Flower Pot Fridays – Healers Highlighted

by with No Comment wellness

I’ve had the pleasure of creating a series for you that is near and dear to my heart. During these times when things feel uncertain, where worry and fear can creep in, I know it’s now that we need to share with one another what keeps our spirits high and our anxieties low. Over the past month I’ve developed an IGTV Series all about self care with one of my favorite companies, The Flower Pot. Female founded and operated by my close friend Rebecca, I’ve highlighted some Flower Pot products that I use every day and shared with you how to implement them into your routines. I hope you love it and I hope you enjoy this peek into my mind from a feature I did with them.

If you were stuck on a desert island, what medicinal plant would you hope to find while scavenging? 

Echinacea to keep me healthy forever, garlic on everything forever, cannabis flower to keep me creative and calm forever, and mushrooms to free my mind… forever *said in my best Friday voice to Craig* 

Everyone has a folk healer in the family—the grandma with the onion chest rub, the uncle with the hot toddies. Have you picked up any healing traditions from your bloodline? 

My mom was born and raised in Saipan and an old wive’s tale is that Vicks and coconut oil are two of the world’s greatest healers. I mean, she’d rub Vicks vapor rub on my entire body… imagine that. To the bottom of my feet, my chest, my elbows, my back, and I’m not sure why. But she would also alternate this method with pure coconut oil. She’d warm the oil up between her palms (with fire!) and then place the warmed up oil on my tummy for stomach aches, or the back of my neck for headaches etc. It worked, I don’t know how but it worked. I now try to slather Vicks and coconut oil onto everyone I love. 

The digital life is a vibe killer in large doses. What do you do to disconnect? 

My nightly ritual includes edibles, I’m a big fan of THC/CBD hybrids. Relaxes my body, calms my mind, reduces inflammation, relieves anxiety, and helps me get back into my body after a day of connecting to the world. 

What first step do you recommend to newbies who are just starting out on their wellness journeys? 

It’s so easy to be deterred from doing what is best for your body because of other’s opinions. There’s a lot of wellness products on the market that are frowned upon simply because they were taboo 10 years ago. I say do the research, read all the things, be open to trying new things and really listen to your body. Your body will respond and tell you exactly what you need and what you don’t need. 

Healing is all about community, and finding the people you trust. Who are your go-to gurus? 

Oprah for all-around life wellness (I mean, it’s Oprah), Yung Pueblo for my mental wellness, Lacey Stone and her entire team/tribe for my body and heart wellness, and all things Coelho for spirit wellness. 

Out of all the lessons you’ve learned, what’s the number one piece of business advice you would give anyone starting out? 

Be consistent, be persistent. No one will ever be as passionate about working towards your dreams as you will be, so really go for it. Whatever it is that you can’t stop thinking about, do it, don’t wait. There’s never a perfect time so don’t negotiate with yourself, you say now and you GO! 

What’s you favorite TFP product? How does it heal you or enhance your life? 

How much time do you have 😉 I really love the Sleep Mints and Hemp-infused Apple Cider Vinegar because they’re two things I do on the daily that’s so easy to implement into my routine. Morning time and night time. 

We think about everything in terms of plants. What’s your spirit flower? 

I’m forever drawn to the Jasmine flower. I appreciate their beauty, sweet scent, and medicinal uses. 

Music as medicine, what’s your current or forever go-to album? 

My go-to’s because it depends on my mood and what the occasion calls for: Phosphorescent, Frank Sinatra, 80’s love songs, and 90’s hip hop 

*DEALERS* CHOICE: Are there any projects you’re working on, fun factoids about you or PSAs you’d like to share with our community? 

Two things I’ll put out into the universe- creating my own skincare/fragrance line and designing an athleisure line. Saying it out loud makes it real, try it! I hope you’ve enjoyed this lil peek into my routine, my faves, and my life. Please reach out to me if you have any health/wellness needs, I got you! 

 Interested in working with me? Explore my virtual fitness offerings:

  • Booty Builder Program:  meet twice a week for 6 weeks  (weights necessary)
  • What to Expect: personalized individual workout programs live on Zoom with yours truly  
  • Packages/rate: $75 per one on one session (3, 5, 10 packs available, please reach out for custom-tailored packages) 
  • Method of contact: email [email protected] for personal training inquiries or other wellness collaborations

WHY TFP LOVES JESS:  A beauty guru influenced by her lush island roots, Jess Lizama glows from the inside. She’s an educator, mother, and kind-hearted guide to all things wellness. Jess lives authentically, providing others with a positive + proactive path to feeling good. She’s a personal trainer and head coach at Lacey Stone Fitness, infusing her work with bright energy, the strength from her past experiences, and a genuine desire to show up for others. Each week, Jess hosts Flower Pot Fridays, a self-guided InstagramTV series on everyday beauty routines and tips for natural healing.

Local Discoveries – The Who, What, Where #DiscoverTorrance

by with No Comment adventurecommunityentertainmentleisurelifestylereviewsshoppingtravelwellness

Shopping, adventures, and foods oh my!

As you saw from my last article, I visited the neighboring city of Torrance last month and I’m so happy to share my discoveries with you. Where we shopped, our explorations, local eats … all the things! We stayed at the Best Western Plus Avita Suites and they provide a complimentary breakfast buffet so we only had to find lunches and dinners … and saucy sips … oh and desserts 😉 There’s so many options and I got so many of your recommendations from Instagram, thank goodness discovertorrance.com exists which helped me narrow down all my choices! Pssst and thank YOU for your recs <3

So day one was all about settling into our suite and enjoying dinner at our hotel, so the next morning after we enjoyed the buffet we visited the Farmer’s Market for some lunch and local goods.

It was such a beautiful day in Torrance that it was easy to walk around for three hours before I decided I wanted a mid-day pick me up. We headed to the best boba in town… 7 leaves cafe

That would be my macarons and cafe over there chillin’ next to the Moana tree haha. Sooo good, please go there and get the Taro milk tea boba! The Depot was high on your recommendation list as it was on the discovertorrance.com site so that’s exactly what we did for dinner and let me tell ya… I’m a martini kinda lady and their martini’s cannot be matched! So perfectly paired with a filet and mashed potatoes dinner. Umm and that would be pistachio butter you see next to that fresh baked bread *drool*

P.S. that’s the Chef! Of course I asked to take a photo with him, it was one of the best meals evaaaar! And what better way to wrap up day one than a night cap?! We walked over to a neighboring hotel bar and enjoyed one more saucy sip… can you guess what I got? And of course- a bar pretzel is the best choice duh.

Perfection ah. With time in the books I was already fully enjoying my time in this city. Day two began the same as the previous morning but we switched up routine by having some Hawaiian lunch for the first time. I learned that Hawaiian food and Chamorro food (it me!) are very similar! Think spam and rice haha This was The Loft in Torrance and they did not disappoint.

Musubi and Hawaiian fried chicken for the win! Since I’m the type of person who plots my next food venture WHILE still having the current meal (ha!) I decided we’d go to Brio for dinner AND dessert and enjoy some home made donuts… they had me at donuts let’s be real.

We wrapped up the day by finishing our holiday shopping at Del Amo Fashion Center, which by the way is just a hop and a skip away from our hotel… winning! It was such a perk considering I shopped ’til I dropped.

Why yes, I did purchase this camo cropped pull-over *hail hands* I ended up completing all of my holiday shopping AND shopped for myself so… treat yo self. Day two was a smashing success and when I tell you I slept like a baby, trust.

Before leaving on our final day in Torrance, I ran one last time at our hotel gym, enjoyed a homemade waffle and took time with every bite, and just had to make one last stop before checking out of my staycation dream. Enter Strand Brewing for some FUNS!


Ending my staycation in Torrance could not have been any more fun than enjoying a flight of local beers, playing some games, and sports!

I had the best time and feel so lucky to have partnered with such a welcoming and hospitable community to showcase some of the best places in Torrance to eat, visit, explore, and shop <3 I hope you get a chance to visit our new home away from home and I’ll link you to all the places that helped make our stay so memorable and easy to navigate!

Have you added ‘more adventure’ to your New Year goals yet? Let’s do this! 

https://discovertorrance.com/stay/

https://discovertorrance.com/hotels/best-western-avita-suites/

www.discovertorrance.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Morning Routine

by with No Comment beautyhealthlifestylereviewvideowellness

Morning routines: we all have one, or SEVEN depending on the day. Days that I’m not doing a work out or going for a run (ha, a run!) I consider my rest days because I’m in this stage of my life where I’m either working out or resting…say hello to my 30’s, work vs rest. So on this particular day of ‘resting’ where I’m editing videos and blogging from my couch in my pj’s from the night before, I wanted to share with you what this kind of morning routine looks like.

I picked up my camera, just moments after putting in contacts, brushing my teeth, and tidying up the place to showcase all of the different things I’ve been implementing into my daily morning routine. And when I say I casually picked up the camera to film a candid ‘morning routine’ with you, I mean c-a-n-d-i-d, girl is looking rough! Honestly, it’s fine, some sleep in the eye and makeup from the night before isn’t new to anyone so love me tender.

Here it is in all its glory <3

As you’ll see, I’ve been intermittent fasting lately and 14 hours is my breaking point before I go all out hangry on a stranger so it ends there. And the first thing I try and break my fast with is a collagen drink or bulletproof coffee, depending on the day, then I do a workout or work, have my supplements, and go about my day. Here’e the goods I talked about in the video:

                 

 

 

I’ll save this whole intermittent fasting topic and meal prep subject for another day. In the mean time, check these goodies out and if you’re looking for an awesome daily vitamin that you won’t have to fuss over, give Ritual Vitamins a try <3

What’s something that’s a part of our morning routine that has been a game changer? It’s vitamins for me! 

 

 

 

TOP 3 BEST NATURAL DEODORANTS

by with One Comment beautyget the lookhealthreviewsskin carewellness

A few weeks ago I walked into Corrine’s room to find her rubbing some weird cream underneath her armpits to which I gave her a questionable look. “Don’t look at me like that mom, you’re the one putting aluminum into your body”. There it is everybody, my 19 year old daughter telling ME how I’m the one who should be offended by what I’m putting into my body. Well well, here we are present time and here I am with my top 3 ALL NATURAL DEODORANTS! Whodathunkit?!

It’s a popular movement that I’ve just thrown myself into, this idea of all natural skincare, body care, and hair care products. Not gonna lie, for the first week or so I was highly skeptical because as humans we have odor, and if you think you don’t I’m here to tell you that you do.

Coming in at the #1 spot is Native’s all natural deodorant in Coconut Vanilla. They had me at coconut, but also the bar applicator makes for an easier transition for this past ‘aluminum wearing antiperspirant doting’ consumer. It kept me dry, non funky, smells delicious, and wasn’t gritty. I took this to bootcamp with me, the ultimate test, and left feeling fresh and confident.

Primally Pure’s lavender tube is also chemical free, smells like lavender fields, and keeps odor at bay. It took the number 2 spot because the baking soda in the stick was a bit hit or miss when it came to irritating my sensitive under arm area. Other than that I loved the smell and it kept me just as dry as Native’s.

And last but definitely not least on this list is Schmidt’s Lavender Sage pot. I only ranked this as my third choice because I had to pick up the crumbles and maneuver them around my pits until the granules had melted and then got absorbed by my skin. Not the cutest thing to do every morning, but just as effective as the other two. It smelled divine, kept any odors away, I remained dry, and there was no chafing or irritation.

If you haven’t tried an all natural deodorant I HIGHLY recommend these brands (and these scents!), so so so good! I mean, we’re human, we’re SUPPOSED to sweat, but that doesn’t mean we have to stink 😉 I’m all about putting better ingredients into my food, and natural products onto my body these days and I couldn’t be happier to make the switch.

Have you ever tried a natural deodorant before? Which brand/ scent was your favorite? 

 

 

 

 

 

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CLEANSE!

by with No Comment fitnessfoodhealthinspirationmommy diariesrecipeswellness

After coming off of vacation the last few weeks; from Vegas to Catalina to Florida … I was in need of a good ol’ cleanse.

I’d been working out pretty hard and eating pretty clean and then BAM, vacation came around and I FULLY indulged, no regrets! But now it’s time to get back to fueling my body with the good stuffs and so I decided for the next 30 days I will drink more water, eat more frequently, and keep it clean!

Okay, when I say ‘cleanse’, I really mean reset. I don’t mean juicing everything in site and having to run to the toilet because you don’t know if you have to toot or poop (hey I’m just being real here). We’re going to be consuming whole fruits and vegetables in a shake- dessert style, and eating real food! Yes eating! Wholesome, protein packed meals and never ever forgetting the good carbs! So here’s a sample day of my reset, and this was all of yesterday’s goodness in real life!

8 a.m.- BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE: Tastes like a chai blended ice cream!


You’ll blend together half of a frozen nana, a teaspoon cinnamon, four dates, and half a cup of almond milk with ice! Yummmerssss! I also added half a scoop of vanilla protein powder, because every meal I try to always have a protein, a healthy fat, and a fiber <333 THIS Tone It Up Perfect Fit protein is my current obsession!

11 a.m. – a Minty Pineapple Protein smoothie for my morning snackie! Tastes like a tropical dessert sans the sand!

cleanse5
Blend together a hand full of spinach, some mint leaves, frozen pineapple bits, coconut milk, and a scoop of protein powder. When it’s all blended pour it into a pretty wine glass (for me this just makes it taste better!) and then top with a tablespoon of chia seeds and sip away baby!


2 p.m.- Lunch time: Vegetarian Sushi! Tastes just like sushi thanks to the seaweed and quinoa … my go-to rice replacement!

In a seaweed wrap line up some avocado slices, quinoa (I made mine with coconut milk, corn, and black beans!), 2 egg whites, and all the sriracha your heart can handle! Roll it up, devour it, repeat! By this time of day I’m starving and this kind of meal is hearty, filling, and super nutrient dense! Win wine … I mean win!

5 p.m.- Dinner! Pizzaaaa! Tastes … just like pizza, but guilt-free and all the flavor you’re craving!

cleanse10
On a Ezekiel sprouted whole grain tortilla spread some sugar free spaghetti or tomato sauce and top it with whatever vegetables you have! I used grape tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, spinach, olives, green peppers, mushrooms, and fat free shredded cheese! I topped it with more sriracha and even more cheese and I wasn’t even mad about it.

cleanse11
This pizza will satisfy your craving for pizza, for carbs, for whatever it is that you think you can’t have. You can!

This ‘cleanse’ for me is really just about swapping out my bad decisions for home-made better ones! The fruitier/vegetable-ier (that’s a word) options! And of course, it’s not a day to enjoy if you can’t ENJOY dessert!

8:30 p.m.- Dessert time BABY! Home-made coconut chia seed pudding with frozen raspberries and coconut flakes! Tastes like heaven, feels like you’re on a tropical island!


Thanks to my babe Miya, you can make this beautiful delectable dessert right at home, and enjoy every.bit.of.it!

In a jar or bowl mix together 1/2 cup chia seeds with 2 cans of coconut milk (I used a can of full fat coconut milk and a can of coconut creme from Trader Joe’s), and add in cinnamon, some agave or pure maple syrup, some frozen raspberries, and SHAKE!

Pop that baby into the refrigerator and shake it again after about an hour or so. In the morning when you’re ready to eat it … or after only a few hours because you’re like me and you need a dessert, spoon it into a bowl and top it with more frozen raspberries and some unsweetened coconut flakes! Friends, this is the best thing ever!!!

Yayyy we did  it!  A whole day of eating nutrient dense foods, feeling full, having a ton of energy, and just enjoying the fact that we’re making better choices for a healthier us! Good job us!  I really hope this post inspires you to try a few of these recipes, I promise you won’t be disappointed and it won’t even feel like a ‘cleanse’ at all, this is more of a reset!

Am I the only one who cringes when I hear the word diet or cleanse?! Lets just refrain from using those words here 😉

This my love, is not cringe worthy, give it a try and TAG me when you do <3

MY GYM BAG ESSENTIALS!!!

by with No Comment fitnessget the lookhealthholidayslifestylereviews

As I currently find myself in the middle of holiday season ‘feast mode’, I also find myself in the middle of “tis the season-full blown- freak-out-mode”! Anyone else find it difficult to say no to all the holiday food and NOT partake in all the merriment? Seriously, my body doesn’t know what to do with all the extra egg nog and yule log calories that I HAVE to indulge in because, Scrooge.

During this time of year I try to balance out all the holiday feasting with extra strength training and doubling up on HIIT workouts. So here is my number one tip to maintaining your waistline this season … get up and get moving! That’s right, gym time baby! Where’s the motivation you say?!

Well just like when we were younger and the new school year would begin, you’d have a new backpack full of shiny new school supplies, welcome to the adult version of that! Meet your new backpack … Lil Ms. (or Mr.) Totebag! Being fully prepped to hit up a sweat session will have you prepped to hit up the food table for seconds! Here is what’s in my gym bag!

1. The tote – this sleek lil baby will carry your gym essentials in style! It’s the perfect size, not crazy bulky like a duffel, yet spacious enough to hold all of these items AND a change of clothes!

2. A sweatband – oh that sweet sweat, it doesn’t stand a chance with this nylon sweat band. Ladies and long haired gents, you’ll be happy to hear that this also doubles as a hair tie!

3. Headphones – not just any headphones, these are blue tooth ear buds that allow you to lunge and lift without the annoyance of cords. Don’t you just hate that!

4. The kicks – my most recent obsession, these tennis shoes! Like with hand bags, shoes also set the tempo, literally. These are comfortable and classic, and will get you excited to pump some iron!

5. Recovery – this is important if you’re ripping and tearing through your workouts, AND your muscles. These are BCAA’s- branched-chain amino acids, which help to repair and build your muscles. I like this blueberry flavor, it’s like a sports drink meets koolaid! I habitually add this to my water bottle and drink it up during my workout. I’ll also reach for some coconut water during my more intense workouts, which replenish lost electrolytes and aid in hydration.

6. Protein – this is key to building lean muscle and fueling your muscle growth. Remember to have your protein shake or protein + carbohydrate packed meal within 30 minutes after completing your workout. You want to send protein to your muscles as quickly as possible so your body doesn’t eat away at the muscle you just worked so hard for! I love this Perfect Fit Protein because it’s a plant based protein powder that is especially good to bake with, ummm can you say protein waffles every day all day?!

7. Sweat be gone – I love this micro fibre towel because it’s made from a quick dry, anti-bacterial material, and has a grip covered underside. So no matter how crazy I get with my burpees and jumping lunges, this towel stays in place!

8. Hydration –  hydration, hydration, hydration!!! It’s crazy to think that we should be drinking half of our body weight in water! Sounds daunting but it can easily be done if you infuse your water with some lemon wedges or some fruit pieces. Just a trick that makes your water delicious and extra beneficial! This water bottle is especially dear to me because proceeds from each water bottle sold goes to support clean water efforts in Africa. Also, it’s BPA-free, dishwasher-safe, reusable, and recyclable! I slip this into the side of my gym tote making it easily accessible, just refilling it at the water fountain. Ahem, Los Angeles tap water is OK to drink now haha!


There you have it! The only sure way to ensure that the only thing you’re spiking this holiday season is the eggnog and not your cholesterol! Share with me your gym and fitness essentials, and I hope you enjoyed this post!

This really is the time of year to indulge in all of your favorite holiday dishes with wild abandonment! No regrets! I’ll be doing the same, so just do it, and I’ll see you later this week with some festive side dish ideas! Yum!!!

 

Daily Vitamins

WHY DO I NEED TO TAKE A DAILY VITAMIN?

by with No Comment fitnesshealthwellness

This is a question Corrine used to ask me when she was little and it’s still a question Joe asks me when I try to hand him a palm full pills each day. Part of my daily regime is to take a daily vitamin, and about 17 other vitamins that do a few different things.

Daily vitamins

Ok not 17…7, and I know what this looks like…so many vitamins! Why?! How do you do it?! What do they do?! Well I’ll tell you. So pictured above we have . . . the 2 green pills which are for my brain (more on this in a bit), the larger orange pill is fish oil, the smaller tan capsules are a multi-vitamin, the larger tan pills are  anti-oxidants, and the two white capsules are fish collagen. I know what you’re thinking…”whoa back it up….brain pills and fish collagen?!”

Let me explain what they do and it will all make more sense. The first is my daily multi-vitamin. I love this one by the Tone It Up Girls because it’s vegan and gluten free which means my Corriney can take them daily also. Not to mention that it provides 100% of most of everything you need like Vitamin C, E, B6, Folic Acid, Biotin (big one for your hair, nails, and skin), Zinc, and others! So just by taking this one vitamin a day (2 capsules per serving) you’re able to refrain from having to take 805 other pills. I choose to take the other 7 you see, but if you wanted to take only  one vitamin- THIS is it! Simple, wholesome, and almost everything you need! It is a vegan product so the fish oil and collagen I take separately.

Perfect Fit Daily Vitamin

The Super Antioxidant formula smells like fruit which makes complete sense considering it’s comprised of super potent seeds like black cumin, cranberry, pomegranate, black raspberry, grape, milk thistle, and others. Antioxidants are simply molecules that interact safely with free radicals (highly reactive atoms that can start of chain of damaging reactions) thus preventing any damage free radicals may cause. Soooo . . . I take two of these a day.

Ear Bar Organics Super Antioxidant

Fish Collagen I take as it promotes collagen support and reproduction. As we age, there is a progressive break down of collagen in our skin. A loss of firmness and elasticity, the ‘plumpness’ you have in your skin that we try to regain the older we get. So I take 2 capsules before bed! The collagen in this is the main component found in the collagen of our skin, and combined with the other ingredients, promote collagen and tissue renewal… YES YES YES!

Fish Collagen

And Brain On. Now I can see how this would sound a lil bit cooky….it all does, all these pills and vitamins and minerals, but this particular supplement is great for focus and clarity, a balanced mood and lowering stress levels. This blend is primarily composed of blue-green algae which contains active enzymes, amino acids, phytochemicals, and essential fatty acids. Hey I’ll take anything that will keep this brain of mine young and sharp . . . short of having to consume 15 cups of coffee a day…yeesh! But so far I’ve noticed sharper focus, I work with more intention, it’s only been a few months but I love that I feel more alert and ON! It’s the same effect I get with coffee except this is caffeine free.

Brain On

And there you have it! Those are the vitamins and supplements I take daily, along with a ton of water, lots of rest, and an active lifestyle – I feel like I’m on the right path towards having a healthy mind and body. We’re all going to get older, aging is a part of life. I accept that and I look forward to aging gracefully. Gracefully being the key word here. I will supply my body with what it needs to flourish but I 100% understand that at times it could make me appear a tiny bit loopy……”why yes I take brain on and fish collagen”. It’s a bit much.

Do you take a daily vitamin? Have you ever heard of some of the other supplements I’ve talked about today? Share your daily regime with me and I’ll see you later this week!

 

xoxo- Jess