Friday, December 9, 2011

The importance of eating.

I can't believe its almost Christmas!  I love Christmas time! All the decorations, Christmas music, cookies, presents,  friends and family and food! lots of food! With the holidays here, I wanted to share something that I had been struggling with, which is not eating, Now this may sound strange to some people, but I think its pretty common among teenager girls, more then we like to talk about. This was never a problem for me until this year, especially the summertime, when my schedule was at its busiest. It was easy just to drop a meal, once or twice I'd forgot to bring a lunch with me to work or I wouldn't bring enough to fill me, as I kept this up, it became a bad habit, I started getting used to not eating much at all, a little breakfast, a couple of snacks and then a really late dinner, I started craving crabs, sugar, and caffeine because I wasn't getting enough protein to give my body the proper energy it needed, after a while of this I had become accustomed to not eating much at all, I didn't think this was a problem for me until my parents began to notice my eating patterns and talked to me about it, they told me I was not fueling my body properly, I quite frankly felt annoyed at them, because I thought I just wasn't hungry, As the days went by I realized I didn't have enough energy to bike to work, teach young children swimming lessons, lifeguard a shift, and make a rescue if needed, I was not giving my body the nutrition it was needing. I started realizing that my parents had been right, so I tried to eat more healthy food on a regular basis but I found this extremely difficult because I just wasn't hungry, I found after a period of time of really just not eating anything, I had thrown off my metabolism completely, my body thought I was starving myself so instead of burning calories I was saving them. Our bodies get the energy they need from food through metabolism, the chemical reactions in the body's cells that convert the fuel from food into the energy are needed to do everything from moving, to thinking, to growing. When you eat infrequently, your body recognizes a "famine" situation and your entire endocrine system (powerful hormones produced inside your body that control how you grow, recover, and produce energy) is thrown for a loop, then too much of the food you consume is stored as body fat in preparation for the "famine" to come. So where do I find myself now after all of this, I'm trying to get back into eating nutritionally balanced meals  regularly and even though I'm eating more then I used to I still sometimes find myself not wanting to eat, I'm fighting against the bad habit I had started and it can be very difficult sometimes, but I can say I am doing much better then I was during the summertime. Here are some tips to help you speed up your metabolism...

 (1) Eat Breakfast: Your mom was right, it really is the most important meal of the day, eating just a small bowl of oatmeal, cereal, Greek yogurt with berries or plenty of others will help get your metabolism started off on a good track.

(2) Drink lots of water: 8-10 8oz glasses a day, more if you're working out.

(3) Sleep!( My favorite!) Try to get at least 8hrs of sleep.

(4) Exercise: Try to exercise at least 3 times a week.

(5)Eat smaller meals more often: so Instead of just eating 3 big meals a day try to eat at least 5-6 small meals a day.

Have a merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Cameron Ashleigh

Monday, November 21, 2011

Kiehl's Face wash!

First off I gotta say I love Kiehls! I haven't tried to many of their products but the products I have tried I have been very pleased with, about a week ago I bought one of their skin care systems for drier skin and I absolutely love it!  To save myself some money ,I was buying my face care products from my local drugstore (cleanser, toner, lotion spot treatment and makeup remover) which isn't a bad thing at all, there are some really great products out there! The only problem is that as a lifeguard and swim instructor I'm in the chlorine water 2-3 times a week and my skin was getting eaten alive and over the counter products just weren't cutting it for me also I was being rather sloppy with caring for my face, I was doing a bad job of taking off my makeup up at night, skipping washing my face just because I wasn't wearing makeup that day)and  I have to say probably my biggest mistake was not putting a moisturizer on at night because I thought my face didn't need it! boy, did I learn that lesson that hard way! my skin was so dry that a makeup artist who was doing my makeup, mention to me how dry my face felt .




                                 Kiehl's Cleanser, $18.00
                                Kiehl's  Moisturizer $16.00                                     
                                Kiehl's Toner   $16.00
                                MAC Makeup wipes $28.00 for 100 sheets
                              Total $78.00






                       Toner helps to pick up whatever your cleanser might have missed and leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean!






                               This has got to be the best moisturizer I have ever tried!! The first night I used it my family members saw a difference, I absolutely loveee it! I was a little doubtful at first if it was going to be enough of a moisturizer so I only got 2.5 oz (for $16,00) of it instead of the bigger size which I kinda regret because its such a wonderful product! I highly recommend it especially if your face tends to be a little dry!

                        The cleanser cleans my skin well and clears my face of any make up leaving my face feeling so much cleaner and softer!


                                     Love these wipes! they remove make up so easily, its like a dream come true!



Heres some tips for taking care of your face...


  • Wash your face: twice a day (morning/evening),




  • Skin cleansers: use gentle cleanser to not irritate your skin,



  • Skin toners: are refreshing but not needed by normal skin type, avoid toners with alcohol,

  •  


  • Skin moisturizers: helps to maintain proper hydration, excellent if contains sunblock of at least SPF 15, use skin moisturizers in winter



  • Drink water: plenty of water helps keep body hydrated,




  • Healthy diet: Eating healthy can really affect your skin, I know when I fall off the track and eat rough for a couple of days my skin can suffer from it,  causing you to be pron to breakouts and  also eating healthy helps to provide important vitamins for your body and skin that you need.






  • xoxo
    Cameron Ashleigh




    Sunday, October 30, 2011

    Surviving Halloween

    Hey Guys! So Halloween is just around the corner, and I bet most of you are excited for it, Now when I hear Halloween I think "CANDY!"  ( now be honest, I'm sure some of you agree) But its true, around Halloween there are more sweets available and the temptations are bigger, but here are some tips from weight watchers I found that will help out...



    "Its hard enough to avoid eating to many sweets but when you have bowls of candy sitting out in front of you its rather difficult to not indulge in all the candy, The occasional indulgence is OK, but eating too many of these little treats can add up to weight gain.
    Luckily, we have a few tricks for how to handle Halloween treats. Next time you pass a jar of candy, it won't be scary!

    1. Indulge in moderation
    A snack- or fun-size chocolate bar (the usual trick-or-treat booty) typically has about 100 calories, which is a sensible treat. However, eating multiple fun-size bars on a regular basis can lead to lots of extra calories. Choose wisely, watch your portions and not overdo it.
    2. Keep count
    Studies show that diners at barbecue joints tend to eat more wings when waitresses continually take away their bones, says Dawn Jackson, RD, nutrition and exercise specialist for the Wellness Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. There's no reason to think that those mini-Butterfingers are any different. So while it's tempting to toss the wrapper as soon as you pop one in your mouth, keep the evidence on your desk as a visual tally.
    3. Make a smarter choice
    If you know that there's no chance you'll nibble a couple of Starbursts without tearing through the whole pack, it may be best to avoid them altogether. Steel yourself against temptation by pulling out a guilt-free snack you brought from home while everyone's flocking to the treat table, says Leslie Bonci, nutritionist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Fruit cups, Jell-O cups, meringue cookies and light hot chocolate are all sweet and satisfying alternatives.
    4. Don't throw in the towel
    We've all been there. You start the workday with a virtuous egg-white-and-veggie omelet and maintain monk-like self-control until your office manager hauls out a small truckload of mini-Mars bars at 4 p.m. You figure your diet is ruined for the day, and next thing you know you're in a booth at the burger joint inhaling a double cheeseburger dinner. "The all-or-nothing mentality is what hurts people the most," says Jackson. "If I buy a dozen eggs and I break one, I clean the broken egg up and get on with my day. I don't break the 11 other eggs!"
    5. Rate your hunger
    "At 3 p.m., often we don't really want to eat, we just need a drink of water and a breath of fresh air," says Jackson. Listen to your body, and then follow its prompts. If all you want is a little reward for finally finishing the report you've been slaving over, instead of making a self-congratulatory trip to the treat table, go for the grown-up equivalent of a "gold star" and splurge on a new CD, book or DVD. Find something you can look forward to enjoying after work.
    6. Enlist reinforcements
    "No man or woman is an island," says Jackson. So decide with your coworkers to put the candy in an opaque container in the kitchenette this year — out of sight, out of mind. Or, Bonci suggests, rally the team to pool a couple of bucks a week from everyone for the month of October. Invest in fresh flowers or a Halloween happy hour instead of candy."






    Hope these tips help!


    xoxo
    Cameron Ashleigh

    Sunday, October 9, 2011

    Sweet 16 here I come!

    So as some as you might know I've been working as a lifeguard and swim instructor and I had worked really hard all summer and saved up lots of money!  so I decided that for my 16th birthday I wanted to go to New York City!I had been talking all summer about going to NY for my 16th but I wasn't really looking at airline prices or anything until I realized I had less then a month before the dreary, cold, weather would come, So with a little over three weeks notice I bought a ticket with the money I had earned, I packed my bags and was off, first time being gone that long from my parents, first time ever ridding on an airplane and first time ever going to NY, and I felt rather grown up as I boarded my plane. The first flight was awesome, I had never seen Portland from 2000 ft up in the air, it was an amazing sight! The clouds were gorgeous! They looked like big clumps of cotton!   






     I had a 3 hour flight into Kansas city and once I got into Kansas city I had a 4 hour layover, Yes I sat in the airport for 4 whole hours doing nothing, I almost went crazy! once that horrible wait was over I boarded my next plane and made one more stop in St Louis and then was one my way in to Newark NJ where my aunt and uncle was waiting for me and drove me home









    I was pretty sneaky and no one saw me taking this picture! (:













    Now the  family who I was staying with is more like a second family to me then friends  I call them aunt and uncle and  they had 3 boys, They were amazing! I had a lot of fun with them, They actually put up with me for 2 whole weeks and showed me all around nyc!


    My first couple of days there it poured!  of course they made a joke of it  and said I had brought the rain with me, but rain or shine they wanted to show me times square so in the pouring rain with lots of umbrellas and jackets, we started the walk though times square, there were some pretty crazy people one guy was trying to give out free hugs, and some people were handing out big candy bars and of course we had to make a couple of rounds ( I got 8 candy bars by myself) all together we got 30, it made  pretty good loot (:







                                           ohh the buildings...they were a sight!



                                    Not all of Ny is build up, by seaport there were brick roads!




                                                 Lots of bridges in New York


                                             And yes, there were a lot of yellow taxi's


    I rode the subway for the first time! 



                                  and I also went to Hawaii! No I'm kiddin, this was the beautiful Jersey Shores 




                  
     While I was in NY I got in touch with my dad's side of the family that lives up there, now I hadn't seen any of them since I was at least 5 and I didn't really remember them but they all remembered me! My aunt and uncle brought my all the way over to Washington DC  and spent the day getting to know me better, I got to go on top of those big touring buses which was awesome!! I've always wanted to go on top of one! It was super cool getting to know my dad"s side of the family, I defiantly had a lot of fun! 
                                           Me, in front of the White house



                                                             A fancy museum( that I didn't get the name of )



                                            Yes I got to go on top of the bus!!

                                                 The white house!


     Thank you Aunt Marie, Uncle Vito, Aunt Betty and Uncle Frank!! I enjoyed getting to know you!
                  

                                               Me in front of Rockefeller Center(:
                                                                        Jersey Shore!
            




    Some pretty cool people (:

    I defiantly had a ton of fun while I was in NY, I got to meet new people, see new places and  learn         new things, but now I'm back home in good old Portland Oregon.... trying to get back into school, work  and also trying to eat better, exercise and get my self back into shape so stay tune for tips on  eating better and exercising !!








     xoxo
    Cameron Ashleigh



                            

    Saturday, August 20, 2011

    Summer!!

      Hey Guys! Can you believe its august already?!  I'm sorry I haven"t post in a while, the reason for this is my mom had surgery a few weeks back, it was an extremely painful surgery so she was on bed rest for a while, but with my mom in the hospital my whole family had to get on board and help out because as some of you  know I come from a large family of 10 so trying to run a house with that many people going in different directions can be pretty hectic, my dad stayed in the hospital with  my mom to help her out, so me and my older sister watched the younger kids, but 6 of them got sick with fevers,infections and some were puking, my 13 yr old sister got the worse of the sickness, she had 4 different infections, lung, ear, eye, and throat, pretty bad, So make sure you guys are taking your vitamins ( especially vit C it helps keep sickness at bay)  so for about 3 days we took care of them and stayed up sometimes past 1 with them, until my parents got home, But now about 4 weeks after the surgery my mom is almost done with her recovery time (6weeks) she is still in a lot of pain, especially lately but she has starting driving again, but she's not suppose to lift anything over 5 lb which is actually harder then you might think, but because she was feeling a little  better we went to the coast for 2 days and stayed at a friend's beach house and even though the water was FREEZING  I got in and tried to boogie board, its was lots of fun but kinda hard at first hard! but now that summer is almost over its time to go back to work, yard work, house cleaning and easing back in to school soon (gahh!) My older sister just got a job at Salvation Army  but she also cleans houses and is a self employed photographer who is trying to start her own business,here's her blog (http://lindsayfrostphotography.blogspot.... ) check it out its pretty cool.


    Let me know if there is anything you'd like me to do a post on!
    Have a amazing summer!
    xoxo Cameron Ashleigh

    Sunday, June 19, 2011

    Pizza!

    Hey Guys! Crazy pass couple of weeks! My older sister(almost 18) is in New York for about a week visiting (without me! Jealous!)My brother Donavon (11)  is really into baseball and was picked to play with the "All stars" (way to go Donavon!) and I have been busy getting caught up with everything before summer hits us! Teaching my ornery little 4 yr old brother how to play the piano, lots of gummy bears keeps him going :)
     This year I charge of the garden this year and my little plants which I raised from seed are doing great I actually got some arugula fresh from the garden today 


                                              Fresh Arugula...yeahhh good stuff! We had it on top of pizza last night.


                                                 My babies! who I accidentally forgot to water yesterday, opps!







    Yesterday we had a BBQ at our house, We had friend and neighbors come over and for this special occasion I made some good cupcakes, yes I know this is suppose to be a health blog but this was my treat, they were so good! I made yellow cake mix cupcakes stuffed full with chocolate frosting and then topped with Peanut better frosting and then mini reese's pieces and marshmallows on top. They were to die for!!  and last but not least since my older sister has been in NYC I've had to take over the pizza making job, so before my sister went to NYC she taught me how to make pizza dough, and I'm quite proud of myself!


    Dough
    2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    1 cup water (room temperature)
    2 cups bread flour (we just used white flour) Plus more for work surface
    1 tablespoon of whole wheat flour
    2 teaspoons sugar
    1 1/4 teaspoon table salt
    1 teaspoon instant yeast

                                          Combine Oil and water in a liquid measuring cup
                                                   
                           Place flour,sugar,salt and yeast in mixer and combine about 5 seconds
                                                                ""Pay attention Cameron!!"
                      While mixer is running, slowly add the water-oil mixture you set aside earlier
                       my sister made sure I did it ex-slow because she knows how much I hate doing things slowly :)


      Mix until dough forms tacky,elastic ball that clears sides of work bowl about 1 1/2 mins(basically until it looks like a ball but is not to sticky and theres no flour on the bottom of the the bowl) If dough ball does not form add more flour one tablespoon at a time and mix until dough ball forms, Spray a medium bowl and spray or rub lightly with oil transfer dough in to bowl, press down to flatten and cover tightly with plastic wrap set in a draft free spot until doubled in volume about 11/2 to 2 hours ( we put ours on top of something warm like the dryer or place it near the oven, Don't place it on direct heat!! you don't want to cook it! but having a little warmth will help it rise faster)

                                      Once dough has risen take it out and begin to roll it out
                                               Roll it nice and flat

                                  Stretch it out a bit...not to much
                                            I bring such joy into the kitchen with all my mess making
                                            place dough in pizza pan and press it in to place


              Place the pizza in the oven for about 5 mins just to get it a tiny bit golden, pull out and place the desired topping on top, cook until the cheese is melted and pizza is golden. Enjoy!

    Have a great Father's day everyone!! Do something special!
    xoxo
    Cameron Ashleigh

    Friday, May 27, 2011

    Recovery!

     This month has been very interesting, my dad took most of the month of May off for our vacation and we were hoping to plan some big trips but my younger brother has baseball practice and games throughout the week, my older sister works and has Drivers Ed and then I was working, So that time ended up being spent cleaning out the back yard,weeding and getting the garden planted ( it looks much better now) but we did get to take a few short trips after all our hard work outside.



    We went to the beach and stayed at a friend's house which was pretty awesome, played in the water, made sand castles and took quite a few walks along the beach, its amazing to stand at the water line and just watch the waves come in and the breeze blow on your face. Our next little trip ended in a couple of doctor appointments for me, We went up to visit my grandma who lives about 4 hours away, in a place which I guess you could call it a farm/ ranch type of thing, she has cows,chickens a mini horse and two big horses, One of my favorite things about going up there is riding her horses mostly because I'm a city slicker and don't get the chance anywhere else, my grandma has a new horse that is rebellious and just wants to run. Being the dare devil that I am, I decided to ride her even though I am just learning how to ride and lets just say I got my ride ;) I fell off and landed on my hip weird so that it got twisted out of place thankfully I landed on sand so it broke my fall a little bit, my dad ( He's from New York, even more of a city slicker)  ran out and picked me up, yelling the whole way "What are horses even for!?! I knew something was going to happen!! Lets just shoot the horse!!" (gotta love my dad!) I was able to walk, it was just very painful, so once we got home and settled in my mom took me to get my hip adjusted. I thought "I go in, get adjusted and walk out a new person, maybe go back one more time to make sure everything is on the right track and then get right back into my exercise routine"  I was so wrong. It'd be more like 5 appointments, I did not walk out feeling like a new person, I felt the same as when I had fallen and I wouldn't be able to do any high impact exercises for about two weeks, What I had neglected to remember is that healing takes time, this is called  "Recovery time" and my recovery time might seem pretty short, I mean, two weeks thats not bad but if you're like me it seems pretty long to not be able to move like I was used to, since I am a swim Instructor and Lifeguard it was very difficult to do my job well when you can't really keep up with the kids you're trying to teach to swim and guarding is very hard when you can't bend down to assist a child out of the pool,and also since I love to exercise It was especially hard not being able to exercise when I was in recovery time. So to make sure I didn't fall to far behind ( and go crazy!)I started trying different exercise move that I could do with out using my hip as much, I found that I could do Plank, wall sits, Pushups,walking, and the exercise bike not to much but enough to keep me moving, Now about two weeks later I'm just beginning to be able to jog and I have more of a selection of exercises that I can do. I want to encourage you to keep moving! It's important to exercise even if you don't feel like you accomplished much. Smaller,consistent times of exercise really go a long way. Also I wanted to encourage everyone to take recovery time more seriously, A good thing to remember is P.R.I.C.E I had learned R.I.C.E   Rest,Ice,Compress,and Elevation, but I guess now it is P.R.I.C.E, Protection, Rest, Ice,Compression and Elevation (Protection would be to protect yourself against any further injury) following P.R.I.C.E can hep you recover from an injury faster and take away some pain that you might have.

    Whats the biggest injury you've ever gotten? I Love to hear your story!

    Have a Beautiful weekend!
     xoxo Cameron Ashleigh

    Sunday, May 1, 2011

    Swiming!

    Hi! 
    So I wanted to do a post on the benefits of swimming because one, I'm a lifeguard and swim instructor and I have to be able to swim at least 200yds (I get to swim for free because I work at a pool) and second is because its one of the greatest ways to work out and the health benefits of swimming are almost unmatched by other sports.
     Have you ever watch a professional swimmer and seen how lean and toned they looked and wished you could get that look?I know I've always admire swimmers, how they seem to move though the water so easily and yet seem so powerful at the same time, well a couple of reasons why swimming is so great is because swimming works your whole body, improving cardiovascular conditioning, muscle strength, endurance, posture, and flexibility all at the same time. Your cardiovascular system( what gets your blood system going)  in particular benefits because swimming improves your body’s use of oxygen without overworking your heart and you don't have to be a professional swimmer to swim either which is really good. Some additional health benefits of swimming would be....


    Whole body conditioning: Swimming tones your upper and lower body because you’re using almost all of your major muscle groups. The best strokes for all-over body toning are the freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke.

    Low-impact exercise: So many people can reap the benefits of swimming. Pregnant women benefit from swimming because it helps strengthen the shoulder and abdominal muscles, which can be strained when carrying a baby. The elderly, women who have had a mastectomy and those recovering from an injury often turn to swimming or water aerobic exercises because it’s low impact, helps relax stiff muscles and isn’t weight-bearing. Swimming also increases circulation. 

    Improve blood pressure: Studies have shown that a workout routine that includes swimming can help reduce and possibly prevent high blood pressure, which lowers your risk for heart disease and stroke. 

    Stress reduction: You don’t have to be a water sign in the zodiac to feel the meditative and healing properties of water. Swimming is extremely relaxing because it allows more oxygen to flow to your muscles and forces you to regulate your breathing. It’s also a great way to relieve stress. Our bodies are made up of about 60% water so it’s no wonder why some feel such a draw to the water.

     
     So to get started...
    Start slowly, especially if the pool feels like foreign land. Experts recommend that beginner swimmers start with 12-20 minutes of swimming, and once your strokes become more efficient, your ability to swim longer will also. For exercise purposes, the best stroke to use in the pool is freestyle, where your arms are moving in a windmill motion while your body is pivoting and you’re breathing on the side of the arm that’s out of the water.

    To keep your swimming routine fresh, try mixing up you strokes, freestyle stroke with other strokes, such as the backstroke or breast stroke. Not only will using a variety of strokes save you from boredom, but you’ll be working different muscles for a more effective workout every time.


    If laps aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other good swimming exercises. Try walking or running in water, which many people find easier to do than on land. Tread water –  and I'll tell you right now it exhausting but will really help tone your legs and arms or even (my favorite) playing a game of tag in the water, so much fun!
    Good luck with swimming! 


    XOXO
    Cameron Ashleigh 







    Saturday, April 23, 2011

    MAC counter!

    Hey!!
    Can you believe its the middle of April? I can't! It's gone by so fast! Well, last Sunday, My mom, my sisters, a friend and me went to get our make-up done for the first time ever at the MAC counter and I have to say I really love their makeup! They have a wide selection of eye shadows and they're lipsticks and lip glosses are gorgeous! One lipstick in particular which I fell in love with is called "Hue" a beautiful nude color with hint of pink added to it. I was going to purchase it but they were out of that color, hopefully they get it in soon because I'm really excited to get it! So I asked the lady who was doing my makeup for a little bit of a spring look with lots of pink  and I think it turned out really good, I had a silverish color for the base, pink for the lid and purple for the crease. I had a light mineral pressed powder for my face along with blush and a bronzor and then the "Hue" lipstick with a clear lip gloss over it to finish.

    MAC Pink eyeshadow "Free To Be"  
     MAC "Refined" Golden Bronzer 



     


    Whats your favorite color and brand of lipstick?
    Have a great weekend!♥
     -Cameron Ashleigh

    Saturday, March 26, 2011

    12 ways to stop overeating.

    I hope everyone is having a great weekend, at Thanksgiving I talked about overeating and now that we're past the holidays I wanted to retouch on the subject.One thing my family has been working on is portion control. I've noticed how easy it is to polish off a bag of chips when you have the full bag sitting in your lap or eating another piece of cake when its just sitting out which can be disastrous to a healthy lifestyle. So we've been looking at the weight watchers point system and my mom found this article that I thought was worthy of posting. Its a good encouragement to watch my portion control and to look at why I'm eating and what I'm eating.       
     
                   
        
                          12 ways to stop over eating.
    "All-or-nothing" thinking doesn't help. People who overeat often feel out of control and disgusted with themselves. It becomes a vicious cycle, leading to low self-esteem and even more eating.
    To regain control of your eating habits, ask yourself why you overeat. Is it your way of coping with stressful events? Has gorging on "forbidden" treats become a substitute for other pleasures lacking in your life? Do you use food to soothe, distract or reward yourself?
    Breaking It Down
    Once you've identified trigger factors, work out other ways to address them. Don't beat yourself up with every little lapse. Instead, focus on positive things you can do to replace or avoid overeating. Pay attention to how you feel when you eat certain foods; you'll start to notice patterns emerging (eating after a family argument, for example, or when you're bored, lonely or disappointed). Consider alternative ways to lift your mood when the urge threatens. Perhaps call a friend, go for a walk or see a movie.
    Breaking the Habit
    Here are some tips for winning the battle:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    1. Take it slow. Crash dieting is more likely to end in losing control than a slow, steady loss of a pound or two each week.
    2. Don't cheat yourself! Eat a sensible amount of food each day.
    3. Allow occasional treats. If you don't totally cut out "forbidden" foods (such as those donuts that you love), you're more likely to stay on track, because deprivation often leads to overeating. Opt for low-fat versions of favorite foods.
    4. Reward yourself for every win — how about a bath or a walk just to enjoy a sunset rather than a reward consisting of junk food.
    5. Plan ahead to stay in control. Facing a big test or other ordeal that you fear will send you straight to the cookie jar? Try to keep healthy snacks around to nibble on instead, and exercise to offset your munching — and calm you down, too!
    6. Share your feelings — sad, bad or otherwise — with family or friends.
    7. Seek support from others trying to lose weight — family, friends or online buddies. They're there to help, and want to see you succeed.

    8. Look to calming alternatives if stress is your trigger. Anything from deep breathing to yoga to arts and crafts could help. And don't forget: Exercise is a great tranquillizer. (It also reduces your appetite!)
    9. Count to ten. Is overeating your way of coping with anger? Consider other ways of dealing with negative emotions, such as learning assertiveness techniques.
    10. Find other ways to fill the void. If you typically overeat when you're looking for emotional nourishment; stop. Feed your spirit by caring for yourself as well as you can during times when you feel unloved, under-appreciated or unworthy. Be your own biggest fan and try to focus on your successes, not to the occasional lapse.
    11. Be patient and forgiving of yourself. Long-established complex habits won't change overnight.
    12. Avoid all-or-nothing thinking, such as "I've already blown my weight loss plan, I might as well finish off the box." Accept that you may go off the rails from time to time. So you've lost six pounds and regained three? It's important to congratulate yourself for the pounds that you lost. You're doing a great job!
    Hope this was an encouragement to you too! I'd love to hear your feed back!
     Xoxo
    Cameron Ashleigh


      Tuesday, March 22, 2011

      Mascara!


      How was everyone's week? Mine was fantastic and St Paddy's day was fun! We made smoky mashed potatoes, corned beef, carrots,cabbage, homemade rolls and shamrock cookies Yum! What did you do for St Patricks day? Well I wanted to do post on my favorite piece of make up, Mascara! If I had the choice  between lipgloss, blush, eyeliner and mascara it'd definitely be mascara ( Lip gloss would be 2nd) I'm sure alot of you out there would agree, but finding a good mascara is a whole lot harder then it sounds, they all have there pros and cons but I'd have to say Lancome's mascara is the best I've ever tried, only problem with  it is its $28 and if you're like me you really don't have that much money to spend on mascara  so I was trying to find a mascara that was similar to Lancome but not as expensive and I have to say that CoverGirl's LashBlast Volume Blasting Mascara  is the best one I've tried thats under $6.




       So as you know I really like Lancome's mascara, It goes on and comes off easy, it didn't flake, and it volumizes and lengthens really well! I felt like I had control of the brush and it was easy to work with.

       

       

        The Falsie is a decent mascara for giving length, but if your someone who likes to put on two coats then I wouldn't suggest this, I had a bit of trouble with it clumpy on me, thats why I don't care for The Falsie.  The brush isn't very stable, so I had trouble controlling it and doing my lower lashes.

       





      CoverGirl's LashBlast Fusion Mascara is probably my lease  favorite of all four, it didn't go on very easy and it took quite a few coats to get it to look nice, its a good mascara it you need some volume, but not length. Towards the end of the day it began to flake pretty bad. I'd have to say I was a bit disappointed by CoverGirl I was looking forward to using this and it didn't turn out as good as I thought it.




                                                                                      
       Cover girl's LashBlast Volume blasting Mascara is really a great mascara! I did have to use more strokes to get the look I was wanting, but if I can save $22 by using more strokes then I will. I was very happy with this mascara, it volumizes and lengthened, I love when I find
       something thats not as expensive but works well.


       




















      Whats your favorite mascara brand that you use?
      xoxo
      Cameron Ashleigh