May Favorites 2013

Aaaaand... it's officially summer here in Taiwan and I couldn't be happier. Yes, I complain about the heat and humidity a lot, but I still prefer that over the winter. This weekend, I'll pack away my jeans and leggings for good, and from here on out it will be only summer dresses and shorts for me.

Here are my favorites from the past month:

1. Revlon Scented Nail Polish in "Gumdrop"

Isn't this the most beautiful nail polish color for spring? And, it smells so good, too! The only downside to this polish is that I literally had to apply four coats to make it completely opaque. But, I love the result so much that I don't mind spending that much time on my nails.

2. TOMS Earthwise Vegan Classic

I love TOMS, and the two pairs I own have become a little bit worn out after 2 years, so I decided to get a new pair. I love these grey ones I got from the Earthwise collection. I don't have to say much about these shoes. Everyone who owns a pair love them, as they are super comfortable, light and look good with shorts or jeans or anything basically.

3. Rimmel Kate Matte lipstick in "110"

Since my braces came off last year, I've been buying lipstick like a crazy person. I love all the bright colors and I'm finally not self-conscious about drawing attention to my teeth. I've been looking for a nice matte bright red lipstick and read some good reviews about this one online. I bought it from feelunique.com, one of my favorite online shopping sites for makeup, and I'm really impressed with it. 

4. Miss Dior Cherie Blooming Bouquet

Yes, I know, I really didn't need another bottle of perfume, but I just can't resist buying more. I got this one last month and have been wearing it a lot. It's such a nice spring fragrance and the bottle is so cute and girly!

5. Lonely Planet "Paris"

The Boyfriend and I will go to Paris in July, and as you can imagine, I'm so freakin' excited! I love organizing our trips and planning our itineraries, and I've been pouring over this Lonely Planet "Paris" almost every day for the past month. We love the Lonely Planet series and always buy a book before we travel. I'd definitely recommend it! Their website is wonderful, too.

6. Boater hat

I don't wear hats often, but I want to. I got this boater hat from Ebay a couple of months ago, and even though I haven't worn it out, I love using it as decor in my apartment at the moment, as it looks really pretty on my coat rack.

I hope all of you have had a great month. Are there any products or items that you've loved in May?

INSANITY Results

INSANITY Day 63

I thought it would be fitting to write a detailed report (I'm such a teacher...) of my INSANITYexperience, after updating you guys on my workouts every week for the past 2 months. Every time I talk to someone about doing INSANITYthey usually have the same questions, which I'll answer in this post. Also, check out my Fit Test results, which I'm super proud of, especially if you see where I started and where I finished.

Weight

The first thing everyone asks me is; "Did you lose weight?" I know that this is an important aspect for most people and their reason for exercising or doing a crazy workout program like INSANITY but like I said in my very first post, my goal was not to lose weight. I'm naturally slim and I don't think it's even possible for me to lose a lot of weight, unless I drastically cut back on my daily calorie intake, which is not an option for me, as I need lots of energy during the day at work, and, well, I like to eat and snack around the clock.

The most important thing for me was to get fit and toned, and to see whether I could actually do a workout program for 2 months straight. And I did achieve all these things. But, if you must know, on Day 1 of INSANITY I weighed 46.7kg (about 103 pounds), and on Day 63 I weighed 47.3kg (about 104 pounds). My body fat percentage decreased, and I've gained muscle mass, which as we all know weighs more than fat. My clothes definitely fit differently and I've gone down a size in jeans.

Honestly, there's no way in hell your body won't change (for the better) while doing this program; it is impossible. Unless you're sitting on the couch watching the workout DVDs instead of actually doing them. If you are carrying around some extra weight, you will definitely lose some of it, and if you are a lot overweight, you can lose even more.

I really do wish that people would not be so obsessed with weight though. What does it matter what you weigh? It's only a number. It doesn't measure your fitness, or your muscle mass, or how you look, or how you feel. By all means, get your body fat percentage measured, as that's basically the only thing that really counts if you are obsessed with losing weight.

INSANITY Day 27

General body changes

My body has changed a lot over these 2 months. First of all, I can feel my core is stronger and it's easier to sit up straight for a long time. My arms and back are more toned and my oblique muscles (the ones on the sides of your tummy) are more defined. My bum is also a lot more toned and so are my thighs and calves.

I wish that my abs would have been more defined, but I guess that's not really going to happen if you like to stuff everything in your face like I do. Overall, I'm very happy with the changes in my body and I like that my clothes fit better.

Fitness

I haven't been this fit in a very long time. My endurance, strength and stamina has increased so much. I remember how I felt when I did the first Fit Test on Day 1; I was exhausted and couldn't do many repetitions. While doing the Fit Test on Day 63, I felt amazing and I was so proud of myself when I compared my Fit Test results and see how I've improved from Day 1 to Day 63.

My INSANITY Fit Test results

Before/After pics

I know that I told you guys that I'd post some before/after pics after I've finished this program, but I realized they will probably pretty much look the same to most of you if I had to post two pictures next to each other. So I just posted some of my result pics.

INSANITY Day 27

My personal Pros and Cons of doing INSANITY

Pros
- More toned and fit body
- More energy during the day
- Sleeping better at night
- Healthy exercise routine
- The "high" after a workout
- Bonding with my workout buddies
- Increased fitness and stamina
- Feeling of accomplishment after finishing the 2-month program

Cons
- Working out 6 days a week
- Duration of workouts during Month 2 is very long (almost an hour)
- I felt hungry ALL THE TIME
- Having to work out when I didn't feel like it.

INSANITY Day 63

Tips for doing INSANITY

Get a workout buddy - I'm so happy that I had my two co-workers doing INSANITY with me. Believe me, you are going to need some motivation on some days, and having that other person there to cheer you on, will make you more likely to do it and get through it. Also, believe it or not, we had fun. You are going to want to talk about the workouts and you will need someone to complain to about how sore your muscles are. A workout buddy is perfect for that, as they are going through the exact same thing as you are.

Drink a lot of water - You have to stay hydrated for your organs to work properly. You will be putting your body through a lot and you will be sweating buckets. 

Take your vitamins - I'm no doctor, so if you want to make sure about this, ask your GP. I took a multi vitamin daily to make sure I'm getting everything I need for my body to perform at its best.

Eat more protein - You will absolutely have to up your protein intake, as your muscles will be working extra hard during this time. I recommend lean meats and fish and snacking on nuts like almonds.

Wear good trainers - I made the mistake of doing two workouts without shoes on (in my house on the carpet) and my ankles paid the price. They were sore for a week after that and working out was pretty painful.

Ladies, get a high impact sports bra - Believe me, you don't want to have "the girls" flying about while exercising. You are going to jump a lot and I promise you that you'll thank me for this tip. It is very damaging to breast tissue if you don't wear a good bra while doing vigorous exercise.

Eat something half an hour before working out - I found that eating something small, for a little bit of extra energy, about half an hour before the workout was best for me. A banana or an apple did the job.

Don't cut back on calories too much - I know that some of you want to cut back on your calorie intake to lose weight, but you are going to burn a lot of extra calories by doing these workouts anyway. Believe me, you are going to need the extra energy. 

Don't slack off - I remember slacking off a couple of times and I really regretted it afterwards. Actually, the hardest part is usually to just get started with your workout when you're not feeling like it, and if you can do that, put in 100% while doing your workout. You'll feel great afterwards if you know that you did your absolute best.

A huge thank you to all my cheerleaders who motivated and encouraged me through these past two months. It was a wild ride, but I don't regret it for a minute. If you've been thinking about doing INSANITY I hope my experience will motivate you to just go on and do it! You will definitely feel better and look better. What have you got to lose? Probably only a few pounds, or twenty...

If you've done INSANITY and have some extra tips to share, or would just like to tell us about your experience, please share. And to those of you who have decided to take on the challenge, just remember to "push!" and "dig deeper!".

INSANITY: Day 57 to 63 (Final Week)

Aaaaand... that's 2 months of pure INSANITY for ya, done and dusted! Can you believe I managed to finish this program? I can't! Here are my updates from the last week of madness:

Day 57 - Max Interval Plyo (Monday)

I have the day off from work and did the workout while The Boyfriend was out on his jog. I tried to persuade him to join me, but I guess after last time's spectacle, he knew not to give in this time. I love working out in the mornings and feel ready and energized for the day. Although, I know I'm probably going to be super lazy and do a whole lotta nothing...

Day 58 - Max Cardio Conditioning & Insane Abs (Tuesday)

Oops... I realized that I did the wrong workout yesterday. I accidentally did Max Cardio Conditioning instead of Max Interval Plyo, so I had to switch them again today. I'm taking a little break now before I'm taking on Insane Abs, which I'm definitely not looking forward to. This week, I decided to do all my workouts at home, in the comfort of my air conditioner, which means I no longer have my workout buddies with me. Boo!

Day 59 - Max Interval Circuit (Wednesday)

I was Miss Lazy Bum today after I got home from work, and procrastinated like no other before I finally got up and did this workout. I'm feeling kinda over it now and looking forward to finish the program this weekend.

Day 60 - Max Interval Sports Training (Thursday)

I didn't even give myself a chance to sit down when I got home from work today, because it is so much harder to feel motivated for these workouts after you've sat down for a while after a long day at work. I just threw on my workout gear and had an amazing workout. Starving right now!

Day 61 - Max Interval Plyo (Friday)

Aunt Flo is in town (too much information?) which meant that I'm feeling a little sluggish at the moment and really just wanted to curl up in a ball on the couch and watch TV. I've also been having really bad headaches and cramps, which didn't make me excited for the workout at all today. But, I managed to pull through and just finished it.

Day 62 - Max Cardio Conditioning & Insane Abs (Saturday)

I was super pumped this morning to do these two workouts, because they were the LAST ones. Yeah! After having my morning coffee and a banana, I jumped right into it and gave it my all for old times' sake. I was exhausted already before starting Insane Abs, and definitely struggled through that one. BUT, I'm finished now! Woohoo!

Day 63 - Fit Test (Sunday)

Tomorrow I'll do the final Fit Test. Eeek! I'm going to write a detailed post about my entire INSANITY experience and my final thoughts on this workout program, which should be up on the blog within a week. I'll include my Fit Test results, some before and after pics, my personal INSANITY tips for those of you thinking of taking on the challenge, and some other bits and bobs.

Thanks for everyone's support and motivation! Now it's time to celebrate. Cake anyone?

Day 11 - Put your music player on shuffle and write 10 songs that pop up

The last time I listened to music on my iPod was probably in July last year. For real! I only use it when I go to the gym, which also influences what type of music I have on there, and that is mostly pop tunes.  Because I was traveling during the summer, and didn't really work out during winter and have been doing INSANITY for the past 2 months, the poor thing was just lying in a drawer gathering dust.

Also, I don't listen to music on my iPhone, only podcasts and comedy shows. The only time I listen to music is at home on YouTube. 

Okay, so I recharged my iPod and these are the first 10 songs that came up after shuffling. (Please keep in mind that I haven't updated my workout music in a looooong time...)

1. Knockout by Lil Wayne ft Nicki Minaj
2. When love takes over by David Guetta ft Kelly Rowland
3. Angel by Akon ft David Guetta
4. Firework by Katy Perry
5. We found love by Rihanna
6. Just like heaven by The Cure
7. Raise your glass by Pink
8. Rock that body by Black Eyed Peas
9. I'm in Miami Trick by LMFAO
10. Clocks by Coldplay

Uhm... yes, I do need to update my workout playlist. Any suggestions?

INSANITY: Day 50 to 55 (Week 8)

After last week's less than stellar performance on my part, I made a conscious decision this week to work extra hard and to eat better. I did give my all this week, and apart from the cookies I had last night and a little naughty snack here and there, I definitely made better choices than last week on the food front. But I've still been eating like a monster and I'm always hungry. This program has hiked up my already fast metabolism and I can't seem to ever feel full. My weight has remained the same, which is kind of a surprise to me when I think about all the food I stuff in my face...

Here are my updates from Week 8:

Day 50 - Fit Test & Max Interval Circuit (Monday)

We finished the Fit Test during our lunch break at work, as today is another 2-workout day and we wanted a little break between the two workouts. Today, my heart started beating very irregularly while doing the Fit Test; I might have overexerted myself. I did improve in the Fit Test, except for one exercise, because I had to slow down because of my heart rate. It took me a while to catch my breath afterwards and to get my heartbeat back to normal. Strangely, I felt amazing while doing the Max Interval Circuit today, my most hated workout, and I'm glad to say that my heart is beating normally again.

Day 51 - Max Interval Plyo (Tuesday)

It really makes such a huge difference when I have a little snack before my workouts. I've gotten in the habit of eating a banana about half an hour before we start, and it gives me the needed energy without making me feel too full and sluggish. I've had more energy this week and today's workout went really well.

Day 52 - Max Cardio Conditioning & Insane Abs (Wednesday)

I must admit, my heart sinks a little when I see that we have two workouts in one day. I decided to do Insane Abs after work, and then I did Max Cardio Conditioning at home. I don't know how people do two of these workouts in a row. I don't think it's possible to give 100% for 1.5 hours. That hour break I take between the two workouts make such a big difference for me, and just gives me that needed boost for the second set.

Day 53 - Max Recovery (Thursday)

Oh Humidity, how I hate thee. Sweating even before starting the workout is so discouraging. Luckily today we only had to endure 45 minutes of Max Recovery, which is a little less vigorous than the other workouts. I did hurt my lower back a little bit, but after some stretching it seems to be fine now. Also, my elbows are raw from doing the high plank/low plank exercise. I had to stop otherwise they would have started bleeding. These workouts really are freakin' crazy!

Day 54 - Max Interval Circuit (Friday)

No way was I going to do this workout in Taipei's humidity today. I decided to do my workout at home, in the comfort of my air conditioner on full blast. What a great decision! As I could also just hop in a cold shower immediately after, which felt wonderful. 

Day 55 - Max Interval Sports Training (Saturday)

I really looked forward to this workout today. I love working out on a Saturday morning, just after having my morning coffee, and to start the day off on a good foot. And this workout is so much fun. Feeling fantastic right now, and ready for a fun weekend.

We are officially down to 1 week, people! I have mixed feelings about this though. I'm happy that we'll be completing the program soon and that I've been able to accomplish this. But I'm also nervous about what exercise I should do after finishing INSANITY. I don't want to lose my fitness. I've decided not to do INSANITY: The Asylum (the follow-up program to INSANITY), as I won't be able to exercise at work anymore because of the unbearable humidity, and I just don't have enough space for it at home.

I guess I can do some of the Month 2 INSANITY workouts a few times a week, and I really want to hit the gym again, which I usually really enjoy. I just need a little more variety at this point. I'm so motivated for the last week of INSANITY, bring it on!

Happy Weekend, friends!

Urban Decay NAKED Basics GIVEAWAY (closed)

Hey gals! As Pretty.Random.Things.'s 2nd birthday is approaching, I've decided to host another giveaway to celebrate this joyous occasion and give something back to my amazing readers. This time, there will be not 1, not 2, but 3 winners! So your chances of getting something is so much better. 

As always, I like to give away products that I love and know that my readers will love, too. That's why I've decided to give away the Urban Decay NAKED Basics palette, valued at around $27 each, to 3 lucky readers.

Urban Decay NAKED Basics ($27)

I'm sure you've heard about this palette before, and I really can't say enough good things about it. If you like the natural/nude look like I do, this eye shadow palette would be perfect for you! Also, the palette is quite compact, which makes it perfect to travel with.

This giveaway will be open internationally, so anyone can enter and I'll send it out to you wherever you are in the world. To enter this giveaway, it is mandatory that you:

1. Follow this blog with Google Friend Connect (GFC)
2. Like the Pretty.Random.Things. Facebook page.
3. Leave a comment on this post

Previously, I chose my winners the "old-school" way by randomly drawing a winner, but this time I'm going to use Rafflecopter to choose the 3 winners. Please sign in with your Facebook account or email address to enter the giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will close on June 29, 2013 and the 3 winners will be notified within 2 days after that.

If you have any questions about this giveaway, feel free to email me at:

liesl@pretty-random-things.com

Good luck to you all!

Disclaimer: This giveaway is not sponsored by any company and the prizes will be purchased by the owner of this blog. The owner of this blog is not receiving any compensation for hosting this giveaway. Some of the above links may be affiliate links.

INSANITY: Day 43 to 48 (Week 7)

Week 7 has been the toughest INSANITY week for me so far. For some reason, I've been craving the wrong foods, I've not been sleeping well and motivation is seriously lacking. I'm frustrated because I want to feel like I did in the earlier weeks; excited, energized and motivated. I'm hoping that I'll be back to normal next week and can take on the final 2 weeks with lots of enthusiasm.

Here are my updates from the past week:

Day 43 - Max Cardio Conditioning (Monday)

Oh lordy but it was hot today. Suddenly it's a million degrees in Taipei and I was sweating even before we got started. I had no energy for this workout and kept thinking how badly I'd like to dive into a swimming pool. I wish we could turn on the air conditioners, as that would make a huge difference.

Day 44 - Max Interval Circuit (Tuesday)

Boo! I had to skip today's workout (my first one so far) because I've had really bad stomach cramps the whole day. There was just no way I could do it. I might make up for it by doing this workout on Sunday if I'm not too tired.

Day 45 - Max Interval Plyo (Wednesday)

I didn't feel 100% today and struggled to give my all during this workout. It didn't help that I was doing it by myself, as I feel less motivated to work harder. I'm a little frustrated with my body right now, as I have not been sleeping well, which means my energy level is low, and I keep craving junk food. Not the best day, unfortunately.

Day 46 - Max Recovery (Thursday)

Max Recovery was better for me this week than last. I still worked up quite a sweat, and I'm feeling good now. My favorite workout so far this week!

Day 47 - Max Cardio Conditioning & Insane Abs (Friday)

Another 2-workout day. Bleh! I did Max Cardio Conditioning at work and a couple of hours later I did Insane Abs at home. I was seriously considering skipping Insane Abs, because I was so tired. But then I ate a bunch of Oreos and felt guilty, so I did the ab workout anyway. It's tough, and loooong. I better have killer abs when this program is over!

Day 48 - Max Interval Sports Training (Saturday)

Today we had the option of doing the Core Cardio & Balance workout, or Max Interval Sports Training. I haven't done this one before, and I'm so glad I did, because I love it! This is my favorite workout out of all of them, as it's fun and has a big variety of exercises. I think this will be a workout I'll do by myself after I've finished the INSANITY program. 

Now, we only have 2 weeks left. I'm already thinking about what I'm going to do after I finish INSANITY. Do INSANITY:Asylum, P90X, try something totally different or go back to the gym? I'm not sure yet.

All I know is that I won't be able to do these workouts at work much longer. The humidity is really starting to take its toll, which means I can't give 100% when I'm working out. I'll have to do it at home where I can turn on the air conditioner.

Some of my friends have started INSANITY recently, and I'm so excited for them! I wish you guys the best, and don't forget to "keep pushing" even if you feel like you can't.

Happy Weekend, everyone!

Day 10 - Discuss your first love and first kiss

The first kiss I ever got from a boy, who's not in my family, was when I was about 5 or 6 years old. Early bloomer? We were in kindergarten and he was cute and funny. It didn't work out though, because he was into finger painting, and I was more of an outdoorsy playing-in-the-sandbox type of girl.

Oh well, things worked out well in the end, because 23 years later he's happily married, and I couldn't be happier with The Boyfriend. 

I had many boyfriends growing up... uhm, that doesn't sound so good... It was very innocent though. In elementary school, we would mostly write each other letters and have our best friend deliver it and run away. He would give you chocolates and flowers. That was pretty much the extent of it.

In high school it developed into holding hands and kissing with the tongue. I grew up in small town and we were pretty innocent... most of the time!

I fell in love for the first time when I was 17. Ah, young love. The butterflies, the daydreaming and the nervous giggles. You know the deal. He lived in another town, and even though we were in a relationship for more than a year, we probably only saw each other a total of 3 months out of that year. This probably added greatly to the infatuation and excitement. I do believe that we really loved each other though.

He proceeded to break my heart when I found out how many times he had cheated on me. But I don't regret our relationship, because we had many good times and he was my first love, which is special. Also, you know what they say, "Sometimes you got to kiss a lot of frogs before you meet your prince". Which I did!

How old were you when you had your first kiss?