You Can't Weigh Beauty: Redefining Body Image

Happiness Is Not a Body Shape 

I received a great response to my "How to be Confident" blog post last week.  So, this week I decided to talk about something that I myself have always struggled with and that is body image issues.

If you've been following my blog or follow me on social media, you may know that I compete in beauty pageants.  You may be thinking to yourself, "There is no way SHE has body image issues!"  But, what you may not know is that this is something I struggled with for many years.  I am not going to go into any great detail about what I went through because this blog isn't about me... This blog is about learning to stop hating our bodies!  The hate-fest on our bodies needs to stop because all we are really doing when we project that negativity onto ourselves is digging ourselves deep into a dark and gloomy rabbit hole.  My hope is that by the end of this blog, you will no longer feel enslaved by someone else's opinion of how you "should" look.

Whether we realize it or not, we all have some sort of expectation of how our body "should" look.  The media and society tell us ALL the time that in order to be happy, liked, and loved; we need to look certain way.  My challenge to you this month is: instead of focusing on changing your body, focus on celebrating it!

5 Practices to Redefine Your Body Image 

Gratitude. 
Make a list of the things your body enables you do.  I can walk, run, jump, bike, swim, etc.  There are a lot of people who aren't able to do many of the simple things we regularly take for granted.  Reflect on this list when you are frustrated with your body.  Maybe you didn't reach your goal weight this month? or maybe you gained a few pounds.  When you have moments like these, remember your body is pretty dang awesome and be thankful for the amazing things you are able to do! 

Ditch Social Media.
Oh, social media!  One of my favorite quotes is, "Don't compare your behind the scenes with other people's highlight reel."  Do NOT beat yourself up and compare yourself with others... especially based on their social media posts.  Many people only post the positive and not the negative in life. There are a few times each year when I take a break from all social media.  It influences us so much more than we know and I think it's important to step away from it every now and then.

Mirror Talk. 
A lot of us look in the mirror and often think thoughts such as:
I'm fat 
I hate my stomach 
I wish my thighs were smaller 
If I could lose this much weight, I would be happy 
I hate my arms 
These pants make me look fat 
My skin is ugly  
This needs to stop! For the month of March, I encourage you to start looking in the mirror and telling yourself, "I am beautiful inside and out."  Sweet talk yourself up... talk to yourself the way you want to be talked to by others! Tell yourself how beautiful you are!

Ditch the enablers 
We are bombarded daily with pictures of photoshopped bodies that are simply unrealistic.  The media plays a huge role in bringing down our self-esteem but they are not the only ones responsible! Our family and friends play a role as well.  Make sure you are surrounding yourself with people who are supporting, uplifting, and motivating you!

True Beauty 
Remember that true beauty is not skin deep.  Sparkling From The Inside Out was titled this way because I truly believe that we must work on the inside in order to shine on the outside.  Beauty has nothing to do with your body, it has everything to do with your mind!

Keep in mind that the key to happiness isn't having a perfect body, the secret is learning to love your body and creating a positive self image.  A healthy body serves little purpose without a healthy mind to accompany it.

XoXo 
Ashley 

How to be Confident

How to be Confident 

I AM 

Confident 

Passionate 

Enthusiastic 

Born with a Purpose 

Confidence is the foundation for everything in life.  Whether you have a an interview for a new job, are going on a date, giving a presentation in class, or performing for an audience,  making your presence known and leaving a lasting impression with everyone you meet, is a powerful trait.  Having confidence makes your feel more valuable and ultimately leads to more success in EVERY aspect of your life!    

There are so many people who live everyday with self-limiting beliefs.  No one controls your confidence but YOU, which means at any given time, you can become more confident… you can become the person you have always wanted to be.  Don’t settle for what is, strive for what could be!  You are a gift, meant to do great things on this earth. I hope by the end of this post you feel inspired and confident to take on the world! 

Stop comparing yourself to others  

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” -Theodore Roosevelt 

We are each beautiful in our own unique way.  To spend one second comparing ourselves to someone else is unfair. There is a sense of freedom you get when you stop competing and start appreciating.  When you start comparing yourself to others, you start to lose confidence in yourself!  Don’t let anyone rob you of reaching your full potential.  

Fake it till you make it. 

One of my favorite quotes is, “change your thoughts, change your world.”  Our thoughts are much more powerful than we could ever imagine.  What we think is literally what we become.  Imitating confidence will not only trick everyone around you into thinking that you in fact confident, but it will also send signals from your brain to your body that you are confident! So stand up straight, hold your head up high, and put on a smile! Before you know it, everyone around you will think you are expert… including yourself! 

Journal 

I know journaling seems like a thing of the past, but I find it so important.  You don’t have to write long novels every single night, but try writing down the things that you accomplish every week.  It doesn’t have to be some grand gesture… maybe you turned down a cookie at the office this week and that made you proud! Write down anything that makes you feel accomplished.  Then, whenever you are feeling down or disappointed, look back in your journal.  Your frown will start to turn upside down!  

Channel your favorite celebrity

When you find yourself feeling like you are in a less-than state of mind, think of a person who you admire!  The positive qualities that we look up to in our favorite celebrities not only empower us but they also push us to become the best version of ourselves we can possibly be! Take a second to think about someone who makes you want to be a better person, write down the qualities that attract you to them, and think of that person when you find yourself feeling nervous! 

Stay Positive 

I start each day with writing down 5 things I am grateful for.  There is something about starting your day with gratitude that really changes your perspective.  Being able to start your day with such an uplifting and positive outlook on life, sets you up for success! 

Accept your mistakes 

Mistakes are inevitable… the best thing you can do is move on!  Always remember… “Every setback is a setup for comeback!” And don't be so hard on yourself... a 90% is still an A! 

Exercise

Elle Woods once said, “Exercise gives you endorphins.  Endorphins make you happy..”  and she was right! Working out makes you feel so much better!  When you feel good you, look good, and when you look good, you feel good!  Even if you can only workout 20 minutes a day, make it happen.  You will thank yourself later!  

Love yourself 

As I mentioned earlier, our thoughts are powerful.  They feed our soul, and nourish our body.  Make sure the energy you are sending yourself is positive. Thinking negative thoughts is just like eating junk food.  They start to poison us from the inside out.  The best way to change your thought process is to start writing daily affirmations.  I encourage you to spend the next 30 days writing something positive down, 10 times a day.  It can be anything you want… as long as it’s encouraging and celebrating you!  

When we achieve self-confidence, we know who we are and appreciate ourselves for it.  I truly believe that once self-confidence is running through our veins, we start to make better choices and decisions in life.  Whether we like it or not, our confidence effects how we live and enjoy our life.    With dedication and determination… we can achieve ANYTHING!  Never let your will to succeed, die down!  

Always do something to keep that fire in your belly burning!  

XoXo 

Ashley 

My Favorite Beauty Products $10 and Under!

Good Morning and Happy Monday! 

Y'all are in for a treat this week! One of my very best friends (who happens to be one of THE BEST makeup artists in Albuquerque) is sharing her favorite products that we can buy at the drugstore! Makeup can be expensive but today miss Amanda Castro is dishing on all her favorite beauty products that are $10 and under! I hope you enjoy!

p.s. Amanda got me ready for Miss New Mexico! Here are some pictures of her work! 

Hello! My name is Amanda Castro.  I am a freelance makeup artist in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  I have always had a passion for makeup and helping others, today I intend on taking advantage of that by sharing “My Favorite Beauty Products $10 and Under!”  I believe that when it comes to beauty/makeup you don’t have to spend a ton of money on products when some of the best products you can find are at your nearest drugstore!  I hope that you find this helpful and if you just aren’t pleased with these products don’t be afraid to venture out and try different products! We are all different and like different things! I hope that you all have been enjoying 2015 so far and are Sparkling From The Inside Out!

My Favorite Beauty Products $10 and Under!


Revlon Colorstay Liquid Foundation

If you are looking for a FULL coverage foundation then this is just for you!  I have had a long battle with acne and on days where I am looking to really cover up those pesky pimples and scars this is my go to product!  I have been using this for about 2 years now and I STILL love it. 

L’oreal Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara

Okay! Let’s discuss lashes!  If you are looking for a mascara that will LENGTHEN your eyelashes then this product might be what you are looking for!  I have used this mascara for about 7 years and I can’t get enough!  I always recommend it to people who are looking to try something different and their response has always been positive. 

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Nude Peach

If you love a classic pink lip then you will love this lip gloss.  I think it is great on all skin tones and I use it on my clients all the time.  It’s a great product to use on it’s own or on top of a lipstick of your choice.  (NYX is sold at Target & Ulta it is a GREAT brand and I highly recommend trying their products!)

Up & Up Makeup Removing Cleansing Towelettes

At the end of the day when you are ready to take your makeup off it is VERY important that you start by removing all your makeup with a makeup remover.  This is such an important step when it comes to your skin!  If you aren’t removing your makeup from the surface and skip to washing your face you aren’t removing an entire days worth of makeup.  Yikes!  I was very lazy with my skin care routine and this step definitely helped with my acne.  I personally love these towelettes because they are so moist and I don’t feel like I need to scrub my face just to get my makeup off. 
Rimmel Long Lasting Pressed Powder

If your skin tends to be on the oily side then I suggest finding a matte powder that you can set your foundation with.  I love this pressed powder because it keeps my face looking smooth and less oily throughout the entire day.  This powder is light so you don’t have to worry about looking “cakey”.  Just take a clean fluffy powder brush and dab onto your skin and you are ready to go!

Elf Matte Lip Color in Natural

This lip color is one of my favorites!  It goes great paired with neutral/pink lip gloss on top.  The color works great for an every day lip and even for a date night.  If you tend to have dry lips I suggest moisturizing your lips with a chapstick of your choice the day before wearing this or at the very least before you go to bed.

Elf Smudge Brush

This brush is awesome if you are having trouble smoothing out your makeup near the bottom lash line.  It is small and perfect for smudging/smoothing your eyeshadow or eyeliner in those super hard to reach areas on the bottom lash line!

Elf Defining Brush

I love this brush because it is created at an angle to help define the outer corners of the eyes.  I use this on my clients all the time especially when I want the eye to look smokey on the outer corners of the eyelid.  It is soft and super affordable! Need I say more?

I hope you enjoyed this blog! If you have any questions regarding beauty products or applications, you can either send me a message on facebook or Ashley can give you my information! You can also follow me on Instagram at mob_likeacastro 

XoXo 

Amanda 

February Challenge – Start Simple – The Key is Consistency

February Challenge

-Start Simple-

The Key is Consistency

Adding a pop of color to your life never hurts

Many of you have sent me messages saying you’ve tried to complete a juice cleanse, but you can’t make it through the end of the day without getting hungry & eating solid food.  If you are thinking to yourself, “yep… that’s me!” Don’t worry… you are not alone! My best advise to you is to start slow!  Here is a challenge for the month of February.  I have designed 3 phases, all of which are extremely beneficial.  You can start at phase one and stay there for the entire month OR you can graduate from phase to phase throughout the month.

Phase One:   Drink 1 fresh or cold pressed juice (16 ounces or more) first thing in the morning, throughout the entire month

Phase Two:  Drink 1 fresh or cold pressed juice (16 ounces or more) first thing in the morning & then another one for your mid-morning snack, throughout the entire month

Phase Three:  Drink 1 fresh or cold pressed juice (16 ounces or more) first thing in the morning, a 2^nd one for your mid-morning snack, and then a 3^rd one for either lunch or your afternoon snack, throughout the entire month

Graduating from phase to phase:  Spend a week at level one, the next week at level two, and the next week at level three.  

At the end of each week, express some gratitude & appreciation for your accomplishment.  You are doing amazing things for body that should be celebrated!  Sometimes it can even be helpful to add a reward or consequence.  If you complete level one, reward yourself at the end of the week with a new shirt or a manicure.   If you mess up, your consequence might be that you are not allowed on social media for 3 days. (that's always my personal consequence!)

Speaking of messing up… If you do happen to fall off track one day, don’t beat yourself up.  We are human and we all make mistakes!  Don’t let one little tiny moment of weakness ruin your challenge for the entire month.  Brush it off and remember that each day is a NEW day.  Get right back on track the following day and keep reaching for your goals!  

If you have a juice extractor and plan to make your own fresh juice, the easiest way is to buy produce in bulk, juice 3-4 days at a time & store in mason jars.

If you don’t own a juice extractor, you can purchase cold pressed juices at Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or Squeezed Juice Bar.  You can also purchase freshly extracted juice at both Squeezed or Juice It Up.   Keva Juice has a few selections of freshly extracted juice, however keep in mind that if you order one with orange juice, they buy their orange juice from Odwalla & it’s not freshly extracted.  

Trader Joe's Cold Press Juices 

Whole Foods Cold Press Juices

As for the rest of your meals and snacks, try to stay as healthy as possible, but remember...BABY STEPS.   Your goal this month is to create a new healthy habit.   Don’t overwhelm yourself with so many diet restrictions and workout schedules that you quit a few days into your challenge.  And if you fall off track for a day, it’s not a reason to give up for the remainder of the month.  Be aware & make the right choices!

   

Your health is your most prized possession!  Take the actions you need to take to create the results you want. 

Summer Bodies are Made in the Winter 

The summer will be here before we know it! Just reminder that summer is only 3 months away. Don't spend this summer wishing you had started today! Be healthy and take care of your body and there never will be a "bikini season" 

I would love to see your photos and progress! Please tag me in any photos and use the hashtag  #sparklingfromtheinsideout 

Thanks for reading this week! Hope you enjoyed it :) 

XoXo 

Ashley 

5 Beauty Products I Love

5 Beauty Products I Love 

These are some of my all time favorite beauty products that I use daily!  For me, these products were game changers that became my essentials.  These are some of the very best beauty products on the market, in my opinion! I love them, I use them, and I recommend them!  

Chi Silk Infusion

This stuff is the real deal.  I have naturally curly hair, so whenever I straighten my hair, I try to avoid as much damage as possible. I ALWAYS use Chi Silk Infusion when straightening my hair.  I have tried many other serums when styling my hair and this is by far my favorite.  This product protects your hair from heat damage AND makes your hair feel silky and look shiny.  I can notice a big difference whenever I straighten my hair without using it. I also like this serum because it’s thin… it doesn’t leave your hair with that greasy feeling, which a lot of other serums do. It's a little expensive, however one bottle lasts forever.  I usually only use a small amount (dime size) before blow drying and then another small amount before flat ironing or curling.  

(Link Here...Sold at most drug stores) 

Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer 

I use to think that eye shadow primer wasn’t necessary until I tried Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion.  I love this primer because it makes your eye shadow last all day and night.  This product does a fantastic job of keeping your makeup in place!  Your eye shadow will not crease, budge, or fade! This primer has the best balance when it comes to texture.  It’s creamy, and easy to apply without being too creamy.  It’s easy to blend and a little bit goes a long way.  One tube lasts about a year with daily use! 

(Link Here...Sold at Sephora and Ulta) 

There are four different “potions” I prefer the Eden because it’s a matte primer.  The others have shimmer in them.   

Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheet 

I don’t like to re-apply makeup throughout the day so these babies are my saving grace.  Each pack comes with 50 sheets that you can blot your face with, removing the oil but not removing your makeup!  I have pretty oily skin, so I keep a pack of these in my purse and use them throughout the day.  I really dislike re-applying make up on an already dirty face, I think it’s harmful to the skin.  When I can do something to avoid a breakout, I take advantage of it! Love these things… I have been using them for years.  

(Link Here...Sold at most drug stores)

Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara 

 I looovveeee this mascara! It’s the best mascara on the market.  I have used several other name brand mascaras from expensive make up stores and I ALWAYS come back to this mascara.  The brush is perfect, very easy to apply.  I like the carbon black because it’s very black, giving your eye lashes a dramatic look.  It doesn’t flake, it comes off easily, it's not too thin or thick. I feel like it adds volume, length, doesn’t clump, and applies evenly! It’s just a really good mascara!  Whenever I go on modeling jobs, I check out the makeup artists collection of makeup and this specific mascara is used by almost all make up artists.   

(Link Here...Sold at most drug stores)

Instant Bronzer Shimmer Powder 

I received this as a gift years ago and have continued to purchase it ever since! I love this stuff… I don’t use it daily but I do use it a lot.  I love to dust myself in it for a little extra glow.  I feel like it gives my skin a pretty, sun kissed look! I usually sweep it on my chest, shoulders, arms and legs depending on what I’m wearing.  

(Link Here...Sold at Victoria’s Secret) 

I hope your week is off to a fabulous start and that you enjoyed this blog! 

I am very excited to share more of my beauty tips and tricks with you all! 

Xoxo 

Ashley 

Juicers I Recommend

Here is a short list of juicers that I recommend.  There are several other juicers on the market that most likely work just fine.  This list that I am sharing with you all are juicers that I have either used personally, or someone close to me has used and I know it works.  I also listed juicers that are reasonably priced.  There are definitely juicers on the market which are more expensive that are probably fantastic!  Again, this is just a small list of juicers that I know get the job done. 

The biggest thing to look out for when purchasing a juicer is that you are buying a JUICE EXTRACTOR and not a BLENDER.  

The Breville Juice Fountain Mulit-Speed $199.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond (make sure and use the 20% off coupon)

This is the one that I have used for over a year! 

The Jack Lalane $99.00 at Bed Bath and Beyond (make sure and use the 20% off coupon)

The Juice Bullet by Magic Bullet $79.00 at Target 

The Black and Decker $29.99 at Wal-Mart 

***Just a heads up with this juicer... the mouth (where you enter the fruit/veggies) is VERY SMALL.  You have to cut your fruit into very tiny pieces in order to get everything through.  I warn you about this only because juicing is a process and the more cutting you have to do, the longer it is going to take.  I only recommend this juicer because of the price ... not because of the efficiency.  If you decide to go with this juicer, please keep in mind that juicing would be WAY easier with another juicer that has a wider mouth! 

*** All of these juicers can also be found on amazon and craigslist! 

BLENDING: Everyone always asks me about the Nutribullet, Vitamix, and the Ninja.  Both the Nutribullet and the Ninja are smoothie makers.  What goes into them is exactly what comes out. There is no extracting involved. The main difference between a blender and juicer is the final product.  The texture and taste of a juice and smoothie are completely different. I've tried the same recipe in both a blender and a juicer and they tasted completely different. With a smoothie you are going to be getting more fiber because all of the pulp is left in the drink. 

Majority of the recipes on my blog are designed for juicers not blenders.  If you try to duplicate a recipe in your blender, it will most likely overflow! You will need to cut the ingredients WAY down in a blender and the taste for my recipes will be completely different as a smoothie because they were intended to be made as juices. 

JUICING: The sole purpose of a juicer is to extract the water and nutrients from fruits and vegetables. The produce will be fed through a strainer, which extracts all the liquid nutrients, and vitamins. Once the juicing process is done, you’re left with a liquid version of all your fruits and veggies, making it a lot easier to get your daily dose of nutrients. (Plus, it’s a lot easier to down a quick glass of veggies rather than trying to sit down and eat an entire plate full of vegetables!)  Juicing fruits and veggies provides us with a hefty dose of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that immediately nourishes our cells.  When you are juicing your final product should be 100% liquid with no pulp. 

I hope this clears up some of your questions.  I personally JUICED in order to lose the 40 pounds I lost, which is why I am so passionate about juicing.  There are benefits to both juicing and blending.  Like anything in life, balance is key! A good balance between juicing and blending will be life changing! 

Thank you for reading & keep sparkling!

xoxo 

Ashley