Megan Fox Hairstyles

Beauty and Beautiful are associated with Megan Fox. Her dark chocolate hair and very stylish hairstyles play a big role in the image she sends out. Some people wonder how she manages to get all these hairstyles and yet look stunning everyday. The answer could very well be that she takes very good of her hair and this is proven by her numerous visits to the best hair salons in California.

She also takes supplements and drinks beverages that are vital to great hair care. The pictures below show the many hairstyles she wears when she makes special appearances and you can see that they range tremendously in style and probably more so than any other actress today. Her favorite hairstyle though would be the wild out of bed look. It’s simple and sexy and it fits the person that she is normally and naturally.

That messy, bed head look seems to never go out of style. Luckily for us, getting Megan’s messy waves is very easy to do. Even if you don’t have super long and wavy hair, with the right tools and techniques, it’s a piece of cake. Prepare your hair by cleansing and moisturizing with a shampoo and conditioner specifically designed to promote waves and volume, like HALO by Graham Webb Curl Shampoo and Conditioner. Rinse thoroughly and towel dry hair.

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Keeping a Food Diary

If you are interested in losing some weight, or more importantly losing some fat, keeping a food diary might help you out.

Many of us are in denial about what we are eating all day long. I have seen it over and over with clients who want to lose their fat, but think that eating bread, pasta, crackers, cookies, cream sauces, fattening meats, ice cream, well you get the picture, is O.K. if they eat just a little here and there.

It is not O.K. if you really want to lose the fat. If you don't care that you are fat, then eating like that will work for you.

Bottom line, if you want to lose the fat, stop eating the things that make you fat! Stop being in denial about what you are eating. For most of us, it is what we are eating that makes us fat.

Exercise is important for fat loss, but if you are eating badly, don't look for great results in your goal to be lean.

Sometimes the truth hurts, but lying about what you are eating to yourself, will never get you to your goal of losing your unwanted weight.

If it is fat that you want to lose, do not have white flour, white sugar, or animal fat products in your diet. It doesn't mean that you can never have them, but while you are attempting to lose your fat, DON'T EAT THEM!

Keeping a food diary will help keep you honest. You will be amazed at how many extra calories you will eat in a day without being conscious of it. When you do a food diary you must write down every bit of food and drink that you consume. Even if it is just a bite off some one's plate, or a snack that you might have on the run, write it down.

Write it all down. Do this for a month and you will be able to see where it is you need to cut out those extra unwanted calories. You don't have to show your food diary to anyone, it is for you to see what and when you are eating.

If you find yourself eating emotionally, write down what it is you are feeling. Get to the bottom of your feelings and address what it is that causes you to eat. Fear, boredom, stress, anger, guilt, or what ever the emotion might be, it could help you to confront your food issue.

A food diary can give you an honest accounting of what you are eating, and give you an idea of why you may overeat. It might help you stay away from the bad foods because you do have to write them down. A food diary will keep you accountable to your "healthy food" diet.



Even if you do not want to lose weight, it is a good way to see what you are eating. Are you choosing healthy choices? Your diary won't lie if you keep an honest accounting. Give it a try, it will help you on your journey to being healthy and fit.


Till Tomorrow,
Queenie

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Coffee

Researching coffee is interesting. There is evidence that coffee can be beneficial for you and evidence that it is not good for you. It depends on which study you want to read. It is a pro's and con's battle for the truth about coffee.





Here are some of the negative effects that coffee is said to have on your health;

Coffee has high amounts of Vitamin K in it. It will effect the coagulability of your blood, making it bad for people that are at high risk for heart attack and stroke.

Decreases the quality of your sleep, and will aggravate stress in people who drink it daily.

Coffee hampers the absorption of essential minerals such as magnesium, zinc, potassium, iron, and B vitamins.

Can contribute to tooth decay. Coffee leaches calcium from your bones.

Coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops. It is also one of the most acidic things we put into our bodies. Disease and illness happens when we are acidic.


And here are some reported benefits;

Caffeine stimulates intellectual activity when you are tired or bored.
Caffeine speeds up fat metabolism during exercise, while reducing hunger.
Caffeine reduces the risk of creating gall stones.
Caffeine may protect from colon cancer and cirrhosis of the liver.

Coffee may protect against Asthma and Parkinson's disease.
Coffee has four times the amounts of antioxidants than Green Tea.
Coffee enhances performance and memory, and works as an anti-depressant.
Coffee can reduce migraines, but may also cause them...Go figure!

So there you have it...a bunch of conflicting information about coffee. Good or Bad, that is the question. I think the best thing to do is drink it in moderation....anything to excess is bad for you. Moderation is the answer to most things.





Enjoy a cup of coffee, but be careful of the "fattening" special coffee drinks that can add hundreds of unwanted fat calories to your diet. It's just not worth it!

Till Tomorrow,
Queenie

Finding My Sole Mate

This is not a mushy gushy post about how much I love Mr Trail Mix (I would never inflict that upon you all.)  Instead, I'm here with a public service announcement for anyone who will be wearing high heels in an outdoor setting.

I am a girl who loves her high heels.  At only 5'3" on a good day, heels are a necessity for me when I go out in order to feel confident.  Plus, it's hard to strut in flats and I must confess, I have been known to strut my stuff on a night out with my girlfriends.  Therefore, high heels for my wedding are a must!

However, my wedding is going to be outdoors.  In a big field.  Not exactly a surface conducive to confident strutting when wearing heels, right?

Enter the Sole Mate.

FMIL Trail Mix clued me into these bad boys when I had mentioned to her that I might have to wear wedges since I didn't want my heels to get stuck in the ground for the wedding.  Now I love me a pretty pair of wedges as much as the next shoe-obsessed lass does but I wasn't completely sold on the look for my wedding.

The Sole Mate is a little rubber/plastic gadget that slips onto the heel of your shoe, widening the base of the heel, therefore spreading the distribution of your weight a bit and allowing you to avoid sinking into the ground.  BRILLIANT!

Here's what they look like:

(Source)

They also come in clear if you prefer that to the black.  Either way, I think it's a genius idea that's going to allow me to wear my beloved 3" high heels without worrying about walking on an uneven surface or that my heels will get dirty from sinking into the ground.

The company's website is www.thesolemates.com and while they're not exactly cheap ($9.95 per pair) they do have a deal that if you order 10 pairs, you get 10% off your purchase. They also have a special discount for brides that allows you to pass the 10% discount on to you friends and family.

I think this would be a great little present for your bridesmaids or family members if your wedding is going to be held in an outdoor location, don't you?

Has anyone tried these or heard of them before? Do you have another solution to the high heels sinking into the ground problem?

PS- I know you all read that hoping for some shoe porn and even though I mostly already talked about my shoes in this post, here's a sneak peak of my oh-so-lovely heels (full post to come shortly!):

(Personal Photo)

Aren't they dream-delicious??? 

Finding My Sole Mate

This is not a mushy gushy post about how much I love Mr Trail Mix (I would never inflict that upon you all.)  Instead, I'm here with a public service announcement for anyone who will be wearing high heels in an outdoor setting.

I am a girl who loves her high heels.  At only 5'3" on a good day, heels are a necessity for me when I go out in order to feel confident.  Plus, it's hard to strut in flats and I must confess, I have been known to strut my stuff on a night out with my girlfriends.  Therefore, high heels for my wedding are a must!

However, my wedding is going to be outdoors.  In a big field.  Not exactly a surface conducive to confident strutting when wearing heels, right?

Enter the Sole Mate.

FMIL Trail Mix clued me into these bad boys when I had mentioned to her that I might have to wear wedges since I didn't want my heels to get stuck in the ground for the wedding.  Now I love me a pretty pair of wedges as much as the next shoe-obsessed lass does but I wasn't completely sold on the look for my wedding.

The Sole Mate is a little rubber/plastic gadget that slips onto the heel of your shoe, widening the base of the heel, therefore spreading the distribution of your weight a bit and allowing you to avoid sinking into the ground.  BRILLIANT!

Here's what they look like:

(Source)

They also come in clear if you prefer that to the black.  Either way, I think it's a genius idea that's going to allow me to wear my beloved 3" high heels without worrying about walking on an uneven surface or that my heels will get dirty from sinking into the ground.

The company's website is www.thesolemates.com and while they're not exactly cheap ($9.95 per pair) they do have a deal that if you order 10 pairs, you get 10% off your purchase. They also have a special discount for brides that allows you to pass the 10% discount on to you friends and family.

I think this would be a great little present for your bridesmaids or family members if your wedding is going to be held in an outdoor location, don't you?

Has anyone tried these or heard of them before? Do you have another solution to the high heels sinking into the ground problem?

PS- I know you all read that hoping for some shoe porn and even though I mostly already talked about my shoes in this post, here's a sneak peak of my oh-so-lovely heels (full post to come shortly!):

(Personal Photo)

Aren't they dream-delicious??? 

Why We Need Our Eight Hours of Sleep

Getting enough sleep is vital to your health. There are so many functions that your body performs while you are sleeping. Yet many people do not get enough sleep, and show pride in the fact that they get by on four or five hours of snoozing time. It is not something to brag about, rather something that you should be concerned about.

I have always loved that sleepy, weepy, feeling when your eyes have a hard time staying open. That is a feeling that I never try and fight. I love sleep, and always have. When I have gotten less than seven hours, I felt off the next day. Five hours or less, I feel spaced out and disoriented.

Sleep is important for the brain to function optimally. Without enough sleep the neurons in the brain begin to malfunction. This can effect your behavior and decision making process. Prolonged sleep deprivation will cause speech to be slurred and an inability to make logical decisions.

Not getting enough sleep will effect your ability to maintain a healthy immune system. Your body will not be able to fight off certain virus's and infections that it would normally be able to with enough sleep.

Learning becomes significantly reduced when you are sleep deprived. Research shows kids who sleep less have a much lower grade average than those who get eight to nine hours. In some studies lack of sleep has proven to be a source of depression and ADHD in adolescent teens. If you want to be at your peak for learning, GET YOUR EIGHT PLUS HOURS OF SLEEP EVERY NIGHT.

Accidents and emotional problems can be exacerbated by not getting enough sleep. Being able to concentrate is radically reduced as well.

Do you want to lose weight? If you are not getting enough sleep, you will have a hard time losing weight, and will most likely gain it instead. Sleep is another key factor in staying lean.

Important hormone production is regulated in sleep. Without sleep your hormones can become imbalanced.

Sleep is where our bodies heal and repair our tissues that have been damaged. For instance, when you work out, it is during the rest and sleep process that the body repairs itself and makes you stronger.

There are things you can do to help you get to sleep and stay asleep. A comfortable bed is important for a good nights sleep. Watching Television or being on a computer will stop your sleep hormone "Melatonin" production due to the light emitted from the screens. So turning off the lights is a good thing to help promote sleep.

Turning off the mind chatter, and worried thoughts is important to for sleep. Many times at night, our minds go off into worry land and keep us awake. Try to "not think" of things you have to do, or things that worry you. Think good thoughts.

If you want to be at your best, be healthy of body and mind, make sure you get eight to nine hours of sleep. There is nothing better than a good nights sleep, except another good nights sleep!

Till Tomorrow,
Queenie

Liv Tyler Hairstyle

Liv Tyler has consistently been a able extra who takes on assorted roles. She played the aggressive adherent of Jimmy in "That Thing You Do!" and she was the babe of Harry Stamper (played by Bruce Willis) in "Armageddon." She was the able she-elf Arwen in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. And she became Betty Ross in the "The Incredible Hulk."

However, alfresco of the argent screen, Live Tyler stirs up altered reactions from critics because of her hairstyles. On some days, she receives amorous thumbs down. And on added days, the accepted Liv Tyler hairstyle is hailed as incomparable.

Which of Liv Tyler's hairstyles are ideal for her?

What makes some Liv Tyler's hairstyles a big hit? And added importantly, why is it that some Liv Tyler's hairstyles concluded up in the bad beard canicule bin? Liv Tyler faces abounding challenges aback it comes to her hair. In fact, it is safe to accept that chief the Liv Tyler hairstyle is added difficult than arena her roles. But actuality is an attack to break the secrets of the bigger Liv Tyler hairstyles.

Understanding Liv Tyler's face shape

In the apple of hairstyling, it is an important law to abstraction the appearance of the face to analyze the best adulatory hairstyle. Then, the purpose of the hairstyle is to accomplish the face arise afterpiece to the face appearance that is advised as absolute - the egg-shaped shape. This sounds accessible on the surface, but there is one little problem. It is attenuate for any being to accept a audible face shape. The majority of faces tend to accept a aggregate of face shapes. And herein exists the aboriginal claiming to Liv Tyler's hairstyles.

Liv Tyler has a face appearance that combines the egg-shaped and the oblong. The combination, however, is not analogously balanced. On abutting assay of Liv Tyler's face shape, her face is dominantly oval. The aphorism for egg-shaped face shapes is that the arrangement of the breadth of the face, which begins from the aerial to the tip of the chin, and the width, which is abstinent beyond the cheeks, should be 1.5. Liv Tyler's face appearance actually meets this accurate requirement. But abounding hairstylists, after this algebraic carefulness in mind, tend to accept that Live Tyler's face is added ellipsoidal than oval, and again they actualize Liv Tyler hairstyles accordingly. The result, obviously, is not the best.

Playing up the face appearance through Liv Tyler's hairstyle

The best Liv Tyler hairstyles should assignment on the actuality that her face is actually added egg-shaped than oblong. There is an apparition of a added ellipsoidal face because of her adequate chin. But there are admirable Liv Tyler hairstyles that baffle the rules for ellipsoidal faces. For example, ellipsoidal faces should never abrasion continued beard styles because the breadth will added elongate the face. But Liv Tyler's added egg-shaped face can get abroad with best hair. Ellipsoidal faces should additionally abstain departing the beard at the middle. But abounding adorable Liv Tyler hairstyles are beggared in the middle.

Keep in apperception that Liv Tyler does not accept a altogether egg-shaped appearance of face. This agency that a little aberration adjoin the rules for egg-shaped face shapes will be abstract on her. The Liv Tyler hairstyles, therefore, charge be called actual carefully. The adequate account is that egg-shaped face shapes can action best types of hairstyles. For example, egg-shaped face shapes will attending abundant with abbreviate hair. Life Tyler's chichi abbreviate beard aback she was the presenter of Oscars in 1999 fabricated her attending actually stunning. But any beard breadth will be adequate for her. The predominantly egg-shaped appearance additionally allows for best Liv Tyler hairstyles.

However, there is a little claiming that lies forth Liv Tyler's hairline. She has abundant accomplished babyish hairs that can't be pulled back. This is why abounding Liv Tyler hairstyles accept bangs, and she couldn't get abroad with a bound pulled aback ponytail. The best Liv Tyler hairstyles are those that cautiously anatomy her face, bringing out the admirable antithesis of her facial features.

Training Schedule, Marathon Style

(Source)

Heehee, sorry, couldn't resist a cartoon that featured running and weddings!

Now that it's almost February (what the CRAP?!?! How did that happen?!?!) I am deep into marathon training. In fact, I counted it up and the Boston Marathon is less than 12 weeks away! For once, I've actually been consistent with my training, thanks in large part to writing about it as well as logging all my miles and workouts (a strategy I talked about here.)

I thought I would share with you all a typical training week.  You could modify this for any-length race though; just subtract about 20% of the mileage for a shorter race (such as a half-marathon or 10k.)

Due to time constraints, I always plan my longest run for the weekend.  It isn't always a fun decision, since it usually means I have to forgo the standard Saturday night festivities in order to be hydrated and awake for my 14+ milers but I think the end results on April 19th will be worth it.

Sample Weekly Marathon Training Schedule

Monday- 60:00 or more cross-training. I prefer a specific type of elliptical that works your arms and legs but the stationary bike, erg machine, stairmaster or swimming are all great cross-training methods as well.

Tuesday- 7-10 miles.  Nuff said.

Wednesday- Because I'm all about the alliterations, Wednesday has come to be "Workout Wednesdays" in my mind.  I usually alternate each week between a hill workout and a speed workout.  For example, this past Wednesday I ran 2:00 uphill, then turned right around and jogged back down, making a continuous loop that took about 4:30 total time.  I did that 11 times (plus a warm-up and cool down.)

An example of a speed workout I did the week before is :30 at a very hard pace, then 1:00 very, very slowly x 15.

Thursday- Gotta recover from that workout, so a 4-5 miler at an easy pace feels good.

Friday- More cross-training, usually upwards of 60:00, sometimes 80:00 if I'm feeling ambitious (or trying to make up for a lazy day when I didn't get my miles in!)

Saturday- Easy 2-3 miles in preparation for the next day...I also sometimes just go for a walk or do nothing on this day.  I've found that I get really good results the more I rest.  It sounds contradictory but sometimes rest can be the best ingredient in a training recipe.

Sunday- Longest run of the week.  When I started training for the marathon, my long run was 8 miles and I've added 1 mile to this long run every week since.  I'm now at 14 miles and have to work up to between 20-21 miles.  Ouch.

So that's my general outline for my marathon training.  Do I stick to it like a drill sargeant? Nope, not a chance.  There are days where I'm too tired, too busy or too sick of working out to do much more than a 30:00 run (or even anything at all.)  I don't stress it.  Just like wedding planning, half the battle of running a marathon is the journey there and I try to enjoy it as much as possible.

The good thing about this general workout plan is that it could easily be adapted for whatever distance race you are training for.  If it's a 5k you're running, run 3 miles instead of 7 and do 40:00 on the elliptical instead of 60:00.

Well, I hope I haven't scared you all off from running or training for a race.  It sounds like a lot and sometimes it is but I think the results will be well worth the effort.

Is anyone else training for a spring race? What race are you running? I'd love to hear about it!

Training Schedule, Marathon Style

(Source)

Heehee, sorry, couldn't resist a cartoon that featured running and weddings!

Now that it's almost February (what the CRAP?!?! How did that happen?!?!) I am deep into marathon training. In fact, I counted it up and the Boston Marathon is less than 12 weeks away! For once, I've actually been consistent with my training, thanks in large part to writing about it as well as logging all my miles and workouts (a strategy I talked about here.)

I thought I would share with you all a typical training week.  You could modify this for any-length race though; just subtract about 20% of the mileage for a shorter race (such as a half-marathon or 10k.)

Due to time constraints, I always plan my longest run for the weekend.  It isn't always a fun decision, since it usually means I have to forgo the standard Saturday night festivities in order to be hydrated and awake for my 14+ milers but I think the end results on April 19th will be worth it.

Sample Weekly Marathon Training Schedule

Monday- 60:00 or more cross-training. I prefer a specific type of elliptical that works your arms and legs but the stationary bike, erg machine, stairmaster or swimming are all great cross-training methods as well.

Tuesday- 7-10 miles.  Nuff said.

Wednesday- Because I'm all about the alliterations, Wednesday has come to be "Workout Wednesdays" in my mind.  I usually alternate each week between a hill workout and a speed workout.  For example, this past Wednesday I ran 2:00 uphill, then turned right around and jogged back down, making a continuous loop that took about 4:30 total time.  I did that 11 times (plus a warm-up and cool down.)

An example of a speed workout I did the week before is :30 at a very hard pace, then 1:00 very, very slowly x 15.

Thursday- Gotta recover from that workout, so a 4-5 miler at an easy pace feels good.

Friday- More cross-training, usually upwards of 60:00, sometimes 80:00 if I'm feeling ambitious (or trying to make up for a lazy day when I didn't get my miles in!)

Saturday- Easy 2-3 miles in preparation for the next day...I also sometimes just go for a walk or do nothing on this day.  I've found that I get really good results the more I rest.  It sounds contradictory but sometimes rest can be the best ingredient in a training recipe.

Sunday- Longest run of the week.  When I started training for the marathon, my long run was 8 miles and I've added 1 mile to this long run every week since.  I'm now at 14 miles and have to work up to between 20-21 miles.  Ouch.

So that's my general outline for my marathon training.  Do I stick to it like a drill sargeant? Nope, not a chance.  There are days where I'm too tired, too busy or too sick of working out to do much more than a 30:00 run (or even anything at all.)  I don't stress it.  Just like wedding planning, half the battle of running a marathon is the journey there and I try to enjoy it as much as possible.

The good thing about this general workout plan is that it could easily be adapted for whatever distance race you are training for.  If it's a 5k you're running, run 3 miles instead of 7 and do 40:00 on the elliptical instead of 60:00.

Well, I hope I haven't scared you all off from running or training for a race.  It sounds like a lot and sometimes it is but I think the results will be well worth the effort.

Is anyone else training for a spring race? What race are you running? I'd love to hear about it!

Taking Time to Do "Nothing"

When I was growing up (yes it was a long time ago) there were no computers, electronic games, cell phones, I Pods, or any of the technology that we have today.

We wrote letters to people that took a week to get to where they were going. We had no e-mail or faxes to communicate with.

Consequently things moved much slower, which gave us more time to do nothing. There are many benefits to this electronic age that we live in, but there are also some negatives that should be addressed.

We have to do more because everything is 100 times faster. Instead of waiting for a letter from a friend for a week, we now receive e-mails or comments on face book by the hundreds in one day. Responding to that many types of communication feels like a full time job sometimes.

Along with all of the current ways to communicate, we live in a society that tells us that if we aren't doing something, we lack drive and ambition. I disagree with this and find it unhealthy to always have to be doing something.

It is important to take action in much of our lives, like education, projects, home and family, but we need to schedule in "Down Time" in our overly busy lives.

Many kids today are ridiculously over scheduled. Five days a week they go to school. Then there are the after school sports, dance lessons, music lessons, and what ever else their over achieving parents want them to do. After that there is homework, and for most schools it is a good couple of hours worth.

The weekends that used to be for relaxing, are now to fit in more scheduled events that couldn't be fit in during the week. Kids are booked weeks in advance! A little crazy if you ask me.

We need to have some down time in our week. Time where you have nothing planned, no time schedule to keep, and nothing to feel pressured about. Time to do nothing.

Doing nothing helps lower stress which helps your body be healthier. It is also shown to improve memory and help with your ability to learn. It allows you to sit in a space where you can unwind and rejuvenate yourself from all the busyness in your life. It will help to give you a different perspective on things when you step back and slow down.

I remember when I was a kid I used to lay on the grass and look up into the sky and watch the clouds float by in their many shapes and forms. I would see them take shape of an animal or a face. It was wonderful and relaxing and the best part was that I didn't have to do it, it was not on the schedule.

I have a rocking chair on my porch that I will sit in during the twilight hours of the day. I love that time because I am just sitting and listening to the birds while the sky begins to turn into the sunset colors. It is one of my favorite things to do. I do nothing and have a wonderful time doing it.

It is not how much we do, but the quality of what you do that matters. You can be busy, busy, busy, all day and not get much done. I know many people that are busy all of the time, but never have much to show for it. Being busy does not mean you are productive.

I believe that down time helps you to be more productive. We need balance in our lives. It is important to do the things that need to be done like school, work, and taking care of our responsibilities. But we also need to relax and do nothing from time to time.

So add a little "nothing" into your week by finding that time to just "Be" and not "Do". You will discover that it will help you when you have to be busy and get things done. Notice I said a "little" nothing. A lot of nothing is not going to get you where you want to go. Everything in moderation....that is the key!

Till Tomorrow,
Queenie

No Time for Exercise?

I have been a fitness professional for nearly thirty years. One of the main excuses I have heard from people is, they have no time to exercise. Their lives are scheduled to the point of having little to no time left for what should be a priority.

Rather than argue the point that you do have time to exercise, and it is your prioritizing that is the problem, I will share some ways that you can fit exercise in during your day regardless of your schedule.

You can add in simple movements throughout your regular daily routine that will help to strengthen you and add muscle to your body. Remember that muscle will increase your metabolism, burn more calories, and help to sculpt your body to how you want to look.

One exercise that you can add to your normal activity is lunges. If you are walking somewhere like out to your car, or down the hallway of your home, lunge instead of walk. Walking lunges are a great exercise for your butt and legs. They also raise your heart rate which will help to strengthen your heart.

If you are sitting at a desk, or sitting in any chair, it is an opportunity to do triceps dips to improve that part of the arm that wiggles and waggles when we reach up to wave. By sliding your butt off the chair and placing the palm of your hands on the edge of the chair, lower your butt down to the ground by bending your elbows and then raise yourself back up to a straight arm. If your legs are straight out in front of you that is the most difficult position, if you bend your knees and pull your feet towards you it gets easier.

By using a ledge of a sink or desk you can do incline push-ups. Push-ups are a superb way to work your upper body including chest, back, shoulders, and arms. Do three sets of fifteen to twenty push-ups a day. You will see a difference in how your body looks in as little as thirty days.


Laying flat on the ground for a few sets of abdominal exercises can done in just a few minutes. Upper crunches, bicycle abs, double crunches, are just a few abdominal exercises that will work. Doing these when you get out of bed in the morning before you brush your teeth is a good way to remember to do them. Do them again at night when brushing your teeth before bed. Do three sets of fifty reps to start.

Do you have stairs in your home? If you do, go up and down them for five or ten minutes and you will have a good aerobic, leg, and butt work out. Do this in the morning and in the evening. You will gain endurance and strength walking the stairs.

The Plank exercise is one of the most powerful for your core and body. It will strengthen just about everything, your arms, legs, butt, shoulders, and most importantly your core. (stomach and back muscles)


This is simple to do. Lye on the ground face down lifting your body up while balancing on your elbows and toes. Your body must be in a flat position, no butt's up in the air! Hold in your stomach and make sure there is no arch to your back. Hold this for as long as you can, starting with fifteen to thirty seconds. This is the best exercise and only takes a few minutes to complete.


You can incorporated any of these six exercises into your busy schedule by doing them throughout your day. A few minutes here, a few minutes there. This way you don't have to find an hour or two to get it done, and it will still work!

Till tomorrow,
Queenie

Walking for Exercise

If you have not been doing regular exercise and want to begin a program to get fit and lose weight, walking is a great place to start. It is a wonderful way to lose some fat, strengthen your heart, and get yourself out in the fresh air and nature.

I think that it is important to know what your heart rate is when walking for exercise. You want to be in the "zone" of burning fat, and if you are not sure of your heart rate, you may not be getting the results that you are after.

To figure out your aerobic fat burning zone, minus your age from 220. That will give you your 100% heart rate range. We do not want to be at that range while working out. That is your maximum range and we want to be between 65 and 85% of that 100% mark.

For instance if you are 18 years old, your maximum will be 202 beats per minute, and your 65% will be 130 beats per minute. Your 85% heart rate will be 170 beats per minute. So staying at a heart rate between 130 and 170 will give you the results that you want as far as losing fat and strengthening your heart.

When we are walking we sometimes do not keep a pace that will get our heart rate up into the zone that will give us the benefits that we want. That is why a heart monitor is a great tool for doing any cardiovascular exercise. It will give you an accurate reading.

Taking your heart rate with your pulse on your neck or wrist will do if you do not have a monitor, but can be inaccurate if not done properly. The best way to do this is to place two fingers on between your neck and jaw bone, count your pulse beats for six seconds and then add a zero to it. Example; if you count 14 beats, your heart rate is 140.

If you are 120 lbs and walk three miles in an hour, you will burn approximately 250 calories. That is a not a fast pace, but would be considered moderate. If you were 120 lbs and were walking up hills for an hour at a moderate pace you would burn approximately 500 calories. Obviously the more intense you are, the more calories you will burn.

Walking is a great way to begin when starting an exercise program. It is also a good thing to add into your "Cross Training" program, where you choose several different modalities for working out. I will talk more about Cross Training later.

So throw on your walking shoes and get outside for some fresh air, nature, heart strengthening, and fat burning, WALKING! Enjoy!!

Till Tomorrow,
Queenie

The Final Table Number Post

Yes, you read that correctly.  I have finally reached the end of my table number saga.  If you're particularly intrigued bored, you can read the first three parts here, here and here...

The worst part about putting all this thought, effort and time into the table numbers is that they are one of those things that no one's going to notice! Seriously, if I get even one comment about these during or after the wedding, I will be happy (and surprised.)

But I suppose it's my prerogative as a slightly-obsessed bride (ok, fine, some might call me psycho, it's cool...) to put as little or as much time into these minute details as I want.  And hot damn, I put a lot of time into these bad boys.

I ordered lots of absolutely beautiful decorative paper from DickBlick Art Materials. Not only did I order two separate packs in specific color schemes but the store also offers scrap paper by the 1/2 or pound, like the example below. It comes in all shapes, colors and sizes so don't bet on getting anything in specific but the scraps I got are so freakin gorgeous, it didn't even matter!

(Source)

Once the papers arrived on my door, I set to work, carefully using my exacto knife to cut out the numbers.  I already talked about how I made them in my last table number post so I won't bore you with the details again (see this post if you're really interested.) I got up to number 12 (out of 22) and then decided I hated them, they looked like a 5-year-old had made them and promptly threw them all in the garbage and called for reinforcements.

Luckily, Bridesmaid D is tremendously talented in the realm of crafts and she came over one Saturday afternoon to help me make these happen.

And now I present the final product.  Tada!

(Personal Photo)

And the best part is? They're reversible! I used the cut-out number for the other side.

(Personal Photo)

And one more shot of them all laid out on the table.

(Personal Photo)

I'll confess, I'm a little bit on love with them.  Even if no one notices or comments on them.  Even if I could have had them made for cheaper on Etsy.  Even though they're not perfect and don't look professionally made. I love 'em.  And that, my friends, is really the crux of the matter.

What's your detailed project that you're in love with but no one else will notice?

The Final Table Number Post

Yes, you read that correctly.  I have finally reached the end of my table number saga.  If you're particularly intrigued bored, you can read the first three parts here, here and here...

The worst part about putting all this thought, effort and time into the table numbers is that they are one of those things that no one's going to notice! Seriously, if I get even one comment about these during or after the wedding, I will be happy (and surprised.)

But I suppose it's my prerogative as a slightly-obsessed bride (ok, fine, some might call me psycho, it's cool...) to put as little or as much time into these minute details as I want.  And hot damn, I put a lot of time into these bad boys.

I ordered lots of absolutely beautiful decorative paper from DickBlick Art Materials. Not only did I order two separate packs in specific color schemes but the store also offers scrap paper by the 1/2 or pound, like the example below. It comes in all shapes, colors and sizes so don't bet on getting anything in specific but the scraps I got are so freakin gorgeous, it didn't even matter!

(Source)

Once the papers arrived on my door, I set to work, carefully using my exacto knife to cut out the numbers.  I already talked about how I made them in my last table number post so I won't bore you with the details again (see this post if you're really interested.) I got up to number 12 (out of 22) and then decided I hated them, they looked like a 5-year-old had made them and promptly threw them all in the garbage and called for reinforcements.

Luckily, Bridesmaid D is tremendously talented in the realm of crafts and she came over one Saturday afternoon to help me make these happen.

And now I present the final product.  Tada!

(Personal Photo)

And the best part is? They're reversible! I used the cut-out number for the other side.

(Personal Photo)

And one more shot of them all laid out on the table.

(Personal Photo)

I'll confess, I'm a little bit on love with them.  Even if no one notices or comments on them.  Even if I could have had them made for cheaper on Etsy.  Even though they're not perfect and don't look professionally made. I love 'em.  And that, my friends, is really the crux of the matter.

What's your detailed project that you're in love with but no one else will notice?

Having a Bad Day?

Do you have those days where you feel crummy and maybe a little depressed and you are not sure why? Or maybe there is a reason that you are feeling bad and you just don't know what to do to get you out of the funk. It happens to everyone, and it will continue to happen if you are alive and breathing.

What you need to know is what you can do to minimize or negate those feelings all together. We always have a choice in how feel and how we react to any situation.

There are different kinds of depression. One type is called situational depression where a certain situation is upsetting to you. For instance if you break up with a boyfriend, or fail an exam, or can't lose the weight that you want to lose, that type of sadness is caused from something that has happened to you.

If you are depressed and sad for no particular reason, and no matter how good things are you are still depressed, that could be a chemical imbalance that would require seeing a Doctor that specializes in that kind of practice.

Most people do not suffer from that type of imbalance, they are instead sad from situations that happen in their lives. That is the kind of depression or sadness I want to talk about.

I feel like I am an expert on situational depression. I have dealt with it a great deal of my life. Most of it was unnecessary and quite frankly a huge waste of my time and energy. I would be depressed about what "might" happen, or what "hasn't" happened. I might be sad about something that I could not change. Looking back on these times I can see that most of my sad or depressed thoughts were exaggerated in my head.

When I began to be more conscious about my thoughts and emotional state, I realized that when I was depressed I also had accompanying physical signs as well. My energy would be low, my chest would be tight, and sometimes my stomach would feel nauseated.

This is now my alarm system that I am not thinking right. I do not like how that feels and will shift myself to a better thought to relieve the uncomfortable physical feelings.

Ask yourself when you are worried or depressed about something "Are you 100% sure that what you are worried about will happen?". Do you have control over what it is you are sad about? If you are not 100% sure of what it is you are depressed about, or do not have the control to change what it is you are sad about, use the tools that I have talked to you about in this blog.

First off, there is "Mindfulness" to practice. "Choose" your thoughts. Don't sit and dwell on all the negative in your life, choose to dwell on the positive things. Everyone has something positive to think about. If you feel like you don't have anything positive going on, think about the positive things that you would like to have in your life. Dwell on that.

No one is in your head but you. No one is making you think anything. It is all you, whether you are having good thoughts or bad, it is all up to you what goes on in your head. You choose every thought that you have good or bad. Why not choose to think thoughts that make you feel good as opposed to one fearful, depressed, thought after another.

If making a conscious decision to choose your thoughts is difficult, and it will be when you first begin working on this, use "meditation" as a tool to clear your head of bad thoughts. Meditation is a wonderful tool for changing your frame of mind. Go back into the archives of this blog and reread the Mindfulness and Meditation posts, they will help you to get back on track.

So when you are having a bad day, feeling depressed and sad, take control of the situation by being in charge of what you are thinking and feeling. You are in charge anyway, you just aren't aware of it most of the time. Don't let it control you. You take control of it.

Remember there is always tomorrow, and tomorrow holds the promise of a new day and wonderful opportunities for you. Lift yourself up, and then do the same for someone else. That will always make you feel good.

Till Tomorrow,
Queenie

Kristin Cavallari's Hair Style

Allow all good how are you lucky this time into this blog because I show my back hair models idol artist you all this time is the haircut of Kristin Cavallari's well if you want to know more deeply, please visit my blog on ok ...

If you're looking for easy but stylish hair this summer try a version of Kristin Cavalleri's hairstyle. This Laguna Beach-worthy hairstyle is best suited for naturally straight hair but can be achieved on wavy hair with a little bit of help from the proper hair products.

The cut for Kristin Cavalleri's hairstyle is a shoulder length bob with heavy layering in the last two inches of length via a razor cut. These layers will give movement to the hairstyle and allow for a slight flipping of the ends of the hair. The bang section is left long, at least nose length, and swept to the side.

To style Kristin Cavalleri's hairstyle use a texturizing hair crème or, if you have wavy hair, a straightening balm. Apply the hair product to damp hair, give your hair a deep side part, and blow dry with a large paddle brush. You don't want a lot of volume in this hairstyle, so use the brush to get a little lift at the roots but keep the rest of the hair straight and sleek.

Why Do We Need Fiber?

Fiber is essential for a healthy body. It helps our body's digestive system to run smoothly. Eating fiber will promote health and will reduce your risk for certain diseases.

There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and can help lower the bad cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels. Pears, apples, oat bran, legumes, and barley are some examples of soluble fiber.

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and will absorb water in your intestinal track like a sponge. It can absorb fifteen times its weight in water. It is also referred to as roughage. Insoluble fiber can help you to feel full longer and will speed up the digestion of your food to help avoid constipation. Fruits, vegetables, and whole wheat foods, are some examples of Insoluble fiber.

Fiber helps to prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, and diverticulitis. There are also studies that show fiber linked to the prevention of some cancers like colon and breast cancer. Because fiber helps to lower cholesterol, it is a prevention for heart disease. When fiber works to regulate blood sugar, it is known to help prevent diabetes.

The American Dietetic Association recommends that we have between 20 and 35 grams of fiber a day. The average American gets only 5 to 10 grams a day.

Once again I must bring up the importance of eating 7 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Not only will you get the benefit of the antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and water content, but you get the huge benefit of fiber! Fruits and vegetables are full of good things for your body to keep you healthy.

One apple has about 4 grams of fiber. One piece of whole wheat bread has approximately 1 to 2 grams of fiber. A serving of Raisin Bran cereal has about 7 grams of fiber. Fruits and vegetables have an average of 4 to 5 grams per serving. As you can see, you need to eat consciously to make sure you are getting your 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day.

When you are choosing what foods you will eat today, make sure they are "fiber full" to keep you on track for being healthy and feeling great!

Till Tomorrow,
Queenie

The World's Easiest Paper Flowers

I confess, I am on the "challenged" side of all things DIY.  I occasionally manage to successfully complete a project but it usually takes me at least 3 or more tries to get it right.  You folks usually only get to see the finished product, rarely do I show the sweat, tears and curses usually involved when I craft.


But fear no more, tears begone, for I have found a delightfully easy DIY wedding craft that anyone can do,  I swear.  Since I had a whole bunch of beautiful, decorative paper left over from another project (more on that one in a bit) and since the sizes, shapes, colors and patterns varied so much, options for use were limited.  Ever-frugal me wanted to put the paper to good use so I poked around the blogosphere to see what paper projects were out there.


I attempted a pinwheel or two a la Miss Buttons but that was a disaster.  Not only was my paper not the right size or weight but I just don't have the crafting gene like she does.  After that fail, I literally googled "paper flower tutorial" and this was the second result that popped up.


So, without further ado, I present Miss Trail Mix's Ridiculously Easy Paper Flower Tutorial...


Materials: Paper (decorative or plain), Scissors, Hot Glue Gun, Pencil


Your paper size does not matter, I used a range from 3' x 3" upwards of 5" x 6".  Step one is to draw a spiral on the paper, just like I did here:

(Personal Photo)

Step 2 is to cut out the spiral, as shown here:

(Personal Photo)

Once you have your spiral all cut nicely, like this...

(Personal Photo)

...now the fun begins.  All you're going to do is roll the paper up, starting with the outside of the spiral, like so...

(Personal Photo)

I used my hot glue gun to secure the paper as I began to roll it.

(Personal Photo)

Once the very beginning is secured with glue, just continue to roll up the rest of the spiral.  Keep it tight but it doesn't have to be super-duper tight since once it's completely rolled, you will probably let it go a bit to get a looser, more "flowery" shape.

Another tip for rolling the paper is to pinch the bottom of your flower a bit, which creates a better shape as well.  After the entire paper spiral is rolled, use the hot glue gun to secure the bottom so it doesn't come unrolled and VOILA! Paper flower created.

Here's a few I made in the beginning:

   

(Personal Photo)

I added a little base using the glue gun to some of the flowers so they could be balanced upright.

(Personal Photo)

Also, because my paper was decorative on side and plain on the other, I did some with the pattern on the inside of the flower and some with the pattern on the outside.  Both looked equally as good, I thought.

With Bridesmaid D by my side, we managed to make about 30 of these little guys in roughly an hour or so (and even Mr Trail Mix got in on the fun, although he only made 2...But it was his first craft attempt for the wedding, so I was happy with his participation!)

Here's a few more shots of my pretties:

(Personal Photo)

(Personal Photo)

(Personal Photo)

So pretty, right? My flower sizes range from about 1" to 3" but if you wanted to make bigger ones, just make your spiral wider (not necessarily longer in length, although that will help as well.)

I think the possibilities for these are endless.  You could put one on each program, place one at each table setting, glue or string them onto branches, pop them into little votive holders, scatter them artfully across table scapes...The list goes on and on.

I'm actually not 100% decided on what I'm going to use these for, it will depend on how many I make and what spaces at the reception need extra sprucing up.  But I didn't lie to y'all, did I? These are super-easy and super-cute, making them my kind of DIY craft!

Any other creative ideas on how I can put these puppies to good use? Share your easy DIY projects too!