~BEAUTY/MAKEUP HAUL~

Hey Guys! 

So as you all know I am literally a makeup junkie! The obsession is so real, I really probably need help but anyway I went to Target a few days ago and of course no one leaves Target empty handed. I mean how can you it's Target!? So here are the products I picked up, oh and  most were on sale so that justifies it right?

I picked up this Maybelliene compact thingy because it was only $7 and it looked amazing! The highlighter and eyeshadow were basically calling to me.

Then as I ventured deeper into the makeup aisles I saw this Pacifica Foundation CC cream which was regularly $15 and was on sale for $12, yeah I know not a steal but Pacifica is paraben free and mostly natural so I was just like "why not?" 

After that find I went to get what I actually came for my Pixie H2o Tinted Moisturizer($25, I believe). If you follow my Instagram you know that I CANNOT stop raving about this stuff! It's basically my holy grail base because it's just SO amazing and hydrating. The coverage is actually really good for a tinted moisturizer as well. 

And of course being me got distracted looking at all of Pixies products and decided to pick up their Glow Tonic. I've heard amazing things about this toner, it's supposed to help with pores, give your skin an amazing glow, help with acne, and some people even said it helped with fine lines and wrinkles. So I picked it up for me and my mom to try out. It cost me $15 but I've wanted to try it forever so I didn't mind. 

Thankfully I got out of there before I could buy anything else, my wallet definitely thanked me. I hope you guys enjoy this post and if you've tried any of these products comment below and let me know how you liked them. Also if you want to follow my Instagram it is @sweetserendipity96. Xoxo Alex~

Workout Clothes AKA My Addiction

Okay so a few days ago I stopped at Sports Chek to check out this amazing sale there were supposedly having and OMG guys it was amazing. Everything was so cheap. I got a pair of Under Armour Running Shoes that were regularly $100 for $25 and a pair of Hurley Workout Shorts that were regularly $30 for $8!!! It was such a fantastic sale I wish I would've bought more but in reality I have way to much workout gear so it's probably for the best;) I posted pics below, check them out! 

My Secret Weapon

May has officially begun!!!! I don't know about you guys but April flew by for me. It seems like it was barely even here. Since its the first day of a brand new month I thought I would share one of my biggest tools that I use to stay in shape and exercise with my CRAZY schedule. I travel a lot so finding time to excise or space can be a challenge. One thing that really has helped me on my journey these past 3 years are the Popsugar Fitness workouts. I found them at the beginning of my fitness journey and have literally used them ever since. Popsugar Fitness has an app that I greatly recommend all of you download and on the app are all the workout videos you could ever want. They range from 5 mins all the way to 1 hour. My favorites are the 10 min videos because I will mix and match them to build an amazing workout. Another thing I like about them is that they explain everything so simply that anyone can understand the moves and do them. They also offer various modifications so you can go easier or harder depending on your fitness level. Honestly these workouts have really changed my fitness life. I can take this app anywhere in the word and have workouts at my finger tips. It's basically my secret weapon for working out on the go. I highly recommend everyone try their workouts and download their app. 

Biore 1 Minute Self-Heating Charcoal Face Mask Review

I was at the drugstore the other day when I saw these Biore Charcoal masks. Honestly the self heating and charcoal are what drew me in because I heard charcoal is really good in helping draw out gunk from your pores and the self heating just sounded really nice during these cold winter months. They cost around $7 dollars I believe and you get 4 packets. I took some pictures of my first time using a packet that I'll share with you guys. Please excuse my makeupless face!

The excitements is real guys. 

And it's on. It was very easy to apply and I loved the self heating. It also smells amazing!

Washing it off. When you rinse it off it heats up again which feels really great!

And it's off. My face felt super clean and refreshed. I will definitely be taking these on my trip to Europe to give my face a little pick me up whenever I need one. 

Come Dine with Me

Okay so this is probably one of the MOST requested posts that I've ever been asked to write. I'm not sure why people want to know what I eat all day but hey you guys asked so I'm giving it to you. Let's get into it then. So I started keeping a food journal about a week ago just to see exactly what I was eating so here is what I usually eat on a given day. 

For breakfast I noticed that I rotate between these different meals. Either a huge smoothie, two fried eggs and a mango, or a PB&J and chocolate milk. These are like my breakfast staples. 

For lunch I usually had some either chicken breast with salad or a whole bunch of raw veggies like broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, etc. and half a chicken breast with some hummus for the veggies. Sometimes I will just have whatever my moms cooking if I don't want to make my own lunch. That includes homemade burgers, veggie pasta, and sometimes different Pakistani meals.

For dinner I rotate around with either a GIANT smoothie(so I get enough calories) if I had a big lunch, an egg white omelette loaded with veggies and some kind of fruit on the side, or a few slices of chicken breast with vegetables and hummus(again) 

Now for snacks I usually had about 2, 1 in between breakfast and lunch and 1 between lunch and dinner. My snack options are usually half a cup of cottage cheese with fruit and honey, an apple with some almonds(sometimes it's different fruit depending on what I have), and raw veggies with hummus.

Drink wise I usually have either unsweetened tea, lemon water, or plain water. Water is basically my go to especially with a little lemon squeezed in there. I don't drink coke very often if I do it's usually only on a holiday. Once in a while I treat myself to a Starbucks Frapp but not very often. 

This is just kind of an example of the main staples I eat in my diet. Basically I try to eat very whole, organic foods it that doesn't mean I don't treat myself because I do. During the week I kept this food journal I treated myself to a slice of chocolate cheesecake, and also on a different day some cookies. It's all about balance and making sure you don't go overboard with the treats. I aim to eat about 1500-1600 calories a day sometimes more depending on my activity and workouts for that day. If I am doing a big workout one day I will usually up my calories to help my body repair but if I'm say going on a trip and will just be sitting in the car all day I drop the number of calories down a bit. Now I NEVER go below 1200 calories because that isn't enough for anyone and will send your body into starvation mode. You guys can adjust the calories you need based on all your factors like activity level,height and all that. I hope this post kind of helps give you a glimpse into my food world and what I eat. Let me know how you liked it below! 

Stop the Body Shaming.

This post is something I've been wanting to write for quite awhile actually. It's something that I've experienced personally and I know others have as well. It seems that no matter how skinny or curvy you are that you will never escape the hurtful comments and body shaming. I used to be really overweight and I can honestly say that I never got as many hurtful comments as I have being slim. I'm  Naturally petite at my height of 5'2, my extra weight just hid my small frame. 

When I lost the extra weight I looked like a different person and I was very proud of myself, I loved my new body honestly. We live away from most of my family so they hadn't seen me lose the weight all they remembered was that I left being overweight and then came back for the holidays basically a new person. Most of my relatives were completely shocked and I thought they would be just as proud as I was but that didn't end up being the case. Everyone In my family is overweight so before I lost weight I seemed like one of them, fitting in completely but after I lost weight it's like they thought I was some kind of outsider or freak that didn't seem normal. 

 I started getting called Skinny Minny, Boney, Anorexic, and even ugly. Even some old friends would tell me I looked like a stick. I remember one time quite recently where my cousin and aunt actually told me that I had ruined my body, become horribly ugly, and that no guys would want me now. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. These people were my family and even they couldn't help but make hurtful body shaming comments. Why couldn't they just be as proud of myself as I was? I tried to just let them roll off my back but after awhile I started to wonder if maybe they were right, was I really "gross" looking? Had I ruined my body? Then I realized that listening to all this crap was just completely stupid. I hadn't ruined my body at all, I had just improved it.

 I became healthy because carrying all that extra weight on my little frame WAS not healthy. My family doctor had even told me that I was at a perfectly healthy weight so their comments about being sickly or having an eating disorder were definitely not true. I don't even think that people realize how hurtful their comments about being slim can be. They are just as hurtful as calling curvy girls fat. Body shaming of every body type, size, and shape needs to stop. 

EVERY girl is beautiful, it doesn't matter if you're a size 0 or 18, we are all gorgeous, wonderful, smart, funny women who are so much more than just what size jeans they fit into. Instead of tearing each other down with hurtful comments we should be lifting each other up in praise of how amazing we all are. 

#TransformationTuesday

When I look at my #transformationtuesday I feel so accomplished. I mean I worked my butt off and I can't complain about the results at all. A lot of people would look at the picture on the left and be completely disgusted by that girl, I used to feel that way too but not anymore. I don't hate or despise her at all, far from it actually.  The girl on the left is just as amazing as the skinnier girl on the right. She was just as funny, smart, and beautiful. Loosing weight is definitely gratifying and makes you feel better about your appearance but being skinnier isn't all that matters in life. Now being healthier is definitely important. The girl on the left was not as healthy as the girl on the right. She hardly ever exercised or ate any whole food. She was filling her body with artificial foods and unhealthy chemicals.  The girl on the right however lives off whole, clean foods. She enjoys fruits and vegetables and loves to run. She fuels her body with the best fuel am treats it so much better.  So when I look at these two pictures the biggest transformation I see isn't in appearance, or weight, it is in the way I transformed my lifestyle. I transformed my unhealthy eating habits and inactive lifestyle and that's the best #transformationtuesday you can have.  

90 Calorie Lemon Bars

These Lemon Bars are a speciality of mine, my whole family loves them especially my Dad. He actually requests that I make them for him all the time. They are such a refreshing little dessert and are a good break from chocolate. This recipe makes 25 mini bars that are exactly 90 calories a piece. Here's what you'll need,

Ingredients-

1 cup of all purpose flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine *softened*

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel(if desired, I think it really kicks up the lemon flavor so I recommend it)

2 tablespoons lemon juice *fresh squeezed works best*

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs 

Extra powdered sugar to sprinkle on top of the bars when finished

Directions-

Preheat the oven to 350

Mix flour,butter,and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Once mixed press into square pan 8 by 8 by 2 or 9 by 9 by 2. Building up 1/2 inch sides. 

Bake crust for 20 mins then remove from oven. 

Beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on high speed for about 3 mins or until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust. 

Bake 25-30 mins or until no indentation when touched lighty in center. Cool in pan then dust with powdered sugar. Cut into 5 rows by 5 rows. 

  

I hope you guys enjoy this recipes as much as my family. 

Power Snack!

I have literally found the perfect snack guys. Like it is so versatile and can be used as a pre or post workout snack, it's low cal and loded with protein. It is Cottage Cheese!!! I'm kind of obsessed like I'm not gonna lie I go through about a tub of cottage cheese a week. It's such a healthy low cal snack. Half a cup is only 100 calories and you get 15 grams of protein! My favorite brand is the Nordica.

I thought I would just share a few different ways you can try it so that you guys could hop aboard this cottage cheese obsession with me. Here are the recipes. 

This is one of my personal favourites. You take strawberries(or any fruit of choice.) and then add a little honey to sweeten the cottage cheese up. It's so simple and delicious. 

If you're having more of a sweet tooth you can try this recipe. Just add some dark chocolate chips,dried cranberries, and walnuts. This is packed with goodness yet totally satisfies your sweet tooth.

This is similar to the recipe above except I used pineapple instead of strawberries and because the pineapple is so sweet you don't need the added honey. 

Another great way to get in some cottage cheese is throw it into a smoothie. This is good for people like my mom who can't stand to look at it. You still get all the protein from it, and it makes your smoothie extra creamy. Plus you can't even tell its in there. 

These recipes are so filling yet light enough to have before you hit the gym and they will definitely help you power through your workout. I hope you guys like these and if you try them out let me know. I know I'm hooked. 

Brussel Sprout Chips!

Okay so I thought I would share one of my new favorite snacks with all of you. And that is, Brussel Sprout Chips! I kid you not these chips are absolutely delicious and can convert any brussel sprout hater I guarantee. They are super easy to make plus insanely healthy as well. Here's how you make them. 

Take your sprouts and cut the back stems off, then peal off the leaves until the sprouts are about the size of nickel. Do this to all your sprouts then take all the leaves and toss with a little oil of your choice,I use coconut, and season to your liking(I prefer salt and pepper but use whatever you like). Then put them in the oven at 350 for about 5-7 mins or until golden brown and crunchy. You can also take all the nickel sized leftover sprouts and roast them as well to use as a side to lunch or dinner so they don't go to waste. 

There you have it. They are so easy to make and really help satisfy you when you are craving a bag of chips plus they are like no calories. You can play around with tons of different seasonings so get creative! Let me know how you guys like them if you try them. 

Tea Time

I wanted to share my new low cal drink obsession with you guys. Unsweetened flavoured Iced Teas. Lately I've been making my tea and letting it seep. Then I take it and put it on ice with no sugar and it's amazing plus only 10 calories. I personally love raspberry and blueberry but you could use whatever flavour you love. It's a good way to get used to unsweetened tea because the flavour helps you go without sugar. It also helps me drink more liquids and is a nice break from all the water I drink. Let me know what flavour teas are your favourite down below

Clothing Haul Part 1

Oh My Goodness guys I had the best two days of shopping like I can't even explain the great deals I got. I got over $300 worth of clothing for under $60! Yes you read that right, I saved around $240! I actually have so many items that I decided to spilt this post up into 2 pieces. So here are the first few outfits I got 

This is a pair of PJs I got from Joe Fresh. The top was $4 and the bottoms were also $4. Regularly they would've cost about $30 so I saved $22.  

This was the next outfit I got definitely one of my favourites. The pants were regularly $40 and the shirt was around $16 so it would have cost 56 but I got it for $16.

This was the last one for day one of shopping the sweater was about $30 regularly and the suede pants were $40 so I got a $70 outfit for $25!!!! I am literally so excited to wear all these amazing outfits I got. Let me know which one is your favorite and stay tune for part 2!! 

My Workout Regimen

Hey Guys! I hope you are all having a great Monday! I know mine is going awesome, I'm still high off the Patriots win last night(I'm a total Pats fan girl). So anyway today I thought I would just explain to you guys what my workout regimen kind of is and the different things I do. I do not go to the gym so this is all stuff that I do at my home because I just never felt like I needed to go to a gym. So let's get into it. 

I try to do a lot of strength training/tons no workouts as I don't need to lose anymore weight. I'm just working on gaining muscle and toning. I do not lift very heavy because I'm a model and need very small lean muscles(but don't let that deceive you I am VERY strong and in shape). So I will usually do some dumbbell circuits, I find the best ones come from Popsugar Fitness, so I use a lot of their routines and videos. Here are some of the circuits I love to use, I will using use my 10 pound Dumbbells for these but on some moves I switch to my 5 pounds. 

So those are just a few of the strength training routines I do, like I said sometimes I do the Popsugar Fitness videos. Now on to Cardio.

For cardio I love doing the Cardio circuits from Popsugar Fitness(let's just say I'm basically obsessed with Popsugar okay?) I also like to do HIIT circuits because they are quick but still give you great results and a great workout. Also the combine strength training and cardio all in one which is great if you don't have much time.  Here are some examples of the cardio,

When I don't want to do these for cardio sometimes I'll just go for a good run because I LOVE to run and it's an amazing workout. 

Now one of my favorite workouts is definitely yoga. I am a total yogi. Yoga is so amazing for your body and mind plus it's great for people who travel a lot like me because it's quiet and you can do it in your hotel rooms without disturbing anyone. My favorite yoga to do is the Yogalosophy by Mandy Ingber, it's a hybrid yoga that combines toning excises with yoga and I'm obsessed with it. If you haven't heard of it definitely look it up. I also have some different yoga apps on my iPad that I like to use, one of my favourites is Simply Yoga. It's fantastic for beginners because it shows you through videos exactly how to do each pose. I definitely recommend that everyone try adding yoga into their fitness routines.

Well that's basically all guys, my fitness routine is pretty simple and straightforward. It's just a mix of strength training and cardio. Plus some yoga to keep me limber and flexible. If you have any questions feel free to comment below. -Alex 

Vega Protein Powder Review

Hey guys,

Today my post is just a quick review on the plant based protein powder from Vega. So I bought this recently to try and get more protein in my smoothies because I don't like whey protein at all but I don't like to have a smoothie without some protein. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it the only one I would say I like more is the Hemp protein powder but it has less protein per serving so the vega wins there. It gives you 20 grams of protein per serving which I love. It blends perfectly into my smoothie and gives me all the veggies that I'm missing in my smoothie. I tried the vanilla but I've also heard the chocolate is amazing. If anyone has tried it let me know how you liked it. I love the amount of vegetables you get in this protein powder I just feel like that's a really nice addition to a protein powder. I would definitely recommend this protein powder to anyone in the market for one. 

Flashback To Paris

Hello Lovelies! 

Today I decided to do a "Flashback Friday" to my 18th birthday in Paris last year. It was honestly the best birthday I've had in my whole entire life. I was there for 3 days and it was wonderful. I saw the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais, and so much more. One of my favourite places I saw was the Saint Denis Basilica. It's a kind of a little hidden gem if you ask me. It is where all the rulers of France are buried. My main reason for going was to see Catherine De Medici's grave because I am SO in love with the show Reign, any fellow Reign lovers on here? Anyway so I wanted to see her and when I got there I found out that is where Marie Antoinette is buried! My mom freaked out because she loves her! One of my other absolute favorite sites was the Original Chanel flagship store. I'm not gonna lie I was like on a high the whole time I was there(I'm a freak for anything Chanel and I kin of have a woman crush on Coco). It was amazing everyone in the store was so nice and just knowing Coco actually walked and worked in there was priceless, plus I left smelling like Chanel number 5 so all around it was fabulous. Anyway let's get into some pictures! 

Here is a gross mirror selfie of me before we left for Paris the morning of my Birthday. 

This is the evening of my Birthday in Hardrock Paris! Yeah we were those typical tourists who ate at Hardrock, don't judge. 

The next day we obviously had to check out the town which included the gorgeous Eiffel Tower. 

After the tower we headed towards the Louvre. Probably one of my favorite places on the planet. It was so gorgeous and I love museums.

Look who we saw while we were in the Louvre! 

Then we headed to the Chanel store, which was actually just a short walk from the Louvre. 

Me trying on different Chanel scents. 

After all that walking we stopped for a little Parisian snack aka the best Macarons you will ever taste in your life. 

And finally back to the Eiffel Tower to see it sparkle in the night. Definitely a must see. 

I hope you guys enjoyed my little flashback. If any of you have ever been to Paris comment below telling me what your favorite experience was.