Just like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, I'm ready to call my Life Line. That Life Line being a Nutrisystem dietician. On a sidenote: I wish the above picture was really me. I've been on the Nutrisystem weight loss program for a month now. I've definitely learned a lot during this time, but I've also encountered a lot of frustration. 30 days of Nutrisystem has only results in 4 pounds lost for me, the majority of which were in the first week. For the last few weeks my weight has been at a stand still. Inches have been lost in some places, while in others it fluctuates. There have been a few times due to my work schedule that I've skipped the Powerfuel snack...or my eating hasn't been every few hours. I can only speak for myself, but that's just a reality. Not everyone can be chained to their kitchen 24/7. I have 4 kids and a full time job...sometimes this means working long hours without coming up for air, or running around to appointments and stores making it impossible for a fresh food snack-a-thon. Additionally, I've made sure to keep active and to switch up how I'm exercising. So far I've done walking 1-2 miles, working out with weights, calithetics, hiking, high impact aerobics and pilates. The only one that made a measurable impact on my weight loss was hiking.  This past Sunday I hiked 5 miles through Lacawac Sanctuary which is hillside to Lake Wallenpaupack. It was a vigorous workout and definitely not something I'm up for on a routine basis. I woke up to a 1.5 pound weight loss and I was stoked. Yet, by this morning I already gained a half pound back. Since my weight fluctuated all week, that 1.5 pound loss voided the gain that happened all week, leaving me at the same weight for the last 3 weeks. Mentally I am feeling defeated. I want so badly to lose these 40 pounds. But I also know that I need to do it the way that fits into my lifestyle now and that is maintainable. I haven't quite figured out what the cause of the weight gain then loss then gain is yet. My sister seems to think it's also partly to me drinking flavored water. I drink Nestle Pure Life Splash and she tells me that it is filled with weight holding preservatives. I'm not sure how to drink 32 ounces of water a day without some sort of flavoring to it that has no preservatives. I hate unflavored water. Would love your suggestions on this one. If I could look in the mirror and see changes, maybe I wouldn't be down on myself...but I look at myself and still see the same chubby, big chested girl who hates what she looks like. This week I'm going to change up a few things and get suggestions from the Nutrisystem dietician. Let's see what happens when I check back in a week from now! Why I Started Nutrisystem Nutrisystem Portion Control Week One Week Two Week Three Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure: Sponsored

Two Everyday Heroes Translate their Inner Strength into their Outer Pow!

Sherona McFadden of Harleysville, PA and Keara Ramos-Coles of Greenlane, PA are two women who define what it means to be everyday heroes. Sherona is a wife, a mother of five children (two are affected by a disability and a serious medical condition), a friend, a working-woman, a singer/songwriter, and a community/church volunteer. Sherona emulates creative flare to the point where she seems to breathe it with every idea she speaks and song she writes. She is a natural visionary, but with much of her time spent caring for her family and/or living between frequent doctor appointments and hospital visits, Sherona struggles with a sense of zapped energy. She longs to reconnect with her keen sense of artistic allure when it comes to makeup, and shared with me that she is looking for some products/looks to reignite this flame. Keara is a wife, a mother of three children (all of which have a learning disability), a friend, a professional caregiver for the elderly and those affected by disability, and also volunteers in her church and community whenever she is able. Keara so poignantly shared her struggle, which so many caregivers face, with balancing taking care of her self vs. others. Her compassionate heart for others wins in weight, but with that she said, “I am now at a time in my life that as much as I love taking care of everyone else I am also learning that I have to find ways to take care of myself.” They’re inner strength and love has an overflowing glow, and I think that Keara hit a key note in understanding that it doesn’t have to be about choosing to care for someone else vs. yourself, but rather finding the delicate balance and boundaries to care for both. Keara further shared that she has come to this balance by “Placing God first and trusting Him with all I have.” It’s the spiritual aspect of beauty we so often forget, as it is this peace that has allowed her to rest assured that she doesn’t have to combat her struggles or that of others alone. There really is a beauty in peace. Harnessing the power of their wow factor during our self-created mini-caregiver retreat was no trouble at all! My awesome husband kindly took the children out for a swim while we started our evening with some good conversation, a homemade dinner, and quenched our thirst with water-enhanced Stur (of course)! We followed up dinner with hysterical laughter while striking the before shot poses. Boom! Then these gorgeous ladies took a seat to discuss what they wanted for their look. Sherona wanted to flesh out her creative nature with some bright colors on her already exotic-looking eyes, while Keara opted for an elegant glamour that she could recreate during her daily routine, more then just what she said, “Is my once a month dress up night.” Before applying their makeup both ladies cleansed their faces with Kaia’s 100% biodegradable juicy bamboo cleansing cloths. Keara commented, “Ooooh I LOVE the smell!” and Sherona joined, “and it feels so good on my skin…doesn’t dry me out.” I informed the girls that the cloths were also vitamin rich, packed with 8 purely plant-based essential oils, alcohol-free, sulfate-free, and awesome for so many other reasons. Next, I moisturized both ladies skin with Delivre. I decided that since I only tried it on myself I wanted to see if they felt the same as I did about it (Read: 5Products That Will Help You Transform and Revive.) Ding, Ding, Ding, just as I had felt in my last post, Delivre delivered! Sherona and Keara have dry patches on their skin too. Hydrating with water and using topical hydration like a moisturizer are imperative elements in maintaining the health of one of your most important, and definitely the largest organs in your body (yes it is an organ!), which also happens to be one of the primary defense systems of your body too…so treat it especially well. *Note: it is also essential to have a smooth base for the application of great looking makeup. Then I applied the makeup mediums to create the elegant and innovative look that each woman aspired to produce. As always, eyes first when applying makeup, so you can clean up the rest of the face later. For Sherona’s eyes (Creative/Innovative look), I used MAC’s Back to the Beach Collection Sweet & Punchy, TIGI’s Posh Quad, and Smashbox’s Nocturnal and Nude, e.l.f.’s super affordable liquid eyeliner, and I intertwined her lashes with Butter London’s Wink Jaded Jack with Kevyn Aucoin’s Rich Pitch Black The Curling Mascara. For Keara’s eyes (Elegant Glamor Look) I used AVEDA’s petal essence Ginger Root, TIGI’s Posh high density quad eyeshadow, and Smashbox’s Bark from their Studio Pop eye palette, e.l.f’s liquid liner, and Kevyn Aucoin’s Rich Pitch Black The Curling Mascara. Let me just add that I LOVE Kevyn’s Mascara, I have had countless people ask if I was wearing false lashes…that is how good we are talking! Finally, the rest of their resilient canvases were finished off using Mally’s Pro-Tricks correcting palette, the variance in Mally’s palette allowed me to create just the right combo to match each of their skin tones. I added a natural looking shimmer to their skin using e.l.f.’s baked blush peachy cheeky, and accentuated their cheek bones using MAC’s In the Groove collection: Mineralized blush duo, New vibe. For the lips I used AVEDA’s lip liner Plum Petals coated with their rehydrating lip glaze on Keara, and on Sherona I used AVEDA’s lip glaze by itself. Check out the final results and drop our awesome heroes a line of encouragement! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Courtney on G+. *Disclosure

Nutrisystem's weight loss plan is not The Biggest Loser. This is the reality check I had this past week. In my pre-Nutrisystem life, I ate junk food like it was going out of business. I consumed fat like there was no tomorrow. Portion size? That would be two helpings of everything. Vegetables were only to be eaten at dinner time and late night snacking was a must. Exercise? Wasn't being a mom (aka taxi, chef, maid, organizer, grocery shopper and overall "clean your room" harasser) enough exercise for one day? I'd sit and watch The Biggest Loser religiously and think, "That's going to be me." I wrongfully assumed that as soon as I cut calories, ate healthier, ate the right way with the right portions and included more exercise that BOOM! the weight would drop off me like a sack of potatoes. But I was so wrong. Last week I posted a very depressed Facebook update wondering how in the world my weight goes up and down if I am doing everything right. I received a variety of answers from: 1200 calories a day is putting my body into starvation mode and clinging to the fat resources TO muscle weighs more than fat TO add more calories TO you're retaining water TO you're taking in too much sodium TO exercise more and so on. All I knew is that I watched my weight bounce up and down on the scale and it depressed me. I wanted to be that person who stepped on the scale and saw a big weight loss, certainly not a weight gain. My measurements have been all over the place as well, my hips and waist seem to be the only spots that are losing inches (which is great of course) while my thighs and arms vary from week to week. I'm not sure if this is the whole "muscle vs fat" argument or not. I haven't stuck to the program 100% as there was a day or two last week where I skipped the afternoon snack because I was out running errands and didn't want to keep something perishable in my car in the summer heat. Also, my husband took me out for dinner on Saturday night for a pre-birthday celebration. Dinner was prime rib. PRIME RIB. I was good though, I cut off all the fat, didn't eat much of the baked potato and ate all of the broccoli. The funny thing is that I think my body is definitely getting used to the smaller portion sizes as I felt full a lot quicker and made myself stop eating...which isn't something I would've done before. And thank goodness for Nutrisystem members. I had asked about how to curb chocolate cravings and got some great answers from fellow members on the boards. Who knew that sugar-free Jello with fat-free whipped cream would only be 15 calories and no fat!? It's great to know I'm not alone in this and can get support and help from others on the program as well. My reality check is that I don't have a personal trainer, dropping an enormous amount of weight so quickly is unhealthy and that less calories doesn't mean more weight lost. So no, Nutrisystem is not The Biggest Loser, but despite my battle with the scale, I know that the program is helping me to lose weight and inches in a healthy way that, in the end, will help me to keep it off. My week 3 weight loss was a 1/2 pound bringing me to 169.5.  For inches, I lost a half inch on my arms and waist each, my thighs remained the same while my hips and chest appeared to gain in inches. So in 3 weeks, I've lost 4 pounds and 5 inches. Which is why I have to keep reminding myself that losing 1-2 pounds a week is totally normal and I am right on track. When you began Nutrisystem or your diet plan, what reality check did you have a few weeks in? Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+

15 Minutes That Could Save Your Life...
With summer in full swing and the intensity of the sun’s UV rays at their peak, it’s a great time to talk about skin cancer detection and prevention. Many people are frightened when they hear the words skin cancer or melanoma; but when detected in its early stages, skin cancer is actually highly curable. While it is certainly important to have your skin examined regularly by a dermatologist, there are some things that you can check for at home.

As a caregiver, both on the floor as a nurse who works 12-hour night shifts and a parent of children with special needs, I often don’t get the recommended hours of sleep. Yes, I’ve seen all the studies of just how bad lack of sleep is for you…and no I would not recommend skipping out on the Z’s if there is a choice on the matter, but the truth remains that it is part of my (and many other caregivers) unavoidable realty. Since this is the case, instead of stressing about it, I implement little things throughout my day to help revive my energy and keep my look lively. First, it’s part of my self-care routine. Secondly, I truly believe that it helps those I care for to know that they are in good hands. I mean do any of you really want a tired-looking stressed out nurse to walk into you or your loved one’s hospital room and say she is the one who’s going to take care of you for the next 12 hours? Not if we had the choice, right? I am not sure of many who would contend the ideal notion of wanting a nurse with a positive attitude, know-how, and a put together look that sends an unspoken message of trust.

5 Products That Will Help You Transform and Revive http://t.co/xeumiPGEaW

— A Girl's Gotta Spa! (@agirlsgottaspa) January 14, 2015

The saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” So, since I have recently been struggling with anemia and recovering from a painful injury, I thought it would be a neat opportunity to allow a personal picture story post for you as I got ready for work. Here is a peak at my paler then usual face (from lack of sun, sleep, and anemia), undone hair, and the five product lines I used to transform and revive. The last pic is a must see for the transformation! Step 1: Take a refreshing shower with Marc Anthony (pause, lol) sulfate-free Oil of Morocco Shampoo and Conditioner for some super workable soft hair. When you get out of your makeshift oasis, toss in a bit of his Argan oil treatment and then some volumizing mousse. I am very picky when it comes to my hair products, as I have plunged the pocket in the past and came up with less than satisfying results. However, I am happy to report that Marc’s line is healthy for your hair, fantastic feeling, and super-easy on the wallet. It’s hard to find this type of a triple threat! Step 2: Grab myself a cool glass of H2O to sip on while I get ready, and add a 10 second squeeze of water enhancer, Stur. I love that Stur has no calories and uses Stevia to sweeten. Besides the fact that I am hydrating, it allows me to throw back SEVEN energy giving, health-enhancing, essential vitamins. Stur meets the win-win category in my book! Tastes great too with your choice of six different flavors to yum it up with. Step 3: Moisturize! My skin is normally that beautiful Italian-olive tone and supple, but with my recent conditions it’s been pale and suffering from dry patches. Yeah, OK plus I’ve hit my mid-thirties too and can’t go on without it anyway. I used Delivre's daily nourishing moisturizer for my face and their hydrating lip balm for my puckers. Delivre delivered! It was thick, creamy and smooth, but not greasy. It was also just the right skin basis for an over-all smooth look.   Step 4: Be successful in achieving transformation by including your base and primers. They truly make a HUGE difference in the outcome. I used Mally’s pro-tricks correcting palette to hide the dark circles under my eyes, as well as some age spots on the side of my face (thank you Mally!) I also use and swear by Urban Decay’s Eye shadow primer potion, as well as their Naked Skin (my foundation base). Naked Skin fused with my skin as if it was my own, giving it a natural appearance while improving my skin tone. Let’s just say that Naked Skin is a totally appropriate name.

Step 5: Apply your makeup. A tip I learned from makeup artist, Ashley Smith, is to apply eye makeup first. That way you can clean up underneath later for a clean finished look. I used Mirabella’s eye shadow, as well as Urban Decay’s Moondust Zodiac and Intergalactic. For my lashes and liner, I used Rimmel London’s waterproof gel liner and ScandalEYEs flex mascara. Lastly, I brushed on L’Oreal Project Runway’s the Temptress’s blush/226. AND VOILA! As usual I LOVE to hear from my gals, so give me your feedback and share some tips on what you do to transform! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!Courtney on G+. *Disclosure

"If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you." - Fred Devito

This week has been a tough one for me. I've struggled in week two with stress, anxiety and wicked cravings for chocolate. All women know "that week" once a month where we become an emotional mess, which always leads me down the path of feeling depressed about how I look and burying those feelings in ice cream and cake. But not this time. This time I simply...struggled. I didn't give into the cravings, which essentially made me feel like I was crawling out of my skin. Throw in my youngest son being diagnosed with Lyme Disease and my ex-MIL passing away, and it was a week frought with stress. I can feel that my size large shirts are becoming looser. But I beat myself up looking at the scale. Like it's taunting me. My weight fluctuated all week long. At first I had lost 2.5 pounds this week on Nutrisystem, only to end up gaining it back (even though I continued to eat the way I should.) Thank goodness for friends like Teri from Beautiful Makeup Search, who is also on the Nutrisystem weight loss program. I would email her about my struggles, about how I was putting myself to bed early just to avoid raiding the refrigerator, etc. That's also how I discovered that my shipment had come with an old Daily Planner that showed that a Nutrisystem dessert was to be eaten as an afternoon and evening snack. She directed me to the awesome app Nutrisystem has (free) and that not only showed that a SmartCarb should be eaten for the afternoon snack, but how many calories I'm taking in per day, a list of grocery items that fit into PowerFuel and SmartCarb, as well as logging my exercise, weight, measurements, etc. The app is super helpful! I'm glad I toughed it out through the cravings, but it definitely showed me that anxiety and stress play a major factor in my comfort food snacking. I would definitely love to hear your suggestions on how to make it through this without going crazy. So in week two, no weight was lost, however when logging my measurements into the Nutrisystem app this morning I realized that I have lost 8 inches since I started. While I know I should be thrilled, I'm still disappointed not seeing the pounds drop off when I am eating a much lower calorie count, exercising and eating healthier than ever before. What have your weight loss challenges been so far and how have you overcome them? Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure: Sponsored

I like a simply smoky eye. So for this summer smoky eye how to, I'll tell you in 6 easy steps how I created a great daytime smoky eye that I was literally able to do in under 5 minutes.

Products used: Urban Decay Primer Potion, CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil in Lime Green Flame and Crystal Flame, CoverGirl Flamed Out Eye Shadow Pot in Molten Black, CoverGirl Liquiline Blast in Black Fire and Revlon Lash Potion. 

1. Apply Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion from the bottom of the lid up to above the crease. (I used Eden.)

2. Apply CoverGirl's Flamed Out Eye Pencil in Crystal Flame from the inner corner of your eye across your lid, then use your pinky to blend out the color. (Otherwise you'll have some white patches that are darker than others.)

3. Apply CoverGirl's Flamed Out Lime Green Flame Eye Pencil in a V formation starting from the middle of your lid moving outward to your longest lashes. Make sure to get into your crease when making the V, then blend with your pinky finger.

4. Using a makeup brush, apply CoverGirl's Flamed Out Eye Shadow Pot in Molten Black in your crease and blending it upwards and out towards the outer part of your eye area.

5. Apply CoverGirl's Liquiline Blast Eye Liner in Black Fire along your lash line. For day, I chose not to blend it, but for a great transition to night, you can smudge it and even add in some flare of a cat eye.

6. Apply your favorite mascara. I had Revlon Lash Potion handy, so that's what was used here.

Whether or not you use a brow pen is up to you, I used TouchBack BrowMarker in Medium Brown (not shown.)

Voila! That's it. Super easy, quick and simple.

Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+

*Disclosure

Nothing is more exciting than watching the weight come off. Even better is knowing that your weight loss is as a result of committing to a healthier lifestyle. Today is check-in day for me. I started Nutrisystem one week ago with the goal of losing 43 pounds. I'll tell you at the end of this post how much weight I lost (the suspense!) What I really want to do is share some tips for those thinking of also starting Nutrisystem (or similar weight loss program.) Don't Run Away From Your Favorites I absolutely know that whether I am on Nutrisystem or off it, chocolate and frozen treats will always be a part of my life. So trying to avoid it would be futile and would most likely cause me to cheat, which I don't want to do. When writing out my meals in my Daily Planner, I make sure to include a Nutrisystem chocolate dessert for my afternoon snack. Typically I'd indulge in some sort of chocolateness around 2:30 everyday, so it only made sense to continue this, but replace the fatty high calorie version with Nutrisystem's perfectly portioned snacks. Some initial favorites are the Peppermint Cookie, and Thin Mint Crisp Bar. You may also remember that I mentioned eating ice cream religiously every night. I still can (and do) with the Fudge Bar, Ice Cream Sandwich and even the Red Velvet Whoopie Pie (which comes frozen.) All are to die for. Speaking of 2:30 chocolate snack, something I found this week is that by eating the right foods throughout the day helps me maintain a consistent energy and avoid that afternoon slump (which is probably why I would typically eat chocolate to get my blood sugar racing again.) Surprisingly, I never ran out of energy at all this past week. Plan the Food in Your Meals as You Normally Would It's easy to look at the list of Power Fuels and Smart Carbs Nutrisystem lists in the Daily Planner and randomly assign them to your meals. If it seems like an odd match now, it just won't flow when you're off the program. So I chose to make those items fit into the ideal meal. For example, for lunch one day I had the Chicken & Cheese Quesadilla knowing I needed a smart carb and power fuel to go along with it...and squeeze in a serving of veggies. So I sliced up some yellow peppers to eat and also diced some of the slices to add into the quesadilla, added a small amount of lowfat vanilla yogurt and a side of pineapple and papaya to offset the spicy with sweet. The same went for dinner one night when I had the Ginger Cashew Chicken. I chose to pair it with Soy Nuts mixed into the rice and a slice of pita bread. If the complete meal makes sense, it becomes easier to create the correct food pairings that are healthy. Be Ready for Stomach Issues If this is TMI for you, skip to the end, but it's worth the warning. If you are transitioning from being a junk food junkie (me) to a diet high in fiber, be ready for your digestive system to curse you (but then gently tell it that it'll all be worth it in the end.) By day 2, I realized pretty quickly I needed to aid my stomach a bit and quickly acquired Beano. I also plan to take Acidophilus, which you can get at any drugstore, and it is a great probiotic to help with digestive health. Eat Your "Dine Out/Take Meals" When You Normally Would Friday night in my house is always take out night. Typically it would mean Burger King or Pizza. The same goes for Saturday nights when my kids are with their dad and my husband and I are here alone (our favorite is Chinese food.) So last Friday I ate the Italian Herb Flatbread Pizza and Saturday night was the Ginger Cashew Chicken. That way my family doesn't have to feel restricted to my change of diet and I don't have to feel like I'm missing out on my usual non-cooking nights. You Won't Like Everything and That's OK Just as there are foods I am not fond of no matter what (green beans) and I typically don't like overly-saucy meals (mainly those with red sauce), there will be meals from Nutrisystem that you just won't like. There's already a few I know I won't order again, but then there are others where I said out loud "How did I not ever eat this before?! It is SO good!" If you want a heads up, the Fettucini Alfredo is outstanding! And now for my 1-week weight loss: 3.5 pounds! So I started off at 173.5 and now I'm 170. I'm so excited to start this new week knowing that by the end I'll FINALLY be under 170! I hope you are learning along the way as I am! Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure: Sponsored

Five years ago my step-mom, Cindy Crino’s, life changed in an instant. One moment she was a successful science teacher in Hawaii, the next moment she was trapped in a school elevator that crashed three floors down, damaging her spine and spirit. Since that dreadful day in 2008 Cindy’s life path changed forever more as the accident caused permanent disability. No longer able to afford their home, they lost everything they had with the exception of their environmentally friendly cars. Five fighting years later in June 2013 it was those cars that helped them to make their way back to a much-needed family support system on the east coast. I remember visiting my dad and step-mom prior to her accident and, per usual, Cindy looked put-together and displayed a jolly spirit. However, when she arrived to my home this past June 2013 after spending five years in what she calls “the wilderness” of Utah (the first nearest spot they could afford to get to on the mainland after Hawaii) the toll of chronic pain, mild mobility impairment, and still needing to be a caregiver herself was apparent. My arms wrapped around her with a verbal reminder that she was now safe at home, as the tears streamed down our faces. This week a cleanly designed recycled bag of AVEDA's Heart Lands limited edition makeup line for AW13 arrived at my home. I opened the bag with excitement only to be moved by a clearly defined mission statement,

“Our mission at Aveda is to care for the world we live in, from the products we make to the ways in which we give back to society. At Aveda, we strive to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility, not just in the world of beauty, but around the world.”

As an Americorps NCCC alumni and a nurse who believes strongly in treating body, mind, and spirit to achieve well-being and beauty, AVEDA's mission truly grasps the concept of beauty being more than just skin deep. As I scanned through their history, their open descriptions of natural ingredients used in their products, and their obvious vision for promoting holistic care and positive community impact I couldn’t help but be inspired to help transfer AVEDA’s bag of well-being to be that of Cindy’s. Products used: AVEDA Petal Essense Eyeshadow = Lid 991/Antique gold, Crease 989/hyacinth & 990/bronze patina, Outer and lower lid 986/dusk orchid, eye contour 992/juniper, lips lip liner 923/plum petals, lip glaze 921/honeytree My 20 minute makeover using AVEDA’s petal essence and nourish-mint makeup products from the Heart Lands collection on Cindy did wonders…note not only the obvious difference of her finished hair and makeup, but more importantly, the brightness of life that invigorates her smile and lights up her face. I loved turning her around to see her reaction! Cindy said, “Oh my word, oh my word! It is beautiful. I AM beautiful. I think I forgot how to care for myself over these years, but now I see it’s just a little bit of time to help me feel amazing!” It was also funny to me that Cindy noted (without reading my last post Quick Ways to Subside Caregiver Role Strain), “You know Courtney, one of the things that I noticed is that no matter what you have going on you take a little time to care for yourself and keep yourself looking nice. It makes me realize I can do the same too. I don’t have to let myself go anymore.” Were you inspired today? Please share, we LOVE to hear from you and pass along that inspiration to others! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Courtney on G+.

Diet. It's truly an ugly word. To me, it means something that is short term. My goal when deciding to do the Nutrisystem weight loss program was to attain both short term and long term goals. In essence, a lifestyle change. This is my first week (I officially began on Monday July 29: You Had Me at Weight Loss Nutrisystem) and I can honestly say I've learned a lot so far. I'll give you my weigh in on Monday (and yes, only a few days and I've lost weight!) but for now I just wanted to share some things I have learned in just a few short days. Organization I've never been one for meal planning or even charting what I eat. When I received my first shipment of pantry and frozen meals I was overwhelmed. Not to mention, I still had to go shop for grocery items (veggies, fruit, etc.) The Daily Planner that Nutrisystem provides is a lifesaver. It helps me to breakdown (and plan in advance) what my meals each day will be, my smart carbs, power fuels, veggies, how often I'm drinking water and exercising. My household has 5 other people in it (my 4 boys and husband), so it was important to me (and my sanity) to plan my dinner meals along with what they'll be eating. I figure this will help me to feel normalized when eating. For example, I planned one night lasagna for me and lasagna for them, grilled chicken for me, grilled chicken for them. I believe this will help my mindset for when I've met my weight loss goal and resume non-Nutrisystem foods and allowing myself to realize I can eat small, healthy portions of what the rest of the family is eating. Knowing in advance what is considered a smart carb (fruit, berries, whole grain, etc.) and a power fuel (eggs, nut butters, nuts, lowfat yogurt, 1% milk, etc.) is also helpful when at the market. It really helped me to focus in on what I needed to buy and made me pay more attention to the produce aisle. Scheduling Along the lines of organization, learning a new way to live healthy also requires scheduling things! I work from home, so my schedule is fluid. In a typical day I would eat breakfast (typically a very large bowl of Kelloggs cereal) and then snack and snack until dinner time (and those snacks were anything but healthy...I'm looking at you chocolate.) Then around 9 or so, I would indulge in a bowl of ice cream (many times accompanied by a warm brownie/cookie/piece of cake.) On the Nutrisystem weight loss plan you have plenty of opportunities to eat (6 times a day!) and they have ice cream, muffins and other delicious goods to consume so that you're not craving them and go on a binge. I found that using the Daily Planner and scheduling in my meals, water consumption and exercise has helped me tremendously with time management and making sure I am eating the way I am truly supposed to. Smaller Portions, Eating More Often When people think diet, they automatically think about what is being taken away from them. That's why this is a lifestyle change not a diet. Nutrisystem has shown me in just a few short days that I can literally remain full all day by eating more often, just in smaller portion sizes. I honestly was nervous that I would be starving, but that hasn't been the case. Even to the point that it has been difficult to get in 4 servings of veggies per day because I am honestly too full to eat another bite! I'd love to hear from you if you are doing Nutrisystem or are trying to lose weight yourself. What are some things you are learning along the way? Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure: Sponsored