This post was originally scheduled to post on August 5, 2010.
Getting the final details planned and coordinated for our wedding was insane! There were so many things that I let slide to the side… one of those things was this blog.
I had been working on this entry that was to be dated for early August – unfortunately life threw me a few curve balls and I had to focus.
I have 30 days to go! My fiancé and I are marrying on September 4, 2010 and I need to put my final touches on everything.
While I still have a TON of things to do regarding the wedding details and production (which is what a wedding is), I’m also trying to streamline my beauty and workout routine to get the most out of my 30 days left. I’m going to try to update this for 20 days and 10 days left, too.
The first thing I did is create a list (I’m a little anal, lol) of the things I want to get accomplished for my last 30 days. This list does NOT include stuff like body waxing which I consider extra or normal daily routines like facial cleansings. This is just what I do to get myself ready for the wedding.
I broke my list down into daily, every other day, and weekly. If you create a list you might want to do something different.
Daily List
8 Minute Abs
30 Day Shred Lvl 2
Shoulder/Arm Exercises
Moisturize/Oil Cuticles
Take Biotin & Prenatal Vitamins
Bleach Teeth
Corn Huskers w/socks for feet
Moisturize Hair
Every Other Day
Shave (legs, etc)
Full Body Scrub
Facial Scrub
Paint Nails w/hardener
Pumice Stone for feet
Weekly
Wash Hair
Deep Condition hair
Manicure
Pedicure
Run/Walk 2 Miles
My Hair Care Regimen (Caution! This is for people with mature – at least 2+ years – locks. If your dreadlocks are not mature, constant conditioning can unravel your locks by over softening)
I try to moisturize my hair on a regular basis. I’m going to wash, maintain, and set my hair myself for the wedding while my friend and stylist Glenda is going to style my hair. The product I use the most to moisturize my hair currently is Miss Jessie’s Curly Buttercreme. I also love her Rapid Recovery Treatment conditioner. I’ve really got to do reviews on both of those!
I love to wash my hair with Carol’s Daughter’s Rosemary Mint Shampoo, apply conditioner and then rinse. I then do a deep condition with Miss Jessie’s Rapid Recovery Treatment by completely coating my hair, wrapping my hair up with saran wrap, wrapping a small damp towel around that and sitting under a hood dryer for about 1 hour (I’m going to write a post on this process with pictures later).
After I’m done rising out the deep conditioner, I oil my hair lightly with Orofluido Oil and then begin maintenance with Miss Jessie’s Curly Buttercreme. Let dry straight or set and go.
My Exercise Routine
I fully believe that every person needs a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day just to maintain current weight. In order to lose weight, I had to ramp that up a little bit. I need to get about ½” off of my waist for the dress so I can breathe, so… (Update – stress and my crazy workout schedule helped me to lose that extra ½”)
I start with Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred (early mornings, before work). I picked up my copy of the 30DS from Target, but you can also get one at amazon.com for $8.99. I know that everyone has their own weight loss video that they swear by, but I have to say that Jillian gets results. The 30 Day Shred has 3 different levels: 1, 2, and 3. All three levels have someone you can follow in the “easy,” “normal,” and “advanced” difficulties. I started on level 1 and worked my way up to level 2. I don’t think I will make it to level 3 but I’m going to try. (Update: I have tried level 3 several times now – it’s a butt kicker but I did it! I’m more partial to level 2)
In addition to the 30 Day Shred, I also do 8 Minute Abs. This is an old, old DVD so I’m not always sure of availability. We picked up a copy for $5.00 but I haven’t been able to locate that deal again. It is available at Amazon as well as on YouTube. It is a very simple 8 minute workout for abs and I love it! I don’t always get both workouts in before work, but I do try. Recently, I’ve been slacking off so I’m about to get “Gazelle Intense” on this workout.
I also have a set of arm and shoulder exercises that I do. They are great for toning but they are actually for physical therapy for a neck problem I have. There is one that I really recommend for arms, however. Clueless to the name but here’s the instructions: take a tension band (I’m using yellow) and put a knot in the middle, making two bands. Place the middle knot in a door jamb to secure it at about eye level. Grab both ends of the bands, pulling until you create some tension. Put your arms by your sides in a reverse 90 degree angle (make an “L”), holding your bands in your hands – your hands are like fists. Pull downward on the bands until your arms are straight. Release the tension slowly, bringing your arms back to “L” position. Repeat. I usually do about 30 of these (3 reps of 10).
Nail Care
In the past, I’ve tried both acrylic and gel nails and overlays to have long strong nails. As time went past I realized that the cost and damage associated with these types of procedures turned me off. Typically a full set can run anywhere from $25 – $50 and a fill-in can cost $10-$25 (or more!). This cost repeats itself every TWO WEEKS. If you average the cost out to be $25 per each time – at 26 weeks a year (52/2) you are spending about $650 a year. Wow. Not worth it in my book. In addition to the cost you have to add in the damage that is done to the nail bed due to all the filing and chemicals and lack of air to the nail.
I decided to NOT go down that path. I keep my nails very simply. I try to give myself a home manicure once a week (see my articles on manicures). My nails have a tendency to split and break, so I take prenatal vitamins as well as 1200mcg of Biotin daily. If you want to know more about Biotin, I have an entry about Biotin as well.
In addition to the vitamins, I also try to take good care of my cuticles, too. The major cause of hang nails is dry cuticles. I try to lotion my hands often and apply a cuticle oil at least once a day. If you don’t have a specific cuticle oil, Vitamin E oil works great, too (pure if possible, I get mine from CVS in the medicine section). I like to lotion my hands, use some creamy lotion, push back my cuticles, and then oil my cuticles. When I do this on a consistent basis, I never have hangnails. If I miss more than 3-5 days, hangnails start to appear.
Another thing I do for nail strength is nail polish. I try to paint my nails with a thin coat of clear at least every other day. Of course, I remove the polish weekly, but the coats of polish are great for maintaining strength. A lot of people prefer color, I prefer clear. As an FYI – very dark colors like reds stain the nail after a period of time. ALWAYS USE A BOTTOM COAT, especially with color polishes.
For my feet, I pretty much have the same procedure. In fact, I need to work on my pedicures soon, too. In addition to a regular foot bath I also have a paraffin wax bath [insert link] that is lovely!!! In addition to using the paraffin wax bath, I also like to coat my feet in a layer of Corn Husker’s Lotion before putting on my socks in the morning (and evening if I can remember).
Corn Husker’s Lotion is an old, old treatment for people who do hard work with their hands (i.e. husking corn). It really helps to soften the foot. If you have the patience, wrap your foot in plastic before putting on socks – it will make your feel extra soft! (Update: After all the hard work I did with my feet, when I went to get a pedicure the nail tech destroyed my toes using those damn electric files! She cut into my cuticle and it took weeks to completely heal.)