So it’s a new year, and we all know the most common resolution is to get healthy. Well, I don’t believe in making resolutions, but I did want to make some changes to my diet this year. I’ve posted in the past about my protein shake that I drink once a day, but I’ve played around with some recipes and supplements and have come up with something new which is just as yummy but is a little more natural and vitamin packed. I’m trying to take a more “holistic meets science” approach to my diet these days, and I feel really good about the additions and changes I’ve made.

Drink this for breakfast and your waist will thank you, your skin will thank you, and your overall “Chi” will thank you.

1 Cup Unsweetened, Original Almond Milk
2 TBSP Fage 0% Greek Yogurt
¾ Cup Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
2 “cubes” of Wheatgrass (I buy these from Whole Foods, follow the thawing instructions before adding to the shake, do not blend frozen)
1 Cup RAW Kale
1 TBSP Ground Flaxseed
1 Scoop Chocolate or Vanilla Protein Powder

*Wheatgrass is one of the best sources of living chlorophyll available. It helps purify the liver and rid toxins in the body
*Kale is super high in Vitamin’s K and C and is an overall “super food” packed with nutrients
*Flaxseed adds lots of fiber, plus your essential omega-3 fatty acids (yay!)

Nutritional Info :
Calories – 385
Protein – 34 grams
Carbs – 10 grams
Sugar – 17 grams (a little high, but it’s from the blueberries so that’s ok)
Fiber – 9 grams
(This is give or take depending on the brands you use)

Blend it up, drink it down, and brush your teeth – you’ll need to!

I'm the first to admit it - I am a total product junkie. A few years ago I worked in a few salons and got some decent training, although hair and makeup has always come naturally to me. So with the combination of education and a natural instinct, I like to think I know the good stuff! I often get asked about my favorite products - so here are a few staples in my every day life.

I don't like to wear too much make up on a daily basis. But I don't believe in going bare faced all the time. Here are a couple of my daily staples for make up :

One of my favorite foundations is "ERA" by Classified Cosmetics. I love this foundation because it's an aerosol spray, and gives you a flawless, airbrushed finish in literally 2.5 seconds.


Next, is "Stay Don't Stray" by Benefit.
This is an eye make up primer. I love it because on the days where I don't want to wear lots of eye make up, I know what I DO put on will stay all day. It's an amazing base for your concealer.

For my hair ... oh my hair .. my most favorite thing! I don't like to use a lot of hair product because my hair holds style for days (I know, lucky me!). My saving grace though is Moroccan Oil.
I use a little in my hair when it's damp, before I blow dry. Then once my hair is styled, whether it's straight or curly, I run some more through. It smooths everything out, makes it shine, and smells awesome.


For body - I am a firm believer that your body should not be neglected. You should be awesome from head to toe, not just the neck up. Obviously I love to tan with St. Tropez as mentioned in an earlier blog, but for an every day glow I like to mix Lorac TANtalizer. Body Bronzing Luminizer with my body lotion.
It doesn't matter if you are tan or pale, mixing some of this with your every day lotion with give your skin a healthy, sexy glow.


And lastly... fragrance. If you are over the age of 5, please stop using "body spray." You are a woman and should smell like one; not a fruit stand. My favorite fragrance of all time is Bond No. 9 "New Haarlem".
The top notes in this fragrance are coffee ,vanilla, and patchouli (don't let the patchouli scare you, you won't smell like a hippie). My runner up to this is "Euphoria" by Calvin Klein, it shares some of the same notes as New Haarlem, but is a little lighter. Basically - Euphoria for daytime, New Haarlem for night!

So there you have it! Go get scrumptious!

... OK, maybe not. I got it from Jackie Warner, but it's mine now! I got a really good reponse from my last blog about lifting weights and wanted to share another fitness tip with you guys. I believe a protein shake a day keeps the doctor away. The great thing about making a shake is that you can get a lot of the nutrients that you may miss in your other meals throughout the day. I drink this shake as a pre or post workout meal depending on my eating and workout schedule for the day. Here is how you do it!

In a blender:
- 2 Cups of Cold, Fresh Water
- 1 Scoop of Gaspari Myofusion Whey Protein
- 1 Cup of Frozen, Unsweetened Mixed Berries
- 1 Cup of Frozen Chopped Spinach
- 1 TBSP of Liquid L-Carnitine
- 1/2 TBSP of Liquid Flax Oil
- Blend it up!

This makes a massive shake! Don't feel bad if you can't finish it.

Here are the macros:
Calories: 346
Protein: 28g
Fat: 10g (This is good fat, but skip the Flax Oil if you're eating peanut butter and avocados all day.)
Sugar: 13g

Ok .. here are my views (tried, tested, and very informed views might I add) on the ongoing myth that girls who lift weights will turn into the Hulk. To be honest I can't actually believe that people still think this way!

I was at a local gym taking a spin class the other day, and in the locker room I heard a girl ask the instructor, "Will spin make me skinny? I want to be skinny. I tried out that crossfit thing but I'm not into lifting weights, I'm not a man." This statement might be one of my biggest pet peeves EVER! The teacher was a little reserved and basically said "Yes, spin is great for burning calories and once you get good at it it can be a full body workout." I think she knew that telling this girl to lift weights was pointless.

What burns fat? Muscle. How do you get muscle? Lifting weights. Do all the cardio you want, but you're going to look like a zombie, not Beyonce, if you don't start building muscle. The more muscle you have, the more fat it burns, the less cardio you have to do. Do you know that most fitness models don't do more than 30 minutes of cardio? Why? Because their built up muscle is burning fat for them, and weight lifting is a cardio workout in itself.

Onto the Hulk theory. Sorry girls, quit making that excuse because you're just not made that way. Sure you can get that way with EXTREME dedication and lots of legal (and illegal) bulking techniques - but really, it's not going to happen. I have never been stronger, and never been slimmer. I can curl more than I dreamed of before, and my arms have never been smaller and more toned. I can do push-ups and pull-ups and don't have rolls hanging over my bra straps. I can squat about 145lbs and I now have a butt I didn't think I could have. I can dead lift 185lbs. I weigh 140. So at the end of the day, you're not going to end up like a man, you're going to end up awesome.

The other thing that stuck in my head was that girl saying she wanted to be "skinny." Hasn't wanting to be skinny been not cute for years now???


<3
Jenefer

P.S. The bracelet is from SelfDiscipline.com I like to wear it especially during workouts as a reminder to keep pushing harder and harder.

So here we are! Holiday season! Dinner with family, baking cookies, drinking hot chocolate, holiday parties ... and a New Year Resolution to join the gym.
Here are some tips from me on how to survive the season, and not ending up looking like the Christmas ham. :-)
I will address some different scenarios, and how I personally handle each. I could get very detailed, but let's keep this simple and you will be more likely to jump on board! Of course if you would like to ask me more specific questions you may always shoot me an email to info@jenefersian.com


Scenario 1 - Dinner with the families:

You know the deal. Grandma's made mac n cheese, the only "vegetables" have been baked into a casserole, and we've managed to turn a starch into 4 different dishes. Here's what you do - OFFER TO MAKE A SALAD! If no one wants it - f**k 'em! You eat it! Fill up on a good salad made with spinach and mixed greens, use a combination of 2 parts balsamic vinegar to 1 part olive oil for the dressing. Fill up on this salad, and serve yourself 1 tablespoon of all the other stuff. Might not sound like a lot, but if you eat your salad first, your plate will fill up quicker than you can imagine and you will have the prefect "taste" of everything else. When it comes to desert, cut yourself a slice, and half it before even thinking about it.


Scenario 2 - Drinks with friends:

First - if you're going out for drinks, make it just drinks. If you know somewhere that doesn't serve food, go there! Once you get a couple drinks in you, you start wanting food, and you know you're going to wind up with a plate of sliders, not a side salad. Stick to wine over champagne, and clear liquors. If I'm not drinking a glass of wine, my drink of choice is a raspberry Stoli and soda water. Mix your liquors with soda water and lime instead of regular soda or juices. Also drink one glass of water for every alcoholic drink.


Scenario 3 - Going out of town:

Do your research. Find out if there is a local gym you can go to. If not, bring along some home exercise DVD's like P90X. Wherever you are - go to the grocery store. Even when you think you're eating healthy when you're eating out - you're not. Food in restaurants is full of sodium and fat, and extra sodium while travelling is a huge no no. Try to eat at home as much as possible, and if you will be out all day, pack almonds and fruit to snack on.


Scenario 4 - Holiday parties - (MY FAVORITE!!):

Pre - Party Tips: Work out the morning of the party. More than likely you're going to feel like crap the next day and won't hit the gym, so get it done the same day. If you don't have time for a full workout, before you slip into your party dress do some of these exercises: lunges, squats, push ups, pull ups, crunches. Do enough and your booty and boobies will "pop" in your little party dress! Eat a healthy meal BEFORE you leave the house. I like to have a protein shake before parties because they fill me up and digest slowly. Mix up a scoop of protein with some water, half a cup of spinach, and half a cup of frozen berries.

AT the party: Stick to protein on the hors d'oeurve trays (ie: Shrimp cocktail, chicken satay, seared ahi). Stay away from anything covered in sauce, and stay away from the cheese and crackers. Parties are the perfect time to practice your self control. You've always noticed that girl in the little dress with the tight butt and amazing self discipline - just say to yourself, "tonight, I am THAT girl!" Self control is sexy - and not just when it comes to food.


I hope you all have a great holiday season, I know I'm looking forward to it!

<3 Jenefer

I personally believe that the solution to many of our beauty woes is a sexy, golden tan.
"I look worn out" - you wouldn't with a tan!
"I don't have time to do my makeup" - then just get a tan!
"I look fat" - well ... brown fat looks better than white fat!

You get the picture.

My favorite product of all time is St.Tropez. St. Tropez have truly revolutionized the at-home tanning craze. I will admit that I used to be a bed tanner, with the occasional self-tan. Now that I'm getting older, a little more concious of my skin, and finally wised up to the dangers of using tanning beds - I made the switch to self-tanners full time. The reason I love St. Tropez so much is not only because of their huge array of products, but because it does not leave you with the dreaded Oompa Loompa look. Most self tanners have an orange base, St. Tropez uses a green base. This is what makes your tan turn completely golden, no orange in site.

I like to use the mousse (http://www.sttropeztan.com/self-tan-bronzing-mousse) over my entire body, including my face. I also love the bronzing spray (http://www.sttropeztan.com/self-tan-bronzing-spray) which is really handy for getting your back, and works really well on the face too. I usually use the mousse for my base, and touch up a few days later with the bronzing spray. I'm also very partial to their wash off products (http://www.sttropeztan.com/wash-off-tanning-products). I love to use their Wash Off Instant Face Glow instead of makeup, and of course the Wash Off Shimmer Stick. The shimmer stick is perfect for highlighting your legs, collar bone, and arms. (Leave the glitter to 5 year olds.)

It's pretty difficult to screw it up yourself - the product comes out dark brown in color and you can see perfectly where you're applying it (while developing overnight you will look like a little piggy who's been rolling around in the dirt!) But, if you're still a little uneasy about doing it yourself, then go and have it done for you! Their spa airbrush tans are TO. DIE. FOR. I got mine done at Kinara Spa (http://www.kinaraspa.com/) in West Hollywood and was thrilled with the results!

So there you have it - one of my number one beauty tips. I personally always feel much more confident and sexy with a good tan, not to mention I feel so much better about ditching the beds. I will be attending the HMMA's on Thursday and we will be posting pics and video from the event - then you can see the results of my at home tan!!!

Love,

Jenefer xoxo