Lower body workout with kettlebell

I believe the secret to a healthy body, mind and soul is through exercising. Exercising has loads of benefits. It's a stress reliever, mood booster, it creates positive energy and makes you feel stronger.

Personally for me, getting into an exercising habit is hard but if there's motivation and a little push, it becomes easier. One important thing is to be consistent. Consistency helps you get used to the workouts and you'll progress faster. 

I don't have a gym membership so I do my workouts at home with my husband. We bought a few kettlebells a few months ago so we can get more out of our exercises. Kettlebell helps you build your body strength and it's just a great tool for overall body workout. 

I've seen some improvements since I first got my hands on my 8 kg kettle bell. I started with kettlebell swings early this year and it killed me. Now I'm able to do workout routines with the kettlebell for different parts of my body. And since I've gotten used to it,  maybe soon I will start practicing with the 12 kg.

In this post, I'm sharing my go to lower body workouts. I keep changing the routines from time to time but so far this one works for me. 

1. Goblet squat or sumo squat (20 secs)

2. Lateral lunges (20 secs)

3. Fire hydrants and/or donkey kicks (20 secs)

4. Kettlebell swings (20 secs)

5. Weighted lunges (20 secs)

6. Jumping jacks  (20 secs)

Repeat this 5 times. This routine is very flexible so you can just skip the kettlebell if you don't have one. This takes less than half an hour of your time. Do this consistently and you will see results in no time. Happy trying! 

Review: Maybelline Fit Me!® Matte + Poreless foundation

Summer is here and I finally got my hands on the Maybelline Fit Me!® Matte + Poreless foundation. A lot of people are raving about this foundation and how it's better than the previous one so I decided to give it a try. I bought mine in shade 125 Nude Beige. The color seems right for me except that this one has a pink undertone. I would purchase a different shade next time. I have worn this foundation 3 - 4 times and I have had it on my face the whole day so I guess I can now talk about this product.

note: Every skin reacts differently to different products. Just because I don't like how it looks on me, that does not mean that it won't look good on others - and vice versa. 

Ok, now let's move on to the review.

What the product claims: 
1. Matte finish
2. Erases pores
3. Matches natural tone

Formula and application: 
Like most drugstore foundations, this one does not come with a pump. It doesn't really bother me but of course I prefer a foundation that comes with a pump. It makes everyone's life easier, right? I applied two coats on my face but I didn't use a lot because I want to review this product as if I'm wearing it as an everyday foundation.

I like the formula because it's not that runny nor thick. It like how it blends so smoothly on the skin and I don't really feel like there's foundation on my face. The coverage of this foundation is between light to medium. So if you want a full coverage you may want to apply primer, concealer and apply another coat. This foundation is buildable. So even if you apply another two or three coats, you'll get a nice coverage but still feel like you don't have too much on your face. I still have visible pimple scars on my cheeks so without concealer you can still see the scars but trust me, in person the foundation looks beautiful after it starts to set. Take your time to apply your makeup because it takes a while for this foundation to set.

Result: 
Overall, I would give this foundation 7/10. Does it do what it claims? yes and no. I feel like it does make my pores look almost invisible. It's not completely matte but it does have a nice glowy finish. It doesn't make my skin look shiny but after a few hours I do feel the need to blot my face (Even though my face doesn't look oily when I look at myself in the mirror. I guess it's just a feeling!). The foundation does match my skin tone when I apply it but after a while, the shade became a bit pinkish. So make sure you get the right shade for your face! It does a good job in balancing my skin tone and cover whatever that needs to be covered. It's not a long wearing foundation so you might want to skip this if you're gonna be out the whole day without needing to re-apply your makeup. But anyway, the product doesn't claim to be long lasting so it's not a big issue for me.

So, here's a picture of me with minimal makeup. Maybelline Fit Me!® Matte + Poreless foundation, eye makeup, lipstick, under eye concealer, no setting powder, no blush, no contour but flat hair.