Fat burners and metabolism my intrinsic link was something I discovered rather by accident. Again I’ve made it no secret that I’m no spring chicken. The struggle to accept that youth truly is wasted on the young. Learning to welcome the fact we all age, is a constant struggle I’d rather live without.
What I was able to accomplish in my younger times, seemed so easy, but as the years pass by, it’s a constant, now conscious struggle. My body slowing down, my mind and energy tiring, and the ever present struggle with weight management. My physical fitness routine, once accomplished with an element of ease to gain the results I so wanted, and got, is now a small battle of the bulge.
Muscles get softer and harder to maintain, and my time spent at the gym, is just that little bit longer. Ho hum, it’s all of our realities, not just me. A slowing metabolism, that makes you listless, and gain that weight, even with all that careful dietary control and lifestyle changes.
Collagen, the long forgotten protein essential for our wellbeing!
In 2015, I took it upon myself to do something a little different. Thought a little crazy by many, but to compete in a figure competition. It wasn’t so much a no brainer for me, but more the careful encouragement of my small group of close friends who believe in me.
I was already well into my physical fitness lifestyle of high cardio and weight lifting, but to be on a stage I needed to step up my game. If I was to get anywhere near what those career competitors were doing, buckling down, was something I had to get serious about.
So…..I decided to take the plunge after I got over my initial anxiety. Yes, my apprehension wasn’t just about looking good and being able to pass, but if I was truly capable of upping my game at the gym.
For those of you that know my history, I’m careful to take great care of my appearance, and how I present myself to the world. I’m tall, and at 6’1” (however when I measured at the contest sign in, I was 5’11 3/4”, clearly I’d shrunk) consider myself to be fortunate in the gene department, making for what I call, an amazon. Better yet, a “glamazon”.
Not only did I have to lose some weight to fit within the designated classes, I also had to increase my muscle tone. Something most folks outside the world of body building just don’t understand. Almost all believe you need too seriously bulk to gain that muscle. Well I can honestly tell you, that’s not the case.
I got to it!
I upped my cardio, varying the activity within my 30 minute routine from the stationary bike, to the elliptical machine, rowing, and whatever else activity I could fluctuate between. If I wasn’t drenched in sweat, I just hadn’t reached my peak performance. When I couldn’t fit in a cardio session, which I did with every training, I opted to interval train. I upped the intensity during my training so I perspired as though I had used the cardio machines.
Before and After
One key element to my workout I changed, was switching to body weight training. I did this to maximize my muscle tone development, and accelerate my weight loss. It worked like a charm. Trx straps, stretch bands, glide pads, cables, barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, floor work, any activity that forced me to engage my core muscles. NO SEATED MACHINES!
What I hadn’t anticipated, was the dull ache in my joints that started to occur. First my big toes, then ankles, knees, lower spine, shoulder caps and finally fingers. It was this strange progression through my body that started in my feet. A wearisome throb that took some time to dissipate after I had left the gym.
This just wasn’t going to work, especially if I was to traipse across a stage in 4” lucite heels, clad only in a bikini and a fake tan.
Research, so I got to work doing my homework on what I could do to alleviate this nuisance soreness. Thinking of my joints, the source of my burn, I came across Collagen. You know, Collagen?
The most abundant protein in the human body, found in the bones, muscles, skin, and tendons. The substance that holds the body together. Forming the framework to provide strength and structure. Wikipedia spells it all out for you!
It occurred to me, that this could quite possibly be the source of my aches and pains. The lack thereof, not from my diet alone, but from the natural aging process of the body. Yes I’m no spring chicken, but as my father says; “I want to live a healthy active life until my shoes are permanently parked by the front door”!
He’s right, a mantra to live by.
With the help of my gang at Body Energy Club, I started supplementing with Collagen in my morning shakes, cereal and or coffee. Learning and sampling what the different kinds do, or can do. Getting the right one for me. Upping my doses to twice a day, once in the morning, and at night, usually before bed. Slowly but surely, over the span of a 3-4 weeks that nagging soreness gradually began to fade.
My training got better, more intense, I got stronger, lost the weight, and gained the muscle tone I so desperately needed. Not only for the competition, but my everyday life. I feel more active and capable, quite possibly I could say refreshed.
It’s a supplement I plan to keep in my routine, you should too. It works!
I love cremes, in this case “body butter”, and I’ve been using them for a long time. As a matter of fact since I learned all those years ago about looking after my skin after a cancer scare from a last minute trip to Greece when I was 22.
Epoch Baobab Body Butter
This creme is moisturizes and certainly promotes softer, smoother skin. Skin that looks more toned formulated for all ages. It’s light, and feels velvety smooth going on the skin, and on the skin. It really feels quite lovely!
I used this on my legs, because I have serious problems with dryness and cracked skin around my ankles and shins. Applied once in the morning before I head out for my day, I can honestly say it lasts for a good portion of the day.
It has a mild scent of vanilla in a mix of Baobab Fruit Pulp Extract, Shea Butter, and Macadamia Nut Oil. It’s also loaded with antoxidants ethnobotanicals
Baobab Fruit Pulp Extract (adansonia digitata pulp extract), is a natural humectant and emollient. This moisturizing fruit extract reduces dry skin, improves the skin’s appearance, and conditions skin for long-lasting moisturization.
Epoch Baobab Body Butter
Shea Butter is the a rich emollient that enhances the skin’s natural barrier functions and increases moisture levels.
Macadamia Nut Oil, high in monounsaturated fatty acids, this unique oil closely resembles sebum (oil naturally produced by the skin for moisture and protection), is easily absorbed by the skin, and helps maintain the skin’s water barrier functions.
It lasts a quite awhile, if used moderately, not in globs. It spreads easily, and does what it sets out to do, moisturize. All without breaking the bank.
Beauty with the AnteAGE Home Micro Needling system is a treatment you can do in the comfort of your own home.
I got my system from the wonderful and knowledgeable women here in Canada, at Timeless Beauty Aesthetics. A 4-6 week program, that contains the roller, and 5 mini roll-on vials to use after each treatment. Time for each application is about 5-10 minutes, depending on your own threshold.
If you’ve never heard of micro needling before, from the folks at AnteAGE, is commonly known as Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT), microneedling. An advanced skin technique that uses shallow needles of varying depth (.25mm-3mm) to stimulate the layers of the skin. From the top layer to the deeper dermis, of which needles of a .5mm or longer are generally used in professional applications. The treatments create a release of natural growth factors (utilizing your skin’s native regenerative proteins), to naturally stimulate and encourage rebuilding your own collagen and elastin. Thus creating a more youthful appearance.There’s more to read on their site, but the gist of it is that regular Home Microneedling has been shown to improve the appearance of:
Fine Lines & wrinkles
Sagging Skin
Texture & Tone
Pore Size & Discolouration
fine line reduction
skin tone
skin tone
A more aggressive approach with Professional Microneedling helps reduce;
Scar Tissue
Target deep lines and wrinkles
Improve skin volume
Best for damaged skin
This particular system is recommended to be used in conjunction with a professional treatment. The idea? To keep the healing and rejuvenation taking place during the “downtown” between the more aggressive pro-treatments.
AnteAGE Home Microneedling System
Does it hurt? The most common question asked, you betcha! However with what I’ve put this body through, I can handle it! Truthfully, it’s not at all that bad. It’s done a few times week by a simple roll-over the skin’s surface 4-5 times in both directions during each session; up and down, side to side, or diagonally, your choice. The idea is to let the roller move over the skin on its own with gentle pressure. I on the other hand, am more aggressive, and I know for a fact, I apply more pressure than the average person. No pain no gain!
However, don’t go thinking a professional treatment is the same. Those treatments truly do require a good numbing, and will leave your face a bloody mess! Trust me on that one.
Does it work? Well when they boast ingredients like Human Bone Marrow Stem Cell Conditioned Media, you damn well better believe it better work. Actually the truth is in the pudding, I can see the differences. Smoother skin, reduced pore sizes, better skin tone a serious reduction in fine lines. The best, comments are from friends and family, even strangers; what have you done different? You look refreshed! Have you had work done? LOL!
Done morning or night, the choice is yours. I can tell you that done in the morning, your skin is left a little sensitive, even after the application of the solution from the mini roll-on applicator.
Even a cool breeze activates your skin’s surface and or the sun. It’s some what like your skin is “breathing”. Your skin can be red, and feel possibly like a mild sun burn.
I do suggest a night time treatment before bed, freshly washed, use the needle roller, roll on the solution, and head to bed after it has all absorbed. The dark helps it heal faster, while the sun, as we know, activates your skin. You’ll wake up not feeling a thing and can apply your make-up without a problem.
I highly recommend you check it out, and if you have any more questions, ask me. You’ll see visible results. Better yet, head over to the lovely ladies at Timeless Beauty Aesthetics, they’d be happy to answer your questions, and or, provide you with your own kit.
Sex, health, beauty and lifestyle. I’m all about them, call me shameless, see if I care? Unbeknownst to me they’ve been my mantra for quite some time, I’ve just never consciously put words to it. Why even in my own “dazed confusions” I’ve branded myself around those four ideologies. Jokingly I’ve proclaimed of myself as having said many times “I was never deep”, but humour aside, and for those that know me, I’m deeper than the oceans blue. So……. let me tell you what I’m up to, and I’ll break it down under each of those four principles .
SEX
the lovely Lip Love 8 Mode Suction
In all my years of service provision as a pro domina I’ve had the pleasure, and displeasure, of handling a lot of sex toys. Let me tell you, there is a lot of crap out there. I just don’t know who these folks are that come up with some of that stuff. If it’s just to make money, they’ve certainly succeeded in duping the unsuspecting consumer. Hopefully I’ll be able to shed some light on that with the reviews I plan to continue on.
However it’s not just about sex toys, lubes, lotions and potions, with sex, there is so much more. Sexuality, sexual identity, preference, activities, growth and healing, all kinds of aspects, and my opinions and musings to share. I think you get my drift.
The beautiful colours of springtime, that’s what’s sexy this week.
I’m an old punk rocker from way back. Goth, alternative, new age, new wave, but one thing that was consistent was my trade mark black. My black wardrobe from head to toe! It made me feel strong and confident, slim and sexy, and it looked cool! It still makes me feel all those things, and I know I look good in black, and I know, I wear it well. Trust me there is nothing like sexy black and I still love to wear it.
However, over the last 10 years or so, for reasons I have no answers to, I started to introduce colours into my wardrobe. Beautiful colours to reflect my ever changing emotions, passions, and personality. Colours that are also a reflection of the ever changing seasons that we have in this beautiful country I call home, Canada.
As I’ve written before, I find it interesting how the fashion world for the most part dictates when colours are to be worn, keeping the darker months dark and the brighter months bright. I wear what I want and when I want, all year long, and not because someone tells me to or that it is written in a book somewhere as gospel, but because……I……want….to!
The application of lipstick truly is an art form. Luscious lips enhanced in vivid sensual colours to enlarge, define and captivate curious onlookers are all the rage world wide. Well maybe not the “rage”, but certainly a fashion statement that for those in the know are worn well for all the right reasons.
Reasons of my own, but reasons surely shared by the many who adorn those beautiful lips, and certainly those who adore them. Yes I’ve written about painted lips before, and I know I’ll be doing it again and again. Musings that don’t tell the average person who “get’s it” to think twice about it, but rather hopefully encourage those that don’t.
Another amazing product in my “hotbed” of talent from Vancouver, BC, the place I call home.
Mark and Andy of Schnuck Didit Designs are another of the underdogs that deserve a plate at the table and that I truly love! “Producing top quality, Canadian Made artisan soaps and grooming products”, this husband and husband team also make men’s underwear and bathing trunks, that not only look great, but fit like a glove for men of all shapes and sizes.
With the name Schnuck Didit, why wouldn’t I give it a try! A nickname I am told is for one of the guys, a name that aptly fits for their designs, did it, they did!
There’s fun to be had in his and her pedicures. Couples spending time together, enjoying each other’s company, sharing a laugh, or an uncontrolled giggle from a foot massage, and the application of a daring shade of polish on his, and her toes. His and her pedicures that’s what sexy this week.
In today’s age, the so called “modern age” women have been getting pedicures since most of us can remember. However it is noted that it wasn’t until the year 2000 that the pedicure started to grow in popularity. Mostly amongst the women and a few daring men, brave enough to roll up their trousers and show just how much of a man he truly is by letting a complete stranger get to work prettying up those feet and toes.
I don’t have any before and after pics to share after using Filorga Paris NCTF-Intensifs Anti Aging Skin Care so you’ll have to take my word for it. I can honestly say that having used only the NCTF-Intensive for the last 2 weeks has actually left my skin feeling more taught, firm, and with better elasticity with fewer fines lines. I received the trio samples today and look forward to using all three in conjunction with the recommendations made by the technicians that first shared and showed us the product those weeks ago. In the meantime I’ve reposted the details below for you to read and learn about what Filorga NCTF is all about. I’ll update as the weeks progress with how my skin feels and looks.
For those wishing to give it a try or switch your routine and product regimen, the Filorga Paris NCTF-Intensifs Anti Aging Skin Care will be available February 14/2018 at Shoppers Drug Mart, and Nordstroms.
REPOST:
My recent attendance of the informational evening on the soon to be made available product from Filorga Paris. The introduction of their NCTF Reverse Range which contains more than ten times the concentration of Filorga’s patented NCTF than the other skincare products within Filorga. It’s designed to be the consumer version of their medical product, the concentrated skincare range that contains the same revitalizing formulation found in their professional injectable treatments. Most notably we were shown the NCTF-Essence, NCTF-Intensive, and the NCTF-Reverse. Used on the skin in that order twice daily, morning and night.
The ideology behind the introduction of this line is to bring the medical service of injections home to the consumer in a topical form, and in particular for those not quite sure they are ready for a trip to the surgeon’s office for injections to invigorate and revitalize aging, tired skin.
As a user of home based skin care products, I was eager to hear and see what this product was all about. That’s not to say I haven’t had my fair share of doctor assisted treatments, but I do try and maintain what can at home in between those expensive sessions. For me prevention goes a long way and I’ll do anything I can, within reason, to keep my skin looking youthful, vital, and alive.
We started off by meeting the informative and wonderful people from Filorga who helped develop the product and bring it the consumer. The presentations were clear and well presented and introduced us to the microsphere technology they were using in their product to do the work it does. I asked what I had to ask and my questions were answered with very informative statements, but, we know that actions speak louder than words and I for one was eager to see what the product looked like, and felt like going on the skin.
The NCTF-Essence is geared as primer for the skin to allow for maximum absorption when the next product is applied. It absorbs quite readily and has a scent like a fragrant tea. I rather enjoyed it.
The next application came from the NCTF-Intensive, a combination of serum and lotion type of liquid that doesn’t run or drip, is scent free, and absorbs right away.
The last application was in the form of the NCTF-Reverse which is considered the daily moisturizer that is active all day. This is the one that is nourishing with nutritious fatty acids and Vitamin E, ideal for dry skin. It delivers on wrinkle treatment with retinol to stimulate collagen and elastin and contains Hyaluronic acid to plump the skin. It provides treatment to the firmness of the skin by stimulating collagen production. Provides radiance with natural Vitamin C which prevents the synthesis of melanin. It has vitamin A & H to stimulate cell renewal and Vitamin E for fight against free radicals.
I’ll start by saying that it was nice to see only 3 products in this application process, because I’ve seen many many more steps to be taken just get the damn cream on! If your a busy person, you know that those extra few minutes make all the difference, and when your layering product after product, it makes a person wonder. I have to say that these three absorbed quickly and didn’t leave my skin feeling greasy, shiny, or as though I wanted to wash it off right away. My skin was breathing!
These products will be making their way to the consumer on February 14th at Nordstrom’s and at Shoppers Drug Mart. I’ll be making sure to give it all a thorough examination when it arrives. They also boast visible results in 7 days, who knows, maybe I’ll be switching products!
We started off by meeting the informative and wonderful people from Filorga who helped develop the product and bring it the consumer. The presentations were clear and well presented and introduced us to the microsphere technology they were using in their product to do the work it does. I asked what I had to ask and my questions were answered with very informative statements, but, we know that actions speak louder than words and I for one was eager to see what the product looked like, and felt like going on the skin.
