Steps One and Two

Step #1 in Martha's plan for healthy living is Skin Care. Martha uses a variety of hoity-toity cleansers, toners, serums, balms, sunblock and skin healers. "A blemish or a crack or a rash is unacceptable..." (page 18, January MSL). Yikes!

I do not use hoity-toity facial products. Well, in my opinion they are not hoity-toity since they were all bought on sale and at the corner drugstore.



I wash my face every night with whatever cleanser I happen to have at the time. My preferred face wash is Olay, but I switch it for something else every other bottle. Right now, I'm using a Garnier Fructis gel cleanser. A new part of my skincare routine is to use the Garnier Fructis skin renewal system once a week (exfoliate and moisterize). Otherwise, my must-have face lotion is ALWAYS Olay. Whether it's the regular 'beauty fluid' or the fancy Regenerist stuff, I have to have it every day. Even if I use that L'Oreal stuff featured on the left side, I mix it with Olay. Ole!

In my morning shower, I switch between a face soap and the regular bar of whatever is in there. My main concern is to not get soap in my eyes. On most days that's easy, since my eyes don't fully open until 10am after 2 cups of coffee.

Bottom line: Martha washes her face and moisterizes. So do I! We're almost the same person!

Step #2 in Martha's plan for healthy living is the Gym. Her gym is on her property and was designed by her daughter, Alexis. It has aerobic machines, weights, yoga equipment, massage chair, televisions and a bunch of other fancy exercise machines. "The importance of aerobic exercise cannot be overemphasized." (page 18, January MSL)

I am proud to say this is where I have Martha beat. I don't have my own gym filled with expensive exercise machines, but my workout routine is designed by my son.

I spend lots of time chasing after him and it's the best workout I'll ever have. And the only workout I've ever really enjoyed. Beats a treadmill any day! :)

Bottom line: Martha and I both agree on the importance of aerobic exercise. However, my son's prescribed exercise regimin beats Martha's personal gym. Hands down. Chasing a toddler...it's a good thing!

Martha's morning routine, and mine

In the January issue of MSL, Martha shares a tiny bit of her daily routine and her ten step plan for healthy living. She doesn't tell how she gets it all done, but I do know that the woman sleeps only 4-5 hours every night and she is constantly connected to work.



The snippet of her daily routine that she does share reveals the following:

she is up every morning at 5:30am, lets the dogs out, uncovers the birds, perhaps takes some nature pictures for her blog, lets the dogs in, and briefly checks her email. She then showers, dresses and heads over to her very own gym to meet with her very own personal trainer for her very own one-hour workout by 6:30am.



My morning routine: get up, stumble to the shower, get dressed, put enough effort into hair/make-up so I land more firmly on the human side of the human/zombie divide, (with Rick) wake and dress Payton, walk Barley, feed Barley, gulp down some juice, throw a granola bar in my purse, make a mad scramble around the house to grab last-minute stuff for myself and Payton, run to the car as Rick is pulling out of the garage, and settle in for the 40 minute drive to daycare.



Hmmmm. My morning "routine" is chaotic and stressful and Martha's is orderly and even relaxing. So far, I'm falling short in my attempt to be more like Martha. How will I compare when it comes to Martha's ten steps for healthy living?



Stay tuned, you won't want to miss this!