Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
9.08.2010
Picking Out a Skincare Regimen
6:25 AM | Posted by
EmMarah
Before anything, I just want to say that I am taking part of the September challenge! If you haven't seen it yet, you can check it out, hurr.
Anyway, I'm playing it up my way as well.
- Starting tomorrow, September 9, 2010 until October 9, 2010, I will eliminate sweets (pastries, candy, etc.) EXCEPT for dark chocolate. Justification? Good antioxidant, and if I don't have that at least, I'll feel deprived, I'd binge and fail.
- If I could avoid dark chocolate, I'd go for fruits or yogurt :D
- Sodium issue? I will stay off of chips (goodbye Cheetos =\) and quick cook pancit canton, to see how effective that move would be :p
That's it for now, hope it'll prove effective.
Now onto my main agenda.
Over a week ago, I've finally changed up my skincare regimen. Why? I wanted to try new things and really target my problem areas. And you know what? I'm quite pleased with it so far. So I thought it'd be nice to share some tips for those starting out, or to debunk "myths" and misconceptions, and whatnot.
- Know what you need - in my case, I'm pretty much okay with skin. My problem? Under eye, specifically fine lines. Cause? I've been a little rough with my skin there and now I'm paying for my wrongdoings :p
- Know how much is reasonable to shell out - I'm a student. I don't have a steady job, I cannot, and I repeat I CANNOT afford to buy top brand skincare products. I can try to get quality products for a good price, but other than that, nope, sorry.
- Get your money's worth and use it where you need it - let's face it, skincare doesn't really come cheap if you want results. It's an investment and I think it's better to not need makeup, you know? But you're in luck because you don't have to spend a ton on each product. With me, I chose a decent facial wash, nothing too expensive, chose a cream that could be used for AM and PM (so I don't have to buy a separate one for morning and night) and I sort of "splurged" on the eye cream, if it's even really splurging at all.
Here's what I have based on the three things above [taken from my blog]:
My take? Though my skincare regimen is priced at 2,122.85php I believe it's still pretty reasonable for what you get. I've been into a week at it so far and I must say, I've been liking it a little more than I did with what I was doing before. Your skin is worth it. If it's cheap and it doesn't work, it's no good, you're wasting your money. That's what I've learned after many attempts to save a few bucks. So yes, there it is. I hope this helps :) Naturally, you want to get products catering to your skin type, and all that jazz, so we're set, right? RIGHT!
'Til the next stop,
Mara
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8.26.2010
Impulse Buying
12:01 AM | Posted by
EmMarah
Mara checking in. Hello, Thursday.
Why, why, why is it that when you see something you think is brill, you jump on it and think it'd match your expectations?
Why do you feel like you have to have something sometimes?
You know what I'm saying right? It's like your instincts turn you into an animal stalking its prey, unable to control the bloodlust anymore. You just want to strike!
It's crazy.
It's okay if you don't have a lot on cash on you, like not enough to buy anything extra but enough to last you the day. But there are just those times when you seem to be carry a little bit more than you should.
Just last Friday I had an impulse buy moment.
Bought a fauxnad set and it wasn't exactly cheap =\ (350php) the sad reality? Stamping nail art and all that? Not as easy as people make it seem! So I was quite disappointed with my buy (considering the price) and won't be trying using it anytime soon, prolly not until I have loads of time on me and pick up the right technique. I was actually disappointed with myself, too. I should've been saving, and I am but meh. Sad time =\
After that I went to Essences with Jem (who I spent the afterschool time with) and found something else I wanted but ended up not having enough moolah! SAD. (Still going back to buy it though XD) Instantly the spell was gone and I was like. Wth... Shouldn't have done that =\ But what's done was done. (Luckily, I'm over the OPI lemming... for now)
So right now, I am putting down tips to avoid impulse buying for your sake and mine.
- As much as possible, keep the money you bring to a minimum. Don't calculate a complete exact amount (you know you could run into unexpected expenses) leave a little extra but make sure the amount's not significantly large to let you buy anything big that you could regret later
- If you can't help to bring quite a bit extra think about whether or not you really really REALLY need it. You and I both know that the answer would usually be no =\
- Put off buying to another day. I checked out how many of the thing I wanted was in stock and told myself that I can buy it on Monday because OPI's not big for everyone here in the Philippines. I mean the set I want has been from the holiday season of last year I think. Get home and think long and hard. Look for similar things, etc. Assess the price, whatever! You may find that you don't really want it as much as you thought.
- Doing groceries? Like Emmaleigh said, have a list and stick to it.
And just for fun...
Acceptable reasons to impulse buy:
- It's on sale and you know if you don't get it, you'll hate it forever
- It's reasonable and you know it'll be worth it
- If it's not a big investment/not worth a lot of money = a big loss, then you could take a chance
- If it's a "I've got diarrhea, need toilet paper" situation or something like that :p
Haha. Hope you had fun with this!
'Til the next stop,
Mara :)
8.16.2010
Progress
12:01 AM | Posted by
EmMarah
(Image credits to the person who did it, I found the pic on Google Images :p)
I thought I'd never do it but wow. It's happening.
Yep, Mara speaking/typing/telepathically relaying this message to you :p
But yes, aside from cutting back on my meals again, I have *gasped* started exercising.
I only started Tuesday but I've been doing it regularly :)
What is "it" exactly?
Well it's not much, but it sure beats doing nothing y'know?
My exercise regimen that I plan on adapting (and have been doing) is simple. I made it "fun" just so I can maintain it and I always always use my beloved exercise ball (it's blue, big, round and wonderful). And it consists of:
- 15 hip-ups (is that what they're called? I forget. Let's stick to that)
- 15 oblique crunches on each side
- 15 push-ups
- 15 minutes of bouncing on my ball
I'm serious. Why 15? I don't know, seems like a good number. I like structure, so there. I'll step up my game when the last week of August comes in and I'll turn 15 to 20 then (except for ball bouncing, that's gonna stay that way I think). I'm going to do it 6 times a week so that'd be like 20-25 mins of exercise almost everyday (except Saturday, my cheat day). That would total to me doing 120-150 mins or 2-2.5 hours of exercise a week!
I know it may not look like much but you gotta give me effort for trying :p And you know what?
No more excuses for this gal!
I'm busy, aren't we all? But I'm gonna try hard to make this work :)
Tips for picking an exercise regimen?
- Consult your doctor
- Know what to target
- Research
- Make it fun (try music, do bouncing :p)
- Try to do it with someone! A friend/spouse/family members/group of friends
- Keep it reasonable
- Make sure you'd stay motivated to do it
- Make sure it fits your means (not hard to maintain money/time-wise, etc)
Other tips for exercising?
- KEEP HYDRATED
- Don't overdo it. You'll strain yourself!
- Keep going!
- Do NOT binge on fatty/high-cal stuff after. Make sure your diet/lifestylechangefoodthingIlikecallingwhatwe'redoinginsteadoftheworddiet and exercise regimen compliment each other, not cancel each other!
So there's that :)
We're all busy, yes. But if we can find time to blow on Facebook/*insert random way to kill time with here* then you sure can do the same for exercise. Just make it work for YOU.
'Til the next stop,
Mara
8.12.2010
Money Matters
12:01 AM | Posted by
EmMarah
Image credits to Google Images
Yes, yes! A post that isn't about weight loss.
And yes, it's Mara speaking typing.
What am I saying? I don't know half of it, I only have a taste of things. I'm still a student, very much dependent, so I don't have as big a problem as others, I know. Still, I don't get thousands of pesos for allowance every day (unlike some lucky people :p), and with the things I'm interested in or aiming to work at, I have to be smart about this ('coz not all great things come cheap!).
Today I'd like to talk about budgeting.
What can I say? I'm pretty OC. Though I hate numbers, when it comes to planning and budgeting I get absolutely fixated. But come on, let's be honest, we don't all stick to that right?
At the moment, my main target is to save 3,400php by the end of September and save 4,200php from October to the second week of December.
Why?
Because I LOVE LOVE LOVE giving pressies on Christmas. So? I have to start early because:
- the reality is that I'm just a student
- I don't get a big allowance
- out of that allowance has to be a cut for commuting, photocopying, beauty stuff, emergency expenses, etc.
Is it attainable? Yes, I believe so. Right now, I have 1,500php out of the 3,400php goal for September. I would actually reach 3,500 from now 'til September so by the end of September, I should be at 5k. So I'd only need to save 'til the first week of November and I'd be set for Christmas :) Now what do we pick up from this?
- I don't expect that the money I get (allowance) would all go to savings. I split it and I save 500php weekly.
- I don't go on super save mode. As much as I'd want to, the more I deprive myself, the bigger the tendency for me to want to spend on random things is.
- I'm keeping it real. If I wanna buy something, I need to make sure it's good quality. I'd rather go once for a product that works than try a lot of inexpensive things and have terrible results. I'm all for saving money, don't get me wrong, but usually, you get what you pay for.
- Set a time frame. It helps. It'll keep you on track and pressure you.
- Give yourself some leeway in case you have to spend on an emergency.
- Set priorities. Accept that you can't have it all so know what you have to give up.
Right now I have two things in mind the Christmas presents and a cam I really wanna buy. The cam would have to wait but if I ever have a little extra from the week, no matter how small, I'll save it for that.
Things I should probably do while I should stay within budget:
- kill lemmings (SUPER IMPORTANT)
- work with what I've got
- determine if I really need something
- pack my own lunch instead of just buying overpriced meals elsewhere
- know my priorities and work towards them
Well, those are my thoughts, what about yours?
Any tips to save?
What are you saving for?
Do you plan early for ChristmasHannukaKwanza?
Any comments would surely be greatly appreciated :)
'Til the next stop,
Mara
7.30.2010
Phases in the Journey to Weight Loss
12:01 AM | Posted by
EmMarah
Heya! It's Mara and I'm back.
Before getting to the nitty gritty, I think it'd be nice to go through the general process of things. I think what I'd be saying today could be applicable to other concerns, or "projects" you have to better yourself.
But yes, today's focus is on weight loss.
If you've read my other posts already, you'd know that I've once succeeded on weight loss. I used to try a lot back in the day (I was always a fat kid) but nothing really happened. I could see why I failed. My heart wasn't into weight loss really. I'd mostly do it because of how people made me feel. The family would say I'm too fat (mostly my parents =\), I'd be one of the bigger kids at school, etc. Before when I'd try to lose weight, it was for other people, not me. I couldn't really see what was wrong with me. I didn't think anything was wrong with me, and I know nothing was ever wrong with me.
So first phase? Know what you're doing this for (and judge whether or not it really matters).
Before getting to the nitty gritty, I think it'd be nice to go through the general process of things. I think what I'd be saying today could be applicable to other concerns, or "projects" you have to better yourself.
But yes, today's focus is on weight loss.
If you've read my other posts already, you'd know that I've once succeeded on weight loss. I used to try a lot back in the day (I was always a fat kid) but nothing really happened. I could see why I failed. My heart wasn't into weight loss really. I'd mostly do it because of how people made me feel. The family would say I'm too fat (mostly my parents =\), I'd be one of the bigger kids at school, etc. Before when I'd try to lose weight, it was for other people, not me. I couldn't really see what was wrong with me. I didn't think anything was wrong with me, and I know nothing was ever wrong with me.
So first phase? Know what you're doing this for (and judge whether or not it really matters).
I firmly believe that if you're just being pressured into something, you won't find it fun, you won't be happy and the whole thing would be a struggle. The last time I tried losing weight was because I wanted to be healthier. I'm studying under a health profession, I don't want to be a bad example. I like beauty and health things, I should be healthy. My family has a history of diabetes and heart problems, I have to be careful. Who did I do the whole weight loss thing for? Me. Not anyone else. Just me. No pressure from anyone, nothing. I didn't feel like I was torturing myself!
I knew what I wanted to do. I knew why I wanted to do it. So how do I get to it? I needed a good look.
Second phase? Assessment.
For a long time, I've been dead scared of weighing scales. I didn't want to get on them, knowing that I wouldn't like what I'd see. Don't ya'll know that feeling? Well I do, very well. Late last year, I just said to myself, "whatever" and got on when no one was looking. As expected, I didn't like the "answer" the scale gave me. I felt horrible, I won't lie. I felt a sinking feeling and everything. But I knew where I was. I knew what my starting point was, where I'd take my first step and it's important. You have to know where you're coming from if you want to know how to get to where you want to go.
Think of it like being in some place new. You wouldn't know how to get from point A to B if you don't know where point A is in the first place. What if the cab driver's new at the job? What if you don't speak the language? It's all up to you to take yourself from where you are now to where you wanna be. You have to know what "problems" or concerns there are so you can adress them!
And this isn't just about knowing your weight. It's about knowing what you're about and what you're working with.
Phase 3. Planning.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Which is true. For all my failed weight loss trips (that lasted for about a week at most), I had no direction, I made no real progress. Take what you learned from my last post on S.M.A.R.T. goals and take what you've got from assessment.
My example?
Well at the time I was xxx lbs. I don't drink sodas, I don't like softdrinks. I can drink them, but I've given them up a while back. I'm busy, too. I'm in Uni, so I can't afford to think about what I'd eat day in and day out. Plus I'm surrounded with fast food and unhealthy choices (the healthy revolution is still in its infancy here) so what to do?
Things I can't give up?
- chocolate
- rice (I'm Asian! Filipino at that!)
- meat
Things I need to get better on?
- drinking water
- controlling hunger pangs
So from that, I can devise a (I don't want to say diet, it sucks and makes my brain fart, let's call it a lifestyle change?) lifestyle change that would accomodate my needs.
I felt that I don't want to listen to people who tell me that I can't eat this or that. I can and I will. The thing is, I just can't have a ton. And that's okay. I can still have it, I don't feel deprived.
Now that I know what I'm working with, how to do it and what I have to do is get on with it!
Phase 4. Acting on the Plan.
I know what I wanted to do. I knew why I was doing it. I knew how to do it. Now I can do it. Taking time, doing it at my own pace.
Little changes build up. Don't bring yourself down and think you're not doing enough. Go slow and steady. Don't go too fast or you'll crash and burn out!
I kept my chocolate but in granola bar form or dark form. I kept my rice, but limited it to half a cup per meal. I still ate meat, but when the rice was gone, I was done eating. I planned what to eat when I had time. I brought my own lunches so I wouldn't buy crap (saved me money too). I brought water with me, drank more and improved my digestion. I ate low-cal snacks every 2-3 hours. I counted calories! Not everything came at once, but those are the things I did.
It's more of compromise rather than sacrifice! :)
Phase 5. Keep motivated!
I think the key to motivation is to be realistic. Be realistic with your goal, what you're doing and the results.
Make goals you can reach, if you don't, you'll end up frustrated and you won't stick with what you're doing.
Be realistic with what you expect yourself to do. If you don't, again, you'll end up frustrated and you'll be all, "you know what? I DONT NEED THIS. Pfft." Do what you have to at a good and reasonable pace. Don't expect things that are worth it to be easy.
Be realistic with where you're driving at. When it comes to the body, it's both effort and genes. Listen to your body. Don't let your peers or media dictate your success. It's up to you, you're doing everything and you have only yourself to thank after all that hard work!
Bonus segment?
Have a cheat day. I did. I'd eat what I want, in semi-moderation. I didn't want to go crazy but I considered myself "spoiled" on those days and it kept me going.
Phase 6. Record your progress periodically.
This may seem like something to dread, but it's all a matter of mind-set. To me, this was something to watch out for, to keep on track for, it would be stepping stones, little successes. Plus, if you check yourself, you can assess what you're doing right or what you're doing wrong. There's no magic formula to weight loss. All our bodies are different. Not everything that works for me would work for everyone and vice versa.
I guess that's it! It's a continuous process. Take a hold of your life and take control!
I won't sugar coat things -- it would be hard in the beginning. Give it around two weeks and things wouldn't be so hard. Just keep motivated and know your priorities. I lost weight whilst my family would tempt me with fatty food, yummy treats and all that. I'd just say no and they'll keep tempting me, teasing me, but as time went on, I'd just ask myself, "do I really want it? I've gotten this far, come on" and that was all I needed.
Today I'm ready to try to continue the lifestyle change. And this entry is a reminder to myself on how to go about this mission.
What are your thoughts?
Anything I missed? (I'm running late for school, so maybe :p)
Has this helped you? (Sure hope it does)
'Til the next stop,
Mara
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