bitchyMITCHY

Why Lemons are the Sh*t

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 15:13:00 +0000

I owe a lot to the lemon. Just adding simple daily habits into my routine has somewhat changed my life. No exaggeration here.

I started with drinking a glass of warm water with juice from half a lemon every morning. I'm chronically lazy, so at first it was a big effort to actually get up and make this drink as opposed to just grabbing a water bottle, but as soon as I got into the habit it became effortless. On an empty stomach I downed a glass of warm lemon water and let's just say... I eliminated some toxins and waste products. This seriously helped me with all my bloating issues, and helped me lose 3 pounds with diet and exercise of course. Do this every morning, just make sure there is space in between taking the drink and brushing your teeth as it may wear out the enamel on those pearly whites.

Another thing I do with lemons is create a "fat flush" drink. I combine a whole sliced lemon, sliced lime, cucumbers and mint leaves in a jug of cold water and let it infuse overnight. The mint in the drink makes it super refreshing and cooling for your body, perfect for a hot day or a post workout sip. The combination of cucumber, citrus fruits and mint helps your digestive system function at it's best, this will help you de-bloat and look A+++ in your itty bitty body con dresses. Cassey Ho from Blogilates shares a fantastic recipe on her blog.

16 Additional Benefits of Lemons

Lemon is an excellent and rich source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects the body against immune system deficiencies
Lemons contain pectin fiber which is very beneficial for colon health and also serves as a powerful antibacterial
It balances maintain the pH levels in the body
Having warm lemon juice early in the morning helps flush out toxins
It aids digestion and encourages the production of bile
It is also a great source citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium
It helps prevent the growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria that cause infections and diseases
It helps reducing pain and inflammation in joints and knees as it dissolves uric acid
It helps cure the common cold
The potassium content in lemon helps nourish brain and nerve cells
It strengthens the liver by providing energy to the liver enzymes when they are too dilute
It helps balance the calcium and oxygen levels in the liver In case of a heart burn, taking a glass of concentrated lemon juice can give relief
It is of immense benefit to the skin and it prevents the formation of wrinkles and acne

It helps maintain the health of the eyes and helps fight against eye problems
Aids in the production of digestive juices
Lemon juice helps replenish body salts especially after a strenuous workout session

So now you know all the goodies lemons are packing, make sure to incorporate it into your daily routines, just a simple squeeze in a glass of warm water can go a long way.

x Michelle

{via: Food Matters}

Motivation Monday #7

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 13:43:00 +0000

This is something I need to remind myself everyday. I think a big part of my stress is that I'm always worrying about people's thoughts and opinions on me. It's important to be reminded that, it's near impossible to have every single person you encounter like you.

This weekend, a friend told me to stop thinking about what other people think because you end up developing a negative mentality. If you're going to do something, do it for you... not for others.

Happy Monday!

x Michelle

{Via // Style Cusp}

Food for Thought: How Do YOU Define Yourself?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 14:37:00 +0000

I've been hitting a bunch of rough patches lately, with everything going on.. it's hard to remain positive and enthusiastic, but I try. I mean, it's hard to watch everyone around you starting a new journey and building their futures when you're stuck in the same old, not knowing what to do next. I probably should be happy for those around me, but instead I feel jealous. A few mistakes from the past year now have me suffering the consequences, and I can't help but feel like a failure.

I could sit here and sulk about what I could have done differently, dwell on those mistakes, feel more bad about myself and my actions... but after watching this TED talk by the amazing Lizzie Velasquez, my thinking changed.

I should be proud of myself for overcoming the many obstacles I have faced this past year, because God knows it wasn't easy... at all. I've failed at many things, but I'm still standing here. I'm still here trying to shape a life thats healthier and overall better for me, and that in itself is a huge accomplishment.

I shouldn't define or see myself as a failure, I should see myself as a strong girl... who despite everything she's gone through, despite the names she's been called, still manages to keep trying and keep going. Despite my past with eating disorders, that isn't who I am... I'm the girl who picked herself back up and found a healthy balance in her life.

"You are the person in the front seat of your car, you are the one who decides if your car goes down a good path or a bad path. YOU are the one who decides what defines you."

With that said.. don't let your past and failures decide the person you are. Drive your car down the good road, keep going. I'm sure the destination will be worth the journey.

x Michelle

Eating in Paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 18:37:00 +0000

After reading a post by Cupcakes and Cashmere where she describes what her typical fantasy day of eating would look like, I was inspired to create my own. If I were to have a day where I could eat whatever I wanted without worrying about any nutritional or caloric content, this is what it would look like. I would just go nuts on carbs, every meal as you can see is just filled with carbs... and sugar. This is very different on what I actually eat on a regular basis, I wonder if my body would actually be able to handle it without feeling sick. I showed this to my mom and she was actually shocked that I didn't include any veggies in my fantasy eating day, but honestly... I would choose pizza over veggies everyday if I could.

Lee Price on Emotional Eating

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 14:30:00 +0000

I recently came across these self-portrait paintings by Lee Price depicting her struggle with her secret-binge eating, opening up the topic of women's attitudes and relationships towards food. In a series of photographic paintings, which has taken her 7 years to produce, she features herself in secret binge-eating episodes, which is seen in very real and existing eating disorders. Through her paintings she explores the obsession many of us have with food.

Emotional eating is something many people struggle with, not just females. Lee Price's paintings cover the shame and compulsiveness that comes with emotional eating. We have been taught to use food as a comforting mechanism, as a way to deal with the stressors we face in our daily lives.

I'm happy that I came across these paintings, as I can relate very well to them. I've struggled with bouts of binge eating, there are times where I feel stressed so I reach for a pint of ice cream without even thinking about it.. next thing you know I've downed the entire pint, plus a couple bag of chips and some cookies from my pantry. Physically, I feel overwhelmingly full, but I'm still craving a slice of pizza or something. I know I'm engaging in compulsive behaviour, but at the same time... I am unable to stop myself.

"I use food as a metaphor for the ways we distract ourselves from being present, There is an absurdity to the repetition of this act of compulsion. At the same time it is an attempt to find real nourishment"

Lee Price

When it comes down to our relationship with food, it's important to be mindful. We use food as a way to escape our problems momentarily. We aren't really dealing with our problems, but rather "taking a break" from them. "The women in my paintings are seeking a place of solace. They are looking for a reacquaintance with joy. They are searching for the lusciousness of life," - Lee Price

{Via: The Daily Beast, MUI PR, Refinery 29 Photos: Lee Price Studio }

Motivation Monday #6

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:02:00 +0000

I don't feel like I'm in the right place to be giving my own advice on how you should make the best out of your life, because I myself.. don't know how.

Although when I stumbled across this, it struck me. If we think about it.. yesterday is gone and tomorrow isn't guaranteed for anyone. All we have is today, so.. why am I complaining and moping around when today could really be the last today ever. Cliche .. but true.

Everyday is a blessing, I should be happy that I still have today. There are people with worse problems who get by just fine, so why can't I? I'm not saying our problems aren't important, they are.. but what's more important is our courage to fight through them.

x Michelle

{Photo via: Purple Leaves}

Woman Crush Wednesday #4

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 16:44:00 +0000

My WCW this week goes to Stephanie Claire Smith, she's a chadwick model in Aussie land. I swear Aussies are taking over the instagram world. Her instagram promotes a healthy and active lifestyle.. which I love, and there's also pics of her eating lots of food.. which I love more! She models for a bunch of cool brands like Triangl swimwear.

{Photos via: Chadwick}

Motivation Monday #5

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 01:45:00 +0000

There is no better way to make yourself happy than being with the people that go out of their way to make you happy. I honestly haven't had the best week, I've cried... alot, but somehow the day always ended with me feeling much better, thanks to my special someone.

Surround yourself with good people, people with good intentions and who truly care about you. Be with people who make you happy, it's most likely that your presence brings them joy as well.

Do silly things, talk about weird stuff, take naps, watch modern family, eat .. whatever you do, make moments that you'll cherish. It'll mean as much to your person as it'll mean to you.

Thanks oli for being my person.

Love,

Michelle.

{Photo via: Contextual Posts}

Honey Coconut Macaroons

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Sun, 08 Jun 2014 18:29:00 +0000

I've gotten a lot of bad news this week, and everybody who knows me knows that I like to eat when I'm stressed or upset.. especially carbs, which is probably a really bad thing since I was diagnosed with SIBO. Knowing that all my stress and heartbreak is going to stick with me a little bit longer, I had to find another way to cure my cravings without taking in too much carbs, because there is no way these cravings are going away anytime soon.

I decided to whip up some Coconut Macaroons, because.. 1. They're so easy, 2. I had a bunch of shredded coconut in my pantry, 3. These macaroons are a little less sinful than the things I've recently eaten

Ingredients: 3 Large Egg Whites or 6TB, 1/4 cup Honey, 2 1/2 cup shredded coconut, Chocolate Chips (optional), sea salt (optional) Yields 6-8

Directions: Combine egg whites and honey and whisk together, add in optional sea salt and stir in coconut shreds, place mixture in fridge for 1/2 hour. After chilling, take an ice cream scoop and fill with batter, release batter onto parchment paper lined baking dish. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, rotating dish halfway through. Ensure macaroons are golden brown before taking it out of the oven. Let it cool for 1/2 hour before devouring. You can also melt some chocolate and drizzle over your macaroons like I did!

Enjoy this with a cup of tea or coffee, you'll thank me.

x Michelle

Tiny Tea by Your Tea Review.

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 13:01:00 +0000

I. Love. This. Stuff. It's amazing. If you haven't heard about the teatox craze that's going on.. then idk you must be in a world with no media or technology whatsoever.. aka under a rock. Your Tea was kind and generous enough to send me a 14-day teatox package to try out and review, and I'm super glad they did.

Before I get started, if you think that drinking this tea will magically make you skinny without a clean diet or exercise, then i'm sorry to say that tiny tea is not that and if it was, the world would run out of tiny tea.

So, here goes my review..

After countless posts featuring your tea on Instagram, I decided to find out for myself what all the hype was about. Your Tea uses a balanced blend of herbs and traditional Chinese medicine principles to create a tea that aids in digestion, weight loss, bloating and fatigue. You can read more about the ingredients on the Your Tea website.

Your Tea advises customers to drink the tea 30 minutes before or after a meal, 3 times a day. I found it easier to drink the tea before a meal but it was nice to know that drinking the tea after the meal was also an option. This takes a little bit of planning and organization in terms of eating times, but like I said, if you can't drink the tea 30 minutes before or you forget to.. you can still take it after your meal. The taste of the tea is earthy, kind of like a burnt green tea. I didn't mind the taste, but I preferred it with a slice of lemon and a drizzle of honey.

cute message from your tea

In terms of results.. I saw results FAST! I wish I took a before and after picture, but honestly I was too excited to try the tea.. I forgot to take a before pic. Within the first couple of cups, I was already starting to feel less bloated. I wasn't feeling heavy after meals, and I could eat without feeling sick. I've been to so many doctors about my bloating issues, but nothing solved it as quick as Tiny Tea. I also managed to lose like 3 pounds and a couple of inches ... nothing to drastic, but that was also combined with exercise and healthy eating. I also noticed that my first couple of cups gave me a big surge of energy, my boyfriend was actually worried at how hyper I was.

Your Tea advocates in putting warm foods in your stomach, including cooked veggies, grains, hot drinks and stewed fruit as optimal digestions occurs at a specific temperature, this was very easy for me as I like my food hot.. to the point where I actually burn my tongue. I also notice that I do tend to bloat more when I eat raw or cold foods.. with or without the tea. They also provide an optional meal plan with healthy recipes included. I already eat quite healthy, so I didn't feel the need to follow the meal plan.

Overall, I love this tea. It's not a quick weight loss fix, you still need to eat healthy and exercise to see optimal results. I mainly use the tea for my bloating issues, I notice that drinking the tea helps my bloating by a great deal and just makes me feel better overall.. I mean, nobody feels sexy when they're bloated. I definitely recommend this stuff! I keep an extra box of tiny tea in my cupboard for those days where I just feel.. bleh, and it helps tremendously!

Coconut flour Waffles ♥

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 14:10:00 +0000

Ever since me and my mom bought a waffle maker.. I swear I've been having waffles for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. There's no rule saying that you can only have waffles in the morning, especially these ones because they're grain-free, gluten free, low-cal and low carb.. so these waffles are completely guilt-free!

So after buying the waffle maker, me and my mom also picked up instant waffle mix, but we all know that if you eat that stuff on the regs.. bad things will happen... so I adapted this recipe from Foodie Fiasco (who is my fave food blogger btw) and added a few extras to suit my tastebuds.

Ingredients:

3 Egg Whites (Approx. 6 Tbs)

2 Tbs Coconut Flour

2 Tbs Unsweetened Almond Milk or Non-Dairy Milk

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp PB2 or Stevia (optional)

Dash of Cinnamon

Directions:

Whisk 2 egg whites until they become super foamy, feel free to use an egg beater but I decided to whisk it myself for a bonus arm workout. Once it's foamy, add in the coconut flour, milk, baking powder, the last egg white and your optional ingredients. Pre-heat your waffle maker to the highest temp and pour in the batter, and cook it until your waffle maker says its ready! For those who like extra crispy waffles, like me.. I decided to put my waffle in the toaster for about 3 minutes.

What you decide to do next is completely up to you, I topped mine with hot PB (of course), stewed raspberries and blueberries... Then I turned into a monster and devoured that thing, but nobody was watching, so it's ok.

Happy Munching!

x Michelle

Motivation Monday #4

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 12:52:00 +0000

It most certainly does.. I've never been a risk taker, I like to play things safe. There are so many things I've wanted to try but restrain because I just didn't believe in myself enough. Who knows what might've happened if I tried? There's really only two ways this can go... I could've been successful, or I could've failed miserably, I won't ever know though.

I don't know why most of us are so afraid of the idea of failure. They say failure is an opportunity for us to learn from our experiences, when we fail at something... we still take something away with us, wether it's an opportunity to grow as individuals or a lesson learned. Doubt leaves us with nothing but a "what if?" .. something we won't ever know the answer to without some action.

It's not such a bad thing to fail, all we gotta do is take it out on some ice cream and try again!

x Michelle

{Photo: Shanice Cameron}

Summer Wishlist: Vertty

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Fri, 30 May 2014 15:40:00 +0000

I stumbled across Vertty while browsing about Instagram .. and I thought it was a pretty cool looking beach towel, but then I decided to visit their webpage and realized this sh*t is so much more than a beach towel.. I don't know how people come up with this stuff. Basically, if all of us regular people were all beach towels.. Vertty would be some sort of superman beach towel.

Vertty has a unique design that features a fast-drying material, this thing even has waterproof pockets for your valuables. It's also somehow lighter-weight and larger in size. You can choose from a variety of stand out colours, and it's geometric shape just puts all other ordinary and boring beach towels to shame.

I'm somehow convinced that I NEED this towel, and once I get it this will be me and my bikini body in-progress all summer long.

x Michelle

{via: Vertty | Photos: Verrty Pinterest}

Woman Crush Wednesday #3: TIU Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Wed, 28 May 2014 21:15:00 +0000

Since I missed last weeks WCW, it's only appropriate that I make these two ladies my WCWs of the week. Some of you may not know who these ladies are but ya'll bout to find out...

These beach babes go by the name of Karena Dawn and Katrina Hodgson.. but in the fitspo community, they're mostly known as TIU girls .. as in Tone It Up girls. Tone It Up is a community of women, all ages, who all aspire to live a healthy, happy and fit life.

Karena and Katrina provide their community members with healthy and delish recipes, ass-kicking workouts and nutrition tips. They post workouts and recipes on their Youtube channel, also making printouts available free for women to use. They also have their very own designed nutrition plan which is exclusive to members of their website. Tone It Up has many success stories of women who have changed their lives forever and reading them just gives me the motivation and inspiration I need to keep going in terms of my fitness goals.

These girls have helped change the lives of many women across the world, their recipes are super simple, they're workouts are awesome.. most of them you could do at home, and their nutrition plan doesn't cut out any food groups! The goals set out are realistic and achievable..

... and look at them, they're super hot.

{via: Tone It Up}

Motivational Monday #3

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Mon, 26 May 2014 21:45:00 +0000

Instead of putting up some sappy, cheesy quote..and writing a sappy, cheesy message. I decided to leave these lyrics up to your interpretation. I stumbled across lyrics2liveby and decided it was perfect for today's Motivation Monday. When I was looking through posts, I could just pick one quote, so I had to post all of them

{via: lyrics2liveby}

DIY Coffee Sugar Scrub.

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Sun, 25 May 2014 15:19:00 +0000

If you don't like the smell of Coffee.. I'm just going to assume that you're crazy. I was feeling a little bit of a DIY this morning.. After browsing around social media, it seems that the latest beauty crazy is coffee scrubs. Brands like Frank's Body and Mr. Bean Body Care are just making too many appearances on my instagram timeline and pinterest dashboards.. So wanting to join the hype, my frugal self decided to try this DIY

The scrub is made from all natural ingredients, which is awesome because we don't want all those chemically stuff on our precious skins. All you need is ground coffee (duh), Palm Sugar and Coconut oil.

Coffee is super rich in antioxidants and the caffeine draws out the extra moisture in your skin to help it look firmer and smoother (1/4 Cup)

Coconut oil is amazing, there is nothing wrong about it.. it is perfect. In this scrub, the coconut oil acts as a moisturizer. Coconut oil is also rich in vitamins and minerals which our skin will absorb. (1/4 Cup, Melted)

Palm sugar acts as the exfoliant along with the ground coffee, this will help remove dead skin and expose fresh skin. (1/2 Cup)

All you need to do to make this scrub is to mix all the ingredients together until combined.. thats it. It can be messy if you're not careful. After that.. voila! Just make sure to keep it in an air-tight container and you're ready to scrub away.

I tried this scrub right away in the shower, and honestly.. I never wanted to leave, the smell of Coffee is just tooo wonderful. The scrub left my skin really smooth and soft, I didn't actually have to do my post shower lotion ritual afterwards... and as I mentioned.. It smells jfhsdjkfhsd amazing. I'm kind of tempted to lick my arm.. but I wont.

{via: Free People BLDG}

Summer 2014 Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Wed, 21 May 2014 15:29:00 +0000

Hey alll,

Summer is quickly approaching, and I'm determined to make this summer life-changing. Setting up goals for yourself helps you gain a clearer focus on your wishes and desires and help set out the things you really want to achieve. Goals can also help you get creative when you start to look for ways to make your them happen. I've come up with a bunch of goals I want to accomplish by fall, mostly because I want to focus my energy into things that will help improve my wellbeing. Also, these goals are probably gonna keep me busy.. so there'll be less time for couch potato-ing this summer.

1. Do a Tech Detox
After reading an article on Mind Body Green, I really want to do a Tech Detox at least for one weekend this summer. A Tech Detox puts a ban on using your cellphone, using the internet or watching TV.. basically "detoxing" yourself from all sources of media. Everybody is so reliant on their cellphones these days, and imagine the things we're missing out on because we constantly burry our noses into our phones.. plus we really need to stop relying on google for everything. This is gonna be brutal

2. Yoga Every Morning
I've been convincing my myself to get up extra early in the morning to do some yoga, I did it for a week then stopped once I started my new job. Yoga is something I really want to make a habit, there are just too much benefits to pass up. Apart from carving out a lean and strong figure, yoga brings your mind into its relaxed, focused and sharp state. Plus, the poses are super pretty

3. Learn and Understand the Game of Baseball
Summer's coming and that means more baseball games for my boyfriend. I wanna go to his games and support him.. but that can be difficult when I don't know what the f*ck is going on.. plus, I know it frustrates him when I ask him to explain stuff to me. So, learning the basic concepts of baseball will probably do both of us a huge favour.

4. Invent 5 Original Recipes

I love cooking, I just get some sort of satisfaction from cooking for people. When I cook, I usually just follow recipes I've found online, sometimes I tweak it around to suit my preference, but this summer I really want to come up with my own recipe.. something from scratch. Knowing which ingredients work well together or cooking times is just another chemistry on it's own.

5. Engage in Positive Thinking

Every girl struggles with body-related issues, especially during the summer when it's time to bring out the barely-there bikinis. This summer, I don't want to focus on meeting society's impossible standards. I just want to focus on being healthy and active, both physically and mentally. We all have the power to cultivate happiness in our lives, we have the choice to break away from the constant stress life throws at us. Using positive affirmations, we help ourselves respect and love our beings. Healthy mind, Healthy body.

x Michelle

Motivation Monday #2

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Mon, 19 May 2014 17:21:00 +0000

Whenever I complain about my imperfections, my mom is quick to say.. "you have to work with what you are given with." She always explains to me that everyone is build differently, and we can make whatever we have work for us.

My mom always gets mad at me because I like to hide the things I don't like about my physical self, she says that I have to present myself .. flaws and all. She says, if you believe you're not beautiful it shows in the way you present yourself, but if you truly believe you are beautiful .. it radiates and people will get that vibe.

This is something I have to remind myself all the time. A good thing I've started doing is pointing out what I like about myself, and I dwell on those things. Whatever I don't like about myself, I try to do what I can to improve it, but I don't focus all my energy into that... I mean, there's only so much we can change, but we need to learn how to work with it.

I know there's a saying out there that goes ... "if you believe in something enough, it becomes true" I probably butchered the quote but ... i'm sure you get it.

Happy Monday beauts!

x Michelle

Top Pins of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Sun, 18 May 2014 15:05:00 +0000

Whenever I'm not working, eating or having a social life, I usually find myself on Pinterest just browsing about, and these are just some that I really liked. Most of them are DIY and tutorials.. and even though I've tried none.. I like to pin them all incase my lazy butt finally decides to try something new. So here they are... my fave pins of the week!

DIY Raspberry Sugar Scrub - Bespangled
Cat-eye Eyeliner Tutorial - The Beauty Department
Slow-Carb friendly Chinese Hot pot recipe - A Spicy Perspective
How to get the most out of your mascara - The Beauty Department
Butt-shaped lamps - Design Taxi
Why My Husband Told Me To Stop Wearing Sweatpants - Mind Body Green
High Protein Pancakes with Banana Sauce recipe - Popsugarfit
DIY No-bake Ice Cream Cake recipe - FabDIY
Christmas Light Hack - Irresistibly Happy

Feeling Thankful

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Fri, 16 May 2014 13:43:00 +0000

Thank You by skinnymitchy on Polyvore

There are often times when I wake up in the morning and I think about the things I want and how my life would be better off if I had them. I often get upset and start to blame myself or others around me for the things I don't have. Sometimes, I engage in self-violence and criticize every aspect of myself. I start to point out my flaws and imperfections and deprive myself of self-love until I get those skinny legs, that flat stomach or toned arms.. I've been in this cycle for so long that I've abandoned loving or taking care of myself.

Looking back, I feel really selfish. I have the perfect mom and dad who has given me everything that I've asked for and more, siblings who constantly make me laugh and an amazing boyfriend who is blind to all these "imperfections" that I see. There are so many good things in my life, but I choose to look at what's missing.

So I want to just write a post, to be thankful..

There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

Thank you to my special few,

I don't know how you all put up with me, but you do... consistently. Life with me is probably crazier than a roller coaster ride but you're still in it with me. Though, I constantly fail to remember my blessings, thank you for always being there to remind and show me. Thank you for constantly trying to help me even if I refuse your help. Thank you for putting up with my temper and my crazy emotional states, rushing to me when I need someone to cry to. Each one of you go out of your way to make sure I'm okay, doing whatever you can to make me smile and happy.. then starting all over whenever I feel down. I don't know how to thank you enough, but hopefully my actions in the future make up for everything you all have done for me.

With love,

Michelle

Easy Castor Pack Detox

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Fri, 16 May 2014 00:35:00 +0000

I know some people are scared of the word detox, when they hear detox they probably think about slimming teas, laxatives or master cleanses that literally gets rid of all the sh*t in you.. (I had to). I learned about the castor pack from my naturopath when I complained about some serious bloating.. I tried it the first time and I swear my belly went flat!

Castor packs is probably the easiest way to detox, this method of detoxing is an easy way to eliminate all the toxins out of the body without having to lock yourself in the toilet for God knows how long. It involves the tropical use of castor oil, which is a thick vegetable oil derived from the castor bean used in many countries for thousands of years

Here's what you'll need:

Castor Oil (Cold-pressed is better)
An old cloth .. one that you don't mind getting stained
Heating Pad, hot water bottle/ hot compress

The castor detox involves rubbing castor oil all over your belly. First, massage your belly in a circular motion for about 5 minutes. After you massage your belly, place the old cloth over your abdomen. Finally, place the hot compress/ heating pad over the cloth. Keep the heat on for approximately 45 min- 1 hour and RELAX. I usually do this while using my computer or watching TV.

Massaging the oil over your digestive tract allows the oil to seep through your skin and into your intestines, the oil then helps stimulate circulation and improve the elimination of toxins and other stuff your body needs to get rid of.

I usually do this at night before I go to bed, it helps relieve the upset or bloated stomach that I get after eating and leaves me with a slightly flatter tummy, which is obviously my favourite part of the whole thing.. and as a bonus, the oil leaves the skin of your tummy super soft and smooth.

Since incorporating this into my routine, I've been less bloated and I feel much lighter which helps me sleep more comfortably. This shouldn't even be called a detox, it's honestly effortless and too easy.

YAY for Castor Packs!!

x Michelle

WTF are you eating?

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Thu, 15 May 2014 21:14:00 +0000

Sissy was on some next sh*t and craved the weirdest thing today..

For lunch today, she requested for mangoes paired with rice.... what the hell? I found this really weird but according to mom it's normal to eat mangoes and rice together in the Philippines. So.. being the super nice sister that I am, I put together her lunch .. Ataulfo Mangoes paired with some left over brown rice and a bit of salad mix.

I paired her meal with homemade iced coffee, a recipe I got from Lauren Conrad. I like to spoil my sister.

ugh, watching her eat it gave me some weird feels, I think I cringed a bit too... but my brave little soul told me to have a taste... and when I did, it tasted pretty decent. I'm not gonna lie, I took another bite and I think I liked it better than the first taste. I don't really know how to describe the taste other than it was kind of like eating a chewy mango.. or a gelatinous mango.

I would probably eat this again.

hmmm.. if you could pair mangoes with rice.. I wonder what other odd food combos would work together. Maybe i'll try banana as a pizza topping..

x Michelle

WCW #2: Nina Agdal

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Thu, 15 May 2014 02:37:00 +0000

My second WCW goes to SI cover girl Nina Agdal. The Danish supermodel has been featured on two Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition magazines, she first appeared in 2013 where she was named Rookie of the year, this year she appears on the cover alongside Lily Aldridge and Chrissy Teigen.

"There have been times when people have told me to lose weight or tone up certain areas. There is a difference between toning up and losing weight. You shouldn't tell skinny girls to lose weight because it hurts. It hurts no matter who you are and how skinny you are or how big you are. If somebody tells you to lose weight, it is like a punch in the face."

WCW by skinnymitchy on Polyvore

Spotlight: Mister Zimi

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Wed, 14 May 2014 16:27:00 +0000

I am seriously in love with the Mister Zimi autumn/ winter 2014 campaign: Arizona.

I love the use of "70's wallpaper" textile, it's something you wont find at your typical retail stores + All the campaign photos are soooooooo beautiful.

Mister Zimi is a Bali based line created in 2007, it's very popular in Australia and uses modern Australian design trends incorporating Balinese influences.

Their campaigns features influences from exotic places around the world, their newest campaign inspired by the desserts of Arizona.

I love everything about this! Watch the campaign video HERE

x Michelle

{Via: Eat Drink Chic | Photos: Mister Zimi}

How I fixed my sushi craving in 5 minutes

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Ramos) — Mon, 12 May 2014 23:18:00 +0000

Today.. I had the weirdest craving for sushi. Well, it's not just today but everyday that I'm craving sushi... and I figured out a way to satisfy my craving without doing some serious damage at the buffet.

I know.. it's so pretty and tasted really g000o0o0o0od. I was uber proud of myself for being "creative" .. but then I shouldn't really give myself so much credit because putting this together was way too simple.

Okay, so what you'll need is about 1/4 cup of rice (white or brown), 3 slices of smoked salmon, quarter of an avocado and optional sesame seeds... yuppppp, thats it.

Take a cookie cutter and fill it with rice to make a circle shape and heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds.. don't heat the rice for took long or it becomes really hard and crunchy.

Take your slices of smoked salmon and fold in half, top it on the bed of rice. Cut your avocado into slices and place on top. I decided to be extra and fold one piece into a flower and top with sesame seeds to make it look extra pretty.

fjghdkfgh, its beautiful. I took like 500 pictures before I ate it. I'm so happy.

x Michelle