This is a great blog entry by Dr. Laura on weight management.
Check it out, yo.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Delving Deeper: Personal Hygiene
A dear friend asked me to delve deeper on this topic. So, here goes!
MEN
1. Shower daily. Please. You tend to get sweaty and that doesn't smell good.
2. Invest in some cologne, and then wear it. Women love cologne. I don't know a girl who doesn't love a man who smells good.
3. Shave daily. Facial hair on younger guys is so not attractive. Even if you think it's hot and displays your macho manliness, you are severely deluded. Scruff is all right--but not if you're kissing someone regularly. Do the girls in your life a favor and keep yourself cleanshaven.
4. Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
5. Deodorant. Cologne doesn't cover it.
WOMEN
1. You don't need to shower every day, unless you have sweat issues or greasy hair. But please, you should be showering at least three times a week.
2. Keep your legs and armpits shaved. No one should be subjected to your hairiness. If you don't like this rule, move to France or Canada.
3. Wear makeup. Even just a little eyeliner and mascara goes such a long way.
4. Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
I hope this just about covers it. If not, whoops. Write in and I'll fix it. And in the meantime, rock on implementing your personal hygiene plan!
MEN
1. Shower daily. Please. You tend to get sweaty and that doesn't smell good.
2. Invest in some cologne, and then wear it. Women love cologne. I don't know a girl who doesn't love a man who smells good.
3. Shave daily. Facial hair on younger guys is so not attractive. Even if you think it's hot and displays your macho manliness, you are severely deluded. Scruff is all right--but not if you're kissing someone regularly. Do the girls in your life a favor and keep yourself cleanshaven.
4. Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
5. Deodorant. Cologne doesn't cover it.
WOMEN
1. You don't need to shower every day, unless you have sweat issues or greasy hair. But please, you should be showering at least three times a week.
2. Keep your legs and armpits shaved. No one should be subjected to your hairiness. If you don't like this rule, move to France or Canada.
3. Wear makeup. Even just a little eyeliner and mascara goes such a long way.
4. Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
I hope this just about covers it. If not, whoops. Write in and I'll fix it. And in the meantime, rock on implementing your personal hygiene plan!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Helpful Hint: Clothes and Skin Tone
Here is something I found from soyouwanna.com. Find your hair, eye, and skin color and look at the recommended colors for your personal coloring.
Here is another useful site.
* Deep (Vivid coloring)
Hair: Dark-Black, dark brown, chestnut, auburn.
Eyes: Deep-Brown, brown-black, hazel, rich green, olive.
Skin: Beige, olive, bronze.
Recommended colors: Those that are medium to deep in range, like navy, deep brown, blue, purple, charcoal gray, emerald green, mahogany.
* Light (Soft, delicate, fair coloring)
Hair: Light to dark blond, ash blond, golden blond.
Eyes: Blue, blue-green, green, aqua.
Skin: Light-Ivory to soft beige, pink, peach.
Recommended colors: Those that are medium to light and are neither too warm nor too cool, such as grayed-navy, blue-green, turquoise, cocoa, light to medium blue, coral pink, light to medium pink-orange.
* Bright (Contrast in color of hair and skin tone)
Hair: Medium to dark-Ash brown to golden brown, black.
Eyes: Bright and clear-Blue, blue-green, turquoise, steel gray, light hazel.
Skin: Light-Ivory, porcelain
, beige, translucent quality.
Recommended colors: Clear, primary colors like true red, true green, true blue. Also try aqua, violet, bright pink, periwinkle.
* Muted (Neutral look)
Hair: Medium range-Medium ash brown to dark ash blond.
Eyes: Gray-green, hazel, brown-green, brown, dark green.
Skin: Ivory, beige, bronze, golden. Freckles and ruddiness common.
Recommended colors: Soft, blended shades that are neither too warm nor too cool, including rose-brown, blue-green, salmon, rust, watermelon, medium green, warm pink.
* Warm (Total golden glow)
Hair: Medium range-Blond or brown with gold, red or strawberry highlights.
Eyes: Warm-Green, hazel, brown, topaz, blue-green, teal.
Skin: Golden-Beige, ivory, bronze. May have freckles.
Recommended colors: Those that reflect a golden tone, such as beige, peach, yellow, warm red, golden brown, camel, moss green.
* Cool (Softer look)
Hair: Ash brown.
Eyes: Cool-Rose-brown, gray-brown, gray-blue.
Skin: Cool-Beige, rose-beige, pink.
Recommended colors: Those that reflect a gray or blue tone, such as plum, lavender, burgundy, pink, blue-green, slate.
Here is another useful site.
Delving Deeper: Dressing for Men
Men don't have as much variety in shape as women do. Lucky for them. Basically, you have your two basic widths, fat and skinny, and your two basic heights, tall and short. Complex, I know. ^.~
BIGGER MEN
-Avoid all shirts with stripes other than vertical. Vertical is what you want. You love vertical stripes.
-Wear regular cut jeans.
-Please: wear things that fit you. No baggy clothes, no tight clothes. Both will just make you look even larger.
-Avoid T-shirts with prints on them (for example, Hawaiian T's). You don't need the eyes drawn to your bulk.
-Try wearing V-neck shirts. Thin fabrics are best for you.
-Keep your outfits color-coordinated. This isn't to say you should dress like Paris Hilton, just that you should avoid wearing colors together that contrast. Keep to the same color palate.
THINNER MEN
-You are the only group that can ever get away with horizontal stripes. Choose them wisely. A larger stripe across the chest will make you seem buffer.
-Vary your color palate--you can get away with a variety of colors in your outfit at once.
-Avoid loose shirts. Try to wear only fitted clothing.
-Lighter colors will make you look bigger. I don't know why guys always want to look bigger; I like skinny guys myself. But whatever. If you're feeling too anorexic-looking, wear paler colors.
-JUST SAY NO to skinny jeans. I'm sorry, but they are not for you.
Have fun looking awesome!
BIGGER MEN
-Avoid all shirts with stripes other than vertical. Vertical is what you want. You love vertical stripes.
-Wear regular cut jeans.
-Please: wear things that fit you. No baggy clothes, no tight clothes. Both will just make you look even larger.
-Avoid T-shirts with prints on them (for example, Hawaiian T's). You don't need the eyes drawn to your bulk.
-Try wearing V-neck shirts. Thin fabrics are best for you.
-Keep your outfits color-coordinated. This isn't to say you should dress like Paris Hilton, just that you should avoid wearing colors together that contrast. Keep to the same color palate.
THINNER MEN
-You are the only group that can ever get away with horizontal stripes. Choose them wisely. A larger stripe across the chest will make you seem buffer.
-Vary your color palate--you can get away with a variety of colors in your outfit at once.
-Avoid loose shirts. Try to wear only fitted clothing.
-Lighter colors will make you look bigger. I don't know why guys always want to look bigger; I like skinny guys myself. But whatever. If you're feeling too anorexic-looking, wear paler colors.
-JUST SAY NO to skinny jeans. I'm sorry, but they are not for you.
Have fun looking awesome!
Delving Deeper: Dressing for Women
I didn't think the last post really covered as many bases as I wished it had. So here are a few more tips, for women.
First, here is something we should all be aware of. It's called "body type."
This is a picture of the various female body types. The breakdown here is as follows: 46% of women have the Banana shape; 20% of women have the Pear shape; 14% of women have the Apple shape; and only about 8% of women have the Hourglass shape. Here I will quote from Wikipedia's page on the female body shape:
Clearly, these four shapes are very different--and so dressing them requires different things.
FOR PEAR WOMEN:
-Wear trouser-cut pants (pants with wider legs) Always avoid slim-leg pants, which draw attention to the hip. Avoid pockets entirely, and avoid pleats at all cost.
-Only wear dark colors on the bottom. This will make your hips look slimmer.
-When wearing jackets, go for ones with only one button. This will help you look better on top.
-Look for shirts that accentuate the bust, and which drape to the hips. My friend buys knee-length dresses and hems them to the length of a long shirt, and that looks great.
FOR APPLE WOMEN
-Use a rounded-square neckline if you have a large bust. A lower neckline will always look better with a large chest.
-Try emphasizing your waistline with a belt or ribbon.
-Elongate your figure with a knee-length jacket. This will make you look slimmer and deemphasize the heaviness of your upper body.
-If you wear stripes, please make sure they're vertical.
FOR BANANA WOMEN
-If you've got good arms, try a cap sleeve. I'm cautious about advising this because if your arms could possibly be construed as fat, they will with a cap.
-Try double-breasted jackets. Shirts with ruffles and nipped waists will bring out the curviness you want to show off.
-Pleated pants and skinny jeans were invented for you. Wear them.
-Avoid V-necks and plain T's. Stick to real blouses.
FOR HOURGLASS WOMEN
-Wear solid colors on top. This will elongate your figure.
-AVOID shapeless outfits. You should always be wearing one item of clothing that hugs your body and accentuates your curves.
-Wear only single-breasted jackets. Trust me, you do not need a double.
-Be sure to wear fitted blouses. A good bra is a must.
-Tailored pencil skirts and sheaths are a good look for you.
-Avoid boxiness at any cost.
Whew. Well, that was exciting. Good luck, ladies!
First, here is something we should all be aware of. It's called "body type."
This is a picture of the various female body types. The breakdown here is as follows: 46% of women have the Banana shape; 20% of women have the Pear shape; 14% of women have the Apple shape; and only about 8% of women have the Hourglass shape. Here I will quote from Wikipedia's page on the female body shape:
Banana or Straight
the waist circumference is at least 75% of the chest or hips circumferences, which are virtually the same. The body has a relatively high androgen level compared to the estrogen level, and this causes the skeleton to develop in a more masculine pattern and body fat to be distributed predominantly around the waist.
Apple (Triangle downward)
the waist circumference is at most 75% of the chest circumference, and the chest circumference is at least 110% of the hips circumference. Body fat distribution tends to begin in the arms, shoulders, chest and upper abdomen first.
Pear or Spoon or Bell (Triangle upward)
the waist circumference is at least 75%[citation needed] of the chest circumference, and the hips circumference is at least 110%[citation needed] of the chest circumference. The distribution of fat varies, with fat tending to deposit first in the buttocks, hips and thighs. As body fat percentage increases, an increasing proportion of body fat is distributed around the waist and upper abdomen.
Hourglass shape (Triangles opposing, facing in)
the waist circumference is less than 75% of the chest or hips circumferences, which are virtually the same. Body fat distribution tends to be around both the upper body and lower body. This body type enlarges the arms, breasts, hips and rear before other parts, including waist and upper abdomen. Due to the preference shown to physical symmetry, many celebrities falsely claim hourglass measurements but actually rate closer to a straight figure or apple.
Clearly, these four shapes are very different--and so dressing them requires different things.
FOR PEAR WOMEN:
-Wear trouser-cut pants (pants with wider legs) Always avoid slim-leg pants, which draw attention to the hip. Avoid pockets entirely, and avoid pleats at all cost.
-Only wear dark colors on the bottom. This will make your hips look slimmer.
-When wearing jackets, go for ones with only one button. This will help you look better on top.
-Look for shirts that accentuate the bust, and which drape to the hips. My friend buys knee-length dresses and hems them to the length of a long shirt, and that looks great.
FOR APPLE WOMEN
-Use a rounded-square neckline if you have a large bust. A lower neckline will always look better with a large chest.
-Try emphasizing your waistline with a belt or ribbon.
-Elongate your figure with a knee-length jacket. This will make you look slimmer and deemphasize the heaviness of your upper body.
-If you wear stripes, please make sure they're vertical.
FOR BANANA WOMEN
-If you've got good arms, try a cap sleeve. I'm cautious about advising this because if your arms could possibly be construed as fat, they will with a cap.
-Try double-breasted jackets. Shirts with ruffles and nipped waists will bring out the curviness you want to show off.
-Pleated pants and skinny jeans were invented for you. Wear them.
-Avoid V-necks and plain T's. Stick to real blouses.
FOR HOURGLASS WOMEN
-Wear solid colors on top. This will elongate your figure.
-AVOID shapeless outfits. You should always be wearing one item of clothing that hugs your body and accentuates your curves.
-Wear only single-breasted jackets. Trust me, you do not need a double.
-Be sure to wear fitted blouses. A good bra is a must.
-Tailored pencil skirts and sheaths are a good look for you.
-Avoid boxiness at any cost.
Whew. Well, that was exciting. Good luck, ladies!
Tip #10: Dressing to Date
Here's the deal. Do you want to date an ugly person?
Do you want to date someone who doesn't care about what he or she looks like?
Um. I doubt that you do.
While it's true that we should all want people who value our insides more than our outsides, and while it's true that we should all be people who value insides more than outsides, the hard truth is that the external side of people matters. It does.
My personal rule: if you can't kiss it, don't date it. They say not to judge a book by its cover, and you shouldn't, generally speaking. But in dating, especially if you're dating for marriage, it's probably smarter to sort all the books by their covers and then start reading the insides of the books whose covers you can stand. :o)
So, where does that leave us?
That leaves us with the responsibility of looking as good as we possibly can.
There are a few things we all can do to make ourselves look better. Showering regularly and keeping up with personal hygiene is a given. Avoiding all shirts with horizontal stripes is also a good idea. For women, wearing a little makeup is smart, as is doing your hair. For men, I don't think going totally metro is the way to go, necessarily, because a lot of girls may think you're gay. However, you can invest in some nice darkwash jeans and some casual button-up collared shirts. Those look good on basically everyone.
How you look shouldn't matter, but it does. If you're not dating as much as you'd like, the sad truth is that it may have something to do with how you are treating and dressing your body. A good way to up your chances with dating is to take better care of how you look. Amen.
Do you want to date someone who doesn't care about what he or she looks like?
Um. I doubt that you do.
While it's true that we should all want people who value our insides more than our outsides, and while it's true that we should all be people who value insides more than outsides, the hard truth is that the external side of people matters. It does.
My personal rule: if you can't kiss it, don't date it. They say not to judge a book by its cover, and you shouldn't, generally speaking. But in dating, especially if you're dating for marriage, it's probably smarter to sort all the books by their covers and then start reading the insides of the books whose covers you can stand. :o)
So, where does that leave us?
That leaves us with the responsibility of looking as good as we possibly can.
There are a few things we all can do to make ourselves look better. Showering regularly and keeping up with personal hygiene is a given. Avoiding all shirts with horizontal stripes is also a good idea. For women, wearing a little makeup is smart, as is doing your hair. For men, I don't think going totally metro is the way to go, necessarily, because a lot of girls may think you're gay. However, you can invest in some nice darkwash jeans and some casual button-up collared shirts. Those look good on basically everyone.
How you look shouldn't matter, but it does. If you're not dating as much as you'd like, the sad truth is that it may have something to do with how you are treating and dressing your body. A good way to up your chances with dating is to take better care of how you look. Amen.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Enlightenment: Why You're Never Asked Out By the Guy You Like
Okay. Going back to my other post about girls not asking guys out: have you ever noticed that people usually get asked out on dates by the guys they're not interested in?
Have you ever wondered why?
It's because when you're interested in a guy, it's the most natural thing to do to flirt with him. And let him know you're interested.
And do you know what this does?
It removes the challenge.
Can you see how not good this is? And does it make sense why it's only the guys you're not interested in that go after you?
Do yourself a favor and start treating the guys you like as if they really weren't that special to you (at least before you're officially Together). You'll be amazed at how your odds will change.
Just remember--sometimes things don't work out with the guys you'd like them to. Sometimes even acting completely uninterested won't do the trick. But just hang in there. You'll end up with someone even better.
Have you ever wondered why?
It's because when you're interested in a guy, it's the most natural thing to do to flirt with him. And let him know you're interested.
And do you know what this does?
It removes the challenge.
Can you see how not good this is? And does it make sense why it's only the guys you're not interested in that go after you?
Do yourself a favor and start treating the guys you like as if they really weren't that special to you (at least before you're officially Together). You'll be amazed at how your odds will change.
Just remember--sometimes things don't work out with the guys you'd like them to. Sometimes even acting completely uninterested won't do the trick. But just hang in there. You'll end up with someone even better.
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