...This is Tii.[Tuesday]

I had planned to go to my Cardio Kickboxing class tonight at 7pm, but I didn't have the opportunity =[ Sometimes life's errands must take Pri-Or-Ity... 

Anywho....I didn't feel too awful because I did very well with my MyFitnessPal calorie counting today! I ate a bit under my calorie intake and had a TON of veggies + grilled chicken with Herb de Provence seasoning ( by McCormick- highly recommend!).... I think I've read somewhere that you need to actually consume closer to the recommended calories of your specific program to increase the probability of reaching your ::my:: weight loss goals... Sounds scientifically proven, so I'll buy it....

Currently- I am weighing in at ____lbs. ::Not going to share this number until I am closer to my desired weight! Haha! I am sure there are plenty of ladies and gents out that who feel the same way I do! 

On a positive note- I am happy to say I am starting in at 30 lbs lighter than I was a year and three months ago... 

So..As I missed my regular Tuesday C.K class I decided to turn to PINTEREST! What else?!

I opted for these fun workouts on my bedroom floor while watching last night's Being Human and Lost Girl episodes ::only on SyFy:: Bless the person who invented DVR and TiVo...[Does anyone actually have TiVo anymore, though?]

feettogetherthighsapart.tumblr.com

Gotta say- this is probably one of my very favorite- QUICK- workouts. Sometimes you only have a spare 15-20 minutes and want to squeeze in a quick workout. Maybe release a little stress after a long day at work, before you have to haul a** to your 2nd or hey-what the heck- 3rd job? This is definitely a good one!

Plus, these workout points and structures are largely what you see in a cardio kickboxing.. Jumping "Jack", "Squat and SQUEEZE", as my instructor says! Squat & Stick that butt out- Up and SQUEEZZEEEEE! It really works those glutes!

I found this doozey on there too. It's a good one, and like any workout is open to modification! I will be modifying all my Pinterest favorites later this week and sharing those in next weeks blog!  

As mentioned, these workouts are purely up to you! I use this second workout as a guideline. Because I have repeated issues of Patella Femoral Syndrome in my right and left knee's, I am not too keen on excessive squatting.Neither are my kneecaps=] And apparently this is an increasingly wide spread syndrome, sometimes referred to or recognized in the same category as runners knee, etc. So for those of you with similar circumstances, try my method:

30 butt kickers, 10 squats :regular- down and squeeze those cheeks when pulling up:, NO Plie Squats, 20 Donkey Kicks, 15 Fire Hydrants on both sides (30 total), 10 squats: regular- down and squeeze up:, 5 Jump squats, skip the bridges,20 lunges, 15 Fire Hydrants on both sides (30 total), 5 squats :regular- down and squeeze up:, NO Plie Squats and finish with a 1 minute plank & full body stretch!   I strictly avoid the Plie squats ::for the sake of my knee's and medical costs.LOL::If your knees start to both you, skip out on the squats and up your fire hydrants or Donkey Kicks by 10-15 reps. 

For anyone who has not done a legitimate 'FireHydrant' before- this is GREAT for love handle reduction and I PROMISE you- you will feel the burn! Every, and I mean EVERY, woman in my C.K. class dreads this portion of our workout.Plus, it comes towards the end so you know there is something to look forward to. haha!

Despite it being a bit hard after your first set of 15, it is a great stretch and awesome workout..I am hoping that over the course of this next month & routinely sticking to these types of workouts, I will see atleast a 1-2 inch reduction on my hips and the same for my waist. To quote R.Kelly "If I just believe it- theres nothing to it..."

So if you can put aside the image of a doggie lifting it's leg to piddle on a hydrant- you are golden!! and if you can't--- laugh through your three reps of 15! 

You can see my favorite Pinterest workouts on my

HOME WORKOUT PINTEREST BOARD! 

*Tii.Marie

New Direction.

3-24-2013


Lately I have been spending a lot more time deciding what I want to do, where I want to go and have been setting some new goals for myself.

Goal 1. Continue fitness journey and get to my ideal healthy place! 
----- I will be focusing a lot on my own personal fitness methods over the next few months and sharing details of workouts and recipes that are helping me / and sharing some inspirational bloggers perspectives as well!

Goal 2. Hone in on developing my career. 
------ Any and all that know me know how truly important music is to me. Seeing so many of my friends and family making their mark and taking strides to reach their musical career goals is so motivating. They are and have been providing me with such great insight and ideas on how to start and really buckle down on putting my own materials together. Confidence is key! 

Goal 3. Stay true to my blogging! 
----- Several of my college friends and co-workers have focused blogs and I have been quite scattered.. These people are so inspiring and are encouraging me to do what I gotta do:-P
Not only will I be focusing on my own personal makeup and fashion trends, but I will be incorporating a new line up of topics each week going forward! First things first---- MUSIC MONDAY! ::keep an eye out for some details tomorrow morning: This weekly blog will be geared to introducing YOU people to bands, musical artists, groups, writers, composers, etc. who are DESERVING of such review & promotion!! Not to mention- throwing in my lovely, if not undesired, opinion! Hehehe!


Keep an eye out for "This is Tii." - coming to you Tuesdays/ Thursdays 2013! Follow me as I reach my fitness goals and we can share motivational, inspirational, emotional quotes & support! 

Xo- Tii

Yummy Time: Banana-Oatmeal-Bread

This week has been absolutely insane to say the least. I have been swamped at work, donated blood[oh yeah!]and have been doubling up on gym classes in prep for my cousins wedding & our family vay-cay! [August 15th I cannot wait for your arrival!]

To ease my anxiety, I like to look for new & healthy receipes for my friends & I to enjoy.

Recently, I was sitting at home and realized I had some slighty-over-ripe bananas!
I live on a budget and refuse to toss anything that can still be used!

Turns out, those three[over-ripe] bananas are EXACTLY what my Banana-Oat Bread[Weight Watchers] Recipe called for!

Your Ingredients should include:
All Purpose Flour[ 1 and 1/4 Cup]
Brown Sugar[ 1/2 Cup]
Salt[ 1/2 Tsp -Table Salt is fine]
Baking Powder[ 1/4 tsp]
Baking Soda [1/2 tsp]
Canola Oil [ 3 tsp]
3 Lrg Eggs[ 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites]
3 RIPE Bananas
Uncooked Old Fashioned Oats[ 1 Cup]
Servings: 10
Points +: 5

Now I used a small loaf pan & this recipe resulted in two Banana- Oatmeal Bread loaves.
It cut into 18-20 pieces so this [per my opinion] is about 3 points per serving as opposed to 5 points for a larger slice.

**Additional Note: The WW recipe uses a larger pan to make a loaf that cuts into 10 equally sized servings. Their recipe calls for a 40-45 minute cooking time/ or until top of loaf is firm.

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe. I cannot take credit for it since I got it from Weight Watchers, but it definitely a good one to share with your family!

Enjoy<3

TmD

..Sweet Treats.Eye Candy & Healthy Eats..

Woke up today at 6:15a.m. to my t.v. still on, window wide open and laying onto of my comforter freezing to death.. I definitely did not plan on falling asleep like that last night... Needless to say, I got up and started things off right.

I made a big bowl of fruit salad last night to portion out as breakfast this week! Fresh strawberries, pineapple, honey dew and cantalope! MmmmmMMmmmmMmmm!!! I totally devoured it at my work desk this morning..

My doctor/nutritionist has insisted that I drink 2.7 fl oz before 1pm(Lunch) and then eat a small [veggie] snack at 3:30pm. Sticking to doctors orders, I have been guzzling water and running back and forth to the powder room. ::haha:: Lucky me.

I think people totally underestimate the power of water/fruit/veggies and poultry to make you feel great. I haven't felt the need to indulge in massive amounts of salty sweets or eat fried "comfort food".. Eliminating cheese has been the most difficult part of this lifestyle change. I am limited to a slice a week to start. So today I have a turkey and swiss whole wheat wrap for lunch.

Any-who... Since I started my day off so well~ I decided to mix up some shadows I hadn't used together yet.
Pulling out my ridiculous collection of mark. eyeshadows- I came up with this mix....



Get Bright Hook Up Highlighter in :Light: below brow line and under lower lash line.
Glitterati below brow line, Luvstruck brushed across full eye-lid with Corset blended through crease and lid. Lashes coated with mark. Make-It-Big Lash Plumping mascara in Raven and lower lash line with No Place to Run eyeline in JetSet.

 All products with mark. are affordable$$, long-lasting and are not age-specific! Women/Girls of all ages love these products!

I have officially gotten my Mom hooked on the mark. Good Glowing Custom Pick Powder Blush!

Check out all of the products here at my mark.Eboutique! *
If you are not already a customer, be sure to visit here first and register with me for all sorts of discounts and free :FULL SIZE: products!

<3Happy Shopping

TmD

Red-Hot Monday!

Typically I hate Mondays. Prepping my lunch the night before reminds me that I have to wake up early the next day. It seems like no matter how much I work out and how early I go to sleep- I rarely feel rested on Mondays. However, today felt a bit different.

Taking my Monday by storm was my home-made Southwestern Fiesta salad! I had made a grilled chicken and whole wheat pasta dish for dinner a few days ago and had some chicken I wanted to use before it went bad.

This was the PERFECT use!

 My tastebuds are dancing and I am loving every minute of this salad. Check it out and try it out at home..

1. Head of Lettuce ( commonly seen in wedge salads)
2. Fresh Gourmet Tortilla Strips- Sante Fe Style ( 30 Calories per 2 tbsp)
3. Goya: Black Beans
4. Grilled Perdue "Fit and Easy" think chicken breast
5. Chipotle-Honey Vinagrette dressing ( recipe to follow!)
6. Weight Watchers Double Cheddar shredded cheese.( 2 pts per 2 tbsp)


Cut the head of lettuce in half or into quarters..Depends on how hungry you are. I prepared mine with a little more then a quarter of the lettuce.

Grill your chicken breast and season lightly with garlic powder and a bit of chili powder if you like the extra heat.
Cracked/crushed red pepper is very good also!

Drain your black beans, rinse and dry with paper towels..
You can opt to add a mild, sweet tomato salsa or corn salsa if you want a more 'sweet flavor'.

Once you have added your beans and chicken, sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsp of the Weight Watchers Double Cheddar shredded cheese ontop of the salad.

Top if off with the Sante Fe tortilla strips and drizzle over everything with the Chipotle-Honey Vinagrette!

CHIPOTLE HONEY VINAGRETTE

1/2 Cup red wine vinegar

1/3 Cup honey

1 Tablespoon adobo

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

1 Teaspoon pepper ( or to taste~ some people aren't pepper fans)

1 Tablespoon freshly chopped oregano

1-1/2 Cups olive oil.

If you cant find the Sante Fe tortilla strips- try the chili and cheese frito chips. They should work just as well.

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Savings.Savings.Savings

at my mark. EBoutique!!

 

Make sure you and your friends check out the "Last Chance" section of my mark. Store! There are some great deals that let you save 44% on select items if you shop now!!

Baulbles & Chains Necklace. Originally Priced at $18.00, Now $9.99!

My Favorite of ALL Favorites: the mark. SuperFlip Color Kit! [ orginially $20.00 ] is on sale for $12.99! How can you beat that price! To see some of the looks I created with this kit, check out my makeup- blogs

And for all of you GOING with the GREEN theme- Check out mark. Earth Body Butter! Orginially priced at $12.00, now $3.99!

 

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Remember to sign up at my mark. EBoutique today for all sorts of great deals!

Sign Up Today!*

 

Love<3

TmD

Healthier.Living- Spread the Word

Similar to most American's my 'New Years Resolution' was to be healthier overall.  This involved me joining two gyms and changing my eating habits and the food I choose to prepare.
As you have seen previously, I have posted recipes for cakes and cookies and yes- I have takin part in eating their yummy goodness, but I have done my best and have not over-indulged.

When I went shopping the other day I found the little mini bagels by Thomas's ( The english muffin brand), and they are 100 calorie bagels. Since I am slowly eliminating carbohydrates ( the bad carbs) from my daily diet, I figured these would allow me a smoother, guilt free transition.

They come in plain or whole wheat and are about $2.99 a bag. Not terrible at all!
What I did for breakfast yesterday morning was a twist on a breakfast sandwich I used to eat in college. Turkey-Egg and Cheese on a toasted bagel or whole wheat toast.

My creation was a less fattening and less messy version but just as satisfying!with a nice organic chocolate low fat milk on the side =D

Try it out for yourself!!

Step 1: Toast your 100 calorie mini-bagel.. Best idea is to put it in a toaster OVEN and not the actual toaster. You will never be able to get it out of a toaster- too tiny!

Step 2: In a hot -,no-stick skillet, cook up two organic/ or regular farm eggs( little pricier, but can be found at any grocery store). Cook them "Over-easy" by cooking to a golden crisp and flipping and cooking the other side for a 1 and a 1/2 to two minutes as well..If you like a cooked yolk- keep it on the skillet for about three minutes.. It will definitely be less messy! Season with a salt free "Mrs.Dash" or like me sodium free Garlic Powder and a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper.

Step 3: This step should be done while preparing your eggs on your skillet. Take a piece of swiss cheese and low fat turkey breast from the deli and place on your warm, toasted mini bagel. The cheese will slowly melt.

Step 4: Place the cooked eggs on ontop of each mini bagel. The turkey will get warm from the heat of the egg and the cheese will melt to perfection.

Under 200 calories and PURE heaven for breakfast!


I concluded that the "Shedding for the Wedding" diet of 600 calories a day was FAR too little calories for me.. I am not trying to shrivel and die and also am not being monitored by a doctor and nutritionist. I will stickto 1000-1200 calories since my trainer told me that is the ideal area to achieve the weight loss goal I have set.

Best advice: Speak to a personal trainer and a nutritionist before deciding to dramatically alter your eating and lifestyle change/diet habits. It really is for your own safety!

Watch out for more posts on my healthy-weight loss- progress! #WINNING!! haha

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Healthy SkinCare for your Winter Recovery & Spring Prep!

I know I am not the only one out there with EXTREMELY tempermental skin! I break out if my moisturizer has even the slightest hint of oil in it! No dewey look for me! My skin does it all by itself with the right moisturizer!

Garnier: Moisture Rescue ( $7.99 or under)

Voted Best of Beauty by Allure (2010)

This moisturizer has been my life saver after the dry winter months and cold weather! With the vitamin E, Grape Water Extracts and Apple Water Extracts, this product has a light fresh scent and is water based and won't clog your pores! For people with normal to combination skin I would recomment the LightWeight UV-Lotion with SPF15 and for those with dry skin- the Refreshing Gel-Cream!

At $7.99 for 4.5oz! The bottle is HUGE and because it is water based and not greasy- you only need about a penny-size worth of lotion for your face and neck! Check it out!  I am not the only one who can vouch for this product!

Read some reviews here:

 Amazon Reviews: Garnier- Moisture Rescue Product Line

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Fresh Make-up Looks and Products for Spring 2011!

Products available here for purchase: Tiffany's mark. Online Store! Shop Online!!!

Check out the adorable Nailed-It polish collection by mark.! This is a set of two and perfect for an at-home Mani/Pedi and can fit nicely in a purse or clutch for your weekend touch ups! ($7 for set of 2)

Loving Fushia-istic!! These shades of pink can brighten even the rainiest days!

PLUS!!!!!!

the IT-Kit!( $20) Includes eye-shadows and blush and then flips to reveal a full pallette of marks. best, silky(non-sticky) lipgloss!

This kit is just as awesome as the Super Flip Kit that I adore!

With all of your necessities in one compact: this is the perfect kit for all women!

To check out the full mark. Magalog-3: Click here!

Please Do NOT Hesitate to tell your friends about these great products! Always count on my blog for up-to-date gossip, health and skincare advice and of course my critiques of all of the above:)

Loves<3

My New-Old- Favorites

Long Time Lovies, Long time.....


So I have gradually been trying out all the mark. products from my last order. I try not to buy just the "New Products" because then I miss out on the products mark. put out previously and they're all definitely worth trying out! 




However, if you are a here now- new products are what you look out for-type, then definitely check out mark.'s new Peony~Apple, Self-Santuary Line! Word on the street is its amazing! Plus Ashley Greene has signed off on it :)

Peony-Apple Shower Wash $6, Peony-Apple Scented Mist $12, Peony-Apple Body Butter  $8

 However, my personal preference is definitely the Lemon Sugar, Self Sanctuary fragrance!

Lemon-Sugar Self Sanctuary, Shower Wash $6, 6.7fl oz

Lemon-Sugar Self Sanctuary Scented Mist $12, 1.7floz

Lemon-Sugar Self Sanctuary Body Butter, $8, 6.7fl oz

It's summery, tart and sweet and I found it really wakes you up and makes you feel refreshed!


AnyWhO!


Here is my mark. look for the day and I was super excited to pull these products out of my mark. make-up bag this morning! Definitely a pick me up- since I haven't been feeling well.

mark.Glow Baby Glow "Hot" ($6), mark. Get Bright Hookup Highlighter in "Light"($6), mark. No Place to Run LongWear Eyeliner in "JetSet"( $8), mark. WinkStick HookUp Eye Shadow Stick in "Demure" and mark. ScandaLash Hookup Mascara[Thickening] in Black lash ($6).

 If you like this simple but fancy look, definitely check out my mark. page at http://tdavis9542.mymarkstore.com 

 On a non-makeup topic... If you are like me and your New Years resolution is to be more healthy and fit but you just cant seem to get results when working out on your own-

 Check out Competitive Edge Athletics  

in Glen Cove, New York!

This gym specializes in Boxing and they have some really great trainers. It is located behind the Retro-Fitness, formerly ISLAND Fitness. 

For only $25 a month you have access to all the gym's group fitness classes. These classes include Spinning and Zumba which are my personal favorites. They also have higher level classes( at a different rate) like Total Body Kickboxing.

I took the Kickboxing class, an hour long, and was ready to toss my cookies after a half hour that's how intense the class is.. I think I'm going to do it a few times this week! I lost two lbs after that one class. INSANE:) The trainer was great too... When I started complaining or slowing in my work-out he encouraged me to keep going. And it was only my FIRST class! I definitely thought that was great!!

Check them out at their Facebook page, directly linked here:) 

Thats all for today Lovies, but more to come this week after all the craziness:)

<33 T

Be sure to register as my customer and I will send you some free samples!! :) 

Tuesday Wake.Up Call

There is nothing better then grabbing something quick and yummy in the morning for breakfast.
I am not refering to Burger King, McDonalds or even Dunken Donuts breakfasts- but I am referring to these Attain Nutrition Bars by Melaleuca. If you have ever had a Sweet and Salty bar- usually by Nestle or some other big name brand- you will absolutely die over these bars. They are patent-pending CRAVE BLOCKERS and are ALL Naturale!

These bars are perfect for individuals watching their calorie intake, working towards their weight loss goal and even simply eating more healthily.

The bars come in Chocolate as well, however the Sweet and Salty are my absolute favorite.

I even went so far as to bring my Melaleuca Sol-U-Guard to work. It is an all-natural Disinfectant. With people visiting your desk and being in such close-quarters, I like to keep my area clean and free of germs. The main thing is I really am not a fan of typical cleaner-fumes. The great thing about Sol-U-Guard is, because it is all natural- it is infused with the scent of Thyme. Its like aroma therapy at my desk and I love it!

If you're interested in going green at home and in your office, let me know and I will get you some additional information.

All the products are kid/ pet safe! It is absolutely worth switching from store brands to the Melaleuca line. NO NEW MONEY to be spent- just swap out those heavy chemical products and get GREEN =]

[[*Plus- you save on packaging too! Only one bottle will ever need to be purchased ( Less then $2.00) as the cleaner is sold separately to cut down on waste.*]]

Beauty of Mark.

First, start by cleansing your face with mark. Calming Effect- Comforting Milk Cleanser. Opt to put in some exfoliating beads, but not necessary. You should not exfoliate more than twice a week. It will strip the skin. Twice a week exfoliate to remove any dead skin cells and get a refreshed look.

Second, after washing your face with the Comforting Milk Cleanser, apply mark. See Things Clearly- Brightening Moisturizer( $16) . Now, for this look, I used See Things Clearly in addition to mark. Matte Chance, Mattifying Lotion( $16) because the heat and humidity tend to make me a little shiny. The Matte Chance is PERFECT for Normal to Oily Skin!

After moisturizing, apply mark. Get a Tint- Tinted Moisturizer( $9) in your choice color. This will provide you with SPF 15 protection which is really important! SPF+ prevents wrinkles, sun spots, freckling ( if you don'y enjoy freckles) and pre-mature aging.

I have also applied[ my favorite product!!!] some of the mark. Get Bright Hook-Up Highlighter- in Light ( $6) right under my lower lashes and also right below my brows on the brow bone. This provides a nice little highlight.

Following the application of your tinted moisturizer, apply your favorite mark. Good Glowing Custom Pick Powder Blush. I have applied Star Glo( $7) to the apples of my cheeks.

Once your blush is applied, you can move on to the eyes!

Now- I love dark browns, creams and golds. They really can make light eyes pop! The colors used will also work to accent a dark eye beautifully!

I have used iMark. Custom Pick Shadow's in Biscotti and Java to create this look.( $5)

I have applied Biscotti on the eyelid, brow bone and the inner corners of my eyes to brighten.

I then applied Java from the outer point of my eye to through the crease. This gives me a natural- smokey look that is perfect for the day.

Applying another coat of Java to the crease and the lower lash line will give me a deeper brown to intensify the smokey look for my night out.

Seventeen Magazine had declared Scanda-Lash Hook-Up Mascara ($6) The Best of Beauty- Besties Winner- Award of 2009! I can absolutely vouch for this mascara. Because I have long eyelashes as it is, I really am always hunting for a good quality THICKENING Mascara. This mascara is great. It doesn't smear, it comes off easily with your makeup remover and it doesn't flake throughout the day!

I have applied my Scanda-Lash in "Black- Lash" to both the upper and lower lashes of my eyes.

Now that I have finished my base and my eyes, I can move on to the final touch- the lips!

I have applied a thin coat of mark. Pro Gloss Hook-up Plumping Lip Shine in 'Sexy'($ 6) followed by a thin gloss coat of mark. Glow 
Baby Glow in Pink Crush( $6). These two shades are my favorites together!!

The final look is clean and classy looking without being over done.

If you like these products involved in this look, be sure to sign up to be my customer at http://tdavis9542.mymarkstore.com/- My Personal E*Boutique!



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