Health & Fitness: Foam Rolling

I recently purchased a foam roller to use at home and I have no idea how I ever survived without it. I had used it here or there when I still had my gym membership but didn't use it consistently. I now use it every single night before I head to bed. Haven't heard of a foam roller before? Listen up, your life is about to change.

There are SO many benefits of foam rolling. Taking the time to unwind after sitting at a desk all day or relieving your  muscles after a hard workout is so important. Foam rolling helps relieve tension buildup in your back and shoulders (my favorite thing to work out on my foam roller), prevents your muscles from getting too tight after an intense workout and can help with flexibility. Runners out there: foam rolling really helps with IT band tightness and you can prevent so many running and exercise related injuries if you take the time to foam roll.

It may seem really silly at first (and it will probably hurt) but it is so worth the effort. I can't tell you how much stress and tension relief I've gotten with mine -- it's like a massage that you can get whenever you want and you can control how long you stay on what body part and how much pressure you apply. Nothing is greater than that!

Check out some of my favorite ways to use a foam roller on FitSugar.com. This will help you get the basics down and you can go from there.

Have you tried foam rolling before? What is your favorite way to prevent injuries?

GlamGlow Face Masks: Part One

I recently got my hands on a few samples from GlamGlow, a relatively new brand based in Hollywood. For this first post I’ll review the SuperMud Clearing Treatment. (Stay tuned for my review of the Youth-Mud Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask.)

The SuperMud Clearing Treatment is designed to do a variety of things: heal and prevent blemishes, target problem areas and fight other common skin problems like whiteheads, blackheads, discoloration, razor bumps, in-grown hairs and more. The product also claims to come with PoreMatrix, which is intended to help encourage dirt and oil to be extracted from pores.

I tried two samples of this product. Each time I removed my makeup and thoroughly washed my face. I then applied a layer all over my face (avoiding my eye area). The directions say that you can wait 10, 15 or 20 minutes before washing off the mask. After 10 minutes, the mask completely dried on my face and was so tight that I chose not to leave it on any longer. Just a warning—your face is going to feel like you can’t move it. When the mask is totally dry, you’ll notice that it really accentuates your pores (just what every girl wants). Because the mask dried and really adhered to my skin, I patted my face with water before massaging the mask and washing it off. I had to rinse my face several times before the mask entirely came off.

I was really happy with the results! After both uses, my skin felt incredibly soft and I did notice that my breakouts started to heal the day after I used the mask for the first time. I found the product really easy-to-use and although I’m unable to currently test the long-term effects of the product, I can certainly attest to the effectiveness of the immediate results. I didn’t test the product on razor bumps or in-grown hairs, so I can’t say whether the products claim that it helps those is true. Also, one of the cool things about this mask is that you really don’t have to use it as a mask at all. The product can be used as a spot treatment to target certain areas of breakouts or problem skin. 

Now for the only downside I see with this product: the price tag. It’s $69 for a 1.2 ounce jar. Each sample packet I used was 0.07 ounces and that was the perfect amount to cover my entire face. If you do the math, that’s about 17 uses (probably many more if you’re only using it as a spot treatment). If you’re not prone to breakouts, blackheads/whiteheads or patches of oily skin, you may not want to spend the money on such a targeted treatment. If you do regularly experience these types of skin problems, a mask like this is probably worth investing in!

Let us know—do you regularly use face masks? 

Aromatherapy: Natural Remedies to Fix Life's Ailments

My future sister-in-law Jill saved my life when we were on vacation and I had a terrible migraine. It also happened to be my birthday that day and I was in no mood to have a headache damper our fun! She pulled out some organic peppermint oil and told me to rub some into my temples, chest and wrists and to breath deep. I figured it was worth a shot and bam! less than 10 minutes later I was back in action. I couldn't believe how well the stuff worked and loved that I didn't have to take any medication to cure it.

For Christmas last year, she gifted me with some peppermint oil of my own as well as lavender for stress and Earth Goddess for balance. She purchased the Ananda Apothecary essential oils brand and I've loved the results. I'm a huge believer in natural remedies and try to avoid medication if I can - these oils are great for that!

As I mentioned above, peppermint oil is amazing for headaches. I haven't had to test this theory yet but apparently it also works wonders for motion sickness and general nausea for some people. How cool is that?

According to the Anada Apothecary website, lavender is traditionally used as an anti-inflammatory, is balancing, relieves pain, is calming and relaxing. I can say from personal experience that the lavender does help me relax and de-stress. I've been putting it on my wrists before work each morning and it's really helped me stay calm when my schedule gets crazy.

The Earth Goddess oil is said to also help when life gets a little chaotic. "A grounding blend to balance 'ether' and 'air' energy when things feel like they are moving a little fast." Perfect for my busy work schedule and hectic wedding planning!

If you're looking for ways to naturally cure your ailments I highly suggest looking into essential oils. There are so many others out there that I can't wait to try.

Have you tried aromatherapy before? Do you have other natural ways to cure life's problems?

Recipe: Quick and Easy Chicken Quesadillas

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What you need:

• 1 cup of cooked shredded chicken
• ¾ cup of grated cheese (cheddar or a Mexican blend is best)
• ¼ cup fresh tomato salsa or chopped tomatoes
• 4 whole wheat tortillas
• Cooking spray

How to do it:

1. In a bowl, combine the chicken, cheese and salsa/tomatoes. 
2. Place two of the tortillas down on a flat surface.
3. Scoop the chicken/cheese/salsa mixture onto the two tortillas, dividing evenly. Spread the mixture, but leave some room near the edges.
4. Place the two remaining tortillas on top.
5. Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray and place one of the quesadillas down. Cook over medium heat for two to three minutes. Flip and cook for an additional two minutes.
6. Remove from the pan and slice into wedges.

A few tips to keep this recipe healthy:

• If you absolutely must garnish with sour cream, use the fat free kind.
• Use this meal as a way to get your veggies—add onions or peppers as part of the filling.
• Top the quesadillas with sliced avocados or guacamole.
• If you need a side to go with your meal, try black beans.

Enjoy!

The Best Yellow Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Can you believe it? Valentine's Day is officially over already! I hope you all had a great day that was filled with tons of love -- no matter what you ended up doing. I'm going to share the BEST yellow cake cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting recipe with you today. I know it's a day late if you were looking for something sweet to bake for the holiday, but these are great ANY day of the year. Warning: cleanup can be tricky since you're going to the extra mile and not using a boxed cake mix or jar of frosting but the extra effort is definitely worth it. You can see from the photos that I need to work on my frosting skills, but as long as they taste delicious I think we can let that slide ;)

What you need for the chocolate buttercream frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened

3 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoons heavy cream

What to do:

1. Cream butter for a few minutes with a hand mixer.

2. Stir 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa mixture into the mixing bowl.

3. Turn mixer onto the lowest speed until the sugar and cocoa are mixed with the butter.

4. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla, salt and cream and beat for 3 minutes.

5. If frosting is a little runny, add a little more sugar and mix again/If your frosting is a little too thick, add additional cream 1 tablespoon at a time. (I had to add two additional tablespoons of cream before my mixture was perfect)

What you need for the yellow cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 + 1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

1 cup milk (I used skim)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

24 cupcake liners

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place your cupcake liners in your cupcake baking pans.

2. In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

3. Add butter, milk and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, occasionally scraping sides of bowl. Add eggs, beat for 3 more minutes.

4. Pour batter into cupcake liners, filling each 3/4 of the way full. Bake approximately 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

5. Let completely cool before icing -- VERY IMPORTANT unless you want runny butter cream :)

 

Let us know if you make these cupcakes! Any other sweet treat recipes you'd like to share?

 

 

5 Romantic Hairstyles

It's Valentine's Day! How are you celebrating? Whether you're staying in or going out, Valentine's Day is an opportunity to get all dolled up for the one you love. Continuing on the theme from Tuesday's post, here are five romantic (and easy-to-do!) hairstyles that will help you look fab for your date:

Sideswept and loose

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Big, bouncy curls

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Half-up and messy

 

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Subtle waves

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Tousled bun

 

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Coconut Oil Hydrating Hair Mask

It's no surprise that the winter is so harsh on our hair. My skin and hair have been so dry this season! I love using coconut oil for so many things: baking, cooking and even as an amazing beauty product. I decided to give myself a coconut oil hair mask treatment the other night and my hair has been so soft, silky, hydrated and frizz free ever since. I'm in love. It's so inexpensive and easy -- you've got to try this out! 

What you'll need:

Depending on how long your hair is you'll need 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of coconut oil

Hair brush

Hair clip

Patience 

What to do:

1. Heat up your coconut oil in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until it turns into liquid

2. Using your hands or a brush coat your entire head with the coconut oil. I like to massage my scalp to get rid of dry flakes and to really moisturize my hair from root to tip. 

3. Use a hair clip or tie to keep your hair up off of your face and neck

4. The longer you can keep it in the better. The oil should be left in a minimum of 2 hours and ideally should be left in overnight. 

5. Shampoo your hair a few times to make sure all of the oil is out.

6. Style your hair as normal and enjoy your soft, shiny, beautiful hair! 

You'll have to let us know if you try this treatment! We know you're going to love it!