Tips to Staying Healthy at Work

I do not know about you but one of my biggest excuses I struggle with revolve around work. Here are a few of them: work always has snacks, I work too many hours to have time to do a workout, how do I eat healthy at work when everyone goes out to eat or has a frozen meal, I work full time and am a mom no way I have time to be healthy, or I work two or more jobs and have no time left. Let me call you out girlfriend it is all lies. I have conquered each of those excuses and lived through them. True it was not easy but it can be done. A healthy lifestyle is not for the faint of heart it is for those who want more in their life. I want to have energy, good health, and the ability to participate in all the opportunities that come my way. What about you?

I assume since you stumbled upon this blog that you are already interested in how to be healthier at work. All these tips come from things I have done at different jobs I have held for the past 4 years. I have worked a desk job, a management retail job, a receptionist job, a server, and more. So I can attest to the failures and successes in all those areas of work. I want to give you some of the tools you need to be successful at any kind of job.

·         Meal Prep: This is something I have done from day one after failing at being healthy at my first full time job. So let me say it for the people in the back you CANNOT stay healthy with a fulltime job without doing the prep work. For each and every one meal prep looks different. It could be once or twice a week. But you have to make a plan and prepare.

·         Schedule Time to Workout : You have to know exactly when you are going to workout everyday. You cannot just wing it or find time. You need to plan ahead. Do you need to wake up early to get it in or plan a crockpot meal for dinner so when you get home you have the time to do it? Do not leave this up to chance have a plan in place and stick to it.

·         Hydration Plan: This is something I have learned from working in retail and helping my husband. Some jobs you need to pack enough water for your whole day. You need to calculate how many ounces you need a day and make sure to bring over half of that to work each day with you. If you work outside or have an extremely active job bring12-24 ounces more to help refuel you for the above average work you are doing.

·         One Cheat a Week: If you work at a job that has tempting food all the time; cut yourself some slack. Give yourself the grace to indulge in one serving a week in one of the treats. Keep it in mind all week and save it for the best treat.

·         Desk job or Dead jobs: If you are not very active at work or have a job with lots of dead time; make sure you are stretching a lot. I seriously have kept yoga mats at work before. Don’t waste time it is so precious. Wearing an activity monitor and following its prompts are helpful as well. I always make sure to hit my move goal every day. My apple watch is currently set at 350 calories for those of you who are curious.

·         Be That Girl: Yes, people are going to notice you are different than them. They will notice you eat healthy and workout a lot. It is okay girl. At every job I have worked I have been that girl. “Oh Deborah’s healthy I doubt she will eat this.” It is okay because in the end I have inspired at least one person per job to make a change in their own lifestyle. I would count that as a huge win.

You have got this girlfriend! I know you can do amazing things. Being healthy while working full time or multiple jobs can be done; I have done it for the past 4 years and had amazing success. If you need more guidance or help I am here to support you. I host monthly health and fitness accountability groups and would love to give you more information about those and how it can fit into your lifestyle. If that is something you want to do fill out the form below and I will reach out to you within a few days. No matter what you have got this! 

Request more info for my Accountability Groups

A Working Mom’s Guide to Investing in Your Kids

I must say I have it in my heart to be a stay at home mom. I want to be invested in my child’s life. I want to train him up in the way he should go and enjoy every moment with him. Unfortunately, right now in my life I am a working mom. I work 5-7 days a week and 43 hours or more. I am always on call and I struggle with feeling like a good and present mom. People at work even ask me, “Do you ever get a day off?” or “You never get to spend time with you kid do you?” As if it were my choice. I do not want to work this much or have a 45 minute commute but it is where I am right now in life. I know I am not the only mom who feels this way. Can I get a sis to say you are right here with me?

My goal is to make each and every day and hour I get with him count. My goal is to consistently take care of my son in these areas: Outside time, Cooking time, Bible time, Learning time, Reading time, Play time, and Craft time. Those are the areas I want to cover each week and if I get lucky we can do them multiple times but if not that’s okay. So I encourage you to make a list of the specials “times” you want to create with your kids. Just like working on a marriage you will have to plan and set aside time to fit this into your busy life. But trust me it is 100% worth it.

I want to share with you how I am accomplishing each of those “times” and what we are doing. I am a list maker and planner; there is NO way I can have good times with David without planning them. So I plan fun things every week. Now let’s go through each of these “times” and get your brain turning.

·         Outside Time: I hope you already have something set up in the backyard for you and your kiddo to play with. We have a slide, water table, and lots of toys. I love to make it more fun though all I truly have to do is turn the water hose on to a trickle and he could not be happier. If you want to take it a step further freeze some toys in ice and get out the hammer to break it open. Or if you do not have a backyard you can always go to the park. David loves the park and asks to go almost every day. We also go on walks and take David out in his Bicycle.

·         Cooking Time: Even at the age of 2.5 David already wants to help in the kitchen and it is my responsibility to fuel that passion inside of him. Every morning I let him stir the waffles. I also let him help clean the dishes which he loves to do. If I am cooking over the stove or with extremely hands on recipes I set up a play kitchen for him and give him real pots and pans. My next goal is to find a recipe a week to cook with David. I can do brownies or homemade playdough but I want to get him involved. Now if your child hates cooking don’t force it; I do this because David is always asking to help cook.

·         Bible Time: Every week we listen to the Kids Bible Stories Podcast by Jessica White. It is an easy way to sneak in Bible time while coloring or eating breakfast. It is best freebie out there for kids Bible studies. We also listen to Steve Green’s Hide Them in My Heart CD. We read Bible stories and have prayer time too.

·         Learning Time: It has always been my heart to be a homeschool mom. So on my weekday off David and I do a little school. We have been working through the ABC’s. I create for him crafts and coloring pages to do about the letter of the day. We then go to the library in search of books with that letter. It becomes a whole day of repeating a letter over and over as well as pointing it out to him whenever we come across it. David loves this time the best.

·         Reading Time: As I just mentioned on my day off we try to go to the library. I let David pick out half of his own books. He loves getting involved. We read almost every day and it is some of the best cuddle time I get with him.

·         Play Time: This I will admit is hard for me being the mom of a boy. I never grew up around many boys and the one neighbor I grew up with well he played playhouse and beauty shop with us so I did not have to learn how boys played. It drives me crazy to always hit the cars against each other and have big crashes but that is what my son loves. One of these areas will be hard for you to do and that is when you give a love gift to your child. Boy play time for me is a love gift.

·         Craft Time: This goes hand in hand with the learning crafts but we do it more often than once a week. We play playdough almost every day while I am packing our lunches or folding clothes. I help him color or cut paper when he asks. We also from time to time go play with chalk, paint, or stickers. Crafting helps kids learn really good motor skills and creativity. 

I want to encourage you mom to mom you are doing a good job. I will admit we can always improve and always be better. I hope you were able to read this as an encouragement and that it was an inspiration to get your brain spinning with ideas. I want to empower my fellow working moms that you can still make as big of an impact as a stay at home mom with your kids. You just have to work a little harder and be 100% intentional about it. I am not saying it will be easy but it is totally worth it. David is starting to point out the letter A after our lesson. I heard him praying in his car seat just last week mentioning everyone’s names. I see David all the time trying to read himself a book. It is moments like this when I know that all the effort I pour into him is worth it. 

"You Deserve to Feel Good" a Q&A with Victoria Vines a Holistic Health Practitioner

It has been a long time since I have done a quest post on my blog. I wanted to bring some guests on this blog to share with you stories, knowledge, and more info about health and wellness. I never claim to know it all and can assure you I don't. But what I do know is how to ask for help or when to learn from others. So today we are welcoming Victoria Vines onto, The Adventures of the Wild West's blog. She is a Holistic Health Practitioner here in the DFW area. I grew up going to school with her and recently found out about all the good stuff she is diving into. Her first mentor Dr. Mike was my chiropractor too and I swear to you every word he spoke about health and wellness just fuel my soul. It helped me find my path and truly realize the importance of what I was learning. I hope you enjoy this blog and learn a little bit about Victoria's journey and can dig out some inspiration and a realization of the huge role our emotions play into our well being.

Thank you so much for this opportunity, Deborah! It’s my pleasure to be your guest blogger. I hope my journey encourages and excites your readers!

-How did you get into the world of natural living and health? Was it an event or exposure that started it? Tell me about that experience. 

I think intuitively I have always known that it is important to eat right and exercise. I grew up with general knowledge about health and well-being, and I took some health classes starting in high school. My grandma is big into using supplements and food instead of going to the doctor, so I think I picked up some of that from her!  “Being healthy” is something I’ve always known about, but living it out in my life has not always been easy.

For example, I certainly did not eat as healthy as I could have for most of my life. I always craved junk food and most of the time I let myself have it. When I gave in, I was hard on myself for eating it and did not see it as a reward or something that can be enjoyed in moderation.

The big wake up call for me was during junior year of college when I found myself experiencing chronic fatigue syndrome, which turned out to be Mononucleosis. I went to multiple conventional doctors who told me that my only option was to go home and rest. I felt defeated and hopeless. I knew that resting would be part of my healing journey, but I also figured there must be more I could do.  In addition to the mono, one of the doctors told me I had depression. (Hint: don’t ever surrender to labels – this was just a lengthy low point for me). Throughout my life, I was a person who “bottled” my emotions, not knowing that this habit would eventually catch up with me. Between going through a difficult breakup a few months previously, feeling helpless from my extreme lack of energy, and not really knowing what I wanted to do career-wise, I was full of unprocessed emotions that I did not know were contributing to my illness.

 

Later that month I went to get an adjustment from my chiropractor, Dr. Mike Traxler. Dr. Mike had a nutrition program that I had heard about previously but didn’t think about taking part in until I saw him. I asked if there would be anything that could help me in it and he confidently responded that it would increase my energy.

I remember calling my mom to ask her for her opinion about making the commitment to this program. Being the wise person that she is, she told me her thoughts but then turned the question back at me to ask my opinion. The feeling that surfaced was one I’ve only felt a few times in my life when I know something is REALLY a good decision. I answered confidently that it was “absolutely right for me.” Little did I know that this program would both change my life and propel me into a career that I LOVE.

With Dr. Mike guiding me, I learned how important it is to take a well-rounded approach to health. He combined nutritional supplements, dietary changes (easy and tasty ones, I might add!), emotional clearings, and patient education to empower people to take control of their health and feel better naturally. Dr. Mike was the first person who told me that our bodies are designed to heal. He emphasized the importance of rest and play in the healing process and taught me a lot about how our emotions affect – for better or for worse – the health of our bodies.

 

-In your journey was there ever a point where you had a huge mind shift? A point where it just clicked that everything we eat, do and so forth has a huge impact on your body and well being? 

I would say there were two really big moments for me in terms of mind shift. The first was when I started clearing emotions with Dr. Mike. I had no idea how emotions – specifically trapped ones – could affect my health. It was not so much that I felt bad when I had them, but how AMAZING I felt when I cleared them!  This really taught me about the interconnectedness of our bodies. Experiencing these immediate shifts after doing simple emotional work amazed me but at the same time left me dumbfounded.

This curiosity led me to further explore emotional health and how it affects our bodies. By the end of the year I enrolled in the same training that Dr. Mike took to become a Holistic Health Practitioner.

 

The second shift occurred when I started my PSYCH-K® training almost a year later. PSYCH-K® is a process that allows you to change beliefs at a subconscious level and release trauma affecting the brain. The subconscious mind is very powerful and in charge of a lot of our physiological functions. When you go through this process by changing limiting beliefs about health you can actually feel your cells become more alive and like your body is working with – instead of against – you to be healthy. This was certainly the case with me! I began doing these balances about how I wanted my health to be, and immediately it was SO much easier for these goals to become a reality. This experience with PSYCH-K® showed me how essential the subconscious mind is in both attaining and maintaining health.

 

Examples of beliefs I transformed are: “It’s easy and fun for me to be healthy.” “My body heals itself, naturally and quickly,” and “I effortlessly maintain my ideal weight.”

 

-How did your discovery and involvement into this world evolve? Like mine started so simple with swimming and then meal planning and learning the importance of gut health and so on. 

My discovery and involvement in this world of health has evolved multiple times and is still evolving. When I went through my training to become a Holistic Health Practitioner I learned about how different foods and supplements are perfectly created to heal our bodies naturally. I took classes that taught me about the use of homeopathy, pre- and probiotics, glandulars, as well as about how the different organs and systems of the body function. This training was on a physical level, while most of the classes I have taken since then have focused on emotional health and the subconscious mind’s impact on wellbeing. What we eat and the exercise we do affects how our body functions, but if you’re doing everything right on a physical level without getting the results you desire, the odds are that there is an emotional or subconscious root to the problem. I love learning about all aspects of wellbeing and experimenting with how I personally feel the best. Over time, I’ve found that variety is important in everything we do – from our diet, to exercise, and even our everyday life habits. Sometimes getting up early and working out is best for us, while at other times doing a craft or something else we enjoy to lift our spirits is just as healthy for our bodies! True health is both liberating and enjoyable.

 

-What is the one biggest and most important thing you’ve learned so far that you think everyone should know? 

The biggest and most important thing I’ve learned so far is to TRUST YOURSELF! Because of bioindividuality (every person’s body being unique), every individual has different needs for nutrition, exercise, and rest. While there are generalities for what is better or worse for certain people, it’s important for every person to be his or her own authority when it comes to their bodies. So I say listen to your body, trust your intuition, and get connected to the Higher part of yourself. Trust it when it speaks – whether that is what food to eat or what choices to make in life. We all have a unique journey so trust yourself to make the best decisions for you!

-How has this whole journey changed you? 

 

This journey has changed me from a sick, hopeless, and anxious person into a healthy, energetic, and confident human being. I can honestly say that I am the healthiest and most empowered than I have ever been. I never knew life could be this good! That’s not to say I don’t still have my ups and downs, because I do. But, my highs are higher than before and my lows are higher than they used to be. I have a deeper sense of trust in the fact that everything works out the way it should. And, when I am experiencing a low point, I know that I have all tools necessary to get to a better place. Lastly but certainly not least, I have gained a career that makes me want to go to work every day. I never knew I could love helping people as much as I do, and I’m blessed to have finally found what excites me!  

-What do you currently do in the health and wellness world? And how are you helping people with that?

Currently in the health and wellness world I am a Holistic Health Practitioner, PSYCH-K® facilitator, EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) practitioner, and Matrix Reimprinting practitioner. Some people want to do only emotional work with me, but the majority of my clients see me for bioenergetic testing (also known as muscle testing). Through this testing we can eavesdrop on the body’s energy system to determine if an issue is physical, emotional, energetic, or lifestyle related. This testing can also tell us which supplements are best for each person to take, if they need to clear any emotions, which form of exercise is best at that time, and know if there are any subconscious blocks affecting him or her. This holistic approach to health truly allows people to heal quickly and easily.

 

-If you could give anyone a piece of advice or encouragement that is sitting on the fence and is still skeptical about health and wellness what would it be? 

 

I would say to absolutely go for it! You deserve to feel good and to invest in yourself. You may not even know how good you can feel or how happy your life can be until you get started! There are plenty of small steps you can take to a different future that are easy and fun for you. If you would like or need support, there are plenty of people such as myself out here to help guide you in your unique journey.

 

If you would like more information or to schedule a consultation with me, visit aboundingvines.wixsite.com/health or email me at aboundingvines@gmail.com.

Ignite the healer in you!

Thank you so much Victoria for sharing with us. I know I have learned a lot and absolutely love what you are doing.

Thank you for reading this weeks blog post. If you want more info about what Victoria does her links are above and if you enjoyed this blog post please comment or share.

Deborah West

Healthy Eating on a Budget

This is something I could talk about all day. Half of the people I talk to say they cannot start a healthy lifestyle because it is too expensive. That is a lie from the pit of hell. I have been eating healthy now for over 4 years. I have done it on ALL ranges of income too. If you I can do it, you can too. I have put together a few of my tips that I actually use to save money and eat the healthy food I need to.

1. Bountiful Baskets- If you have never heard of them you have to go check them out. They are located in different towns across America. Essential Bountiful Baskets takes out the middle man and choosing. They collect fresh produce from local farmers and combine it into shares of vegetable boxes and fruit boxes for you to buy. You can pick which weeks you would like to order; so no contract or obligation. Most cities have a school as the pickup location. You go at the designated time and pick up your two baskets of fruit and vegetables. The only downfall is you never know what you will get so it may not be the best option for picky eaters. But if you are like me and have a juicer you can just juice any food with a pineapple and it will taste amazing. So no waste. You can get my juicer here for under $50.The basket price depends on your area but I get mine for less than $25. Tally up how much you could spend on veggies while eating super healthy and you will realize it saves you a lot of money.
2. Aldi-We have all heard of Aldi by now it is a new grocery store that is popping up. It truly is a money saver. They have tons of organic options and gluten free options. They do realize sometimes their fresh produce can be bad so they have a money back and product replacement guarantee. One thing I love about Aldi is they have new specialty items every week which makes shopping an adventure. Not to mention almost all their bags of chips are less than $2 compared to Walmart where everything is $3 and up.
3. Freezer Bagging Meat- We all know meat can be super expensive. We also know that if you time it right you can buy a ton of meat for a really good deal. For my whole life this is how we have saved money and been able to afford meat on a budget. I suggest setting up a meat budget every month and setting it aside and pay very close attention to meat sales. Your new goal is to become an expert on the price of meat. If you really want a good deal create an excel spread sheet to track it. When meat is on a good sale you use your budget and go buy a big portion of it. Then you use the freezer bags and freezer machine to freeze it. Make sure to label the date you freeze it on so that you can use your meats in order. This is a little more work but honestly I always had fun helping as a kid. I have to give my mom credit for this one; it was all her idea. You can get a top rated food saver with almost 5,000 reviews here for under $75.
4. Stay Clear or Processed Food-Now I will say this in moderation because every Sunday I get a frozen meal for our lunch because after church I have to cook lunch and then be at work by 1 or 2. So it is a serious crunch day for me. But I am talking on your day to do. Stay away from the premade breakfast foods. Stay clear of prepackaged meals. If your goal is to save money you will do so by making a lot of your food yourself.
5. Side Hustle-Get yourself a side hustle. I cannot tell you how many coaches I have met that literally start coaching so they can afford to be healthy. For me I know it definitely does help. Having an extra $200-$500 a month can give you a ton of flexibility to afford amazing quality groceries. Think about what if you did all these steps and adding on to it coaching and making that extra $200-$500 a month. You could be paying off debt, paying a bill or two a month, or traveling. If you would like to learn more about doing what I do as a coach, click the LINK HERE.

I hope this has helped you. I would love to hear more about your health and fitness journey or any questions you have. Please comment below and share with me what your thoughts are or any future blog post ideas you have for me.

Thank you,

Deborah West

Meal Prepping Essentials

I get lots of questions about meal prepping. It is an art let me tell you. It has taken me the past 4 years to get it down. I have failed many times. I used to spend 4+ hours cooking every Sunday but now I have gotten it down to where it is much easier and takes up a lot less time. So I wanted to share with you some of my essential tools I have used and still use that I love.

• 6 Pack Fitness: This was one of my first loves when it came to meal prepping. I used it in college and at my full time jobs. It holds 3 containers of food, 4 water bottles or shaker cups, and a container for pills or supplements. It keeps your food cold all day. I loved it because of the amount of storage. So if you are away from home for more than one meal this is a great investment. I never had any complaints about. Yes it is large but if it gets you to stay on course with your meal plan and not eat out; it is worth it.

• Energize: For much of my life age 16 and up I have lived off of energy drinks. I could drink 2+ Rockstars or Redbulls a day. I do not naturally create the energy to go long hours and work hard. I have always needed extra boosts. I found Energize and fell in love it is just as strong a Redbull but is made with all natural ingredients. It is also cheaper. I call it my "Mom Crack"
  
• Vacuum Thermos: My mother got my husband this awesome thermos. This is the perfect meal prep tools for soups or hot food. It is perfect if you want to keep your food warm and it actually works. It comes with 2 containers, a spork, and chopsticks.

• The Fixate Cookbook and Container System: This revolutionized how I viewed portion controls. I ate out of the container system for over a year. It is easy to use and in this kit it is paired with a matching cook booth with premeasured recipes. So if you want an easy solutions I highly suggest starting here. This system takes the hard thinking and planning out of the system. Fixate Kit
  
• Wonder Woman Shaker: I got this in a Secret Santa with my coaching team a few years back and I love it. The spiral circles really help mix up your shakes or drinks.
  

• Shakeology: My last suggestion is to add Shakeology to your daily meal plan. It replaces a snack or meal and gives you a daily dose of super food nutrition. If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you know that I drink it every day and could not live with out it.I am including the link for my favorite flavor Café Latte. You can find the other flavors at this link as well. Cafe Latte Shakeology
  

Finding Myself after Facing Incredible Struggles

I cannot explain to you how hard it is to reclaim your life after everything you’ve planned has fallen apart. The past two and a half years of my life have been a complete unending string of family catastrophes and chaos. In all those struggles I have lost myself and who I am many times. I am such a planner by nature and when things go haywire from every last plan I have; I give up and give in. The past two and half years have held an unplanned pregnancy, shotgun marriage, an unfollowed birth plan, learning to be a mom, marriage struggles, the loss of a niece, and the loss of my dreams. You see I wanted the perfect marriage, perfect birth story, to be the perfect mom, to have both my nieces, and for my dreams to be here with me alive right now. But guess what that isn’t how life works. Life is hard and messy and somehow we have to find a way to hold onto ourselves, our hopes, and our dreams.

 

I have always felt most myself when working out and eating healthy. My fit pregnancy was a failure due to bed rest and preeclampsia. My magical natural birth story was ruined by a 48 hour horrible induction and my dreams of immediately nursing my son never happened. That for me was when I lost myself. When I say lost myself I mean it. I was completely overcome with depression. I hated looking in the mirror. I never had the strength to follow through with any goals. I could barely make myself clean the house. I gave up. I let failure take control of my life. It took me forever to get up out of the hospital bed and walk around or do more than hold David. Once we got home I was able to start nursing with help from a lactation specialist. But I still felt like such a failure for having a natural birth and not being able to nurse him immediately. No one should ever feel like a failure for their birth story but so many of us do. But I have to realize none of those things I could have changed. I did the best I could have.

 

But how do you bounce back from that? How do you come back from feeling like a completely failure and having all those crazy postpartum hormones surging your body and mind. Even when I was able to self-motivate those depression hormones would kick in and I lost it. I was able to find myself again as soon as I was cleared to workout. I showed up every day to my program for the first time since I had become a coach. I was such a bad ass and finished Insanity Max 30 which was to me was one of the hardest workouts ever. I conquered it and claimed my results and felt like myself again. I finally felt strong and in control.

 

That’s when things blew out of control once again. Daniels grandma died and that spiraled into a whole mess of chaos. Between marriage struggles, losing a niece and facing the reality of needing to provide for my family; there was no room for me. I worked every day of the week and had three jobs. I was a stay at home mom in the day and I worked every night and weekend when I had free childcare. There was NO time for being healthy or working out. All I could do was survive. Then true redemption came into play and I can only give God credit for this because God brought back to me not only a husband but someone who was to become a Godly husband and provider. I was able to lessen my work load and start being the mom and woman I was made to be. I started this new amazing workout called Lift 4 that was only 4 days a week. That was something my plate could handle. Between being a mom, a wife, an assistant manager, and everything else all I could do was 4 days a week. I have since crushed this program. I swear to you I was made to lift weights; it literally lights my soul on fire and helps me connect with my inner bad ass.

 

So here we are today, I look back and still feel the undeniable hurt from these past years. But I can also look back and see the healing. I can see the strength that was formed in me. I can see all the hard work I have put into my life. I am here to tell you I am not done with the hard work. Because what I have learned from the past two years is I don’t just want to survive because survival is hard. I want to thrive and to thrive I will have to go through pain and hard work. But guess what I will go through the same pain and same hard work either way. I will just come out on top this time because I will no longer settle for survival. I challenge you today to start healing from whatever has hurt you or held you back. The longer you live depressed or overcome by doubt and fears; the farther you push away who you were designed and created to be. Step forward today out of that big dark hole fighting your way towards your dreams.

My Favorite Tanning Lotions

I have a little obsession with tanning. I still remember the first time I walked into a tanning salon. I signed up for a high dollar membership and bought the full kit. I got an Intensifier, Facial, and Tan Extender. Once I started working at a tanning salon, I finally understood how important lotion was. The lotion decides your tan. The lotion saves your skin from wrinkles and drying out. Yes, the beds play a big factor as well but you’re wasting your money if you aren’t using lotion. So I wanted to share with you my favorite current lotions. You can pick these up at any Palm Beach Tan and some other salons. Do NOT order online; lotions makers do not sell lotions online.

1.       Midnight Black Bronzer: This is an amazing lotion produced just for Palm Beach Tan. It has 65 bronzers which is the most bronzers in a lotion so far. It is filled with amazing skin care and has a cellulite eraser. This lotion is a thicker lotion and requires you to use a little more than normal but the color you get is completely worth it. It is infused with lavender which is where the Midnight names comes from. It smells like heaven.

2.       Miss Designer: This is a classic created by Designer Skin. It has 55 bronzers. It is a silicone base lotion which means a little bit goes a long way. The silicone is also amazing for you skin and holds in the moisture. You skin will not tan if it is dry.

3.       Tekton Optimizer: This is a goodie! It is super affordable but amazing. It is a midrange bronzer so not crazy dark but you will get some good color from it. It is an optimizer because it is loaded with skincare. It is used to lift you out of a tanning plateau or it is perfect for sensitive skin.

4.       DS Double Dip Intensifier: I bought this one because of the smell. It smells so good to me. A double dip is a lotion made for cocktailing. That is when you bed tan and the spray tan right after. It also can be used as an intensifier for the bed and simply a primer for the spray. It doesn’t take much of this lotion. The only bothersome problem is DS makes terrible pump lids; so the lid will pop off randomly. But you can get the lid back on some lotion just comes out in the process.

Let me know if this has helped you or if you have any questions. I would love to know how many of you tan and where you tan!

Xoxo

Deborah