Lets Talk About skin Care, Beauty And Health Tips

ok i am 5'4 150 lbs. i'm willing to workout and motivated to keep doing it. what are good exercises and what should i eat. when do you think i will start seeing results (just to know if i am going towards the right direction). so i really need to lose weight to be fit for h.s. basketball..........btw i play basketball and do taekwondo.

Answer
Before I say anything.. let me just point out that no matter how hard you work at the gym and no matter how long you stay at the gym, it will get you NO WHERE unless you stick to a healthy diet plan. You can do 1,000 crunches a day for all I care, trust me it won't do anything; you first need to remove the layer of fat that's hiding your muscles.
If you want to lose ANY amount of weight, you shouldn't eat any man-made/ processed foods (like dessert, fast foods, fried foods, etc.) This is not the end of the world.. in fact, you will actually start to feel a lot more energetic and feel lighter. Trust me, once you start, you will not WANT to go back to your old ways, since eating healthy and organically will improve your skin, mood, energy, confidence, and will tone your body. If you crave sugars and carbohydates, let them be derived from fruits and vegetables. You also want to eat protein foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (like egg whites, nuts, chicken, fish, etc.) Try to make breakfast your largest meal since it will not make you crave foods later on during the day. Also make sure to drink plenty of water.
Once you reach your goal weight, THEN you can slowly and moderately start introducing a slice of cake here and there. But remember, not two or three slices of cake, but ONE serving size or smaller. At first, you will count down the days until you can eat "normally" again... but as I said before.. turns out you won't want to put the unneccessary crap in your body.

Now that we have the diet out of the way, and pointed out its significant importance, we can move on to the workout plan. Do strength training 2-3 times a week, not everyday since your muscles need time to heal. You can do upper body on Monday, abs on Wednesday, and legs on Friday. And don't forget... cardio cardio cardio! You can do any type of cardio for 30-45 min a day 5-6 times a week.

From my personal experience, do NOT stare at yourself in the mirror looking for results the day after you begin! Results will come from inside first.. then they will start to become visible. Set a LONG-term goal, like say next summer.... because if you set it until let's say next month for a wedding, the pressure will be on and you won't do as great as you want to. Try not to screw up, but if you have your slips here and there, just remember that tomorrow's a brand, new day and you can start where you left off. Good luck!

My daughter refuses to go to her brothers wedding next week because my son's Future wife is black...?

My daughter is refusing to go to her brothers wedding because my son's Future wife is black no one else cares in the family except for her. And her and her younger brother have always been close and i don't understand how or why she could let something so small get into the way of such a close relationship. She told her brother this and it flabbergasted him and just took him completely by surprise and he doesn't understand it. I don't know what to do i know i can't force her but this is just stupid and its frustrating for everyone. Advice

Answer
can I ask if she had problems with his partner while they were dating?
I am in a similar situation only I am the bride-to-be & my partners sister & mum wont come to the wedding because I said I hate 80s carpet... (yeah, dont ask, i dont even know, they live in a house built in 2000)
Anyway, we found out the real reason they wont come is jealousy. They dont like their son/brother, who has always had them as his #1 girls till I & 'stole' him, is happy with another girl.
They feel he will forget them & they think they should always have their unit of 4 (mum, dad, brother, sister) & thats it. They think I am an intruder & blame me that they dont see him as much anymore. This hurts me because I so wanted to be close to them. We found this out through a mutual friend.
Maybe you should see if there are any other reasons as to why she wont go. If she has never had a problem with skin colour before it could be something that she is just using as a reason to not go (like the 80s carpet) but there may be other things bothering her.
Maybe she is jealous or scared she will lose her brother who has always been there for her. Maybe she has decided she doesnt like seeing him put another girl before her.
Have you tried sitting down & talking to her about it properly with no one else around? Ask her what the real reason is. Let her feel she is in a trusted environment & whatever she says will not be judged.
I hope she comes around, I know how hard this situation is :)

I have a wedding to go to on new years eve and I have back acne(not bad but it is embarrassing) and I may wear a strapless dress so I want to clear it up a little. Any tips?

Answer
If you want to clear it up fairly quickly, I would suggest using a topical benzoyl peroxide cream. BP is very effective in clearing up acne but the only problem with using it on your body is that it will bleach fabric...so clothes and possibly your sheets will get ruined. So, either wear something that you don't care if it gets ruined or wear white (i.e. an old white t-shirt) and make sure it covers up your entire back so it doesn't touch anything else.

For future breakouts and to keep the back acne at bay, do the following:
First, make sure you cleanse at least once a day. Don't overdo it here (sometimes people shower more often thinking they'll get rid of the acne by washing it away - you can actually make things worse if you strip away too much of your natural oils because your skin will respond with making more oil - causing more acne.) If, however, you sweat a lot, you may want to wash your skin again (even it it's just with a wash cloth) - for instance, after playing sports, etc. Wash with a cleanser that YOUR skin responds to. But, do not choose a cleanser that has alcohol in it (as this also causes your skin to dry out and cause more acne). Also, skip anything with fragrance as this can irritate acne prone skin.

Second, I also use this method on a daily basis or 2-3 times per week (depending on your skin):
a water / vinegar solution 1:1 ratio Apple cider vinegar is good but I've also used regular vinegar. I use a 1:1 ratio but you can use less vinegar if you'd like (you may want to start off with 90% water, 10% vinegar to see how your skin reacts - work your way up, if needed). Put it in a spray bottle and spray the problem areas at night before you go to bed then shower in the morning. If you normally shower at night, go ahead and still spray it. The "vinegary" smell should dissipate but you may still want to wash off with a wash cloth in the morning. This can be very helpful for your back.

I would also exfoliate on a regular basis. Exfoliating your skin will help remove dead skin cells that get trapped because of too much sebum (oil) on your skin - causing pores to get clogged...thus forming acne. With oily skin, you should exfoliate 3-5 per week. (If you have dry or sensitive skin, only once per week; Normal skin would be everyday.)

Everyone's skin is different and everyone responds differently to different treatments. As long as you stay consistent with your skin care regimen and listen to your skin while using the tips above, you will find what works for you. It wasn't until after I really started to see how my skin responded to my habits that I figured out how to manage the acne. I hope this helps you!! Good luck to you!! I hope your acne clears up so you can wear that dress!!

Any tips for looking the best for my wedding?

I am getting married next May, so I have 6 months to be in tip-top shape for my wedding. I am going to the gym and TRYING to diet. It is not easy. I am not fat, however id like to tone my tummy and get rid of the extra flub thats on my sides. I also want to try to get my hair to grow longer and make my skin more clear. Any tips? Is there a "super food" i should be eating? An exercise I should try doing?

Answer
you should definitely try to drink lots of water. this will keep your skin hydrated and make it look more healthy. try carrying a water bottle in your hand bag, that's what i do to ensure i drink lots.

i also suggest you use tea tree oil, it's cheap but it really works, it's just amazing. you should have a skin care routine where you wash your face, dry it and then put some tea tree oil on a cotton ball and wipe it over your face. it can sometimes hurt so maybe add a bit of water to it to start, but when it hurts that means it's working. it's an antibacterial so it cleans all the bacteria in your pores that produce pimples and black heads and basically just cleans your skin really well. once it's dried you use a good vitamin E moisturiser. if you've got the money i even suggest you go and get a few facials. if you get one now, one in 2 months then again 6 weeks before the wedding and 1 week before the wedding your skin will be amazing and it's very relaxing.

i also suggest you ask your hairdresser about growing your hair long and keeping it in good health, no one will know your hair as well as he/she does and they will be able to suggest products for you to use.

as for exercise, running and swimming are great ways to tone up. both of them build muscles all over your body, swimming in particular works your tummy and arms. good luck

Im 195 , 5'6 and want to lose 40 pounds in 4 month ? Can someone please give me tips to lose that much ? What should I eat ? How many calories ? How many times a week should I exercise ? How many minutes a day should I exercise ? Please help ,
What are organic products ? like I know what it means but does that mean I have to get organic fruit ?

Answer
Before I say anything.. let me just point out that no matter how hard you work at the gym and no matter how long you stay at the gym, it will get you NO WHERE unless you stick to a healthy diet plan. You can do 1,000 crunches a day for all I care, trust me it won't do anything; you first need to remove the layer of fat that's hiding your muscles.
If you want to lose ANY amount of weight, you shouldn't eat any man-made/ processed foods (like dessert, fast foods, fried foods, etc.) This is not the end of the world.. in fact, you will actually start to feel a lot more energetic and feel lighter. Trust me, once you start, you will not WANT to go back to your old ways, since eating healthy and organically will improve your skin, mood, energy, confidence, and will tone your body. If you crave sugars and carbohydates, let them be derived from fruits and vegetables. You also want to eat protein foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (like egg whites, nuts, chicken, fish, etc.) Try to make breakfast your largest meal since it will not make you crave foods later on during the day. Also make sure to drink plenty of water.
Once you reach your goal weight, THEN you can slowly and moderately start introducing a slice of cake here and there. But remember, not two or three slices of cake, but ONE serving size or smaller. At first, you will count down the days until you can eat "normally" again... but as I said before.. turns out you won't want to put the unneccessary crap in your body.

Now that we have the diet out of the way, and pointed out its significant importance, we can move on to the workout plan. Do strength training 2-3 times a week, not everyday since your muscles need time to heal. You can do upper body on Monday, abs on Wednesday, and legs on Friday. And don't forget... cardio cardio cardio! You can do any type of cardio for 30-45 min a day 5-6 times a week.

From my personal experience, do NOT stare at yourself in the mirror looking for results the day after you begin! Results will come from inside first.. then they will start to become visible. Set a LONG-term goal, like say next summer.... because if you set it until let's say next month for a wedding, the pressure will be on and you won't do as great as you want to. Try not to screw up, but if you have your slips here and there, just remember that tomorrow's a brand, new day and you can start where you left off. Good luck!

How to get 6 pack abs possibly without equipment?

ok i am 5'4 150 lbs. i'm willing to workout and motivated to keep doing it. what are good exercises and what should i eat. when do you think i will start seeing results (just to know if i am going towards the right direction). so i really need to lose weight to be fit for h.s. basketball..........btw i play basketball and do taekwondo.

Answer
Before I say anything.. let me just point out that no matter how hard you work at the gym and no matter how long you stay at the gym, it will get you NO WHERE unless you stick to a healthy diet plan. You can do 1,000 crunches a day for all I care, trust me it won't do anything; you first need to remove the layer of fat that's hiding your muscles.
If you want to lose ANY amount of weight, you shouldn't eat any man-made/ processed foods (like dessert, fast foods, fried foods, etc.) This is not the end of the world.. in fact, you will actually start to feel a lot more energetic and feel lighter. Trust me, once you start, you will not WANT to go back to your old ways, since eating healthy and organically will improve your skin, mood, energy, confidence, and will tone your body. If you crave sugars and carbohydates, let them be derived from fruits and vegetables. You also want to eat protein foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (like egg whites, nuts, chicken, fish, etc.) Try to make breakfast your largest meal since it will not make you crave foods later on during the day. Also make sure to drink plenty of water.
Once you reach your goal weight, THEN you can slowly and moderately start introducing a slice of cake here and there. But remember, not two or three slices of cake, but ONE serving size or smaller. At first, you will count down the days until you can eat "normally" again... but as I said before.. turns out you won't want to put the unneccessary crap in your body.

Now that we have the diet out of the way, and pointed out its significant importance, we can move on to the workout plan. Do strength training 2-3 times a week, not everyday since your muscles need time to heal. You can do upper body on Monday, abs on Wednesday, and legs on Friday. And don't forget... cardio cardio cardio! You can do any type of cardio for 30-45 min a day 5-6 times a week.

From my personal experience, do NOT stare at yourself in the mirror looking for results the day after you begin! Results will come from inside first.. then they will start to become visible. Set a LONG-term goal, like say next summer.... because if you set it until let's say next month for a wedding, the pressure will be on and you won't do as great as you want to. Try not to screw up, but if you have your slips here and there, just remember that tomorrow's a brand, new day and you can start where you left off. Good luck!

My daughter is refusing to go to her brothers wedding because my son's Future wife is black no one else cares in the family except for her. And her and her younger brother have always been close and i don't understand how or why she could let something so small get into the way of such a close relationship. She told her brother this and it flabbergasted him and just took him completely by surprise and he doesn't understand it. I don't know what to do i know i can't force her but this is just stupid and its frustrating for everyone. Advice

Answer
can I ask if she had problems with his partner while they were dating?
I am in a similar situation only I am the bride-to-be & my partners sister & mum wont come to the wedding because I said I hate 80s carpet... (yeah, dont ask, i dont even know, they live in a house built in 2000)
Anyway, we found out the real reason they wont come is jealousy. They dont like their son/brother, who has always had them as his #1 girls till I & 'stole' him, is happy with another girl.
They feel he will forget them & they think they should always have their unit of 4 (mum, dad, brother, sister) & thats it. They think I am an intruder & blame me that they dont see him as much anymore. This hurts me because I so wanted to be close to them. We found this out through a mutual friend.
Maybe you should see if there are any other reasons as to why she wont go. If she has never had a problem with skin colour before it could be something that she is just using as a reason to not go (like the 80s carpet) but there may be other things bothering her.
Maybe she is jealous or scared she will lose her brother who has always been there for her. Maybe she has decided she doesnt like seeing him put another girl before her.
Have you tried sitting down & talking to her about it properly with no one else around? Ask her what the real reason is. Let her feel she is in a trusted environment & whatever she says will not be judged.
I hope she comes around, I know how hard this situation is :)

Skin care at 40 - how to look my best in 7 months for wedding?

So, I'm getting married in 7 months and I'm 40 years old. What kind of skin care can I start to put my best face forward on my wedding day? I've heard of facial "toning" with micro-currents - does it work?

p.s. No surgery please, I'm not into that (plus I'm not THAT old!). Thanks in advance.

Answer
Start by getting a facial at a reputable salon (1X a month or so). You can ask the esthetician what she recommends. She'll study your skin and give you a treatment designed for your skin type.

Do you have a regular skin care regime? If you don't, then now is the time to adopt one. Regardless of your skin type you need to wash, tone and moisturize 2X a day. On top of that, put sunscreen on EVERY morning. In the morning, after toning and before moisturizing I recommend a topical vitamin C product, and at night, a topical vitamin A/retinoid. Also, exfoliate as needed depending on your skin type.

Here are some product suggestions:
-Bliss The Youth as We Know It- there's an entire line including cleaner and toner and I have tried them all, but the moisture cream and eye cream are particularly amazing and give instant result.
-Bliss Sleeping Peel Serum (there is also a cleanser). You would put this on your face after cleaning and toning at night.
-Bliss Triple Oxygenating Energizing Mask- brightens up your entire complexion. It really works and is quick and easy to do at home.

For vitamin C:
- Philosophy 'A Hope and a Prayer'- it's vitamin C in powder form, you mix a scoop full with serum or moisturizer each morning (this is what I'm currently using. it works well and is less expensive than most vitamin C products
- Skinceuticals CE Ferulic- this is a serum. It works great but is somewhat pricey (also try their B5 serum)

If you have oily skin, black heads and break outs try:
-Laboratoire Remede Double Oxygenating Booster
-Laboratoire Remede Complete Treatment Anti-Aging/Oil Control
-Bliss Steep Clean (this is a pore cleaning mask and is single-handedly the BEST product for getting rid of stubborn black heads)

Make-up (assuming you wear it):
-Less is more. Visit the Clinique counter (or similar) for recommendations. I'd try the lightest, sheerest things possible and if you are used to wearing foundation religiously every day you should try giving your skin some days off

You can always treat yourself to an at home facial, I do this once a week:
1. clean
2. exfoliate (I use Origins Modern Friction or Cosmedicine Medi-Morphosis Self-Adjusting Exfoliator)
3. steam for 10 minutes (boil water, pour in bowl and lean over with a towel draped over head-BE CAREFUL)
4. mask (one suitable for your skin type, I use the Steep Clean to clear out my pores, leave on as per package directions)
5. Wipe mask off face using washcloth, rinse with COLD water
6. Tone
7. Serum
8. Moisturizer

Good luck with your wedding. You gave yourself plenty of time, you'll have a glowing complexion in 7 months! Hope I helped, I don't know your exact skin type so I did the best with what I had :)

To prevent the inevitable "go to a doctor answer" I'll start with this: I went to urgent care over the weekend and was diagnosed with an STD--herpes type 1. so I've been diagnosed, i know i have it, i am following up with my OBGYN on Wed.
The back story is: I am going through a bad divorce (was married for almost 4 years). My soon-to-be-ex husband left my son and I in mid July. We tried reconciling once in early aug and slept together 1 time then and none since then. We both decided that its not going to work and we both decided to move on and start over.
I started seeing someone last month and this past weekend, we slept together for the first time ever. 3 days after we last had sex (so about Wed) I started having extreme pain when I urinated. I thought it was just a bad UTI (caused by so much sex after not having any in so long). But then the next day I got a ton of sores around my vagina and they became extremely painful. So bad that I went to urgent care and thats when it was diagnosed. I am devastated to say the least and I've been an emotional wreck for the last 48 hours. I haven't been to work since last Wed because I can't sit for more than 5 min without wanting to pass out from pain. Anyways, enough about that... my main question/concern is did this new guy give it to me?
All signs point to yes. From what I've read about herpes (and heard from people), if you get an initial outbreak, it will happen 3-10 days from first contact with infected individual. Also if it is your very first outbreak, it will be the most severe and accompanied by flu like symptoms (I have all: nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, aches, dizziness, basically feel like I'm dying)--along with the pain from the sores. The time frame fits perfectly with "fun" weekend I had. Only problem: my guy says that he just tested (through a blood test) last month and it came back negative for every single STD. He said there is no way he gave it to me and that I probably gave it to him now (he's going to get tested next week). Well I thought that a carrier might not always test positive through blood test unless they've had outbreaks--which he has had none.

I know none of us on here are drs and I'll be asking all this and more to my doc on wed. I just want some initial advice/thoughts/ideas on who might have caused this. New guy? or could I have had it this whole time and just broke out now? (I highly doubt that as I've never had symptoms and have had STD tests in the past that were all neg).

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks and sorry for the long book :)

Answer
I quoted your post "I started seeing someone last month and this past weekend, we slept together for the first time ever. 3 days after we last had sex (so about Wed) I started having extreme pain when I urinated"

That is the window right there. I would say this is the guy who gave it to you. However, you could have had this virus for any amount of time and not had an outbreak, and this sexual activity could have triggered something for you. There is truly no way to tell who gave you this skin condition/minor virus without being regularly tested for Herpes every 4 months or so. However it really seems like this guy is the one who gave it to you considering you have never had any symptoms at all before, and who knows if he is telling the truth, he might say you gave it to him just to take the pressure off of himself.

Sounds to me like it is definitely the new guy. Just keep in mind you can pass herpes when there is no outbreak and even with the use of condoms, also if your ex or any person that you have ever been with has cold sores and went down on you then they can transfer it to your genitals without any signs or symptoms. TONS AND TONS of people have this and never even know it...as several never even show symptoms, it's a very tricky little virus and people are quick to judge herpes and make fun but the facts are that most people are living with this virus and don't even know what it is or how it works.

im 15 years old and i weight 185 i want to loose weight fast?

Answer
Before I say anything.. let me just point out that no matter how hard you work at the gym and no matter how long you stay at the gym, it will get you NO WHERE unless you stick to a healthy diet plan. You can do 1,000 crunches a day for all I care, trust me it won't do anything; you first need to remove the layer of fat that's hiding your muscles.
If you want to lose ANY amount of weight, you shouldn't eat any man-made/ processed foods (like dessert, fast foods, fried foods, etc.) This is not the end of the world.. in fact, you will actually start to feel a lot more energetic and feel lighter. Trust me, once you start, you will not WANT to go back to your old ways, since eating healthy and organically will improve your skin, mood, energy, confidence, and will tone your body. If you crave sugars and carbohydates, let them be derived from fruits and vegetables. You also want to eat protein foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (like egg whites, nuts, chicken, fish, etc.) Try to make breakfast your largest meal since it will not make you crave foods later on during the day. Also make sure to drink plenty of water.
Once you reach your goal weight, THEN you can slowly and moderately start introducing a slice of cake here and there. But remember, not two or three slices of cake, but ONE serving size or smaller. At first, you will count down the days until you can eat "normally" again... but as I said before.. turns out you won't want to put the unneccessary crap in your body.

Now that we have the diet out of the way, and pointed out its significant importance, we can move on to the workout plan. Do strength training 2-3 times a week, not everyday since your muscles need time to heal. You can do upper body on Monday, abs on Wednesday, and legs on Friday. And don't forget... cardio cardio cardio! You can do any type of cardio for 30-45 min a day 5-6 times a week.

From my personal experience, do NOT stare at yourself in the mirror looking for results the day after you begin! Results will come from inside first.. then they will start to become visible. Set a LONG-term goal, like say next summer.... because if you set it until let's say next month for a wedding, the pressure will be on and you won't do as great as you want to. Try not to screw up, but if you have your slips here and there, just remember that tomorrow's a brand, new day and you can start where you left off. Good luck!