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xo, alix

alix lynx, unhinged

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January 18, 2021

Preventative Sh*t I Started In my 20’s to Be Healthy and Hot for Life

 

 

If you didn’t already know this by now, I am slightly (OK, extremely) obsessive about all things health, wellness and beauty. My entire vibe is to look and feel my best for my entire life from the inside out. I want to live a LONG, healthy life without any weird health issues to have to deal with later on. I want to have enough energy to do travel, create my best work, and do cool shit forever.

I also want to look hot as fuck while doing so.

We’re all entitled to live our lives exactly as we want to, and this is how I wanna live mine.

And all that said, I am also a HUGE proponent of habit-making, and starting early. You are a product of your habits. If you eat junk food every day, even if you don’t physically see the effects now, your insides sure do. If you don’t give your body time to rest and recharge with a good nights’ sleep, it wears away at you. If you don’t save money, one day you’ll wake up years down the road and wonder where it all went.

It’s the little day-to-day habits done consistently that create the most change for us in the long haul. So it’s crucial to be super mindful of what you’re doing and whether or not they’re contributing to the best life for yourself that you want to create, and the best version of yourself that you want to be. I say all this from a place of having been on the other side…sleepless nights, drinking too much, being late on paying my bills…and finally saying “Fuck this shit” and transforming my not-so-good habits into great ones. And hell, I’m still a work in progress! We all are!

When it comes to health, wellness and beauty, here’s the preventative sh*t I started in my 20’s that have me looking and feeling energized, happy and hot in my 30’s.

  • Lifting weights/daily movement. Like many other women, for the longest time I was under the impression that lifting weights would make me bulky, so I would spend an hour on the elliptical 6 days a week instead. (Just thinking about that now gives me MASSIVE anxiety)! I finally started getting serious about it when I was 21, and, much to my surprise, I found myself losing fat and building muscle…but I was NOT bulky. Instead, I was just toned AF. As a woman, you can’t bulk up easily because you don’t have enough testosterone in your body to do so.  So unless you’re lifting for hours a day AND eating a fuckload of calories a day, it just won’t happen. Lifting helped me build muscle mass which ultimately meant I could eat MORE and work out LESS. Nowadays I lift 20ish minutes a day 3-4 days a week and do HIIT cardio 5 days a week (and walk the other 2). My body is now a fat burning machine. Our bodies aren’t MEANT to be sitting down all day. We’re MEANT to move them. I wear a pedometer and aim for bare minimum of 10,000 steps per day on top of my workout routine.
  • Daily SPF. I am the QUEEN of being petrified of getting wrinkly. I always tell my friends that I’m going to look like Jane Fonda when I’m in my 80’s, and I absolutely mean it. It is what it is and I am who I am. That said, I don’t DO sun. I haven’t had a real sun tan in like ten years. Me at the beach means I’m slathered in SPF 50 head to toe wearing UV protectant sunglasses, a coverup, a big hat and carrying a sun umbrella. Plus, I also don’t wanna get motherfucking skin cancer. So even on days where it’s snowing and it’s cloudy, I’m STILL wearing SPF. Even when you’re out driving, UV rays can penetrate your skin and cause damage. All that said, I wear SPF 30 moisturizer on my face, ears, neck and hands EVERY DAY, all year round. When it’s hot out and I’m in less clothing, I am SLATHERED head to toe. My makeup also has SPF in it, too.
  • Skincare routine. Your skin is just one giant organ that you wear on the outside of your body (weird af, right?!) Getting into the habit of a solid skincare routine in my 20’s has set me up for a lifetime of glowing, healthy skin. I am ALWAYS tweaking my routine, too (which I’ll share soon in a separate post because there’s a LOT) and trying out different products, tools and med spa services. Some VERY surface level key pointers when it comes to skincare:
    • Eating clean, drinking a ton of water, little alcohol, exercise and sleep make up for a large chunk of how fabulous (or not) your skin looks. It wasn’t until I got REALLY serious about all of the above that my skin became ridiculously clear, plump and glow-y on its own.
    • Daily moisturizer. Keep your skin as hydrated as you keep your body. I LOVE to just slather my skin in squalane oil or rosehip oil and let it sink in before I apply my daily SPF that I mentioned above. I also ALWAYS use an eye cream that I gently dab on – your eye area is one of the first places to show signs of aging, and the skin is super delicate.
    • I always wash my makeup off before bed – NEVER sleep with makeup on!
    • I go to bed looking like a glazed donut, slathered in oil + eye cream.
  • Clean eating and staying hydrated. I eat a whole foods, plant-based diet, which basically means that 95% of the time, I only eat real foods that come from the earth (as opposed to shit like chips, candy, etc). I eat a TON of vegetables every day, at least one serving of fruit, protein at every meal, and get 1-2 servings of healthy fats in, too. I have a steady energy level and never feel sluggish from food. I rarely eat junk food and I rarely drink alcohol, and never drink soda or any other sugary drinks. Aside from fruit, I stay away from sugar the vast majority of the time. It’s really, really bad for you. I also drink a TON of water all day in the form of not just water (with lemon) but hot brewed tea and sparkling water, too. I spend the extra money on super clean, organic food because for me, it’s either that or spending a lot more money on health-related issues later on in life that I can fully prevent right now.
  • Staying on top of my doctor’s appointments. Is it a drag to go to the doctor’s? Sure. I don’t LOVE interrupting my day to trek to the dentist or to go to my dermatologist appointment, but it’s far better to stay on top of this shit now instead of having to deal with some wild illness or surprise cavity later in life because I neglected my health. I book my appointments, I suck it up, and I show up. I’m grateful I HAVE the opportunity to be able to do this!
  • Botox and filler. This shit is of course a personal choice, but for someone like me who likes to maintain a youthful appearance for…ever….this stuff is just as crucial for me as all of the above. I started getting preventative Botox at 22 when I saw my first tiny wrinkle. I have filler all up in my face (lips, nasolabial folds, cheeks, undereyes). I’ll be doing this forever.
  • Stretching. The name of my game is that we only get this one body to carry us through life, so we better make damn sure we take care of it. Just like daily movement and lifting, stretching is super important. If you don’t use it, you lose it! I like to snack on an edible in the evening after work, turn my brain off and just melt into stretches while I watch a show on TV. And it feels sooooo good. Your elderly self will thank you for starting this now.
  • Sleep. I remember being 20, going out to a wild rager till 3am, then springing out of bed the next day to get to my shift at the convenience store at 6am and being fine to function. Now? F THAT. I am SO snobby about my sleep. When you sleep, your brain literally cleans itself out. Your body heals itself. It’s like charging your batteries. I do my best to get at least 8 hours every night and it’s a whole thing. I use aromatherapy spray, silk pillowcases and eye mask, and keep it as dark and cool in my room as possible. Like a cave. Needless to say, I do NOT play the “Team No Sleep” game. Gross. Catch me on “Team Well Rested” for life.

 

Like any other new habit you decide to take on, it takes time to MAKE it a habit. Commit one day at a time. The way I see it? Show up for yourself and put in the effort NOW – not only does this all eventually become second nature (I get MASSIVE anxiety if I skip a workout for more than a couple days, for example), but it becomes a crucial part of you. Deciding to adopt good habits NOW will save you a lot of headache in the future. You got this. 

 

xo, alix

Filed in: BEAUTY, HEALTH, LIFE STYLE, WELLNESS | By xoalynx | Leave a Comment

April 13, 2020

I’m a Sucker for Shrooms.

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When I was a child growing up in the country in upstate New York (no, not Buffalo or the Catskills. I’m talking about 30 minutes south of the Canadian border, cows and farms, one mall within 100 miles, small town USA where everybody knows everybody upstate New York) I had this obsession with mushroom soup.

Being raised vegetarian, I LOVED fruits and vegetables more than anything. And if I loved something, I wanted it. ALL the damn time. Immediately. Zero patience for waiting. Some things really never change 😉

So my mom used to make this fabulous mushroom soup. I was so obsessed with it that I deemed it “My Favorite Soup” and would demand (no, not ask. DEMAND) “My Favorite Soup” at every meal pretty much every single day for a solid year.

What can I say? I’ve loved mushrooms since day one. I love mushrooms now. ALL kinds of them. Portobello, Oyster, Crimini, Shiitake, and yes, the REALLY magical ones that can have some SERIOUS mega ultra super positive effects on one’s mental health when used properly (I’ll save that for another post).

Mushrooms are truly spectacular and one of my favorite foods ever, still. I am officially a shroom head. 

Now let’s rewind to two years ago, when I decided to make a massive overhaul on my lifestyle. I stopped partying, I stopped eating meat and dairy and went fully plant-based, I started meditating and doing yoga daily…basically, I did a complete 180 on the way I was living my life and taking care of myself.

I closed one chapter of my life and opened another bigger, better, shinier one where self care is QUEEN, where I say no to 95% of requests I get without a single ounce of guilt, where I don’t feel the need to respond to every text or email I get.

I therefore preserve my precious time and energy only for what’s most important to me. 

I want to live a LONG, healthy, prosperous, vibrant, joyful and overall absolutely fabulous life creating, traveling, and working for myself. There is absolutely no way in HELL I am able to bring my A-Game to the table in all areas of my life if my health is not in tip top condition at all times.

Without my health, nothing else matters!

Ever since I began this brand new lifestyle journey, I have become beyond obsessed with finding the best of the best products that can help me be the best, most WELL version of myself on the day to day.

Part of the whole reason as to why I created this blog in the first place is so I can share these hidden treasures with you.

I believe that EVERYONE deserves to live a long, fulfilled and fabulous life. I also believe that education is KEY! Many people simply don’t know how to properly take care of themselves, and I’m here to do my part in helping to spread the good word on how to do so. 

 

Now, enter Four Sigmatic. 

 

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I stumbled across this dope AF company a few months ago while browsing the web for tasty new superfoods and instantly fell in love with their vibe. Like me, Four Sigmatic is superfood-OBSESSED.

They set the bar HIGH and only qualify 50 foods in the ENTIRE WORLD as being good enough to be foundational in the products they create. I’m ALL about high standards and pickiness with, well, everything…so of course I had to learn more about what made this company so elite and see for myself what all the hype was about.

So naturally, I snagged me a few of their products that caught my eye. And let me tell you, I was NOT disappointed. Here are all the dirty details:

 

  1. SUPERFOOD PROTEIN. 

Not only does this protein come in THE most convenient single-serve packets (HELLO, perfect for taking to work and packing in my bag for a plane ride) – it’s also completely plant-based in the most superfood-y blend I’ve ever seen. 

Pea, hemp, chia, pumpkin and coconut are all components that make up the 18G of protein in these convenient packets. Talk about a punch!

Along with this powerful blend of good-for-you proteins is an equally small but OH SO mighty blend of 7 different superfood mushrooms like Chaga, Cordyceps and Reishi.

It’s organic, gluten-free, vegan, stevia-free and no fillers whatsoever. This is the REAL shit. This blend is unflavored but creamy and has the perfect hint of sweetness to it.

My favorite trick is to pour a packet into my bowl of steel cut oats every morning, mix in some fresh berries and toss in a handful of walnuts and goji berries for some serious fuel that keeps me energized and full for 5 hours.

And IDK about you, but I turn into a monster when I’m hungry. Seriously. It’s NOT pretty.

So keeping easy-to-travel-with treats like this with me at all times is a MUST. 

I’ll also blend it with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, a banana, and a spoonful of organic peanut butter into a post-lifting shake for maximum muscle recovery. This stuff is just, like, the ultimate immunity, brain health booster and overall EPIC CONCOCTION OF TOP-TIER HEALTH and I am HERE FOR IT.

 

2. COFFEE MIX WITH LION’S MANE. 

 

If you know me at all, you know that I am an absolute fanatic for a stellar cup of coffee. I love coffee ALMOST as much as I love shrooms.

Almost.

I do limit my intake to one or two cups a day, but I do NOT go without my coffee. EVER. I bet you didn’t know that coffee beans themselves are a superfood and jam packed with antioxidants!

Coffee is NOT “bad for you” unless you’re loading it with sugar and creamer and/or drinking, like, 6 cups a day. 

On that note, I was a little bit skeptical of this one at first. For anyone who’s a coffee connoisseur like me, the words “instant coffee” likely sends bone-shuddering chills up your spine.

Usually when I hear “instant coffee,” I mentally categorize it in the same area of “things you couldn’t pay me enough to even think about ingesting,” right next to McDonalds and mayonnaise.

But, given the stellar reviews, I decided to give it a shot. 

This is not your cheap-o Folger’s instant coffee that tastes like water and dirt from the backyard pond. 

This. Shit. SLAPS. 

First of all, it’s organic. Second of all, it’s infused with some serious good-for-you superfoods, like: 

  • Lion’s Mane extract, which supports memory, concentration, cognitive function and reduces inflammation and oxidative stress on the nervous system. 
  • Chaga extract, aka the “King of Mushrooms,” which is chock FULL of antioxidants to support your immune system. Your hair, nails and skin will thank you!
  • Rhodiola Rosea extract, which helps regulate stress levels, combats fatigue and depression, and promotes healthy brain function. 

You know how sometimes in the afternoon you just want a TINY boost? Like, not a “let me drink 3 shots of espresso and you can scrape me off the ceiling later, cracked the f out and I am DEFINITELY not going to sleep well tonight” kind of boost.

Just a little ZING to perk you up without making you anxious or jittery? This, my friends, is the SAUCE. 

It’s like coffee 2.0. It tastes like coffee (not mushrooms), perks you up AND helps you focus. I like to drink this a couple hours after lunch (especially if it’s a long day in front of my laptop) right when my brain starts to slowly feel like it’s starting to power walk rather than continue at a steady jog.

You feel?

It’s vegan, it’s organic, it’s keto-friendly AND it’s zero-sugar. 

I like to mix mine with a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk. If you’re bigger on consistency, try it with a splash of oat milk for a creamier taste. Sprinkle on a dash of organic cinnamon, and you’ve got a full tank to power you through the rest of your work.

Without being a crackhead. 

 

 

 

3. CACAO MIX WITH REISHI.

 

I saved this one for last because this is my favorite nightcap! Growing up, I used to LOVE drinking hot chocolate every night before bed. Back then I would drink Swiss Miss with skim milk which would completely put me into a sugar induced coma and royally fuck up my stomach if I were to drink it now.

But it was SO good, especially during those absolutely brutal winters where it’s literally -10 outside and you have to shovel your car out of the snow for 30 minutes before going anywhere. Good times!

Anyways, I haven’t had hot chocolate in YEARS and nostalgia was calling, so I had to give this one a whirl. 

And let me tell you, I AM OFFICIALLY A FOREVER FAN. 

Not only does this chocolate superfood extravaganza come in convenient, pre-portioned packets that are perfect for my on the go lifestyle (they’re especially handy when I get those occasional monstrous chocolate cravings and want to eat an entire sheet cake in one sitting), it actually TASTES chocolatey, cinnamon-ey and the perfect amount of “subtly sweet” without tasting like liquid diabetes. 

Reishi, deemed the “mushroom of immortality,” is an adaptogen, which means it helps your body adapt to stress. Other benefits include boosting your immune system and fighting depression. 

It’s made of cacao powder, Reishi extract and superfood sweeteners like cinnamon and coconut palm sugar (only 2g of sugar in each packet, ps)!

I like to make this every night after dinner with a little steamed unsweetened vanilla almond milk to satisfy my sweet tooth while I watch Netflix and wind down for the day. 

It’s also organic, vegan and gluten free. Plus, 25 just calories a cup! MUSIC TO MY EARS!

If you want to crank up the heat on your immunity and health without compromising quality (or, like, stop spending your days gnawing on chalky protein bars or drinking chemical bomb energy drinks), Four Sigmatic is your holy grail.

When it comes to self care, I’m ALL about the baby steps. I like to do things like sloooowly substitute better-for-me concoctions into my daily rituals. Like swapping out the sugar and calorie bomb hot chocolate for this cacao mix instead. You get it. 

Click here to shop Four Sigmatic and use promo code “ALIX” at checkout for 10% off your order 🙂 

Stay safe, stay well and happy shrooming! And if you do try any of these magical treats, be sure to let me know what you think!

xo al

Filed in: WELLNESS | By xoalynx | Leave a Comment

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