How To Stay Your Wedding Dress Weight

Congratulations on your wedding! We hope it was the most beautiful day of your life and everything you hoped for it to be. And hats off to your success in “Operation Lean Bride”…we’re sure your struggle paid off and you looked fabulous in your white dress. We believe every woman deserves to learn the secret of staying at her wedding dress weight, so read on!

According to Lona Sandon of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, newlyweds often put on 10 pounds right after saying “I do.” It’s hard to sustain your vision-in-white status after weeks and months of restricted eating. Once on honeymoon, it’s party time, with delicious food, drinks, and cakes at the center of your celebrations. And after returning home, you’ve got those new Cuisinarts and blenders to keep you in a food-focused mode.

So what can you do? It’s time to abandon the roller coaster of dieting that takes you from starving to feasting. Instead, here are some tips to help you formulate your own healthy approach to eating that keeps you healthy and looking great for the rest of your life, like so many of our successful clients.

Important Note: When it comes to burning fat, all foods are not created equal. In fact, by incorporating these fat-blasting foods, the pounds will peel off faster than you think.

1. Unsalted nuts- just by eating 3 ounces, you can lose an inch off your waistline per month! Nuts contain a lot of protein and healthy fats, which help eliminate the unhealthy fats.

2. Fish & other seafood- high in protein, low in saturated fat….you stay full up to two hours longer than you’d normally do. Fish and seafood increase leptin levels, a hormone that diminishes those powerful pangs of hunger.

3. Avocado- not only does it contain Omega 3’s, avocado contains Omega 9 fatty acids, which attack your fat reserves for energy, thereby revving your metabolism.

4. Coconut- this helps the liver metabolize up to 30% more fat! The triglycerides and fatty acids keep you fuller longer and also stimulate thyroid activity, thus spiking fat metabolism.

5. Leafy Greens- anything dark green is your friend. They’re loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber—beneficial for digestion—which protect against cancers, cataracts, heart disease, and memory loss.

6. Oats- commonly labeled as a “no-no,” oats is actually a whole grain packed with fiber, making you feel fuller longer. It also lowers cholesterol and decreases fat in the blood.

7. Cayenne- spice is nice! It lowers blood sugar levels, curtails insulin activity to keep your metabolism on fire, and helps you eat less. If you have a love-handle problem, you’ll want to use this quite a bit.

8. Cinnamon- this is both an excellent spice and sugar substitute. In fact, foods with cinnamon metabolize sugar 20 times better than food without cinnamon!
9. Turmeric- used in Indian cooking, this spice is full of beta-carotene, which protects the body from free radical damage that cause aging, decreases the rate at which fat is stored, and has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial properties.

10. Finally, Beware Low-calorie Snacks & Artificial Sweeteners—synthetic fat and sugar substitutes actually pack on pounds!

Article by Michele Risa, Health Consultant, Weight Loss & Anti-Aging Expert, Kundalini Yoga Instructor, www.beyondbodymindspirit.com

8 Wedding Hairstyles Ideas

If ever there was time to make the most of your hair, it is for your wedding. Your bridal hairstyle can look like a million with imagination and the skills of a good hairdresser. Wedding hairstyles range from a more coiffed version of your everyday hair to an elaborate and dramatic style.

Perfect wedding hairstyles flatter your face, your wedding gown, and your veil. They suit your personality while accentuating your best features and minimizing your weak ones. Here are some suggestions for different kinds of hair.

- Hair swept back or up shows more of your face and profile. This style can be especially nice for formal or evening weddings.

- A wedding up-do will accentuate your neck. This look can range from a simple French twist to a stylish mass of ringlets.

- Hair worn down or loose has a more casual look, perfect for daytime, outdoor, and informal weddings.

- Long hair can be worn back, loose, braided, or entwined with beading or fabric that matches your gown.

- Medium-length hair is nearly as versatile as long. It can be curled, straightened, tucked behind your ears, or brushed loosely down.

- Even brides with short hair can have a long, thick wedding day hairstyle. Clip on hairpieces and extensions are available in a variety of colors and styles.

- Short hair can be versatile, from sleek styles to curly. Tiaras, decorative bobby pins, combs, and hair clips all look stunning worn in short hair.

- Bangs can be worn several ways: soft, fringy, angled, or textured. If you’ve never had bangs, experiment with them well in advance. If you’ve always had them, this is not the time to sweep them aside and bare your forehead.

Current styles are important, but should be secondary to what is right for you. Something may be "in" but all wrong for you or your dress. Whatever style you choose, have practice sessions in the week before your ceremony. Do this and your wedding day will most certainly be a fabulous hair day.

Bobette Kyle-Wagner is publisher at www.MyOnlineWeddingHelp.com, a Website helping engaged couples get the most use from Internet wedding resources. The site includes online wedding tips, original articles, and tutorials. Read more about wedding hairstyles and beauty at www.MyOnlineWeddingHelp.com/beauty

Submitted by Bobette Kyle-Wagner, www.myonlineweddinghelp.com

Wedding / Bridal Makeup Instructions

Great wedding makeup ideas from makeup artist Kandee Johnson!

Submitted by www.kandeej.com

Play on Curls

Fresh Waves for a New Generation on the Fall/Winter 2011 Bridal Runways

Amid all the anticipation surrounding how Kate Middleton will wear her hair on her big day with the Royal Wedding right around the corner, we wanted to share with you our own inspiring styles from Fall/Winter 2011 Bridal Fashion Week in New York City last week. These fresh styles can be interpreted to make any bride feel like a princess!

The Fall/Winter 2011 Bridal Fashion Week hairstyles took a fresh approach to embrace a modern, youthful bride. Redken Session Stylist Giovanni Giuntoli created the distinct looks at the Christos, Kenneth Pool, and Amsale collections, taking each in its own direction.

End-of-Day Waves – seen at Christos

“This season the traditionally preppy Christos look evolved for the next generation, and the hair embraces this edgier attitude,” Giuntoli said. “The look is down, when it is typically up, resulting in a youthful, casual after-wedding look that’s flattering and flirty.”

To achieve the look, prep hair to add texture and extra hold with Redken wool shake 08 gel-slush texturizer and then layer on spray starch 15 versatile ironing spray. Part the hair wherever it best reflects the face shape, whether it be left, right or center. Set the curls with a 1-inch curling iron and pin in place until dry. Let the curls out and pull until you have soft waves, finishing the style with fashion work 12 versatile working spray to achieve a silky matte finish. “These waves are not tight, they’re fresh. We’re trying to get away from the corkscrew,” Giuntoli explained.

Cutting Edge Pleat –seen at Kenneth Pool

"This up-do reflects the high-end Kenneth Pool look, with a luxury finish to the hair. This line is more avant-garde, more high-fashion, and so we created a striking, contemporary up-do that pushes the envelope,” Giuntoli said.

To create this look, prep the hair by blow-drying with aerate 08 bodifying cream-mousse, applying at the roots and through the ends for all-over body and texture. Then fold all of the hair except for the front section two inches from the crown into a pleat. Curl small sections of the front two inches with a one-inch barrel and pin each up in place atop the head. “The curls add a softer silhouette for height and a light, airy texture that you can almost see through.” Giuntoli said. For added shine and hold, finish the look with pure force 16 non-aerosol fixing spray.

Statement Pony – seen at Amsale

“This season of Amsale reflects another evolution and a new approach, with a natural, youthful ponytail with soft with volume at the crown for added glamour,” Giuntoli said.

Obtain this look by first sectioning off the hair at the crown, misting with forceful 23 super strength finishing spray and then back brushing for height. “Play with the shape and height at the crown to keep it tailored to your face shape,” Giuntoli explained. Next gather the hair into a pony and wrap a one-inch section around the elastic. Leave a natural wave in the pony tail and mist with shine flash 02 glistening mist for a glossy polish.

These fresh takes on waves reflected an edgier, younger bride and can guide you as you search to achieve the perfect look you need on the big day. When choosing your look, Giuntoli advises that you remember that your wedding day is all about you and it may take a few trials to find the right fit. Work with your Redken stylist to create a look that reflects your own personality and makes you feel your absolute best.

Submitted by Christy McCuaig, www.redken.com

Wedding Fitness Tips

Toning up and slimming down for your wedding

Ah, a topic of interest (and possibly trepidation) for many brides … and grooms, too. I know my fiancee has a dress she bought 20 years ago that she wants to fit into by our wedding day. And although I don’t have a certain outfit I need to squeeze into, like most guys, I have an unspoken vanity about my body and weight and would love to be able to take off my shirt without sucking in my stomach.

My fiancée and I are getting married in November, and we both are trying to tone up for the wedding. A few years ago, we both decided that we were getting a bit too lumpy (we both work 10-hour days and are almost obsessively busy) and decided we needed to make a lifestyle change or we were going to end up like some of the contestants on The Biggest Loser (which, incidentally, is a fantastic and inspiring TV show). So we signed on with a personal trainer friend of mine.

Within a few months, we both were in the best shape of our lives, but not without some sacrifice and fatigue. Over the last year, we have stuck with the program pretty well, but have fallen off a bit recently. But the great thing is that we have the tools and knowledge be learned from our trainer and are putting them to use to start toning ourselves for our wedding.

So what did we learn from our training regimen? If I was doing it all over again, here’s what I would do:

1. If you can afford it, hire a trainer to set up a program for you and then have them work you out for a month or two - After a couple months, you pretty much know the routine and can do it yourself once you start to see results (a motivating factor).

2. If you can’t afford to hire a trainer, consult books written by trainers and create your own routine – Often people go to the gym with the grand intention of putting in a long, sweaty workout but instead walk on the treadmill for half an hour. This won’t get it done, so make sure you have a strenuous routine mapped out before you hit the gym, and vary it up (see Step 3). You need to at least have 20-30 minutes of high-intensity cardio and another 20-30 minutes of weight/resistance training to start to see results … and don’t let anyone tell you any different.

3. Don’t starve yourself while working out - There’s lots of places online where you can find healthy meal plans. Just make sure you get enough to eat, because your body won’t burn off as many calories if it’s in starvation/conservation mode. And take it from us … not eating enough while you are working out strenuously makes you very, very grumpy (also bad for a relationship). We found smaller mealtime meals and lots of protein-heavy snacks helped keep us happier.

4. Mix it up - We found that doing the same exercises every time you work out makes the gym seem like a task. So mix up your exercises … take an aerobic or boot camp class, ride your bike, take a jog, swim, play basketball, whatever.

5. Incorporate lifting into your routine - I know I’m a guy, and guys are supposed to like lifting weights, but I’ve always hated it (and I never had an aspiration to be one of those muscle-bound steakheads you see at the gym lifting like 500 lbs over their heads). But I started lifting lower weights at higher reps, and it makes lifting more of an aerobic activity. And lifting weights is proven to help drop fat and increase muscle mass.

6. Do it together - I think this was the main reason why we have stuck with our program. We started exercising together, learned all the routines from our trainer, ate the same healthy kinds of food, and generally were there to kick each other’s butt when somebody said “Screw this. I’m sore, so I’m going to skip today.”

Jeff Kear is co-owner of My Wedding Workbook, the next-generation free online wedding planner and organizer that’s comprehensive, easy-to-use and helps brides-to-be easily organize and manage all their wedding details, including budgets, guest lists, calendars, RSVPs, gifts and more.

Submitted by Jeff Kear, www.myweddingworkbook.com

PureOlogy’s Artistic Team Provides Tips and Tricks for Brides to Be

As the most important day of a brides life approaches, she hopes for perfection from start to finish. From the gown to the caterer, one thing she doesn’t want to worry about is deciding on her ideal hairstyle. Now she can find her perfect wedding day look with tips and tricks from PureOlogy PureArtist, Mary Katherine Hecht, Angel del Solar and Wendy Belanger, as they teach brides how to create the perfect look from start to finish.

“Bridal hair trends this season are influenced by the red carpet,” says Mary Katherine Hecht. “Brides want classic and timeless wedding day looks ranging from Cascading curls to French twists and Side Ponytails.”

“Wedding Up-Do's are romantic and soft with loose curls and natural texture that gather at the nape - remember it should be professionally done, but not overdone,” states Angel del Solar.

“This years’ bride carries from places of romantic substance,” states Wendy Belanger. “Gentle movement creates a flow to a focal point where you can find the perfect accessory, flower or veil. This look gives a unique sense of unstructured fluidity. It’s all about very romantic hair that shows a sense of elegance accompanied by, but not preceding, confidence in a woman.”

All PureOlogy formulas offer an industry first: Longer Lasting Hair Colour - Guaranteed!

For more information, call PureOlogy at 800-331-1502 or visit www.pureology.com.

Submitted by www.pureology.com