goodbye to you, cellulite, goodbye to you.

nivea's goodbye cellulite program is a three-pronged attack on thigh dimples. it includes a cellulite gel-cream, cellulite patches, and dietary supplements and is meant to be a four-week process to a bikini-ready body, complete with diet and exercise tips. you can learn about it here.

as for me, i have all three products and i've been very bad about remembering to administer the gel-cream and the vitamins daily. but i've been outstanding about applying the patches before bed when i know i'll be showing a lot of leg the next day. the patches are great because they're quick, effective, and help you to relate to people who are trying to quit smoking via the nicotine patch. i notice that when i wake up and remove the patches the skin underneath looks more toned, but only for a few days. so, i recommend you just get a case of these and slap them on the night before hitting the beach! 6 patches goes for $17 on dermstore.com.

read more...

a cheater's guide to a summer body: part 5.

SENSA is a new sprinkle-based weight loss system that i learned about at the total beauty blogging conference last weekend. how does it work? just decide if the dish you are eating is salty or sweet, then sprinkle the salt-sized crystals on in it and eat as usual. even though you won't smell a difference, your body's sense of smell will be activated by the crystals and will make you less hungry. to learn more and understand this concept better, click here.

i've been SENSA-ing for the past week and a half (quite sporadically, though, and you are supposed to apply the crystals to all food). it takes up to 5 months to see the results, so i have no idea if it's working yet, but what i love about SENSA is that it's the ultimate cheater's tool. if it doesn't work, i will have no lost efforts to lament. it requites no effort or willpower to use. just sprinkle and get on with it.

please note that this product is still undergoing FDA approval and will be available in the next few months.

click here to check out all the articles in the cheater's guide series.

read more...

a cheater's guide to a summer body: part 4.

sometimes, when push comes to shove (yourself into your bikini) you gotta replace a meal (preferably breakfast) with a shake.

now, when i tried to use slimfast to do this, it was a total failure, because, the drink tasted like chalk, so i would drink as much as i could stand (about half), throw the rest away, and then eat something 20 minutes later. no gain.

the only weight-loss shakes i've actually been able to stand are dr. jana klauer's omega 3 protein shakes (you may remember dr. klauer for giving mlm diet advice for people with no willpower a couple months back). the shakes come in two flavors, rich cocoa and vanilla bean. both were edible, not delicious. but, i drank them and didn't eat again until 11am (which for me is huge!). a case of 24 costs $114.

some recommended reading:
a cheater's guide to a summer body: part 1.
a cheater's guide to a summer body: part 2.
a cheater's guide to a summer body: part 3.

read more...

a cheater's guide to a summer body: part 3.

who knew being fit could be as easy as changing your shoes?

two shoe brands claim to help increase your leg and booty tone simply by wearing them (for both walking and just standing). this seems like a pretty cheat-tastic way to get bikini-ready to me.

mbt - stands for masai barefoot technology. these shoes have got to be the ugliest way to get hot. they claim to mimic the way that the masai of kenya walk - that is barefoot on soft ground. the masai do not have the back problems seen in the US and they do have toned legs, hence the idea to design a shoe that helps others walk like them. i haven't tried them, but amber swears by them. but these ugly little hot-booty-makers don't come cheap, around $250 a pair.


fitflop - follows a similar idea. the shoe forces muscles to be more engaged, hence body tone is improved through use. this shoe is mildly cuter (but still not attractive). fitflop only comes in flip flop form, whereas mbt has a sandal and sneaker versions. $49.95 on victoriassecret.com
(a place you are probably starting to realize i "window" shop at quite a bit).


after weighing my cheater's options, i think i'm going to buy the fitflop, i just can't argue with a $200 price difference.

to see the previous features in this series just click on their title:
a cheater's guide to a summer body: part 1
a cheater's guide to a summer body: part 2

and, enjoy your holiday weekend, beauties!

read more...

a cheater's guide to a summer body: part 2.

image: beach sexy polka dot bikini on victoriassecret.com

still dreaming of wearing an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini?
then, keep reading mlm's tips from personal trainer, brendan comer (to see his previous tips click here):

A great lower body counterpart to the push-up is the lunge. Like the push-up, your legs will be challenged - your balance, stability, strength and endurance will all be put to the test. The most appealing aspect of this exercise is that it challenges you against your own body weight, which is a great way to build relative strength. Standing with your hands on your hips, brace your abs and pull your shoulder blades back. Lunge forward with first leg (an exaggerated step), land on your heel, balanced. Next, lower your body by flexing your knee and hip of your front leg until the knee of your rear leg is almost in contact with floor. Return to original standing position by driving upwards off your planted foot. Repeat with the opposite leg. Aim for 10 on each leg, rest for 60 seconds and repeat. Go for 3-4 sets total. As you get stronger, increase each set to 12, then 15, etc. (or increase the number of sets). You can further challenge yourself by holding a small medicine ball near your chest while performing the exercise.

Lastly, in order to keep your core nice and tight, try the Cross V crunch. First, lie down face-up with your legs extended and arms overhead. Feel free to place a towel or folded shirt under your lower back for additional stability and/or decreased stress on the lower back. Try to "tuck" your ribs into your pelvis by bringing your extended limbs together. To do so, squeeze your abs together and raise both your arms and legs overhead. Aim to have arms and legs touch, pause momentarily at the top of the movement and then return to original position. Do as many quality repetitions for one minute, rest one minute and repeat. Go for 5-8 minutes, and as you improve, extend the time.

still to come in the cheater's guide: shoes that eliminate cellulite, diet shakes that don't taste like chalk, and crystals that reduce hunger.

read more...

a cheater's guide to a summer body: part 1.

image: carmen marc valvo monokini on victoriassecret.com

that sneaky memorial day is already coming up this weekend, meaning the start of summer is right around the corner.

um, uhoh. i know some of us are concerned about getting back in that bikini or monokini (the hot swimwear shape for summer 08, which is unfortunately still fairly revealing). i also know that some of you are like me, and are very lazy about getting in shape. that's why i'm bringing you a series of tips to help get a summer body, without having to try too hard.

in order to do this, i brought in the experts. brendan comer is a personal trainer at peak performance gym in new york city. he has submitted some of his best advice for those in our situation (to recap, that situation is desperate to get in shape but hopelessly unwilling to do too much). he says:

First things first- To get your body in shape for summer, you'll want to start off on the right foot and maintain a proper diet. The food you consume is the fuel on which your body runs - By limiting your intake of foods that are fried, high in salt, sugar, fat or flour-based, you are setting yourself up for success.

There are several effective yet simple moves you can do in the comfort of your home in order to start yourself on the path toward obtaining a lean summer body. They do not require lots of space, and if executed properly, they will leave you looking and feeling great!

One of the most overlooked tests of upper body strength and endurance is the push-up. The demands it places upon the muscles of the chest, shoulders, arms and core are excellent for building and maintaining tone from the waist up. With your knees on the floor, start by lining up your shoulders over your hands. Walk your feet out to the traditional push-up position, with only the toes in contact with the floor. Bracing your abs, bend at the elbows and lower your chest to the floor. Do not let your hips sag- keep those abs tight! Do as many as you can, wait for 60 seconds and repeat. If you do not have the ability to go from your toes, perform the exercise from your knees. Initially, do this every other day for 15 minutes. As you get more fit, try and go for 17, 19, 21 minutes, etc.

to be continued...(click here to read part 2)

read more...