Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Gel Nails

I'm a girl, and I like to look pretty. That's why I like to paint my nails. But man, using regular nail polish is a big pain in the neck. It chips within two days, and it's hard to get it all off cleanly. It always ends up looking tacky, and you have to reapply, remove, reapply, remove, reapply. UGH.

But around Christmas I bought myself everything I needed to start doing gel nails, and I'm so happy about it! Seriously, one of the best purchases ever.

Reasons gel nails ROCK
  • They last about 2 weeks. TWO WEEKS, people. You might get a tiny bubble or a chip before then, but it's still waaaay better than regular nail polish
  • Your nails are smoother. The nail polish just dries perfectly and all smooth-like. It feels great.
  • It comes off easier. When it's time to put on a new color, it's really easy to get off the whole thing without using any remover. Should I take the polish off without remover? Someone at a salon would probably say no, but I don't care.
  • My nails are stronger. Somehow the gel is pretty tough, and my nails don't bend or break like they do when they're bare.
  • My nails are longer. Because they are stronger with gel polish, they actually grow! Yay!
  • It doesn't rub or scratch off. When I used regular nail polish, I would find little streaks on my papers occasionally from my nail polish. That doesn't happen with gel nails.
  • I don't have to reapply all the time, which saves me time and patience. Forty minutes every two weeks? I can do that! Forty minutes every five or six weeks for my toes? Psh! Done!
  • It dries immediately. Once you're done, you're done. I know it's hard to believe, but you don't have to worry about smudging and you don't have to worry about doing anything with your hands. They're good to go. It's amazing!
The only drawback is the cost. You do have to get a lamp/dryer thing, but those are a one-time purchase and you can find them on Amazon for $25. (Those dryers are hard to travel with though.) The nail polishes are also about 3x more expensive than regular polish. You can get a base and top coat for about $25 as well, and then each color is between $9 and $15. I think it still comes out to be cheaper since you use it less often.)

If you think you might want to give it a go, I've found that while I preferred OPI regular nail polish, I much prefer the Artistic brand over OPI when it comes to gel nails.

Best of luck!

Monday, August 25, 2014

8 Things I've Learned Since Being on a Diet

I've never been on a diet before. Not until 3 weeks ago when my doctor insisted that I do this very strict cleansing 4-week diet. And even though I was unhappy and overwhelmed by it, I decided that I wanted to get better, even if that meant changing my eating habits, as torturous as that is.

For someone who so often just grabs snack items because cooking is too time-consuming, especially when you're cooking for one, I was not happy to make changes. However, I think I've changed my tune. Here are some things I've learned since 3 weeks ago:

It's super hard at first. Mostly because you don't know what to eat when you're so limited! And anything besides a handful of carrots requires time and effort. But Pinterest and Google are your friends. With a little effort, you can find recipes that you like and that fit your diet. And with a willingness to take some time to cook and prepare and try new recipes, you're sure to find what works for you.

My go-tos?
  • Giant chicken salads (with boiled eggs, avocado, mushrooms, carrots, cucumber, corn, and/or sunflower seeds)
  • Omelets (eggs, bell peppers, and turkey)
  • Paleo pancakes (banana, eggs, and cinnamon)
  • Fruit (especially peaches right now OMG)
  • Nuts (mainly cashews)
  • Yam fries (I don't know why everyone calls them sweet potatoes. They're yams.).
You know that feeling you get when you eat a big ol' greasy burger and fries along with a soda? That nasty heavy feeling? You don't feel that eating these things.

It's kind of expensive. I think I've spent a lot more on groceries than usual since I started this thing. Fresh produce, almond milk, and chicken can be kind of costly, but I'm sure I'll get better at preparing more things and shopping the deals better with time.

People are supportive. My friends have been understanding and not tried to tempt me. Thank you to everyone who did not invite me to The Pie. Or Chocolat. Or Bruges. Or any other delicious place.

It's easier to say no when you are motivated and have a set outline for what you can and cannot eat. When you are simply trying to "eat healthier" it's hard to stick with it because there are no real boundaries. And it's hard to say no to friends. The kind of diet that I am on is kind of nice because I can eat as much as I want, but only certain kinds of foods. I don't have to decide if it's worth the calories or not. If it's on the list, I'll eat it. If it's not, I won't.

You're less likely to overeat. When you go out to a restaurant, they give you a giant mound of food. Our societal eating habits are just bad. When you eat only what you prepare, you eat to satisfy. Plus, when you can only eat so many things, you just eat less because there are fewer options and temptations.

Lots of protein keeps you satisfied. I have paleo pancakes or omelets for breakfast every morning. I don't have to eat that much to feel satisfied and I don't feel starving an hour later like I do when I eat cereal. Cereal is so yummy, but it doesn't have much substance.

You can lose weightfast. I've dropped 10 pounds in 3 weeks. That's almost 1 pound every 2 days. That is really fast. Of course, I've been working out a lot as well, but I was doing that before this diet. 

And lastly...

I have a huge sweet tooth. I've never wanted cookies so badly in my life. This is one thing about the diet that is totally unsustainable. I will probably have a cookie at the exact 4-week mark. Even though it's nice in the short term to have black & white rules, I think healthiness and weight management is about balance. It's okay to have some sweets or a burger sometimes, but it should be a small part of your diet.