Odds and Ends...

Good morning and Happy Monday!

Trust me, I'm not as excited about a Monday as you think, so.. :-) I've started my Contest Prep for April, and it's not as bad as the first time. Well, still hungry, but that's a given. I don't even feel like I'm in prep, but I am. The diet, the workouts.. Should be amazing!

But this post isn't about prep. It's about body maintenance. Namely our hands. This is a photo of my left hand:

Right. I lift heavy weights on a regular basis, and even though I wear gloves, I still get calluses. Sigh... Also, I used the bathroom quite often, so I'm washing my hands all day long, which leave them very dry. Solution? A DIY hand scrub! yay! Using things you should have around the house... Here's the recipe:

• 2 tbsp used coffee grinds (I get mine from work, since I don't have a coffee maker at home)
• 1 egg yolk (here's a use for those egg yolks we always toss! 
• a few drops of lemon juice
• and a 1 tsp of the following:
• honey
• castor oil (or which ever oil you have around)
• salt (sometimes I use brown sugar -- I don't eat it, so might as well scrub  with it)

Mix well in a lil bowl and store in the fridge (the egg yolk...). I'll put some soap on my hands, then take some of the mixture and rub it into my hands to exfoliate and soften them a bit. I then follow up with some shea butter. In larger batches, I've used it on my legs and feet in the shower. be careful as it could get messy! :-) About calluses,... a pumice stone used regularly helps to keep your hands soft. We may lift with men, but no need to be rough like them ;-).

Happy training!