New Year's Resolution

Today is my birthday and I want to thank all the well wishers - all 800 million of them, wow Facebook, rock on... Now as I take inventory of my life I see that a couple of things are not where I would like them to be. While I try to take care of myself I haven't been doing such a great job of it - so with the purring kitty on my lap as my witness

Yeah, I know I am just looking for excuses to take her photo

I will now take care of me. I did have a wonderful facial today at Eden Organix in Highland Park, NJ. If you are in the area I highly recommend it. They are running a fall harvest special and the pumpkin masks and moisturizers are divine!

Interior from their website: http://www.edenorganix.com/assets/images/interioreden.jpg

That top row has the 100% Pure Organic line that I live and die for. That's what I really like about Eden Organix, they use natural and organic skincare lines. We expose our bodies to so many chemicals day in and day out. There has to be a better alternative and there is! Do your research and find products that that don't contain parabens, pthalates, artificial coloring, hydroqinones... you get the picture. Go to the Cosmetics Database to see how your skincare AND haircare products rate.

Getting the skin covered is easy but what about the weight, UGH!!!!! I really really wanted to be about 10lbs lighter today.  I was half way there 2 weeks ago but it's been a crazy ride at work so I have been eating a lot of comfort food. My weakness is Alternative Baking Company cookies - oh my!! Those of you that are dairy-free and/or vegan and have not discovered these cookies I suggest you stay far far away!! They are sooo gooood but sooo fattening. An entire cookie is about 400 - 500 calories. Granted they are large so it could be a meal, but that's never the case for me. I've had about 5 - 6 of those cookies in the last two weeks. I ALMOST got one today for my birthday but will maybe bake cupcakes instead.

I did have a great lunch, not a cupcake lunch like I was fantasizing about at Papa Ganache but at The Orchid in Metuchen, NJ. They are a Kosher restaruant they are not open Friday evenings or on Saturdays so it was a real treat to be able to sit at a table and have the combo platter with Hummus Spread, Baba Ganoush and Quinoa Salad. Since it was a special occasion I even had a caffeinated chai spice tea, I'm just breaking ALL the rules today!

It can't be a New Year's resolution without committing to exercise. I can't believe I said that... I've taken a bit of a hiatus on the workout and it's obvious - everything is a big mush and I can't walk up a flight of stairs. No more Ms. Softy. This morning I did one of my Kathy Smith step DVDs on the BOSU and I've asked for a new heart rate monitor and the P90X workout system. I've contacted my beachbody coaches for a vegan diet plan and will probably buy The Engine 2 Diet book in the near future (unless I get it as a gift - another subtle hint...)

I know what you are thinking, what about work, mental, school - well I can only do so much. I'm a vain creature so let's work on looking good, because as Fernando used to say "it's better to look good than to feel good"

Is beauty really only Skin Deep?

Many of you know or should know that you are what you eat. That's a no brainer, well how many of you consider what you put on your body too? The way a birth control or nicotine patch delivers its medicine transdermally should give you an indication that yes, your skin (the largest organ on the human body) has the ability to absorb what is put on it. While your epidermis does provide some sort of barrier you can't really be sure that some of the ingredients in the skin care products you are using aren't being somehow absorbed, especially if you are using a product every day for many years.

Luckily the EWG has a fantastic web site that gives you a rating on a huge listing of beauty products including facial, body, hair, make-up, nail, oral hygiene and even baby products.


Before you slather on another lotion or put on sunscreen make sure you check out your product's ingredients, you may be surprised to see that you are getting a bit more than you bargained for...

OH YEAH!! And to check out the movie: The Story of Cosmetics, the Ugly Truth of "Toxics in. Toxics out" click HERE

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