February Favorites 2015

I thought I would bring back these monthly favorite posts since I tend to shop too much and love trying new things. So why not share them on here? (Ironically I noticed the last time I did this was February as well...but two years ago, oops).

• Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple. I actually first noticed this book because of its cover. And this was before I even saw it in full color since it was one of the covers on my Kindle box when I first received it. My friend started reading it (and never finished) but she did rave about it so I decided to pick it up when I was feeling in the mood for a real, physical book. It was a pretty easy read for me so that was nice. Not too heavy but entertaining. Most of the book is written via correspondence between all the different characters. The narrator's mom (who is Bernadette) is hilarious. Definitely my favorite character throughout the novel.
• Symphonized Noise Isolating Headphones. Small, portable headphones that also isolate noise are a must for a public transportation commuter like me. I live pretty far from work so I have to get up extra early to arrive on time. Every morning I try to at least get some more sleep on my train ride, though it gets difficult when the moving train makes so much noise. I never cared about noise isolating headphones till I started commuting. Now I can't survive without them. I used to use these white Skull Candy ones that I was obsessed with, but after having to re-purchase them for a second time after they broke I decided to look into a different brand. I saw all the good reviews on Amazon and for the price I couldn't pass them up! They are made out of genuine wood and on top of looking pretty darn cool they work amazing. The only gripe I have with them is that they don't have volume control. This is a bummer since I try to keep my phone tucked away on the train (I've seen way too many people have their phones snatched). 
• Ariella Collection Crystal Ear Jackets. I have been looking for some ear jacket earrings ever since they started becoming popular. I know Bauble Bar usually has a good collection, but never got around to making an order since the ones I had my eye on were always sold out. I decided to browse through Nordstrom's earrings when I was making an online order and saw these. I had never heard of the brand before, but they appealed to me right away. I have pretty much been wearing them every single day since I've gotten them. I have never gotten more compliments on a pair of earrings until I got these (the fact that my hair is shorter probably helps too). They aren't too flashy that I can't wear them to work, but are noticeable enough that I've gotten comments on them from patients, coworkers, and other strangers alike.
• Laneige Multi-Cleanser. I originally was buying a cream from this brand for my mom at Target when they happened to be having a special where if you bought something from Laneige you got a free mini sample set. In it happened to be this cleanser. I'm pretty happy with my Cetaphil cleanser but decided to try this out one evening after I had finished taking most of my makeup off with a wipe. The description claims to "melt away sunscreen and makeup." Most cleansers that state this are usually too harsh and drying for my skin, but this one didn't give me any of those side effects. It almost gives your skin a squeaky-clean feeling without making it feel too stripped of essential oils. The cleanser does contain "exfoliating papaya" but I wouldn't recommend it if you're just interested in an exfoliater since the papaya dissolves pretty rapidly. I don't mind since I have a separate cleanser I use just for that and I don't want my main cleanser to have that property anyways. I now switch off between this and my Cetaphil cleanser.
• NatureBox Strawberry Greek Yogurt Pretzels. I've had a subscription to this company for a while since I love snacking. I try not to get them every month though since I'm the only one who's usually eating them and it takes me a while to get through them. I recently made a new order after not getting a shipment in a while and loved these pretzels. They are just the right amount of sweet and crunchy. I almost finished the whole bag in one day...(You can find promo codes online if you're interested in signing up for NatureBox. I also am able to send three invites to anyone interested in joining where you can get a free deluxe box [the size I get] for the first month).

Favorite Workout Gear

I will admit that I've never stuck to this resolution before, but I've always said at the beginning of every year that I would start to take better care of my health. This is the first year that I've actually made some real progress on that. While the eating better portion still needs more work (I'm the type of girl who gets excited about what I'm gonna eat the next day), I've been pretty impressed with myself about the fitness portion. 

The main motivator is the fact that I am now paying a monthly fee to get access to a gym. Having some of your hard-earned paycheck automatically paid out to a gym definitely inspires you to go. It also helps that the gym I decided to go to is new and everything is in tip-top shape. (Another reason why I didn't join a gym sooner. If I'm going to be paying for something it better be worth my money!) 

I haven't been too experimental with my workouts so I don't have an expanse collection of workout gear, but I did have a decent selection to start off with. So far my current favorites are pictured above. I would have to say my favorite part are my shoes. I can't live without these. I bought these full price when they first came out (which I was debating about) but am so glad I did since I've definitely gotten my money's worth. On top of wearing these Nikes to workout, I also wear them at work on surgery days and just to run errands sometimes. They are so comfortable and they look pretty darn chic considering. They are the Nike Free Runs though I'm not 100% sure about the model since I was unable to find my exact design online with the model number next to it (I had always assumed it was the Free Runs 5.0?). But you can purchase the most recent version of them (Nike Free Runs 5.0+) in a variety of different colors. 

The first sports bra is from the Forever 21 activewear line. It was inexpensive and had gotten good reviews so I decided to give it a chance and order it online. The Low Impact Seamless Sports Bra comes in a whole bunch of colors as well. The second sports bra is from Cotton On, and is definitely my favorite due to its design. Unfortunately the Attack Yoga Crop bra is not available in this particular pattern online, but they usually have better selections in stores. These C9 Champion leggings, while not as fun, are functional. They're a cropped length and are made well considering the price. I also feel like they do a good job of holding everything in while I do cardio. I purchased these at Target, and you can find similar ones here.

Having a good set of workout gear definitely motivates me to get my butt to the gym. So far I've consistently been going twice a week, though I'm trying to go more often after my schedule lightens up. Even though my endurance still needs to be built up, even working out for 20 minutes vastly improves my energy levels. Although it's unrealistic for me to see any obvious changes in my body at that rate (plus my diet hasn't changed much), I already feel so much better. I've been noticing that I don't rely on caffeine as much as I used to. (Though I still enjoy it on days I don't need to. I'm a sucker for coffee and tea). 

One thing I am nervous, yet excited to start is this 21 day no-sugar challenge that got sent around in an e-mail from where I work. Basically you got to choose which challenge to do, but all of them involved reducing your sugar intake. I decided not to be a wimp and choose the one I for sure have an issue with: sugary drinks. It begins this upcoming Monday and involves going COLD TURKEY on all sugar-sweetened beverages. I will update to see how that goes since I can't live without my iced coffee/tea and boba normally.

My current favorite post-workout drink: Apple 'n Greens from Jamba Juice