First of all, I want to say thank you for following along on this food blog journey and allowing me to turn my dreams into a reality. And thanks for sticking around through my brand experiments, new projects, and new failures. I genuinely can’t thank you enough! When I initially started @nycdining back in 2012, my goal was to visit every New York restaurant that I could while I was in college at NYU. At the time, I was in journalism school, and I used this platform as a way to grow my voice in the food industry to hopefully help me achieve my ultimate goal — become a TV host, following in the footsteps of Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought it would turn into my full-time job. As I’ve grown and learned more about myself and who I want to be, my brand has also evolved into much more than a restaurant diary. I used to be afraid of change, but lately I’ve been embracing it. My life in the past 2 years (even 2 weeks!) has evolved so much, let alone the past seven years, since I began this blog while eating brunch in soho — a daring dish choice of black pudding waffles with foie gras butter.

I mean, think about how much you’ve changed since you were 19. It’s rare that you’re the same person you were in college, let alone your teen years. That’s how my brand has grown. From 19 to 26, this brand is me. It’s my soul and personality — so of course it’s going to naturally change.

These photos were taken from my first ever food blog shoot in 2012. How crazy!

For this next chapter of my life, I want to take everything I’ve learned through my culinary experiences — the dining out, the overnight baking shifts, the cocktail making, the live cooking demos— and incorporate this knowledge into my life and content. I want to keep learning and exploring. I will never stop exploring restaurants and seeking out dining experiences, and this time around, I want to be more selective. I want to feature restaurants that I genuinely connect with, instead of multiple places a week. I’ve started a video series called Skyler’s Spots, where I will feature a different place that I vibe with each week. On the flip side, I also want to focus on balancing my restaurant indulgences with, well, balance. I want to take everything I’ve learned through my culinary experiences, and incorporate this knowledge into my life through cooking. In this cooking vein, I’ve launched 2 new IGTV series — Casual Cooking Show and Skyler Swap. In Casual Cooking Show, my goal is to show you the honest, unfiltered truth of how I cook, what I’m making, and the mistakes I make in the kitchen. In Skyler Swap, I am taking inspiration from some of the most delicious, indulgent dishes and creating a more wholesome, all-natural version. I’ve learned that video is my favorite way of conveying my message and story. Moving forward, I will be posting much more video, as this allows me to do exactly what I love — eat, talk, entertain, enjoy food, and just have a damn good time without stopping to pose for pictures. Creating content has become such a “stop and go” process, that it can take away from the reality of an experience. I want the reality and the experience. I also want to be present.

Through these past seven years, I’ve learned that the key to my own happiness is learning how to balance what I want with what I need. This pertains to relationships, work, what I eat, and more. For example, last year I was going to five restaurants a day because I wanted to produce more content to share with all of you — however, these days would lead to me feeling sluggish and completely off center. That’s when I learned that I need to cook nutritious meals at home in order to balance my indulgent meals that I eat when I’m out. I’ve never been one for restrictions, and I will never restrict myself at a restaurant because I’m a firm believer in fully immersing myself in every restaurant I attend, so that’s why balance has become so important to me. Maintaining a cooking vs. dining equilibrium has helped me maintain my happiness. When I learned how to balance cooking and eating well with dining out, I also opened up a whole new side of me that loved to be in the kitchen. That’s why I am shifting my focus to include all of these elements.

I am so excited and grateful for you all to see what’s next with Dining with Skyler. My plan is to embark on this culinary change, and broaden my horizons. I also plan to move out of New York sometime in the future, whether it be a year from now or five years from now. No matter where I end up, my blog and brand will always show the core of who I am and what ignites my foodie fire.

I hope you’re as excited as I am for what’s to come! Love you all!

Xx

Skyler

The post Change is Good :) Where My Blog is Going This Year appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

At the end of the night, I joked that if he wanted to take me out on a date, he would have to invite my parents (in hindsight, no idea how this came up, but like I said, we are weird.) We kissed, and I left to go get late night pizza while he went to the after party looking for me. I received this text 2 days later (and of course screenshotted it to send to my girlfriends,) and then we planned our first date.

Seb and I fell head over heels for the next three months. I loved his creative approach to “courting” me, as he would say. On our first date, he took me to dinner on the Upper West Side (dinner first dates in NYC are almost unheard of these days, so this was really special to me.) Our next dates were even more fun — we went to the Lunar New Year Food Festival, the Bronx botanical garden and Little Italy, and an authentic Filipino brunch — to name a few. Please see our first photo together from our Bronx Botanical Garden date below….

Aside from the face swap where we realized what our possible future children would look like, everything about Sebastian was right for me. I knew he was my person, but he had just gotten out of a rocky college relationship and was nervous things were moving too fast. We went our separate ways. I was upset, but little did he know, I already loved him and wanted him to be happy, so we spent 6 months apart. In the fall, he asked me to go to a medieval festival (a true Sebastian date choice,) and it was the start to our new beginning. Through awkward laughs and turkey legs, we discussed our potential relationship.

Legs for days

After 2 months of seeing each other again, Sebastian asked me to be his girlfriend while playing games at Dave & Busters. We celebrated by going to Korea town for some karaoke (paired with way too much beer) and then, the rest was history.

These photos were taken that night after I beat him in air hockey.

Since then, we’ve been on countless adventures, got a dog, got engaged, and now we are starting the next chapters of our lives.

How He Proposed

Talk about the best birthday EVER. My wish came true before I even got to make it! Sebastian surprised me on my 26th birthday with the most romantic and beautiful proposal, and oh…the most gorgeous ring I’ve ever seen! Every year, Sebastian and I go to dinner for my birthday, and this year, he told me he would meet me at home at 6:45 to change quickly and then go to the restaurant. When 6:45 rolled around, he called me and said he was almost home, but that our doormen left a package for him outside our door and asked me to go pick it up quickly. I opened the door and there was a package on the floor that said “My Love.” My heart began to race as I thought I knew what was happening, but I was also unsure, because it could have just been a birthday gift. I was still on the phone with him when I opened the package to find cupcakes and a card. The card said “Meet me on the Roof.” Naturally, my first question was, “Do you want me to bring the cupcakes?!?!” At first, I thought he was just going to surprise me with wine and we would eat the cupcakes. He told me not to, so I just went up to the roof cupcake-less and I had a feeling about what was happening.

My heart was racing as I walked outside and saw a single rose. I followed that rose to find a whole path of roses and candles leading up to Sebastian in a suit in front of a table with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

I was so shocked and excited that I ran and gave him a kiss.

Before I move forward, something you must know about Sebastian and I is that we balance each other out very well. I’m the romantic and intuitive — I believe in energy and the power of the universe — while he is much more logical and fact-driven. So when he began to tell me about how before he met me, he never believed in any of these things and how being together is the best thing that’s ever happened to him and meant to be, it made my heart beat 100239219031 miles a minute. He continued to speak from his heart, and eventually, he goes for the jacket pocket….

Then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.

I’m already shocked to my very core, and then came the next surprise. The ring. Another thing you should know: I had been looking at engagement rings for fun and thought I knew what I wanted (round solitaire, or something octagonal) but I wasn’t sure. I sent these pictures that I saw on Instagram to him a while back telling him this is what I wanted, but in my gut, I really wasn’t sure of what I wanted. I had no idea! I secretly wanted him to pick out something even better. And he did. He picked out the most gorgeous radiant cut diamond ring I had ever seen, I swear I almost passed out.

I later learned that he had been spending months going to the jeweler after work to learn about diamonds and look at different ones so that he could pick the best ring. This radiant cut diamond ring is beyond anything I ever could have wanted to symbolize our love and our future marriage.

Sebastian put so much thought, time, effort and emotion into this proposal, and it was the perfect way to kick off our life together. The crazy thing is that it will only get better and more beautiful from here.

Can’t resist posting almost all of our photos in a slideshow….sorry not sorry

The post Our Proposal Story + How we Met appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

I do this thing where I switch up my skincare routine throughout the seasons. The weather affects me in so many ways – I become a moody sad person when it’s 20 degrees, dark and rainy; I am happy and excited when the sun is shining and it’s 70 degrees; and I am sweaty and miserable when it 95 degrees. These same moods apply to my skin, and that’s why I like to switch things up. This works because my products usually last 2-3 months, anyway. 

So here it is. My springtime skincare routine. As you all know, I love the brand Skinceuticals. This spring, I’m staying true to them and switching up my products that I’m using. I also am mixing in a few things from a new brand called Snowfox Skincare – an all natural and organic skincare line. I believe that taking care of your skin is one of the most important investments you can make, and that is why I don’t mind spending a little extra money to make sure I’m looking and feeling great. This is also why I buy almost all of my clothes from Goodwill.

I start my morning with:

Source: SnowFox Skincare

Snowfox Herbal Youth Lotus Tonic ($40) – An anti-aging, intensive hydration and brightening toner.

This is essentially an herbal skin toner. I wasn’t big on toners until this year because some of the formulas burn my face. The Snowfox Youth Tonic is gentle and has lotus root water which is rich in Vitamin A and AHA’s (alpha hydroxy acids) which promote skin renewal. It also has glycolipids (extracted from olive frui lipids) which help increase water retention in the skin; multi-molecular hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump skin; and chlorella algae extract, which is rich in phytonutrients, Vitamin B and all 8 essential amino acids, which stimulate collagen production.  

Source: Skinceuticals

C E Ferulic with 15% L-Absorbic Acid ($166) – A daytime serum that improves the appearances of fine lines and wrinkles, provides sun protection, and brightens complexion.

Source: Skinceuticals

A.G.E. Interrupter ($162)  – Anti-wrinkle cream. A.G.E. stand for ‘Advanced Glycation End-Products.

 Then, at night, I use this Serum 20 instead of the CE Ferulic. I put the A.G.E. Interrupter moisturizer on my face afterwards, followed by the eye cream at the bottom of the list. Sometimes (2-3 days a week) I mix in the self-tanner oil from Tan Luxe, and other times I will spray Loreal Sublime on top to achieve a glow and get the same skincare benefits. 

Source: Skinceuticals

Serum 20 AOX + ($125) – Daytime serum with antioxidants that provides sun protection. Contains Vitamin C and improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

 A.G.E. Complex for Dark Circles ($98) – Anti-wrinkle cream that fights crows feet, dark circles and puffiness.

Source: Lancome USA

Lancome UV Expert Mineral CC Cream SPF 50 ($39) — All-in-one color corrector, tinted facial moisturizer and SPF 50 sunscreen.

Finally, if i’m going out for the day, I’ll use my new CC cream with SPF to cover up any imperfections and also protect my skin from the sun. This is for the average day when I spend a iltle bit of time outside , and not too much. For the days where I spend a lot of time outside, I make sure to use a heavy sunscreen with zinc. My favorite is Pacifica Mineral Bronzing Face Sunscreen that I also used last summer, too.

The post My Spring Skincare Routine appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

And to make matters more trying, Sebastian and I decided to get a dog together the day after we moved in. On top of that, Sebastian also just got a new job right before we decided to take both of these steps. Yes, we are crazy. Yes, the dog was my idea. And yes, we made it through this time full of adjustments, trial and error, and productive disagreements. We also came out of it stronger than ever.

I wanted to write this piece because I have learned so much from moving in with Sebastian. I would be lying if I said the beginning was a cake walk — it truly wasn’t. We had never fought as much as we had during that first month or so. But, now we are the best we have ever been. Relationships are meant to be tested, because that’s how you know if you’re with the right person. And after moving in with Sebastian, I can safely say that I know he’s my person. Here are my tips for moving in with your significant other, and making it work.

1. Figure out your roles

We don’t live in a society where roles are distinct anymore. My grandparents had distinct roles: my grandmother cooked, cleaned and took care of the kids while my grandfather went off to work and made the money. That’s not how it goes anymore.

In our house: I work from home, so it was automatically assumed that I would take on more home responsibility, such as the cleaning, taking care of the dog, cooking etc. Even though Sebastian has a crazy work schedule (gets home around 8:30PM), my work schedule is pretty crazy too — even if some of it is spent at our apartment. In the beginning, we argued a lot about this. We eventually realized the only way to tackle it was to create our own roles and to assign specific responsibilities to each other. Your partner is your teammate, so you have to come up with a game plan and strategy that works for you both.

2. Make time for one another. 

Sebastian and I have busy schedules, but Saturday is always our day. No matter what. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of every day life. Which is why I think it’s really important to set time aside for your partner. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy or expensive, even if it’s just running errands or cooking dinner, do it together.

3. Keep things exciting. 

You see each other all the time, which is amazing, but it can also make your relationship stale. Make sure to go on adventures with one another outside of the home. Try a different restaurant, meet up with friends and plan things to do that aren’t always in your weekly schedule.

4. Encourage each other instead of nagging.

If you’re annoyed that your partner isn’t doing the dishes, don’t just nag them about it. Trust me, I’ve made this mistake. Never say “you never do this.” That’s a recipe for disaster. Instead, encourage their behavior when they do things they’re supposed to do so that it makes the act of doing it more pleasurable.

5. Step in when your partner can’t do something.

When I’m sick, Sebastian steps in and takes care of the dog. When Sebastian is working and I have some down time, I offer to cook him dinner or help him with meal prep for the week. Be there for your partner because it’s nice to have someone to lean on.

6. Have monthly “meetings”

This doesn’t sound romantic, but it can be! Your living partnership is like a business partnership — you need to make sure everything is going smoothly for it to go well. Have a nice dinner together and run through things that you think need to be improved on (maybe one of your works schedules is preventing you from being on laundry duty, so you can swap responsibilities with your partner and take care of pet insurance claims instead… sounds sexy, right?!)

7. Have cleaning days together.

Your both sharing the space, so the status of cleanliness is both your responsibilities. Divide, conquer and make it fun! Many hands make light work.

8. Surprises. 

Surprise your partner with little things. You never want to lose the element of surprise — go out and buy a Christmas tree. Surprise them with their favorite dessert. Just keep it fun, life is short!

The post Moving in with Your Significant Other: How To Make It Work appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

For those of you who follow me, you know that I recently got a toy Australian Shepherd named Poppy. Pictured to the right. (Where is the heart eyes emoji on here?!)

I had been thinking about getting a dog for over three years, when one day, after I lost my uncle and my grandmother had a stroke the next day, I had the moment. The moment when I was reminded of how short and precious life is. This is something I think about every day, but feeling it is different. This was the beginning of one of my biggest existential crises I’ve ever had. I realized that I wanted to do everything I could in my life to practice and surround myself with pure love and positivity.

I thought to myself, if my life were to end tomorrow, what are things I would want to have accomplished? I’m lucky — I have an amazing, unconditionally loving family and boyfriend. Considering I felt blessed in those departments, the first thing on my list was to be a dog mom. I don’t know what it was, but I always have been pulled to being a dog mom. It felt like gravity. I grew up with dogs and have always loved how pure they are. When they feel, they let you know. They aren’t afraid to love and they aren’t afraid to be sad. They are honest and pure, and bring so much joy to their owners (who are ready for the big responsibility.)

I knew the responsibilities of owning a dog, and I was ready to take them on. I finally convinced my live-in boyfriend that this was the right decision, and we decided to get a puppy. HUGE life moment right here. I felt like I just got engaged, when my boyfriend finally said “Yes.” I was literally screaming and crying — it was all weird. I was so excited, but I was also terrified! I was lucky I had a partner to do this with, but I had told him I would take on the majority of the responsibility since I am the one who works from home and can make my own schedule. I had no idea how I was going to do as a puppy mom, but I also had no idea how much of an impact Poppy would have on my life.

I knew I was getting a puppy, but I had no idea that I was getting my very own emotional support system. I wanted Poppy to be an ESA when we got him (this stands for emotional support animal) but I had no idea what it would feel like to lean on an animal in this way. I had only heard stories and grew up with family pets. Like many, I’ve always struggled with anxiety and self-doubt. I fear too much and too often. I’ve tried therapy multiple times and I honestly don’t like it for myself. I also don’t want to medicate myself (it’s a personal choice) and I need some kind of outlet for my anxiety. I have a job where I wake up, and the first thing I read is a direct message about something I’m doing wrong, someone making fun of me, or just a flat out insult. I have thick skin, but after my existential crisis, negative energy just really got me depressed. It made me so upset. I wanted to be surrounded by love and positivity, but my job (which I also love to do) was bringing me so much negativity that I couldn’t control. So, I told my doctor about this and he mentioned looking into getting an ESA. That’s how the search for Poppy began.

Having Poppy has pulled me out of the tunnel vision I was living in, and I didn’t even realize it. If you think about it, what’s the first thing you do when you wake up? Check your phone, right? I realized the very beginning of my days would start off on the wrong foot, as I would be sucked into a social media vortex of negative comments and DMs, self questioning and high expectations. Now, my days start with Poppy. It’s honestly like having child, where you are forced to think about something other than yourself. It’s hard, but it’s not a bad thing. You are also faced with unconditional love during those little moments where you would previously flood your mind with negativity.

In addition to those little moments, having Poppy has made me feel less alone during times where I really struggle with my emotions. I have a lot of physical health problems, which used to make me feel really alone and sad. That’s changed since I got him. Not just because he’s physically there, but because I feel like I’m genuinely surrounded by love during times where I need it the most. Now, during times where I used to feel like I had no purpose and I would get really down on myself, I feel much more settled and grounded. It’s crazy to think a dog could do that for me, but he really does. He’s my responsibility and my purpose.

Of course, having a dog isn’t all a happy love fest. It’s a lot of work and a huge responsibility that you must be ready for. Like I said, it’s like having a child. You have to give your dog attention and put lots of effort into training. Your wallet also takes a beating when you get a dog. Between the food, toys, bedding and vet costs, the bills definitely add up. I’m saying this because I want to be candid and tell you that I don’t recommend getting a puppy if you aren’t prepared for the financial costs behind it.

Also, the training. It’s fucking hard. Training another being is so difficult and takes a lot of consistency and time. I took a few days off of work just to get Poppy accustomed to certain things. He had a lot of separation anxiety in the beginning, so I had to leave him in the crate for small time intervals and slowly build them up. For potty training, I took the day off and taught him when to go outside (which means leaving my desk every 30 minutes). There are still behavioral things we are working on — like barking at other dogs on the street — but I am fortunate he is a fast learner.

Another thing that changed (both good and bad) was my freedom to come and go without giving it a second thought. Technically, I work from home, yes that’s true. But a lot of my days are filled with different shoots where I can’t be at my apartment all day long. This was a big thing to take into consideration because, as a puppy, Poppy needs someone to tend to him. My schedules became dependent on whether or not I could hire a dog sitter or if the restaurant we were shooting at had outdoor seating. In this way too, dogs are like having children. BIG responsibility!

On the flip side, having a dog also affects your social life. This was something I was actually okay with. I have found that some of my old friendships have been toxic and the NYC social scene is really emotionally draining to me, so I was ready to spend my free time loving my new dog. I’m the type of person who would rather go for a walk in the park instead of going to get drunk at brunch with people who want to gossip. Poppy has changed my social life in that I now surround myself with people who are supportive of this lifestyle change, and who I can enjoy it with.

Poppy has become my best friend and, though it’s only been a few months, I can’t even remember life before I got him. I think ESA’s should be taken seriously as they really can change someone’s life. I hope you enjoyed my little puppy love story.

The post How Getting a Dog Changed My Life appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

It’s true our generation is beginning to celebrate curves and athletic figures, instead of just idealizing completely unrealistic slim, immaculate looking women with no cellulite. However, I don’t think we have fully promoted the idea that being healthy is being beautiful. I think this is because being healthy is different for everyone (and looks different for everyone), and unfortunately, large corporations who are on the producing end of food/wellness product advertising don’t like that. They want to tell us that they can make us healthy and beautiful with their products. I.E.: we need to have protein powder because being super athletic and toned is “in,” or we must go vegan to achieve a glowy complexion like Gwyneth Paltrow.

One of the biggest messages the media sends out there, is that maintaining a low weight and having a slim physique is synonymous with being healthy. And this is not true.

Growing up, this weight = health mantra was engrained into my brain. Think about it. When you’re a kid, you go to the doctor and the first thing you do is step on the scale. There are charts everywhere outlining healthy and unhealthy weights and BMIs. Outside of the doctor’s office, there are commercials on the TV and radio for weight loss programs, diet pills and gym memberships, all focused on promoting a slim physique.

Courtesy of Seeking Alpha

Even if you didn’t know it, if you had access to a TV, radio, magazine or even looked at billboards on your drive to school, you were soaking up the idea that the number on the scale defines part of who you are. “Mama” may have been my first word, but “Nutrisystem” was a close second.

To put this obsession into context, when I was younger (around 10), my body was preparing for a growth spurt and I also discovered my love for Oreos, sue me. I was a bit puffy around the edges, but little did I know I was about to stretch that skin out. Some girls called me chubby, then after my growth spurt (I grew about 6 inches, giving me a lankier appearance) *bam,* there were rumors going around that I was anorexic. I was twelve! And I was being told I was anorexic! What is this?!!? 

It’s the weight obsession. Healthy weight fluctuation is perceived as negative, and there is so much judgement around our bodies’ natural ebb and flow. Extreme weight gain and weight loss are unhealthy, of course. These issues are serious and cannot be ignored. But healthy weight fluctuation is normal. It’s the way we interpret this fluctuation that isn’t normal. 

After my whole growth spurt ordeal, I finally became adjusted to my body. But this was when I was hitting puberty, so of course I was still growing in all the right and wrong places. I knew I was changing, but I also knew that hopping on the scale every morning could be an effective way to reassure myself that my body was on the right track to being a beautiful adult. Because that’s what I thought: being 120-122 pounds was being beautiful. I was told that weighing yourself every morning is normal, so I did this for years just to keep myself in check. Up until a few years ago.

Pursuing a career where I have to indulge and keep up my appearance made me face this weight =  health idea head-on. After years of trying to figure out how to balance my career and my health, I’ve learned that being healthy comes with being in touch with yourself and making sure you feel good. Yea, I bet you’ve heard that before from some yogi bloggers who take photos with their acai bowls while sitting on rocks in the middle of water falls. Don’t worry, that’s not me. Just hear me out before you roll your eyes. Like I said, health is about being in tune with your body and feeling good. It’s not about putting yourself in uncomfortable situations to make yourself think you are getting healthier and more beautiful. 

For example, no-carb/low-carb diets. Chrissy Teigen swears by these. I tried it once and noticed I lost, like 4 pounds in a week. This was back in the heyday of weighing myself every morning. I thought I was being healthy because the number was lower. I ignored the fact that I was feeling bloated, extremely low energy, and was having digestive issues. If the number was dropping, I was doing the right thing…right?

No. 

I wasn’t feeling good and this wasn’t good for my body. This is because my body is not Chrissy Teigen’s body. 

One of the most crucial things I’ve learned after years of food blogging is that health is always the most important. In my job, I’m thrown into situations where I have to eat the brownie or drink the champagne. I literally can’t do my job if I go on a diet. This has forced me to find a way to balance being around indulgent foods while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

But it wasn’t always about that for me. In the beginning of my blogging career, the scale played a huge role in my life. I was going to tons of shoots, events and press meals and would realize how much I was eating and drinking, get anxious and then weigh myself the next day. It not only was stressful, but being obsessed with a number was taking away from being in tune with my body, since I let the number stand for how I felt. No matter how shitty I felt (and looked) from drinking at least four nights a week and overeating, if the scale was in the 120 range, I was fine. 

Fast forward to October 2015, I began feeling funky. I was sleepy all the time, my head was in the clouds, and I was eating unhealthy food all the time so my blood sugar and sodium levels were never consistent. I have a very rare autoimmune disease, so I thought it might have had something to do with that. I went to my doctor, had a blood test and found out that I had extremely low iron. I am not anemic, so this was because I wasn’t allowing myself to get the proper nutrients in my diet. I know having low iron isn’t a huge deal, but for me it was a big “aha” moment. I had spent years thinking of my body as a 122-pound blob that needed maintenance and upkeep(i.e. working out to look toned and eating no carbs to lose weight). I wasn’t treating it like an extraordinary machine that needs care and attention.

After that appointment, I threw my scale away and I haven’t weighed myself for three years. It took me a while to start listening to my body’s signals for what it needs and wants. I need carbs to have energy. I need Kefir dairy for the probiotics. The whole “carbs and dairy are bad for you” idea doesn’t apply to me. I need vegetables for vitamins and minerals, like any normal person. Eating too much protein actually makes me sick. It doesn’t make me “lean” or “toned” like all these fad diets claim. The only way protein overload would help me become leaner would be if I were to start extreme weight lifting every day. I have rheumatory arthritis. My body isn’t made for that. If I were to weight lift everyday, it would cause inflammation in my joints and I would be in pain and under stress, which would in turn cause swelling and weight gain. Bottom line is, if I were to listen to all of these fad diets and eat what I think is healthy based on what the media says, I would actually be extremely tired, sick and over worked. I eat what I want to eat and I indulge the way I want to indulge. I eat when I feel hungry and stop when I feel full.

When I was weighing myself, I didn’t do that. I would eat until my pants burst open because I thought, “oh today I weighed 118, I’ve got some room to spare!” Then I would feel horrible and hop on the scale the next day for reassurance. A word of advice: if you need reassurance, get yourself a therapist. Find out where that need comes from, and work from there. But the scale won’t give that to you. 

What will give you reassurance is always being happy with yourself. I don’t know about you, but for me, being happy is being able to excitedly eat pizza and know my body will feel and look the same the next day. Being happy is going on a date on Monday and ordering what I want instead of “dieting” during the week just so I can over indulge over the weekend. Being happy is being in a room full of delicious treats and not feeling overwhelmed by temptation. Being happy is when the weight is lifted. Happiness is weightless.

The post Why I Think Weighing Yourself is Complete BS appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

My main reasons for fighting the sun this summer?

• melasma prevention (melasma = discoloration)

• wrinkle prevention (duh)

• skin cancer prevention (obviously)

I recently learned that some sunscreens are essentially complete BS. Did you know that SPF is basically a marketing tool? Anything above SPF 30 has the same strength, and your sunscreen’s effectiveness really depends on the percentage of titanium dioxide or zinc oxide in the formula. These, amongst a few other ingredients, really give your products those UV ray fighting powers. I’m not a doctor, so I’m just relaying what my dermatologist told me, but I did some Google searches and it all seems to add up. You see those lifeguards on the beaches with the white noses? That’s pure zinc. There’s a reason that’s a tried and true sunscreen method.

Upon hearing the whole SPF myth, I went to ULTA and spent a small fortune on suncare products for this summer. Here’s what’s in my beach bag. Some of these protect me from the sun, and some of them just make me look like a tan goddess. 

BODY

For sun protection:

Pacifica Mineral Sunscreen Coconut Probiotic SPF 50 ($16)

This is a water resistant sunscreen with 14.9% zinc oxide. I was told 15-20% is a good amount, so this made the cut for me. I also appreciated the price point as well as it being 100% vegan and cruelty-free. I need my sunscreens to be lightweight, so this spray works great for everyday use. Huge fan.

For sunless tan

COOLA Gradual Sunless Tan ($46)

I’ve tried lots of self-tanners, but wanted to go a different route for summer. I’ve heard raving reviews about COOLA, so I decided to take the plunge. Not gonna lie, this tan isn’t gradual. The color you get from one application is pretty strong. This isn’t a bad thing, but just be careful not to streak or do anything that may mess up the color. You definitely get the bang for your buck. COOLA is pretty pricy, that’s the one downfall. In my opinion, it’s weird to market a product as 80% organic….like if you’re not 100% organic, you’re not organic at all. Either way, this is a solid product and I’ll be using it this summer.

For fun/to try something new

Smashbox + Vlada Petal Metal Shimmer Spray ($39)

If you’re beauty obsessed like me, you may have seen Fenty Beauty’s body lava all over Instagram. I really wanted to get that same sheen and sparkle that all those IG models were getting from using the product. (If you haven’t seen it, it’s basically a body shimmer that makes your skin glow like you’re a fucking trophy.) I’ll take it. While body lava was sold out (and I didn’t want to spend over $80 for shimmer), I did find this great shimmer spray that does the same thing and has more a rose gold tint, which is perfect for my skin. I like this a lot for when I’m wearing a swimsuit or if I want to look exxxxtra sexy in a dress. I also use it on my collar bone a lot if I wear low cut shirts, just to accentuate my bone structure.

Face

For sun protection and a quick bronze:

Pacifica Mineral Bronzing Face Shade Coconut Glow SPF 30 ($16)

This is more of my beach/outdoor activity face sunscreen. Also, did you notice the SPF 50 sunscreen I mentioned above had 14.9% zinc oxide, but was marketed as SPF 50? Well, this SPF 30 face sunscreen has 20% zinc oxide, but is marketed as SPF 30. I’m confused, but I know that 20% zinc oxide is good for me, so that’s why I bought this product. I also bought it because in addition to waterproof protection, it provides me with coverage and a subtle face tan. 

For some light face makeup with added sun protection:

COOLA Golden Organic BB+ Cream SPF 30 ($52)

This is my everyday coverage kind of makeup. I mix it with the Pacifica sunscreen for extra sun protection. This only has 5.6% Titanium Dioxide, which, let’s face it, is significantly less than the Pacifica bronzing face lotion with 20% zinc dioxide. However, I wanted to try it because I needed a BB cream for summer anyway (I like to use these instead of foundation for my everyday/not on camera look.) I honestly don’t understand how this is $52, when other high-end BB creams go for more of a $30-40 range, but oh well. I tried this so I could report back. I like the product because it’s light and gives a solid amount of coverage, and honestly, I may buy it again. 

For a more permanent glow:

TAN-LUXE THE FACE Illuminating Self-Tan Drops ($49)

$49 for a small bottle of oil!?!? Before you judge, hear me out. I have used a lot of spray tans on my face, and they always leave my skin feeling dry. Putting spray tan on my face also prevents me from using my favorite face creams. That being said, the reason I love this product is because you can use a little bit of oil in your face creams (excluding products like retinol, which make you peel) and you wake up with a spray tan glow. 

Courtesy of Tan-Luxe

The post Suncare Products I’m Using this Summer appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

Yeah, I was too. However, I am very fortunate as my symptoms are basically nonexistent. I have essentially no body hair, and (I think) I’m in good shape and have a fast metabolism. I do have issues with finding a birth control method that works for me and managing my periods, but I can deal with that. However, the one major symptom I noticed a few years ago that has been the hardest to deal with, was the hair loss on my head. I used to have long, thick hair, and all of a sudden it began to thin and it wasn’t growing. For someone who always loved styling my hair and letting my pretty hair make up for the lack of makeup on my face, it was devastating to see this change.

Before (2013) & after (2016) hair loss

And for so long, I had no idea what was causing it! Like many women, I had been on birth control since I was in high school. I wasn’t getting my period and my doctors said that was normal due to the pills I was on. After college in 2015, I switched my birth control pill (to Lo Loestrin, which is high in androgens, male sex hormones that are already too prevalent in women with PCOS) and all of a sudden, my hair truly began to fall out and thin to it’s worst. I don’t know how I didn’t put two and two together and realize that my birth control caused this until this year, but I’m really glad I did. I began to see another gynecologist (who really listened! shoutout to PUREOBGYN Dr. Becker) and she put me through a bunch of hormonal tests, different pills and ultrasounds, and finally helped me figure out what was going on.

I figured out I had PCOS about a month ago and was completely devastated due to the fear that I wouldn’t be able to have kids. Of course, I started googling endlessly about this syndrome and learned that so many other women have it, they’ve been able to have kids (thank God) and they have it worse than I do, which means I’m lucky. The first thought that went through my mind: If I was feeling this devastated about my PCOS and it was mild I can’t imagine how other women must feel. This is one of the reasons I’m writing this blog post. I felt extremely alone and terrified knowing what this syndrome could bring for me and my health, and I don’t want any other women to feel this way. And if they do, I don’t want them to feel alone. 

I obviously want to be here for women who are dealing with any of the symptoms associated with PCOS, but there is one symptom in particular that basically every woman who has this disorder faces: hair loss. It’s been hard for me and I bet it’s hard for everyone, PCOS related or not. You wouldn’t think losing your hair would be devastating but it really is! It’s funny because you think you know yourself so well, and then you’re thrown into a situation where your appearance (what represents how you see yourself and identify who you are) is compromised and it changes the game. This happened last year when I had to get a lumpectomy for a benign breast tumor (something I also think is linked to birth control and hormonal changes but I can’t prove) and it’s happened again with PCOS hair loss. When your appearance is compromised and you can’t look the way you want to look, it’s hard to still feel as great about yourself as you did before. 

Before I was officially diagnosed with PCOS, I had a hunch that my birth control was affecting my hair and decided to switch pills back in August. Because I stopped putting more androgens in my body and switched to a higher estrogen pill, my hair began to feel more normal. It didn’t seem to grow, however, and it wasn’t as thick as it used to be. Fast forward a few months and I met Milly, founder of Milly Time who told me about Viviscal hair vitamins. At first, I was like, “ok, whatever. Yet, another thing that won’t work.” But last month, I really wanted to see a change in my hair and I caved. I bought a pack of Viviscal at GNC just to see how it would go and I took them for a month. I’m now at the end of that month, and my hair does seem thicker and fuller…and I had to get highlights again, only 6 weeks after my previous touch up. My roots spoke for themselves. My hair was finally growing!

I know this growth is most likely the result of the vitamins and my switch to a high estrogen birth control, but I am noticing a difference in my hair and it’s making me really excited. I wanted to share this with you guys for a variety of reasons. First, if you’re dealing with PCOS, I wanted to let you know that you truly aren’t alone and so many women have it. You will be okay. Second, there are ways to deal with PCOS and the symptoms that come along with it. I thought there was nothing I could do for my hair loss, but this method is working for me. Third, if you are dealing with hair loss (even if it’s caused by something else) I wanted to share my experience with this hair vitamin incase you feel upset and wanted to try something new to help your hair grow. 

(Hair in 2018)

The post Dealing with Hormonal Hair Loss appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

I love playing with colorful lipstick, but I dread the moment I look in the mirror after a meal and see it smudged up. It’s either fully off, uneven, or the pizza grease has made it blotchy. As it’s my job to eat on camera, I’ve dedicated the five years I’ve run Dining with Skyler to another side hustle: finding the best lip paints for when I eat pizza.

After extensive research and testing (AKA best excuse to buy lip paints from SEPHORA and call it a business expense), I’ve come up with this list for you.

Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint, $20

Courtesy of Tarte Cosmetics

This is my savior on long 9 hour shoots at restaurants around the city. I own at least 15 shades. It stays on so well that I actually had a problem when I put on the dark, dark purple (made me look like 90’s goth) for a shoot. It looked like I made out with a Sharpie. But that, friends, is the beauty of this product. It fucking stays. It’s also a one swipe wonder, as you don’t have to keep coating and it doesn’t look cakey or too thick. Just be sure to color within the lines.

Sporting Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint mid-burger bite

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick, $20

Courtesy of Temptalia

I only own one of these, but it’s a color I swear by – Lolita. It also stays put for the long days. This one has a little bit of a thicker consistency than Tarte’s line, but it’s creamy and comfortable and doesn’t crack like other liquid lipsticks. There are 43 shades of this, and they even have blue.

Sporting Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick while eating Brussels sprouts

MAKE UP FOR EVER Liquid Matte Lipstick, $20

On all of my shoots, makeup artists always sing the praises of MAKE UP FOR EVER. Their products are made to last and their liquid lipstick is no exception.

L’Oreal Infallible Lip Paint or Pro-Matte Liquid Lipstick, $9.99

Surprise! Drug store makeup delivers, too. When it comes to drug store stuff, I usually find that L’Oreal works the best. Their lip paints and liquid lipsticks stay on pretty well and because it’s more affordable, I like to use these to experiment with the funky shades.

Sporting L’Oreal Infallible Lip Paint with cookie dough cone

Too Faced, Melted $21

Courtesy of Makeup Alley

This is the creamiest of the formulas I’ve listed, and sometimes it can get globby. But I did notice it’s the most moisturizing of the liquid lipsticks I’ve used and it stays put. Love this in the Chihuahua color.

I know I’m not eating…but sporting Too Faced Melted during brunch

The post Lip Paints that Stay on When I Eat Pasta appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

3-5 days a week

• Walking (30 min-1 hour on the treadmill while answering e-mails, TBH)

• Elliptical (10-30 minutes)

• Pilates (if I can afford it)

On occasion

• Boxing

• Running

• Barre

Here’s why:

I’ve realized that doing mass amounts of cardio isn’t good for my body. I have an auto immune disease that affects my joints, therefore, if I overwork myself at something like Barry’s Bootcamp, my joints become inflamed and I won’t be able to walk (treadmills are hard on your knees) or type on the computer (mountain climbers and planks are hard on your wrists) without discomfort.

Debunking the cardio myth

I used to think cardio was *the answer* to all my problems, back when I was weighing myself every morning and trying different diet fads. For a few years, I would try to run at least 3 miles a day on the treadmill just to make sure I’d keep pounds off. I also was trying high-intensity workout classes all over the city, such as Barry’s Bootcamp, Shadowbox and HIIT training. This running/high-intensity routine wasn’t helping me control the shape of my body and/or add definition (even though some of these classes have weight components and core workouts, they were so fast for me that I was never doing them correctly.)

This high-cardio exercise routine was also causing a ton of problems with my joints and muscles, since I was overexerting myself at least 4 days a week. I know 3 miles isn’t an outstanding amount of cardio, but for my body, it apparently was, as my knees were in pain every day. And these classes didn’t help. Because my joints and muscles were inflamed, my body was under stress trying to repair itself, leading to me to become sick more often and overly tired. My body also began to swell because of water retention, as my adrenaline and cortisol levels would be out of wack due to all the stress these workouts were putting on my body. It’s amazing what stress can do. Overexercising can cause lots of stress.

I know you’re all not like me with this autoimmune condition, but I still stand by my point of view that high cardio and high-intensity workouts aren’t the answer to all your exercise woes. And quite honestly, cardio is probably why you hate going to the gym — because you’re tired and don’t feel like going for an intense heart rate-boosting workout. That’s okay. When I used to workout just to lose weight and boost my heart rate, I didn’t enjoy the process of exercise. Once I started listening to my body and realizing, “hey, going slow today won’t kill you,” I began enjoying the gym and figuring out what was best for my overall health. I also began to become in tune with my eating habits and enjoying what I wanted to eat until I was full. You’d never think slowing down your exercise routine would help you look healthier, but it did for me. 

Just wanted to address this before going back to my typical workout routine.

A typical day at the gym

I try to go to the gym at least 3 days a week, if my schedule permits, and I stay for 1-2 hours. Yes, that’s a long time. But I take my time and I love exercising. To be honest, if I don’t exercise, my mind gets foggy and I get really bitchy. Recently realized this after a 3-week hiatus during my moving process….I was a different person who cried in front of my cable guy and bitched out the Spectrum automated voicemail. 

1. The first thing I usually do at the gym is 10 minutes on the elliptical to warm up. This can be fast or slow, with high tension or low tension. 

2. Then, if I have a lot of work to do, I hop on the treadmill, set it to 3.5-3.8 speed with an incline anywhere from 0-2 and start walking and doing work. I guess you could say this isn’t an exercise process that’s super “in tune” with your body since you’re blasting out e-mails while walking, but for me it’s as great as it gets. I love it because I feel like I’m maximizing my time and walking keeps my heart rate up and my attention focused. If you’re not a multi tasker, this isn’t for you. I stay on here anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Sometimes, even more if I have time.

3. I then, usually go back to the elliptical and do 10-20 more minutes. 

4. Next, I hit up some machines. I like the inner and outer thigh machines and do intervals of whatever amount I feel good about…I’m probably the worst exerciser ever. I don’t count reps, I just listen to my soul. I notice that in addition to strengthening the “hard to reach” muscles in your legs, this machine also really helps with core tightening.

5. After this, I do either the ab machine (which I honestly haven’t done in a while, since I started trying pilates) or I just do some sit ups on the mat. Once again, I don’t even count. Just do what I want until my core feels tight. Boring. Standard. Workout.

The exercise I wish I could do more

If there’s one thing I wish I could do more, it’s reformer pilates. I love reformer pilates because you can control all the tightest muscles in your body without putting strain on other ones. The machine really helps you get control of your body and lengthens you as you go. And you’re hearing this from a girl who’s torn her hamstring 6 times, pulled her groin, suffers from shinsplints and has plantar fasciitis. I can barely touch my knee caps. It’s embarrassing at pilates, but it’s worth it because the reformer classes help me improve that flexibility. I think it’s ABSURD that gym memberships don’t include this (cough, cough, @Equinox) in the small fortune you pay to be a member. But oh, well.

An exercise I like, but only do once in a while

Boxing is great. I grew up playing sports, so I love boxing because you have to really focus and “get your head in the game.” Some of the classes here in NYC are really intense and expensive,  so I don’t go as often as I’d like. I also belong to Equinox and go to their’s once in a while (it’s included in my membership), but each time I couldn’t understand the instructor and I felt like he was honestly laughing at me when I would mess up and then I would mess up more and be so awkward. Through that process, I’ve learned that kickboxing just really isn’t for me as I can’t even straighten my leg to kick. Oh well.

But there you have it. I hope this answers all your exercise questions. The point of this new blog is to show you what goes on behind the scenes of the life of a girl who likes to indulge. If you were expecting intense cardio that makes your heart beat out of your chest, then you were wrong. You don’t have to overexert yourself to stay healthy and in shape.

The post My Typical Workout Routine appeared first on Dining with Skyler.