An Update on My Health Goals!!

Summer is officially over. Well, it’s been over for some time now. 😔 It’s time to move on to another chapter of my life…

What health goals did I create this summer? Here’s the link to my health goals! I’m going to go over each one and how it went! Enjoy! 🙂

#1. Drink more water, less coffee:

I started drinking more water. It was pretty simple. That’s what I usually drink anyways. And yes, I stopped drinking coffee. No more dry skin and hair. Goodbye migraines. No more insomnia. Oh those sleepless nights because of *ahem* decaf coffee. Me and my coffee sensitivity. Oh well. I was never a coffee person in the first place anyways. Love the smell of it! But it’s not good for my well-being. So it wasn’t too difficult to kick the coffee habit, which only lasted for about a month. I gave the rest of my coffee bags away to someone who else loves coffee. ☕ I don’t even miss it. 👋🏻

#2. Back to my exercise routine:

I’m on a consistent workout routine, but it’s nothing crazy. I started lifting weights again too like I used to. I’m more focused on building muscle mass with some cardio. Weight loss wasn’t a goal of mine this summer. It was more about getting healthy and exercise helps to relieve stress. It also helps with my mental health. I like the way it makes me feel. It went well without overdoing it.

#3. Cutting down on skin care products:

I have a mad addiction for skin care products. Finally, it’s been tamed (once again). So I’m currently only using the basics — face wash, moisturizer, some eye care products, acne treatments, and sunscreen. I don’t use them all at once. It’s a very simple skin care routine that takes a few minutes to do in the morning and at night. I don’t use any serums, essences, ampoules, gel moisturizers (did nothing for my dry, irritated skin!!). They were a waste of money and didn’t do anything to solve my acne problem. Just money and hope down the drain. During this time, I was able to clear my acne too. How I achieved this goal was by adding a new acne treatment and not using a lot of products on my skin. Less products means less ingredients to clog the skin. So yay for acne-free skin (once again!)!! Finally! 🎉

#4. Eat more vegetables & healthier:

I’ve been skimping out on vegetables still, lol. I eat them, but I still need to eat more. I forgot that I even made this goal. I need to get back on it and get on the green smoothies. I’ve been eating healthier than before though, so I’m just taking baby steps to get there. Baby steps…hehe.

#5. Get enough sleep:

I’ve been getting enough sleep (as much as possible). Zzzzzzz…

#6. No more dairy/Eat less dairy:

I don’t eat much dairy, but it hasn’t been an issue when I do as of late. It doesn’t seem to be messing with my skin like it used to. I had a whole jar of cheese dip, mac ‘n cheese, shredded cheese, cheesy lasagna. No blemishes popped up. 🤷🏻‍♀️ We’ll see what happens in the next few months…

Some of these goals, I need to work on a little more. But, I think I did a pretty decent job. I’ll add more veggies into my meals tomorrow. Yay for veggies! 🫑🥕🍅🥒

My Health Goals for the Summer ☀️

Here are my summer goallsssss!!! 😄

Drink more water, less coffee:

I’m mainly a water person, but I picked up drinking coffee again for 1 month because I was having trouble staying awake. 😴 But, I’ve noticed negative effects from drinking coffee within 1 month, such as drier skin and hair. Also, my mouth/throat would get dry so much faster too. I would get headaches and migraines more often after picking up on this coffee habit. The migraines were the worst of them all. I’ve decreased my consumption of coffee. Even with decaf coffee, I was still feeling negative effects after consuming it regularly. Much less to the extent compared to caffeinated coffee. I mean, I stopped drinking coffee 5-6 years ago for a good reason. Now I’m reminded why I stopped once again. It’s not good for my body and mind. And, that is quite disappointing because I have a few bags of coffee left. I guess I could just give them away or drink it once in a blue moon. Back to drinking pure water… 💦👌🏻

Back to my exercise routine:

I’ve been exercising more consistently. I took a break due to joint issues due to veganism — an update coming up soon! Hiking, lifting weights, running, cycling, and so on. I’m just going at it with tons of rest in between. Since it’s summer, I’m really excited to increase my physical activity. I really do enjoy the warmth and humidity that summer brings when I’m exercising for some reason. Am I sweating or is it just hot? Both? 😂 haha. I’m just kidding. Well, that’s another good reason why to stay hydrated too. To replenish from sweating. Not just from exercise but also because of the warm, hot, humid weather!

Cutting down on skin care products:

I’ve been really exhausted knowing that I have bottles after bottles of skin care products that I don’t even need. My obsession with skin care started when I was little. I started messing with my mother’s makeup and skin care products at an early age. I mean, I love skin care. It’s really addicting and has been a love of mine for so, so, so many years! But now, I feel like I don’t want to spend an excessive amount of money on too many skin care products anymore. I don’t even spend that much on makeup either. I use whatever I need, and they seem to last forever too. I’ve been trying to use up all of the skin care products I don’t intend to buy again anymore. It’s taking forever to finish them, but it’s not too bad. Since I started my acne journey a few weeks ago, they seem to come in handy when my skin needs more moisture. I tried using them on my body, but my body rejected them. I developed a rash. Maybe they’re just to sticky. I’ll try again some other time. I think decreasing my consumption of beauty products have helped with my mental health as well. Also, money-wise. I’m saving lots of money by not purchasing anything new. I don’t really need this many products. My main goal is to treat my acne, which I’ve been suffering with on and off for most of my life. I’m happy with my current skin care routine. My skin looks fine. 🙂

Eat more vegetables & healthier:

I’ve been skimping out on vegetables. I eat them, but I need to eat more vegetables. I miss my green smoothie days along with a healthy diet, of course. My skin was spectacular, clear, and clean. I started drinking green smoothies a few times a week already. They taste atrocious, but I think I’ll get use to them after a few more weeks. 😂 I’ve done it before, I can do it again. I wonder if it’ll help clear my skin up once again or at least improve it even more. 🥕 I’ll make an update soon on my progress. Stay tuned!

Get enough sleep:

I’ve actually been getting enough sleep, so sleep isn’t a big issue. Also, since I’ve cut out caffeinated drinks like coffee, I’ve been sleeping much better. Drinking coffee and caffeinated beverages messed up my sleeping pattern. I would toss and turn due to being awake from the caffeine. I don’t drink caffeinated drinks before bed, by the way. It’s always in the morning when I wake up. Somehow that stuff just doesn’t leave my system quick even after drinking tons of water. I’m glad I’ve decided to cut that habit out. Sleep is very important for the overall health.

No more dairy/Eat less dairy:

When I started eating dairy again, I started having issues with my skin. I noticed that my skin became more oily and also noticed blackheads and some clogged pores. I developed acne. Looks like I can’t eat much dairy. I’ve decreased my dairy consumption. I’ve gone days without consuming dairy, and my skin looks so much better. I knew I couldn’t eat dairy before, but I wanted to try it again anyways. I guess it’s the same as before, no dairy or eat very little dairy (or eat it once in a while). I can get away with eating just a little once in a while. But, I don’t care for it much anyways. I rather have nice skin. lol.

Those are my thoughts on my health goals for the summer. Hopefully they’ll last much longer. An update on how it’s going soon!

What are your health goals for the summer?? 🌞😎

Products I’ve Tried at Trader Joe’s

Hey everyone! Ready for some empties from Trader Joe’s? Here’s a list of products from Trader Joe’s that I have used up. Done and done! This is what I think about each product. But, the final question is, “Will I buy it again?” Read on to find out! Enjoy! ??

#1. Trader Joe’s Organic Pea Protein Powder Unsweetened

Trader Joe’s Organic Pea Protein Powder Unsweetened

I’m officially done with Trader Joe’s Organic Pea Protein Powder Unsweetened! My experience with this organic pea protein powder has been amazing. I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did just because it’s a pea protein powder. Seriously, I was dead wrong. This organic pea protein is awesome! Pea protein, if you didn’t know, is a complete protein. The amino acid profile is bomb. It contains all essential amino acids including branched chained amino acids (BCAAs). I find this protein powder very simplistic compared to other protein powders I have used. With this organic pea protein powder, it is what it is. No BS. You get what you see. I really like that. As for the taste, it grew on me over time. It was meh at first. As time went on, I started to get used to it. Here’s a tip to make your protein shake taste better with this organic pea protein powder. Try using coconut water instead of a plant-based milk! Or, even better, you can mix the two up! It tastes sooo much sweeter and more yummy with it! I highly recommend Trader Joe’s Organic Pea Protein Powder Unsweetened if you have not tried it yet! Love it! ❤

#2. Trader Joe’s Hyaluronic Moisture Boost Serum

Trader Joe’s Hyaluronic Moisture Boost Serum

I’m done with Trader Joe’s Hyaluronic Moisture Boost Serum! The bottle lasted ONE whole month! I used it without any issues. No breakouts. No skin irritations. Nothing. So cool. This serum works tremendously well on my oily, acne-prone skin. When applied to the skin, the serum feels lightweight and leaves the skin feeling hydrated. I enjoyed applying this serum immediately after exfoliating my skin with Trader Joe’s Blueberry & Acai Facial Scrub. The serum sinks into the skin amazingly. It’s like a soothing post-exfoliation treatment. It feels so nice! Of course, I would buy Trader Joe’s Hyaluronic Moisture Boost Serum again! I already did. ?

#3. Trader Joe’s Mixed Nut Butter

Trader Joe’s Mixed Nut Butter

I didn’t think I would fall in love with Trader Joe’s Mixed Nut Butter. I did. ❤ This unique mixed nut butter contains Almonds, Cashew Nuts, Walnuts, Brazil Nuts, Hazel Nuts, and Pecans. What a lovely mixture of nuts it is. I really, really liked it! This little jar provides a nice dose of healthy fats that are beneficial for the skin, heart, and brain! If you’re indecisive on which nut butter you want to take home while at Trader Joe’s, go for the mixed nut butter. You won’t regret it. It’s tasty, and I loved adding it into my post-workout protein smoothies. Also, eating it by the spoonful, hehe! NOMZ!

#4. Trader Joe’s Organic Chia Seed

Trader Joe’s Organic Chia Seed

Organic chia seeds are super healthy. I use it every single day in my protein smoothies. It makes the consistency of the protein smoothie thicker and more dense. Also, it makes the protein smoothie extra nutritious with its protein, fiber, and omega-3’s. This small bag of chia seed from Trader Joe’s works just as well as other name brands I have tried — Nutiva and Viva Naturals. I give Trader Joe’s Organic Chia Seed a thumbs up! ? What I’m using now: *Viva Naturals Organic Chia Seeds*

#5. Trader’s Joe’s Tea Tree Oil Pure Vegetable Soap

Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Oil Pure Vegetable Soap

My opinion on Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Oil Pure Vegetable Soap was pretty neutral the last time I talked about it. Once I finished the second soap bar, I started to like it more. This soap bar made my skin baby soft and smooth to touch. Ooooo! ? It has definitely done a better job at cleaning my skin compared to big brand names (Dove, Lever 2000) without containing too many ingredients. Let’s compare the ingredients between Trader Joe’s, Dove, and Lever 2000!



Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Oil Pure Vegetable Soap: Sodium Palmate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Water, Glycerin, Tea Tree Oil, Sodium Chloride, Pentasodium Penetate.

Dove White Beauty Bar: Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Tallowate Or Sodium Palmitate, Lauric Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Water, Sodium Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoate Or Sodium Palm Kernelate, Fragrance, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium Edta, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891).

Lever 2000 Bar Soap Original Scent: Sodium Tallowate, Sodium Cocoate, Water, Stearic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance, Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate, Petrolatum, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Mineral Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Coconut Acid, Sodium Stearate, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Tetrasodium Edta, Tetrasodium Etidronate, BHT, Titanium Dioxide.

Yeah…I’ll stick to Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Oil Pure Vegetable Soap.

#6. Trader Joe’s Raw Pecan Halves

Trader Joe’s Raw Pecan Halves

I’m absolutely addicted to nuts. I add them to my daily foods constantly. Some examples are oatmeal and trail mix. I snack on them before dinner. Pecans, they are yum! The weird thing is, I hardly ever purchased pecans before this. After finishing a whole bag of pecans, I’m madly in love with them. They are going on my faves list now among the other nuts — almonds, peanuts, pistachios. I will be purchasing more pecans in the near future to get a variety of nuts in my diet. I say YES to Trader Joe’s Raw Pecan Halves!

#7. Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo

Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo

I’m on my second bottle of Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo. So far, I’m not liking it at all. This shampoo has dried out my hair terribly. My Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Conditioner can’t even save my hair. I won’t use the Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo to wash my hair anymore. It’s not salon material whatsoever. The cashier told me it was on par with salon hair care products. It’s not. So not worth it. The same goes for the Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner. They’re no good. Even though the shampoo didn’t work out for me, I was lucky enough to make use of the shampoo. Besides using the shampoo to wash hair, I tried using it as a makeup brush cleaner. Wow, it worked! I would only purchase Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo to clean my makeup brushes. To wash my hair? Nah. To clean my makeup brushes? Yes, yes!!!

My experience with Trader Joe’s products have been good so far. I really do love their products. The majority of their products work for me. I’m happy with the purchases and results. How about you? Have you tried any of the products listed above? What have you bought at Trader Joe’s? Did they work for you? Tell me about it! ?