A halter can do two beautiful things: lift and slenderize. It is the reason I love shoulder days at the gym. It is the fall back outfit every time I have a night out.
But a halter can also be tricky when you want to cover up proper under garments. That's why I purchased my latest must-have: Victoria's Secrets' 100-way Convertible Bra.
This bra comes with 4 sets of straps: halter, regular, clear, and backless. It truly does convert into whatever you need for the outfit at hand.
The best experience with the "conver-ti-bra" for me is when I wore a backless Frederick's dress. Anything from Frederick's is skin-bearing anyway. If you don't have proper support, you look trashy instead of glamorous. I used the backless strap on my dress, and not only did it look great under the dress, it performed proper lifting and felt comfortable all night.
A girlie girl has many needs, especially about her outfits. It's great to know that the people at Victoria's Secret took notice, and created a bra at one price with many ways to cater to its most important demographic - us girlie girls.
Ever seen the show "Biggest Loser"? If the people on that show can loose weight, anyone can! From chubby tubby, they have melted to something svelte. And it's only through healthy eating and sweaty workouts that these losers became weight winners.
And so, each one of us can become a winner with changes to our lifestyles. I must re-iterate the importance of good eats and increased exercise. However, change can also be hard to make.
For starters, you can change one small thing at a time. For example, if you smoke, smoke one cigarette less each day. If you eat a lot of sweets during the day, don't have desert after 7PM. And if are not exercising, take a 30-min walk every other day, especially when it's beautiful outside.
Remember, small steps = big gains. Also remember, if those "biggest losers" can do it, so can you!
Although snuggling on the coach with the hubby is one of my favorite weekend activities, a girl just has to go out and be seen some time. When I first moved to Seattle, I was nervous about not having people to go out with. And Seattle is such a fun city! Luckily I found a group of girls with similar interests.
Come Girls' Night Out! And surprisingly, it has been happening once each month. Most of the time we go to bars and clubs, but to spice things up, we have created quite a list of themes:
- Biker chic night
- Sex and the City Night
- Pot luck
- Funky wigs and cool hats
- Games and Spa night (for girls night in)
- Cowgirl's Night
I'm sure there are many more creative ideas for girls' night out. The point is, you don't have to go with the typical night at the club. Spice things up with a creative theme! It'll be more fun than you are already anticipating!
No, I do not have enough money to go every month. But as often as I can afford to, I treat myself to a facial at the spa.
Since I have only been in Seattle for a few months, I do not have a regular place to go. Besides, I get pleasure trying new places anyway.
Not only is a facial good for the skin (where a trained professional examines and cleans your face, as well as treating any imperfections), it is incredibly relaxing.
Good for the skin and good for the soul? How can a girlie girl resist?
This is one of my guilty pleasures (guilty for the hefty price tag) that I would suggest to any man or woman.
On general, these are the times when a woman will change her body shape during a life time. In other words, get fat.
1) freshman year in college
2) first job
3) after first (second, third...) baby
4) after menopause
Oh yeah! I remember my first job! What an ass I developed then! From running to classes all day and partying all night in college, I became a walking advertisement for "office space".
Not only was I sitting idle for eight straight hours, I was snacking on fatty foods: donuts, bagels, anything from Hershey's...And those stuffed burgers at lunch didn't help.
Eventually I adopted the gym as my second home and better eating habits, including smart snacks at work. My ass really needs to appreciate my hard work for being able to squeeze it into size 1 (ok, 2)
And as for snacks, here are some better options:
- Wasabi peas or nuts, instead of potato chips
- Dried fruits (such as Craisens and dates), instead of chocolates
- Regular coffee, instead of specialties such as cafe mocha
- Drink water, whenever you feel like binging on anything
Instead of child-bearing hips, I received the flat pancake butt. Thank you mom and dad...for making me humpless.
For the past five years, I have been creating a healthy-looking backside. Luckily I found a few exercises that helped not only add but also sculpt an eyeful of butt.
Ladies, if your bum is flat like mine, or if it just needs some help, try the following:
1) Lunges
2) Stair Master
3) Squats
4) Walking on treadmill with incline
The last time I saw my credit card bill, I nearly choked to death.
I owe how much?
Ever since then I completely changed my spending style - from swiping to cashing.
I know not everybody can change their credit card habit to cash-only. But perhaps you can adopt this creative way of saving for only one week? Perhaps you will see its benefit?
First, How much cash can you spend a week?
Let's say that your take home is $2000 a month.
Let's say that your...
Rent is $600
Bills are $100
Student Loan is $100
Groceries is $300
Savings is $600
Left over: 2000-600-100-100-300-600=400
Your spending cash each week would be 400/4 = $100
In the beginning of each week, take out $100 cash. That is how much you have to spend for the whole week, and no more. Need spending ideas? Friday Happy Hour, early morning Starbucks runs, quick sandwich from the deli...You get the idea.
If there's left over after the weekend, good! Put the extra in a piggy bank, the next week, you get another $100.
To be honest, I was amazed at how well I managed my money this way. Because I can literally see my hard-earned cash get away, I was so much more careful about my spending. I even added a few rules: no Starbucks until Friday, eating out only once a week...you get the idea. I've always been on the impulse, but the cash-only method has been working really well. If I can do it, so can you...so go on, give it a try!
At 29, I was still suffering zits. They are not as bad as my high school zits, which came in an army's size, right on the two chubby cheeks! My adult zits are much more sneaky: just when my skin gets smooth and bump-free, a red giant would appear out of no where - one VERY noticeable, VERY inflated Mr. Pimple!
When hubby and I went to Vancouver, I was treated to a fabulous facial and there I learned the ultimate zit free trick: toner. But beware, this only applies to oily skins.
Like anything in life, skin needs to be balanced. If your skin is already oily. And if you use a face wash everyday. Your skin will become even more oily, because face wash contains acid. Acid creates oil creates pimple.
To balance this out, I was suggested to use a toner, which contains base. Of course I refused to spend my week's allowance on products at the spa. But I did get Neutronega's toner, which worked like a charm! For two months, the zit monster has not visited! Even hubby got hooked and continues to rave about the toner's performance.
Ladies...if you are oily like me, and haven't found cure for that ugly, embarrassing adult acne, perhaps a bottle of toner is all you are missing!
I know not many girls in the US watch Korean soap operas. But I do, and I testify that those actresses from Korea have the most amazing skin. Even on TV, their skin appear silky and smooth.
During an interview with the Korea soap opera actresses, they shared their skin secrets - fresh strawberries.
Yes, they make their own mask and here's how:
- Crush a few strawberries
- Blend with milk or plain yogurt
- Apply to face
- Rinse after 10 to 15 minutes
Another easy and inexpensive way to turn the goodness in fruits into good skin.
Before finding my handsome, most wonderful prince (AKA. hubby who is working on his radio controlled airplanes in the other room), I kissed a lot of frogs. And of course, there were a lot of first dates. Most of them filled with nervous laughs, uncomfortable fidgeting and digging deep into the brain to think of something to talk about.
As if first dates weren't bad enough, some of them were just awfully boring and predictable - food, movie, food, movie, food, food, movie...
However, I did have a few that were more creative and worth suggesting:
1) Ice-skating (first date with hubby)
2) Cooking class
3) Hiking at the park, which had some easy trails
4) Baseball game
5) Pub Crawl
Yes, yes, I know! As much as I preach about good skin care, I really have no business at the tanning salon.
But give me a break! For God's sake! I live in Seattle!
No, it doesn't rain nearly as much as everyone thinks, but it is often cloudy, which makes me really miss the pleasure of sun shine.
I go once every two weeks. 6 - 8 minutes in the medium stand-up. Just enough to get some much needed serotonin.
No, I do not promote tanning beds to anyone, because it does do bad things to the skin. But we are talking about the little guilty pleasures in life, then tanning definitely mine.
For a reality TV to be successful, it definitely needs drama, good-looking people, and something really interesting. My latest reality addiction is the Workout on Bravo, a show about LA gym owner Jackie Warner and her crew of trainers.
Because I love going to the gym, of course the show easily drew me in. But there are a few points that makes this show really entertaining:
Drama: The show is on its third season. Previously, Jackie had a relationship with one of her trainers. Now that she's with someone special, the tension between her and her old flame gets hotter, especially if they have to work together.
Good-looking Cast: That would be all the trainers. To note a few: the absolutely ripped up, ex ranger with dimples and six pack; The very boyish culinary arts graduate who is proudly gay and never seems to have a bad day; And of course, the infamous Jackie herself with sculpted biceps and wild blond hair.
Something Interesting: Besides the drama within the cast, did you know Jackie is gay? Yet behind her tough exterior, she really does care about her clients, her staff, and her passion to work out.
http://www.bravotv.com/Work_Out/season/3/index.php
bravotv.com
Once a smoker, you will always crave. Every smoker started because of one reason or another, but what they should know is that there are so many more reasons to quit. It's hard, trust me I know. But when the going gets tough, perhaps you can revisit the following and remind yourself why it's good to be a quitter:
1) Smoking ruins your skin
2) Smoking ruins your health (lung cancer is by far the most popular for cancer patients)
3) Smoking makes your hair and clothes smell bad
4) Smoking darkens your teeth
5) Smoking worsens your vision
6) This is perhaps the most important reason to quit, and the most personal. And it's for the people you love. Not only does smoking ruin your own health, it also kills those around you.
If you have already, or are at least trying to, perhaps reading the above will give you a little more jolt in motivation. Even if you have slipped, you can always get back on track. And lastly remember this: you can do anything you put your mind to!
Sometimes a girl needs a dose of good fat. Even the most famous Hollywood plastic surgeons would inject fat into the face when performing a face lift. Okay, perhaps us ordinary girls should opt for a cheaper method? You can do so by creating the following all natural mask with avocado, the best of fats.
What you need:
1) A table spoon of ripe avocado
2) A teaspoon of brown sugar
3) A table spoon of honey
What you do:
1) Mix all above ingredients in a bowl
2) Apply mix onto your face and neck
3) Leave on for 10 minutes
4) Wash face and neck
Have fun! And enjoy!
Olive oil: A fruit oil obtained from olives, a traditional tree crop from the Mediterranean basin. It is commonly used for cooking, but recently its benefits have stretched from healthy cooking into the realms of beauty.
Here are 3 tried and true ways I have used olive oil for beauty:
1) Hair:
Before jumping in the shower, I rubbed a handful or two of olive oil into my hair. I then stuffed hair into a shower cap and left it on for 15 - 20 min. After shampoo and condition, my color-damaged hair felt silky and smooth.
2) Nails:
My cuticles have always been dry, which causes me to pick and bite, leaving nails looking rather unhealthy. Lately I have been rubbing olive oil onto my cuticles. They have significantly improved in unwanted dryness. Also, the nails themselves are looking shinier.
3) Eyes:
Wearing eye make-up have been a passion of mine since I was 14, especially mascara. But by bed time, I need all of those colors to come off. So I use olive oil to take off the make-up. Because I use extra virgin, there's literally no chemicals, so it doesn't sting even if it gets into my eyes. I used to take eye make-up off with expensive brand names, but olive oil is just as strong and kinder to the sensitive skin.
A halter can do two beautiful things: lift and slenderize. It is the reason I love shoulder days at the gym. It is the fall back outfit every time I have a night out.
