A Mostly In Kind of Day With Neila Rey and Chicken Soup. Maybelline’s 24 Hour Super Stay Lip Colour.


Here at SSG Manor, we’re being proactive about cabin fever.  The weather isn’t the greatest today and the aim of today is to recharge and recuperate for the last working day of the week.  
I’ve hit that predictable stage with the gym where it’s been a bit more hate than love of late.  I think it’s boredom more than anything else.  Getting in some exercise always leaves me feeling better no matter how apathetic I am when I start.  It’s a mental break from the never ending responsibility and increasing complexity of adult life and the physical challenge of constantly being on the move leaves my body feeling ready to face even the worst that the coming day could offer.
So this week, I’ve decided to add a few of Neila Rey’s bodyweight training programmes into my routine.  I’ve linked to Neila’s excellent website which features sections on general fitness, running, fitness challenges and work outs.  The challenges and work outs are presented as clearly illustrated and very user friendly pages that you can download for free in PDF format.  You can search for work outs according to fitness goals and areas of the body that you wish to focus on.  Each routine is accompanied by a write up on key areas that the work out targets.
So far, I’ve attempted the Super Saiyan and Black Widow workouts (it’s worth browsing the workout section for the names alone) along with segments from the 30 Days of  HIIT and 30 Days of Cardio Blast fitness programs.  I like that each circuit is doable and easy to time or count along to.  There’s a suggested rest period in between circuits which I’ve been spending in stretches and then a guide as to how many times to repeat the circuit dependent on your level of fitness.
Some of the core aims of Neila’s website are that fitness should be freely available to all regardless of your age and circumstances.  There are even a couple of programmes designed for the NHS.
Minimal equipment is needed to complete the workouts (pillows and sofas are used in some) and it’s possible to complete them in your lounge room.  The user forum offers tips on how to intensify specific workouts.
There is a separate and expanding video library of the moves each work out requires.  They’re short and easy to follow.

In the true spirit of do it yourself at home fitness, I printed out the PDFs and put them in plastic pocket books (I think that’s the technical name for them).  None of this iPad training business for me.  It hurts my eyes to look at screens so early in the morning.

And the pom poms?  They’re my toddler safe circuit counters.  As I draw that first gasp of air after finishing a circuit, I reach into a jar for a pom pom and when I see ten on the table, I know my work is done.

I am not familiar at all with Michelle Bridge’s programmes so I can’t compare Neila’s site to Michelle’s.  There is a donation button on Neila’s site which I’ve clicked given the amount I’ve downloaded from her.

Have you tried a Neila workout?  How about Michelle’s 12WBT?  How’s your progress been?

Toddler SSG has been fighting cabin fever with some energetic interpretive dance to his favourite Wiggles’ tunes.  We do a mean ‘Rock-a-Bye Your Bear’ together.

I’ve been repurposing my favourite OPI red (Big Apple Red, of course) and labelling all manner of things which Sharpies can’t.  Like toddler Crocs and new mugs for the work kitchen.

In other news from the beauty world, it was three for the price of two Maybelline day at Priceline today.  I got talking to a fellow customer at my local store and she converted me to Maybelline’s 2 step lip colour, Super Stay 24 Hour 2 Step Lipcolor ($22.95 each).

The lip colour is applied in your standard brush manner.  The colour is easy to work with and though you need a couple of coats of the lighter shades (020 Continuous Coral) for an even finish, it doesn’t cake unevenly.  It does take a little while to dry completely though, a couple of minutes.

Excuse the bandaid.  It’s been a trying day in the kitchen.

The gloss finish is in stick form which is much easier to work with than Rimmel’s version.  Look, no colour transfer from the lip colour!  No complaints from me, so far.  Great range of colours and a surprisingly rich looking finish on the lip.  No colour transfer onto mugs and no colour bleed around the lips after several hours’ wear.  My lips also feel as if they’ve just got lipstick on rather than that mask like feel of other long lasting lip colour products.  But the biggest plus of all?  You can sneak a cheeky coat of your own lip balm over the top if you’re out during the day without the proper gloss coat.

Well done, Maybelline!  And at not too steep a price too.

Of course there were hot drinks to be had after a morning of successful shopping and in Toddler SSG’s case, upward climbing through a spiral slide.  It’s amazing how children co-operate with minimal injury and tears when spiral slides are involved.  Everyone somehow gets to where they want to go no matter how dangerous it looks to parents.

And then it was home for some day off batch cooking.  Today’s recipe was this highly recommended Chicken, Vegetable and Pasta Soup from bestrecipes.  Chicken soup being Jewish penicillin and all.

It’s always a good feeling when everything fits into your saucepan.  I like how this chicken soup featured bacon and leek along with my favourite soup vegetables – carrot and celery.

Because chicken thighs were used, the meat ended up being on the chewy and tender side rather than the soft shredded meat you get with a chicken breast based soup.  Stirring in that Parmesan definitely adds a little something to the taste.  I didn’t add the spinach that the recipe called for but added extra celery instead.

And that’s about it from cabin fever HQ.  Fingers crossed we’re all free to fly the coop tomorrow!

Take care and the vitamins, remember your vitamins or the Jewish penicillin!


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