Author Archives: The Vickylicious

Cycle for Survival: Join the Battle!

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I am taking action against rare cancers by participating in Cycle for Survival for the 2nd year in a row. My family and I have been greatly affected by cancer, so I will be riding to honor their memory, and to fight the battle for us all.

This national indoor team cycling event raises money to fund critical research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Participants and donors make progress and hope possible for patients and their loved ones worldwide. Here are two important facts you should know:

v 100% of the funds donated for my ride will go directly to MSKCC to help patients around the world.

v Since its inception, Cycle for Survival has helped fund 85 clinical trials and research studies.

Why do I ride?

I can’t say it enough: I ride to honor brave family and friends touched by cancer, including my own. Cycle for Survival is my way of fighting back and making a difference.

I ride because I want to contribute to lifesaving research.

I ride because there aren’t enough treatment options for people with rare cancers—I know we can change that. All pediatric cancers, leukemia, lymphoma, sarcoma, and thyroid, ovarian and pancreatic cancers are among the many types considered to be rare.

How can you help?

Give a gift to my Cycle for Survival ride! Every dollar goes directly to promising cancer research. Together, we can truly make an impact! I believe that from the bottom of my heart.

It’s time. JOIN THE BATTLE WITH ME.
 

I humbly and greatly appreciate your support,

Vicky
http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/vickytdavis
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All Banged Up

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Getting a new hairstyle is a big commitment, especially when it involves bangs. Being that I have naturally curly hair makes creating bangs all the scarier; there are endless possibilities on how to botch the job. After mulling this decision over in my mind for months…fast-forward to Saturday, January 4th, 2014: I finally decided to get bangs! (Translation: I have decided to take the easy route and buy a clip-on set.)

On a whim, I took the express train to Harlem to visit all of the beauty supply/hair stores on 125th Street in order to understand all of my options. Having never delved into the weave/wig/extension world, I really didn’t know what I was looking for; all I knew was that I wanted my bangs to look “real,” and that I didn’t want to spend a small fortune on them. I spoke to the Korean and African “experts” behind the counter at my very first stop and they steered me in the right direction. For the mere price of $17.99 I was able to procure this lovely little piece that they guaranteed would look like my own hair that I grew myself:
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Honestly, I didn’t believe them. Regardless of the package’s claim that the clip-on piece was 100% human hair and that it was part of Vivica A. Fox’s hair line, it looked rather fake to my untrained eyes. The women behind the counter were nodding their heads so enthusiastically that I felt compelled to go for it. Hey, for under $20.00, why not? I could afford to take this little gamble.  After I finished all of my skincare, beauty, and clothes shopping, I hopped on the train back home, super excited to start experimenting with this creature (which is exactly what it looks like if you come across it lying on a surface). Don’t fail me, Vivica!

Since my hair was curly that day, I slicked it into my usual bun so that the bangs would blend in more seamlessly. Here’s the result:
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Did I pull off Kourtney Kardashian’s look successfully? Albeit a little bushy/thick,  I’d like to think I did! Maybe I’mjust not used to bangs, and they really are supposed to be like this…? I consulted a friend who confirmed that this is indeed the desired length and density women seek out when getting bangs. This made me more confident about my new look. Check out the side view and you tell me if these bangs are convincing. I want to make sure my friend isn’t lying to me.
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Don’t you just feel the confidence in my pose?! I’m going to give it a road test this weekend to see people’s reactions to them. If agreeable, I’ll be able to change my hair like I change my lipstick!
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Smooches!

P.S. I do know that there’s a way to use my own hair to create bangs by leaving fringe out of your top knot and styling it to hang over your forehead, but my hair isn’t long enough to do that when it’s curly, and again, this is so much easier!

Happy New Year!

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Always strive to be a better you. Yes, I constantly say that you don’t need a new year to make a resolution, but I do agree that New Year’s Day does feel like a fresh start and a good day to remind yourself of your goals; New Year’s Day is an apt time to focus and recommit. So, here’s a reminder photo to stay focused on your dreams, goals, aspirations, etc. Cheers!

Holiday Training

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You don’t need to wait till New Year’s Day to make resolutions or changes in your life. Set your goals and work then into your lifestyle so that you won’t fall off the “wagon” within a matter of days or months.

Just resolve to be a better you every morning.

OMG or OHN: Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat

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No smudge-proof, waterproof, water-resistant, claim has stood up to my oily lids. They cause every shadow, liner, and mascara to pool under my eyes so that I look like a zombie within an hour. This product has changed all of that when it comes to mascara! I can now use every single tube that has been collecting dust because I didn’t have the heart to throw them (and my money) down the drain. Not only does it waterproof my lashes, the spoolie also separates and de-clumps. Thank you, Anastasia, I can now wear ANY mascara with confidence!

Final answer: OMG! It’s amazing–a modern day miracle (for me).

Have you tried this product? If so, let me know what you think about it.

Cardio Trade-Off

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A lotof people have asked me to break down my sprint video after I posted it on Facebook, so here it is!

After all of the holiday eating and a super sinful cheat meals of soul food by-the-pound, the bf and I knew we had to go extra hard in the gym. We did our strength training first by working all of our muscle groups: arms, legs then core. Then we finished with some super charged cardio. We always do our weight training first and save cardio workouts to end or sessions. Why? Doing cardio beforehand would exhaust the body and cause one to not have as productive of a workout due to a depletion of energy stores (glycogen). Saving cardio for the end of a workout session allows the body to keep burning calories at a higher rate for 4-8 hours afterward. Also, this is a more efficient method for fat loss because it speeds up one’s metabolism and leaves the body feeling more energetic and refreshed throughout the day.

My sprints consisted of walking for 0.25 miles, then sprinting for 0.75 miles at 9.5mph. I did this until I completed one full mile of sprints.  (Usually, on days that are reserved for strictly cardio, I do this for three miles. ) Feeling great and sweating like crazy, I knew this cheat meal was well-earned!

Of course, as I write this post with a gut still full of terrible deliciousness, I know it’s back to my regularly scheduled programming of eating clean and training mean!  (Cue corny outro music)
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Motivated Monday

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Several years ago when I first started getting into fitness, I had no idea what I was doing or should be doing in order to lose weight and get in shape. I threw myself into a bunch of cardio classes and got a personal trainer that didn’t properly create a plan that suited my body type or goals. Yes, I lost weight, but I also bulked up like a man because I wasn’t doing the right workouts for my body and my diet was neither practical nor conducive to my goals. After suffering from an injury due to over-training, bulking up (which everyone says is impossible for women to do—au contraire) and having to undo that damage while still on a weight-loss/fat-loss mission, I was forced to understand the science of everything: diet, fitness, nutrition and health. Basically, I have and am still learning how the body works as a whole.

After much research, trial and error, I now know what works for me. My body composition has changed due my mix of cardio and strength training paired with cleaner, more practical eating habits. Even though I’m back to lifting weights, my execution is different now; my body and muscles are not getting bigger, they’re getting leaner. I truly understand what bodybuilding means now and I’m applying it literally by building my body piece by piece.

Also, my mentality has completely changed. No matter how many times I tried to convince myself that it was ok that the numbers on the scale weren’t budging because of the muscle/fat equation, I didn’t believe my own thoughts or the science behind it; I was stuck on societal charts/graphs/”standards”/”norms.” I’ve finally broken away from my weight on the scale, understanding and truly embracing the fact that I am sculpting my body to fit my “norm,” my standards. This keeps me motivated and makes me want to help others understand their bodies more fully.

Am I completely satisfied with where I am right now? No, however I’m not finished; my journey will never end. Yet, please understand that I’m happier with myself and my body than I have ever been, even when I was at my skinniest, because now I’m at my healthiest. When I post pictures or videos of myself or my workouts, it’s not for vanity purposes. They are to keep pushing myself further and whoever else is on a similar mission or is thinking about starting. The more I learn and change, the more I will share my message to those who want to hear it. I’m here to inspire and motivate, while I reap inspiration and motivation from your journeys in turn.
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OMG or OHN (Oh, Helllll No!)?: A Review

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(Yes, there’s a lot of punctuation going on in my title.)

I really like Sephora’s own product line; from their lipsticks to their concealers, I’m a fan. So when the Sephora Collection Instant Radiance Foundation went on sale, it immediately went into my virtual shopping cart. I gave it a test run the day after it came in the mail, I was so excited. Want to see how this foundation stood up to the test? Then keepon reading! (This trial was done without primers, setting spray or powder in order to get an accurate feel for the product.)

First, let’s take a look at the naked face (please refrain from nasty comments, thank you) next to the face with freshly applied Instant Radiance Foundation, side by side, no filters no editing, no PhotoShopping—that would render the experiment pointless. Plus, I don’t use those things anyway.
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The coverage seems pretty natural, and I’d say the formula provides medium, buildable coverage with a semi-dewy finish. Although I prefer matte finishes, I like that this seems fresh and breathable looking. So now let’s see how it all looks after I apply Sephora Collection Perfecting Cover Concealer for my under eyes, and everything else I normally do.
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Much better, yet still natural (to me). My initial reaction to this foundation is that I like it, but I’m not in love with it. After a whole day of wear, I don’t like it one bit. Take a look at the oil slick my face has become:
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Mind you, I didn’t use a mattifying primer, a setting powder and/or spray—but I shouldn’t have to use all of that. There was a lot of transfer, and the formula broke down, visibly separating on the skin. I washedit ofimmediately after I took this picture.

Not wanting to give up hope, I tried this foundation again the next day, using setting powder AND spray. Did anything improve?
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As you can tell by the exasperated expression on my still greasy face, no, there was no improvement whatsoever. It was sliding off of my face, it oxidized and became darker, transferred like crazy, and the formula still broke apart. By the end of the day, the discoloration on my cheeks was starting to show as well. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

I highly recommend all oily/combination skin types to AVOID Sephora Collection Instant Radiance Foundation. Avoid it like it’s your pervy uncle during holiday family picture time.
Final verdict: Oh Hell No!
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From Ab to Fab: Part Deux

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So, on to the second portion of our workout.

I didn’t do legs this time around because they were already given a good going-over during JAB. So we finished the evening with abs. WordPress won’t let me upload my abs video, so here I am after my first set on the incline bench:

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After two more grueling sets, we were finished and famished.

It’s great having a workout partner; you motivate each other, challenge and push one another and make the time pass quicker. Your partner’s energy feeds you and vice versa. Not only that, it creates an even stronger bond than the one you may already share; it gives you something else in common and you are able to help each other reach your health and fitness goals.

Stay inspired and keep inspiring!

From Ab to Fab

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After a hard day’s work that left me feeling drained, I took one of my favorite cardio classes, aptly named JAB (cardio kickboxing), then met up with the bf for some strength training. We started off with arms as we usually do:

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(We did several more exercises, we just didn’t record them all.)
As you can see, we have a lot of fun while we workout, talking crap and making each other laugh.

I’ll post part two right away because, for some reason, WordPress won’t let me publish the rest of my workout…