Got an hour or two to spare? Don’t spend it on this soul-sapping junk.
- Sitting through a lame independent flick just because the critics are getting their rocks off on it.
- Tracking every calorie you imbibe with color-coded Excel documents that chart your good and bad days.
- Updating your MySpace picture every other hour and hounding your buddies to post comments.
- Texting that guy you went out with last week “just in case” he lost your number.
- Spending an hour taming misbehaving hair into submission-that’s why ponytails were invented.
Showing posts with label Cosmopolitan Style and Beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cosmopolitan Style and Beauty. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
FEEL GOOD = LOOK GOOD
RUBDOWNS - News you’ll really want to embrace: Massage (amateur or professional) reduces stress and boosts the immune system, according to the Touch Research Institute in Miami.
SWEET DREAMS - Go ahead and laze between luxurious sheets. Skimping on snooze time increases your risk of depression and weight gain, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
PLAYTIME - Fact: Women who book fun activities into their PDAs tend to eat better, exercise more, and get more exposure to sunlight, says Scott Sheperd, PhD.
SWEET DREAMS - Go ahead and laze between luxurious sheets. Skimping on snooze time increases your risk of depression and weight gain, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
PLAYTIME - Fact: Women who book fun activities into their PDAs tend to eat better, exercise more, and get more exposure to sunlight, says Scott Sheperd, PhD.
No Guilt Pleasures
EARLY WEEK
Come Monday, only 23 percent of Americans feel energized for the week ahead.
BE SPONTANEOUS. A new study found that when we make a snap decision, we feel more creative and energetic. So pick the first dress that catches your eye in your closet, or order the drunken noodles you always promise you’re gonna try “next time” at that hot Thai lunch spot.
GET A PRO BLOWOUT. Most chains offer them for as little as $20. You’ll get a killer scalp massage, and you won’t have to worry about your hair for days. Bonus: Some salons offer complimentary wine.
STEAL A SUNDAY RITUAL. If you have a comfort breakfast on Sunday, move it to Monday or Tuesday to help fuel you through your to-do list.
EXTEND THE WEEKEND. “Take Monday off instead of Friday, when you’re usually in a good mood anyway,” says Mary Lou Quinlan, author of Time off for Good Behavior.
PHONE IT IN. Call your crew to set dinner plans, says Will Schwalbe, coauthor of the e-mail-etiquette book Send. “Otherwise you’ll send a million messages back and forth, which will stress you out.”
REFRESH YOUR SCENT. We build up resistance to a perfume’s charms since we wear it on your skin. No need to splurge on a new scent. “Spritz your favorite fragrance on your drawers and desk,” suggests Michelle DeAngelis, founder of life-coaching company Planet Joyride. It’ll take on new life in the air.
64% of people say they ask themselves on Sunday night, “Where did the weekend go?”
TRADE-UP TRICK
INSTEAD OF: Plodding through a novel picked by that boring book club… DO THIS: Start a burger club that’s dedicated to rating the juiciest patties in town.
MIDWEEK
They don’t call it the midweek slump for nothing.
HEAD TO A TAPAS BAR. ‘They encourage sharing and conversation, and men feel more open to approaching,” says Cheryl Greenhill, director of operations for the global concierge company Quintessentially.
BECOME AN INSTA-EXPERT. Log on to video jug.com to view video clips on everything from how to beat someone at blackjack to how to exit a car without flashing your goodies.
FEET FIRST. To relax every part of your bod, simply roll each bare sole over a clean tennis ball, suggests Denise Vitiello, spa director at the Mandarin Oriental New York.
EAT ALFRESCO. Natural sunlight boosts levels of the feel-good chemical serotonin. Sit wherever hot guys abound (like a bench near the baseball diamond of a park) and give yourself license to ogle.
ORDER ANOTHER ROUND. That yummy strawberry margarita does more than take the edge off hump day. New research from the Journal of Food and Agriculture finds that combining vodka, rum or other liquor with strawberries or blackberries maximizes the fruits’ antioxidant vitamins. Cheers to that!
41% of singles think Wednesday is the best night of the week for a first date.
TRADE-UP TRICK
INSTEAD OF: Pouring your heart out to your diary when you can’t stand writing… DO THIS: Hop on iTunes and create a play list that reflects how you feel.
WEEKEND
Weekends weren’t invented for laundry runs and oil changes. Reclaim Saturday and Sunday.
NO MORE NO-FAT. “You’re less likely to consume as many calories if you go for the genuine goods,” says Susan Bowerman, assistant director at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. Trick out a box of brownie mix with cayenne; the spice keeps portions in check.
BE LIKE A GUY. Men aren’t multitaskers
They’re multislackers (sometimes). Take a page from their book by doing three self-indulgent things at once: lounging on a blanket in the park, caressing each other’s arms, and feeing each other bite-size chocolates.
SHOP RIGHT. Nix the impulse sale buys where you end up with cheap stuff that you didn’t want. Instead, save up for the label item you crave. For a tactile treat, try on a pricey cashmere sweater just for the hell of it. And you know that trendy dress you saw on Ashlee? Head over to like.com or starstyle.com to scoop up a similar look at a fraction of the cost.
TAKE A SENSUAL SOAK. Light a few candles; dissolve a couple of drops of calming lavender oil into warm water. As the tub fills, stand on a towel while massaging a salt scrub into your skin. “Once you’re in the water, the scrub will dissolve, creating this therapeutic experience for the body,” says Regina Viotto, spa director at the Paul Labrecque Salon & Spa in NYC.
46% of people say Saturday is the night when they’d most likely see a move or show.
TRADE-UP TRICK
INSTEAD OF: Going to the standard dinner and a movie... DO THIS: Log on to eventful.com for fresh date ideas.
Come Monday, only 23 percent of Americans feel energized for the week ahead.
BE SPONTANEOUS. A new study found that when we make a snap decision, we feel more creative and energetic. So pick the first dress that catches your eye in your closet, or order the drunken noodles you always promise you’re gonna try “next time” at that hot Thai lunch spot.
GET A PRO BLOWOUT. Most chains offer them for as little as $20. You’ll get a killer scalp massage, and you won’t have to worry about your hair for days. Bonus: Some salons offer complimentary wine.
STEAL A SUNDAY RITUAL. If you have a comfort breakfast on Sunday, move it to Monday or Tuesday to help fuel you through your to-do list.
EXTEND THE WEEKEND. “Take Monday off instead of Friday, when you’re usually in a good mood anyway,” says Mary Lou Quinlan, author of Time off for Good Behavior.
PHONE IT IN. Call your crew to set dinner plans, says Will Schwalbe, coauthor of the e-mail-etiquette book Send. “Otherwise you’ll send a million messages back and forth, which will stress you out.”
REFRESH YOUR SCENT. We build up resistance to a perfume’s charms since we wear it on your skin. No need to splurge on a new scent. “Spritz your favorite fragrance on your drawers and desk,” suggests Michelle DeAngelis, founder of life-coaching company Planet Joyride. It’ll take on new life in the air.
64% of people say they ask themselves on Sunday night, “Where did the weekend go?”
TRADE-UP TRICK
INSTEAD OF: Plodding through a novel picked by that boring book club… DO THIS: Start a burger club that’s dedicated to rating the juiciest patties in town.
MIDWEEK
They don’t call it the midweek slump for nothing.
HEAD TO A TAPAS BAR. ‘They encourage sharing and conversation, and men feel more open to approaching,” says Cheryl Greenhill, director of operations for the global concierge company Quintessentially.
BECOME AN INSTA-EXPERT. Log on to video jug.com to view video clips on everything from how to beat someone at blackjack to how to exit a car without flashing your goodies.
FEET FIRST. To relax every part of your bod, simply roll each bare sole over a clean tennis ball, suggests Denise Vitiello, spa director at the Mandarin Oriental New York.
EAT ALFRESCO. Natural sunlight boosts levels of the feel-good chemical serotonin. Sit wherever hot guys abound (like a bench near the baseball diamond of a park) and give yourself license to ogle.
ORDER ANOTHER ROUND. That yummy strawberry margarita does more than take the edge off hump day. New research from the Journal of Food and Agriculture finds that combining vodka, rum or other liquor with strawberries or blackberries maximizes the fruits’ antioxidant vitamins. Cheers to that!
41% of singles think Wednesday is the best night of the week for a first date.
TRADE-UP TRICK
INSTEAD OF: Pouring your heart out to your diary when you can’t stand writing… DO THIS: Hop on iTunes and create a play list that reflects how you feel.
WEEKEND
Weekends weren’t invented for laundry runs and oil changes. Reclaim Saturday and Sunday.
NO MORE NO-FAT. “You’re less likely to consume as many calories if you go for the genuine goods,” says Susan Bowerman, assistant director at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. Trick out a box of brownie mix with cayenne; the spice keeps portions in check.
BE LIKE A GUY. Men aren’t multitaskers
They’re multislackers (sometimes). Take a page from their book by doing three self-indulgent things at once: lounging on a blanket in the park, caressing each other’s arms, and feeing each other bite-size chocolates.
SHOP RIGHT. Nix the impulse sale buys where you end up with cheap stuff that you didn’t want. Instead, save up for the label item you crave. For a tactile treat, try on a pricey cashmere sweater just for the hell of it. And you know that trendy dress you saw on Ashlee? Head over to like.com or starstyle.com to scoop up a similar look at a fraction of the cost.
TAKE A SENSUAL SOAK. Light a few candles; dissolve a couple of drops of calming lavender oil into warm water. As the tub fills, stand on a towel while massaging a salt scrub into your skin. “Once you’re in the water, the scrub will dissolve, creating this therapeutic experience for the body,” says Regina Viotto, spa director at the Paul Labrecque Salon & Spa in NYC.
46% of people say Saturday is the night when they’d most likely see a move or show.
TRADE-UP TRICK
INSTEAD OF: Going to the standard dinner and a movie... DO THIS: Log on to eventful.com for fresh date ideas.
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