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20 winter revival tips
Forget the pressure of new year resolutions. It's time to stop
planning and start relaxing!
By Alison Garwood-Jones
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Mounting credit card bills, lingering relatives and dark afternoons probably have you craving a box of soft-centred chocolates and a big, warm bed right about now. Go ahead and escape, but take us with you. And relax, this isn't a high maintenance checklist of new year resolutions. No one is suggesting that you lose 20 pounds in eight weeks or give up your favourite vices. Most experts agree that by the third week of January, a quarter of new year resolutions have already been broken, and only 20 percent of us follow through on the promises we make ourselves. Who needs the guilt?
This eclectic gathering of beauty tips and myths, body news and mind candy is designed to appeal to the wilful, self-centred and mercurial side of every woman -- you know, the one that's often amplified by the whirl of holiday obligations.
So now is the perfect time to wrap yourself in that cashmere throw, toss some marshmallows in a steaming cup of hot chocolate and indulge.
1 Go figure
It turns out that men are bad for women's waistlines, at least that's the latest word from Dr. David Haslan, a British obesity expert. Women are far more likely to stock up on fruits and veggies and to manage their food portions when living on their own or with other women, Haslan told the BBC. But as soon as a man enters the picture, several factors contribute to their weight gain: they eat out more, indulge in richer foods in man-size portions, snack in front of the TV and exercise less.
2 Strike a pose
It's Hollywood's latest fitness craze. A fusion of ashtanga yoga, martial arts and meditation, Budokon (meaning "spirit of the warrior") starts with meditation, followed by a series of yoga-based moves that pick up speed and turn into gymnastic lunges, leaps and flying kicks. "By better organizing the way a person moves, we serve to better organize the way that person thinks and lives," says creator Cameron Shayne. Converts include Rene Russo, Amber Valletta and Courteney Cox-Arquette, who used the regime to help shed her baby weight.
3 "Life is about messing up and getting on your feet again. So have a sense of humour about yourself."
-- Debra Messing
4 Gourmet sex
If your sex life is a snooze, turn up the heat with these healthy foods:
• Chili peppers and ginger root Improve circulation and stimulate nerve endings. Capsaicin, the compound responsible for giving chilies their burn, is thought to trigger the release of endorphins, the feel-good brain chemical.
• Soy Binds estrogen receptors to keep the vagina lubricated.
• Olive oil, salmon and nuts Sex hormone production thrives on the "good fats" found in these heart-healthy foods. What's good for your heart benefits all your bits and pieces.
5 Dial a bod
If dragging yourself to the gym at dawn is as unlikely as hiring a personal trainer, pick up your cellphone and dial a workout. The Fitcall, a new program being offered in Los Angeles by Eric the Trainer (ericthetrainer.com), is designed for busy women. All you need is a yoga mat, a towel and a cellphone equipped with the speakerphone or hands-free option. Twice a week, students jump into a conference call with Eric, who leads them through 45 minutes of kicks and crunches.
6 Air supply
Here's one more reason to book that winter vacation. Frequent exposure to negative ions creates positive vibes that can boost your mood. Negative ions are odourless, tasteless and invisible molecules that we inhale in abundance in environments with a lot of moving air or water. Scientists believe that when negative ions reach the bloodstream, they produce a biochemical reaction that increases levels of the mood-boosting brain chemical serotonin.
Photo courtesy of Tahiti-Tourisme.com
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