All Posts By

chioma.ihekweazu@gmail.com

Style

To Be or Not to Be…

October 20, 2013
Sweater: Target, Skirt: Zara, Shoes & Watch: Asos, Necklace: Forever 21, Bracelet: Charleston City Market

To be or not to be…that is the question. Apparently the answer is not to be. My sister and I made plans to go see Shakespeare in the park today. There was supposed to be a performance of Pride and Prejudice. When we got to the park we didn’t see any signs, crowds, or a stage so we were a bit confused. We decided to go into a little restaurant close by and see if they knew where the event was being held. A woman was kind enough to show us where the performance would have been if it were still on. You read that right. There was not going to be a show. She told us that the same thing happened yesterday. I figure either the information on their website is incorrect or all of the actors and stage hands got sick and couldn’t make it. Not cool on their part but hey it happens. We were both bummed but we decided to laugh about it and make plans to do something next weekend.  Since we were already there, we decided to sit for a bit. It was a pretty park with little swings and a view of the city skyline. We were able to enjoy it for about 5 minutes before the weather decided to turn on us too. Come on Mother Nature! After that we found ourselves at the bookstore. On a positive note, I finally got my hands on Cooked by Michael Pollan! If you haven’t heard of him Pollan is a New York Times best selling author and journalist who writes about what we eat, where it comes from, and what it does to or for our bodies.  I’m looking forward to reading this one. I’ll probably be doing a review/recap of it here on the blog in the future. I hope you all are enjoying your weekend!

0 Comments
Fitness

High Impact vs. Low Impact Workouts

October 14, 2013

Insanity Core Fusion Barre Basics for BeginnersYoga Workouts

I’m a graduate of the Insanity program. I committed myself to the program for 60 days – no skipping days – and completed it this past May. I had wanted to try the program for a while but didn’t want to shell out the money for it. I couldn’t bring myself to pay $120 for workout DVDs. I finally took the plunge this year after working out consistently for months with only minimal progress seen. I told myself that if it didn’t work, I’d send it back. Well, it worked.

I finally started seeing greater muscle definition in my arms and legs. I was thrilled! After I completed the program, I continued doing Insanity for a few more months just cycling back through the month 2 workouts. At some point in August, though, I felt like my body needed a break. Insanity is a great program, but it’s also very high impact. High impact workouts can place a considerable amount of stress on your joints and ligaments – the tissue that connects your bones.

I knew that I still wanted intense and challenging workouts, just ones that were not as stressful for my joints. In my search for high intensity, low impact workouts, I came across the Exhale Core Fusion workout series. The workouts include a mix of strength training, toning, yoga, and cardio. I purchased the Core Fusion 30-day sculpt program and the Core Fusion Barre Basics for Beginners. I’ve been using them both for a couple of months at this point and I LOVE them. They are serious total body workouts targeting your core, arms, and legs. I especially love them for my legs since they are my body part that’s most resistant to change. The best part is knowing that I don’t have to sacrifice intensity for workouts that are kinder on my joints. I still love a good high-impact workout though, so for me the key will be balance.

Takeaway message: It is possible to get an amazing workout that is both intense and joint-friendly. If you’re looking for low impact, high intensity workouts to try think swimming, yoga, weight training, or cycling. Remember that intensity refers to the level of difficulty of an exercise and the power required to do it, while impact refers to the pressure that is placed on your joints and ligaments.

What workouts are you currently doing that you love? I’m always looking for ways to switch up my exercise regimen, so tell me in the comments!

References:
Medline Plus, “Tendons vs. Ligaments”
Mayo Clinic, “Exercise Intensity – Why it matters, how it’s measured?”

 

4 Comments
Style

Strength in the Struggle

October 7, 2013

Today I decided to go to church with my sister. She lives about 45 minutes away so on the drive up I played one of my favorite gospel albums, Tye Tribbett’s Stand Out. After I got to her place, we headed over to church and I still had his album playing. As we were driving, we started talking about Tye Tribbett and his cheating scandal from a few years back. I know some people took his music out of rotation as soon as it came to light, but I didn’t understand why? Nobody is perfect. I can’t judge other people for mistakes they’re making because I’m making mistakes as well.

From there we started talking about how other Christian artists like Kirk Franklin have been vocal about the struggles they’ve gone through as believers. To me that is so refreshing. I don’t want to listen to artists or pastors who make it appear like their lives are perfect. I want to hear about the good and the bad. Knowing that a song or sermon is based off of lived experiences gives it greater value and meaning. I jokingly said that you need to have gone through some things to be my pastor, but that’s a pretty accurate statement. Struggle is where you find strength, where you learn lessons, and where your relationship with God is truly formed. The greater the struggle is, the greater the testimony is and the more lives that can potentially be brought to Christ. Besides, how can you sincerely counsel me on overcoming trials if you haven’t faced them yourself?

As I was saying all of this, it really put things into perspective. I’m at this juncture in my life where I have a better sense of what I’m supposed to do but unsure of the path to follow to get there. As I try to take steps forward, I feel like I keep running into brick walls. This was a reminder for me that the struggle is a part of the journey. Because of my encounters with these brick walls, once I’m able to conquer them, I’ll be more resilient, less doubtful, and better able to help other people do the same. My present struggles will become my future strength. I hope for all of you reading this that you come to (or have come to) that same realization.

Here’s a quick look at what I wore to church
Sweater & Necklace: Forever 21, Skirt: Target, Shoes: Baker’s, Clutch: BCBG
P.S. The pumpkin pie bagel and New York style cheesecake cream cheese from Panera are incredibly good! They’re both seasonal items so make sure to check them out before they’re gone for another year! You’ve got to indulge every once in a while, right?
The extra cream cheese is my sister’s, I promise!
Happy Monday in advance!

 

1 Comment
Food Style

Weekend Chronicles: Back to Atlanta

October 2, 2013

Top: Kohl’s – Rock & Republic, Vest & Ring: Forever 21, Pants, Bag, and Watch: Asos, Shoes: Steve Madden
Cardigan: H&M, Jumpsuit: Forever 21, Shoes: Topshop, Purse: American Threads, Watch: Asos
Forever 21
Cardigan: H&M, Top & Skirt: Forever 21, Shoes: Steve Madden
The Food…
salmon salad
Salmon Salad from Mirko’s
Sushi
Flaming Joy Roll from Kiku’s
The ParkLullwater Park

This past weekend I took a trip to Atlanta to meet up with some friends from school. In the two quick years of my program, I made a home for myself there so it was difficult having to leave after graduation. Going back felt so good. It also didn’t hurt that the weather was gorgeous throughout the entire trip. The first night a group of us had a mini reunion catching each other up on work and life. The next few days involved movies, homecoming, a lovely stroll through a park, and eating at some of our favorite restaurants. One of the highlights for me though was definitely the park. It always takes some people by surprise when they learn that I love nature and being outside. It has such a calming effect on me. The park was breathtaking. It’s the kind of setting you’d expect to see in a Hallmark movie. The pictures certainly don’t do it justice.  I was kind of bummed that I didn’t know about it when I was in school. It would have been a nice oasis when I was working on my thesis! Needless to say, having to leave on Sunday was bittersweet. I’m consoled by the fact that I’ll be back for more visits and shenanigans. I hope you all had a great weekend!

4 Comments
Style

Ready for Fall

September 20, 2013
Top, Vest, Skirt: Forever 21, Shoes: Bakers, Purse: American Threads, Watch: Asos, Leather Bracelet: Charleston City Market, Sunnies: Dolce & Gabbana

I’m SO ready for fall, particularly fall fashion and fall food. Yesterday, I went to a tasting event at Panera Bread where I got to sample a few of their new fall menu items. My favorite was their autumn squash soup with toasted pumpkin seeds. It was like Thanksgiving in a bowl! I also got to sample some of their popular classics like their broccoli cheddar soup and fuji chicken apple salad, both of which I had never tried. They were super yummy. They sent us off with a Panera tote, a freshly baked baguette, a chocolate chip cookie, and a recipe card for one of the items we sampled. While I have given up virtually all fast food, Panera is the reason why I have to say virtually. I love Panera. Although, technically they’re considered fast food, I think they’re in a league all their own. They use fresh, quality ingredients, and their food is delicious. Plus with the caloric information listed on their menus, it’s a lot easier to make smarter food choices.

What are some of your favorites from Panera? Tell me in the comments!
1 Comment
Style

Safari Style

September 16, 2013
Top: Forever 21,  Jeans: Kohl’s, Shoes: Topshop, Bag: Asos

On Sunday I decided to take a little break from working on my PhD applications, and went to Target with my sis to see if I could snag a few items from the Phillip Lim for Target collection. Fall is literally nipping at our heels so I wanted to soak up the last few official days of summer with this breezy, sleeveless almost crop top from Forever 21.

By the time I got to Target I could tell that the collection had been picked through. Although, I’m not sure this particular Target had the collection in its entirety to begin with. The designated Phillip Lim space was small and I know he had well over 50 pieces in his collection. Anyhow, I managed to find one of his sweaters (the green and blue one) in my size. I was in like not love with it so I decided to leave without it, but I did find another great sweater that I loved for half the price…score! Of course, I also had to check out their shoe section. They had a lot of cute options but one unlikely pair stood out to me.

First, let me say that I’m not a big sneaker person. I admire them on other people, but for some reason I’ve never really liked how they look on me. Despite this, I’m trying to give them another chance. I found some really cute wedge sneakers but I wasn’t 100% sure if I’d actually wear them so I decided to think about it and come back if need be. We’ll see if they make an appearance later.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

 

0 Comments
Uncategorized

Developing Your Inspiration Stream

September 9, 2013

We all need to be inspired, which is why having an inspiration stream is such a good idea. What exactly is an inspiration stream? Great question! An inspiration stream is a collection of sources (read: anything) that you can turn to for inspiration. Yes I made that up. The idea is that you don’t have to go on a hunt to find things that inspire you when you need inspiration most. You can turn to the sources in your inspiration stream and let inspiration find you. Developing an inspiration stream is as simple as taking note of the people, places, sights, and smells that inspire you and nurture your creativity. You can keep this list on your phone, iPad, or whatever the latest techno gadget is so it’s always with you and can be easily updated when you find new sources. To help you get started crafting your own inspiration streams, I’ll share a few things on my list.

Inspiration can come in the most unlikely places or forms. These are a just a few items that I’ve come across that I’ve found to be fun and inspirational.
Some of the sources in my inspiration stream:
Long solo drives – I love the time alone to think about my future, specific goals I have, and ideas for pieces that I want to write.
Sitting outside on a sunny day – There’s something about a perky blue sky that gets me excited. Possibilities seem endless and the world seems like a happier place.
Music – I imagine this is a source of inspiration for many people. Music is so powerful. It can get us moving, change our mood, and restore faith. This is a pretty broad source but there are a few songs I immediately think of like Moon by Emily King or Clocks by Coldplay.
Books – I saw a quote on Pinterest that said “Warning: reading inspires genius” and I completely agree with this. So often when I read, I find myself putting the book aside for a second so I can jot down an idea the book just inspired. No wonder I’m a slow reader!
Do you have an inspiration stream? If so, what are some of the things on your list? Tell me in the comments!

 

1 Comment