3 Ways To Get Smarter

And boost your happiness while you’re at it.

By Mandy Oaklander, Prevention editor

Signs you’re easily distracted: You know all the keyboard shortcuts for switching tabs. Starting a to-do list is on your mental to-do list. You can’t seem to—oh, look! A new e-mail!

See? We’re right there with you. But a new study published in Psychological Science found that you don’t have to resign yourself to cognitive craziness. Practicing mindfulness makes you a lot less distracted—and might actually make you smarter.

Researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara rounded up 48 undergraduate students and administered a reading comprehension test from the GRE standardized exam. They then enrolled half the students in a two-week-long mindfulness class and half in a nutrition class. Four times a week, students either learned mindfulness techniques, like meditation and breath awareness, or the fundamentals of nutrition science. Finally, every student was re-tested on the GRE.

The results? The mindfulness group showed the most improved brainpower. In fact, they outperformed the nutrition group by an average of 16 percentile points and reported significantly less mind wandering. 

Even if you’re not a college kid, mindfulness training will still sharpen your noggin, says mindfulness expert Dawa Tarchin Phillips, one of the study’s authors and a former Buddhist monk. “The exercise is to learn how to let the mind be as natural as possible without letting it become distracted,” Phillips explains. “The way that’s done is through understanding properly how thought arrives—when you can observe thoughts come and go, you are less obliged to follow them.” 

To become an awareness all-star takes time and practice, but Phillips has a few tips on instantly becoming more mindful. Here’s how: 

1. Breathe. When the mind is concerned, the breath is never far behind. “Placing your attention on your natural breathing and counting 10 in-and-out breaths over and over again for several minutes can help calm the mind and restore balance,” Phillips says. Every time you become distracted, simply return your focus to your natural breathing. 

2. Be present. During conversation, give your partner your undivided attention, Phillips said. “It changes the communication once the other person realizes you’re actually fully present,” he says. 

3. Eat mindfully. Here’s some food for thought: When you focus on the food you’re eating, you’ll recognize you’re full much earlier, Phillips said. Experience how taste unfolds in your mouth, and heed the mental associations and imagery that accompanies food. “What develops is appreciation for the variation of mindfulness in ordinary experience,” he says.

Source: Prevention

Where All That Pregnancy Weight Goes

We LOLed when we read that Jessica Simpson thought her pregnancy weight would disappear after her baby was born. No doubt, it's hard to lose baby weight, but... . Turns out, some of it does disappear after the baby comes out. Curious to know where baby weight goes, we got Cosmo Radio women's health expert Jennifer Wider, MD, to break it down for us.

By Korin Miller, Cosmopolitan editor

The Baby: 7.5 Pounds

Pregnancy weight gain varies from woman to woman. But the average total is 30 pounds per pregnancy—and 7.5 of that is baby, which does go away once the little one comes out.

Placenta: 1.5 Pounds

The placenta connects the developing fetus to your uterine wall, and it comes out when you give birth, too.

Your Blood: 4 Pounds

When you're pregnant, your body produces more blood to help the baby grow and keep you healthy. It eventually goes back to normal.

Your Uterus: 2 Pounds

During pregnancy, your uterus is about 15 times heavier than usual. After the baby comes out, it slowly shrinks back.

Your Boobs: 2 Pounds

Good news if you've always wanted a bigger set: You can go up two cup sizes or more during pregnancy. Why? The pregnancy hormone progesterone stimulates growth of breast tissue to get your tatas ready for breastfeeding. They'll go down again after you give birth or stop nursing.

Fluid: 4 Pounds

This is usually due to water retention, which gradually dissipates after the baby is born.

Fat: 7 Pounds

Your bod wants you to gain weight when you're prego, and it stores fat during that time. Why? Just in case you get stranded somewhere without food, this fat store ensures that you and the baby will be okay for a little while.

Amniotic Fluid: 2 Pounds

This is the liquid that nourishes and protects your baby when it's in the uterus. It also comes out with the baby.

Source: Cosmopolitan

The Danger In Your Lipstick

An ugly side to your cosmetics.

By Lisa Elaine Held from Well+GoodNYC

“Parabens,” the term for a group of preservatives used in mainstream beauty products, wasn’t always a dirty word.

In 2004, Dr. Philippa Darbre, a research scientist at the University of Reading in the UK, published a small but pioneering study that showed high concentrations of parabens in human breast tumors.

Women everywhere flipped over their moisturizers to read the list of ingredients.

“That first paper shocked people because it was the first time intact parabens had ever been measured in the human body,” says Dr. Darbre. And while the study did not show that the chemicals cause cancer, it sounded a serious alarm.

Why? Parabens, which prevent bacteria from growing in beauty and personal-care products, are able to mimic or interfere with estrogen in the body, and exposure to estrogen is one of the primary influences on the development of breast cancer.

Since then, several studies have detected and reported parabens in human urine and tissue. In response, many beauty companies have eliminated them from ingredient lists, though they’re still used in many mainstream products.

Now, Dr. Darbre has published two new studies that shed even more light on the ways parabens enter our bodies and how they affect our health.

Here’s what you need to know about the latest research (and before refilling your beauty bag):

1. Parabens are getting into your body. 

In March, Dr. Darbre and her team published the results of a study that replicated the original study done in 2004, with a much larger sample size. They looked at the concentration of five parabens in breast tumor tissue. One or more types were found in 99% of the tissue samples, and all five were measurable in 60% of the samples.

“The take-home message was that we validated the earlier study with a much more substantial study. Parabens are getting into the breast, and they’re getting in in significant amounts,” she explains.

2. Yup, your skin is letting them in. 

The parabens identified in the study were primarily intact, meaning they’ve bypassed the liver. What does this mean? You’re not getting them from your food; they’re being absorbed through your skin.

Source: Prevention

Sneaky Little Ways to Burn Calories

You already hit the gym regularly and eat well to maintain your banging beach bod. But nutritionist Heather Bauer, RD and founder of Bestowed.com, swears these little daily tweaks will help you burn even more calories. Try a few or all of them next time you want an extra boost.

By Korin Miller, Cosmopolitan editor

1. Get Jacked

Jumping jacks are a quick and easy calorie burner. Do them after you roll out of bed to wake up, while you're waiting for the shower to warm up, when your coffee is brewing...you get the point.

Calories Burned: 10 per minute

2. Squat When You Blow Dry

Drying your hair can take for-ev-er. Maximize your time by doing squats while you dry.

Calories Burned: 70 every five minutes

3. Tap Your Toes

When you're sitting at your desk, tap your toes 25 times. Then do it with the other foot.

Calories Burned: 24-30

4. Use the Commercial Breaks

We know you're not riveted by the ads, so hop up when they're on and do standing lunges. Every hour of TV contains 20-30 minutes of commercials, so they add up!

Calories Burned: 120

5. Skip the Elevator;Take the Stairs

It's a no-brainer, right? But there's reason why you've heard it's so good for you—it's an amazing calorie-burner.

Calories Burned: 10 per flight of stairs

6. Do Microwave Squats

While you're waiting for your dinner to defrost, do wall squats instead of leaning against the counter.

Calories Burned: 12-15 every 30 seconds

7. Crunch Before Bed

Before you crawl between the sheets, take five minutes to do crunches. Your abs will look amazing—and you'll burn a bunch of calories in the process.

Calories Burned: 40

8. Catch Some ZZZs

We can get behind this one: You can burn lots of extra calories by getting a good night's sleep.

Calories Burned: 60 per hour

Source: Cosmopolitan

Calorie Density: Key To Losing Weight

By Namita Nayyar, WomenFitness editor

A year-long clinical trial by Penn State researchers shows that diets focusing on foods that are low in calorie density can promote healthy weight loss while helping people to control hunger.

The calorie density (or energy density) of a food is a measurement of the average calories per weight (gram or ounce) of that food. Foods that are high in water and low in fat – such as fruits, vegetables, soup, lean meat, and low-fat dairy products – are low in calorie density and provide few calories per bite. Such foods include vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Combining these foods with high calorie-density foods such as pasta or meat can lower the overall calorie density of a meal thus making it healthier.

The biggest factor in determining calorie density is the water content of a food. Water increases volume of a food without adding calories. The calorie density of foods influences your hunger, satiety and food intake. By eating foods with lower calorie density, you will feel full - but have eaten fewer calories.

According to a recent research finding choosing foods that are low in calorie density help in losing weight, without the restrictive messages of other weight loss diets

The researchers compared the effects of two diets – one reduced in fat, the other high in water-rich foods as well as reduced in fat – in 71 obese women aged 22 to 60. The participants were taught by dietitians to make appropriate food choices for a diet low in calorie density, but unlike most diets, they were not assigned daily limits for calories.

At the end of one year, women in both groups showed significant weight loss as well as a decrease in the calorie density of their diets. However, women who added water-rich foods to their diets lost more weight during the first six months of the study than those who only reduced fat in their diets – 19.6 pounds compared to 14.7 pounds. Weight loss was well maintained by subjects in both groups during the second six months of the study.

Records kept by the women showed that those who included more water-rich foods ate 25 percent more food by weight and felt less hungry than those who followed the reduced-fat diet. Choosing foods that are low in calorie density helps to control hunger and is a healthy strategy for losing weight over the long term

Fibrous carbohydrates and vegetables such as lettuce, asparagus, cucumber and broccoli have very low calorie densities because your body can't absorb the caloric content of fiber. That makes veggies an excellent choice when you want to lose body fat. Before competitions, bodybuilders usually reduce or remove high calorie simple sugars and starches from their diets and replace them with fibrous carbohydrates. The low calorie density of most vegetables is the very reason that they don't help you gain weight.

Calculating Calorie Density

Calculating CD is very easy. Simply divide the total weight in grams, ounces, or what have you, by the amount of calories and then multiply by 100. For example, in 40 grams of Quaker Oatmeal, there are 150 calories. This would add up to a calorie density of approximately 27%. The lower the percentage, the higher the calorie density. You can also divide the total calories by the weight and determine how many calories there are per gram.

Below is an example of calorie density chart to get you on the right track

This is a list of 22 foods containing the information for carbohydrate and calorie densities. Each food will be measured by 100-gram quantities. The carbohydrate density was found using, Ckcal/Tkcal*100. Calorie density will be shown using the method, g/kcal*100.
Type	Total kcal in 100 grams	kcal from carboh-ydrates	%Carboh- ydrate density	% Calorie density
Oatmeal	375	270	72%	27%
Sweet potato	76	72	94%	131%
Kidney Beans	29	16	55%	344%
Pumpkin	26	24	92%	384%
Celery	14	12	86%	714%
Cucumber	12	8	66%	833%
Apple	83	76	92%	120%
Banana	90	83	93%	111%
Pasta, plain	131	100	76%	76%
Sliced Sour dough bread	255	195	76%	40%
Macaroni and cheese	380	270	71%	26%
Raisins	325	310	95%	30%
Cabbage	24	19	81%	416%
Spinach	23	13	56%	434%
Asparagus	20	16	80%	500%
Broccoli	30	24	80%	333%
Wheat brand bread	248	192	77%	40%
Leafy Green Lettuce	15	12	80%	667%
Red Potato	72	64	88%	138%
Brown Rice	362	304	84%	27%
Healthy choice fudge bar	120	80	67%	83%
Wheat tortilla	308	259	84%	32%

Source: WomenFitness

6 Snacking Mistakes That Make You Gain

These noshing habits could be the reason your scale is stalled.

By Karen Ansel, RD, Prevention editor

Bad Eating Habits to Break

We do it in the car, on the train, in front of the TV, on the phone, and even in bed. For too many of us, snacking has become so automatic that our brains barely register the hand-to-mouth motion. And it's not as if we're all reaching for diet-friendly apples: A 2010 study from the University of North Carolina found that most of us eat nearly 600 calories a day—roughly a third of our food—in snacks rather than meals.

"The business plan of the modern food company has been to put their foods on every street corner, making it socially acceptable to eat 24-7," says David Kessler, MD, former commissioner of the FDA and the author of The End of Overeating (Rodale, 2009).

The result has been a nutritional disaster. In their natural state, whole foods may be high in fat or sugar, but they're rarely high in both. Today we have man-made snack foods with a tantalizing combination of fat and sugar rolled into one. "Foods have become so 'hyperpalatable' that they're now capable of hijacking our brains the same way that nicotine and alcohol do," says Ashley Gearhardt, the lead author of a Yale University study on food addiction.

With all these forces arrayed against you, how can you resist? We identified some of women's biggest weaknesses—and surveyed the experts for help. See six eating mistakes to break and learn healthy snacking strategies.

1. You're Good All Day But Pig Out At Night

You're the Jekyll and Hyde of snacking—restricting calories so much by day that by night you're ravenous. After dinner, you trek back and forth to the fridge. Before you know it, you're cuddled up on the couch with a sleeve of Oreos.

FIX IT!

Start with a breakfast that's really satisfying—like steel-cut oats, eggs, or Greek-style yogurt. Then at lunch, combine healthy carbs, protein, and fat. And truly savor your treats. Dean Ornish, MD, the author of The Spectrum, does a "chocolate meditation." Take a single piece of the best chocolate you can find and let it dissolve slowly in your mouth, paying attention to the complex flavors. You'll get more pleasure with fewer calories.

2. You Stuff Your Face Before Dinner

You're ravenous by the time you get home from work (join the club). You inhale whatever you get your hands on, whether it's healthy or not.

FIX IT!

"Planning is key," says Patricia Bannan, RD, the author of Eat Right When Time Is Tight.

Before you get home, eat something light and nourishing to tide you over. If you're starving while you cook, munch on raw veggies such as sugar snap peas. Set yourself up for success by knowing meals you can cook quickly, such as frozen veggies with a rotisserie chicken and microwaveable brown rice. Get dinner on the table fast with these 5-minute meals.

3. You Can't Stop Eating In The Car

If you feel like you live in your car, you probably consume a lot of calories there too. Maybe you wolf down snacks straight out of the bag, with little idea of how much you've inhaled, or you pull into the nearest drive-thru for a shake.

FIX IT! 

Preempt unrestrained noshing by packing portable snacks that are calorie-controlled such as small bags of cashews or an apple. Even half of a PB&J on whole wheat will do the trick. And if those fries are still calling out to you, "drive home via another route so you won't pass your favorite fast-food restaurants," says Janna L. Fikkan, PhD, a health psychologist at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, NC. "It doesn't have to be the shortest way home, as long as you avoid the drive-thru."

4. You Work At Home

It's just you and the fridge—and nobody watching. Because you have no meetings or structured activities, you can check the mail, toss in a load of laundry, play with the dog—and grab a snack (or two or four).

FIX IT! 

Keep a log of your daily activities, including every time you get up to eat. Chances are, once you see how often you're indulging, you'll be shamed into cutting back. If you still feel the need to snack, eat at the kitchen table—and don't do anything else. Without the distraction of the computer, TV, or newspaper, you'll be much more aware of how often you eat out of habit rather than hunger.

5. You Graze At The Office

Between the office candy bowl, the vending machine, and a coworker's homemade brownies, your office probably stocks more snacks than a 7-Eleven. And since you're only nibbling, the calories don't count, right?

FIX IT! 

Launch a counteroffensive by bringing in healthy snacks—say, tamari-roasted almonds or dark chocolate—that you actually prefer over the junk. Knowing that these treats are tucked away will give you the strength to resist the disastrous jelly doughnuts. If you know ahead of time that you won't be able to leave your desk at noon, brown-bag it for lunch. With healthy fare within arm's reach, you won't need to raid your colleague's candy jar.

6. Your Kids' Snack Habits Are Contagious

It's the diet dilemma of nearly every mom. The kids badger you into buying them sugary snacks—then you eat them. Before you know it, you're helping with homework and munching on a Pop-Tart or a snack-size package of cookies.

FIX IT!

Ditch the kiddie foods, says Barbara Rolls, PhD, the author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan. These highly processed foods are digested in no time, leaving you wanting more. "Family-friendly snacks should include low-calorie foods that are high in water or fiber and aren't loaded with fat," she says. Try no-fuss fruits like grapes or berries—or fix some air-popped popcorn sprinkled with a bit of Parmesan.

Source: Prevention

Worried About Your Weight? Eat Honey!

By OrganicFacts editors

The benefits of honey can be seen in your weight loss program as well. If you are trying to lose weight, honey can be of great help to you. But before we move on to the benefits of honey in weight loss we should address the concerns people have regarding honey.

People ask: Isn't honey a type of sugar? Does it not add any weight? Won't the calories in honey negate your weight loss efforts?

You are right - honey contains sugar. But unlike refined sugar, honey contains vitamins and minerals too. Normally, to digest sugar, the vitamins and minerals stored in body are utilized, rendering the body devoid of these nutrients. These nutrients are essential to dissolve fats and cholesterol. Thus when you eat too much sugar you tend to increase weight not just because of the calories but due to lack of vitamins and minerals. On the contrary, honey being a good source of nutrients helps you in reducing weight.

Honey and warm water: Normally fat remains as an un-used resource in your body adding bulk and weight. It is believed that honey mobilizes this stored fat. When this fat is burnt to provide energy for your daily activities, you see a gradual decrease in your weight and obesity levels. It is suggested that you drink this honey (about one tablespoon daily), with equal amount of warm water.

Honey and lemon juice: Honey can also help in weight loss when consumed with warm water and lemon juice. Many people drink this formula first thing in the morning to reduce their weight.

Honey and cinnamon: Another useful recipe is cinnamon powder with honey and warm water. Take one tablespoon of cinnamon power, one tablespoon of honey and one cup of warm water, mix the ingredients properly and drink this mixture empty stomach. It is not clear how this mixture helps in weight loss; however, many people claim to have derived benefits from its regular consumption.

Honey also improves your digestion and thus helps in weight loss. Hence honey is also consumed after dinner especially after overeating.

Finally, many people stop eating food to reduce their weight. Beware of such practices. If you don't eat sufficient food (which involves calories, vitamin, minerals, fibers) your immune system will become weak. Your weight loss program should focus on reducing the intake of calories and not stopping the intake of calories. Further, you should also increase the daily expense of calories by regular exercise.

Source: OrganicFacts

Top 10 to Minimize the Risk of Miscarriage

By WomenFitness editors

Miscarriage can leave a couple severely shaken as the anticipation of having a baby suddenly turns to grief over a loss. Many feel devastated and guilty even if the miscarriage occurs during the early weeks or months of the pregnancy. However, while it's normal to blame some specific act or situation, miscarriages are rarely triggered by factors under the partners' control.

Most miscarriages are caused by chromosomal (genetic) abnormalities and other physical factors that are beyond your control. There are, however, steps you can take to reduce the risk of losing a pregnancy.

1. Don't smoke

Smoking increases the risk of losing a genetically normal baby. One study showed that women who smoked more than 14 cigarettes a day were about twice as likely to miscarry, regardless of their age or use of alcoholic beverages. The risk of losing a pregnancy increases with the number of cigarettes a woman smokes. On the other hand, giving up smoking at any time during the pregnancy will benefit the baby. Since passive smoke is also dangerous, it's wisest if no one in your household smokes during the pregnancy.

2. Don't drink alcoholic beverages or much caffeine.

Having an alcoholic drink twice weekly doubled the risk of losing normal babies in one study; drinking alcohol every day tripled the risk of such miscarriages. Similarly, consuming large amounts of caffeine—more than 4 cups of coffee per day (or the equivalent in other substances that contain caffeine) slightly increases the chance of miscarriage. The risk appears to rise with the amount of caffeine consumed; and doctors generally recommend limiting intake to one cup of coffee per day.

3. Avoid radiation and poisons.

Exposure to high levels of radiation or toxic substances increases the risk of miscarriage. The dangers of various levels of radiation are discussed in the chapter on “Strategies for a Healthy Pregnancy.” Arsenic, lead, formaldehyde, benzene, and ethylene oxide can cause miscarriage. Make sure you are not exposed to these substances at work or anywhere else while pregnant or trying to conceive.

4. Prevent trauma to the abdomen.

Don't participate in sports such a skiing that might involve serious falls. Stab wounds or injuries from the steering wheel or seat belt in a car, especially during the second trimester, sometimes cause miscarriage. See the nearby box for the right way to wear a seat belt when you are visibly pregnant.

5. Check out all medications with your doctor.

Certain prescription and over-the-counter drugs are associated with fetal abnormalities and miscarriages. Consult your doctor before taking any medication when you are pregnant or trying to conceive. Some drugs can damage the fetus and cause miscarriage before you even know you are pregnant.

6. Increase folic intake

Low levels of plasma folate may be associated with an increased risk of early miscarriage, according to a population-based study conducted by researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institute in cooperation with the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), an arm of the National Institutes of Health. The study, published in the Oct. 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (288, 15:1867-73, 2002). According toDuane Alexander, M.D., director of NICHD. "Not only does taking folic acid before conception prevent the devastating form of birth defects known as neural tube defects, but it also appears to lower the risk of early miscarriage." A healthy balanced diet has a strong role to play in a healthy pregnancy.

7. Protection from Infectious hazards

Infectious hazards are biological agents (usually viruses) that may infect the unborn baby if the mother becomes infected during her pregnancy. Some infections can pass through the placenta to the baby while in the womb. In some cases hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS the baby will experience the illness before the birth or carry it and experience it after the birth (such as or herpes). A few viruses are capable of causing miscarriage, birth defects or physical and mental delays in the baby (such as rubella, cytomegalovirus or toxoplasmosis ). Women working in hospitals, emergency services, prisons, childcare, schools and other care facilities, as well as those working with animals, need to be aware of using gloves when handling blood products and any other required protective clothing, depending on the circumstances. In some cases, being temporarily reassigned to work in other areas may be necessary.

8. Avoid Heavy lifting

When a woman is pregnant, she has high levels of the hormone progesterone. Progesterone relaxes and softens her muscles and ligaments (making her body more flexible, especially her pelvis for giving birth), these changes make her more prone to injury. Heavy lifting can contribute to back injury and straining other areas of the body. Therefore, using lifting aids, or avoiding heavy lifting altogether if possible, may be feasible alternatives. Depending on your occupation, you may need to be moved from a standing job to one that requires more sitting (or be provided with a stool if working behind a counter).

9. Avoid excessive, regular physical vibrations or shocks

during pregnancy if possible, as should exposure to continuous, excessively loud noise. Flying in un-pressurised planes and scuba diving can reduce oxygen levels and should be avoided because of an increased risk of miscarriage, and premature birth.

10. Avoid excessive temperature variation

Working in hot conditions can contribute to a pregnant woman fainting. Heat that raises the woman's body temperature above 38.5o Celsius (or 101.3o Fahrenheit) for several hours during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy has the potential to cause birth defects in the unborn baby. A prolonged, raised temperature from about 12 weeks of pregnancy until the birth may distress the baby or cause premature labour. Avoiding excessively hot conditions is advisable during pregnancy.

The majority of miscarriages cannot be prevented because they are caused by severe genetic problems determined at conception. Some doctors advise women who have a threatened miscarriage to rest in bed for a day and avoid sex for a few weeks after the bleeding stops. If miscarriage was caused by a hormonal imbalance (luteal phase defect), this can be treated with a hormone called progesterone to help prevent subsequent miscarriages. If structural problems have led to repeated miscarriage, there are some possible procedures to treat these problems.

Above is only a general overview, your doctor will be in the best position to advice you regarding protection against a miscarriage.

Source: WomenFitness

Take Off 10 Pounds in 10 Minutes

Look thinner—and younger—without shedding a pound.

By Selene Yeager and Diana Kelly, Prevention editors

Dress to impress with the body you have?

You don't have to lose weight to look great! Try these simple tips from fashion pros.

Jeni Paolella Luciani has a knack for styling curvy women and has worked as a professional stylist on TV shows like More to Love, Tool Academy, A Double Shot at Love, and Dance Your Ass Off.

She says the most important thing with getting dressed is feeling comfortable with the way you look. "My job is to make someone feel amazing and confident when she walks out the door.

"Use these tips from Luciani and Harriett Cole, acting editor-in-chief and creative director for Ebony magazine, to look slimmer instantly.

1. Wear the right bra

Too often, women wear bras that let their breasts fall too low, making them look older, heavier, and short-waisted. Luciani recommends getting fitted for and investing in a good support bra.

"Undergarments are extremely important to your look," says Luciani. "Whenever I'm doing any sort of show or red carpet, I put my clients in Spanx. I always recommend wearing one size smaller than you think you should for best results. So if you think you'd wear a size C, get a size B."

2. Use color strategically

"Wear bright colors on your good features and dark colors on problem areas," advises Cole. "This lets you show off your best while camouflaging trouble spots.

"Luciani suggests her clients experiment with color on top. "Curvier women tend to go on the darker side and wear a lot of black and brown," she says. "I like bright greens, burnt orange, or a brighter blue. If you're not used to wearing a birght color, take smaller steps with dark blue. There's no reason to hide what you have and who you are.

"Your shirt should have a slim fit because a baggier top can add extra pounds, says Luciani. A wrap top is a flattering option to try.

3. Don't squeeze into too-tight clothes

"Struggling to fit into clothes that are too small can actually make you look larger," says Cole. If you can't stand to buy larger sizes, cut out the tags when you get home!

4. Try a new style of jeans

Believe it or not, Luciani loves putting her curvy clients into skinny jeans: "I think they're fantastic with high heels."

She brought a pair of Torrid's jeans for Dance Your Ass Off show host and client Marissa Janet Winokur, who "nearly went into cardiac arrest" when she saw they were skinny jeans, Luciani says. "But now she loves them and wears them all the time."

Luciani recommends staying away from features that add bulk, such as cargo pockets, extra zippers, and elastic waistbands.

To slim your hips, try boot-cut pants. "Instead of being tight at the ankles, these pants flare slightly from the knee, making you look more balanced and slimmer in the hips," says Cole.

5. Pump up accessories

It's hard to focus on any figure problems when a woman's wearing unusual, dangling earrings. Pick up some eye-catching accessories— scarves, pins, handbags, shoes. They'll help you look great before, during, and after you lose weight.

Luciani recommends necklaces paired with a scoop-neck or V-neck shirt and using belts over shirts and dresses to accenuate the waistline.

Source: Prevention

10 Best Foods for Your Body

Food can do a lot more than simply satiate and satisfy. We've gathered grub that is great for your hair, skin, eyes, heart, and more.

By RealBeauty editors

1. Avocado for Shiny Hair

"Long touted as the miracle hair food, they're high in vitamins B and E which promote a healthy scalp and the growth of new strands," says Cynthia Pasquella, certified clinical nutritionist, SoCal Cleanse founder. "They're also full of healthy, monounsaturated fats to plump up and moisturize hair follicles. Talk about shine!"

2. Kiwifruit for Your Bones

Eating kiwifruit will not only help maintain clear skin, it will also promote healthy bones. Lisa Drayer, MA, RD, author of The Beauty Diet, says one cup peeled kiwifruit contains more vitamin C than the equivalent amount of oranges. Plus, it neutralizes free radicals that could lead to things like cancer and heart disease.

3. Garbanzo Beans to Fight Grey Hair

"Since hair is primarily made up of the protein, keratin, it's important to get enough protein to fight off hair breakage and loss," explains Pasquella. "These beans, also known as chickpeas, provide tons along with the trace mineral manganese. It's known to prevent changing pigmentation, a.k.a. gray hair!"

4. Oysters for Your Eyes

Not only are oysters full of zinc and selenium, according to Drayer, the high levels of these minerals serve as an antioxidant and help protect you against eye-related disease.

5. Cilantro to Prevent Hair Loss

"This herb works wonders for hair loss!" says Pasquella. "It works as a purifying agent to rid the body of toxic metals quickly. A good thing, since they can stop nutrients from getting to your scalp, resulting in hair loss and dull strands."

6. Salmon for Your Heart

Diets high in omega-3 fatty acids protect against heart disease. A study from Diabetes & Metabolism found that omega-3s keep the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline from peaking.

7. Lentils for Hair Growth

"They're an ideal source of iron, which is so important for full, lustrous locks!" exclaims Pasquella. "Iron helps bring oxygen to the hair follicles, leading to growth and fullness. This is especially key if you have thin hair."

8. Ginger, Turmeric, Cocoa, Cayenne, and Cinnamon for Your Blood

These spices have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the body, says Paula Simpson, BASc, RNCP. They also help balance blood sugar and can be easily incorporated into beverages or even food.

9. Hemp Powder for Dry Scalp

"Add a scoop to a smoothie to infuse your hair with essential fatty acids," suggests Pasquella. "This fortifier has the optimal ratio of omega-6 and -3 fatty acids, letting them work most effectively. Insuffiecient amounts of either can lead to a dry scalp and brittle hair."

10. Banana for Your Libido

Loaded with B vitamins, the well-hung fruit helps boost testosterone. According to Lynn Nezin, co-author of Great Food, Great Sex, low testosterone levels can make for a sluggish sex drive in men and women.

Source: RealBeauty