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My Self-Care Journey with Noom Diet Plan; Getting Healthy Inside and Out

Noom Diet Plan

July 17, 2020

Laureen

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Location: Washington State USA

Goals Girl

I am a goals driven woman. I have always been this way. It has both positive and negative effects. When I was a career woman, sometimes my drive was perceived in a negative way by those who don’t work in this same manner. I don’t have those people to worry about anymore, and setting specific goals has been paramount in getting me through lockdown and quarantine. I set a self-care goal and gave it my nearly undivided attention. My self-care journey with Noom diet plan, getting healthy inside and out, has been a success. Here is how I did it.

(Please note this blog includes affiliate links with Noom, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and join Noom Diet Plan.

As we flew in an empty 787 across the planet during the height of the pandemic, I spent my airplane time trying to imagine what it was going to be like back in the USA. We had been gone for seven months, and stuck in Cyprus for two months. Nothing was the same, and my once highly controlled and organized life had fallen into chaos. If the pandemic has taught me anything it’s that I really am not in control. It’s been a silver-lining lesson.

Noom Diet Plan — Our last day in Cyprus at about 177 pounds late April

The only thing I knew for sure was I was going to have a lot of free time on my hands. And so my overly active goal-setting brain began to percolate ideas.

Diving Right In

Jet lag had me awake at 3:30am on my first night back in the USA. Wide awake I began to explore online skin care, specifically the TimeWise products I had been reading about. See that blog here. But soon I moved on to researching Hal Higdon’s Marathon Training Program (see that blog here), healthy immunity boosting foods (see that blog here), and Noom Weight loss program.

Without too much effort, I had laid out a plan for my personal self-care goals that for the next three months would focus on bringing me back to a healthy, active, confident and inspired Fab Fifties Life.

Becoming a Noomer – My Self-Care Journey with Noom Diet Plan

The Noom Weight Loss program is one I had been hearing about, and I knew several people who had been successful on the program. I debated about spending the money (about $260), telling myself I had the knowledge to lose weight, from all those other weight loss programs I had done over the years. But what I knew down deep in my heart, I needed some motivation and something to keep me accountable. So I signed up and began my self-care journey with Noom diet plan.

Best decision ever.

What is Noom? Well, before I explain it from my perspective, please go back and read the very first sentence in this blog. What does it say?

I am a goals driven woman.

I ask you to read it again, BECAUSE my ability to focus on my goals is why I have been successful on Noom. Because Noom is not going to do it for you. Noom is a tool to ASSIST you in personalized healthy eating plan that should help you lose weight. BUT IT’S HARD WORK. Yes, I said it. Losing weight is hard work. And although Noom is designed to be entertaining, educational, and inspiring, you will only be successful if you set goals and and DO THE WORK – EVERY DAY.

My Goals

I started out my self-care journey with Noom diet plan using the Noom app to determine my weight-loss goals and how fast I thought I could accomplish it. I was very realistic in my goal setting, choosing both specific and achievable goals that included a target weight and work out plans. Knowing how much harder it is to lose weight at sixty than it was twenty years ago, I considered all the factors in my day to day life in search of realistic goals I could set for myself.

The next thing I did was create an action plan. For me this was just in my head but some people might want to write it down. It took me about two weeks to feel I was following my action plan effectively with daily workouts, nutrition study and focusing on well-being and mindfulness through both Noom and other online programs, lessons and videos.

Weight loss on Noom — My personal weight loss chart

I dropped 12 pounds before I began to share online that I was on Noom. I needed that time to find my rhythm and feel confident. Sharing your goals helps keep you accountable and also helps you find like-minded goal setters who can be part of your support system.

Today, my sharing continues and I am thrilled to have inspired several friends to join Noom and give it a try.

Comparison

Let me compare Noom to Weight Watchers. Now to be fair, I have not done online Weight Watchers but I did successfully lose weight on Weight Watchers many moons ago. I know a lot of people have used Weight Watchers in the past, so I’ll use it here as comparative. Noom is designed very close to how Weight Watchers is laid out. On Noom you are tracking your intake of food every day. On the app the foods will be designated a caloric number (instead of points) and will be put into one of three categories; green, yellow and red. I liked this part very much and here is why;

Watching what I ate each day and learning the caloric count was such an eye opener to me. I was fascinated to learn if I need a little snack I can eat a whole dill pickle for 4 calories, or a granola bar for 180 calories. That’s a no brainer. I also liked seeing the green, yellow, red foods at the end of the day. It helped me to recognize that some red foods (cheese, meat, hummus,nuts, oils) I have been eating more of, so I should cut back on and add more green foods (vegetables, fruit, fish, yogurt). Noom also has a library of recipes on the app, easy and at your fingertips.

Like Weight Watchers, Noom has a community you can get involved in, or if you don’t want to you can blow that part off. There is an online coach who checks in with you and you can ask your coach specific questions. The coach puts out daily challenges and there are daily “stories” to read that cover a wide variety of psychological, physical and science-based information about our bodies, our brains and weight loss. I thought it was well presented.

weight loss — Noom Weight Loss weighing in everyday

One major difference between Noom and Weight Watchers is that on Noom they want you to step on the scale EVERY DAY! What? At first I thought that was ridiculous. Back in my Weight Watcher days you weighed in once a week (it was always kinda scary). But on Noom I weigh each morning and log the results on the app along with my food intake and also exercise. And I really learned to LIKE weighing everyday, and watching my body slim down oz by oz. I found it exciting and motivating.

Now for exercise. You aren’t required to exercise, but if you do you can add that to your daily log and then your daily calorie goal will automatically be adjusted. This I think is one of the reasons I was able to lose more than twenty pounds in two months…I was working out a lot. But like I said, you can work out a little or not at all, but your weight loss will be slower and calorie intake more restricted.

Day In The Life

Let me share my day in the life on Noom. Wake up usually around 6am. I always go pee before I step on the scale. Then I make coffee and take it back to bed, where I open the app, record my weight and read the challenges and stories and teachings for the day. As you progress through Noom the daily lessons become more interesting and are filled with science and psychology.

weight loss breakfast — Noom diet plan breakfast

Next I go for my run and then come back for breakfast. Almost every morning I have a bowl filled with fruits, spinach, carrots, nuts, rice or grains and yogurt. I also have a hard boiled egg. It totals about 350 calories.

Then I go about my day. I rarely eat lunch but I’ll have a piece of fruit, or maybe a slice of lunch meat as a snack. Sometimes I might have a pickle, or some carrots. Occasionally if I am really hungry I’ll have some soup. I record this all on the app. I drink water throughout the day and I almost always have a cup of herbal tea in the afternoon. It fills me up and warms me up. Sometimes I have another cup in the evening. Zero calories.

Since we don’t eat lunch, we usually have dinner early around 4-5pm. Dinner is often fish, veg, grains. Sometimes chicken or pork. We eat several different kinds of veg at dinner. I will occasionally have a gin and tonic or a beer but not too often. I record all this on the app. We have eaten out a few times, but with the lockdown I was on Noom for many weeks before eating out was even an option. But when we have eaten out I record it and adjust my exercise or my calorie intake.

After dinner I don’t eat again until about 9am the next morning.

Surprises

I have stopped eating most dairy and have limited my bread. The most surprising thing of all is I have stopped having heartburn. So, I’ve been able to get off the omeprazole heartburn medicine I have been taking every day for YEARS! Because of my heartburn I also used to drink a Coke often when I had indigestion or heartburn. I haven’t had a Coke in three months. Boom.

Recap

So let’s recap. My Lockdown Self-Care Journey has focused on skin care, running, healthy eating and weight loss. I am going to need to stay focused on each of these goals, or lose traction and end up back where I started.

One of Noom’s goal setting tools

I acknowledge that the fact I am retired, I have a lot more free time than many people. But, if you are serious about getting healthy and making yourself your number one priority, then you might choose one or all of these goals I am working on and begin your own Self Care Journey. Your goals will look different than mine. You know what you want. But Noom will only work if you make it a priority. It’s not magic.

I’ve had a few people say to me they don’t have time because of their job. Yes your job takes a lot of time. But what are the other excuses you are using? Boards and committees? Watching television? Projects around the house? There is ALWAYS something…in your goal setting you need to prioritize what it important and maybe weight loss just isn’t important to you. And that’s okay. Just don’t sign up for Noom or any other program and say it didn’t work for you, when the reality is you didn’t make it a priority. Wait until you are ready.

I’m here to help. Ask me questions in the comments or message me privately. Join me on this healthy journey while we wait to find out how our life in post-Covid is going to look. Let’s do all we can to take care of our physical, emotional and mental health as we live through this stressful time.

Courage my friends. Be well.

(Please note this blog includes affiliate links with Noom, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and join Noom Diet Plan.

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Reading Wednesday

Book Review A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell

July 15, 2020

Laureen

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I have read dozens, perhaps hundreds of World War II stories. I thought I had heard it all. But my book review A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell captures a remarkable tale. A story of an amazing, brave and determined American woman, who has gotten lost in history, despite the very important role she played.

I have never heard the name Virginia Hall. And yet thousands owe her their lives. And countries owe her their freedom. American Virginia Hall was the most unlikely of heroines and spies. The most unlikely of people to lead the French resistance against the Gestapo and live to tell about.

It’s almost like a dime store novel – a one legged beautiful woman who nearly single handedly takes down a regime. But it’s not a dime store novel. It’s a true story of a significant hero whose story has been left untold until now.

The odds were against her. She was gorgeous, smart and brave. But she also was a woman, with a disability. Somehow she percivered and changed the course of history.

My only complaint about this book is it was a bit dry…lots of detail. I wish it could have been written less in a chronological historic tone and more in a spy novel thriller tone…because it was all of that, but some readers might find it too detailed.

I enjoyed learning about this amazing woman, and wish she could have been recognized more publicly before her death.

****Four stars for A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell.

Read last week’s review of The Magic Circle

My current read Stamped from the Beginning

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Wild Caught Alaska Salmon

Fresh, Delicious and Delivered Right to Your Door! Salmon Recipes Included.

July 10, 2020

Laureen

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Location: Washington State USA

Back in the day…

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest in the 1960’s and 70’s. Back in the day, salmon was cheap, local, abundant and taken for granted. Today, salmon is not as abundant in the waters of the Puget Sound. In fact, growing up with fresh salmon, oysters, clams, Dungeness crab and many other stars of the sea right in my backyard, I know now, we took it all for granted. This is how I have falling in love with wild caught Alaska salmon.

Fast forward forty years and as I travel around the world in my nomad life (currently on pause due to that inconvenient little virus), from Malaysia to Spain, I’ve run across some truly remarkable, unique and delicious fish I was never familiar with before. And I’ve also learned that most people around the world are eating farm raised salmon…that disgusting excuse of a fish. It’s why I never order salmon in a restaurant anymore unless it says wild caught Alaska salmon.

Back home in Washington State I don’t buy fish in my grocery store much either, because it is either Atlantic farm raised or thawed from previously frozen – and I’m unclear of how long ago that might have been. Did you know approximately 91% of the seafood that the United States consumes is imported from overseas? A significant portion of that fish is un-sustainably farmed. It is harmful to the environment and unhealthy for humans. Gross.

There used to be a woman in my hometown of Gig Harbor who had a small business selling wild Alaska salmon her husband caught in the summer. But she is no longer operating which led me to go searching for other options.

And boom. There it is. I discovered the Wild Alaskan Company. Best Google search ever!

Wild Alaskan Company

What a great story this company has. A family run, sustainably fished, environmentally conscious business with an amazing product you can have delivered right to your door. What you say? No joke. And, the customer service is remarkable.

I’ve been a member now for two months and we are eating so healthy having this beautiful fish in my freezer. Wild Alaskan offers monthly membership (cancel anytime), with door to door delivery of your choice of a box of salmon, or white fish, or mixed. I am currently enjoying the mixed which includes coho, sockeye, cod and halibut. I did a special order too of sable fish (often called Black Cod). Wild Alaskan salmon is always frozen soon after it’s caught to lock in that fresh taste. You want it frozen – that’s what makes it taste fresh. Seems weird but it works.

Wild Alaskan has given me an affiliate relationship, which means at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and join the fish club. AND if you use this link you will get $15 off your first order! So please check out the recipes I am providing to you below and place your order for your first box, and get cooking and enjoying unique and sustainable wild caught Alaskan fish – the best in all the world.

Watch for a blog in a couple weeks all about recipes for white fish. Meanwhile enjoy these;

Simply Salmon

Frankly when the fish is this fresh, it really doesn’t need much done to it, and that is why Simply Salmon is one of my favorite preparations, especially in the summer. Easy and delicious

Serves Two

Two 6 oz Fillets Wild Alaskan Salmon thawed and placed on foil

Smear one teaspoon of butter on each

Squeeze juice of one lemon over all

Salt and pepper to taste.

Wrap salmon up in the foil leaving a vent at the top and place on hot BBQ for about five – seven minutes, test it for doneness it may need a few more minutes but be sure not to overcook.

Enjoy.

Smothered Salmon

Salmon recipes — Smothered salmon going into the oven

Baked salmon — Smothered salmon over a bed of barley salad with warm vinegaret

This recipe works both for the BBQ or the oven and we have served this both summer and winter.

Serves Two

Two 6 oz fillets Wild Alaskan Salmon thawed

Place salmon skin side down on a foil covered cookie sheet if using the oven, or on a large enough piece of foil to put on the BBQ

In a separate bowl mix two tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of coarse ground dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese

Smear each piece of salmon with mixture and bake at 350 degrees or BBQ until done.

Squeeze of lemon before serving

Salmon Lox

One of my favorite breakfasts in the world is lox and bagels with cream cheese, until recently when I learned that much of the lox I have been eating is farm raised. So I made up this recipe for my own.

Two 6 oz fillets Wild Alaskan Salmon thawed

Set the salmon on your cutting board and let air-dry for about 20 minutes. Then pour one teaspoon of good gin over each fillet. Let sit for another ten minutes.

Meanwhile in small bowl mix 1.5 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1-2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper, preferably a mix of black, white and red peppercorns (I use my mortar and pestle for this)

1/3 cup fresh chopped dill fronds

Place one salmon fillet skin side down on large piece of cellophane. Top with sugar mixture. Place second piece of salmon on top of it – skin side up – to make a salmon sandwich. Wrap tightly in cellophane, use another piece of cellophane if necessary to seal it.

Place the salmon in a shallow dish such as a pie plate then top with another dish big enough to hold several cans of beans or tomatoes or whatever you have. These will serve as a weight. Place in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, turning once or twice a day and draining the liquid that collects in the dish.

Slice then and Eat!

Salmon Pie

Well, having salmon leftovers is really unusual, but if you find yourself in such a situation, this is an old family recipe from my husband’s side of the family. It was one of my kid’s favorite things when they were growing up.

Serves Four

In the bottom of a deep dish nine inch pie shell layer one cup of cheddar cheese. Take about 2 cups of cooked salmon broken into pieces and toss with 1 tablespoon of flour. Layer the mixture on top of the cheddar cheese.

Chop one bunch of green onions including tops and sauté in two tablespoons of butter. To this mixture and on medium heat add one can cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon dry dill and 1/8 teaspoon white pepper. Cook until combined and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in two eggs. Pour mixture over the top of the salmon and cheese in the pie shell. Place the pie on a cookie sheet then bake for 30 min in a 325 degree oven. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Good both hot or cold.

Smoked Salmon

As part of my weekly TASTY TUESDAY on YouTube, our final recipe is a video, with instructions on how simple and delicious it can be to smoke your own Alaska salmon. You only need salmon, water, salt and brown sugar to create a delicious smoked salmon.

And there you go – my top five salmon preparations, each one made better with wild caught Alaska salmon. I’d love to hear from you if you try any of these recipes! And watch for more great fish recipes coming your way soon.

Healthy, delicious and fun. Use this link and save with Wild Alaskan Company. What could be better?

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Reading Wednesday

Book Review The Magic Circle by Katharine Neville

Reading Wednesday

July 8, 2020

Laureen

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On the heels of my read of Sue Monk Kidd’s The Book of Longings, this book once again transported me to biblical times. But Neville builds a story of international intrigue that spans the centuries. Unfortunately no where near as entertaining or beautifully written as The Book of Longings, but I still enjoyed it.

My biggest complaint about the book is that it actually had too much going on. The story bounces from biblical times to present day. Hitler makes an appearance and then so does Greek Gods. From Idaho to Russia, hidden caves to dark forests. It all was a bit to keep track of and seemed aimless at times.

I liked the main character of Airel Behn, despite some stupid mistakes she kept making as she tried to figure out how she got messed up in this international plot of espionage, solve a murder mystery, save the ancient scrolls that are the root of all this evil, have a love affair with the bad guy, all while learning her eccentric and very wealthy family is not exactly who she thought they were.

I can’t give it five stars but it wasn’t terrible either. Three and half stars for The Magic Circle by Katharine Neville.

Read last week’s review of Hidden Valley Road.

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At Home -- Inspire -- North America Travel

Sanity Staycation

July 3, 2020

Laureen

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Location: Whidbey Island Washington USA

Not everyone is up for a staycation right now. But for me, getting away even for a day, or two, or three, is a great boost to mental health during pandemic paralysis. Since it looks like it might be awhile until we can fly off to the Alps, or the Cote d’Azure or the Azores…a little sanity staycation is a perfect pandemic prescription.

We’ve decided to do several sanity staycations in the weeks and months ahead, visiting places within a few hours or a few days from home. Places reachable by car with low impact as far as crowds or contact with humans. Our first sanity staycation was to the beautiful Whidbey Island less than two hours from my home in Washington State where we have been on travel pause for two months.

Whidbey Island

First, traveling mid-week is a great way to avoid crowds. On Whidbey we felt like we were the only visitors, and that was okay with us. We rented a cottage on the grounds of the Quintessa, a wedding and events location. But on a Tuesday, we were the only guests and it felt really special to have it all to ourselves.

Whidbey is easy to get around by car. We’ve been here before so didn’t need to see everything, but if you haven’t visited before the cute shops especially in Langley and Coupeville are my favorites. If you are game there are also wine tasting rooms, distilleries and taprooms. Greenbank Farms will serve you wine and cheese and send you off with a delicious berry pie to take home – giving you a chance to savor your sanity staycation for a day or two more. Or pick up some world famous Penn Cove Oysters while here…the tiny sweet delicious mollusks are the best.

If you are an experienced cyclists it’s a great place to ride, but we left our bikes at home this time and opted for some easy hiking. We chose to do a really fun day hike in the Fort Ebey State Park, perfect for any fitness level and offering some really beautiful views. Exactly what my mental health was craving.

Although we didn’t have a reservation (highly recommended) we were able to slide in for an early dinner at the highly rated Prima Bistro in Langley. Both indoor and outdoor dining and a really great menu makes the Prima Bistro a top choice. If you want to social distance try to get a reservation off peak, although the restaurant was following all State of Washington distancing rules. On our second night we got take-out at the highly rated Joe’s Wood Fired Pizza. Excellent New York style pizza, in the Bayview area halfway between Langley and Freeland. We also made a quick stop for a treat at Coupeville’s Red Hen Bakery – killer cinnamon rolls, take out only.

Plan Ahead

A sanity staycation takes a bit of planning…don’t assume everything is open and running regular hours. For instance Joe’s is only open for take-out currently (July 2020).

Also very important is that you check the current schedule for the Washington State Ferries (unless you plan to arrive from the North over the Deception Pass Bridge). Currently due to reduced staffing Washington State Ferries are running at half capacity (July 2020). The Mukilteo to Clinton Ferry (closest from Seattle and King and Snohomish County and all points east) is usually a 2-3 boat wait unless you can travel during non-peak. Another option is the Port Townsend to Coupeville Ferry. If you are coming from points west and south ( Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Mason or Jefferson Counties) this is definitely the way to go. The great thing about this boat is you can make a reservation and be secured a spot on whatever sailing you want.

But that’s all part of the “fun” (she says tongue in cheek) during the time of Covid. Learning to live with new rules and guidelines will serve us all in the long run…and taking a mental health sanity staycation is a highly recommended way to feel better and wash away the blues – but only if you are comfortable being out. We plan to choose safe, quiet and unpopulated places to visit on upcoming sanity staycations.

Not a soul around. Enjoying a cinnamon roll outside Red Hen Bakery

Be safe. Be smart. And above all else, please be kind.

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Reading Wednesday

Book Review Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

Reading Wednesday

July 1, 2020

Laureen

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Absolutely astonishing. I loved this non-fiction book about mental illness in America. I listened to this one on Audible, it was brilliantly read, but I suspect reading it would be just as compelling as Kolker’s empathy towards the material and the family was first rate.

Hidden Valley Road is the story of the Galvin Family of Colorado Springs Colorado and begins when Don and Mimi Galvin are teens in the 1950’s and continues through 2017. During this span of time, Don and Mimi Galvin will have 12 children and become important in genetic research due to the fact that six of those children will be diagnosed with schizophrenia.

The book includes a great deal of medical detail and information, but Kolker’s writing makes it very easy for the lay person to understand. Combined with his brilliant approach to telling the story of this remarkable American family, the complicated relationships between each of them, as well as the astounding family history, Kolker creates an unforgettable read.

The book has received critcal acclaim and has been “praised for it’s astounding depth and empathy”. It was highly commended by Ophra’s Book Club and debuted number one on the New York Times bestseller list for nonfiction.

Few American’s have not been touched in some way by mental illness in their families or their acquaintances, and I believe anyone can identify and appreciate this memorable multigenerational story of one American families heartbreak.

*****Five Stars for Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

Read last week’s review of Wolf Hall here.

My current read The Imperial Woman

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At Home -- Inspire

Skin Care at Sixty

My Six- Week TimeWise Repair Journey

June 26, 2020

Laureen

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Location: At Home, USA

Being in lockdown, and returning so abruptly from our world travels back to the USA, put me in a position with free time to step back and take a look at myself. Everything that had fully occupied my time over the last four years had come to a complete and unexpected stop.

But this provided an unexpected blessing – an opportunity for me to focus on self care. Something I have been wholly unable to do most of my life; to no one’s fault but my own.

Me no make up on — Me last week no makeup.

When we arrived in the USA I found I had a lot of free time on my hands. I began to realize I could use this stay-at-home time to accomplish some self-care things I had so often put on the back burner before. I immediately started a running training program, joined NOOM weight loss (to date have dropped 20 pounds and will be blogging on this later) and set out to focus on revitalizing my aging and neglected skin and focusing on skin care at sixty.

I’ve never been someone to spend a lot of money on beauty. I get my hair and nails done, but shop for myself infrequently and never too extravagantly. Most of my skincare products and makeup generally come from Target. When we travel I go months without wearing makeup and most days only use cleanser and moisturizer with SPF 15.

But here I am with all this free time…free time to get healthy both inside and out. Free time to finally focus on skin care at sixty. Better late than never? Well, you be the judge.

On arriving back home I contacted my friend Susi who is a Mary Kay consultant, because I had heard some good reviews about the MK line called TimeWise Repair. This line of skincare products is specifically designed for women like me, who are looking to repair damage from sun and sea, age and neglect.

I began using these products in early May. I did a video on YouTube at that time, to share the start of my journey. You can see that first video below. In the video I share all the products I began using; 1) TimeWise Repair Foaming Cleanser 2) Indulge Soothing Eye Gel 3) Eye Renewal Cream 4) Vitamin C 5) Lifting Serum 6) TimeWise Repair Retinol Night Cream and TimeWise Repair SPF 30 Day Cream 7) Deep Wrinkle Filler

Here is the first video…and by the way you will notice the 20 pounds heavier in this first video as compared to today…that alone makes my face look healthier.

May 8th video

I spent the next three weeks religiously following the night and day program for Mary Kay’s TimeWise Repair products and I immediately began to feel my skin was moister and generally all-around healthier. Once a week I used two more products in the evening; 8) TimeWise Repair Facial Peel and 9) TimeWise Repair Moisture Renewing Gel Mask.

Here is the second video I did at week three. I REALLY notice in this video the bags under my eyes. At the time of this video I had not yet been diagnosed with a sinus infection…but clearly it was raging and causing me trouble. I kept hoping the Mary Kay eye cream would take care of the bags, not realizing it was something more. Here is the second video.

May 30

So today at week six I am pretty happy about how my skin FEELS as much as how it looks. I also feel like by focusing on this for six weeks I have developed good skin care habits for both morning and night, something I never had before. I would say that the products I feel have been the best for me would be the TimeWise Repair Foaming Cleanser, the Indulge Soothing Eye Gel, the Day Cream, the Night Cream, the Facial Peel and the Gel Mask.

My consultant Susi feels strongly that the serum is one of the best things I can do for my skin. And I feel like the night cream with retinal has contributed greatly to the diminished wrinkles. It’s been nice having Susi at my fingertips for questions…something I can’t get from sales people at Target or the mall. Worth it for me in my busy life.

It’s not pretty, but I’m sharing with you my before shot that was done on the Mary Kay Skin Analyzer App the first week of May, and my After Shot taken this week. Note I’m purposefully not smiling…to really be able to see my problem areas. The skin analyzer is the tool we used to both determine the products that would be best for my skin issues, and to see the results. Here it is. Oi. Embarrassing.

Mary Kay Skin Analyzer picture week one — Week one early May

Mary Kay Skin Analyzer picture week six — Week Six Mid June

However, I see much improvement in the wrinkles, and am hopeful with continued use it will get better still. Although some of my most prominent wrinkles, like the “11” between my brows haven’t really improved at all, I’m happy to accept those as part of my sixty year journey. I think those are just here to stay.

My final video, posted yesterday, shares a fun time lapse look at my routine to finish off the experiment. Here it is.

So, again realizing I have dropped 20 lbs in six weeks, and started running every day combined with this skin care routine I feel really healthy overall. I see a difference in my skin, especially how it feels and even how my makeup feels on my skin. Here is another before and after shot with my make up on.

March in Israel make up on — BEFORE this is me early March in Israel, make up on

Last week with makeup on — AFTER Me mid June with makeup at home

AND since I am making all this effort, I bought a new hat with a wider brim to protect my skin more than any hat I’ve owned before. Sassy. I am feeling so much healthier over all, I hope all these new habits will stick, and I can continue to improve my skin, weight and activity level in the months and years ahead. Because, you know, I’m fabulous!

My new hat, make up on — Protecting my skin with my new hat

I would love to hear about your self care journey. Comment below or message me anytime.

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Follow us as we inspire you to live your best life now. Midlife is a fabulous time to find your inspiration whether it’s travel, writing, reading, or fitness. What inspires you? I am a retired Grey Goddess on the Go, here to empower and inspire you through your Fabulous middle years! Book review every Wednesday, travel and inspiration blogs every Friday, and other fun stuff here and there. Join our club and be fabulous too! You can find us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.