Can You Eat Late and Still Lose?

Lately we've heard the only thing that matters to you waistline is how much you eat. But there's a growing body of research that says when you eat really does make a difference in how much you weigh. "Your body is more prone to burn fat at certain times of day and store fat at other times," says Satchin Panda, Ph.D, associate professor in the Regulatory Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, CA. New studies reveal that to burn the most fat, you need to go 12 hours without eating, like from 8p to 8a.

To keep pounds off, don't eat after dark. Before electricity and all-night dinners, we humans used to spend a long stretch every night without food passing our lips. Staying up and eating late is a very recent phenomenon in human history. Our metabolisms are hardwired to expect a nightly fast, which is a key time for your body to burn fat.

During the day, your brain and muscles use some of the calories you eat for fuel, and the rest gets stored in the liver in the form of glycogen. At night, your body converts that glycogen into glucose and releases it into your bloodstream to keep your blood-sugar levels steady while you sleep. Once the stored glycogen is gone, your livers starts burning fat cells for energy. You burn fat while you sleep!

It takes a few hours to use up the day's glycogen stores. So if you snack until midnight and sit down to breakfast at 7a.m., your body may never get the opportunity to burn any fat before you start reloading your glycogen stores again. It doesn't help that you're also likely to overeat when you're up late. Night owls consume an average of 248 calories more per day than those who got to bed earlier, and most of those calories rack up after 8p.m.

Using this time method may mean that you can snack more and weigh less. In a study just published in Cell Metabolism, Panda's research team for that mice that ate a high-fat diet spread out over the day and night became obese and diabetic, while mice eating the same diet but only over an eight-hour period didn't gain any weight and remained healthy. "Fasting at night can even override most of the negative effects of an unhealthy diet, including weight gain," Panda says.

Source: Health Magazine

Pre-Oscar Beauty Treatments

Normal people can't afford these treatments or have the time for them, but I still thought it was interesting enough to post. ;-)

The Hair Facial: Madonna and her daughter Lourdes are only two of the many celebs who've indulged in a "Hair Facial" from Kinara stylist Shelee Maeda—who, for $85, will massage soy protein into your follicles, then moisturize and steam your hair cuticles open so your locks can absorb all those good nutrients. The treatment aims to soften your hair and give it more shine—making it easier to style for big red carpet events.

BioSlimming Active Wrap: After your hair facial, stick around at Kinara for a slimming wrap. When you see actresses in person, they're teeny-weeny. Those waists fit into the most miniscule of dresses during awards season—and one secret weapon they use to lose the last few inches is the BioSLimming Active Wrap ($180), which uses an infrared heated wrap and essential oils, active algae extracts and caffeine to fight cellulite, boost fat metabolism and most importantly, reduce the size of your waist.

The Ultimate Blow-Out: Blow-outs are one thing LA does well—and the competition is fierce. Getting a slot is almost like trying to gatecrash the Oscars. The head-honchos are Adam Campbell at Prive Salon, who does Angie, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson and Jennifer Garner; and Rossano Ferretti, who just opened his 20th salon and, at $1000 per hair-cut, is probably the priciest hairdresser in the world. His clients include Gaga, Salma Hayek and Sharon Stone.

The Red Carpet Facial: There have been many imitators, but the bona-fide, real-deal original "Red Carpet Facial" founder (she even has that name trademarked), is Tracie Martyn. A friend went to her recently and found herself right between Tilda Swinton and Kate Winslet’s appointments. Using a ‘Resculptor’ device, which emits an electric current, Tracie stimulates the skin. Then amber LED lights help erase fine lines. Tracie uses her own products to reduce puffiness, lift the eyes and cheekbones, and define the jawline. Its basically like having facelift, without having a facelift.

Reformer Pilates: Reformer pilates (the type done in a crazy-looking machine with ropes attached to it) is all the rage in Hollywood right now. Perhaps because you get abs super-quickly from it, or perhaps because you get to exercise lying down and therefore not ruin your makeup, but celebs like George Clooney hone their bodies at Zen Fitness.

Resultwear: Halle Berry, Ginnifer Goodwin, Sofia Vergara and Cate Blanchett keep their curves going in and out at the right places with Resultwear, the latest suck-it-all-in underwear brand. This line has a reversible one-shoulder seamless underwire-free bra top, and an all-in-one minidress with a tummy panel that flattens everything.

Juice Cleansing: A three-day juice cleanse prior to the Oscars is fairly standard amongst many actresses (and actors—I hear Jake Gyllenhaal is a fan), but finally there’s one that doesn’t taste disgusting. Pressed Juicery let’s you pick the yummiest combinations—like cucumber, pineapple, coconut and aloe vera (tastes like a healthy pina colada) and almond milk, dates, vanilla bean and sea salt (tastes like a vanilla milkshake)—and delivers them to your door. The company has developed a hydraulic press which manages to release more than four times more vitamins and minerals than regular juicers. So there.

And another thing—Aloe Gloe is the latest drink fad—only 35 calories!—to sweep LA. Aloe vera improves digestion and rehydrates—both important things for pre-carpet prep! "The Organic Aloe Vera in Aloe Gloe is great for Skin, Digestion, and Immunity," says Aloe Gloe co-founder Danny Stepper. "Many of our drinkers believe that Aloe Vera has a calming healing effect when consumed, which I can imagine would be helpful for celebrities on the Red Carpet."

St. Tropez Tanning: The crop of whiter-than-pale starlets rocking the red carpet lately (Rooney Mara, Carey Mulligan, Emma Stone) has truly split the Hollywood crowd when it comes to skin tone trends. The beach bunnies like Eva Longoria and Sofia Vergara will hit St. Tropez’s super plush tanning lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel, where they will be sprayed, contoured and polished with the new Make Me Glow treatment, using a gold skin illuminator, bronzing rocks and body polish. At the other end of the spectrum is Jessica Biel’s favourite spa, Carasoin, who has a new Skin Brightening treatment, which gives you that porcelain-doll effect—lightening skin and smoothing pigmentation using lactic acid and a kefir scrub.

Stylehaus' Styling Suite: Most actresses will hire a top stylist to source their dress, shoes, jewels and clutch bag, but this year anyone can experience the A-list treatment at Stylehaus, a pop-up suite set up at the Mondrian hotel on Sunset Boulevard. Pay a fee, and you’ll get dressed by a team of professional stylists, in designers such as Valentino, Versace and Karl Lagerfeld. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Christina Milian and Sharon Osbourne have all been in—what a cool idea!

Source: Glamour

Using Food Labels

Food labels are designed to help consumers make food choices based on the nutrients that are most important to good health. In addition to listing nutrient content by weight, the label puts the information in the context of a daily diet of 2000 calories that includes no more than 65 grams of fat (approximately 30% of total calories). For example, if a serving of a particular product has 13 grams of fat, the label will show that the serving represents 20% of the daily fat allowance. If your daily diet contains fewer or more than 2000 calories, you need to adjust these calculations accordingly.

Food labels contain uniform serving sizes. This means that if you look at different brands of salad dressing, for example, you can compare calories and fat content based on the serving amount. (Food label serving sizes may be larger or smaller than MyPyramid serving size equivalents, however.) Regulations also require that foods meet strict definitions if their packaging includes the terms light, low-fat, or high-fiber (see below). Health claims such as “good source of dietary fiber” or “low in saturated fat” on packages are signals that those products can wisely be included in your diet. Overall, the food label is an important tool to help you choose a diet that conforms to MyPyramid and the Dietary Guidelines.

Selected Nutrient Claims and What They Mean

Healthy A food that is low in fat, is low in saturated fat, has no more than 360–480 mg of sodium and 60 mg of cholesterol, and provides 10% or more of the Daily Value for vitamin A, vitamin C, protein, calcium, iron, or dietary fiber.
Light or lite One-third fewer calories or 50% less fat than a similar product.
Reduced or fewer At least 25% less of a nutrient than a similar product; can be applied to fat (“reduced fat”), saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and calories.
Extra or added 10% or more of the Daily Value per serving when compared to what a similar product has.
Good source 10–19% of the Daily Value for a particular nutrient per serving.
High, rich in, or excellent source of 20% or more of the Daily Value for a particular nutrient per serving.
Low calorie 40 calories or less per serving.
High fiber 5 g or more of fiber per serving.
Good source of fiber 2.5–4.9 g of fiber per serving.
Fat-free Less than 0.5 g of fat per serving.
Low-fat 3 g of fat or less per serving.
Saturated fat-free Less than 0.5 g of saturated fat and 0.5 g of trans fatty acids per serving.
Low saturated fat 1 g or less of saturated fat per serving and no more than 15% of total calories.
Cholesterol-free Less than 2 mg of cholesterol and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving.
Low cholesterol 20 mg or less of cholesterol and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving.
Low sodium 140 mg or less of sodium per serving.
Very low sodium 35 mg or less of sodium per serving.
Lean Cooked seafood, meat, or poultry with less than 10 g of fat, 4.5 g or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg of cholesterol per serving.
Extra lean Cooked seafood, meat, or poultry with less than 5 g of fat, 2 g of saturated fat, and 95 mg of cholesterol per serving.
Note: The FDA has not yet defined nutrient claims relating to carbohydrates, so foods labeled low- or reduced-carbohydrate do not conform to any approved standard.

Beta Carotene

Carotenoids, the colorful pigments that make veggies yellow, orange, or red, help shield skin from sun damage.  Beta carotene—a carotenoid that your liver converts into vitamin A—and flavonols—antioxidants found in plants—provide protection against sunburn and skin damage from exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays, say German researchers report who analyzed multiple studies. However, beta carotene supplements can increase cancer risk, especially for smokers, so your best bet is to get your beta carotene from food sources.

Conditions: Sunburn
Recommendations: Dark green and yellow-orange vegetables such as spinach and sweet potatoes
Interactions & Side Effects: Fulfills vitamin A requirement, so don't take extra A

Lautner Abs: Hanging Leg Raises

Hanging Leg Raises
Grab a chinup bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip (or use elbow supports, if available), and hang from the bar with your knees slightly bent and feet together. Simultaneously bend your knees, raise your hips, and curl your lower back underneath you as you lift your thighs toward your chest. Pause when the fronts of your thighs reach your chest, then slowly lower your legs back to the starting position. Do three to four sets of 8 to 12 reps.

Source: Men's Health

Taylor Swift's Preferred Covergirl Products

 With two platinum albums and millions of fans, Taylor Swift embodies the confidence, energy, and passion it takes to be a COVERGIRL. With 4 Grammys, 5 CMT Music Awards, 7 AMA Awards, and more, Taylor has taken the music world by storm, all before her 21st birthday.

Taylor's two top choices are the Natureluxe Silk Foundation

And Covergirl LipPerfection Lip Color 

Guys: 7 Steps to a Smooth, Clean Face

These seven steps can preserve your sex appeal and combat the havoc that the stresses of daily life can wreak on your face.

1. Freshen Your Face Faster - Wash your face in the shower. The steam-rich environment opens up your pores for a deeper cleaning. Begin with an exfoliating face scrub. Using soft, circular motions, spread the grains over your mug. Shave while you're still in the shower or just after you get out. The steam loosens facial hairs. Dab your face halfway dry when you're finished, and then smooth on some moisturizer.

2. Moisturize Now, Age Later - Applying moisturizer in response to dry skin treats the symptom but not the disease. As your age, the skin's internal scaffolding, a network of elastin and collagen fibers, has started to loosen and unravel, and letting your skin dry out worsens the decline. It causes the lipid-secreting glands of the face to atrophy (waste away) which robs your face of its natural lubrication. The result: premature wrinkling. Moisturizing every day can delay wrinkles. "Apply it after you leave the shower in the morning, midway through your day, and after you hit the gym," suggests Denise Vitiello, director of the fitness center and spa at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York City. Look for nutritive compounds in the lotion such as biopeptides that can perk up your oil glands and collagen networks.

3. Send Your Bags Packing - A pearl-sized dollop of eye cream or serum, dabbed under each eye before bed can take years off your eyes. Most creams contain topical anti-inflammatories, chemicals like caffeine that dehydrate tissue, tightening the skin into a taut, dense layer to hide the dark circles. Try MAC Fast Response Eye Cream $30. For particularly bad bags, apply a caffeine-based eye gel to tighten the skin. Serums add antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E to reverse cellular damages from the sun. Both also moisturize the skin to minimize existing crinkles. Bad behavior can make the bags bigger: Smoking stalls the microcirculation in your skin, causing connective tissue underneath to sag; too much sodium can cause your body to flood with water, fattening the pouches; and sleeping without proper head elevation can cause fluids to pool around your lower eyelids, causing under eye puffiness. To avoid the bags, slip an extra pillow under your head to encourage gravity to drain the eye area. If you regularly notice blue circles, see your doctor-- it could be a sign of iron deficiency.

4. Iron Out Wrinkles By Trout Fishing - Keep skin looking young by eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and avocado.

5. Manage Your Oil Reserves - Use oil-free moisturizers. About half of all lotions are available like this. If you still end up shiny, try a soap that contains salicylic acid, which will dry out your skin a bit more. If this doesn't work, move to a benzoyl peroxide cream (Like PanOxyl or Clearasil) that you can get at any drug store. If that doesn't work, use a leave-on mattifier that soaks up oil.

6. Peel Away Grime - Facial peels chemically dissolve the bonds between cells to strip away blemished, blotchy, or uneven skin and reveal the virgin layers below. Dry skin responds best to peels containing lactic or glycolic acids which act as humectants, grabbing moisture from the air and depositing it a tenth of an inch below the skin's surface. Tricholoroacetic and salicylic acid peels strip away moisture, making them best for oily complexions. Most at-home peels contain 2 to 3 percent acid, compared with the 20 percent or more in formulas used by dermatologists, but it's best to avoid shaving and other forms of exfoliation on the same day.

7. Wake Up Younger - Going to bed one hour earlier will give you the energy of two cups of coffee the next day. Getting less than 6 hours of sleep can decrease your performance so you're operating at the equivalent of a 0.05 blood-alcohol level. Former NASA sleep scientist Mark Rosekind, Ph.D., fatigue expert for the National Transportation Safety Board gave his expertise. Can't sleep? Eat fresh cherries or drink cherry juice. Cherries are one of the best natural sources of melatonin, a hormone that is use in over-the-counter sleep aids.

Source: Men's Health

Banana and Quinoa Waffles

Yum! Do these banana waffles, which I found over on Babble, look good, or what? They're on my agenda for making this weekend--and freezing for the week ahead! "With a quiet banana flavor and a hint of spice, these waffles are delicious on their own and even better smothered in maple syrup," the Babble bloggers note. "The cornmeal and quinoa (Pronounced KIN-WAH) make them a little healthier than your average run-of-the-mill waffles and give them a crumbly, delicate texture."

And, don't be afraid of quinoa, gals. I know, it's sort of a healthy-nutty ingredient, but really and truly, it adds a nice nutty flavor, a dose of whole grains, and some extra protein to your breakfast. Try it!


Cook these up and enjoy some quiet time with your loved ones around the breakfast table.

Spiced Banana Quinoa Waffles

1/4 Stick butter
1 cup all-purpose whole grain wheat flour
1/2 cup fine cornmeal
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 ripe bananas (plus more for garnish)
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup skim milk

Preheat your waffle iron. In a small saucepan, melt the stick of butter over medium-low heat and set aside.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of your mixer and beat on high, until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Gently scoop the egg whites out into another bowl. In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork, and then whisk in the sugar, eggs yolks, melted butter and milk. Set aside. Next, combine the remaining dry ingredients, flour, cornmeal, quinoa flour, baking powder, salt, and ginger in the bowl of your mixer. When the dry ingredients are combined, fold in the wet, mixing just until combined. Finally, gently fold in the egg whites with a spoon.

Heat the oven to 200 degrees and place a large platter inside. Spoon 1/3 cup per waffle onto your iron, and cook until the waffle is golden brown. Remove the finished waffles to  the oven to warm. Continue until all of the waffles are cooked.

Serve banana slices and warm sugar free syrup.

Jennifer Aniston's Must-Have Beauty Products

Jennifer Aniston revealed some of her biggest beauty secrets in InStyle’s January issue. So what’s in her arsenal? A mix of drugstore and luxury skin products—and one perfect bronzer. “It took me years of peeling back the onion to finally stop using makeup as a mask and feel comfortable in my own skin,” she says. See the top seven beauty products that make her feel just right.



Estee Lauder Automatic Lip Pencil Duo in Fig
$24 at esteelauder.com.

“I’ve used this fig liner for god knows how many years,” Aniston said. “You can mix anything with it.” 










Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in Terre Ambre
$50 at chanel.com.

“When I’m not working, I use a bit of bronzer to brighten up my cheeks,” Aniston said. “It’s not orangey! I like that it’s more brown, with twinkles in it.”






Neutrogena Original Facial Cleansing Bar
$3 at neutrogena.com.

“I’ve been using this orange bar since high school,” Aniston told InStyle exclusively. “My philosophy is, the simpler the better.”

La Mer The Treatment Fluid Foundation
$85/1 oz. at cremedelamer.com.

Benefit Hello Flawless Custom Powder Cover-Up
$34 at benefitcosmetics.com.

“It’s a pressed powder and cover-up in one,” Aniston told InStyle. “I use it as a spot concealer, and at the end to finish off the look.”




Dr. Hauschka Moisturizing Day Cream
$70/3.4 oz. at drhauschka.com.

“I put this on after my serum and before my makeup."

Mila Moursi Rejuvenating Serum
$350/ml; milamoursiskincare.com for info.

“I got this from my facialist Mila Moursi,” the actress told InStyle. “She’s amazing, I use it every day.” 

30 Days to Six-Pack Abs!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/30-days-to-6-pack-abs.html?mcid=facetraining

Get Rid of Blemishes at Any Age

Acne has a way of popping up on us no matter what age we may be. Here are a few reasons why it keeps haunting us and what we can do about it.

20s - The problem is that excess oil production creates a breeding ground for bacteria and leads to clogged pores. Fend off breakouts by using a cleanser with salicylic acid; it will control greasiness as it exfoliates, so pores are less likely to get blocked. To zap existing pimples, apply a 10% benzoyl peroxide treatment. It can be drying, but most people can handle the maximum strength. Try L'Oreal Go 360 Clean deep exfoliating scrub, $7 at CVS. You can also try Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10 acne medication, $7 at walgreens.com

30s - The problem is that skin-cell turnover begins to slow down. As a result, dull flakes get trapped deep inside pores. Manual exfoliation can help flush out your pores to keep skin smooth, which sulfur-based treatments dry out pimples without irritation your complexion. Try Clairsonic MIA Sonic Skin Cleansing system, $155 at Nordstrom. You can also try Kate Somerville Eradikate acne treatment, $22 at katesomerville.com

40s - The problem is that for women, when your estrogen levels decrease, testosterone takes over. This can cause flare-ups. Collagen production also diminishes, causing skin to become thinner and more vulnerable to bacteria. Restore balance and firmness with a moisturizer that contains soy, a phytoestrogen. Treat current blemishes with an exfoliating 2 percent salicylic-acid gel, which is milder than both benzoyl peroxide and sulfur. Try Aveeno Clear Complexion daily moisturizer, $17 at drugstore.com. You can also try Bliss No Zit Sherlock spot treatment, $18 at blissworld.com

50s and up - The problem is that accumulated sun damage breaks down collagen and further weakens skin, making it red, inflamed and even more susceptible to bacteria. Apply a gradual-release retinol to gently exfoliate and rebuild collagen. Calm blemishes with a mix of salicylic acid and anti-inflammatory ingredients like bisbolol or lycopene. Try Philosophy Help Me Retinol Night treatment, $45 at philosophy.com. You can also try Yes to Tomatoes Clear Skin spot stick, $10 at yestocarrots.com

Source: InStyle

Decolletage Rejuvenation

Splurge: the Decolletage Rejuvenation
If gravity has started to take it toll on “the twins,” don’t go under the scalpel just yet. Buy yourself a little extra time with a regenerative skin-tightening treatment that helps firm loose, crepe-y cleavage and saggy skin on the neck.

Source: Glamour

Steps to a Whiter, Brighter Smile

Correct Your Angle - To reach the crevices between teeth and gums, hold your brush at a 45-degree angle at the gum line and move the handle slightly; the brush bristles should stay mostly in one place. Work your way around, hitting every surface. Don't miss the lingual surface -- the inner side, closest to your tongue. It's a breeding ground for plaque.

Brush in the Right Direction - Brushing toward your gums will push the gum tissue back, making your gum line recede. On the upper teeth, you want to be brushing downward. On the lower teeth you want to be brushing upward.

Use a Gentle Grip - A lot of people use tremendous force when brushing their teeth, and they will eventually have gum tissue that's worn away and that exposes the root surface. Hold the brush like a pen.

Nuke Your Brush - If you use a manual brush, you can eliminate germs by microwaving it, researchers in Brazil found. They submerged brushes in a cup of clean water and the microwaved them in a 650-watt microwave for 60 seconds. After, the brushes emerged germ-free. If your microwave is 1,100 watts, go for 35 seconds. Do this every week or two.

The Best Foods for Healthy Hair

Protein - Low quantities of protein can lead to weak, brittle hair or a loss of hair color.

Zinc - Some research indicates that this mineral can affect levels of androgens, hormones that are associated with hair loss. Good sources would be oysters, nuts, beans, beef and lamb.

Water - Hair is one-quarter water.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids - They are known to support scalp health.


Lignans - In a 6-month pilot study, Taiwanese scientists discovered that lignans (disease-fighting compounds found in flaxseed) may help slow hair loss. Nine out of ten men in the study reported modest to much improvement in the number of hairs shed daily.

Vitamin C - This helps your body absorb iron, so a deficiency can make hair dry and weak. You like that in enough from your diet, as long as you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables daily. Sources can be broccoli, leafy greens, citrus, green peppers, strawberries.

Source: Men's Health

Walnuts

On Eat This, Not That's list of 8 Foods You Should Eat Everyday. Walnuts are richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, but not all three. A serving of walnuts is about one ounce or seven nuts is a good postworkout recovery snack.
Substitutes - Almonds, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts.
Fit it in - Sprinkle on top of salads, pancake batter, fish or chicken marinade topping.

Source: Eat This, Not That