Here are a few tips that can make your spa visit a wonderful experience:

Arrive early. I think at least half an hour is best. There will be some paperwork to fill out, you’ll want to get undressed and into a robe, and have a little bit of time to relax before your treatment. I always ask what facilities are available, and take advantage of a sauna or steam.

Turn off your gadgets. Most spas require that cell phones be set to silent, and don’t allow phone conversations once you enter the spa area. But do yourself an even bigger favor, turn everything to OFF. Don’t pick up email, don’t fret over text messages, just let it go. Sure, you may miss something by being disconnected – but think of everything you’ll gain in return!

Be honest about your health issues. Don’t just race over the health information card, take the time to provide helpful information to your therapist. Allergies are obviously important, and can help your therapist in product selections, but let her/him know if you have some aches and pains or are under a lot of stress. A good therapist takes all this into consideration when designing your treatment options.

Turnoff the sales pitch. I HATE getting a sales pitch while I’m receiving a treatment. It’s akin to a telemarketing call at dinner time, only you’re lying on a table and can’t turn it off. And you’re paying for it too. The better spas will let you escape to your special space during treatment (or maybe you’ll fall asleep), and give you a list of products for your review when you leave. If your therapist starts a sales pitch during treatment, let him/her know that you’d prefer silence. If that doesn’t work, end the treatment and ask for a manager.

Don’t feel pressured to buy products or treatments. Whether it’s during a treatment or when you check out, don’t feel like you have to buy products. If you fell in love with something, sure, but you should never be pressured. Ask to take a copy of the recommendations with you, and you can research and make shopping decisions later.

Eliminate the stress of tipping in advance. At the time you book your service, inquire about the tipping policy. Many places now add it on automatically. Just find out in advance, and you won’t have to have the discussion after you’re thoroughly de-stressed.

Don’t rush off. Just an easing into your spa day can make it more enjoyable, don’t jump back into your regular routine. Linger for a steam or sauna, or maybe just enjoy some quiet time in the relaxation area. Take a shower, do your hair, or just put make up back on if you must.Better yet – don’t plan anything at all, and find somewhere to curl up for a little nap.

Do you have any tips to get more out of your spa visit?

Photo credit: SXC

Post from: The List Maven

Here are 10 tips for smart and safe spa and salon visits:

1. If you have, or even suspect that you might have, a skin infection, skip the visit.  Don’t risk spreading your infection to others.
2. Pass on treatments to any part of your body where you have broken skin (cut, sores, or other wound).  Why take a chance.
3. Take a look around the spa or salon.  Does it look sparkling clean?  While looking clean doesn’t always mean it is clean, it’s a sure bet that if it looks dirty, it’s really bad.  If it looks dirty, turn around and walk back out that door.
4. Ask about standards for sanitizing and disinfection.  Non-disposable instruments should be sterilized, others should be tossed out.  No instrument should be used on more than one person without serious sterilization – and that means more than a quick wash in the sink or a spray of disinfectant.M
5. Make sure that the foot bath has been cleaned and sanitized before you get your pinkies anywhere near it.  If a spa or salon doesn’t clean and disinfect between users, you should look for a new spot for your pedicure.
6. The therapist or technician working with you should wash their hands before beginning on your services.
7. Extra points if staff wears gloves for services that would permit it.  Obviously, that would not be for a massage.
8. If you services include injectables, check out the training and licensing of the therapist.
9. If you are receiving injectables, the treatment room should be clean and sanitized the same as if it were a doctor’s office.
10. Trust your gut.  If your inner voice is telling you something is amiss, listen, and get the hell out of there!

Photo credit:  The Consumerist @flickr

Post from: The List Maven

Here’s what I can’t go without -

Image: Photoxpress

Alarm Clock
What a difference an hour makes when you’re exerting yourself outside…just by leaving a bit earlier, the air isn’t quite as heavy and I don’t feel so smudged and gross when I get to the office. Since being an early riser doesn’t come naturally to me, a little digital help makes a big difference.

Proper Shoes
I can’t stress enough how important it is to protect your feet. I switch my shoes around a lot and steer clear of high heels in the Summer.

Water
Rather than weighing down my backpack with liquids, I make sure to grab some water before I leave and always have a glass right when I get into the office. Then I move on pretty quickly to black coffee.

Cotton Shirts
My wardrobe is 80% cotton tshirts. I like to go for the kind of funky/intricate kind you can get at stores like Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie more than sporty types – but the result is the same. It breathes and I don’t have to worry about being a sweaty mess when I finally make it to work.

iPod
Just for that little added bounce in my step, I have to make sure there are earbuds attached to my head. Picking the right songs isn’t a challege, but avoiding street signs and lamp posts while I scroll? That sometimes proves difficult.

Post from: The List Maven

The dreaded…

Image: Photoxpress

Sedentary lifestyle.

I work on a computer for the majority of the day…and find it hard to resist the inviting nook next to the cute guy on the couch with the remote control. Compared to the ridiculously active routine of my former athletic life – there is no surprise why I’m noticing the pounds creep on.

But could I find the time to exercise? Who’s going to take care of these balanced meals? And how on earth am I going to resist all the delicious treats Summer has to offer?

The solution became quite clear even though it took a couple weeks to take the plunge. I’ve done the Weight Watchers program before, with marginal success – but I was also vastly underestimating my activity level and so pretty much sabotaged myself by restraining too much and feeling like a dummy when I couldn’t keep things where I found it to be “acceptable”.

So why give it a try again?

Hello computer.
I live at this computer screen. I’m easily able to maintain this schedule by stepping away from it regularly in order to come back refreshed and ready to tackle more tasks efficiently and with full force. But sitting at a computer all day doesn’t do much for your abs. Or your legs. Or your arms…Or…

1 + 2 = weight loss.
For a girl who does not enjoy math equations, this is a pretty simple accounting problem for me to follow. I nibble on a fresh scone, tack on an extra ten minutes on the treadmill and don’t sweat it. At least figuratively.

Lists, lists, lists.
In case you haven’t noticed…I like lists.

Partner in crime.
My husband is learning about healthy eating and weight lifting too – unlike me, the old timer who stepped away from this whole fitness thing for a few years, he’s a certified newbie in the department. But we’re supporting and helping each other through it, which makes a world of difference.

What’s up in the kitchen.
Both of us are enjoying a good kitchen that we can easily work in together to prepare dinners and make lunch in advance so we’re ahead for the next day. Just having the proper tools and workspace is a great incentive for resisting the telephone number for pizza delivery.

Why is it so hot?
Oh yeah. It’s the first week of summer and all of a sudden everyone wants to to hang out by a pool. No wonder the pressure is on.

That smells delicious…
I don’t want restrictions or foods I “can’t” have. I want a smarter way to make the right choices and know what’s a good balance between indulgence and overindulgence. This fits the bill.

Oh so pretty.
Pretty is as pretty does. And I would prefer my next really pretty purchases to be a couple sizes smaller. A practical excuse to buy clothes unfettered by guilt…nothing better than that, right?

Post from: The List Maven

Image: sxc.hu

These are a few observations from today.

I’m hungry. Like, super hungry. I haven’t really been a breakfast person lately (just give me coffee…) but that workout made my tummy rumble like crazy the next day.

Hello sunshine. I woke up bright and early and felt great – totally refreshed…until I stood up. That’s when the soreness set in.

Brrrrrr…. Cold showers are never a good idea to me. Until today. That helped the soreness quite a bit, at least for a little while.

Feeling justified. I drove to work. Didn’t walk. Now, there was a meeting coming up real fast which gave me the perfect excuse to drive, but to be honest…the fact I worked out made a difference too.

Ow, ow, ow. Around 1pm I started to wonder why my back was sore. Then I remembered…Advil please.

That’s better. Absentmindedly stretching at the office feels so normal until I realize that I”m stretching at the office.

I’m still hungry. Darn it, time for an afternoon snack – my muscles hate me and I need fuel. NOW.

Sure, Honey. I’m not just nodding along while my husband talks about weight lifting, lactic acid and “Killing it”. I’m listening and kind of interested in how much I might be able to lift next month if I keep this up.

Oooh…Pretty. Online window shopping is so much more fun when you’re envisioning clothes a couple sizes smaller.

Charged up. Making sure I have a full charge on my iPod becomes top priority tonight so that I make sure tomorrow I have something good to listen to for my next workout.

Post from: The List Maven

Image: sxc.hu

Over time I’ve become a lot more self aware and realized that there are a couple of different ways I can reliably tell when stress is getting to me. Then there are a few others that I know other people experience on a regular basis. So if you’re wondering why you have that nagging pain…it just might be stress.

The Back. I don’t get much back pain…until I sneeze and almost throw my back out because of a knot right at the base of my neck. Ouch. Some people hold stress in their lower back, but I find my shoulder blades can be a a black box of stress and pent up frustration.

The Eyes. When things get really crazy and I’m not getting enough sleep, my left eye starts to twitch. It’s not perceptible for other people, but i can feel it and my goodness it’s annoying. It’s at this point where I have to force myself to close the laptop and find a cold compress.

The Stomach. Some people have told me that their stomach ulcer have nothing to do with stress at all…except for the fact that they are typically some of the biggest workaholics I know…I don’t have a stomach ulcer thankfully, but I do find that my hunger level goes down and I can feel a bit quesy if things are going poorly.

The Jaw. Another stress point I don’t personally feel…but I know a few poeple who feel their jaws lock up from tension held there while they grit their teeth and bare it.

The Brain. While migraines aren’t generally caused by stress, I know from experience a big whopping headache can come from a long day of hiccups, roadblocks and chaos. Wine. There is only one solution here. Wine.

Where do you feel stress?

Post from: The List Maven

Needless to say, I was wrong. Unless I’m prepared to send him to massage therapy school, there is going to have to be an alternative, and fast because my back and neck are no longer quietly pestering me quietly…there’s a full on strike happening here.

If you’re feeling the same way, but don’t think you have the time to pull yourself away from life to take the time for an hour of ultimate you time, here are my top four reasons to take care of yourself and make the time.

You only get one spine. That’s right, folks – if you screw this one up, there’s no picking up a new backbone or shoulder muscle from Wal-mart. That nagging pain may be easy to ignore now, but at some point all that neglect is going to catch up to you. When it does, it may not be just an hour of time out of your day we’re talking about.

Helps with the zzzzzz’s. Trying to fall asleep with neck pain, or waking up to a stiff back is not fun. That’s no way to end an evening…nor is it a recipe for starting each new day off on the right foot.

You’ll look thinner! It’s likely that your shoulders are hunched the same way I am over this computer right now. With your back properly pampered and better aligned, you’ll be standing up straighter and making a more confident first impression wherever you decide to go after your massage.

But seriously…am I really having to convince you (and myself) to take a spa day? At this point, life is out of balance, stress has fully taken over, and you need to re-evaluate your priorities and commitments. Make the time. You’re working hard, and you deserve it!

Image: Newscom

Post from: The List Maven

There are four simple numbers that everyone should know:

1. Blood pressure
2. Body mass index (calculated by height/weight)
3. Cholesterol (HDL and LDL)
4. Blood glucose

You can have a simple biometric screening done at most health clinics.  The screening involves pricking a finger for a little blood and taking your blood pressure.  Fast and easy!  Most screenings are accompanied by a brief review of your results with a health care professional

Many employers are now offering this screening service FREE or at a substantially reduced fee to employees. Recognizing the importance of healthy employees and the relationship it has with insurance rates, many companies are offering incentives for employees to achieve and/or maintain numbers within normative ranges in each of these areas.

Here are generally accepted normal ranges for the above categories:

1. Blood pressure:  Less than 120/80 is desirable.
2. Body mass index (calculated by height/weight):  Less than 25 is considered normal.
3. Cholesterol (HDL and LDL):  Under 200 is desirable, with HDL (good) cholesterol greater that 40 and LDL (bad) cholesterol less than 100.  Cholesterol/HDL Ratio should be under 4.
4. Blood glucose:  Less than 100 is desirable, with triglycerides less than 150.

Knowing your numbers may help lead you down the path to healthier personal habits.  Do you know yours?

Image credit:  SXC

Post from: The List Maven

Image via Wikipedia

For the most part, you can use any two or three of these items together, in an even or  50/50 mix to get amazing results. Play with them, mix them up, see what works best for you, and let us know in the comments what becomes your new favorite homemade hair conditioner!

I’d further recommend that you apply your mixture to your scalp and hair, and then wrap your head in plastic wrap for 30 minutes before washing it out.

• avocado, mashed
• olive oil
• almond oil
• cocount oil
• mayonnaise
• whole milk
• plain full fat yogurt
• eggs (the protein is GREAT for hair)
• flat beer
• vinegar (apple cider is preferable, but ordinary white vinegar will work)
• lemon juice (not full strength unless you’re a blonde who wants to lighten her hair)
• soy sauce (small amounts, for dark hair)
• honey
• chamomile or lavender tea

Post from: The List Maven

Image by jremsikjr
via Flickr

• Best Eye Cream: Priori Smoothing Eye Serum ($60 from prioriskincare.com)
• Best Night Cream: Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Night ($110 from peterthomasroth.com)
• Best Microdermabrasion Treatment: Prescriptives Instant Gratification Skin Renewal Peel ($45 from prescriptives.com)
• Best Facial Sunscreen: Neutrogena Face Shield Face Sunblock SPF 55 ($11 from drugstore.com)
• Best Lip Treatment: Avon Anew Clinical Plump and Smooth Lip System ($25 from avon.com)
• Best Brown Spot Fader: DDF Discoloration Reversal-Pod ($70 from sephora.com)
• Best Redness Reducer: Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream ($39.50 from clinique.com)
• Best Body Sunscreen: Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Spray SPF 70 ($11 from drugstore.com)
• Best Daily Moisturizer with SPF: Vichy Laboratories UV-Activ Daily Moisturizer Cream with Sunscreen SPF 15 ($29.50 from vichyusa.com)

Post from: The List Maven