Ten Things... to do in the shower (apart from bathing!!)

So let's face it, if you were to calculate how much time we spend in the shower, it's a lot! Seven days times at least a shower or two every day, maybe fifteen minutes each. It's literally hours every week.  I'm a busy mom and every minute I can steal from something to multitask gives me more hours in the day, sort of! I often try to use my showering time to do other things and so here's a list of some of them:

1. I take the opportunity in the shower to do some simple exercises! My favorite are standard barre moves.  It takes minimal room and time to do some easy barre exercise like these. Another favorite of mine are simple lunges or going on point to releve. Doing a couple sets of each is a very productive way to wait those several minutes while the conditioner does its thing in your hair!
   
2. Exfoliate!  Keep the product in your shower and if you have a few minutes extra, try exfoliating any area where hair grows! This will help eliminate in-grown hairs and promote follicular health
3. Grab that scrub brush and scrub down the grout here and there in the shower, between soaping yourself. It will make keeping your shower scum free that much easier!
4. Use this time of quiet to find your zen. Try some slow exaggerated breathing. Close your eyes and find your happy place. A few minutes each day of quiet meditation is great for mental health.
5. Have you ever tried warming up your vocal chords? Ok we are not all professional singers but the steamy warm air is the greatest place to hum, practice a tune or do your vocal scales.  It keeps the voice box warm and in tune!
6. Meal plan.  I usually spend a couple minutes in the shower mentally planning out the household meals for the next few days, even the week.  Then as soon as I jump out of the shower, I jot it down so I don't forget.  This is a great way to multitask something that has to be done during the week anyway.
7. Grab those makeup brushes and clean them while you shower!  The best product for cleaning your make-up brushes are actually just water and a mild soap like baby shampoo - which is perfect!  Make sure you take a small bowl, wash cloth or sponge into the shower to help. And in case you did't know, make up brushes should be cleaned every week, especially if you use them daily.  Not cleaning them leads to cross-contamination, build up of bacteria and potentially harming your skin and face.
   
8. Cut your nails.  Grab those nail clippers and give yourself a trim while in the shower. The warm water makes your skin nails super soft and easy to cut, and allows the cuticle and hang nails to soften for grooming too. Just remember the following: it's best to dry your nail clippers after. The water can rust them and also promote bacteria, even dulling the blades.  Also, you may want to use a wash cloth to collect the trimmings so that you can properly discard them instead of just washing them down the drain. Yes, they are biodegradable (I suppose eventually!) but I've never been a fan of washing things down the drain that can be discarded.  The drain water filters back either as recycled water or into the rivers and ocean eventually. It's not really the place for nail clippings!
9. Write a love note to your partner in the steam!
   
10. Whiten your teeth! Most tray whitening systems or strips require 10-20 minutes for the treatment to take so what better way to multitask than to pop the whitening tray in your mouth before you shower! By the time you're done with your shower, your teeth will be fresh too!

Well, try out these little tidbits that I do in the shower and enjoy the extra time you've made for yourself in your day!

My husband is doing the Whole 30 Diet

Two weeks ago, my husband told me he had gotten off the phone with one of his best friends who now lives in California. This friend is his fraternity brother from college days 20+ years ago, groomsman at our wedding, Godfather to our middle child - like family. JNP declared, "I'm no longer eating sugar or carbs". Ok, so most wives may roll their eyes or let out a giant exhale but truthfully, I was very excited for my husband.  He is overworked to the point of exhaustion, rarely goes to the gym anymore and is not only overweight, but just lacks general direction in life. To put it bluntly, he has no interests or habits outside of work. I was supportive.

Day One: He enthusiastically made four trips to Trader Joe's and loaded up on all kinds of crap. I mean, "approved food". This consisted mostly of dried fruits, jerky of some sort, chicken. Its of it. Kombucha, oh God! The Kombucha. So I didn't say anything, just observed. I went ahead and prepared meals for the children an myself, noting that shopping bags were strewn everywhere, and while, yes he was actually cooking for myself, the pots and pans were left out after and my beloved stove was not wiped down. I chose to still say nothing because in the greater scheme of things, I was so thrilled he had some sort of interest and direction with his health.

As the week went on, this continued, his trips to Trader Joes increased and by now I was observing and evaluating his movements and thinking to myself, this was not efficient at all. I still didn't know exactly what "diet" he was on or what he could eat or couldn't eat.  I had, however, realized that most things he said "I can't eat that" to me.  I had by now ascertained he was not eating carbs, sugar, processed food, dairy, juice, desserts, chocolate, salt, pepper, salad dressing, spices of any kind, oil. Basically, flavor, I was dubious but stayed silent.  I was secretly plotting to intervene just so I could help him a little with this new fervent for the supermarket.

By the end of that week, we had dined out and I noted he was (surprisingly) sticking to this meal plan. I was actually very impressed and I think having his buddy keep in check was the key in this success. But at the restaurant, he had ordered a grilled salmon with nothing on it and a side of spinach. I kept thinking, surely there's more to this diet than this kind of food??

On Monday of week two, I headed to the grocery store after my morning Pilates class, planning to shop for the beginning of the week. I walked around taking items off the shelf and then putting them back, not knowing what I could cook or buy. I was assuming I could fry him some tofu with some vegetables. So, I called him, he was at work.
"Do you want tofu for dinner?"
"I can't eat it."
"How about black beans?"
"I'm pretty sure I can't eat that"
"black rice?"
"no rice"
So then I said, "how about you have Jim tell me what I can buy. It will make grocery shopping and meal prep so much easier for you if I can help"

Five minutes go by and my phone vibrates. Group text.
No soy. No rice says Jim
Can you tell me the name of this diet? I respond
It's not a diet, it's a nutritional reset
(yeah...yeah... just give me the GD name of it!!)
yes, sorry, can you tell me what JNP can and cannot eat? It will help me a lot
Look up Whole 30

OMFG. Now I knew exactly what JNP was doing! I don't think he knew what he was doing, but I sure did! I've had a whole lot of friends Insta their Whole30 'journeys', some with their husbands, some with other girlfriends! I had instant flashbacks in my head of all those potato-hash-fried egg- breakfasts, avocado on lettuce with beef tips, bowls of green vegetables and chicken on top. Got it!

JNP Do you realize you're doing the Whole30?
Um...no.

Texts went back and forth (if you're interested, click this link for more details on the Whole 30). I bought a cart of green veggies, potatoes (yes they are allowed JNP!), Wild Sockeye Salmon, ghee (also allowed).

There were a bunch of confused texts the came from my husband after, all along the lines of I can actually eat that? Yes, dear! You can actually have flavor! Poor guy had been cutting out salt, pepper and spices!

So.... It's been about 3 weeks now and the biggest thing I've noticed is JNP's attitude. He is much happier. I asked him about it, he said "it's given me something to focus on outside of work. I like going and getting my chicken and snacks.  The biggest thing is, I did' realize how much I missed Jim.  Doing this together makes me call him several times a day and we talk about what we are eating, or I ring him to ask him questions. Before that, I would call him maybe once a month".

If you're wondering, I definitely think JNP has lost weight but the more important thing is I have noticed how much of a better mood he is in. He seems interested in something non-work related. He was never one to cook before and now he is in the kitchen (messing it up, yes, but also cooking!). He is definitely a little obsessed with the Kombucha...I'm half expecting him to start doing yoga (not opposed to it!)... he even borrowed a colleague's Sam's Club card to buy a case of it (it was half the price of WholeFoods apparently).  JNP also didn't eat a lot of vegetables before this 'nutritional reset' and now he'll eat big bowls of it. Every  night, I make a big pot of various steamed green vegetables, they're delicious! My seven-year old devours them! I just steam them for a minute or two, then fry lightly in a touch of ghee and a garlic clove, and add salt and pepper to it off the heat.

I'm extremely proud of JNP and very supportive and I just hope he can keep up the woodwork. Even though, I literally just called him to let him know his bar hopping antics of Friday night were not Whole30 'approved'. Oh well, a little cheat here and there is not harmful!

100 Things to do in the Summer

You can find Summer Bucket lists all over the Internet so I put together my own, with all the things I like doing over the summer by myself and with my husband and children.

1. Make fruit platter of assorted seasonal sweet summer fruits - berries, watermelon, nectarines and plums, pineapple, strawberries, cherries, kiwi fruit, mangos... 
   
2. Have a water balloon fight with your kids... or ditch the kids and have it with your partner or friends! 
   
3. Make your own burgers 
   
4. Eat popsicles in your front yard 
   
5. Visit the local pool