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@JCPenney’s New Year, New You with DWTS’s @Karina_Smirnoff
About a week ago, I told a friend that I was going to jot down a New Year’s plan (I say “plan” because I’m not really into the whole “resolutions” thing). And she asked in surprise, “Isn’t it a little late to be making New Year’s resolutions?”
The answer is NO.
First of all, I still get to call my plan a New Year’s plan because it’s only January. I mean, give me a break! But even if I wanted to write such a plan in, say, March that would be perfectly fine, too. Fact is, every day you wake up is a new opportunity to be a “new you” or to aspire to a new goal. Heck, you can make a fresh start right in the middle of the day if you want.
It’s all about setting a goal, making steps to execute it and sticking to it (and not beating yourself up if you happen to fall off track).
Last week, I attended JCPenney’s New Year, New You Fitness Event at their showroom in SoHo. The event showcased products and apparel from JCPenney, along with ideas to help you make a fresh start for 2014. Just my luck, this fit in perfectly with my New Year’s plan.
Goal #1 in my New Year’s plan: Get to the gym more consistently
I’m a (semi) regular at the gym and I want to become more consistent about not breaking gym days.
We got to pick a workout outfit from JCPenney’s Xersion and CityStreets Activewear lines. My current workout wardrobe consists of random leggings and tank tops, so just putting this on got me pumped. It’s not just that it looks great; it’s also specially designed for sweating and moving your body. Can’t say the same for my all-purpose leggings.
We put our workout gear to the test during a dance class led by the event host, Dancing with the Star’s Karina Smirnoff. Fortunately, she kept the moves easy-to-follow for us. It was a blast and Karina looked fab in JCPenney’s Xersion and CityStreets Activewear lines.
Goal #2 in my New Year’s plan: Eat healthy
I like to eat healthy, wholesome foods, lots of fruits, veggies, fiber and protein. I love making smoothies, which makes it easy for me to down all the good stuff in one cup. For the New Year, I want to do more of this and less of falling into a takeout rut.After the class, Karina juiced healthy treats with JCPenney’s Bella High Power Juice Extractor and Magic Bullet Blender. Celebrity nutritionist and chef Melissa Petitto was also onsite creating delicious and healthy juices and smoothies with JCPenney’s national brand juicers to quick our thirst.
We took home the Bella Rocket Blender for ourselves. I already used it and I’m hooked. It’s so much easier and convenient that the standard blender I’d been using.
Whatever your plans (or resolutions) are for the New Year, you can’t go wrong with staying active and eating healthy. Just try to spend a little time on your goals each day and you’ll be where you want to be in no time!
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Enter the @BioElixia Giveaway
The most romantic holiday of the year can often inspire some equally passionate gifts like a surprise vacation to a tropical island, a couples massage or even a marriage proposal! On the other hand, as most women know, men can sometimes drop the ball in the romance department – thus leaving us with more interesting gifts like edible panties or cleaning supplies for your home.
If any of these gifts sound familiar, BioElixia wants to hear about it! To enter, comment on this Facebook post sharing your most cherished, unforgettable, or just plain STRANGE Valentine’s Day gift to win a 6 Month Supply of BioElixia’s latest BodyShaper offerings!
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Cold Days, Hot Tea and Good Books
My formula for cold winter days is cuddling with Jacob with some lemon tea and reading a good book! We dream about California, the sun and the beach. We read and read and hug and hug. Winter seems to go by faster but we are counting the days. He is so bundled up and PAWS balloon booties are a must in NYC.
Here are some dog books we have been reading lately and highly recommend:
1. Ambassador Dogs by Lisa Loeb
Dogs are ambassadors to the world and our own local communities. They come to serve and love us as only they know how. Accompanied by 175 color images, discover the remarkable connection between dogs and humans through the inspiring stories of 24 dogs and the owners whose lives they have made better. Meet Paddington, the official greeter at Thorncroft Equestrian Center, and Cody, a search and rescue dog. Learn the story behind Pals for Life, an organization that provides therapy animal visits, and Francisvale, a safe haven for abandoned dogs. The stories range from service dogs that make life easier for those in need to much-loved household pets that offer love and companionship each day for family members. Dog lovers everywhere will delight in these wonderfully witty and entertaining stories.
2. Inside of a Dog – Alexandra Horowitz
The answers will surprise and delight you as Alexandra Horowitz, a cognitive scientist, explains how dogs perceive their daily worlds, each other, and that other quirky animal, the human. Horowitz introduces the reader to dogs’ perceptual and cognitive abilities and then draws a picture of what it might be like to be a dog. What’s it like to be able to smell not just every bit of open food in the house but also to smell sadness in humans, or even the passage of time? How does a tiny dog manage to play successfully with a Great Dane? What is it like to hear the bodily vibrations of insects or the hum of a fluorescent light? Why must a person on a bicycle be chased? What’s it like to use your mouth as a hand? In short, what is it like for a dog to experience life from two feet off the ground, amidst the smells of the sidewalk, gazing at our ankles or knees?
3. Help Your Shy Dog – Deborah Wood
Fifteen to twenty percent of dogs are born with a tendency towards introversion and fearfulness, leading to behaviors like uncontrolled submissive urination, fear-aggression, and inability to bond with humans. With understanding and the right training, fearful dogs need not be condemned as bad pets; rather, they can become some of the happiest and most deeply bonded dogs around the epitome of great pets.
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Simple Tips for Day to Night Beauty
Since moving to our Bleecker Street apartment, I had to really downsize my makeup collection. It is not a good idea to keep makeup over 6 months anyway and I had blush and lipstick from way earlier than that. So when I put these in the trash, I was left with just a handful of makeup essentials. Simplifying your makeup collection doesn’t mean less beauty looks… See this fun infographics below for an easy way to change your look from day to night from our friends at Macy’s.
This post is sponsored by Macy’s. I was invited to this opportunity by Blue Polo Interactive and received a Macy’s gift card for my time. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.
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Keep Your Resolution with @TheAthletesclub
Everyone’s resolution is to be healthier, work out more and lose some weight right? Yup! There is a new site you should check out if you want to keep your resolution. The all new Athletes Club (www.athletesclub.com) is a subscription based service that nets members exclusive discounts to various gyms, gear shops, and other health and fitness related business in their city.
Members can go for a workout at a gym one day and then have a spa day the next. Need some gear to pick up a new sport? Stop by one of the club’s partner shops for discounts on a wide variety of products. On top of these discounts, Athletes Club members also gain access to exclusive content and special events around their city.
Introductory rates for membership to the site are $19 a monthly or $129 annually. Discounts never expire and vary from partner to partner. Here’s a quick sampling of what will be available to members in NYC:
· 6-Pack of Private Training Sessions for $450 (Usually $900) at The Fitness Cell
· 50% OFF 1st Group Class (Normal Class price $30) at Body Space Fitness
· 20% OFF Gym Membership (Annual Price is $3,000) at SuperStar Gym
· Beginner Package – 50% OFF Enrollment, 15% OFF Personal Training Packages, Gloves, Wraps & T-Shirts With A One-Year Membership at UFC Gym
· $75 OFF a New Bike and a Bike Fitting Together at Bicycle Habitat
The site is user friendly to navigate. I found some really cool deals in NYC like 1st class free and a cool gym, spa packages and deals at juice bars! Partners include Clay Health Club, Hu Kitchen, Finish Line and Bicycle Habitat. With informative blog entries, premium videos and a really user friendly system – you can discover new motivations to keep your resolution for 2014.
Sign up, do 10 squats and tell a friend about Athletes Club! https://athletesclub.com/
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A New Generation of Reds @GarnierCan Olia
Garnier Olia is the very 1st oil powered permanent haircolor for maximum color performance.
This is a real breakthrough for at home hair dye lovers like me. I am a DIY-er and I also love changing up my hair. When I receive the Olia dye kit from my friends at Garnier, I loved the packaging and concept of this product! I am no stranger to dying my hair but coming up for spring… what color would you pick?
The oil powered technology propels colorants deep into the hair, without ammonia, giving you pure, vivid, long-lasting color. Olia visibly improves and restores hair as the oils help to reverse roughness and dullness for more brilliant, dimensional color and softer, shinier hair with more bounce. Unlike traditional haircolor, Garnier Olia uses an exclusive 60% oil blend with natural flower oils to achieve maximum color performance while visibly improving and restoring hair.
When Lex came to visit!
I spent most of my early 20’s at as a blonde or a red head!
Mom and I at the Fuze Trend Report
Jesse Jones from TEN81 Lifestyle Inc
I had a lot of fun in my 20’s at a redhead now with only 5 months left until I turn 30… I wonder, ahould I do it again?
Look for these boxes next time you are at the drugstore!
