Grand Canyon Experience





The Grand Canyon is more amazing than any picture taken of it. It is just one of those places that a camera cannot capture the true beauty. It was an amazing sight to see. I went for my parent’s 25th anniversary of marriage. We spent one full day on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. There is a trail called Bright Angel Trail. I only walk a few feet into the trail and turned back around. The trail is very narrow (especially for a first time hiker). There are no rails or anything to hold on to. Basically, one wrong step, and you fall all the way down.

I kept it safe and walked the rim of the Grand Canyon. You can get really close to the edge, and take amazing pictures.




Inside the Grand Canyon National Park they have  small restaurants, an ice cream shop, stores, and small museums. I went to the Hopi house which is where they sell Native American crafts. It was full of beautiful Native American art such as picture frames, paintings, pottery, baskets, and books on natural medicine. Some of the artifacts also gave brief descriptions for what the objects were designed for.






The park is huge, and everything is all about what is your comfort zone. I kept it safe this first time around, but I would gladly return to do the helicopter tour. I think going in a helicopter would be worth the money. The park chargers per car to get into the Grand Canyon National Park.


Has anyone hiked in the Bright Angel Trail? Please comment.

The Palm at Playa - Hotel Review





I traveled to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico in October of 2014. It was one of the best vacations I have had.

There are many things to do in Playa Del Carmen. I plan to go again, and do all the other activities I did not do. I booked my excursions through http://www.playadelcarmen.com/. I booked the hotel through Orbitz.

This is the link to the hotel I stayed at: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g150812-d2507435-Reviews-The_Palm_at_Playa-Playa_del_Carmen_Yucatan_Peninsula.html


Rooftop Jaccuzzi 



Rooftop Pool (this was early in the morning which was very sunny)



Balcony in Hotel Room




We stayed at the Palm at Playa which was a lovely adult hotel. We chose not to get an all-inclusive hotel because we wanted to explore. The hotel has a complimentary drink (which is very refreshing), and they have free breakfast. They also have a rooftop bar where you order all kinds of drinks and appetizers! The first night we were there they had a rooftop party. The drinks were free all night for women.  The staff was wonderful. They were very attentive and always willing to help.


Complimentary drink upon arrival


One of the drinks served at the rooftop bar




The main reason we stayed at this hotel is because it is right next to Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue). The street is probably about a mile long of restaurants, bars, clubs, stores, souvenir shops, people selling excursions/tours, and even a mall. In the room I stayed in I could not here an of the noise going on outside. I would stay at the hotel again. 

This happened outside the mall on 5th Avenue


Bar/Restaurant on 5th Avenue



I recommend Playa Del Carmen to adults and families. There are many excursions, and many hotels to accommodate families. The environment of Playa Del Carmen is very touristic, and I felt safe. 

9 Ways to Use Coconut Oil





Coconut Oil is essential to my cooking. I cook everything in coconut oil, but that is not it's only use. Here are the different ways to use coconut oil (keep in mind there are MANY more uses to coconut oil).

9 Ways to Use Coconut Oil

1. Apply coconut oil on scars which prevent and reverses free radical damage on skin

2.  Add to smoothies or coffee to increase energy

3.  Can be used as salad dressing

4. Can help smooth eczema

5. Can be used to moisturize skin

6. Can help small cuts and scraps heal faster

7. Rinsing your teeth in coconut oil for 15 minutes can help kill bacteria and prevent gingivitis

8. Can be used as tanning oil

9. Can be used in hair to get rid of lice. Apply coconut oil to head. Put a head wrap on and wait for 30 minutes before washing your hair. Do this for five days.




How do you use coconut oil?

10 Foods I Eat Every Week





My road to being healthy: I love to eat healthy, and I love the naturalness of healthy food. I was not always healthy, I would engulf in junk food as a teen. As time went on I realized that everything you put into your body whether it is food, drinks, lotion, or soap can have an effect on your health. Once, I realized that, I started my journey that my body is more than just flesh, bones, and a face that reflects in the mirror, it is a temple. I will not have my body forever, and if I ruin it there might not be no turning back. I want to treat myself, and my body the right way not because a doctor, a magazine, or friend is telling me; I do it because I love myself. Why would I want to hurt my body, even if I do not feel the pain at this exact moment.

I slowly stopped eating chips, candy, and drinking pop/soda. All I drink now is water (sometimes I add lemon, lime, cucumber, strawberries, and blueberries), and natural juice (no name brands, just pure juice). Then I started to buy grass-fed beef and chicken with no hormones added. I buy organic products when possible.

The road to being healthy is a journey not an instant diet. You first have to acknowledge your body, and ask yourself what do you want to put in your body, and what results do you want in a week, month, and years from now. Food affects both your overall health, and well-being as the years go by.

Quitting unhealthy food and drinks does not happen overnight (maybe for some it can). I believe if you try to quit eating something very fast you have higher chances of going back to eating that unhealthy item. Unless you are completely ready to give up that item, then you should quit right away. For me drinking pop/soda was the most difficult. I slowly started the process by only drinking it at parties, then only once a month, then every 3 months, and now I do not drink pop/soda at all! It is all a process! I am still learning about healthier food options today, and stopping old habits.

I feel being healthy is challenging for me since I am Hispanic, and there are so many delicious fatty foods! (of course we have healthy foods, but some of my favorite ones are fattening!) As of right now I do not plan to give up my culture's food, but I do plan on modifying it in a healthier way.

Here are the 10 foods I eat every week to maintain a healthy lifestyle:

1. Chicken Breasts

Nutrition: Full of protein (low fat protein), helps maintain a healthy muscle growth, naturally anti-depressant, high in amino acids, and can boost metabolism

2. Cocoa Powder/Nibs (I always crave chocolate so this helps to eat healthy chocolate)

Nutrition:  Fiber, can lower LDL Cholesterol, reduce blood clots, and increase blood flow

3. Coconut Oil (I cook all my food in Coconut Oil)

Nutrition: Chain fatty acids, increase energy expenditure, helps burn fat, and can kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi

4. Avocado

Nutrition: Absorbs other nutrients, can reduce risk of cancer, lowers cholesterol, helps with weight loss, boosts eye health

5. Spinach and Kale Salad

Nutrition: Spinach has fiber, RDA, and strengths bones. Kale has protein, Vitamin C and K, and prevents bone loss.

6. Garlic

Nutrition: Reduce blood pressure, nutritious with few calories, decrease heart disease, combats sickness like the common cold

7. Turmeric (I use it in tea, drinks, and as seasoning)

Nutrition: Powerful medicinal properties, has curcumin which is anti-inflammatory, can help treat and prevent cancer, and helps delay aging

8. Grass-Fed Beef

Nutrition: Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin E

9. Chia Seeds

Nutrition: Healthy fat, dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and has antioxidants

10. Lemon Water

Nutrition: Vitamin C, can help prevent colon health problems, antibacterial, reduce pain and inflammation in joints and knees, and strengths liver




These are foods that are currently in my daily routine. Also, keep in mind to do your own research on these foods. There are many more nutrition facts on the foods, but I did not list them all.

I hope you enjoyed learning about these foods! I would love to know about your healthy lifestyle journey! Comment below!

Easy Guacamole Recipe




From my home to yours: Easy Guacamole Recipe


  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1/2 a large white onion
  • 1/2 of a large tomato
  • 1/2 a batch of cilantro
  • 2 tsb of garlic salt
  • 2 limes
  • 1 Serrano pepper/jalapeno pepper (optional)



Here is a little history on the now famous guacamole dip. The Aztecs first made Guacamole in the 16th century, and has since made its way to popular culture. During the Super Bowl and Cinco De Mayo 30 million pounds of avocados are sold (many in the form of guacamole). Guacamole comes from the Aztec dialect āhuacamolli which means "avocado sauce".


Guacamole is my favorite dip to have at any party or cook out. You can't go wrong with Guac! Any time I feel like snacking I can always turn to guacamole for a healthy snack (instead of junk food). Avocado is also considered the most perfect food, the benefits are: low-carb, abundant in nutrients, helps absorb nutrients better, potassium, fiber, monounsaturated fatty acid, can lower cholesterol, can help you lose weight, and may help prevent cancer. That is just to name a few benefits!

To make a great guacamole first make sure you have ripe avocados (they should be a bit soft). Cut the avocados in half, and with a spoon take out everything from the shell. Put this all in a large bowl (including the seeds). The seeds help keep the avocado fresh. Once all the avocados are in the bowl I like to stir it a few times, and break the avocados into smaller pieces with a spoon. You can also cut the avocado into smaller pieces before putting into the bowl. My preference is to smash it in the bowl while stirring it. 

Then cut the onion, tomato, cilantro, and Serrano/Jalapeno pepper into small pieces. Put the ingredients in the bowl, and stir again so that the ingredients are distributed evenly within the avocado. 

After,  cut the limes in half and squeeze all the fresh juice into the bowl (I love the smell of fresh limes!). Then stir everything in the bowl again. By this time the avocado should be creamy, or in a sauce form. Then add garlic salt to taste. Try the guacamole to make sure if it needs more garlic salt, lime juice, tomato, onion etc. (you might end up using the whole onion, tomato, and cilantro depending on your taste). 

When you try the guacamole in every spoonful there should be the ingredients (no empty avocado in my guac!). That is how I measure if I need to add more tomato, onion, or cilantro. Another thing is I made the Serrano/Jalapeno pepper optional because not everyone likes spicy food. You can add half the pepper just to give the guacamole more flavor, but no spice. If you like your guacamole spicy add a pepper or two! I hope you enjoy this delicious delicacy!

Contouring for Beginners





Contouring

I recently began contouring, and I have enjoyed my experience. At first I was really lost. Now, after a few tries I feel like I am getting the hang of it. I am still a beginner, but I wanted to share with you the products I have been using (in case you are a beginner yourself).



I bought a Contouring Ulta Kit for $19.99. I figured I would start off with something cheap (other pallet prices were around $45!). At the time, I did not realize there was a difference in powder contouring and creamy/liquid contouring. I tried the kit (which is powder) I saw a small difference, but nothing huge. I then realized maybe I should buy the creamy/liquid kind, but after spending money on a kit, I did not want to go out and buy another kit. Instead, I found an NYX Wonder Stick which I love! Now, I combine the Ulta kit with the NYX Wonder Stick.



I think having both items as a beginner helps me learn how to contour without spending a lot of money. As I get better at contouring I will try out the more expensive pallets.


Here are my pictures below! 

Before:



During:



After:





I feel that as a beginner you should experiment with the make-up to see how you like it. On the NYX Wonder Stick box it has pictures of how to contour. It basically shows you to cover most of your face in white, and then add a little bit of the darker color. When I did that, I looked very pale, and my face was shiny all day. Instead I used the instructions that came in the Ulta kit (and added my own lines), and used that with the Wonder Stick. I first applied foundation, then the Wonder Stick, and after I used the Ulta kit. You should contour how you like, and how you think you will look best. There are so many ways to contour, and so many more products to contour with. Make sure you do research on any products you buy!

Thanks for reading my experience!


Power Playlist





Below find my playlist that makes me feel like Super Woman. Anytime I need encouragement, or motivation, I simply put on my Power Playlist to boost my confidence. Music is a great way to express your feelings. My favorite songs are songs that make me feel like I can change the world! Enjoy!

Nicki Minaj ft. Beyonce - Feelin Myself

Beyoncé -  Run the world

Beyoncé  - Flawless Remix ft. Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj - Moment for life

Nicki Minaj - Win Again

Destiny’s Child - Survivor

Destiny’s Child - Bills

TLC – No Scrubs

Eve – Let me blow your mind

Gwen Stephanie -  Holla Back Girl

Christina Aguilera - Can’t Hold Us Down ft. Lil Kim

Beyoncé -  Grown Woman

Rihanna - Better Have My Money

M.I.A - Bad Girls

Destiny’s Child - Independent women

Kelis – Bossy

Webbie ft. Boosie Badazz & Lil Phats – Independent 

Missy Elliot  - Work It

Eve – Who’s that girl

Ciara - Goodies

Kelis – Milkshake

Ludacris ft. Nicki Minaj - My Chick Bad

Tupac – Keep Ya Head Up 

Selena - I Will Survive

Christina Aguilera  - Fighter

Britney Spears – Stronger

Britney Spears - Work

Keri Hilson – Knocks You Down

Selena - Que Creias

Lauryn Hill – That Thing

Alicia keys – What Comes Around

Marc Anthony – Virir La Vida



Feel free to comment songs that make you feel powerful!

Healthy Chocolate Smoothie





From my home to yours: Healthy Chocolate Smoothie



Here is a quick and healthy chocolate smoothie recipe!
  • ½ a cup of chocolate almond milk
  • ½ a cup of ice cubes
  • 1  frozen banana
  • 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
  • 1 cup of baby greens (spinach and kale)
  • 2 tablespoons of organic peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon of chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon of cholate protein




No need for words. Just drink up J

Under Armour Shoe Review





Under Armour Women's Micro G Sting TR 2 Shoes are my first pair of Under Armour shoes, and I have to say they will not be my last! The fit of the shoe is nice and snug, but at the same time your feet have room to breathe. The shoes are light, and true to size. I do boot camp type training that includes cardio, jumping, weight lifting, and my feet feel great through it all. I also feel that the shoe is good for balancing. In a lot of my workouts I balance on one foot. My old shoes I would sway side to side, but with the Micro G Sting TR 2's I have a better hold on the floor.




On top of that these shoes are super cute! I get compliments almost every time I wear them.

If you want to be stylish, but also have a reliable shoe, I highly recommend these!

Link: http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/products/under-armour-womens-micro-g-sting-tr-2-shoes.jsp




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