Gym-Girl Sights 12/16/08

Sight of 12/16/2008: WHERE ARE ALL THE LADIES?!

Perhaps I should have realized this was to be the case so close to the Holidays, but the gym is empty. Even the group fitness classes are beginning to BARE. As a new trainer, I am discouraged, but I hold my head up high. January is right around the corner just waiting to welcome all those with New Year's Resolutions. However, while the gym may be more empty than usual - the girls in the gym are rocking out. They are utilizing functional training as well as interval training. They are getting off the cardio machines with a SMILE on their face. They are coming in groups or buddies. Keep it up ladies - the gym is a place for you to get away and focus on YOU - embrace that chance. :-)

New Beginnings ♥

My sisters and I planted a small Oak tree in the house I grew up in when I was ten years old. That darn tree never seemed to grow - even though I aged quickly. I drove by my old house today (since it's only two minutes down the street from where I reside now) and it was huge. I had the urge to park the car on the street and just walk up to it - so I did. I stood underneath it and looked up and just smiled. It was such a great feeling since I knew what it looked like when I planted it and now I saw it so beautiful and large. However, it brought me to realizing that we are all in a constant state of growth. Whether it's physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. I look back at my life one year ago, and I had never in my wildest dreams would have pictured my life to be the way it is today.

New Beginnings, in my opinion, is that time where you feel like you have a fresh start at something new. This could be a new career, a new addition to the family like a baby or a pet, a loved one (coming or going), or simply just an "A-HA" moment that awakens your soul and makes you feel rejuvenated.

New Beginnings often have a high/low feeling. You first feel the excitement and it's overwhelming, but then you experience the lower feeling of anxiousness, nervous-ness, and constant thoughts of wonderings. However, these New Beginnings are great for your Being. They allow you to look at your past - reflect on it - and then take a deep breath and let it all go, for you are now, a *new* person.

Instead of focusing on New Years Resolution's typical goals like losing weight, and becoming more organized - focus on bettering yourself from the inside out... accept yourself for who you are, and allow yourself to grow.

Plant the seed to your future, and watch it grow into a beautiful, large tree because everyone deserves a New Beginning ♥

Gym-Girl Sights 12/04/08

Starting this new "Gym Girl Sights" - since I'm in the gym at least 4-5 times per week prospecting clients and training, I thought I'd post up some things that I see. It should turn out to be interesting.











Sight of 12/04/2008: CARDIO CARDIO CARDIO.

Ladies, there ARE weights at the gym TOO! Do not be scared of them, they will not bite, jump at you, or make you look like the Hulk, Aw-nald, or the dude on the cover of body building. We are WOMEN! In fact, being a woman should INCREASE the reason why we should be spending time with weights. We have babies, hold them, rock them - chase around kids, lift them up - carry in groceries - clean house; seriously, THE LIST GOES ON!

Next time you're in the gym - do NOT fear the weights. Instead, ask your personal trainer or front desk girl to give you a run through of a couple machines to get you started. It will improve your overall TONING OF YOUR BODY, prevent injury (if you lift correctly), and will create LEAN MUSCLE MASS! (which lowers our Body Fat percentages, YAY).

Good luck & heavy lifting :-)

It's a New Day

I feel like people all over the world are being extremely inspirational today. Perhaps the colder weather is bringing people TOGETHER for warmth, or perhaps I'm just living in a fairy tale world (in which case, I never want to leave). I logged onto Twitter to see numerous posts with "inspirational sayings" & it made me feel so good. We are almost to the end of 2008. For me, 2008 has been one hell of a ride, and frankly, I'm so excited for 2009 to get here - I feel like I have grown so much, and IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, and I cannot wait to continue on that path.

Inspirational quotes allow me to take a step back and unwind. They show me that it's OK to mess up, fall down, and get lost. They accept ME for who I AM. In addition, they show me that I better get up, I better start moving forward, and I better stay true to myself.

So once you log off from the computer today, I want you to think about inspiration. Who has inspired you? Do you inspire others? How has your year been? What can you improve? What are your goals?

You should:

♥ Hold hands with a loved one, boy or girl.

♥ Smile to strangers.

♥ Donate $ to charity.

♥ Walk an extra mile in your workout, for those who can't walk.

♥ Take advantage of all of your senses, smell, touch, sight, hearing.

♥ Tell someone WHY you love them, instead of simply stating "I love you".

♥ Sit up straight and proud, learn to focus on posture.

& remember... Tomorrow is a New Day, make it special.

Stretch It Out

1 in 100 people stretch after a workout. Are you a part of this alarming statistic? I REALLY hope not because stretching is such a vital part of exercise.

Stretching does the following for your body:

♥ Allows the athlete to achieve their best performance.


♥ Extends that performance for years by avoiding the consequences of long-term muscle strain.

♥ Enhanced ability to learn and perform skilled movements.

♥ Reduced muscular soreness & muscle tension.

♥ Reduced severity of painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea) in females.

Important Note: Stretching is NOT warming up! Warming up should be done before your workout & before you stretch. The goals of warming up according to Kurz is: "an increased awareness, improved coordination, improved elasticity and contractibility of muscles, and a greater efficiency of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems."

When you are stretching, remember to BREATHE! It sounds ridiculous but it's true! Proper breathing control is important for a successful stretch. Proper breathing helps to relax the body, increases blood flow throughout the body, and helps to mechanically remove lactic acid and other by-products of exercise.

ALL WARMED UP & READY TO STRETCH? ---

The best time to stretch is when your muscles are warmed up. If they are not already warm before you wish to stretch, then you need to warm them up yourself, usually by performing some type of brief aerobic activity.

Important Note: If the weather is very cold, or if you are feeling very stiff, then you need to take extra care to warm-up before you stretch in order to reduce the risk of injuring yourself.

Ideally, a particular stretch should work only the muscles you are trying to stretch. Isolating the muscles worked by a given stretch means that you do not have to worry about having to overcome the resistance offered by more than one group of muscles. In general, the fewer muscles you try to stretch at once, the better. For example, you are better off trying to stretch one hamstring at a time than both hamstrings at once. By isolating the muscle you are stretching, you experience resistance from fewer muscle groups, which gives you greater control over the stretch and allows you to more easily change its intensity. As it turns out, the splits is not one of the best stretching exercises. Not only does it stretch several different muscle groups all at once, it also stretches them in both legs at once.

PLEASE don't forget to stretch next time you workout, it's a super important exercise tool that only takes ten to fifteen minutes to complete. Use this time to unwind and concentrate on YOU. It's time to be selfish.

Reducing Stress: "Dropping the ball"

I took a stroll though the "Self-Help" section of the bookstore just to take a look at what they had to offer. I grabbed a few, and sat down to skim through. I didn't end up buying anything because frankly, I don't really know what I was looking to find . As humans, especially females, we search everyday for the answers of why we're aging quickly, fighting with our significant others, or gaining weight. We spend countless dollars and energy into looking for why we're stressed and upset. As I closed the last book, I began to wonder, "I hope Monica found her phone", "I wonder if Danny looked into his application process", "I wonder if my Uncle found out how to work the internet"... then I gasped.

I have been spending countless hours struggling within because I'm onboard with other people's problems. All of the people listed above have asked me in some way, shape, or form to "catch their ball". And instead of walking away and simply stating, listen- I need ME time.. I seriously caught that ball and held onto it.

When you catch someone's ball (AKA problem), you end up putting aside what you were doing in the first place and later on, you're STRESSED because you're behind schedule. So what do we do, just leave our friends to fend for themselves? No. There are times when catching this ball is necessary - however, we are probably catching it alot more than we should. Just because we state that "I'm sorry, I really cannot afford to help you out at this moment, let me get my own stuff straightened out and I'll call you back" does not mean that you don't care for your friend.

Instead, "the key is to know when we're catching another ball so that we won't feel victimized, resentful, or overwhelmed (Carslon, 1997).

Carlson also says that:

♥ By simply answering your phone when you're really too busy to talk is a form of catching the ball. By answering, you're willingly taking part in the interaction that you may not have the time, energy, or mind-set for at the present time.

So this week - let's try to drop the ball a few times, for our own sanity's sake. Good luck!

Maybe Monday...

Maybe today you should:

♥ Tell a friend a joke & laugh together!

♥ Sign up and meet people on Twitter. Become addicted with me.

♥ Have tea instead of coffee.

♥ Offer to help someone in your office or household with something small.

♥ Call up an old friend to see how they are doing.

♥ Look at fish-eye pictures of dogs. So cute.

Interview: Makeup Artist, Kristine Bruno

I had the pleasure of interviewing Kristine Bruno, a makeup artist, and I was able to ask her some questions regarding makeup & the application of it. I learned so many things myself!




1. How did you get involved with makeup? For as long as I can remember, I have always loved makeup! I remember when I was a little girl my parents had a friend whose wife wore makeup and everytime I saw her, she would put lipstick on me and I thought it was the best thing! Drinking and eating while I had my lipstick on was such an ordeal because I was so afraid of it coming off! I wanted it to stay on forever! After high school, I went to Cosmetology school and got my license and have been doing it professionally ever since!

2. What is your favorite thing about makeup? That it has the ability to totally transform the way someone looks! Its completely fascinating to me!

3. Do you do your own makeup everyday? How long does it take for you to do? I do not do my makeup everyday. I do it if I am going out, or working, but if I'm just running up to the grocery store or being lazy, I don't do it. When I do get all dolled up it takes me anywhere from 1-2 hours to do my makeup, depending on the look I'm doing.

4. What is the best colors to use if you are going to get your picture taken? I would say to make sure you are wearing the right color foundation and do NOT wear a foundation with a high SPF. Flash photography makes SPF reflect the light, making your face color look washed out. Also, photography in general washes you out, so it is important to wear a little more makeup than you would normally if you were going out. In the mirror it may look like too much, but when you get your pictures back you will be happy you did!

5. Do you use a certain kind of makeup with your applications? If so, what are your favorite brands? My favorite brand is MAC! I love their eyeshadows. They come in so many different colors and are highly pigmented. There are also a few things by other brands I love. One of my favorite non MAC products is Touche Eclat by YSL. It's great for darkness under your eyes! My favorite faux lashes are Ardell which you can find in just about any drug store.

6. Do you have any makeup tricks that you could give to my readers? Make sure you always use an eyeshadow base to make your shadow last longer and not crease! I like to use a light colored cream shadow so the powder shadow I am using grabs to the cream and stays put! You don't need a lot, apply enough to lightly cover your eyelid and up to your brow. Also, I like to do eye makeup before foundation because eyeshadow usually falls onto your cheeks and under your eyes and can be hard to remove, especially if your using dark colors. One more really important tip is to make sure your makeup is blended! For blending eyeshadow I like to use a blending brush and make light circular motions starting at my outer eye and keeping that same motion into my crease and back to the outer part of my eye. Repeat that a few times! And when you are applying a darker crease color, always start at the outer part of your eye, where you want it darkest and blend inward.

7. What is the number one thing you hear from girls getting their makeup done? (i.e: do they want something different? want to cover up their blemishes, etc) The number one thing is probably that they don't want to look too overdone and they want the makeup to look more natural.

8. Where can we locate you? How much is a makeup application? I am located in St. Petersburg, Florida, but do all on-location makeup and do travel. My prices range depending on what type of service you are looking for. I have prices listed for everything on my website so be sure to check it out if you are interested in booking with me!


Be sure to visit Kristine's website at: Fabulous Faces

The Ultimate Goal: Balance

Balancing one's life completely is harder than getting rid of cellulite. With many people today juggling career(s), school, family-life, loved ones, and attempting to maintain a steady diet/exercise plan... we all want the answer to being able to align everything perfectly.

However - we will NEVER get it perfectly right. Such is life. It changes day to day, children get sick, our diet goes out the window, or you get into an arguement with your significant other. It's not easy, but it's manageable.

♥ It is crucial that you remain optimistic. Happy thoughts in... happy thoughts out. Surround yourself with positive people like Tia or Ariel

♥ Invest in a nice day planner that you are able to tote around. Organization is key. Organize household tasks efficiently. Doing one or two loads of laundry every day, rather than saving it all for your day off, and running errands in batches are good places to begin. A weekly family calendar of important dates and a daily list of to-dos will help you avoid deadline panic.

♥ Prioritize. Track everything you do for one week. Include work-related and non-work-related activities. Decide what's necessary and what satisfies you the most. Cut or delegate activities you don't enjoy and don't have time for.

♥ Understand that you cannot do it all. You can't. You are HUMAN. Unfortunately, there are only 24 hours in a day and you need to get some Zzz's in. Therefore, don't feel horrible if you can't be team MOM, PTA president AND have time for extra volunteering this week. It's OK!

♥ Reward yourself at times. Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as walking, working out or listening to music. Unwind after a hectic workday by reading, practicing yoga, or taking a bath or shower.

♥ Have a Support System. Give yourself the gift of a trusted friend or co-worker to talk with during times of stress or hardship. Ensure you have trusted friends and relatives who can assist you when you need to work overtime or travel for your job.

Come Out & Play

Cooler weather is upon us - and it's time to come out and play.

♥ Get up early and unwind outside with a cup of coffee, your newspaper, etc!

♥ Go to the Pumpkin Patch!

♥ Drive with the windows down (let your A/C relax)

♥ Plan a picnic in the park with someone you adore - perfect chance to cuddle up close!

♥ Wear something that is loose & flowy so that when you walk outside, you'll look like you're gliding.

♥ Fly a kite!

Butt How? - The Basics

Smile! & Let your butt 'smile' too. Granted, yes, for the most part bikini season is gone for a few months, but what better time to get your derriere in shape? And in addition to that, there are lots of holidays coming up where you may just want to look good in a tanga or undies for the boyfriend or husband.

Let's get started:

♥ The Glutes (The facts)
The gluteus maximus or the glutes increase your speed and power for any number of athletic pursuits: To max out your performance, you need to develop them. They are probably the strongest muscle in our bodies. The gluteal group is composed of three separate muscles: the gluteus minimus, medius and maximus. The first two are smaller, deep-seated muscles that allow for the inward rotation of the femur (the bone between the pelvis and knee) and the outward movement of the legs away from your body— both get a lot of work when you walk or run. Overlying these smaller muscles is the gluteus maximus, which allows your leg to extend behind you and permits outward rotation of the femur. It’s also the primary gluteal muscle employed in cycling, jumping rope, squatting, climbing stairs and running.

♥ Squats
Squats are an excellent way to work out a number of different muscles. It is a lower body exercise used in strength training. The exercise's main emphasis is on the quadriceps and the glutes, but it also involves the hamstrings, the calves, and the lower back.



Note: You can do this exercise with or without added weight.

♥ Lunges
Lunges came out on top in targeting the gluteus medius and, to a lesser extent, the gluteus maximus and the hamstrings. There are so many versions of lunges, you're certain to find one you can tolerate, if not fall in love with.

[Walking lunges]


(Beginning with one foot, simply stride forward (walk) as far as you comfortably can while keeping the dumbbells hanging down at your sides. It is very important that when you plant your striding foot that your knee stays perpendicular to the floor and does not extend past that point.)

[Reverse lunges]


(Really reach back with this stride to get a good stretch. Bring that leg back to the start position and repeat the same movement with your opposite leg. Be sure to keep your back firmly upright and straight throughout this exercise.)

Note: These reverse lunges really grab a hold of your glutes and with proper form you will definitely feel these exercises. After a few weeks, add weights to your sets.

♥ Step Ups
These are one of those exercises that seem like a good idea, but you're never exactly sure if you're doing anything. However, I assure you that step ups really do work the glutes and the hamstrings. The trick is to make sure you're stepping up onto a platform that's high enough to really activate those muscle fibers, one that's about 15 inches high. Holding dumbbells can add some nice intensity to the movement as well. Find a bench, or chair - and really focus on squeezing your glutes.



♥ Other Helpful Tools
*Walking

*Running

*Cycling

*Jump roping

♥ Putting It All Together
I could just list out a bunch of exercises to do; however I think it's important to have some sort of direction for you. Here's a sample plan that you can begin to use - and hopefully you will notice some excellent results:

* Do 3 sets of 12 squats - focus on slow movement, add weight if needed. If you have the use of a stability ball - place it against the wall and utilize that.

* Do 2 sets of walking lunges. Lunge forward about 10 times. REALLY focus on your form- make sure your back is straight up, don't lean into it. Add weight if needed.

* Do 3 sets of 12 reverse lunges. Slow and steady is KEY - again focus on the form, because you want to really utilize the glutes here.

* Step Up onto a surface 12 times, break for 30 seconds, and then do another set.

Get in these exercises twice per week along with a nice walk, run, cycle, or jump roping session & you will begin to see some real results. As a beginner, don't use weight and focus on form first. As you get better at it, then increase the weight and/or repetitions.




Any questions: email me at rebekah.reidy@gmail.com
Thank you to Shapefit.com for use of the images.

Weekend Slacker

So you busted your butt all week long - ate right, got in a few workouts, increased your water intake and now your thrilled its the weekend because now you can:



♥ Go out and drink
♥ Splurge at the sports bar = fried food FTW!
♥ Lay around all weekend
♥ Party, party, party

Yikes. There's something about weekends that sends caution--and calories--to the wind. Even if your workweek is all about smart snacks and sensible dinners, for many of us, all bets are off come 5 PM Friday. Researchers found that participants on strict diet and exercise programs tend to lose weight more slowly than expected because they eat more on weekends than during the week.

If you’re going to splurge on the weekends, make sure you increase your activity. Remember, it’s calories in, calories out. Take advantage of your weekend time off and go outside for a walk.

Also, take steps to balance and moderate your weekend splurges by having a game plan before you dine out. For instance, when you know you’re going to have a Martini before dinner, you can plan to skip the appetizer or the dessert.

Some extra tips:

♥ Some decompressing is essential, but planting yourself on the couch for hours can lead to trouble. A long stretch of inactivity can inspire compulsive nibbling, especially if boredom is one of your overeating triggers. Also, don't forget to work downtime into your week so you don't feel as exhausted come the weekend.

♥ With fewer responsibilities and no early morning wake-up calls, even weekday teetotalers don't think twice about a cocktail before dinner--and then another while they eat. The problem: "Alcohol breaks down inhibitions, so it's harder to make healthy food choices when you do sit down," says Gary Foster, PhD, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University. Choose high-quality drinks you'll want to savor, such as vintage wine or single malt scotch, over high-cal fruity concoctions, and sub in one or two club sodas with lime.

Get Physical

♥ Get up early and go for a walk - take the dog, they need some exercise too.

♥ Before you go to bed, get in a nice stretch. Hold each position for 2-3 minutes.

♥ Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

♥ Park far from the store. Save your car from dents and get in some steps.

♥ While you are watching your nightly show, do crunches, push-ups, or lift dumbbells during the commericals.


It's time to get physical. Get rid of the excuses - we've already heard them all. Don't do it for the boy next door or to get into a 'size 2', but rather, focus on your mind and health. Be healthy for you and I guarantee, everything else will fall into place. Learn to enjoy being active. Find something you love. Don't like running? Don't run. Bike instead. It's time to put your health first because frankly, it's been put on the back burner for far too long.

Stress: 101

Let's face it. Times are tough & so is life, on occasion. Unfortunately though, we have grown to accepting that 90% of our time is spent STRESSING over situations.


Since stress is such a huge part of ALL of our lives, I decided to put together some information each week dealing with how you can begin to take this stress OUT of your life, slowly but surely. My hopes are that I will touch some aspect of stress that is related to your life and you will be able to use the information to begin being happy again.

Stress 101: Stress Diet?

♥ Many women want to do it all, but when there aren't enough hours in the day, we end up running on empty — literally. According to a recent article in the Daily Mail, a new type of eating disorder, "stressorexia," may be emerging amongst modern women.

"Stressorexia is not a scientific diagnosis that a doctor would make but anecdotally its symptoms are very prevalent among women." (Dr. Adrian Lord)

The more women juggle, the more anxious and stressed out they become. Some say stressorexia starts with a missed lunch and spirals out of control from there, resulting in massive weight loss. When people are too preoccupied to eat, it makes perfect sense.

I'm the kind of person who never skips a meal — I become shaky and irritable — but I know many people who oftentimes look down at their watch and say, "oops, I forgot to eat lunch!" So, even if you're having a stressful day at work or at home with the kids, do you ever fall victim to the "stress diet"?

Sunburned

You did everything you were supposed to do. You wore a hat, you stayed in the shade as much as possible and you applied sunblock with a protection factor of at least 15. Still, you got burned. Ouch.

"Even with the best intentions, many people will suffer at least one sunburn each summer," said Dee Anna Glaser, M.D., dermatologist and associate professor of dermatology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. "They forget to reapply sunblock after swimming or they miss spots or they stayed outside longer than expected. A sunburn can be a painful lesson."

In general... some of the Do's & Don'ts are as follows:

DO'S-------
> Take a cool bath-not ice cold, but cool-without any bubble bath, bath salts or oils in the water.
> Apply cold compresses to the skin.
> Sit near a fan or an air conditioner.
> Stay out of the sun. Tender skin should be protected against the sun until it has healed, which usually takes a couple of weeks.
> Take aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen to ease the pain and inflammation.
> To rehydrate (add moisture to) the skin and help reduce swelling, apply a thick, bland moisturizer, aloe or a one-percent hydrocortisone cream on the sunburned areas. Make sure the moisturizers have little or no alcohol content.
> Drink extra water to replace the fluid lost in the swelling of sunburned skin and to prevent dehydration and dizziness.
> Apply an over-the-counter anesthetic spray to ease the pain.

DON'TS-------
> Do not take a hot bath to "draw out the heat." Glaser said this treatment myth might only injure your skin further.
> Do not scrub your skin.
> If possible, do not apply lotions or moisturizers that contain extras, such as perfumes or preservatives.
> Do not pick at blisters or remove your skin when the peeling process begins. This can result in infection. Let the skin fall off naturally.



In addition to these 'normal' remedies; there have been lists upon lists of FOLK REMEDIES such as:

*ALOE; very effective in relieving pain and inflammation.


*VINEGAR; will prevent blistering and peeling.

*LEMON WATER; will cool the burn, act as a disinfectant, and will promote healing of the skin.

In any case, if you experience chills, fever, or rashes - you may have sun poisioning and you should seek a doctor immediately.

Back to School

School is back in session, whether you have kids attending school or you are in school yourself or even BOTH; there's nothing more fun than homework, tests and quizzes right? ... NOT! However, furthering ones' education is extremely special and we should take advantage of the situation in some cases. Make it a point to succeed this semester. Shoot for the best grade possible, and don't merely attend, to attend. Attempt to learn something. Knowledge, after all, is power.

Some ways to help you succeed:

1. Take notes effectively

A good set of notes can serve you well. Your notes help you remember which concepts your professor stressed and, thus, give you an idea as to what will be covered in the exam. Note taking also helps you concentrate on the lecture.

2. Learn to read actively

Most of the material you have to learn at university is presented in written form. That's why it's so important to know an active reading technique that will enable you to learn and remember what you read.

3. Learn to write effective term papers

At University, term papers are very important. Your professors assign them so that they can see how well you understand the material and how effectively you can discuss the pertinent issues. Your goal is to use your papers to convince your professor you deserve the mark you want.

4. Manage your study sessions

Your schedule is likely a hectic one. Besides attending classes, doing homework and studying for tests and exams, you might also be holding down a part-time job, participating in a team sport, and looking after an apartment. You need to manage your time very efficiently if you are to keep up with your studies and finish your assignments on time.

5. Balance your life

Devoting all of your time to school work may sound like a sure fire way to succeed in your courses, but living only for school can actually lead to burn-out. Conversely, spending too much time on leisure or other activities can lead to major stress (or even failure) when exam time comes. Finding the proper balance between time for school and time for everything else is a crucial step in achieving success.

6. Set a career goal

Setting career goals is a crucial step towards success. Career goals are the focus and the reason behind all the hard work you're doing now. When you don't have a sense of what you're moving towards, things can seem pretty pointless. Knowing how a particular assignment relates in the long run to your future career can be the motivation you need to actually do it.

7. Deal with personal issues

Life has a way of handing us ups and downs when we least expect them. This means that sometimes your life is going to get in the way of your studies. It's important to realize and accept that there will be times when you are just not able to work or study because life issues are demanding more attention. If this happens to you, be ready to seek out resources to help you deal with the situation.

8. Work the system

Success at university is more than just doing well in classes; it's knowing how to work with the system. There are things that you need to know that you won't necessarily be told. And with regards to university regulations, ignorance is not bliss! So be prepared to ask questions and dig a little to find out the information.

♥ Saturday; the Simple Life.

♥ Go for a walk with a pet or a friend. Enjoy the outside.



♥ Write a letter to an old friend & send it through snail mail.

♥ Attempt a craft -- Origami, jewelry, or something that interests you.

♥ Browse MySpace's music list & search for 'unsigned' artists. Listen and be enlightened.

♥ Sign up for an event (5K, bike ride, walk, etc..) & get a friend to join you.

♥ Pick flowers or buy flowers and set them in your house.

Lipstick Jungle

Lipstick Jungle premiered last night. Based on the best-selling book by Candace Bushnell ("Sex and the City"), this sexy new drama follows three high-powered friends as they weather the ups and downs of lives lived at the top of their game.

Movie exec Wendy (Brooke Shields) does everything she can to balance career and family. Nico (Kim Raver), editor-in-chief of a hot fashion magazine, has her eye on becoming CEO. And free-spirited designer Victory (Lindsay Price) longs to make her dreams come true, and maybe find "Mr. Right" along the way.

Armed with humor and strength, these three modern New York women support one another through the triumphs and tears that are all part of making it big in the Big Apple.

For re-caps/bios etc... visit: It's a Jungle out there,Dress Accordingly

Be Surprised. 2/7/08

♥ Text/Email/IM your S.O. a love letter in another language and make him/her figure it out. Translator.

♥ Send your best friend an e-card to tell her how you appreciate her (and tell her to pass it on).

♥ Write a list of 5 things that you love about yourself. (and leave a comment telling the world what those 5 things are).

♥ Drink water in place of soda.

♥ Smile.

Hidden Loves ♥

Shhh…

We all have certain things we absolutely love – but we don’t quite make it known to people. It isn’t that we’re embarrassed persay, we just do not find times where we can bring up our “hidden loves”. These hidden loves can be about anything that excites you or makes you happy.

Here’s a list of my “hidden” loves:

♥ The Real Housewives of the O.C.
I am not a huge fan of TV in general, but this show just grabs my attention like a bad habit. I end up laughing, crying, and everything in between. Thanks mom, for introducing me to that!

♥ American Idol
Okay, so, I am not psycho about it – I do enjoy watching it though. And, yes I have voted before, if I really liked someone!

♥ Trivia ANYTHING

♥ Buying/Wearing Cute Workout Clothes
Yes, I know I am about to sweat profusely at the gym, but why not look cute doing it? Studies have proven that women who wear tighter fitting clothes and feel beautiful at the gym, end up working out longer and harder. My favorite: www.bebesport.com

♥ Oldies Music
By oldies, I mean 60’s, 70’s & 80’s (sorry to the older folks) – but oldies music just makes me smile for some reason. Obviously, it isn’t my choice of music to dance to at the club, but in the car, with my girlfriends, it is so fun to jam out too.

♥ Sending/Receiving “Snail” Mail
Emailing and E-cards are amazing, but receiving or sending actual "snail: mail excites me so much!

♥ Vintage ANYTHING
There is something about buying a vintage coat or purse that makes me happy.

♥ Flowers
I buy them for myself whenever I go to the grocery store – they smell great and they bring a sense of peace into the house.

♥ Pot-Bellied Pigs
I want one… so bad! I think they are cute when they are tiny, and I just recently found out that they actually sometimes get HUGE!

♥ Personal Reading
I learn so much from books and it relaxes me.

♥ Daily planners
I am quite possibly obsessed with mine – it goes everywhere.

♥ “Punk” Style
The self-expression intrigues me; the piercings, tattoos, style of clothing, and sometimes “bad ass attitude” is fun to watch!

♥ People-watching
Not to ridicule them in anyway, but just being able to sit back and watch how people inter-relate and converse, is so interesting to me.

♥ Muscles
Not popping out Arnold style – but noticeable ones make me tingly. :faints:

From my friends…

♥ Lip gloss
“I don’t have any favorite ones, I buy new ones because they are pretty or smell nice, or hell, even because they plump my lips or are sparkly like water.” –AR

♥ Sex/Cuddling While It Is Raining

♥ Buying Running Shoes
“I enjoy buying them, not because they feel the best, but because they are pretty pink or match my workout clothes!” – AR

♥ America’s Funniest Home Videos

What are some of your hidden loves? (Leave a comment & Discuss!)

Wake Up Sunshine!

A couple of things you should do today...

♥ Read a newspaper in public.

♥ Design yourself a new signature.

♥ Buy a notebook & plan your look for next season.

♥ Drink a really good coffee & leave lipstick on the rim.

♥ Take a cute picture in the bathroom & send it to your S.O.

♥ Tell a stranger that they have a cute outfit on!

Bare-ing it all: Lingerie

There are many theories on why women love to wear lingerie. For women it isn’t about whether or not anyone else will see it, it is for themselves. How women perceive themselves helps their over all self esteem. If you think you look sexy in that camisole then you are sexy. Looking and feeling good is a big part our society today. Many people assume when a woman wears lingerie that is solely for a man’s pleasure. Even though lingerie has been worn for centuries for the pleasure of the opposite sex, it is not the main focus for women these days or in the past. Now it is more of a notion of self-image and feeling attractive for ones self rather than for anybody else. It is about feeling good about the whole you and knowing you are sexy even when you don’t readily show everyone else.

Interestingly enough, marketing approaches have also changed as well these last few years. Their message today not only promotes looking sexy for your partner, they also tell you to feel sexy for you as well and more importantly. Lingerie has always made to be exotic and teasing. Today, women can get just as much pleasure just from wearing it as they can by being viewed in it. In some cases they can get more out of just wearing it for them and not other. Some women are very shy and are not willing to immediately slip into something sexy for some one else’s viewing pleasure. This type of display can make them feel awkward or anxious. Just wearing the sexy lingerie when no one else knows can help spark self-esteem and desire in her self. Now designers are gearing this sexy wear for comfort, movement, and everyday practicality as well as sleek and sexy. Not only does this trend in design say a lot about marketing it says a lot about women in society today.

Back in the day of boned corsets that left women barely able to breathe or move, comfort was not the option. It was implied that proper women did not move all around and had no need to. It was also under the premise that women had no need to be out in the world. Their job was to cater to their husbands, home and families. Comfort was not in the equation. Not to mention that lingerie was not for the common women so it carried prestige and merit. But as the time changed and women became more active in political, economical, and the social realms of the world lingerie has taken a huge change. It is not geared towards the woman her self and the comfort and sexiness she needs. There for lingerie had to become modernized by being less restrictive. There is lingerie and intimate apparel for all occasions that are of great comfort and flexibility for every taste and body type today.

Lingerie designers are finally recognizing that beauty is not some standardized thing. Women are now demanding that designers make sexy and practical lingerie that is realistic and designed for all women, not just the standard. Women want to feel and look beautiful to them. That beauty and appreciation for their own body will permeate their personality and trickle into all areas of their lives. Women are tired and have no use to constantly try to fit into some impossible idealistic box anymore. It is now about being appreciated for the individual you. This has been proven with the burst of lingerie for fuller sized women today. The designs of today are now finally geared to the real size women and she can feel sexy too. So now fuller figured women can also feel and look as sexy too, no matter what their size is.



The wearing of lingerie for a woman can be as much sensual as it sexual. It has to do with self-image. The women today are strong, independent, and vibrant and should be free to explore their own personal sexuality. The shopping for and wearing of lingerie today is such a sensual pleasure for women today. It is not the lingerie that gives a women confidence it is the woman’s self-esteem created by feeling good about her self that gives her an air of confidence, beauty, and sensitivity.

As many of you may or may not know, I have been designing and constructing garments for about four years now. It's definitely one of my passions. And I hope to get into the lingerie industry at least for a selection of garments because I think it would be extremely fun! Lingerie should reflect your inner-self. I encourage all of you girls (and boyfriends, husbands, best friends) to buy lingerie this season. I swear to you, it will make you feel like a million dollars underneath your clothes!

"I love to wear lingerie. The problem is that men always rip it off too quickly. When women are dolled up in lingerie they feel sexy. So let us wear it for five minutes." >Karen McDougal