…and other recent purchases that make me happy.

Total Gym

I got a Total Gym Elite from Out of The Closet (a local thrift store) for only $45.  Found out after the fact that I could have bargained it down to $30 because of a missing (and unnecessary) accessory, but oh well, it all goes to charity anyway.  (I also found a $54 large cork memo board there for only $8—I love finding bargains!)

You’ve probably seen the infomercials with Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley.  It’s a piece of exercise equipment that uses your body weight and gravity as resistance.  You can find commercial Total Gym models at some gyms where they are better known as Gravity machines.

Despite the infomercial, the Total Gym won’t give you muscles like Chuck Norris.  You need a lot more resistance than your body weight for that, not to mention a good diet and probably supplement plan.  However, if used correctly, it is great for toning, strength building, flexibility and increasing your endurance.  Since I’m more interested in defining my muscles rather than growing them, the Total Gym is perfect for my needs.  I’ve been using it almost every day now and it’s amazing how many different exercises you can do on it.  Based on my body weight and at the top incline, the max resistance I can get is about 50 lbs using one hand or 25 lbs in each hand (or foot).  Coupled with high reps and about 3 sets, it’s perfect for me to get toned and stronger.  I have been doing many of the same exercises I had been doing at the gym on this one machine now.  Since I’m now working with a flexible cable system instead of a fixed machine, I can feel a lot more muscles firing up to stabilize my form with each rep.  In other words, each rep is harder yet more effective!

I used my Total Gym for lunges and squats yesterday and I can totally feel it in my legs today.  It’s also great for cardio as a rowing machine, and on a lower incline, it’s actually pretty fun.

Latisse

I’ve also had great success with another celebrity-endorsed product, Latisse.  It’s a liquid solution that Brooke Shields has been promoting which promises to grow thicker, longer lashes.  The choice of Brooke Shields is odd to me since she has always had naturally thick lashes and brows.  I was a bit skeptical, but since I was able to get the normally $120 product for just $10, I gave it a go.  Full results are supposed to be seen at Week 16, but here is a photo of my eyelashes at Week 0 (before application) and now, which is Week 10:

Latisse: Before use and then at Week 10

It definitely works!  A word of caution though: it has the potential to permanently turn you eye color brown.  If I didn’t already have dark eyes, I definitely would not risk it.  Also, $10 is cheaper than most tubes of mascara so it was a great value to me but I would not pay full price for this.  It’s a nice little feminine perk, but not worth $120 especially since your lashes will regrow at their normal length once you stop using it.

Food

I love food. I love saving money. I love saving money on food!

Pork spareribs were on sale and a $6 slab has lasted me 4 days! Yum! I never get sick of ribs.

Also, bought a bar of Lindt 70% dark chocolate bar with cherry and chili and it was da bomb! So good, and when eaten in moderation, is good for you with all the antioxidants and flavonoids found in dark chocolate.  I don’t have a problem with moderating my sweets and am satisfied after just one or two squares.  When buying chocolate, the darker the better, and make sure the first ingredient is chocolate not sugar like it is with many mainstream brands.

Alright, that’s it for now.  Can you tell I’m trying to blog more often?

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