Ready for the Next Step

Starting a new chapter of life tomorrow morning! First day at a new job, but not just any job, if it's what I think & hope it to be.

I left 24 Hour Fitness after nearly 3 years, after knowing for several months it was time to move on. I went to work for the company in 2013 as my first job post-recovery, wanting to help people and make a difference in the lives of others with their health & happiness.

Over the past 3 months I wanted to take this opportunity to explore where I really want to be in life, what can I do, what do I want to do, where I belong. Rediscovering who I am the last few years has been an interesting road, and realizing who I am at my core shouldn't have come as a surprise to me, but it was almost difficult to accept.

My soul is art, music, entertainment, and dance. It's all I've ever known, but I think even if I didn't know it, I would have found my way home. I was wondering how I was going to get back into it, but when the time was right doors started opening up, and art has been coming in.

I won't stop my journey of continuing to help others, studying nutrition, fitness, and natural alternatives. I picked up an extra duty in life, one that I'm more than happy to take on. It's a huge part of me now, and someday I will figure out how to integrate these two worlds.Natural Beauty and Body with SamTalia is the first step of me doing that. In the meantime, I will live, work, and play in both of them.

Follow your dreams and never be afraid to reach for your own happiness! :)

Purple Rain

Prince - Purple Rain (1984) by retrospective1

11am flying over Mexico from San Francisco to Cancún I turn my head to the left and sneak a peek at the tv screen on the back of someone's seat.

Breaking news: music icon Prince dead at 57.

Prince was one of about 6 people I wanted to see growing up and never did. In fact, I've only seen one of the six once - P!nk - back in 2010. Prince just played a random pop up show in Oakland a couple months ago. I wanted to go, but having to come up with at least a few hundred dollars for a ticket within a matter of hours was not within my budget. I thought there could be a next time.

During the years I was sick, the two things I wanted to do when I got healthy was go back to school and travel, since I never really traveled before. That's why I'm on this flight right now. Because I think to myself: some day I won't be able to, and I don't know when that someday is.

The news of such an immediate and shocking passing of one of the greatest musicians in the past couple generations puts things like this into perspective to be dealt with on a more frequent basis. There is so much beautiful music and art in the world, amazing talented singers and songwriters, and there only here gracing this earth for a short time. They're going to be gone too, and they don't know when either. It saddens me knowing this man is no longer with us, the one who sang Purple Rain, that I have on purple vinyl, inspired me wanting to go to my senior ball in a purple limo, and created the song "Kiss" which is still my favorite track to select on a jukebox  in a bar while I sing horribly. 

Don't let the opportunity of seeing one of your favorite artists in person pass you by. Again. 

End of my 10 Week Plan v2.0

Tonight ends my 10 Week Plan v2.0. The last time I did this was almost 2 years ago & had great success, so I wanted to try it again. I had killed my metabolism the years I was sick because doctors kept telling me to eat less & less (only 800-900 calories a day) so losing weight has been hard the past 3 years since I've been healthy. But I'm happy to report my results!

 

• - Starting wt: 142.4 - Ending wt: 132.8
• - Macros: 30C, 35 P, 35 F.
• - ~ 1350 cals / day. 1 cheat meal per week.
• - Exercise: 5-6xs week, approx 240 mins / wk.
• - HIIT 1/2 the time, strength, yoga & pilates.
• - *NO processed carbohydrates besides cheat meal!* (This was a main focus from the first one & this one in regards to difference in my eating, & both trials have proved true for me. I rarely eat any processed carbohydrates anyway, and with calories and macros remaining same, even a very small about of processed carbs hinders weight loss.)
• - Good carbs focused on: Leafy greens, fruit in the morning. 1 slice of high fiber minimal processed bread or tortilla a day. Bananas & dried apricots for potassium. Greek yogurt.
• - Good fats focused on: Avocados! Nuts & nut butters. Kefir. Cheese 3oz/ day limit.
• - Minimum alcohol. 1 - 2 glasses of wine per week max (minus Valentine’s wine tasting day). 3 martini-type drinks total during 10 week period.
• Size 4 to comfy size 2! :) And a happy camper! 

Me at the end of my 10 Week Plan v2.0 Spring 2016

Exciting Week with Influenster, dōTERRA & the Arts

The #BiteBeauty Influenster VoxBox

Great week! Wrapping up a couple Influenster VoxBoxes, & very exciting things in the land of hard work.

I got my badge for dōTERRA so I'm super official now haha. I've really enjoyed the past couple months learning more about essential oils and the level of quality that is Certified Pure Theraputic Grade dōTERRA has & why it's important. I get to help others even more on their journey to health & happiness by guiding them to healthy natural alternatives for themselves, their family  and their homes.

I've also accepted a position at the beautiful Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture that I'll be starting in a couple weeks. My happiness is found in my original & pure passions for arts & entertainment, and I'm extremely excited to join a lovely San Francisco location that continues to cultivate artistic events in my home town. 

Season 1 Product Reviews - Top 10

The first quarter of the year is over! We are transitioning from winter into spring & there are a bunch of fabulous products I've tried & tested over the past few months that I'm happy to share with you. A few of my favorites are in here (Too Faced Primed & Poreless, Origins Night-A-Mins, Dr. Brant pores no more) and maybe you'll discover a favorite of your own too! 

1. Buxom lip stick - Kind of faint colored, doesn't seem to stay on very long. I did use it often before going to work out at a gym - you kind of want to wear makeup but you know anything more than a bit of makeup at a gym is pretty ridiculous. It was easy for that.

2. Boscia Luminizing Black Mask - I love everything in this line. Minimizes pores & leaves your skin feeling very soft and smooth.

3. Too Faced Primed & Poreless - One of my all-time favorite primers. A little goes a long way - a pea sized amount can often do your whole face if it's already moisturized. If you have a good complexion, you can even wear it alone without additional foundation or concealer - another good product for that gym-situation I mentioned, but strong enough to help other makeup last all night out at the club.

4. Origins Night-a-mins - Probably one of my top 3 all time favorite night creams. I like to try many night cream products, but I usually rotate this one back into the mix every few months since I started using it in 2013.

5. Smoothie St. Body Buttercream - This product smells great yet is pretty thick. I ended up using it on my feet before I went to bed. If your legs are feeling dry though, especially during those summer months outdoors or swimming, it would be fabulous to have on hand.

6. Dior Diorshow Mascara - It was very fragrant the first month I used it. Either that or maybe I just got used to the smell & didn't notice it anymore. I don't really like fragrant smelling things on my face.

7. Dr. Brant pores no more - This left my skin very soft, smooth & felt more open to skincare products to put on after to absorb. I really liked it a lot and am planning on getting it again. I would use it at night after taking off my makeup and before applying a night cream or serum.

8. Tatcha Rice Polish - I got this from Sephora as one of their weekly specials. I used it in the shower in the mornings for a couple weeks, both with hands and with an organic "cloth". I didn't really notice anything from it in regards to the effect on my face. Wasn't grainy, didn't leave my face dry, or moisturized, or noticeably smooth or anything. I could have been using nothing and I don't think my skin would have felt the difference.

9. GlamGlow Thirsty Cleanse - I used this in the morning in the shower as well. It goes on dry first with your hands, then you add water to foam up the cleansing. I liked it mostly. It did feel like it cleansed my skin yet left it soft after.

10. Clarins Multi-Active Night Cream - I had been waiting to get this one because I was actually going to purchase it full price & it's much more pricey than skincare items I've tested (whether I paid for them or not.) As much as I love Clarins and this product did leave my skin feeling moisturized for the night, it fell short of my expectations for the brand and the price point.

I would love to hear your thoughts! Please comment below or send me a message on what you think of these first quarter winners. 

~ Samantha Marie

Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Shake

It was 88 degrees in San Francisco today, about 30 degrees higher than normal this time of year. I'm nearing the end of my 10 week plan & there's a line outside Baskin Robbins I'm trying to ignore. I want to order a mint chocolate chip ice cream shape, but instead I go home & make this... And blow my own mind that I can't believe this 180 calorie delicious beverage tastes like it's 600 calories & is actually healthy for you. Seriously, mind blown. Made with 1 scoop Isoburn vanilla protein powder, 2 drops of dōTERRA peppermint oil, 1/2 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, & 1&1/2 squares of 80% cacao dark chocolate.

Enjoy! 

Snacks-To-Go: Healthy or Not?

5 grab & go snacks, the good, the bad, the delicious. 

KIND bar had this to say...

So, Yay or Nay?

Nature Valley Oats & Honey

Granola bars have been getting a bad rap the past few years. It's not the granola to blame, but usually the added sweeteners that go hand in hand with the granola ingredients. Next to oats, sugar is the very next ingredient listed. Unless I'm having a dessert as my cheat meal for the week, sugar should never be #2 on an ingredient list - especially something trying to pass itself off as healthy. - Nay.

KIND Bar

With ingredients like dark chocolate, caramel almond, and sea salt, you'd think KIND bars might get pushed off to the side too. Not so fast. Sweetened with non-processed molasses and honey, you get benefits along with your indulgence. With less than half the sugar of Nature Valley (5 grams), 6 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber, this chunky bar will satisfy your sweet tooth without jolting your blood sugar up. - Yay!

Quaker Breakfast Flats

I received these cranberry almond Quaker Breakfast Flats free from Influenster in exchange for my honest review. While they definitely are very delicious and healthier than most on-the-go snacks people reach for, I wouldn't recommend them as being a healthy snack. Like the Nature Valley bars, the added sugar ruins it. 12 grams of sugar? No thank you. That's about 1/3rd of my sugar limit for the entire day, & I'm not going to waste that or the 180 calories on a thin bar that doesn't even attempt to fill me up with just 3 grams each of protein & fiber. - Nay.

Fiber One Fiber Bars

These used to be my favorite. I was always looking to get my fiber up when I started trying to eat healthier and goal myself to get at least 30 grams of fiber per day. With 9 grams of fiber in a bar, it was an easy way. Unfortunately, it had 10 grams of sugar too. Sadly, I had to put these back on the shelf the more I learned about sugar and how it affected my body personally as well. - Nay. :(

 

Quest Cookies & Cream Protein Bar

You have arrived at the mother-load. I am addicted to these things. Over the past couple of years, I've tried to limit my use to Quest bar to no more than 1 per day.  Cookies and cream is my favorite flavor, but with a double-digit variety, you can try a bunch to see what your personal favorite may be. They changed their recipe this past year to get rid of sucralose (yay! Boo sucralose) and switched to xylitol - a sugar alcohol which is actually a sugar alternative - which does not alter blood sugar or contain calories and is safe for diabetics. Each bar contains around 20 grams of protein and 17 grams of fiber so they will definitely fill you up, and around 180 calories each, they won't put a dent into your diet either. Yay!