4 Reasons to Skip out on Black Friday

The busiest shopping day of the season is quickly approaching. This means crowd pushing, angry shoppers, lines and lines of grumpy people and people shivering outside of WalMart after their Thanksgiving Dinner, just so they can get the "hottest items" of the year at the "best" prices. Hold on just a minute! What if there was a way to get all the 2013 hottest holiday deals while sitting on your couch in your pajamas sipping hot cocoa? SHOP.COM makes this possible!! Still not convinced ? Here are 4 reasons to give it a try this year:

Sleep in and Shop on your own time--on your couch!! 
That's right, while the others are skipping out to store after their family dinner to wait in the freezing cold for the stores to open up or waking up at the crack of 3am to get seasons hottest deals, you can wake up when you want and shop on your time.


 Shop Triple Cashback deals before Black Friday!
Did you know that SHOP.COM’s Triple Cashback Event starts on Thursday? This means that once you’ve wrapped up your family Thanksgiving lunch or dinner, you can sign on to your SHOP.COM account and get all of your holiday shopping done, even before the busiest holiday shopping day of the year begins! Cashback is already a major incentive to fulfill your holiday shopping list at SHOP.COM, but our triple Cashback event pays you even more to shop. It’s a no-brainer!

All the best deals in one convenient place!
Traditional Black Friday shoppers must have a shopping strategy before they head out to the stores. Which store will they hit first? Which one is closer to the next store that they want to go to? Which stores have the door busters that they simply can’t afford to miss? Unless they bring an army of shoppers with them and spread out, they’re going to miss out on some of the best deals simply because they can’t be in multiple places at once. That’s what makes SHOP.COM so awesome! All the top retailers, like Macys, Under Armour, and Brookstone, in one convenient place that you can get to without leaving the comfort of your own home


Save on gas – need we say more?
Unless you bring that army of shoppers with you that we mentioned above, you’re going to be driving around a lot on Black Friday. That means using a lot of gas and watching dollar signs fly out your tailpipe as you drive to the next location. When you shop on SHOP, you don’t even need to heat up the car, much less leave the house!
This year, we’ll be skipping the traffic, the crowds, the wasted gas, and the madness, and making the smart, economical choice of staying in to shop on SHOP! Will you be doing the same? Follow our social media channels this weekend for exclusive deals and savings. Simply searching #shopcomholidays for more information


happy shopping!!

Julie

Take the guesswork out of shopping...

Hi Everyone!!

Everyone always has that one picky person on their holiday shopping list that's a headache to shop for. There is a better way. Introducing Shop.com's MyList feature you can have that picky person on your list create a list and send it to you.
You can also create a Egift and have your recipient choose exactly what they want, you pay and the gift is sent to the them from you. Watch this video to see how all of this works:

What do you think? Are you going to give it a try?

Happy Thanksgiving!!


Julie

HI Lovelies!!

Hi savvy shoppers!!


The holiday shopping season is getting in full swing don't forget to check out shop.com for your deals!


Upcoming blog coming up next week...

Would you rather read about holiday health tips or saving tips?


Happy Friday!!!


Julie

Helpful Holiday Tips

Happy Holidays!! 

Another year has come and gone, and here we are to another Holiday season. Are you ready for it? Don't be like that girl this holiday season. From the dinner parties, to the corporate parties to the gifts there's a lot to get done in a short time. Here are some helpful hints to get you through these cheerful days with minimal stress: 

 

Make lists. The better you organize everything into separate lists, the quicker things will get done. i.e. For that dinner party, who's on the invite list? What do you need to buy? What do you need to cook? Recipes?   

Get the Shopping done. Everyone always wants to wait until the last minute for those holiday gifts, this will only keep stressing you out. If you get your gift shopping done early you will have more time to spend with family. And deals? Stores offer deals all the time, you really won't be saving that much by “waiting” for the deals. 

 

Skip the Black Friday Shopping. On black friday the stores are packed with people, causing more wait times at the cashier, more time to find a parking spot..oh and you might get trampled by that angry woman who just has to have that Playstation for her boy! Instead, get the same deals by shopping online. Plus if you shop at shop.com you can earn #cashback. This will free up more time to spend with your loved ones and get those gifts wrapped.

Don't forget to Exercise. The Holidays can be the most stressful time of year, skipping out of the gym will only hurt your body. Don't ruin your routine and make time to workout, it will relive that holiday stress too. 

 

Don't overeat. Yes, that holiday food is delicious, but you can still enjoy the delicious foods in moderation. There's no need to double that portion of pumpkin pie. Also, leftovers are always better! Not only is it important to not overeat during the holiday dinners, it's also a good idea to not over-do those Coffee-shop holiday drinks. 1 (tall/small) is enough; really. Read more  on Is your Skinny Latte really Healthier?

 

And lastly, Don't Stress. Even if Aunt Betty and Uncle Ike are always on your back, don't fret. It's okay to tell people you don't have time. Even better, have people chip in with the cooking. Make your dinners a potluck so you don't have to do all the work. If you're really in a crunch get gift cards for gifts. Let people do their own shopping, especially for those picky ones on your list. 

Do you have any helpful tips you want to share? Feel free to comment below! 

 

Happy Holidays!!

Julie

Is your Skinny Latte really healthier?

Happy Holidays folks!

With the holidays in full swing, so are those Holiday drinks. It may seem like you are doing yourself a favor by saying "skinny" or "lite", but are you really?

Yes, that Gingerbread, Carmel Brulee, Peppermint Mocha is extremely high in calories, especially the "taller the cup gets". So it may seem like a "trade-off" to order it lite and "skinny". But really what is in that "skinny" version of your holiday or everyday drink?

To compensate for the calories and still have the "same" taste, there must be something else added to your drinks. What is it? In a nutshell it's chemicals, and most likely it's Aspartame. Take a look at this blog to find out what exactly is the problem with that Aspartame http://www.undergroundhealth.com/symptoms-of-aspartame-poisoning/

Basically, aspartame will cause the symptoms you were trying to avoid like dizziness, numbness in legs, excessive water retention etc.

Not only are these drinks made with ARTIFICIAL sugar, they are made with non-fat milk. Milk is Naturally made with fat, therefore if it's non-fat; again something needs to be added....more chemicals.! These chemicals will actually cause your body to obtain more of the calories you did not want in the first place and not allowing your body to properly digest. (aka dispose of the bad stuff). Regular milk will help your body do this, where non-fat milk will do the opposite. In a nutshell, all this artificial-skinny-diet drink ingredients will stay in your system longer. Causing more damage.


Still want that skinny Mocha/latte/frappuccino?

Instead of that "skinny" version, order "tall/small" less pumps of the sugary stuff, and stick with whole milk or soy milk (in moderation) to get your Holiday treat fix. Oh yeah, and if you're counting the calories, hold the whip.

Don't forget to go hit the gym after you treat yourself as well. 

Happy Sipping!!!

Julie

Easy makeup from day to night look

Tags beauty, Beauty Weapon Palette, DIY, Loren Ridinger, makeup, motives, motives by loren ridinger, motives cosmetics eyes This stunning photo shows a quick way to take your eye makeup from day to night and was created by @theamazingworldofj using Motives Beauty Weapon Palette which you can buy ! It features nine complementary colors and two shades of lip gloss. If you travel the Beauty Weapon is a must have!! It’s super light weight, has a magnetic cover and is beyond convenient. It also includes an easy to follow tutorial for creating three different looks — intense, natural, and smokey right on the inside panel. My favorite is the olive green with gold shimmer. Which is your favorite? Find it here>

Live with a peace of mind

"Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!" ~ Christian D. Larson

Importance of using Social media

Hi friends!! After reading this article, I was awaken from my misuse of Linkedin. With all of the facebooking, twittering, google posting, pressing, pinnng ...and Linkedin; its hard to keep track of what each site is unique for. Facebook is primarily for reconnecting and connecting with people from your past and present. No, this does not mean you should be looking up your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend and stalking them! You should be finding people from your past who have the same interests as you, same likes..or people that you had a good relationship with in the past and somehow it just went out the window, for whatever reason. Why is this important? You never know when you'll need a connection for your business, (present or future) or if you need a job lead. If you have QUALITY relationships built with friends on facebook; they'll more likely be there to help. Linkedin...is similar to facebook , yet its professional. Posting your family vacation photos would not be acceptable on linkedin. Who do you want to connect with? primarily the same..people from your past. Linkedin is powerful for groups. To make the most out of your groups, be ACTIVE in them and Engage in the conversation. This is how people will ADD you. you don't want to become an "adding" machine, it's best when you have people adding YOU!!

Twitter...is good for following the latest news and trends. Whether its CNN, health, fashion, cars..whatever you're interests are...you choose what you want to follow. For business owners, this would be your "selling" platform. Although, doing it in a sharing way is more powerful than that sales pitch.

Pintrest...is great for sharing what you love . Do you have that DIY nitch? Ever want to be that fashion editor ? Now you can with pintrest. What's great about pintrest is you can connect with people on your facebook and twitter. Like other people's trends and create your own. Also a good business tool.

Most important thing to remember is to not be discouraged if you don't get the results you want right away. It takes time and patience. You also have to be consistent. Consistency is probably the most important thing to remember when using social media. Will that long time friend really be your friend after one talk/tweet/post/share? Most likely not..it takes time..same goes for Linkedin..don't just message once or post once and expect an instant job offer. You have to develop the relationship (the same way you do offline..can be done online); then maybe one of you find a way to help each other out.

Which social networks are you using? Any better than others? Stay social my friends Julie

Why we must supplement!

Hi Friends!! The debate has continued for years over whether or not our fruits and vegetables have the same nutrients our parents and grandparents' crops had. It is true with all the enhancements being made to grow these crops faster does decrease its nutrient value. This is from soil depletion. However, this does not mean you should choose that hamburger and fries instead of the salad. The salad will still be a healthier choice in that it keep you feeling full longer and have less calories than the greasy meal. It does mean, taking your vitamins is more important than you think. Because of this soil depletion, we are getting less essential nutrients we need to function properly. Especially, if you don't want to be getting sick all time, I'd choose to supplement if I were you.

Already know which vitamins /minerals you need to take? I wouldn't go running off to the store just yet and start the pill popping just yet. It has been studied that pills only have a 30-70% absorption rate. The remaining part just ends up in your waste. Isotonic supplements on the other hand; have a 90-95% absorption rate.

Isotonic means "of equal pressure" ; which is same pressure as your bodily fluids, in other words, its same as having an IV injection. Still don't get it? Here's a map of how Isotonic supplements are absorbed in your body compared to pills.

Which supplements are for you? To be sure which supplements you are lacking; I'd suggest visiting with your doctor and have him/her test your supplement levels with a blood test. This is the only way you can truly know which supplements you should take. Or you can simply take this free Nutri-physical exam here: http://www.shop.com/NutriPhysical-t.xhtml . Anymore questions, message me or post comments please! Stay healthy my friends!! Julie

Who says you can't eat healthy dining out?

Hi Friends! Who ever told you eating out wasn't healthy? The reverse is actually true! Eating out is a part of life that everyone enjoys! Just because you made the decision to change your diet and eat healthy, doesn't mean you can't eat out. Of course, if you do want to lose those pounds you've been wanting to lose, I'd follow these simple Do's & Don'ts of eating out:

Do's: Order sauces on the side Start your meal with a salad, soup or consommé Split your plate in half and save one half for lunch the next day Have a small snack before you go Balance your plate with mainly vegetables, keeping meat and grains in their proper portion sizes Order main courses based on vegetables, not with vegetables as an after thought Order foods that are roasted, braised, steamed, grilled, broiled, or pan seared

Don’ts: Order heavy cream sauces Load up on the butter Forget the veggies Fill up on alcohol Fill up on empty carbs like chips Add extra sauce Overdo the cheese Double/Triple/Quadruple the meat portion Order fried food If any "diet plan" tells you not to eat out, I'd continue looking for another plan. It is possible to enjoy life, dine out AND still be in control of your weight and weight loss goals.

Another, big point to "dieting" ; if the plan says you will lose weight without exercise, they are LYING to you!! To live a healthy lifestyle , you must exercise!! This helps your body fat turn into lean muscle mass.

Okay, one last thing; if you do want to lose weight take a look at the Transitions Lifestyle System (or TLS); or simply reply to me and I'll connect you with a local certified weight loss consultant.

Stay healthy and hydrated my friends :)

Julie

Why you should re-evaulate your cleaning products

Why you should re-evaluate your laundry detergent Hi friends! So this blog is kind of long, hope you can make it through, lots of good info. Most people wash their clothes with heavily chemicals which they think is cleaning their clothes. Okay; that detergent might get your clothes clean, but what else is it doing? It's causing you and people around you to be less insulin resistant. Which can lead to diabetes. (Among other factors). Your store-brand/name-brand laundry detergent probably contain these chemicals. Another reason why it's important to read labels!!! For the food you eat, AND the cleaning supplies you use, the fragrance you wear, the makeup you wear, AND the skincare products you use!!! Most of the skincare /body wash products that you would be getting in the store contain these harsh phthalates which can all cause your insulin to spike. Of course, not ALL people get affected by this, but I bet it's more than you think. Ever get a headache at work? It could be your co-workers' laundry detergent...or it could be their perfume.

So, what do you do? We all have to wash our face, bodies, hair , use makeup (ladies), wash our clothes, home, cars etc. ...Best advice is to stay away from harmful products on the market; unfortunately those are the ones you will find in the store at the cheapest price. Yup, you get what you pay for! What are the Options? Well you could make your own laundry detergent with natural ingredients. Don't have the time, creativeness or energy to make your own laundry detergent? That's fine! There is hope! Thanks to SNAP cleaning supplies. SNAP stands for (Safe and Natural for Animals and People)

Snap Free & Clear Laundry Detergent is a highly concentrated detergent, perfect for all your washing needs. The hypoallergenic formula is dye free and fragrance free making it gentle enough for all types of clothes including delicates and baby clothes. One 40-ounce bottle of Snap Free & Clear Laundry Detergent will do more than twice as many loads as the leading 50-ounce bottle of HE laundry detergent when used in a HE washing machine. It could save you as much as half the cost per load as compared to the leading HE laundry detergent. Which products are you using ? Do you think you would make the switch? Stay healthy :) Julie

Hi Friends! Making time to exercise may seem like it's a simple thing to do, but in reality, are you really exercising as much as you should be? Its not hard to get absorbed in the daily grind of things like work, kids, significant other etc. etc... It only takes an hour a day to get your exercise routine a A ROUTINE. Here are some simple tips you can try to get your daily exercise in:

1. Try waking up an hour earlier. The morning is a great time to get your exercise in, it's also a great way to start your day. You'll probably even get more done throughout the day. Doesn't have to be much, just start with going for a walk and build up to a run. 2. Use your lunch break to go out the gym (if your office is close enough), or just go for a walk. You might even be able to walk to the restaurant you want to eat at. Simple way to get exercise. Don't forget to stretch. 3. Try swapping your chair at work for a bouncy ball, this will get your ab-core worked out. May be uncomfortable at first, but after awhile you'll have those rock hard abs. 4. Not a morning person? Go to the gym or for a walk after work. Make it part of your daily routine and if you skip , then you pay yourself $1 for every workout missed. 5. Make it romantic. Go for a stroll with your sig other before or after dinner, either walk or run. This might even improve your relationship :) Best advice is to just move throughout the day, take frequent breaks to stretch, walk around the office and reconnect to yourself. Stay healthy my friends! :) Julie

6 tips for Clearer Skin

Having a clear face can boost your confidence. I know I'm most confident when my skin is clear of acne. When pimples pop up and acne starts to flare, it really does deflate your ego/confidence. Fortunately, I came across Loren Ridinger and tried her tips to clear skin; and today my skin couldn't be more beautiful! Thank you Loren!

skincare-fighting-acne 6 Skincare Tips for Fighting Acne Keep your skin super clean. That means never forgetting to wash your face before you call it a night. Make face washing your nightly ritual. Especially in the heat of the summer, avoid heavy, pore-clogging make-up. Try a light tinted moisturizer instead. Try a toner before bed each night to get rid of excess oil and dirt (if you like to go the natural route, apple cider vinegar works great too!). Get a little sun, but lather up the sunscreen of course! Try keeping your hair away from your face – all the natural oils and products can add to possible breakouts. Don’t pick or squeeze! (I know this is a tough one) How about you – got any secret tips for fighting acne that work for you?

Hi guys!! Why is it when something goes wrong, we immediately go to the doctor to find out what is wrong, take the prescribed medication and then repeat this Vicious cycle. Instead these prescribed medications are only eliminating the symptoms, but solving the problem at the root. Why are we okay with this Vicious Cycle? I for one, am disgusted by the thought that Dr.'s would do this. It's simple why the Doctor's are doing this, the get paid by the pharmaceutical companies; so they want you to keep taking the meds! Then eventually need surgery later in your life (sometimes its actually sooner) to increase their income even more...get it? The VICIOUS Cycle we call "healthcare" . When its really a "sickness business" . True Healthcare is taking care of yourself to eliminate those doctor visits. hmm...if there are less doctor visits..maybe cost of healthcare would go down? What's the trick? Eat a variety of colors in every meal. The more colors, the better! Here's your guide to follow:

When you choose fast-food joints as your foods, be wary of how its cooked and the ingredients used. It's usually cooked at high temperatures (to cook fast), and overloaded with sodium. Sodium will bloat you up. I'm not saying don't eat at this places, just do it less and be more choosy with the foods you eat. Make sure the meal still has your colors, naturally. Also, stay away from soda or dyed food. These colors would not do any justice for you. Instead it will only harm your bodies!! Especially Soda! Happy eating!! Stay healthy and peace out :) Julie

Tips on how to live a healthier lifestyle

Everyone seems to want to know the secret to losing weight or living healthier. The #1 secret is to NOT DIET! Yes, that's right. Diets are not the answer! Why? When you diet, such as cut your caloric intake, you can actually get gain weight! why is this? When you starve your body or cut your calories, your body will go into starvation mode. Actually, telling your body to store your calories as Fat instead of burn it. So what's the secret to losing weight? Eating based on the Low-Glycemic index and exercise. The key is to not starve your body. You should be eating 5-7 times per day. Basically every 2 hours. This will allow your body to not get hungry and go in to Starvation mode. The first thing anyone should do before changing their eating habits is to go through a 7day cleanse week. We get oil changes for our cars don't we? Therefore, we must clean out our system, especially if all we've been eating is junk!!! Cleanse week can be hard for some, after all you will only be eating fruits and vegetables. The NO's are Meats (especially red meat. Some fish and white meat chicken is ok after day 3), No Alcohol!!! NO Coffee and tea!!..the hardest thing for me! No carbs.) That may sound impossible to get through, but Cleanse week will give you the opportunity to love new foods. For more information on Cleansing watch this video: