Thursday, September 2, 2010

See all blog posts The Battle of the Up-Coming Fall Nail Trends: Is Blue or Purple More Your Speed?

In this soon-to-be-a-fall-trend face-off, which one wins a bigger place in your heart? In this corner, we have...

...a lovely purple as seen over the weekend on Drew Barrymore:

And in this one, we have Dianna Agron's blue polish (worn with the half-up 'do we talked about just this morning):

Which one do you predict you'll be wearing more often come fall? That eye-catching blue? That grape-y purple? Or do you love them love so much you'll be alternating them, like, every other day? Sound off in the comments.

Kristen Bell Brings the Quotes of the Day

Kristen Bell Brings the Quotes of the Day | beauty body image

“I have no desire to put on this face of perfection. I’m constantly striving to better myself, but that’s also maybe out of intense insecurities. Feeling like I went right from high school to Hollywood, it’s essentially the same dynamic. But I can admit, I don’t always have the best style. I trip a lot, I go to therapy because I make mistakes, I just try to be as real and as well-rounded as possible because there’s nothing really that interesting about perfection. It’s been done so many times before.”

“I love 30 more than I’ve ever loved anything. I feel like I was born on my 30th birthday. It’s finally the time where I’ve fully accepted and loved myself, which I’m realizing more and more each day — it is so important to love yourself. Because if you don’t love yourself than nothing really matters.

… says Kristen.

Sara Rue Talks About Her 50 Pounds Weight Loss (Plus Video)

“I’m done losing weight. I feel great, and I love looking like a woman. I love being curvy and having boobs and hips. It’s hot. I don’t ever want to be size zero.”

“I do my workouts five times a week. I work out with my trainer one or two times a week, and we run together. As long as I do cardio for 45 minutes to an hour each day I work out, I feel like I’m okay.”

… says actress Sara Rue in People Magazine. Sara managed to lose 50 pounds and to go from size 14 to size 6.

See Sara’s weight loss ad for Jenny Craig below and tell us what you think!

Bar Refaeli Eats Chocolate and Cinnamon Rolls, Is Upset about Ultra Thin Models

Bar Refaeli Eats Chocolate and Cinnamon Rolls, Is Upset about Ultra Thin Models | bar refaeli

Hot model Bar Refaeli is pretty active on Twitter these days – but she’s not posting bikini pictures like Demi Moore; instead, she’s sharing info about what she’s eating and how she feels about plastic surgery and ultra skinny models. Let’s see some of her twits!

1. I get so sad when I see 15-year-old pale extremely skinny models at the agency looking all shaky and hungry…. when will it end?!?!?

2. Some people are addicted to drugs and others addicted to alcohol. Me? I’m addicted to pomegranate juice.

3. Seriously… plastic surgery is not helping your impact on young women or your looks.

4. I just ate the last bar of my chocolate. I feel good. Two more meetings to go and car hunting. Go!!!

5. All women should have piggy days occasionally! Come on!

6. Something tells me that eating a whole of cinnamon roll and pineapple juice for breakfast it’s not enough. I’m still hungry :p

7. There is nothing like a really good nights sleep followed by a really good breakfast. Power for the day.

Sounds like she’s not depriving herself! What do you guys think of Bar’s words?

Bar Refaeli Eats Chocolate and Cinnamon Rolls, Is Upset about Ultra Thin Models | bar refaeli

One more Bar & Leo!

Bar Refaeli Eats Chocolate and Cinnamon Rolls, Is Upset about Ultra Thin Models | bar refaeli

Extreme - More Than Words

Hollywood Glamour Flat Top Retractable Kabuki - Purple

Our Price: $25.00

Get 10% Off your entire Purchase at Torrid.com - use code 8AF10OFF at checkout until September 15th.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Beat Bloat! 10 Smart Food Swaps

Make these switches and lose the pooch in 4 days!

Flatten Your Belly In Under a Week!

The Flat Belly Diet 4-day Jumpstart is a great way to reduce belly bloat and start flattening your stomach instantly.

The Jumpstart was created to reduce water retention, eliminate heavy solids, and relieve gas so you will quickly look and feel lighter.

You can lose up to 7 pounds in 4 days!

Make these food swaps and look slimmer fast!

Season Food Differently

Make This Smart Swap
Add zing to your meals with salt-free seasoning blends such as the Original and Italian medley Mrs. Dash®.

Avoid These
Salt, salt-based seasonings, and highly processed foods.

Why?
You may be attracted to your saltshaker, but water is, too. When you take in higher than usual amounts of the salty stuff, you’ll temporarily retain more fluid, contributing to that sluggish feeling, a puffy appearance, and extra water weight.

Thirsty? Hit the H20

Make This Smart Swap
A nice carbonated beverage can hit the spot when you're thirsty. But you'll have to skip the bubbles while you're on mission: muffin top. Drink plain old tap water to stay hydrated--and make sure you get at least 8 glasses a day.

One delicious alternative: On the Flat Belly Diet Jumpstart you'll drink Sassy Water (the eating plan's signature drink). The special ingredients aren't just there for flavor, either: the ginger helps calm and soothe your GI tract.

Avoid These
Any carbonated drinks--including diet sodas

Why?
Where do you think those tingly bubbles end up? In your belly, causing it to puff out more.

Cut the Carbs

Make This Smart Swap
Use one slice of whole grain bread for your sandwich at lunch and pack extra protein like turkey slices and low-fat string cheese. Swap your afternoon pretzels for nuts or seeds. At dinner, stick to brown rice if must have a starch.

Avoid These
High-carb foods like bagels, pasta, pretzels, and cereals

Why?
As a backup energy source, your muscles store a type of carbohydrate called glycogen. Every gram of glycogen is stored with about 3 grams of water. But unless you have a vigorous exercise routine, you don't need all this stockpiled fuel. When you decrease the carbs, you'll temporarily train your body to access this stored fuel and burn it off. At the same time, you'll drain off excess stored fluids.

Shrink Your Fruits and Veggies

Make This Smart Swap
Of course you should eat veggies, just eat them cooked--steaming is quick and easy. (Remember to skip the salt!)

Instead of fresh fruits, eat canned varieties in natural juice or small portions of dried fruit, such as raisins and dried plums.

Avoid These
Any raw vegetables and fresh fruits

Why?
A half-cup serving of cooked carrots delivers the same nutrition as one cup raw, but it takes up less room in your GI tract. The same goes for fresh fruits: Compare the size of a few grapes to a few raisins. Big difference!

Hold the Hot Sauce

Make This Smart Swap
Some people love their food four-alarm spicy! If that includes you, you'll have to lay off the barbecue sauce and garlic for a few days while debloating. Give dishes a flavor boost with in-season fresh or dried herbs like dill, basil, mint, sage, tarragon, and rosemary. You can also use curry powder, lemon or lime juice--all perfect with fish or chicken.

Avoid These
Black pepper, nutmeg, cloves, Chili powder, hot sauces, onions, garlic, mustard, barbecue sauce, horseradish, catsup, tomato sauce, vinegar

Why?
Spicy foods can stimulate the release of stomach acid, which can cause irritation.

Chuck the Chewing Gum

Make This Smart Swap
If you chew gum by habit or just like to bite down on something crunchy, reach for some nuts, like roasted or raw unsalted sunflower seeds.

Avoid These
Gum

Why?
You probably don't realize this, but when you chew gum, you swallow air. All that air gets trapped in your GI tract and causes pressure, bloating, and belly expansion--none of which help flatten your middle.

Fried Food Fiasco

Make This Smart Swap
There really isn't a healthy substitute for French fries, fried calamari, and onion rings! So try to take your mind off them altogether. Take a quick 5-minute walk after your fry-less healthy meal. Moving your body helps release air that has been trapped in your GI tract, relieving pressure and--you guessed it--bloating. Naturally you can stroll longer, but you need to walk at least 5 minutes to help get things moving inside your belly.

Avoid These
Anything fried in any way, shape, or form

Why?
Fried foods are digested more slowly, causing you to feel way too full. Not to mention unable to zip up your favorite jeans.

Gassy Veggies

Make This Smart Swap
As mentioned earlier, you should eat your veggies cooked--but there are a few to take off your shopping list while debloating. Skip gas-producing veggies like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and legumes; instead cook up green beans, mushrooms, and squash for a delicious dinner side.

Avoid These
Legumes, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, peppers, and citrus fruits

Why?
Certain foods simply create more gas in your GI tract (think: blown-up balloon inside your stomach).

Ditch Diet Foods

Make This Smart Swap
Swear off low-calorie or low-carb products containing sugar alcohols. These sugar substitutes go by the names xylitol or maltitol. Instead, satisfy your sweet tooth by eating any of the fresh fruit substitutes mentioned earlier. Or mix up a refreshing Flat Belly Diet smoothie--each recipe packs a MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids), the Flat Belly Diet powerhouse ingredient that targets belly fat.

Avoid These
Sugar alcohols

Why?
Your GI tract can’t absorb most sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea.

Learn More About MUFAs!

Steer Clear of Acidic Drinks

Make This Smart Swap
Drink plain tap water or our belly-soothing Sassy Water instead of coffee, tea, juice and alcohol. Think of it as tough love for your tummy.

Avoid These
Alcohol, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and acidic fruit juices

Why?
We realize that giving up your morning cup of joe may be tough to swallow (pun intended!), but it's only for four days. Coffee and the other bad guys of bloat on the "avoid" list are all high-acid beverages that can irritate your GI tract, causing swelling.