Absence.

I realize I am getting very bad about daily blogging, and for that, I apologize. However, my schedule is really busy right now, and with graduation lurking around the corner, things like blogging need to be placed on the back burner. Thus, I do not think my schedule allows for the three mealtime recap. Instead, I will focus on only the (somewhat) interesting stuff.

Project Glow is in full swing...almost. So, as I promised, I will explain it a little further.

The aim of Project Glow is to better your skin without taking extreme chemical measures.
The necessary materials...
-St. Ives Apricot Scrub
-St. Ives Blemish Fighting cleanser
-Exfoliating gloves (mine are coming in the mail!)
-Neutrogena Daily Moisturizer (SPF 30/45)
-Optional: Coconut Oil for body moisturizing (I am skipping this because coconut oil is expensive and if I am going to buy it, I am going to cook with it)
-Optional: Oil Blotting Sheets (I am skipping this too. My skin isn't that oily)


My addition...
-Cinnamon tablets


Cinnamon regulates your blood sugar levels, and a lot of acne is caused by fluctuation in blood sugar levels. So, as Moocy (a fellow blogger and coworker) suggested, I am taking two tablets in the morning and two tablets at night.

The routine..
In the morning:
Remove any leftover eye make up. Put on one exfoliating glove and wet. Place a quarter sized amount of St Ives Apricot Scrub on wet glove. Gently exfoliate your face with circular motions. Pay close attention to problem spots where blackheads form: around the nose, chin, etc. Rinse
face well. Use exfoliating glove and some more St Ives Scrub to exfoliate entire body. When you get out of the shower pay dry and while skin is still damp, apply.

Before bed:
Remove eye make-up. Use St Ives Blemish Fighting Cleanser. Be sure to clean entire face well (it is very easy to rush through this given everyone's desire to climb into bed). Pat dry and apply your favourite night cream. Be sure that the night cream won’t clog pores (I am using the Neutrogena lotion for this too, because I am poor and didn't want to buy more).

The food...

GREEN MONSTERS! Although Angela suggests starting out slow with the greens, I have already gotten accustomed to drinking spinach, kale, collards, etc., so I am going to try to have at least 3 cups of greens in each of my green monsters. In addition to greens, I usually add almond milk, 1/2 banana, flax, chia, and whatever else looks good.


Fruits and veggies!! As Angela writes, "The more V + F you eat, the less processed foods you will eat" Simple enough.

Limit dairy intake-research shows that the consumption of processed dairy can have negative repercussions on your skin. I am in no way a vegan, but by circumstance, I usually eat a vegan diet. I have foung that dairy products are expensive and unnecessary, so I usually don't buy them (except the occasional ice cream sale). Cutting back on dairy will not be a big issue for me, and hopefully I will see the positive effects in my complexion.

Lastly, try to drink green tea and lemon water. I am also going to decrease my coffee intake. Coffee really dehyrates me, and in turn, dehydrates my skin.

Behavioral modification...
Limit stress...I will probably struggle with this one seeing I am always trying to limit the amount of stressors in my life, but sometimes, being stressed in unavoidable. No one wants to be stressed out. It just happens.
My additions...
Reduce hand-face contact. I am a nail biter. A really bad nail biter. So, my hands are constantly touching my mouth, chin, etc. Coincidentally, my worst skin area is my chin....SO, I am going to try to stop biting my nails! It will be tough, but I think I can do it!

No more make-up. Yep. I am trying it. Right now, I simply cannot afford nice, natural make up. And, I cannot deny it any longer, slathering my face in cheap cover up cannot be good for my skin. I have never been a big make up person, but I have always relied on it to cover up glaring imperfections. Now, I am going to make the leap into the no make up realm. It will take a little while to adjust, but I think I can do it. Of course, I will wear make up for special occasions and what not, but I mean on a day to day basis, I am going to let my skin breathe. Jeffrey strongly supports this. What a guy!

So, that's about it! I have sort of begun this routine, but I am still waiting on the exfoliating gloves.

In other news, I went on another brutal 3 mile run today. It should not have been that bad, but it really was. The wind was terrible when I started, so for the first mile it felt like I was running against a brick wall. When I finally got to the gigantic hill I tackled last week, I was exhausted. I made it to the top, but with two walking breaks. After the hill, the wind died down, and I got to run on either a down hill slope or flat ground for the remainder of the run. I felt tired but content by the end.

This process is very frustrating, but I am determined to stick with it. I even subscribed to Runner's World today, so that every month, a little bit of inspiration comes in the mail!

A friend of mine is starting to toy around with the idea of running, so I convinced her to run with me tomorrow morning at a local track. Once I got her on board, her boyfriend decided he wanted to come too. At that point, Jeffrey jumped on the band wagon too! Couples running! I know it's dorky, but I think it will be a lot of fun, and we are all in terrible shape, which will just make it better!

Now, I am off to make dinner and a little bit of socializing.