping!

Much love,
JTS

Not So Scary

I haven't updated in a while which is totally weird because it's not like I have anything better to do anyway!

Last weekend was standard. Friday I reconnected with my friend Devante and we went to the mall, ate, and we saw Paranormal Activity 4 in spirit of Halloween coming up (which is one of my favorite holidays). For all of you scary movie junkies out there, I suggest that you don't see this movie. I was a fan of Paranormal 1 and 2 but this 4th one was total ass. It wasn't even scary at all! The 1st one really blew my mind away so comparing the 1st to the 4th was like... Self explanatory. Terrible. I wouldn't waste your money. Saturday was so typical me... I did absolutely nothing! You'd think that since I don't work now I would make an effort to go out and do something. BUT on Sunday a group was gathered and we all went to this sketchy "haunted land" like 2 hours away. I was stoned and I still wasn't scared! Not one of those creepy characters could scare me! It was even the kind where the actors could touch you... Not scary. I can't figure out why nothing scares me anymore, it's depressing. On the other hand, I almost wish I could have ever night be like last night. Eric came over and I convinced him that Kevin Hart's Laugh At My Pain stand up on Netflix was hysterical. And of course, I am almost always right! It really was hilarious. My favorite part is when he talks about his mother's funeral. Doesn't sound funny, but leave it to him to turn it in to a joke. After that we watched Paranormal Activity 2. It was a lot of fun watching it with him because we both equally tried to predict the "demon's" next move. I actually don't mind not having a boyfriend right now especially if I have someone like him to come over and cuddle with every once and a while!

I don't have to much to talk about today but I wanted to do a review on my new Bare Minerals Deep Cleansing Foam I bought about a week ago. And holy crap! This stuff is boarder-line perfection! I can't believe how good this stuff actually works. I noticed results after the very first day (no, I am not lying). Here's my TOP 5 Q...
WHERE CAN I BUY IT? You can buy this product at your local Sephora, Ulta, or Bare Minerals boutique (or anywhere else that sells "high quality brand" make up).
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? It cost me around $21 ($20 + tax) but let me tell you it is %100 worth the price.
HOW DO I USE IT? This is the awesome part. The bottle might seem a little small for the price but you only need to use a pea sized amount. What I do is damp my face with luke warm water, squeeze a dab on to my clean index finger, rub the dab between my 2 index fingers, and then rub in a circular motion all over my face until the smooth cream turns foamy! After, I rinse with more luke warm water then pat my face dry with a clean, dry, and soft towel. I do this routine every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to sleep.
HOW'D YA HEAR ABOUT IT? I actually came across it on the official Bare Minerals website! I clicked on the skin care tab and I was immediately drawn to this product because of the reviews it was receiving. I really liked what everyone was saying especially the reviews that have the same skin type as me (oily, gross).
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IT? WHY? Of course I would recommend it! The price is a little steep but I think personally it is totally worth it. From the time I hit puberty I always broke out and my skin was so annoying! I tried everything from ProActiv to just a generic Neutrogena wash and I felt like nothing really worked that well. So I am hear to tell you that this product does prevent oil, prevent break outs, and evens out your skin tone. I also love this product because it's smooth, soft, and foamy which is really nice because I don't feel like it's irritating my face as I scrub in to my pores. So thanks Bare Minerals! A+ for you guys!

Here's a link if you're interested: Bare Minerals Deep Cleansing Foam

I can't wait to show all of you my Halloween costumes for this year! I have 2 so far but I think by Thursday I'll have my 3rd.

Much love,
JTS

Get Your Make Up On

After a little time blog searching and a little time youtube surfing, I decided to go out and purchase my very first Bare Minerals starter kit. And even though I've been only using it for about a week, I have seen extreme improvement in my skin AND my self confidence (especially in the morning when I get ready for school) ;). So today I am going to not only talk about my OOTD (outfit of the day), I am also going to talk about my favorite make up products. So kind of like a product review?

First things first, to your left I made up a collage of the pieces I am wearing today! I'll skip all the things you already know like my new Fossil watch I purchased last week and also my black riders I wear CONSTANTLY. But one thing that is brand new is my Banana Republic sweater. I'm rocking a small but it is just big enough that I can wear them with leggings with out looking like a skank. The sweater was on sale at the outlets for around $15 and I can tell you all right now it is going to be one of my favorites. It is extremely comfortable, light weight, and surprisingly it is very girly. I am in LOVE with the 3 purple and gold detailed buttons on each sleeve at the top (as you can see in the photo, top left). It is a tad bit chilly today (but beautiful) so for next time I wear this outfit hopefully I'll remember to wear a cute black peacoat with it. Next are my nails! Usually I don't show my nails but I thought this Sephora by O.P.I color was dope. I've been real in to the color purple lately so when I found this I almost had a heart attack. The Sephora collection is a little bit more on the pricey side so you can find them around $9 a bottle (some are worth the money, some aren't). I usually don't branch out with other nail brands because I find that some to most brands just chip way too easily. BUT honestly, can you go wrong with Sephora? I'm not sure.

Now I can't wait to tell you all about my Bare Minerals!

I'll start with my all time favorite mascara by Maybelline called Great Lash "Lots Of Lashes." It's awesome because it has a "heart-shaped" brush which helps coat even the smallest of lashes. It does not clump and it makes my lashes like spider legs. I also buy my mascara in the shade very black. Next is my L'Oreal eyeshadow quad in the shade "Desert Sunrise" number 106. You can get any of L'Oreal's quad eyeshadows for around $7, which to me is a really good price especially for the quality and plus this palate can last you for a LONG time (and if you use it like every other day like me you know it lasts awhile). These quad palates are so perfect for me because I barely have enough time to put on my eyeshadow in the morning, let alone would I have enough time to come up with colors from a giant palate by myself. I have about a collection of 5 of these quad eyeshadows but this one would definitely have to be my all time favorite. It's my favorite because it's perfect for everything! You can lighten it up for the day time or even darken it up if you're going out at night. It's the perfect balance of light and pinky but dark and brown. L'Oreal gets an A+ from me because these calibos last forever on your eye lids (especially with a little bit of help)... And that leads me in to my next favorite product, Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion! If I were rich, I would make sure every lady had a tube of this magical stuff. If you can't afford the $20 (soon I won't be either cause I lost my job), then I'm sorry but you better save up (luckily if you are willing to purchase it, it lasts you for MONTHS because you only need a little bit for each eye). If your face is oily like mine and you're frequently going to parties where dancing is involved, you need this. It is proven that after a long night, I swear, I thought my eye makeup would be drooping down my face but WRONG! This stuff keeps the shadow right in place (even if you do accidently rub it). There are different types of the primer tubes but I always buy the original. I don't know what I'd do without this stuff! Lastly, I bought the Bare Minerals 6 Piece Starter Kit in the shade "Light." I was a tad bit skeptical but after I saw and read all of the different reviews, I was convinced! The kit came with Bare Minerals "Prime Time" foundation primer, Bare Minerals Original SPF 15 Foundation in the color light, Bare Minerals Mineral Veil, Bare Minerals "Flawless Application" brush, Bare Minerals "Flawless Definition" mascara, and Bare Minerals 100% natural lipgloss in "Fruit Cocktail." And this all cost me $38, which was a fucking steal. Even though I think the mascara and lipgloss are really great, I am most impressed with the foundation and face productions. If you aren't familiar with Bare Minerals and their steps, I first apply the foundation primer all over my face which is really nice. I didn't think I was going to like it but it is extremely light and you only need a pea-sized amount. Next is twirl, tap, and buff the foundation all over my face (after applying my usual concealer) and I usually do 4 doses for medium to full coverage (depending on my acne). Last is a quick buff of the mineral veil all over. If you're like me, like I said, I have extremely oily skin and it takes a lot for me to find a product where it doesn't contribute to the oil/make me break out. This product does not what so ever and if anything, it makes my skin better! Not shiny, not anything! I am IN LOVE! The foundation is light and in blends right in to my skin like there is nothing there. Next I am going to have to try Bare Minerals foam wash to see if that improves my skin quality even more. I know Bare Minerals in general is a tad bit on the pricey side but trust me, it is SO worth it if you're struggling to find the right make up for you!

Sorry this post was a lot but I figured you all would appreciate the reviews and maybe give you guys a new idea on other products! If you have a product you'd like to share, feel free :)!

Much love,

Girls Or Boys?

So my post title might be a little bit misleading (I swear I'm not gay). I can't figure out which is more important... Is it more important for me to make new girl-friends? Or for me to meet a nice new guy? It hasn't left my mind at all today due to the fact I usually scope out a seat next to a cute guy in every one of my classes. But is it really worth it? I sat next to a girl this afternoon in my business class (she seemed pretty normal) and we immediately hit it off. We even walked together after class! Aww... So cute right? Lame. It's because I'm just not use to hanging out with or even making friends with girls. Team guy friends all the way! Over all, I can't seem to figure out which one is more important in my life right now? Friends or boyfriends? Hm..

As you can see to your left, I posted a few new photos I took recently. One of them being a gorgeous sunflower. Yes, yes, I did take that picture, I know it's that good ;). But I had to walk through my neighbors jungle yard to take it. Such sacrifice! But other than that, I got new black riders! Finally! I purchased them at my local JDR shoes and they were not expensive at all. Especially for the nice quality! I paid $50 for them and to top that, they have a dope fake out zipper design on the side (as you can see at the bottom).

On some other news, I got my period last night. Ha HA ha ha! Ok I didn't mean to just come out and say it but it is relevant because I can't be on that dumb sacred heart whatever diet if I have my period! Do you know how bad my cravings would be? Like a 7 month pregnant lady. Day 2 (which is today) is only THE soup and veggies (and I don't even like plain raw veggies). Can't handle it. So I'm doing it in "moderation" to make me feel better. I don't want to feel like a quitter (even though I pretty much am). Only a few more days and the lady curse will be gone and I can get back on track.

Much love,
JTS

Long Time, No Blog

It's been a long 5 days without blogging it up but I'm doing just fine! Not a lot has happened but one big thing that is going on is that my mom and I started our "Sacred Heart Diet" (sounds intense) and it is just as scary as it sounds. Today was Day 1 and I weighed in at 137.2 pounds. Day 1 consists of eating only THE soup and fruits (minus bananas because that comes day 3 or 4). Now you're probably wondering, what the hell is THE soup? THE soup is the soup I made last night and I can tell you already I'm getting sick of it. It is beef broth (fat free), chicken noodle soup mix, stewed tomatoes, green onions, bunch of celery, carrots, green peppers, and some seasoning like salt and pep. So technically it's just veggie soup? My diet is so stuck on fried foods, sweets (considering I work at a bakery), and just flat out crap and to be quite honest with you, I am so sick of it. I feel like shit almost all the time so this is a nice change (even though the "Sacred Heart Diet" only takes place for a week). It's kind of like a detoxing diet and you're supposedly suppose to lose up to 15 pounds in just a week (without cheating). If this is all true... I'll be right where I want to be as far as my weight goes! I'm only 5 foot but I'm kind of stocky (not fat) so this whole losing weight will be fun! I want to feel good throughout the Fall and Winter knowing that when Spring and Summer roles around I won't have to hide under shit clothes. It's going to be fun and I'm excited to see where this takes me! I've always wanted to get on a healthy/exercise kick!

AND P.S. I am most definitely not backing out of this! I will keep you all posted... And maybe pictures? :)

Happy Monday bloggers and readers!

Much love,
JTS

Goodbye Rapunzel Hair

Here is the outfit I put together for school today! I am an American Eagle freak (I think it's my weakness). Starting from top to bottom, I'm wearing: AE lace tank, Banana Republic purple cardi, BR purple/gold chain necklace, AE light destroyed jeggings, and Forever21 copper sandals (PS, I swear my toes don't look like that in person)!

Referring back to my last entry about standing around in between classes, problem: semi-resolved! I found a couple of kids that I use to go to high school with and luckily I'm not socially awkward (I could talk to anybody, I mean anybody).

And last but not least before I get to my main topic of the day... I found a penis on Instagram and I was really taken back. Like honestly, what little boy has the balls (no pun intended) to post a "dick-pic" on Instagram? It caught me completely off guard! Apparently, there is a whole other world on the gram that I had no idea about. It's like where you tag on your photo "kik" or "kikme," others can send them nudes, too!? Mind blown. It's like one big orgy on the gram. I don't know how I feel about it.

Other than that nonsense, I am getting my hair cut this afternoon (hence the fact I made my post called "Goodbye Rapunzel Hair"). I couldn't be more scared (not of the salon but actually chopping off my hair)! I haven't cut my hair in what feels like years. Last time I cut it short, I snipped off almost 10 inches. Apparently, I looked like a soccer mom? I think I will stick with a happy-medium today, ya know? The only real reason I need it cut is because it's dead. Not only am I getting 5 or 6 inches off, I am going to try the now trending middle part! Which to me is hilarious because back in high school, I made fun of every girl (or boy) that tried to rock a middle part. Apparently it's a 2012 thing? A gram picture will be posted tomorrow, for sure (and not a nudey #kikme hahaha)!

Much love,

JTS