Keep motivated with a workout regime

Do not start working out because it was one of your new years resolutions, but do it because you love your body! To get there is really hard but believe me after you start seeing the results you will feel more energetic after every workout. 

How it worked for me: 
Together with my friends we went to a try out class at a gym that suited our personalities and lifestyle. I attended a body pump class and was hooked. After the class I made sure to subscribe directly because I was feeling so pumped to start working out. The first week I went to all the classes, did some cardio exercises and asked advice about the machines that I needed to use for some areas that need extra attention. 

I developed my own routine that works really well for me:
40 minutes before class I start with some warming up on the treadmill for 10 minutes then I attend the abs workout routine for 15 minutes, relax after that for 15 minutes and start my class. On Tuesday I have a one hour total body workout class and one hour zumba afterwards. With the total body workout we work on abs, weight control and endurance. Zumba is just funky pleasure and you will burn the calories you consumed from dinner.


On Thursday I do the same routine and my class is the body pump. In every class I try lifting a little more weight so I develop more muscles and burn more calories. But remember when you want to lose weight with body pump you should keep your weights limited because the less weight the better.


On Friday I attend the steps class and find it very similar to the total body workout the only difference here is that you are constantly on and off a step. 


Depending on my mood and will to go to the gym I try to go on Monday or Wednesday and on this day I do some running, bike, cross training and weight lifting. 


A lot of times you think that doing a lot of cardio will help you lose those fats but at this gym finally someone told me that power training with weight will get you going much faster. So in every class of mine you see a pattern where weights are used and I can tell you after two months I really see some nice results. My legs are firmer and the chicken filet under my arm is getting thinner and thinner and I can already see some muscles forming. Because of the ab training my stomach is getting flatter and I hope in about a year you can start seeing those abs forming. I say a year because I have a full time job, so little time and love food. In order to get to really firm abs in a short period of time I would have to do a crash diet and exercise all the time. I feel comfortable how things are going now and feel very satisfied every time I feel and see some new developments on my body.


Now you are wondering how does she keep motivated right?
Well because my classes are so much fun I look forward to going to the class and have some fun while losing weight. On days that I feel like not going I just force myself to go; for example when coming from work I make sure to get the right lane on the highway to get to the gym so there is no turning back and on days off I just keep talking to myself, go to the gym, go the gym, go to the gym Stephanie. Well it is all about dedication and will power because if you start giving up and staying home, eating/snacking watching t.v. or surfing the net you will not get to the point of satisfaction. Of course you can skip a week but do not I repeat do not let it get to week 2!


Well I hope I inspired you to work out and get your body in shape.


Happy workout!!!

xoxo Steph

My Island

This beautiful canvas of my island Curaçao I want to share with the world. It was taken when I was visting last year. As a worldly person I love to travel and explore the world but I always go back to my roots. My childhood till my teens I remember as very warm and joyful. No mather how awesome the rest of the world is I would never trade this place as my birthplace. Growing up on an island gives you the opportunity to play outside as a child (everyday, 365 days a year), go swimming after school in your teens and partying on the beach in the weekends. But the island was getting small for me so I decided to move away and started my studies abroad and also did/do a lot of travelling. I enjoy getting to know other cultures and meeting new people. Because of this knowledge I know the standards and values of others and do respect them for that. Never ever I would judge someone because of their believes, culture or religion. Thank god I had the opportunity to know that we are all different and if others would do the same the world would be a better place. 
But my island will be my island and no matter where I travel or base myself for a while I will always but always go back home! As they, say home is where the heart is. Well my heart is at the beautiful island Curaçao. 


So here it is for your enjoyment.

This is what we call the "north" side of the island. Here is where the sea is rougher due to the wind. The south is where the white sandy beaches are.


Here is a map of Curaçao.

You see Boca Tabla which literary means plank mouth. There is where the picture was taken. This part of the island is one of the most beautiful sights. You see a lot of nature, turtles coming in to eat or lay their eggs and you experience the power of the wind in combination with the ocean really closely. There are even parts where you get so close to the water that it is so scary because if you fall, and god forbid you fall into it, there is no way to get out. Especially on a rough day as when I was taking the picture. 
I remember when I was younger we used to go with a whole bunch of people on that side and enjoy this fenomenon again. The salty air in your face and the cool breeze in your hair makes it just so perfect to be there. No words can really describe it. You just have to go there for yourself and see how much of a PARADISE this island is.


Well did you go research already? And did you book your ticket yet? If not, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? A one way ticket to paradise it is.


p.s: I say canvas because I printed this picture on a canvas and hang on my living room wall, so whenever I feel down or it is a cold and rainy day I just look up and imagine I am there!


xoxo,


Steph 

Perfumes 2011

I love perfumes.
Everytime someone asks me what I would want as a gift I say perfume.
I do not follow trends, mostly I let my mood decide what perfume I want at that moment. My favorites are fresh woodsy and grass scents. Like you are wearing summer the whole year round. But as you read forward you will notice that most of my scents of the past moths are sweet. So hey people change and smell preference change to. Most of the times I buy my perfumes at the duty free of any airport I visit. Much more cheaper, so it gives me the chance to splurge a little on my favorite beauty item when traveling.
Not wearing any perfume feels to me like going naked out the door. Even grocery shopping in the weekend in my sweat pants I must spray some kind of scent on my skin. Sometimes I mix and match with a scented bodylotion. 
For the past six months I have been using the following perfumes:


Everyday use 

From left to right
1. Kenzo Amour
The design is cute right? I set it out on my vanity and whoever comes to my house thinks  it is some kind of art piece. Kenzo Amour is a very sweet scent with a pinch of wood. Actually it is perfect for the winter times, but who cares I started wearing it last summer. It reminds me of a very sophisticated lady in her mid thirties. So as I work in a formal office where I have to meet a lot of business partners I grab this one usually every morning, this way they will think I am the perfect partner with all those formal clothes and my perfume to match it. ;)


2. DKNY Delicious Red for Man
Yes for man. Because when I first sprayed it in the store I did not see it was for man and the smell was just my kind of smell. A soft grass woodsy scent with a frooty undertone. So I just saw it when I got home, no mind me. The size is right to put in my makeup bag so whenever I am on the go I retouch my perfume with the DKNY Delicious Red for Man.


3. Narciso Rodriguez by EDT for Her
This one has a musc scent, I also smell honey and flower so again the perfect combination for me. Narciso rodriguez is one of my favorite designers so he made the perfect scent to match it's style. And I got it. Yeahhh


4. Givenchy ange ou demon 
This is the tender tender version and again a sweet scent with a woodsy undertone. I find it also very sensual so most of the times when meeting my boyfriend I try to seduce him once again with this perfume on my body.


Occasional

1. Marc Jacobs Daisy
Well I already said I do not follow the mainstream perfume trends. But this one I had to get cause this is just really MY kind of scent. Earthy, grassy and very fresh. That reminisce of summer will always be with me when wearing this perfume. 


2. Dolce & Gabanna The One
Usually I wear this one when there is a fun night out with the girls planned. From all my perfumes this is the sweetest one but perfect for a night out. Of course when you are in a club or bar there are hundreds of other girls with strong, sometimes tacky perfumes but with the Dolce & Gabanna The One everybody will smell YOU.


3. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle
Well this perfume I remember my mom used to wear it whenever she had a fun night out. And because of my little age of 10-12 I always thought ughhh please mom what is wrong with your old lady perfume, it is making me so nausea's. Well I have to confess, now that I am a lady myself this is my grab to perfume whenever I have a formal party. The smell will last me till the next day even if I shower. This is the original Coco Mademoiselle and not the modern one they recreated. So for me it is very specials with lots of nostalgia whenever I wear it.  


So to conclude I am a sucker for fresh summer scents but from my selection of the past six months there are a lot of sweet perfumes here. A trend you can see in all my perfumes is there is always a woodsy smell. So I believe that mo matter if the scent is sweet, sensual or fresh the main thing that attracts me is the woodsy smell in it.


xoxo,


Steph

New Haircut

As you can see on the picture above, I had long and really tick hair. Had, yes! I got a haircut. Because of this I started getting headaches. 
The whole day it felt as if a monkey was hanging from it and pulling and playing with it like he was having the time of its life in the jungle.
One day I had enough of this monkey and went for an extreme makeover. In a long time it has not been this short but I love it and feel really relieved and free. I only have to get used to flat ironing more often now so the effect stays the same as when I left the salon.


So here it is!

xoxo,

Steph

Workout

Past year I noticed my weight was not were I wanted it to be anymore. Most of the times I told my self, nah it will be fine and you will get back to your normal weight. Well with the days, weeks and months came the reality and I did not lose those pounds just by doing nothing.
So just last month I went to a gym, subscribed and am going every week since then for about 3 to 4 times a week. Usually 3 times ;)
I prefer to do classes because I really need someone to motivate me so I chose to do body pump, total body workout, zumba and steps. 

                                          Bodypump

                                        
                                          Total Body Workout

                                          Steps

                                         Zumba

I can already see results from the bodypump and my body is getting firmer every time. Thank god I already lost 3 kilos (6,6 pounds)....So happy those fats are shedding.
My road is still long because I want to lose 5 more kilos (11 pounds) but eventually I will get there. It would be so nice to fit again in my old skinny jeans and especially when taking pictures my double chin will not be there anymore. Do not get me wrong 5 kilos (11 pounds) may not sound much, but for me it is. First, I have big chests (D cup) and am really short. 1,60 meters (5`2 feet) so 5 kilos (11 pounds) is a lot for my body. At the end I want to reach 55 kilos (121 pounds) and then it will be a satisfied Steph.

Next time I will post some of my gym outfits and a fun routine to keep you motivated.

XoXo Steph

Keep your body moisturized

Hello guys,

Here I am again with a great way to keep your body soft and moistured and spare time in the early morning.

Just use baby oil under the shower and you will have a soft feeling skin the whole day. After your shower routine keep the water running and massage your whole body with the oil, let the water run on you for 30 seconds and you are done. When drying just dap the towel instead of rubbing and voila you are ready for the day. I use this routine every day! Now you!

Advantages:
- Saves time when you have to rush in the shower
- Keeps your skin soft the whole day
- No white or dry spots anymore
- It is very inexpensive

Disadvantage:
- If you hate oil do not try this.

Well good luck and let me know what you think about it!

xoxo steff

Go get this give away

Check out this super giveaway from the lovely Ashley of all of your beauty

xoxo

Steff