June Favorites
Hello Summertime! In NC it is getting HOT! Last week it got up to 91 but I can’t complain because typically it is that hot by the end of May. We got lucky with the weather this year and it hasn’t been too bad up until the past week or two.
With summer being in full-swing, I wanted to bring you some of my July favorites! I LOVE favorites because I am always down for a good recommendation. My recs can be anything from beauty to gym to lifestyle to anything I’m feeling! So let’s get into it!
My Favorites
We are starting out strong with my newfound love of juicing. I started juicing in the beginning of May because I wanted to start getting all of the vitamins & minerals I should out of the foods I don’t typically eat. I started going to the farmers market & I saw tons of food I don’t typically consume like beets, tumeric, ginger, & celery. Now these are pretty basic food items but you tell me when the last time you had a beet was?
About every 2 weeks I whip out this bad boy & make a few bottles of juice. Each morning before I eat anything else (but after my warm lemon water), I’ll pour myself a shot of whatever juice I have in the fridge! I have kept this up over the past few months & I can absolutely say it has helped with my bloating. I have been traveling a ton this summer which also means I have been eating & drinking more than usual. Taking a shot of juice every morning has definitely helped me maintain normal digestion over the past couple months. I even got one of my clients to start juicing with his wife! (P.S. They are also obssessed)
Honestly, this could easily be a favorite for every single month but it gets special recognition because it is summer. I started using this sunscreen last summer at my S&C Coach internship and I have been using it every single day since. I put this sunscreen on every single morning. The easiest way to slow aging is to protect your skin from the sun — which is why I put this on every day (yes, even in the winter). I even make my boyfriend put this on every day!
I love this sunscreen because you can’t even tell you’re wearing it. It goes on smoothly, it isn’t stick or oily, and no one can tell you are wearing it. Plus it is mineral-based meaning it actually works! I put this on after I do my skincare in the morning and I’ll reapply once or twice throughout the day depending on how often I am going outside, sweating, or how high the UV index is!
3. Guasha
This is another thing that I have been doing every single morning. After I do my skincare, specifically right after I put on my moisturizer, I’ll use my guasha to shape my face & reduce puffiness. I wasn’t a believer in Guasha or any of the other facial massagers until recently. Let me just say, even if there are no real physical appearance benefits, taking the 2 minutes out of my morning to guasha my face makes me feel like I did something for myself, gives me at the very least a placebo effect for my face looking thinner, and feels great! The combination of the cool stone and a quick facial massage in the morning feels so good & makes you feel put together and ready to take on the day!
I use LMNT hydration packets about every other day. I am a hydration girlie, and by that I mean I have to really pay attention to my hydration because if I don’t, I WILL get dehydrated. I think adding any type of hydration help to your daily life is a great idea in the summer — especially if you live anywhere near the south. I like LMNT because they don’t have any wierd ingredients & they do what they claim to do — hydrate you! So far, my top two flavors are the watermelon & grapefruit salt.
5. Walking Pad
This might just be on every single favorites post. I absolutely love my walking pad. I use it just about every day and it has skyrocketed my step count. It takes me from getting 4-5,000 steps a day to getting well over 10,000 and even up to 20,000 on my really motivated days! It has been an integral part of my weight loss journey and it has helped me feel more productive, energized, and accomplished! If I had to recommend one thing on this list, it would definitely be the walking pad.
6. Kombucha
This goes along with my juicer in the sense that it has been helpful for my gut health. I like to drink this throughout the day, but more specifically before a meal. This helps me with digestion, bloating, and keeping the train moving if you know what I mean. My favorite brand is GT’s because it tastes good and they have fun flavors like Watermelon Wonder, Trilogy, and Gingerade! While it does have added sugar, I’m only drinking about a 1/3 bottle every day so it ends up being maybe 5g of added sugar.
7. Blue Light Blocking Glasses
This has been a staple in my wind-down routine for a few months now but I have been especially intentional about using my blue-light blocking glasses this month. Blue light from screens and lights in our homes has seriously messed up some of our circadian rhythms. If you struggle falling asleep or have sh*t quality sleep, it may be from blue light. Starting around 5-6pm every night, I’ll continue finishing up whatever I am working on but I’ll wear my blue light blocking glasses. This helps my brain begin to wind down and gives my eyes a break from looking at screens for so many hours.
I am in the process of going fully non-toxic. I am making slow, but steady changes in my home to switch from chemical-ridden products to more natural, organic, and non-toxic products. One of these on the top of my list are anything fragrance related. Some of our favorite candle brands are full of toxins, parabens, and other chemicals that can actually increase our nervous system activity, increase anxiety, and contribute to our body systems overloading. The last thing you want to do when trying to wind down at night is light a toxic-ridden candle in your home. While you may not notice it at first, our bodies are slowly changing and deteriorating in response to these chemicals we willingly bring into our home.
Anyways, all of this to say that I have been using organic, natural, non-toxic candles that I was gifted by my boyfriend for my graduation. These are the ones we have been using but there are tons out there! These have been a perfect addition to our wind-down routine and I can light one up and actually relax.
It is summer so bathing suits are on everybody’s mind. My favorite bathing suit I have ever bought came from Skims. Believe me, I didn’t get the Skims hype at first but they know how to flatter a gal’s body. Out of all of the bathing suits I have ever owned, Skims is by far my favorite. Its luxury meets affordable, because they truly are affordable. You aren’t paying $90 for half of a bikini but you’re getting a suit that is flattering, high-quality, and adorable for a reasonable price! I will definitely continue buying my swim suits from Skims because they are just too cute!
10. Journal
I have really been into journaling and reading this month. I’m not sure if its because I just have more free time or if it’s because I’ve truly felt like connecting with myself more. My goal this year was to journal 52x and I am crushing that goal as of right now. This past week, I began my mornings by writing down what things I needed to do to have an A+ day. That counts as journaling! This simple 2-minute act helped me be more intentional with my time, more productive, and feel more accomplished at the end of the day (kind of a theme for June). I have also been using Mimi Bouchard’s book Activate Your Future Self and activations app for journaling inspiration. In her book, she has several different writing prompts to discover how your “Future Self" acts, thinks, and feels. I also use her Writing activations in her app to align myself with my goals, set intentions for my day or week, and feel connected to a higher version of myself. Journaling is a non-negotiable for self development in my opinion. Nothing is more reflective or thought-provoking, and you are forced to be honest with yourself. Stay tuned for my favorite journaling prompts!
These are my June Favorites! I’d love to hear your favorites from this month. I am always looking for new non-toxic products and ways to level up or romanticize my life. Send me yours on TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest @trainwithtorik or email me at trainwithtorik@gmail.com. See you next time!