No Gym? No Problem! #8

February 20, 2017January 7, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood4 Comments

Remember a few weeks ago I mentioned that I have been teaching an exercise class at my church?! Here is one of the workouts that we did together.

I love HIIT workouts! HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. A HIIT workout consists of alternating levels of high and low-intensity activities. Your level of intensity is based on your own physical fitness level. Listen to your body!

Here is a breakdown of how to measure your own personal level of intensity:

1- resting in bed, sitting reading a book, watching TV
3- slow movements, body starts to warm up a bit, can easily carry on a conversation
5-body is warm, heart rate is slightly elevated, can still carry on a conversation, yet slightly out of breath
8-heart rate is elevated, cannot comfortably carry on a conversation
10-all out as hard as you can go, heart rate is at max level, if you push it any harder you may puke, pass out or die. (let’s not push it past a 10 :-))

Here is the HIIT workout: a 3:1 ratio of low intensity (level 5) for 90 seconds and high intensity (level 7-8) for 30 sec:

5 min warm up of slower smaller versions of the exercises to be done during the HIIT workout. (level 3)

low intensity (level 5) for 90 seconds/ high intensity (level 7-8) for 30 sec.

1. Hot Feet
2. Jump rope
3. High Knees
4. Skaters
5. Jumping Jacks
6. Single Leg Vertical Jumps
7. Alternating Double Knee Strikes
8. Punches
9. Mummy Kicks

4 min cool down (level 3) with 5 min stretches.
30 min total

Take 15-30 minutes and improve your day! Your heath and wellness are worth it!

Remember to keep proper form, Chest up, shoulders down, abs tight, knees above the ankles, behind the toes. Warm up before, and stretch after you exercise to prevent injury.

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Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Tomorrow Is a New Day

February 17, 2017January 31, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood4 Comments

~Ditch the Diet~

Every Sunday is the start of a new week and a new opportunity to make a new healthy habit! While you don’t have to wait until the beginning of a new week, month or year to start a new habit, it is always good to have a place to start….

tomorrow is a new day | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

Don’t try to rebuild your eating habits all at once. Make small manageable changes one at a time, master that change before moving on to the next one.

Unhealthy habits weren’t formed overnight. They also cannot expect to be changed all at once either.

Keep in mind that you do NOT have to give up everything you love in order to be healthy. Balance is what we are striving for.

Maybe you drink a lot of soda or sugary drinks. Start with decreasing your soda consumption by one glass each day and replacing it with a glass of water. By the end of a week or two, you will have broken yourself of an unhealthy habit replacing it with a healthy one.

Maybe you don’t drink soda, but every day you drink a several cups of coffees with extra cream and extra sugar. You do not have to give up coffee, just start decreasing the amount of cream and/or sugar you use a little at a time each day. By the end of a week or two, you will have retrained yourself to enjoy your coffee in a healthier way.

black coffee | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

Ok, so maybe you don’t drink soda or coffee…but you also don’t eat breakfast.

Breakfast is an important way to start the day! Try to eat within one hour of waking. Start light to get yourself used to the new habit of eating in the morning. Studies show that starting the day by eating breakfast helps decrease overeating later on in the day.

Breakfast of Champions | lookingjoligood.wordpress.com

Avoid buying trigger foods that you know cause you to lose control and overeat. I love chocolate chip cookies! I cannot resist a homemade chocolate chip cookie no matter how strong my resolve, add in some M&M’s and it is all over for me! Therefore, I do not bake cookies. I also love ice cream, especially dulce de leche from Haagen Dazs! I know what my triggers are and don’t set myself up to fail.

Getting started is as simple as beginning to apply healthy habits to your life one at a time. One day at a time, one choice at a time, and one tip at a time.

Making changes easier to apply will make you more likely to keep these healthy habits as part of your lifestyle.

One year from today, you may just find that you have lost excess weight, kept it off and didn’t have to go on a terrible diet to do so.

I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all three.

Review

How ’bout Them Samples #6

February 16, 2017February 1, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood3 Comments

I don’t think that I have ever gone this long before without buying new makeup!

I cannot believe that I am still able to resist buying new beauty products! I am still really enjoying using all these samples. The longer I go on my “no buy” the easier it has been.

It is amazing just how many samples I have received. I must admit that until I started doing this “How ’bout Them Samples” series I often neglected using the majority of the samples that I received. I think a lot of times the excitement of getting the new things is greater than that of actually trying out and using the samples.

I have so many samples from ipsy bags, or Target boxes and others from Walmart beauty boxes. This has really been a great way to use them up.

Since I started doing this several months ago, I have really enjoyed using and trying out these samples. Trying out all these new products through samples has really helped me to prevent unnecessary beauty purchases.

Here is another group of samples that I have decided to try…

befine food skin care exfoliating cleanser with brown sugar sweet almond and oats

Crest Complete Whitening Plus Scope Toothpaste

Dove Dry Oil Moisture Body Wash

Dr. Brandt Skincare PoreDermabrasion Pore Perfecting Exfoliator

Garnier Fructis fortifying cream conditioner

Schwarzkopf essence Ultimate Diamond Color and Radiance shampoo and conditioner

Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap Deep Pore Facial Wash

Check back in a few weeks and I will let you know what I think of each thing and if I would purchase the full size of these items based on my thoughts from using these samples.

If you would like to see which samples I have already tried out in the past you can read more by clicking HERE.

I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all three. I would also love to follow you on Instagram and Twitter as well, so let me know your username in the comment section below!

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Good Intentions

February 15, 2017February 5, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood2 Comments

Tips and Tricks

Tip Tuesday: Exfoliate Your Skin

February 14, 2017January 14, 2019 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood3 Comments

Here is another tip for Tip Tuesday!

Exfoliate your skin, yup that is the tip!

Exfoliating scrubs leave the skin looking brighter and smoother. They do this by removing dead skin cells from the epidermal layer of the skin. When the dead cells are gone there is more room for living skin cells to move up from the lower level called the dermis.

That being said, exfoliate sparingly. I recommend 2- 3 times a week. Over exfoliating can harm dry or sensitive skin. Even oily skin shouldn’t be exfoliated more than a few times a week. Reason being, over exfoliation may cause too many living skin cells be removed in the process.

A few of my favorite weekly exfoliators are: dr.brandt PoreDermbrasion and Vasanti Brighten Up!

These two are both similar to each other with finely milled sand-like granules. When I first used the Vasanti Brighten Up, I absolutely hated it, then fellow blogger Stashy from stashmatters.com told me to try using it as more of a mask letting the product do its thing for a little bit and then rubbing it in. I took it one step further and use it in the shower, letting the extra water help make it a bit more comfortable.

Also, I enjoy the Clean and Clear Deep Action 60 Second Shower Mask and Yes to Grapefruit Correct and Repair.

Let me know if you try it out and what you think! If you are enjoying these tips every Tuesday you can check them all out by clicking HERE.

No Gym No Problem

No Gym? No Problem! #7

February 13, 2017January 20, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

Fat Burning Cardio Workout – 37 Minute Fitness Blender Cardio Workout at Home

If you need music to help you get motivated to workout, you’ll need to add your own playlist to this video.

I especially like the slow burpees. (I absolutely hate burpees!!!)

Remember to keep good proper form, warm up before, and stretch after you exercise!

Are you enjoying these “No Gym? No Problem!” posts? If so, you can check out the rest by clicking HERE!

I’d love for you to follow me on Instagram Lookingjoligood and on FacebookLooking Joli Good

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Long Walks At Target

February 12, 2017February 5, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodImageLeave a comment

Ditch The Diet for Healthy Habits

Set Realistic Goals and Write Them Down

February 10, 2017January 31, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood2 Comments

~Ditch The Diet~

If you are going to make the change from unhealthy habits to healthier ones, one of the first things that needs to happen is goal setting!

Set realistic goals and write them down. Just like I said in a previous post, Rome wasn’t built in a day! Unhealthy habits weren’t formed overnight and cannot be expected to change all at once either.

While it is a great idea to have a larger end goal in mind, having smaller more attainable goals will make the changes more permanent.

Remember, we are not talking about a diet with an end date, we are talking about making a healthy lifestyle change.

Write down your goals to have as a reference for later on! You will be able to keep yourself more accountable if you have written proof of what you want to accomplish.

Here are some examples of attainable smaller goals as well as long-term goals.

Smaller: “This week, I will exchange one glass of soda (or insert sugary drink of your choice) with one glass of water every day. Slowly increasing my daily water consumption.”
Long term: “In 6 months I will have lower cholesterol.”
Smaller: “I will go to bed 15 minutes earlier than usual every night this week.”
Longer: “I will be more rested and have increased energy during the day to get things accomplished.”
Smaller: “I will be active for 15-20 minutes 3 days a week.”
Long term: “I will have more energy during the day and sleep better at night.”

Set realistic goals and write them down. Get ready to start implementing your goals.

Hey, I’d love it if you would come follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Review

How ’bout Them Samples Review

February 9, 2017January 20, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGood6 Comments

I am still going strong with not buying new beauty items!

Since I started doing this several months ago, I have really enjoyed using up and trying out these samples. It has really helped me to not make any unnecessary beauty purchases!

Throughout this experiment, I have found a few great products that I have fallen in love with and added into my beauty routine.

Here is my review of this group of samples that I have been trying out this time around…

Biore Charcoal Pore Strips

Thankfully blackheads isn’t a huge issue for me personally. That being said, I still really love these types of poor strips. This one worked great. My pores definitely looked a lot clearer after using this strip.

A package of 6 strips costs around $5.50. ($0.91 each strip)

YES, based on the samples, I would purchase the Biore Charcoal Pore Strips.

Cetaphil Gentile Skin Cleanser

Personally, I love CeraVe cleansers, when given the choice between CeraVe and Cetaphil, I would usually choose CeraVe. That being said, I haven’t tried many of the newer Cetaphil products.

This little gentle cleanser is really great! I like the way it left my skin feeling clean but not tight and dry. Keep in mind that this is a facial cleanser and not a makeup remover. It doesn’t do a great job at removing makeup.

$10 for a 16 oz bottle and $3 for this small 1 fl oz sample/travel size.

YES, based on the samples, I would purchase the Cetaphil Gentile Skin Cleanser

Clear Scalp and Hair Therapy Total Care Shampoo and Conditioner

I LOVE this shampoo and conditioner! The claim on the bottle is “Stronger more beautiful hair in 7 days.” I believe it! I could feel a difference in my hair after using these products for several days in a row.

The shampoo has a wonderful fresh macintosh apple scent that lasted all day. While the conditioner didn’t smell quite as good, it worked so well that I can excuse it for the lack of beautiful scent.

If I didn’t already have so many other shampoo/conditioners to get through, I would have already purchased these. I liked them that much!

Each product is priced around $6 each for a 22 oz bottle.

YES, based on the samples, I would purchase the Clear Scalp and Hair Therapy Total Care Shampoo and Conditioner

Covergirl Intensify Me Lash Blast Liquid Eyeliner

This product claims to have the control of a pencil with the intensity of a liquid liner. It also has a paddle tip that can be thick or thin depending on which side of the tip is used.

I had really good intentions to try out this eyeliner which is why I put it into my sample pile… but I have so many other black liquid eyeliners opened right now, it would just be wasteful for me to open up another one. So, nope, I haven’t used this one yet. $7 for .034 fl oz liner.

$7 for .034 fl oz liner.

Based on the fact that I have not used this sample yet, I don’t know if I would purchase it.

Eco Tools Makeup Brush Cleansing Clothes

I was so excited about these clothes. I was hoping that they would be such a great product…yeah, nope. The idea is a good one, but the actual product just doesn’t work well enough to get the desired accomplishment. The wipes are a great size but are just kinda damp, not wet enough to really clean off the brushes

The idea is a good one, but the actual product just doesn’t work well enough to get the desired accomplishment. The wipes are a great size but are just kinda damp, not wet enough to really clean off the brushes really well.

I think that it is a really great idea… I don’t know if my expectations were just too high, but I didn’t love the way that these worked.

$7 for 25 clothes.

No, based on the samples, I would not purchase the Eco Tools Makeup Brush Cleansing Clothes

Hello Mojito Mint Floride Toothpaste

I have super super super sensitive teeth! There are several kinds of toothpaste that are just too abrasive for me to use. This Hello Mojito Mint Fluoride Toothpaste didn’t bother my teeth at all. It has a very different yet pleasant flavor. It really has a limey minty taste to it. I really enjoyed using this toothpaste. I got several days out of this .75 oz sample.

It has a very different yet pleasant flavor. It really has a limey minty taste to it. I really enjoyed using this toothpaste. I got several days out of this .75 oz sample.

$4.50 for a 5 oz tube

YES, based on the samples, I would purchase the Hello Mojito Mint Floride Toothpaste

NSPA Coconut Rich Body Butter by Nirvana Spa

Have you ever heard of this brand before? I have never heard of it before, so I don’t really know anything about it other than what I know from this body butter sample.

The packaging says “Warning: our products are so fruity and juicy you might be tempted to eat them. Well don’t, they are not food.” I thought that was pretty cute and funny…

As far as the product itself, I was underwhelmed. The texture of the butter was good, thick and creamy, but it just didn’t leave my skin feeling hydrated. The scent was only ok. Instead of having the nice natural coconut flavor like I expected and like what I am used to, it smelled fake and manufactured.

I have been using it on my heels on my feet. It does work pretty well for that.

At a price of $18 for 200 ml, I can definitely find a better product at a much better price.

Nope, based on the samples, I would not purchase the NSPA Coconut Rich Body Butter

S.W. Basics Exfoliant

This is an all-natural exfoliant. It is made of organic oat and almond flours and mineral-rich sea salt. Due to the all natural organic ingredients, I really wanted to like this product.

I got two tries out of this sample size. I definitely didn’t enjoy it either time. Instead of exfoliating my face it basically just turned into mush on my skin. Kinda weird.

A 0.7 oz bottle costs $12 and a 3 oz bottle is $24.

Nope, based on the samples, I would not purchase the S.W. Basics Exfoliant.

What about you? Have you tried any of these samples before? What did you think? Did you buy the full size based on your experience with the sample size?

If you would like to see which samples I have already tried out in the past you can read more by clicking HERE.

I would love for you to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can find me as Looking Joli Good on all three.

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Consistency

February 8, 2017February 5, 2017 LauraJoli LookingJoliGoodLeave a comment

Looking Joli Good

Kindness is beautiful!

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No Gym? No Problem! #8