Style Inspirations

Put your best foot forward!

12:09 AM

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Sabrina Nazran Bhuiyan

On an average day, clothes tend to take up most of our attention. Choosing the right combination of shirt/jeans/blouse/ pants/kurta/palazzo to get on with our lives is what we mostly focus on. And when that predicament is dealt with, it's on to the accessories.

A lot of times our footwear ends up being the most neglected aspect of our appearance. Little do we realise that shoes hold the power of making or breaking an otherwise well-planned outfit, for both men and women. What goes on our feet matters as much as what we put on ourself, and hence it is about time to give them the attention they truly deserve.

Choosing the right pair of footwear, however, can be tricky. A basic, old pair of black lace-ups or flat slippers just won't cut it anymore: in order to stay ahead of the pack one needs to be aware of the styles that are hot and happening right now.

Great strides have been made in the field of women's footwear in the past few years. While the basic black and metallic stilettos, nude wedges, easy slip-ons are essentials that every woman should own, this year it's all about taking things to the next level.

Colour-blocking, thick, chunky heels, sky-high heels with a brightly-colored platforms are all the rage this year. Your average pair of high heels just got a serious makeover: think multicolored straps, bejeweled heels with contrasting platforms, unusual materials such as suede, snakeskin, calf hair juxtaposed with patent, glitter fabric and soft leather - the more interesting the details the better! These fun shoes can the add mega bling factor to your party outfit, so much so that you can get away with a simpler outfit!

For everyday shoes, the options are endless. Androgynous styles are very hot right now. A pair of Oxford lace-ups, low booties or loafers looks chic and sophisticated when worn with cigarette pants, tights and jeans. These Oxfords can be in a feminine pastel or juicy hue, or it could also be glittery if you are a magpie at heart like me!

Booties that have studs, rhinestones or pearls even add a rock-chick vibe to your look. The most versatile among these styles has got to be the loafers. There are many styles to choose from, such as penny, moccasins and driving shoes. Available in many different, fun colors, these are a great option for everyday wear. Choose an unusual, vibrant shade such as sienna, indigo or camel.

Source: thedailystar.net

Tips to Improving Body Confidence

10:38 PM

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Lifestyle

Feeling good in your skin has nothing to do with whether you’re a size 2 or 12; it’s all about having a positive body image. Think of yourself as sexy, not schlubby, with these ten tips.

1. Think of what your body can do, not what it looks like.

You can walk and run and bike and lift and grow little people inside of you! How amazing! Instead of criticizing what your body looks like all the time, show it a little love by appreciating what it does for you every day. Set goals to do something (like run a marathon), not be something (like a certain pants size or weight), and you’ll be more likely to accomplish those goals and feel good about yourself.

2. Redefine “health.”

You eat a balanced diet, you fit activity into your daily routine, and you enjoy yourself when you’re out with friends rather than fret over how many calories you’re consuming. Isn’t that healthier than being at a certain weight or size? Health is about feeling great, and if you’re killing yourself trying to be “healthy,” something’s wrong with your approach.

3. Throw away your ideas of “normal.”

Serena Williams and Arnold Schwarzenegger (whose BMIs are 32 and 33, respectively) are both considered “obese” according to the accepted healthy range of 18.5-24.9. But neither one is anywhere near fat. Remember that everyone is built differently, with different heights, bone densities, and amounts of muscle (which weighs more than fat) on their bodies. Just because your friend is a size 4 to 6 doesn’t mean that’s the right place for you to be.

4. Don’t look at clothing sizes while shopping.

According to a New York Times article, clothing sizes vary so much from store to store that one retailer’s 12 is another’s 8. So why bother paying attention? It just makes you feel bad about yourself when the size you think you should be doesn’t fit. Try not to look at the size and when you get home, cut out the label so the “size 8 pants” just become the “pants that fit me really well.”

5. Stay off the scale.

Daily fluctuations in water weight can tip the scale up to five pounds in either direction, so if you step on the scale every day, you might be tempted to micromanage yourself. If you need to monitor your weight to stay on track or maintain, set aside a weekly or bi-weekly time to step on the scale. And don’t weigh yourself the week before your period, because you’ll most likely put on two to five pounds of water weight then. If you think you can do without the scale altogether, toss it and just go by how your clothes fit and how you feel.

6. Dress comfortably.

Tight and too-revealing clothes make you gratingly aware of your body all day, stripping away your confidence (which is sexier than anything you could wear). If you have to go up a size to feel good in your clothes, do so rather than try to squeeze yourself into the size you think you should wear.

7. Move mirrors out of plain sight.

Recently one beauty blogger decided to swear off mirrors for an entire year. Her ambitious goal was all centered on her desire to live “from the inside out, instead of the outside in.” While you might not want to avoid mirrors altogether, there’s something to be said for resisting every opportunity to look in one, especially if doing so encourages a negative internal monologue: Do I look fat? How big is that pimple? I hate my nose. Try limiting the number of mirrors in your home to only the essentials—perhaps a full-length one and a makeup mirror.

8. Keep positive people around you.

You shouldn’t rely entirely upon others to supply you with self-worth, but let me tell you that when my fiancé tells me I’m beautiful, it goes a long way toward making me see it myself. When an ex-boyfriend would tell me I was fat and had gross skin, I saw that, too. (You can guess why one of these men is an ex and the other my future husband.) Keep people around you who build you up instead of tearing you down and your self image will improve greatly.

9. Dump dieting friends.

Okay, it’s a little harsh to say that you should stop being friends with someone just because they’re trying to lose weight, but if someone’s constantly talking about her diet and how many calories they eat every day, it gets in your head. If your friends’ talk about dieting is making you feel self-conscious about relaxing yours from time to time, try to move on to a different subject and, if that doesn’t work, hang out with the friends who are more focused on having a good time and enjoying each other’s company.

10. Plan to eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day.

Not only is eating frequent meals good for your metabolism, it prevents you from getting too hungry, which can cause overeating and inevitable guilty feelings. Planning your meals can help make you feel in control, and self-discipline is a huge part of self-worth.

13 Simple Tricks To A Long And Happy Marriage

10:32 PM

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Lifestyle

It's no secret that marriage takes work. After all, we're only human, and humans make mistakes, have bad days and sometimes even forget to load the dishwasher (again).

Nevertheless, some couples are able to foster happy, healthy, totally awesome marriages that actually do last a lifetime. How?

A a Reddit thread emerged Sunday asking the happily hitched to reveal their secrets to marital success. Here's what they had to say:

1. Be nice.

"Choose kindness whenever you can -- you should be AT LEAST as nice to your spouse as you would a stranger or you were when you started dating."

2. Enjoy each other's company.

"My wife and I are each other's best friend. We like each other's company. We like having fun. We like doing stuff together. We are honest and direct with one another."

3. Say "I love you" as much as possible.

"Overuse 'I love you'. Seriously. Just say it to him/her like five times and MEAN IT. This lets your SO know that you care. Look at them and say 'I love you so much, you mean the world to me, I appreciate all the things you do for me and our family.'"

4. Be honest.

"Be honest about shit that pisses you off, don't sweat the small stuff, and have good sex."

5. Limit outside influences.

"Out of state in-laws."

6. Small tokens of love go a long way.

"Lots of wee lovings. Frequent demonstrations, in the form of gifts, and expressions of affection, which indicate your emotional addiction."

7. Distance can and will make the heart grow fonder.

"Have alone time. I believe that it helps if you or your partner goes away for a couple of hours, a weekend or maybe a week once in a while. My wife travels to Europe every four months and I get to play video games and eat fried dumplings all day long and I enjoy it -- until day four at which I start missing her and wish she was here. So when I pick her up from the airport we are both happy to see each other again."

8. Be realistic.

"Me and my wife constantly acknowledge what we love about one another, but also we never forget about the 80/20 rule. No one person will ever give you a 100 percent of what you need, we estimate that we each give each other about 80 percent of what the other person needs in a relationship. Recognizing this allows you see the reality of your partnership and not over-romanticize it."

9. Cherish each other.

"Don't forget how important the little things are, like a hug or a compliment. Don't take each other for granted."

10. Be your own person.

"One must understand the importance of we, but also remember there will always be a you and I. It's so easy to the think of yourselves as one person once you get married or start dating. But you always have to remember that you're both completely separate individuals in that, as close and as similar you are, you will have differences in opinion and taste."

11. Build a strong foundation of friendship.

"You have to be friends. Your husband or wife should be someone that you'd want to hang out with. Of course you have to have the sexual aspect but that's not enough to sustain a relationship. You're going to go through hard times and you need someone who you want to spend your time with."

12. Know that relationships are a two way street.

"Be honest about what you want and need and listen to your spouse about what they want and need."

13. Lastly, no marriage is perfect -- and that's okay.

"Understand that nothing is perfect forever. There are going to be disagreements. There will be times when your partner says or does something that hurts you. The happy relationships will talk about it and work through it. The bad relationships will let it stew until it becomes an even bigger problem."

Healthy Summer Skin

9:54 AM

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Beautycare

Most of us can’t live without good skincare. If we don’t cleanse regularly or we give exfoliation a miss our skin can often look dull, congested and lifeless. So the moment our skin starts looking a little on the unhealthy side we often put all our energy back into a good skincare routine. While this does make a huge difference we have to remember that what we put into our bodies each and everyday has just as much impact on how our skin can look.

Ever noticed those people who have skin that just radiates? Wouldn’t it be great if we could glow everyday? And there really is nothing better when somebody tells you that you are looking great! So what are the foods that give you brighter, healthier summer skin!

Make the most of the berries that are still in season. Add them to a smoothie or your muesli to get plenty of age-fighting antioxidants like Vitamin C.
Selenium is an excellent antioxidant for the skin as it improves elasticity and reduces free radical damage. Add some more brazil nuts, wheatgerm, salmon, eggs and garlic to your diet to enjoy some of these benefits.
While bananas are a regular part of many people’s diets we forget how good they are! Our skin doesn’t want to miss out on this great source of vitamin c and silica it provides for healthy skin! Other sources of silica include kelp, whole oats, buckwheat, brown rice, green leafy vegies and alfalfa.
Our skin needs essential fatty acids. Why? They help to hydrate your skin from the inside out as well as having anti-inflammatory effects which helps to calm down red/sensitsed skin. If fish isn’t your thing, try walnuts, flax seed or canola oil. All these will give you an amazing result!
Green Tea contains polyphenols which provide excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects to the skin and body. This makes it the perfect age-fighting tea. And if you haven’t tried White Tea before this has even more antioxidant protection and has a slightly smoother taste. Their a plenty of delicious green and white tea blends available in supermarkets and tea shops.

And what should we avoid in our diets to maintain healthy skin?

Did you know that sugar ages your skin???Advanced Glycosylated End Products are a toxic combination of sugars and proteins found in naughty foods such as pastries, fried foods, cakes, white bread and soft drinks to name a few. They cause free radical damage which ages our skin. So if you want to look youthful keep your cupcakes to a minimum or maybe just an end-of-week treat!

These are just some simple tips that can help you stay in control of your skin this summer. So don’t let the party season get in the way of having radiant, glowing skin.

5 Handy Apps to Get You Marathon Ready

9:59 AM

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Fitness

Get to the finish line with ease!

With spring just around the corner, we’re getting stoked for marathon season. If you’ve been hibernating the past few months, we’ve found five apps that will coach you, whip you into shape, and get you eating healthy. And if it’s your first time putting on your running shoes, no worries — there’s an app for that, too. Check out our faves!

1. Couch-to-5K ($1.99): Not a pro at running? No problem. This program was designed to get you off the couch and running in no time. It combines a mixture of walking and running short distances, and will have you running a 5k non-stop in just nine weeks.

2. MyFitnessPal (free): While training is key, it’s also important to make sure you’re keeping track of what you eat. This awesome app tracks calories and fitness, so it will have you in shape and feeling great for race day.

3. Fleetly (free): If competition is what drives you, this app is for you. You’ll earn points for each complete training session and have the ability to compete with other athletes too.

4. RunKeeper (free): Keeping a steady pace is super important for any marathon runner. This app can help with a bunch of aspects of your run, including tracking your pace and heart rate. Plus, it can synch information to your computer so you can map routes out and more.

5. Personal Running Trainer (free): Whether you’re a beginner runner or a seasoned marathon pro, this app is like having your very own personal trainer. Once you choose your distance, it will automatically schedule your workouts and your coach will let you know when to speed up, when to slow down, and when to rest.

Happy running!

Saddlebag Slimmers

9:56 AM

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Fitness

4 simple moves to get your hips in tip-top shape

We all wish we could have the perfect backside: round, perky, fabulously toned. But in our undying quest to one day look like Beyonce (we can dream, can’t we?), there seems to be one tiny problem holding us back — OK, so maybe it’s more like two not-so-tiny problems: it’s our saddlebags.

No, we’re not talking about those things you use to carry your stuff when you take your horse out on a ride through the Malibu hills. We mean those unsightly fat deposits that hang on the sides of your hips and turn your would-be hourglass shape into something more like a sharp triangle. They can be caused by a number of factors, including a diet heavy in refined carbs, but a lot of the time they show up because your booty’s missing muscle. When it actually sits on your thighs, fat can get pushed out onto and up your hips.

Lucky for you, there are some easy exercises you can do on a daily basis to get the most out of your natural curves. Including these four moves into your regular cardio routine will get your butt in Beyonce shape in no time!

Side Saddle Leg Lifts
You know it’s good for saddlebags when the word “saddle” is actually in the name of the exercise! This move is great for toning the derriere, as well as both the inner and outer thigh because it works everything. Trust us, you’ll be feeling the burn!

Start on your side, legs extended. Keep your top hand on the ground in front of your stomach throughout the exercise, while your bottom arm supports your head. With your bottom leg straight on the ground, lift your top leg six to eight inches off the floor. Pulse your leg 20 times. Next, keeping your top leg raised, move your heel in small circles for 20 reps. Finally, bend and straighten your raised knee 20 times, making sure to keep it raised in its highest position. Repeat on the second side.

Forward and Back Lunges
The trick to these babies is to go as fast as you can without sacrificing good form. After a couple of rounds, your thighs might feel like Jello, but after a few weeks, they definitely won’t look like it!

Start standing, legs together. Hold your arms bent in front of you with your hands clasped, for balance. Starting with the right side, lunge forward, making sure your knee stays over your ankle. In a single movement, stand up and move your right leg behind you into a deep back lunge. Repeat 20 times on each side.

Squat Press to Jump
While this move is fab for those saddlebag areas, it’s also an uh-mazing way to get your blood pumping!
Start standing, legs as wide apart as is comfortable. Keeping your back straight and your butt tucked underneath you (don’t bend forward!), squat down until your fingers touch the ground. Jump up to stand, reaching your arms above your head for height. Repeat 20 times (and don’t forget to land softly!).

Lunge Leg Lift
So this move will probably be as much of a challenge to your balance as it is to your backside, but it’s totally worth the effort! And if you’re feeling a little wobbly, you can always modify the pose so your hands are against a wall.

Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart. Take your right leg behind you into a lunge while you raise your arms in front of you to shoulder height. Stand up straight, bringing your right knee up to hip height in front of you. Then, extend your right leg behind you and hinge forward, keeping your hands on your hips (or at the wall in front of you) — your body should look like a capital T, with your back and extended right leg forming the top portion of the letter. Return to the previous knee lifted position before stepping back into lunge position. Repeat 20 times on each side.

The Superhero Workout

9:52 AM

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Fitness

Get your body into super shape with 6 fab moves

Wonder Woman, Catwoman, Black Widow. Three super ladies with some super serious bods. These girls are more than just pretty faces, though — they can take on any bad guy that crosses their path.

Being a superhero isn’t an easy job. You need to be ready to fly (sometimes quite literally) into action at the drop of a hat. Then, of course, there’s the weapons mastery, the fighting, the spandex.

But just because we can’t all actually become a member of The Avengers doesn’t mean we can’t at least look like one. We’ve rounded up some super moves that are sure to get you into super shape! After all, Comic Con is just around the corner, and if that’s not an excuse to dress up like our fave superheroine, we don’t know what is.

Superman/Banana
Anyone who’s tried the popular at-home workout system P90X should be familiar with this pose (and Tony Horton’s sometimes crazy back and forth speed). Start on your stomach with your arms and legs stretched out and shoulder width apart, six inches off the floor (like Superman). Hold for five seconds, then roll over onto your back, keeping your arms and legs lifted. Hold for another five seconds, then roll back onto your stomach and repeat for a minute. It works your back, abs, and butt, so you can bet you’ll have a body like Wonder Woman in no time!

Jumping Kick
Get into butt-kicking shape with this easy move! Stand with your feet hips width apart and your fists in front of your chest (remember, even superheroes need to block!). Jump a few feet to your right and land knees bent, with your left leg crossed behind your right. Return to standing, and kick your left leg in front of you, then tap your left foot. Repeat the move on your left side (landing with your right leg crossed behind your left) before kicking your right foot in front. Continue going back and forth for 20 reps, and before you know it, you’ll be ready to take on any villain!

Spider-Man Pullups
Want to know how Spidey stays in such super shape? All you need is a pullup bar and your own body weight! Position your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Starting with the right side, pull yourself up toward your right hand while simultaneously lifting your right leg. Lower down and repeat the movement on the left side. Continue on each side for 10 reps. Your arms, back, abs, and legs will all feel the burn, but your teeny bikini will be thanking you come summer!

Up, Up, and Away
Looking for super sexy, superhero arms? Grab two 5-pound dumbbells (no, not your old boyfriends), and get into pushup position. Starting on the right side, pull your right arm up to your ribs, dumbbell in hand, in a rowing motion. Rotate your body so that your right side opens to face the wall and your hips are stacked. Extend your right arm up so that your palm faces forward. Lower into pushup position and repeat the move on your left side. Continue going back and forth for five complete reps.

Thor’s Hammer
Speaking of a super sexy superhero, this move will make you look downright god(dess)-like! Grab a 5-pound dumbbell with both hands, and stand with your feet wider than hips width apart. Starting on the right side, drop into a deep sideways lunge, then straighten and twist your body to the left, lifting the dumbbell up over your head. Repeat the move for 30 seconds on the right side before switching to the left. The workout should last a minute, but if you’re feeling extra super, go ahead and repeat for another set!

Hulk Squats
You can’t expect to kick some super villain butt without some super strong legs! Start by standing with your feet hips width apart (or a little farther, depending on what’s comfortable), and your weight on your heels. Bend your knees into a squat, leaning forward slightly so that your knees stay over your ankles. Touch your fingers to the ground, then explode into a jump, reaching for the ceiling. When you land, lower your body back into squat position. Repeat for one minute.

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