Beauty and Fitness Tips

Easy Ab Workouts At Home

2011-05-30T16:37:00.000-07:00

Here are the easy ab workouts you can do at home. You really don't need to use ab exercise machines if you want to work out your abs because these simple home ab exercises can deliver a great ab workout.

Your floor is the cheapest ab machine you will ever find!

You can do these easy ab workouts at home in a circuit or super set workout.

1. Ab Crunches:
Ab Crunches are great to workout you upper abs.

Perform 10-20 repetitions of Crunches and then with no rest move on to the second ab exercise.

2. Reverse Ab Crunches:
Reverse ab crunches is a simple exercise that move the lower part of your spine it also works out more on the lower abs.
By combining regular crunches and reverse crunches you are exercising your spine in 2 different directions and slightly changing the intensity in the upper abs and lower abs.

Perform 10-20 repetitions, and then move on to the next exercise.

3. Ab Bicycle Crunches
Ab bicycle crunches is one of the most effective ab exercises you can do at home. If you only had time to do one ab exercise, this is the recommended exercise. Bicycle Crunches targets both the 6 pack and the obliques.

Perform 15-25 repetitions on each side, and then move on to the last exercise.

4. The Plank
The plank ab exercise is a great stabilization exercise, and you can do this exercise anywhere. It focuses on the deep abdominal muscles and the transversus abdominus. This is an isometric exercise, which means that there is no movement.

Hold the plank position for 10-60 seconds.

Use these 4 at home ab exercises to build up your abdominal strength. Repeat the circuit 2-3 times.

How To Give Yourself A Manicure

2010-12-03T21:46:00.000-08:00

Whether you prefer your nails to be long or short, they can still look stunning with a little know-how.

Wash and dry your hands.
Using a double-sided emery board, file nails using a gentle stroke. Avoid corners of your nails as this can weaken them.
Begin to shape your nails. The most popular shape to use is oval, but choose what is most suited to your hand and finger shape.
Check to see how well you have done. Run your nails over an old pair of pantyhose. Your nails should not snag the hose.
Apply a softener to your cuticles. Allow to site for a minute or so.
Transfer hands to a bowl of warm water and soak for an additional few minutes.
Gently push back the cuticles. This should not be painful. If hangnails are present, carefully clip them.
Apply hand lotion and begin to massage the palm of your hand with the thumb of your other hand. This will help to circulate the blood. Work your way over the remainder of the hand and then repeat giving equal time to the other hand.
Before color is applied to nails, they must be cleaned and the easiest way to do this is with an orange stick that has been wrapped with cotton. Dip into nail polish remover and then rub over the surface of the nail. Check the nail for any creamy residue. When none remains, your nails will be ready for polishing.
Time for color. Pick up a small amount of polish on your brush and paint one stroke down the center of your nail. Your brush should hold just enough color to accomplish this. Stroke the sides of the nail and you are done. The nail should be completely colored in three strokes. Allow to set for a minute or so before applying the second coat.
Wait until polish is set (dry to the touch) and then apply the top coat. Don't skip this step as it not only adds life to your manicure, it will protect your nails as well.
Sanitize all of your equipment with alcohol and when they are dry, store them away until the next time - maybe a French manicure.

Tips:
Nail polish can be stored in the fridge. If your nail polish is too thick, try thinning with a polish thinner.
To prevent the cap from sticking, coat it with a little Vaseline to prevent this from happening.

How To Give Yourself A French Manicure

2010-12-03T21:31:00.000-08:00

By Anna Lynn C. Sibal, Beautyden.com

Fashion experts have differing views on the French manicure. Some think that the French manicure has gone pass and outdated, while some are of the opinion that the French manicure is a classic that will never go out of style. But whatever the fashion gurus think, many women go for the French manicure because of its simplicity and the natural look that it evokes. The French manicure also gives the nails that clean, well-groomed appearance that is neither flashy nor fussy.

But first, what is a French manicure? A French manicure is a style of polishing the nails wherein white paint is applied to the tips of the fingernails, and the rest of the nails are given a pink coat or painted with sheer polish that is colored either pale pink or very light beige. The French manicure is very good for short nails and nails that have a moderate length.

Before you start giving your nails a French manicure, make sure you have followed the general rule for putting on nail polish. You should prep your nails first by removing old nail polish with acetone remover. Then go and clean your nails and give them a trim.

Once you are done cleaning and trimming your nails, go ahead and apply a base coat to your nails. Keep this base coat thin and even. Afterwards, put a tip guide to your nail. This is supposed to cover the lower part of your nail as well as follow the curve of your nail tips natural white. When you are done with that, apply white polish to the exposed tips of your fingernails, and then let them dry. Keep the area that you will paint white thin. If you go too widely on the white paint, your nails will look chunky. Also, if you do not feel comfortable with stark white tips, you can use off-white polish instead.

When the white polish on the tips of your fingernails is dry, remove the nail tip guides thoroughly. And then, paint the entire length of your nails with a beige polish. Two coats of this polish may be necessary. After this, put a layer of top coat on your nails. This is the last step; after putting on the top coat, dry your nails and make sure they dry completely.

To extend the life of your French manicure and to keep your nails nice and looking well-groomed, you should make it a point to apply an extra layer of top coat on your nails every night.

For all its seeming simplicity, putting on a French manicure can get really tricky. Most drugstores and beauty shops sell readily-assembled nail polishing kits especially made for the French manicure. If you need extra help, you can find these kits very useful.

If you want to try out the French manicure but you are afraid to do it yourself, you can always visit a nail salon and have your nails done there. French manicure often costs extra than a regular polish because of the degree of accuracy needed for the job. It may be an expense, but it is worth it.

Facts About Healthy Hair

2010-12-01T08:07:00.000-08:00

The different kinds of food that we eat are responsible for giving us the hair we have and not any kinds and brands of hair shampoos!

Having a noticeable healthy hair indicates that you also have a healthy body as well. A balanced and nutritious diet is a must for healthy hair, just like the case with a healthy body. Here are some beauty tips to let you have beautiful hair!

Water

A quarter of the contents of your hair are water. Water in the hair gives the hair its life and hence you need to drink a lot of water. Never wait till you feel thirsty, as it means you lost more water than your body needs already. Thirstiness is the call of your body to refuel the water tank. Water causes your hair to be really shiny and silky in addition to hydrating your body. You are supposed to drink between eight and ten glasses of water each day.
Protein

One of the major units of hair is protein. A diet with a lot of protein in it is necessary for healthy hair. Protein gives real strength to your hair shaft and thus prevents possibilities like splitting or snapping and other possible damages. Fish, meat, milk, cheese, cereals etc. are protein rich food items.
Minerals

Oxygen supply to the hair is improved with iron in your food. If you lack iron in your food, that will cause your hair from receiving enough oxygen and cause in the brittleness of the length of your hair above the root. Red meat and dark green vegetables are good sources of iron. You can take iron supplements if you have iron deficiency.

Hair protein is built by zinc and helps in reducing hair loss. Zinc is highly available in meat and sea food items.

Your hair color is provided by the copper involved in the food you eat. If you include a lot of copper in your diet, you can get really great natural hair color without using any artificial hair dyes or fake colors. Food items which contain copper are shellfish, liver, fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds, meat etc.
Vitamins

You get great scalp and skin with lots of Vitamin A in your diet. Vegetables like carrots have a lot of Vitamin A and they help you in losing weight as well.

Vitamin B and C helps in having good blood circulation, right hair color and hair growth. By consuming enough Vitamin B and C, you can make sure you will have lots of strong hair without any split ends. Fruits, vegetables, cereals, eggs, milk, bread etc. are good sources of Vitamin B and C.

Do some regular exercises in order to keep your blood flowing great. That along with this diet and the right hair treatment will help you in getting you the hair you always dreamed of!!

Hopefully you might be getting some advertising gigs for hair products as well!!

Vitamin E is responsible for giving your hair its shine.

Vitamin E can be found in food items like brown rice, nuts, wheat, leafy green vegetables etc. If you add these in to your diet, that is going to help your hair having great shine.

Those were some tips to change your bad hair in to great hair!!

11 Biggest Health Excuses That Hold You Back

2010-11-26T21:42:00.000-08:00

By Jessie Knadler, Prevention

What's Holding Your Health Back?

As busy women know, coming up with good-for-you goals, such as snacking on more veggies or carving out enough "me time," isn't the issue. It's making them stick—after January resolution season ends, when the going gets tough at work, when the kids need you. But, thankfully, there is plenty of good science on how to make your health or fitness goals last for the long haul.

How? Successful changers seek out or stumble onto the right strategies. Weight loss, for instance, is challenging, but researchers have learned that regular weigh-ins increase the chances of success by more than 80%. And when you're trying to get yourself up off the couch, having a plan B (like using an exercise DVD when rain dampens your enthusiasm for a power walk) makes you 20% more likely to become a habitual exerciser.

Prevention turned to the top researchers in psychology, weight loss, diet, exercise, and more to identify the most common excuses to healthier living and the roadblocks that most often get in the way. Then we gave our experts a challenge: How can you jump over, sneak under, or crash right through the barriers? Read on for simple solutions to start today.

NUTRITION

1. I can't shake my sweet tooth

Solution: Satisfy it—but avoid the super-sweetener high fructose corn syrup.

Processed foods frequently contain large amounts of high fructose corn syrup. The sweetener is metabolized differently from other forms of sugar, and some studies suggest that its effect on your insulin levels actually prompts you to eat again sooner. (Another processed-food ingredient, trans fat, also may pack on extra pounds per calorie.) Besides, says Hobbs, "High fructose corn syrup tastes sweeter than other forms of sugar, which may condition us to want ever-sweeter foods."

For a healthy snack that satisfies your sugar need, mix some dark chocolate chips with nuts and dried fruit. You'll get the sweet sensation you're craving along with filling protein and fiber from the nuts and fruits.

10 Guilt-free belly-flattening chocolate desserts.

FITNESS

2. I don't have time to exercise

Solution: Start with miniworkouts and add on from there.

If your weekday exercise has gone from sometimes to never, well, join the club. Between a full workweek, dealing with kids' activities, and cooking and errands, it's practically a miracle any busy moms find time to hit the gym. The best solution: Sprinkle shorter sessions throughout the day. In fact, one study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that short-but-frequent workouts (10-minute exercise sessions, four times a day) produced the same health benefits as a daily 40-minute session.

So forget the rule saying you need to clock an hour straight at the gym for a workout to count. You can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, cut your risk of type 2 diabetes, and control your weight if you just take a quick walk whenever you have time, says Rod K. Dishman, PhD, an exercise psychologist at the University of Georgia.

3. Sorry, but exercise just is not fun

Solution: Find an activity that matches your personality

One study from the University of Florida found that matching your routine to your temperament boosts the likelihood that you'll enjoy your workout (and, hence, keep doing it). If you're social and chatty, the study showed you're apt to be happiest with high-intensity exercise, preferably done to music (try a Spinning or Zumba class). If you're a little high-strung with a tendency to be anxious, indoor solo activity may be more your speed (hop on the treadmill and try an interval workout to keep things fresh). If you're generally open to new experiences, check out a dance class, where you're always learning new moves and routines.

LIFE GOALS

4. I'm afraid I'll fail

Solution: Imagine how you'd encourage a friend to take the leap.

If you dream of starting your own baking business or traveling around southeast Asia, don't get bogged down in all your worries and potential barriers, says Judith Sills, PhD, author of The Comfort Trap. "Instead, think of ways to sneak around them." For instance, ask yourself how someone else might figure out how to start a small business or write a novel. "Visualizing another person doing it makes it easier to grasp that change is possible," says Sills.

5. It's too late to start something new

Solution: Embrace discomfort—at least temporarily.

Change is hard, but perpetual dissatisfaction is no picnic either. "You won't make any real progress unless you're willing to be temporarily uncomfortable," says Robert Leahy, PhD, a clinical professor of psychology at Weill Cornell Medical College and author of The Worry Cure. "Taking one step backward from your easy life is the first step forward." You may even learn that what you thought would be excruciating (putting your house up for sale, having a one-on-one with your boss or partner) isn't nearly as unpleasant as you thought.

WEIGHT LOSS

6. I don't have the willpower

Solution: Don't aim to be perfect.

Years of research on behavior change provides strong evidence that people who diet and demand perfection of themselves are likely to respond to slip-ups by pigging out. In studies on smokers trying to quit, Alan Marlatt, PhD, director of the Addictive Behaviors Research Center at the University of Washington, found that people who could avoid turning a stolen puff into a full-blown relapse were 3 times as likely to maintain their healthier habits at the 2-year mark.

A similar dynamic is likely to apply to those on a diet, he adds. So if you just can't pass on the cherry pie at your local diner, don't label yourself a weight loss loser. Savor every bite and vow to have a healthier dessert tomorrow. Realize that missteps are an inevitable part of the journey that will bring you to your goal.

Addicted to chocolate or food? 13 signs you're obessed with food.

7. I nosh when I'm depressed. Or bored.

Solution: Outsmart your emotional eating habit.

"Focusing on why you engage in emotional eating implies that there's a deep psychological problem," says Gary Foster, PhD, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University. "But for most people, emotional eating is simply a bad habit." To break the cycle, look at what you're usually doing when your emotional munchies hit—and change the pattern. If crankiness makes you chow down on chips while sorting through the mail after work, don't sort through the mail right after work. Throw a leash on your dog and go for a walk instead. Or eat whole grain crackers and an apple before you leave the office so you're not cranky and ravenous when you get home.

8. I always gain the weight back!

Solution: Weigh yourself daily.

In an 18-month study of 314 volunteers who'd shed 20% of their body weight, researcher Rena Wing, PhD, and colleagues at the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center at the Miriam Hospital in Providence, RI, found that daily maintenance is key. Participants who got on the scales every day were 82% more likely than others to keep the weight loss off.

SEX

9. My libido went MIA

Solution: Lower your standards.

So you're not exploding with desire? So what? Studies show that many women who report a lack of interest in sex respond just fine once they're in the midst. "Women assume that mental desire must precede physical arousal, and that if the desire isn't there, well, they must not like sex," says marital therapist Michele Weiner-Davis, author of The Sex-Starved Marriage. "But for many women, that's not true." The next time your husband approaches you, just do it. "See if the light bulb goes on."

40 Things you should know about sex before age 40.

One common libido dampener for women who are years into a relationship: comparing their desire with the drive they felt in the early days of the union. "Don't wait for fireworks," Weiner-Davis says. "Work with the embers. You have to find out what you need to feel sexier. Go out and buy new underwear—not for him, but for you."

10. I'm exhausted—who has energy for sex?

Solution: Don't make sex a cost-benefit analysis.

"Asking yourself, Do I get 7 hours of sleep tonight or do I have sex? does not lead to passion," says psychologist Kathryn Hall, PhD, author of Reclaiming Your Sexual Self: How You Can Bring Desire Back into Your Life. "Sex ends up being quick and efficient, and women's orgasms—more than men's—become compromised." Every now and then, Hall says, forget the laundry and other tasks, go to bed half an hour earlier, and make sex the priority.

SLEEP & ENERGY

11. I get enough sleep, but I'm always tired

Solution: Check your thyroid or iron level.

Tired all the time? It could be more serious than you think.

A sluggish thyroid, the organ at the base of your neck that regulates metabolism, is a common energy sapper among women over age 50, says Lynne Kirk, MD, professor of general internal medicine at the UT Southwestern Medical Center. More than 5% of all 50-plus females have signs of a failing thyroid, Kirk says, but the problem is frequently overlooked by doctors. "Have a blood test to screen for hypothyroidism every 5 to 10 years after the age of 50," she recommends. If you're pre-menopausal, get checked for anemia—a common cause of fatigue in younger women.

Boost Your Energy Levels with Dance!

Natural Treatments For Dry Skin

2010-08-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

Natural skin treatments can be effective in relieving skin irritations and dryness. It is essential to help the skin retain and keep its moisture because dry skin can lead to premature aging. Common household products can be used as dry skin remedies to help ease irritations and dryness.

Lemon is an important part of any skin beauty routine. It is a good treatment for dry skin on the face. You can also apply it on your elbows and knees. It also evens out the skin tone and lightens blemishes. The citric acid in lemons eliminates dead skin cells and helps stimulate the growth of new healthy cells.

Olive oil is also good for younger looking skin. It can help moisten the face and neck. It is also a good treatment for dryness and flaking on the scalp, hands and feet. Apply it to the skin immediately after bathing. Blot the skin with a towel and then rub on the olive oil while the skin is still slightly damp. This will help seal in the moisture.

Milk helps the skin retain moisture by keeping it soft and supple. It also exfoliates dead cells. Milk can also help reduce wrinkles and keep the skin young because it has natural beta hydroxyl acids. To begin the treatment, you have to condition your skin by filling the tub with warm water. Add three cups of warm milk and sit in the tub for about 30 minutes.

Fun Ways To Help You Loss Weight!

2010-08-18T19:29:00.001-07:00

The Fun Ways:

Spend some time playing with your kids. Play games that require physical activities. You will not just benefit from these activities but you also spend some precious time with them.

Substitute activities for eating. When the cravings strike, go talk to a friend, check your emails or facebook or play your favorite game.

Instead of working out in a gym, do it in your home and pay yourself. You can keep or save the money. So the more you work out the more money you save. Then go on a shopping spree and buy yourself things for your new thin and sexy body.

Some additional fitness tips:

Don’t skip breakfast. Those who skip breakfast will burn 5 percent fewer calories than those who had good breakfast.

Snack every 4 hours. Include two fruits or any healthy foods. You will feel fuller and don’t have to eat more.

Eat only if hungry. If it is time for a regular meal and still not hungry, skip the meal or just eat little. Keep healthy foods like fruits or vegetables in the fridge. Eat less fat.

You can also carry a bottle of water at all times. So if you feel hungry, take a drink. This works great if you’re at your desk or computer as it helps to curb your appetite.

The Skin Tissue Test

2010-08-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

Before you perform any kind of skin treatment, you must know first what type of skin you have right now. This skin tissue test will help you to find out what type of skin you have.

Wash down your face with a neutral or non-particular skin type soap or cleanser, such as Neutrogena for normal skin. Rinse with water. Pat with a towel just enough to absorb moisture but do not rub. Wait one hour, and then cover your entire face with a ply of a large facial tissue but press it lightly all over your face. Remove the paper carefully after one minute and examine it near to a light.
-If you see oil throughout the tissue, you most likely have oily skin.
-If you see oil only in the T‐zone (across forehead, down nose and chin), you most likely have combination skin.

-If you see very little oil throughout, you most likely have normal skin.
-If you see no sign of oil at all, you most likely have dry skin.
-If your skin feels irritated or slightly itchy, you most likely have sensitive skin.

You will have to do this test several times a year, during spring, summer and winter because your skin changes with the seasons.