Blockin'

It's been a while, I know. 

A while back, I had to block someone from my life. Not because he was creepy. Not because he continued to pursue, despite having a family at home. I did it because he reminded me of my father. Now, I don't usually blog about my family issues, because home stays at home. However, it's my blog - and I'm pretty sure my pops will never read this. 

The fact that my ex could impregnate someone not long after we stopped seeing each other made me laugh. It showed me that I was being negligent, foolish and what some would call naive. I allowed him to do what he wanted while I wasted my time only seeing him for about six months. 

I discovered that he had a live-in girlfriend, and even after I stopped dating him - I felt compelled to keep socializing with him. He brought me no financial gain, so I'm not really sure why. In a sense, I felt bad for him. The psychology major in me wanted to find the root cause to his stupidity and propose a solution to it. Eventually I concluded that it would be a cold day in hell before that happened. I gave up and started removing him from my social media platforms. If we are to be friends - I need honesty. He couldn't even give me that. 

After finally remembering to block him everywhere, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. I will not be that woman that your girlfriend finds in your phone; her number laden with messages of what you want to do with her, to her. I lost desire for the man years ago,  so it really wouldn't have mattered - but my karmic energy relies on being true to myself. I wasn't. I was being an enabler for no other reason other than feeling pity for him. For what? As he sleeps comfortably next to the woman he pretended to loathe. Or maybe he does loathe her. Who gives a shit? 

Anyway, life is good. The lesson I taught myself that day was simple. Just as you shouldn't block your blessings, you should block your curses just as hard. Pushing him out of my life made way for people who deserved to be back in it. I'm so glad for that. 

Review: Bankruptcy Recovery Expectations: What You Can Expect During the Bankruptcy Recovery Process and What Comes After Bankruptcy is Over[Kindle Edition]

Bankruptcy Recovery Expectations: What You Can Expect During the Bankruptcy Recovery Process and What Comes After Bankruptcy is Over[Kindle Edition]

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I actually have my parents reading this book, because they are currently paying on a bankruptcy. It is a great resource for those approaching bankruptcy, allowing for preparation before, during and after. The book also shows that there is life after bankruptcy, giving hope to many.

It was an easy read in the e-book format, and although I'm not currently going through this issue it was good information. I would suggest this book to anyone expecting bankruptcy as the next step to financial repair. 

You can find the book here

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Red Leaf's White Matcha Tea For Energy

If you are experiencing low energy, you may be looking for alternatives to your average energy drink. Green tea is a natural energy booster with lots of added health benefits. Matcha tea is the powdered version that's green tea and loaded with what you need to get that engine running.   I had the pleasure of receiving Red Leaf's White Matcha Tea for review.

* Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. *

On a regular basis, I enjoy tea as a breakfast drink. I will also drink it when I am not feeling well, for a common ailments such as menstrual cramps and stomach aches. As we all know, green tea has notably more caffeine than coffee. If you are looking for the light taste of green tea, but not all the caffeine, white tea is for you. Coffee in drinkable form lacks most of the medicinal benefits that white tea offers. White Tea:

• Is antioxidant rich (kills free radicals)
• Boosts energy
• Reduces certain cancer risks
• Contains only 1% caffeine content of coffee
• Many more

I am typically a tea bag kind of girl (pun intended), but this White Matcha tea proved easy to use. The powder dissolved nicely in hot water, and the remaining sediment settled at the bottom of the cup without disturbing me as I sipped. My tea tasted light and pleasant, so much that I didn't need any sort of sweeteners.   I sipped it throughout my morning at work and felt steady energy up until lunch time. I didn't get the spike that coffee often brings. If I had a matcha whisk, I don't know what it would have done to make the experience any better. It tasted good and went down smooth - that's all I needed.

My next cup will include a little honey for sweetness, but it needs nothing more. I definitely suggest Red Leaf's White Matcha Tea if you love tea like I do.

You can get Red Leaf White Matcha Tea Here

And here

What do you drink to get your day started?

Note: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

PostPartum Compression - Aggressive Waist Training

I've graduated from compression wear to aggressive waist training (aka Corset Training), since the compression gear I was previously using is now too big. The post below is from my website - VForVadge.com

In honor of International Women's Day, I am continuing my posts on PostPartum Compression Wear. Today we will talk about Aggressive Waist Trainers. You may see them all over your Instagram, Twitter and Facebook timelines and wonder "how do they work?" 

This is not a new concept, and we've discussed it before on a previous article - modern designers have simply put a practical spin on things. Belly wraps were initially used for patients with back pain, and later for recovering liposuction patients. The compression helps to improve posture by increasing abdominal support. 

See my previous Compression Wear Post Here

I have since shrunken out of my compression body suit and waist band, and graduated to an aggressive waist trainer. This trainer contains boning, like a corset (because it is one) and creates an hourglass shape by slowly shrinking the waistline. I chose the aggressive latex vest, because I can exercise in it and sweat out all the toxins absorbed throughout the day. 

Me Without the Vest - 34"

So far, my waist measures at 34" without the vest. With the vest on, it is already at 32" which means that in a few weeks my actual waist will shrink to that size. 

Excuse my mom's sewing room...

Typically, results are seen in 1-2 weeks - proper eating and hydration are crucial for optimal results. I will be packing light snacks for my days in the office, and drinking water throughout the day. My mom is even doing it! 

Totally undetectable under clothes...

Oh yeah, and it has helped dramatically with my back issues (I've been rear-ended twice in three years) by supporting my abs and improving my posture. Even without it on, I find myself pulling my abs in and sitting up straight.

Stay tuned for updates, and feel free to email me with any questions - sn3akrfr3akr@gmail.com :)  

Rekindling an Old Flame...

I have a few moments in the hustle and bustle - I am way overdue to blog on my personal page. 

So, a couple months have passed since we started up this old machine again, and I must say - it's been nice. I can't pretend as though I never thought about getting in contact with you, it's been over two years since we stopped "knowing" each other. What a strange feeling when everything that you know starts to change...

I'd hear about little things in your life as time passed, and I wondered how you were handling life without me there. We had our fights and break ups, but never that long - and I missed being able to call you or show up at your house for no reason. You can make new friends, but you can NEVER replace the old ones. When I found out you were pregnant and not too far behind mine, I was happy and sad in one; I wasn't going to be there to participate with you. I couldn't even find the guts to congratulate. It was a hodgepodge of feelings - who knew you felt the same way.

Time heals so many wounds; it grows grass over uprooted trees, sprouts flowers out of compost and brings the sun out again and again. Regardless of why or how we stopped knowing each other, time and God have brought us back again - on fresh soil. With two little babies that look just like us, who would have thought? I think it's way past time, and I'm certainly glad the past is behind us. I look forward to starting over again and getting to know the people we've become. It feels good to have a familiar face in the crowd. Never mind what the rest are doing or saying - that never mattered anyway. We've got bigger and better priorities now, and it's gonna be an adventure to see how they grow and unfold. 

I'm sure the streets will be watching... 

How to Use a Masturbation Sleeve (+playlist)

It's not often that I share items from my website - but I figure this is universal (and you guys are my blog fam). One of my how-to videos instructing the use of a male sleeve. Take a look :) 

http://vforvadge.com

Compression Wear for New Moms

It is said that a woman must allow herself the same duration that she was pregnant to lose the pregnancy weight. Four months into motherhood, and losing the baby weight was a breeze. Getting rid of this pooch, however,  has proven to be a longer lasting task.

All Carib and Latina women know about "faja's," they're the shapers that older moms stuffed themselves into to preserve their sexy. I always thought they were genius contraptions,  and now I have called upon their wonders to help me along this journey.

The easiest form of faja is the unitard. It holds you in everywhere. Now, if you have a large stomach it cannot hide it - but it does smooth out the appearance. This is also beneficial after a c-section as it helps to hold your tender organs in place. The panty-like closure is more comfortable for c-section moms because the pressure is displaced evenly. I'll talk about waist shapers at another time.

Compression helps curb your hunger, as well as flatten your tummy while you get back into the groove of daily functions. It is a lifesaver when getting in and out of bed, because you are able to move without clutching your stomach all the time. It saved my life during the first few weeks home with baby.

The best part is, it's undetectable under your clothes. The healing process is your business alone. No one needs to comment on your methods or judge you for them. Check out my pictures and you'll understand.

I hope to start more rigorous ab work this week, but my incision is still healing so I have to be careful. I am in no rush, as my husband and I are enjoying the new hips and butt I have gained through pregnancy. It offsets the stomach, lol

My "GetThisCrapOuttaMyFridge" Shepherd's Pie Recipe

I've always been inclined to eat clean, but every so often I look for a somewhat healthy indulgence. Especially now that I'm trying to get back to my pre-baby body.

This is a quick recipe for Shepherd's Pie that you can use to clear out the holiday leftovers from your fridge. It came in handy for Thanksgiving, and it's definitely gonna work for Christmas. Be sure to modify to suit your ingredients; if you have cranberry sauce, it may work too! 

Pre- Heat your oven to 350 before starting the creation process. 

Step 1. Potato

• I prefer the nutritional qualities of sweet potato, so I used it in place of mashed regular potato.
• To save time, I rinsed my sweet potatoes and covered them in damp paper towels. Microwave each one for 4min on one side. When you stab them with a fork, it should go right through. 
• Add butter (I used whipped) and brown sugar, then mash.

Step 2 - Meat

I like Chuck, because it's lean but won't dry out during cooking. Season to taste, cook then add as the bottom layer of your pan.

Step 3: Leftovers

My weapon of choice was stuffing. You can add whatever's in the fridge that may taste good.

Layer on top of your meat.

Step 4: Add Potato Layer

Step 5: Cornbread

Most recipes make the potato the top layer, but I figured the cornbread would add some structure to the dish.

Step 6: Cheese

Shred the cheese of your choice on top. 

Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Basically, whatever the cooking instructions are on the cornbread - do that. The other ingredients are already cooked, so you want to make sure the cornbread ingredients are baked fully. 

Step 7: Remove, Enjoy! 

This is my favorite part, lol

I paired it with a bit of fresh kale with Thousand Island dressing. Protein, carbs and fiber - three great weight loss components. 

I hope this helps give you some ideas for your holiday leftovers. Nothing needs to go to waste, but everything should be delicious!