Health and Wellness Tips

April 30, 2020August 19, 2020 Red Rose & Honey1 Comment

Hi friends! Today I am talking about health, wellness and a few ways I am incorporating both into my lifestyle again. I have put off getting back on the fitness wagon for way too long. Before getting married, I had a lot of self-discipline when it came to making time for fitness. I never thought there would be a time when fitness was not a part of my regular routine, but a wedding, full home renovation, a puppy and a few years later, here I am. In this post, I am sharing what I plan to focus on to get back into the swing of things.

Please keep in mind, I am not a fitness or health professional. This blog post should not be used in place of professional fitness or medical advice. Always consult with your doctor.

Annual Physical Exam: This is something I can already check-off my list. It had been ages since I had a physical and basic blood work, so I decided it was time. I found a great doctor’s office in my area and a new general physician. I am happy to report all checks out a-okay and now I feel even better having a doctor’s office I really like nearby. Sometimes getting yourself to schedule a doctor appointment, but once it’s done and over with, it is well worth the time and effort.

Drink More Water: Unoriginal, right? Unfortunately, this is something I have struggled with for as long as I can remember. A few things that I have incorporated into my day to help bump-up my water intake are 1) a great water bottle (like this one); 2) drink water when I wake-up and before bed and; 3) drink a glass of water before a second cup of coffee or wine in the evening. For me, the water bottle I have makes all of the difference. I realized I am pretty particular about the opening or spout/straw. This water bottle (click here) has been my favorite. It’s a manageable size, the top unscrews and I love the hourly reminder lines. The only downside is that since it is made of glass, it’s not that practical to carry with me while running errands because its a bit heavy.

Vitamins: I first discovered Olly vitamins and supplements about 2.5 years ago. What drew me to Olly was that the ingredients are limited and simple. My favorite and continually re-purchased vitamins are Flawless Complexion, Active Immunity, Immunity Sleep and the ProbioticPrebiotic. Although I am not sure if gummy vitamins are the best option, I find that I always remember to take these.

Flawless Complexion was one of the first Olly products I tried. It does not contain biotin, which I believe causes my skin to breakout. Along with a good skincare routine, I feel that these vitamins help keep breakouts at bay.

Active Immunity and Immunity Sleep: I started taking these vitamins (not at the same time) last fall after battling a bad cold. I spend a lot of time in the city and on public transportation, so I need my immune system to be strong. I feel like these have definitely given me a needed boost.

Probiotic Preboitic: After our trip to Italy last year, my stomach was all out of sorts. I know digestive changes are common when traveling, but I was not feeling myself at all and could not seem to shake it. These vitamins helped me get back on track.

Men’s Multi: My husband has been taking these for at least a year and has been happy with them. These vitamins are now part of his morning routine.

Walking: At the start of the COVID quarantine I decided to pull the trigger and get a Fitbit. I was on the fence for a while mostly because I did not love the look of it. It seemed bulky and I also didn’t see myself wearing it to work. Once the quarantine went into effect, I figured there was no better time to try it out. I went with rose gold and pink Versa 2 because I though it was pretty and would matched some of rose gold bracelets I wear. When I first put it on, I felt like it was gigantic {and it kind of is}, but after a few days I got use to it. The rubber band is comfortable and I like that I can eventually switch it out for other colors/styles. The Fitbit vibrates every hour to remind me to get moving. Another feature I have liked is the battery life. Mine has lasted a few days at a time. It also changes quickly. My Fitbit has definitely made me more aware of how little I was walking. I can’t wait for warmer weather to keep my steps up! My dog loves going for walks; so much so that we have to spell out w-a-l-k when we’re not actually taking him for one. My new Fitbit is definitely going to benefit Henry too!

SPF: I have been a pretty avid SPF user since high school, but I can’t say I am consistent all year-round. I have been trying to make a better effort to apply SPF daily to my face, under my makeup. Years ago a dermatologist recommended Elta MD SPF. It’s light-weight and a good option for break-out prone skin. During the recent Sephora sale, I purchased a translucent powder SPF that can be applied over makeup. There are a few different brands, but I went with a SuperGoop! product that is labeled “Clean at Sephora.”I think this will be handy to keep in my bag or at my desk {when normal work-life resumes}.

Healthy Snacks: Over the last few months I have found myself reaching for granola bars and other pre-packaged snacks often. I recently made a conscious effort to choose fruits and veggies instead. In my area, I think Costco is the best place to buy fruit. The price and quality are the best, so I have been stocking up on blackberries and raspberries – my favs!

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How to: Beat the Sunday Scaries

November 10, 2019 Red Rose & Honey

Hi friends! Anyone else suffer from the occasional or regular Sunday Scaries? I definitely do, so today I am sharing 5 ways I try to beat them and take back my Sundays. It’s not always easy, but these tips definitely help me out.

Wake up early
Get dressed
Do something active
Make a reasonable to do list and get it done early
Pick out work outfits

Waking up early may seem a little crazy for the weekend, but I think getting off to a late start on Sundays, makes the Sunday Scaries worse {at least for me}. During the week I wakeup at 5am, so any later than that is considered “sleeping-in” for me. On Saturday and Sunday I usually shoot to be up by 7/7:30am. That gives me enough time to enjoy my morning coffee before tackling the day. When I wake up later than about 7:30am on Sundays, the rest of my day usually feels rushed. In my book, there is nothing worse then realizing it’s 6pm on Sunday and feeling as if you didn’t enjoy the day.

* I am a sucker for staying in my PJs or comfy clothes on Sundays, but I think this makes it harder to be productive. Although I may not put jeans on if I am staying home, I try to put on a cute comfy outfit, so I don’t feel super lazy in my PJs. I just picked up this really cute sweat outfit from Target. The material so super soft on the inside. This outfit definitely makes me feel more put together, yet cozy. I have a small in the top and x-small in the bottoms {probably could have gone with small bottoms, but I didn’t want them to be really baggy}.

When I lived with my parents after college I was an avid exerciser, but I have definitely fallen off that wagon. These days I get my physical activity in by walking our dog Henry. We have recently taken some steps to help Henry become a better leash walker. He has improved a lot over the last month which has made me happy. We can finally enjoy walks together and I love it, especially with this gorgeous fall weather we’ve been having. On the weekends I usually aim to walk 1.5 – 2 {slow} miles with Henry. My husband and I love to admire the other homes in our neighborhood on our walks too.

Since I am going to school for my masters degree and have a long commute to work during the week, I really need time on the weekends to get my to-do lists done. My to-dos are always a combo of errands, cleaning, cooking and homework. It honestly can be difficult to fit it all into two days, so I try to make sure my list is realistic. If my list is too long and I don’t accomplish it all then I will feel as if I did not do enough. Something else I have been working on is to complete my most dreaded to-do early in the day. When I leave these for last I definitely feel like I am ending the day on a negative note.

My last tip to beat the Sunday Scaries is to pick out at least your Monday work outfit and get your lunch {or snacks} packed. Scrambling to pick out an outfit on Monday morning isn’t a fun way to start the work week. Taking a few minutes on Sunday to help me feel more prepared for Monday always helps to cut out unnecessary work week stress.

What are your tips for fighting the Sunday scaries? Let me know in the comments below!

May 2017 | Most Loved

May 31, 2017 Red Rose & HoneyLeave a comment

Clinique Lip Gloss

My absolute favorite lip gloss (and not just for this month) is the Clinique Long Lasting Lip Gloss in Adore U. It’s the perfect plum toned gloss with just the right tough of frost and simmer. My natural lip color is on the darker side, so I feel like this color works perfectly for me.

Aquaphor

This is a bit of a random favorite, but during the dry winter months it’s been a life saver. I bought my first tube in January when my ring finger got irritated from my engagement ring (click here to read about that mess). Since then I have been using it on my cuticles, lips and mixing it with hand lotion. I even started putting a touch under my nose at night because my sinuses get so dry while I’m sleeping. It’s definitely a staple beauty product now for dry, irritated and cracked skin.

Benefit It’s Potent Eye Cream

Who doesn’t love a good eye cream?! My under eye area gets super dry and flaky. This skin area as well as my eyes themselves are very sensitive. The wrong product can make my eyes red and irritated almost like I have pink-eye. I have previously been using Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment for years which I do really like, but my local stores don’t sell it and I wanted to try something new. At the recommendation of a Benefit’s rep at Ulta, I decided to try the It’s Potent Eye Cream. It doesn’t have a must of a scent, added fragrance or parabens. It has added brightening effects which I may have noticed a bit and it keeps my under eye area hydrated. I’ve now finished the jar and I think I’ll buy it again! Definitely worth a try.

Milani Baked Blush

I have heard a lot about Milani Baked Blushes on YouTube being a great drugstore buy, so I wanted to give one a try. I usually like rosy/plum colored blushes, so I went with the Rose D’Oro. It definitely has more of an orange-y/bronze tone to it that I had hoped for, but I do like it. Some days I use it as a blush and other days as a bronzer. I even use it in the create of my eyelids (a favorite trick of mine) for a natural, bronzey glow.

NYX Tinted Brown Gel

I have been using the NYX tinted brown gel for about a year. Not sure how I lived without using something on my brows before that! Shaped brows totally step-up your look even on minimal makeup days. I feel like good browns just help you look more put together. I don’t always feel like using brow shadow and my brows themselves are pretty thick, so a tinted brow gel is perfect. Since my brow hairs are on the thick side (and sometimes get wavy!) the gel is perfect for keeping them in place. I have tried the chocolate and brunette shades and I feel like the chocolate is more natural and complements my dark blonde hair better.