SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY

One of the reasons I LOVE blogging so much is I get to talk with many women out there who need advice and I get to help them whether it be with a simple recipe or maybe just some advice on a new workout routine!

Attorney, volunteer, beautiful, compelling, passionate, smart....just a few words to describe...

I got to know Krissy Froelich through my blogging and let me tell you ladies this chick is so inspiring her story has changed the way I look at my own passion! 

Read the interview and you will understand why I almost had tears in my eyes at this remarkable woman 

Tell me about yourself.

 I went to law school at William and Mary in Virginia and graduated in 2003.  I clerked for the Supreme Court of Kentucky for a year and then moved to Charlotte, NC, where I began to work as a real estate finance/mortgage backed securities attorney.  I moved to Chicago in  2006, and continued practicing the same type of law.  In late 2008, my work level dropped significantly as the real estate and mortgage industries began to suffer.  In 2009, I was laid off from my firm due to a lack of work in my practice area.  It was very difficult for me to find a similar position, given that all my experience was in real estate and banking, two industries that were in great decline then.  I had never planned on choosing a new career at age 30, and this was a very difficult time in my life.  I eventually decided to view this time as an opportunity to pursue a career that was more in line with my personal interests and felt more meaningful to me and decided I wanted to go to esthetician school. 

I attended both Florida College of Natural Health in Miami and Douglas J Aveda Institute in Chicago.  While I chose esthetics because of my love of beauty and skin care products, what I discovered I truly loved was being able to help people relax and feel more confident about their appearance.  While in school, I worked part time in the accounting department of a real estate development firm and when I finished school, they offered me a full time position.  While I love working there and was excited for the opportunity, I missed working in the esthetics industry.  

How were you able to keep esthetics in your life?

I had heard of American Cancer Society's "Look Good, Feel Better " program and decided to volunteer as a way to keep esthetics in my life and help people at the same time.  Through this program, I teach a monthly two hour class to women in cancer treatment on how to care for their skin-Skin goes through a lot of changes with cancer treatment and it causes many changes to people's appearance, including changes in the pigmentation of the skin and loss of hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes.  

The women are all given a kit of skin care and makeup products, and I give a basic makeup application lesson as well.  For the women, it is a chance to focus on something other than cancer, and a chance to begin to feel comfortable with their appearance again.  Teaching women how to draw their eyebrows back on is a huge thing-They generally remark that they feel "more like themselves" again.  

In the last session I taught, I had a woman who said she just wanted to look "normal" and "not sick" when she went to her son's baseball games.  I truly believe that when people are happy with how they look, it creates a positive change in the rest of their life and I am happy to have the opportunity to help people have a fun, positive experience during a difficult time. 

What are some tips that every lady should know?

My number one tip for everyone is sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!!!  The sun not only causes skin cancer, but it causes age spots, wrinkles, and causes a loss of elasticity in the skin.  Basically, any physical trait you associate with aging is caused or made worse from the sun.  So, at LEAST an SPF 15, but preferably an SPF 30, everyday.  It should be applied not only to the face, but also the neck, the chest, and the back of your hands, as they all get sun exposure and show age.  Stay out of tanning beds, unless you want to look like leather.

Women should also find a skincare routine that works for them and stick with it-If you aren't getting the results you want, you are either not using the right products or are not applying them correctly, so you should talk to an esthetician about what changes you should make.  You don't have to spend a ton of products to get results-There are some excellent drugstore lines, and I always advise to spend money on products that matter-Such as anti-aging or anti-acne products, serums, eye creams, and other treatment products, as those stay on the skin.  You can save on things like cleansers, which are rinsed off.  You should also make time for yourself and see taking care of your skin not as a luxury, but as a regular part of maintenance/prevention-The same way you have routine doctor checkups.  And having fun and enjoying life makes anyone more beautiful.

What inspires you? You inspire me so much!

I am inspired by people who follow their dreams, whatever those dreams may be.  I am also inspired by people who have a positive attitude.  I have the most amazing, beautiful, generous friends anyone could ever have-Through every challenge in my life, they have supported me, made me laugh, pushed me when I needed it, helped me become a better person, and I am grateful for them everyday. 

How can I contact you to learn more about skin care and where are you sharing your knowledge currently?

 I am also now fortunate to have an esthetician position at Ambra Salon and European Spa, which is a beautiful spa in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago.  

I am there every Sunday and you can call 312-337-5055 for an appointment or go to ambrasalonandeuropeanspa.com.  

I can also be reached at krissy_froelich@yahoo.com for any questions!

Interested in Volunteering?

Here a few opportunities to help with your search:

• Look Good, Feel Better
• Certified beauty expert? Share your knowledge, skills, tips and tricks with ladies who will appreciate your advice and give them the confidence they deserve
• If you are not certified, there are other ways to help out with this organization as well just check out the link and see how you can make a DIFFERENCE!
• Volunteer Match
• Volunteer Match is for those who live in the United States to find an organization they feel passionate about! Grab some friends and get out of bed Saturday and change someones LIFE!
• Other opportunities for technology pros living anywhere in the world. A lot of these organizations need help with web design, marketing, brand design etc. Even if you are in school this could be a great way to share your new skills
• Liga MAC
• Help support low income families and work "mano y mano" hand in hand and help kids stay in school, get medical care and so forth
• Los Cabos Humane Society
• Live in Cabo and LOVE animals? Here is your chance to make a difference in an animals life and help out a great cause

Krissy has inspired me to start using my skills and knowledge to help others! I volunteered at a charity event called Dressed to the K9's during the holidays and had a great time helping with the party. I really want to be apart of a charity and volunteer time to helping out! I am thinking of bringing my Ballet skills back to life! I used to volunteer in high school and teach ballet and it was so much fun showing girls how to be princesses :)

How can you start sharing your skills with others in need?

TIP TUESDAY

Are you chewing your food all the way through?

So many of us eat to eat but are you eating because you are actually hungry? Is your stomach sending you those hunger pains? Or are you just eating..

It can be hard to determine sometimes and it can be really difficult to write every single nutrient down and figure out what EXACTLY you are missing vitamin and mineral wise. But what if you did not need a fancy calculator, website, smart phone app and all you needed was that thing you walk around in all day. That's RIGHT your digestive system and brain are the best business partners and deserve a FORBES award you just have to LISTEN to them!

Now imagine biting into a fresh, organic Granny Smith Apple..how does it feel? how does it taste?

Can you answer those questions or are you one of the many who chew each bite 5-7 times on average and swallow?

If you are the many of chew each bite just 5-7 times you need to LISTEN UP!

Eating should not be something you just DO to DO but should have some sort of purpose in your life. 

If you look at many other cultures including the French they dine on the finest foods and are super fit and thin...besides the fact they walk EVERYWHERE they actually sit and enjoy the food that is placed in front of them. They celebrate food..now do not take this the wrong way and think you can have a cake with candles at every meal just because you are willing to chew it more then 7 times a bite.... 

I am saying that when you eat you should be in a sitting relaxed state, eating food because you are hungry, and eating a healthy well-balanced meal to get all the nutrients available to you.

I discovered "Food Mediation" through tons of research and just the plain and simple understanding of how the digestive system works. Your body has to work to digest foods and yes when it works it burns calories and provides you with the minerals and vitamins available from the food you just shoveled into your mouth. But, did you know if you enjoyed every single bite, chewed your food thoroughly and relaxed while eating the food you could actually LOSE WEIGHT?

A simple fact that will change the way you eat a meal hopefully from now on...

Like I said above you can LOSE WEIGHT if you actually chew your food...how and why does this happen?

LINK

• Digestion begins in the mouth..those pearly whites are made to grind the food you provide your body and that gorgeous PINK tongue has saliva on it which signals the digestive enzymes to break down starches into simple sugars
• The saliva also contains lipid (fat) digestive enzymes that help begin the process of breaking fats down. The teeth also help grind the food into smaller pieces so that when the food is finally swallowed (after tons of chewing) it mixes better with your stomach acids (hydrochloric acid).
• The longer you chew your food the taste and smell receptors start to trigger. Once this happens the production of stomach acids and pancreatic juices occurs so your system is ready to roar!
• As you swallow the stomach acids begins to break down the proteins into even smaller digestible molecules and works on killing all that nasty bacteria and pathogens that may be in your food. Remember this...more area to work in the easier it is to get to work so the smaller your food the easier for the body to break it down even further!
• The smaller the food is, the better the breakdown which further leads to more vitamin and mineral absorption in the small intestine. The small intestine is VITAL to star shining health!
• The large intestine is up next and takes what is left of the already digested food (fiber and water). The large intestine sucks up the water and whatever vitamins and electrolytes are left and then creates your best friend :)
• If your friends that come out your back side have food that's undigested or you always have that bloated, gassy feeling this may be a sign of not chewing your food thoroughly.
• I could break this down further but basically CHEW YOUR FOOD for OPTIMAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS

The more you chew the less you eat:

• Hormones (leptin, cholecystokinin) have a chance to catch up and tell your brain "Hey I am full down here, thanks for the amazing nutrients"
• Studies show that slowly chewing your food and making a connection of tasting, smelling, touching, acknowledge (see), and hear your body and what it needs you end up decreasing your food intake by 1/3 at a meal

Ways to work on this is by using Food Meditation! Watch the video above and try it out at your next meal :)

How many chews will you chew today?

How many licks to the center of optimum health?

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY

A supportive environment can be the one surrounding you that is making you FAIL at living your new healthy lifestyle you are working on!

You have kids who refuse to eat that "green stuff"or a partner who is obsessed with junk food and sees nothing wrong with eating it (and is skinny WTH). These could be the reasons you are having such a difficult time because as we have been told "what and who you surround yourself with becomes YOU"

You have constantly told this home, work, social environment that you are working on a healthier you but that support is LACKING and seriously un-motivating.

It is time to learn how to change that because this one problem could be the solution if you just know how to CONQUER!

Here are some Star Systemz tips on getting that healthy environment you so desperately need (desire):

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY

Summer is right around the corner and its time for another update about what's in season when it comes to your produce!

No excuses to destroy that summer body with all this wonderful produce readily and organically available to you!

• Apples
• Avocado
• Basil
• Bell Pepper
• Berries
• Carrots
• Cherries
• Cilantro
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Figs
• Garlic
• Green Beans
• Mangoes
• Melons
• Nectarines
• Okra
• Peaches
• Peppers
• Summer Squash
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini

An easy way to get all these amazing goodies into your diet is to create a soup or stew!

Just coat the bottom of your pot with some oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Coconut Oil)

Light the stove top and add some onions, carrots, celery and garlic.

Add whatever veggies you desire and wait until they soften

Add chicken broth and water (1 cup chicken broth:2 cups water) As much as needed

Let sit on low heat for 45-50 minutes adding (lentils, beans, legumes of choice)

Add herbs as you stir (basil, cilantro...etc)

Stir every so often

Soup for the whole week!

Easy side dish or meal and stays good for about 5-7 days stored in the fridge

What are some of your favorite summer recipes?

FABULOUS FRIDAY

Time to get FABULOUS!

It is June 1st, 2012 and let me say one thing .......

HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY TO MY HUSBAND MR BENTLEY!!

I celebrate half birthdays what can I say... :)

Back to being fabulous...

Music is today's topic!

Music changes ALL moods! 

I get ready to music, rock out to music when I write blog posts, work out to music, and ALWAYS have a song in my head (I wish I could sing...)

As read in on WebMD:

"Not only did our sample of students report more positive emotions after listening to music, but their already positive emotions were intensified by listening to music,"

According to the New York Times:

"Studies have shown that listening to music during exercise can improve results, both in terms of being a motivator (people exercise longer and more vigorously to music) and as a distraction from negatives like fatigue."

You can make ANY mood turn around with a song so get some hot songs poppin and become that hot super star that you are meant to be!

Suggestions:

-Nicki Minaj-"Star Ships"

-Axwell ft. Errol Reid-"Nothing But Love"

-Beyonce-"Who Run the World (Girls)"

-Swedish House Mafia-"24 One (Your Name)"

-Flo Rida-"WildOnes"

-Lil Wayne-"6 Foot, 7 Foot"

-David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj-"Where Them Girls At"

-Chris Brown-"Turn Up the Music"

-Calvin Harris ft. Kelis-"Bounce"

-Snoop Doog-"Sweat"

-Ke$ha-"We R who We R"

-Flo Rida-"Good Feeling"

-Jennifer Lopez ft. PitBull-"On the Floor"

-Drake-"Headlines"

-Kelly Rowland ft. Lil Wayne-"Motivation"

-Aviccii & Sebastian Drums-"My Feelings For You"

Just some songs on my current playlist :)

What are your favorite songs to workout to? Get Ready to? Dance to?

While I have been cooking up a storm my girlfriend Ashley Armstrong had some amazing Super Foods for me :) Read more about her HERE

Delicious super food cookies, raw brownies, raw SUPER BALLS and Baja Superfoods Booster!

All homemade right in Ashley's kitchen! YUMMMYYY

Look at those scrumptious cookies yum NOM NOM!

I enjoyed one cookie, one brownie and one super ball for lunch yesterday with a glass of almond milk :)

TIP TUESDAY

You eat all the right foods, 4-6 meals a day and workout and you still seem to be STUCK! No more pounds falling off, fat still sticks there and you just DO NOT GET IT!

Well SISTER, I am here to help you!

There are a few reasons why this is going on but today we are going to focus on one of the larger reasons: PORTION CONTROL..

That's RIGHT...just because you are eating "healthy foods", :ALMOND's, PINENUT'S, SEEDS ETC. (raw, unroasted, unsalted) does not mean you can eat the whole bag.....

And grains like quinoa, barley, brown rice, whole wheat pastas..etc..same thing! YES you are eating quinoa and you know all of the health benefits but does that mean you should have three servings? NO

These foods STILL have calories! Yes, they are better choices compared to what you used to eat so GO YOU! 

But it is NOW time to look into that NEXT STEP...

You have the right formula, the right foods but those portion sizes are out of control! (trust me I am with you on this one...me and nuts are "frienenemies")

Counting on Nutrition Charts that restaurants and the internet are WONDERFUL but remember these estimates are not EXACTLY what you will be served when you go out to that same exact restaurant and order that same exact dish...WHY? Well half the time the chef is not measuring the amount of oils, butters, and gosh knows what else and could give you a larger slab of meat or even a larger serving than what was given the day of testing. Also this number is usually a "mean." A mean is a sum of all the totals divided by the amount which then gives the approximate result. 

I know you most likely don't have a portable food scale, or a nutritional chart on the back of every single thing you eat so here are so "handy" guides for you to control your portion sizes....

FABULOUS FRIDAY

If you watch the news or read news articles, I am sure you have heard the famous DANGEROUS BEAUTY scares that are sweeping the nation that make you never want to wear makeup or wash your hair again because it could cause cancer, lung disease, heart failure, seizures...what have you...

Me being a beauty freakazoid and now conscious wife..I have been weeding out my beauty products one by one and finding new products to replace them!

I thought it would be easy being that I already know a handful of natural beauty remedies. When it comes to certain products like shampoo, deodorant and hair spray I am just so UNSURE! So if you know of anything that is good for dyed blondes and wavy curly hair or stinky armpits let me know ;)

Switched out the old mouth wash for some organic sesame oil! It has been working out wonderfully. My results have been shiny white teeth, clean gums and have yet to be sick :) You can read more about it here.

Clinque Total Makeup Remover has been a staple for years, but I decided to try Vichy because the Clinique product contains Phenoxyethanol (can cause reproductive toxicity and banned in Japan).  I have heard a ton about Vichy and the natural ingredients and how it actually works so I thought I would give it a try! I am LOVING Vichy!!

I used to use those Neturogena wipes everyone and there sisters uses but decided to try out the Yes to..products and what can I say....I have always been a fan and still am after using this nourishing facial towelette. Although it does not totally remove my water proof mascara like the Neutrogena wipes I feel it does a good enough job considering it does not have PEG 4 and PEG 6 (known to cause hives and eczema)in it.

THIRSTY THURSDAY

 Gorgeous Thursday today and I had a very informative and fun-filled day! 

I would like to start you all off with an amazing treat for those upcoming SUMMER days! 

This  extraordinary drink is perfect for those days you just want to sit outside on the front porch and relax the afternoon away!

You could even quadruple the recipe and make a pitcher to share at a BBQ or picnic!

Today, like I mentioned above was a very informative and fun-filled day!

I went and got a reading because I am at a new point in my life where things can go in two VERY different directions! I was happy to know it will be going in the direction I was ROOTING for!

I always drive by....

TIP TUESDAY

Back to the drawing board on my videos I quickly made this one I apologize but the info is what is important :) I find that you can workout anywhere at anytime. Some may think I am crazy..I just think I am smart ;) haha

Anyway I take advantage of brushing my teeth and washing my face to add some extra squats, lunges and standing ab exercises into my day. If you ever are talking to me on the phone and your hear me breathing its probably because I am working out. (Sorry for working out) Days like yesterday I was super busy but I promise you while I was waiting for my curlers to cool down I was lunging, when I washed my face before I went to bed I squatted and when I brushed my teeth I was doing side to side ab exercises. I make it happen and you can too :)

Comment and let me know what you added this week!

Last week I asked you all to grow something, whether it be flowers, herbs, sprouts or even veggies or fruits! I sprouted and let me tell you the results were amazing! They started out tiny little seedlings and became a salad and an addition to my smoothies. I have even been sneaking them into my husbands protein shakes for an additional boost to his nutrition!  An amazing feeling came about me as I watched our guests eat my sprout salad at our last dinner party. I added avocado and cherry tomatoes with a homemade dressing (raw) as well. 

The sprouting stages

The greening process: getting sunlight for an added bonus of chlorophyll 

Just my sprouts, cherry tomatoes and some chopped avocado

What did you end up growing?

For more information on sprouting check out these books I found on amazon:
I received these two books as a gift and just sprouted the fourth option below (the alfalfa, brocoli mixture)

THIRSTY THURSDAY

 My liver hates me right now (5 days of partying) so I have been extra gentle and eating my liver cleansing super foods and of course avoiding alcohol, processed foods and fatty foods as well as these foods are hard on the liver.

The research I have been doing for a huge project coming out in the next 3-4 months has taught me ALOT about the liver and how vital it is to the digestive process so taking care of your special little liver is very IMPORTANT! I mean it!

You can make this as a smoothie by adding some frozen berries or ice cubes but I have been blending it as a juice because I am working on adding juices to my diet instead of just smoothies all the time.

• Coconut Water- hydrates, potassium and provides you with electrolytes lost during boozing!
• Kefir (unsweetened)- puts back those good bacterias lost while drinking while providing you with a healthy source of protein and calcium
• Berries- yummy antioxidants and excellent flavor agent! I love the taste of berries 
• Celery- if you can believe it celery contains sodium which is lost while drinking as well so fill up on celery for a refreshing dose of vegetables and vitamins/minerals
• Beet Root-the ultimate liver cleanser: beets thin the bile and enable it to flow easier through the liver and small intestine but do not eat to much as it can be overwhelming to the body
• Chia Seeds-helps lock in the moisture from all these delicious ingredients, gives your some fiber, omega-3's and helps with inflammation (drinking is bloating as we all know)
• Raw Honey- for taste and provides you with some natural sugars which will hand you a small dose of energy and can help with stomach aches and constipation

This is a great smoothie, or juice to drink for a few days after a crazy trip (vegas, river, ANYWHERE) with of course hot water and lemon right when you wake up!

Mine this morning! YUMMMYY!

I love this color in the morning its so beautiful! Filling my body up 1 juice at a time :)

 

Take care of your body and I promise it will take care of you :)

PRODUCE-THE TRUTH

You got it vegetables and fruit...the diet, miracle ladeladela you know its good for you but did you know those little stickers actually mean something? Did you know that those stickers you peel off have a secret code that will tell you if your eating something that man made with chemicals or sprayed down with chemicals?

http://houghtongarden.wordpress.com/2011/05/03/i-d-your-food/

The truth is the government must provide food for everyone and at a cost people can afford so what happens is chemicals, pesticides and god knows what else is used to meet these demands. The saddest part of this is that the people consuming these GMO (genetically modified organisms) are getting sicker and sicker by the day and new diseases are coming about. We are surrounded by this stuff and told we should be consuming fruits and vegetables in abundance and avoiding processed foods. But at the same time you are consuming processed foods because in my eyes GMO is processed.

You may think that organic food is more expensive and not in your budget and trust me, I understand, that is why I use Dr. Oz's spray on certain foods. We should all realize that buying organic produce may cost more but how much money will we save at the doctors office or even the hospital?

Here is a chart to memorize so the next time you head out to the store you know wusssupp! haha

No Sticker?

Here are three steps from Rose Lee Calabro you can use when shopping:

• Farmer's Market
• Farmers Market means nothing if you DO NOT ask QUESTIONS!
• Ask:
• Are there artificial fertilizers or pesticides?
• Did you add compost and a natural mineral-rich amendment (over 90 minerals) to soil? 
• If yes to the second question stock up!!
• Supermarket
• Appearance and Color?
• Glow-Freshly Picked
• Glossy-Stay Away
• Perfect Shape-Stay Away
• Smell
• Does it smell fresh or does it smell chemically?
• Touch
• Does it feel greasy?-Stay Away

Let me know how you do! I did the farmers market one yesterday and found out everything passed the test so I stocked up :)

Have an amazing day!

TIP TUESDAY

I am on a new journey in life after my gorgeous wedding :)

I plan to have babies in the next two years and according to David Wolffe it can take 2-3 years to clear your body from chemicals and other substances you may have put in your body (ex party girl) so my new life and my new chapter starts as a healthy and well-balanced one. 

My girlfriend Ashley Armstrong, gave me the gift of mung beans a week ago and that was my first introduction to sprouting. I had been vegan for 3 years but I was 18 and did not understand or know barely anything (why I stopped) and now I practice a well-balanced diet but still avoid dairy, processed foods and sugar. I only eat red meat on the occasion and by that I mean maybe three times a year if that.  I do eat lean chicken, turkey and fish a bunch but am trying to just eat meat once a day instead of every meal.

Other things I will be adopting our meditation, yoga, knowledge and spending more time away from the media and more time outside! 

This weeks tip is to grow flowers, sprouts, fruits, herbs, vegetables and/or plants. Sprouting works well for those who live in small places and do not have tons of time while others may have a patch of soil they could be using to plant something. Herbs are easy as well! 

I love growing and gardening because it relates to me and the fact that everything is growing around you. Love, relationships, yourself, your work, school, your heath EVERYTHING so start growing items around you! Plus when you grow your own you know what soil, chemicals and even water is being used! 

Comment and let me know what you ended up growing! More on sprouting in future blogs so check back and see how my crops are doing :)