Category Archives: Body issues

Lifestyle Changes To Help You Lose Weight

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Making the decision to lose weight involves more than choosing a diet plan and hitting the gym here every now and then. You always hear people say “It needs to be a lifestyle change in order for it to work.” So what does that entail? How can you go a step above a “diet” and make changes that are going to last? The truth is, if you want to lose weight, and to more importantly, keep the weight off, you really do need to change your lifestyle, to change your mindset, and you may also need to get some professional help so that this is a positive move in your life.

Here are some tips to help with this.

  • Find a Diet that suits you.

If you are over 45, losing weight can be more difficult as this can also be colliding in changes in your body as you approach menopause. You may find that you need to seek professional help, rather than attempting to do this by yourself. Andrew Hanoun has been helping woman over 45 to lose weight through his programmes that target women who have tried everything else. He helps them to  finally release all the weight, get back in control of their health and adapt a sustainable lifestyle change.

The programme involves a lot of education – you need to understand why you are gaining the weight in order to lose it and keep it off. It combines group support, interesting recipes, motivational videos and live events to help women to support women and has, most importantly of all, a high success rate.

  • Start Writing

Studies have shown that people who journal and write down everything they eat have more success in losing weight and keeping it off. There are two components to successful journaling.

One, you want to write how you are feeling each day and the various activities you do. How did you feel when you chose to eat the apple versus the chocolate? What was going through your head when you couldn’t stop at just one chip? Try to get in tune with your though processes as you make the choices you make. Look for patterns over time so you can try strategies to help you avoid making mistakes and making healthy choices.

The other component to successful journaling is to write every bite down. This means each snack, taste, and spoonful you take. You can count your portions in whatever way works for you, but make sure you write them down and are being accurate.

  • Pretend You Live in Another Country

Remember that year you backpacked through Europe or that amazing trip to Mexico? Did you spend all of your time in your car zipping around place to place? No. What did you notice about the people who lived there? They walked. Everywhere. So many people are dependent on their cars to get them from point A to point B. Skip the car and grab the bike, run, walk, jog, or dance walk. Yes, that’s a thing now, and it’s amazing.

  • Get Enough Sleep

Scientists have discovered a relationship between weight gain and sleep deprivation. Buy new pillows and crisp sheets, set your air conditioner at 69F and try to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Some people may need more. Aim for the amount that makes you feel rested where you can wake up without the alarm.

 

Getting Your Glam On

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I am a great believer in the adage that we are all beautiful in our own way. We all have our best features, and then the ones we would love to change if we had the chance. But even though we are all beautiful in our own way, it doesn’t mean that we can’t give Mother Nature a helping hand when it comes to looking our best. Sometimes that means faking it to enhance what we have already been given. Whether it be fake tan, fake lashes or lip plumping kits, we all have make up and beauty items that we turn to when it comes to getting our glam on. The rule with beauty is that as long as we are looking after our skin, we can wear whatever make up we like. A gentle skincare routine is also important.

What other beauty fixes can we use to give nature a helping hand?

Keep Your Skincare Organic

The general belief is that a skincare routine helps to keep your skin in tip top condition, but the reality is that some products actually cause more harm than good, with ingredients that contain parabans,  harmful ingredients and chemicals.

If your skin is suffering from your skincare, you should switch to an organic routine like the Amanda Jo Organic Bunny subscription box which curates some of the best organic beauty products around.

Fake that tan

I’ve written many posts about faking our tans and looked at the health implications that mean we now want to be sun kissed without the threat of skin cancers. But many of us do prefer the look of our skin when it is tanned, when we have a lovely, healthy glow that makes us look and feel better. St Tropez is one of the best brands around, but if you are on a budget I would definitely recommend St Moriz which is a stunning dupe brand with fabulous results. I often use their self tan mist, it is easy to apply and costs less than £5. (You can read some of my tips for applying fake tan here).

St. Moriz Professional Self Tan Mist Medium 150ml £3.99 Click to visit Boots

Fake those lashes

Long, thick, lustrous lashes are the dream of most of us. But, in reality, my own lashes are fairly thin, not as long as I would like them, and quite blond in appearance. And so, when it comes to a night out, I fake it. Eyelure are the queen of false eyelashes, with a range of styles that can either add to the thickness of your lashes, or give you a full on, swinging sixties, dollybird look. My current favourites are the ‘Cheryl Oh My Goddess’ set that are dark, featherlite and fluttery and give a real glamorous look.

Cheryl – Oh My Goddess £7.25

Fake those lips

We can’t all be blessed with bee stung lips or a perfect pout, but again, we can give nature a helping hand. Many lipglosses now contain ingredients that will plump your lips. Soap and Glory’s hilariously named Sexy Mother Pucker brand has a variety called Pillow Plump. This features LIPSWELL, a natural flower oil infusion and glassy-shine technology that will give you a pretty glorious pout.

Soap & Glory™ Sexy Mother Pucker™ Pillow Plump XXL

You are beautiful, but sometimes we just need to fake it!

Is Home Teeth Whitening a good idea?

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One aspect of the beauty industry that keeps on growing is the teeth whitening market. There is more and more pressure these days to have a beautiful white smile to compliment your hair and outfit. Having white teeth is a sign of good health and is something we all want, and the best, professional teeth whitening is done by a professional dentist, although you can now buy home whitening kits too. If you choose to have your teeth whitened, either by a cosmetic dentist, or at home, make sure you seek advice from professtionals like https://www.vallancedentalcentre.com/ before you go ahead.

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Benefits of home teeth whitening

One of the obvious benefits of whitening at home is the convenience. A lot of people do not like visiting the dentist, so if there is a way to avoid this they will take it. Most effective products have been designed to be as simple to use as possible with simplicity being key.

Price, as mentioned above, is another key benefit. The best quality professional services will cost hundreds of pounds, whereas many home kits are far cheaper. Toothpick dentists suggest you will pay between £200 and £900 for professional treatment.

With the right product, you can actually strengthen tooth enamel. This is important for your overall dental care and provides an added benefit aside from the actual aesthetic considerations. And if you need a dentist to help you out instead, visit the endodontist in TN.

Types of home products

The cheapest and easiest product to use is whitening toothpaste. Almost every brand offers a whitening option, and you can simply replace your normal variety with the enhanced one. People tend to have mixed results with these products but they can be worth trying.

Whitening strips tend to be more effective, but require more time. Normally, you have a pack of strips for upper and lower teeth and leave them for between 5 and 45 minutes, depending on the product recommendations. These are not always advised as there is no professional supervision, and the trays can be poorly adapted to the teeth which can cause bleaching of the gums.

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Benefits of going pro

If you want to spend the money and need the quickest possible option, professional whitening is the way to go. As mentioned, some dentists provide kits that you use at home from a mould, but laser whitening is far quicker and you don’t have to mess around applying the gel each day.

Some home whitening options may not last quite as long and require more effort. Lifestyle will influence how long a professional treatment lasts, but it is estimated from a few months to 3 years.

While there are always small risks involved in any procedure, knowing a professional dentist is present will always give you peace of mind and assurance that everything is being done correctly.

Overall, home teeth whitening provides a cheaper alternative, but you sacrifice some of the convenience of going to a professional. As long as we spend so much time drinking coffee, tea and red wine though, there will always be a demand for anything that can help us look our best.