OUTFIT OF THE DAY!

 

Designed by yours truly, on looklet.com!

Exercise and Diet!

I follow Heidi Klum's workout and Miranda Kerr's diet plan. As you can see, I love Victoria's Secret Angels! For the exercise part, I do this:

Light stretching and Good Mornings or Good Mornings with Knee Bends [2 mins]. How to: (i) Stand straight; (ii) Bend forward at the hips while keeping the back straight; (iii) Return to the upright position.  Repeat.

Jumping Jacks [1 min]


Platypus Walks [30 seconds].  How to: (i) Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out (if using weights hold it over your head); (ii) Keeping your abs tight, slowly walk forward for about 30 seconds, holding the squat; (iii) Walk backward to return to the starting position.

Shadowboxing [1 min].  How to: Hold light weights in each hand and throw a series of punches. Make sure not to punch so quickly that you hyper-extend your elbows or shoulders. Through out your workout, keep your abs tight and your shoulder blades retracted.

Plié Squats with Calf Raises [1 min].  How to: (i) Get into a squat position with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell between your legs (your toes should be turned out at a 45-degree angle); (ii) Stick your butt back as you squat down, keeping your weight on your heels; (iii) As you squat, bring your heels off the ground and rise onto the balls of your feet (continue to keep your bodyweight toward your heels); (iv) Bring your heels back to the floor and shift your weight back onto them, squeezing your inner thighs and glutes before pressing back up.

Reverse Lunges [2 mins]. How to: (i) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keep your core stable and weight on your heels; (ii) Take a large step back with your right foot, planting and then lowering your body until both legs are bent in right angles; (iii) Exhale as you extend your legs; (iv) Lift your right foot, bringing your right knee in toward your chest and then launch a front kick into the stomach of an imaginary opponent.

Squat Thrusts [1 min].  How to: (i) Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and hold a weight or medicine ball (optional) with both hands at chest level with your elbows bent; (ii)  Bend your knees, stick your butt back, and go into a squat; (iii) Continue bending your knees as you bend forward from the hips, placing the weight on the floor under your breastbone; (iv) Press your hands onto the weight as you jump and extend your legs behind your body into a push-up position (keep your abs tight the entire time); (v) Recoil your legs and rise to the starting position.

Scissors Reverse Crunches [1 min]. How to: (i) Lie on your back on a mat; (ii) Bring both legs into the air so that the legs are perpendicular to your body; (iii) Stabilize your core and tighten your abs; (iv) Bring your feet apart so your legs form a scissor shape and then pull from your hips in a reverse crunch. Make sure your feet are flexed.

Donkey Kicks [2 mins].  How to: (i) Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders, knees under your hip; keep back flat, not arched or curled; (ii) Contract your abs to stabilize your torso; (iii) Inhale as you lift your right knee off the floor and pull it straight in toward your chest; (iv) Exhale as you press your right foot back and up behind you in an arching motion (you should feel this in your buttocks); (v) Inhale as you lower your leg until your thigh is parallel to the floor; (vi) Exhale as you raise your leg again, this time bent at a 90-degree angle, pulsing your heel toward the ceiling; (vii) Exhale as you straighten and raise your right leg behind you; (vii) Inhale as you lower your leg.

Bench Stepups [1 min].  How to: (i) Stand in front of a step with your core stable; (ii) Place your right foot on the step and press up through the heel of your right foot to lift your body off the ground onto the bench; (iii) Once the right leg is extended, bring your left knee up toward your chest; (iv) Lower yourself to the ground; (v) Switch legs and repeat the motion on the other side. TIP:  Resist the urge to push off with your foot while stepping up, and instead focus on pushing only with the leg that is lifting the body.

Pushups [1 min]

I take a three-minute break after all 11 workouts, then I repeat. I also include some yoga and hula-hooping on my Wii Fit for 30 minutes and running on an elliptical for 30 minutes. It takes 90 minutes to complete my routine, but I do this only 4 days a week! It is a really good workout- burns calories, melts off fat, and tones my legs, arms, stomach... For a diet, I keep it at the bare minimum of 1400 or less. Yes, it is slightly unhealthy to eat less than 1400 but it is hard for me to eat that much in a day! I can't stomach anything too high in sugar (like cake, frosting, donuts, and candy) which helps quite a bit in the weight department!

Breakfast Choices: Normal or Greek Yogurt with blueberries, raspberries, apple, or lemon; Sugarless oatmeal; Egg white omelette with veggies; Protein shake.

I eat a lot of healthy carbs and lean protein in my breakfast. I hate eating the same thing every morning, so I eat a variety of yogurt flavors (Fave brands are Yoplait and Chobani) and breakfast foods. Just not all in one morning! :)

Snack #1: A piece of fruit or a handful of almonds.

Lunch Choices: Salad with low-cal, low-fat dressing and chicken, turkey, or ham; steamed vegetables; Sauteed fish and veggies; Whole-wheat wrap with low-fat cold cut chicken or turkey with lettuce, cucumber, thinly sliced tomato, and low-fat dressing; Half of a whole-wheat sandwich with low-fat turkey and a small bowl of broth-based soup.

 I have to have a smaller lunch because I have to fit it in my book bag during school! So usually I take the whole-wheat wrap to school along with a bottle of water for a light lunch to tide me over until I have my after-school snack. But on the weekends? I get fancy :)


Snack #2: A piece of fruit or a handful of baby carrots.


After I eat this snack, I usually do whatever homework I have and then my 90-minute workout. 


Dinner Choices: Fish, turkey, or chicken with vegetables; a small portion of anything that was prepared, depending on the amount of carbs and calories per serving!


I keep my dinner a low-carb meal, because when I eat dinner I don't have enough time to burn them off. I eat all my needed carbs earlier in the day when I have a lot of energy and time. 


In total, I eat 5 times a day. No extra snacking, no starving myself, just well-balanced meals. I don't drink soda (and diet soda is actually just as bad for you), but I drink 100% fruit juice, skim milk and water. This is what I ate today:
Breakfast: Blueberry Yoplait yogurt
Snack #1: Apple
Lunch: Half a turkey sandwich and soup
Snack #2: Baby Carrots
Dinner: (Haven't had dinner yet, but I'm planning on having a small fillet of salmon and some green veggies)


This keeps me healthy and full of energy! It's also really good if you have to lose weight. I hope you try it! Comment me if you have any questions or if you want me to write out a meal plan for you!

How To: Basic Smokey Eye

 Creating a smokey eye look is pretty easy once you get used to the style. This tutorial is sort of a beginner's guide to making a smokey eye, and my camera is dead so I cannot take pictures! 

A smokey eye looks really pretty when it makes your eyes pop, so here is a list of eye colors and possible smokey shades:

Blue- Dark blues, navy, black.
Green/Hazel- Dark greens, browns, and black.
Brown- Dark mocha browns and black.


This beginners tutorial uses a piece of tape to make a perfect angle, but if you are allergic to tape you do not have to use it.

How-To Apply the Shadow:

1. Take a small piece of tape and put it from the outer end of your eye going up towards the end of your eyebrow. This will create a clean angle.

2. First take a pearly silver shadow and pack the color onto the brush. Apply the color over the lid of your eye, and a little across the crease.

3. Next, take a gray/light brown/light blue/light green color. Get a good amount on the brush and applying in a sweeping motion up the tape to where the pearly silver ends. Then, take the same second color and connect the color into your crease about 1/3 of the way into your eye. This should now look like a sideways ''v" Don't worry if it doesn't look blended; we'll fix that at the end.

4. Using the dark black/brown/blue/green make another outer V over the gray/light brown/light blue/light green color. Instead this time, put it about 1/2 the way into your eyes.

5. Using a cotton swab or a blending brush blend the pearly silver with the outer V colors.

6. Apply the second color you used on your lower lash line about 3/4 of the way in, towards your inner corner. Apply the pearly silver about 1/4 of the way towards your inner corner. Blend the eye shadows together using a cotton swab.

7. Apply your favorite eyeliner and mascara.

8. Peel off tape.

Beauty Tips!

PLUCK PLUCK PLUCK! Yes, plucking and waxing stings! But it MUST get done. Big eyebrows are actually back in style, and they look really pretty if they are trimmed properly and have a sharp end. Eyebrows with dull, rounded, un-plucked ends are not attractive, and could completely ruin your look.

SHOP TIL YOU DROP!
For teenagers, it can be really hard to come by cute, cheap, quality clothes nowadays. But there are quite a few stores out there that have really good quality clothes for a good price! Here are some examples of what's in for teen girls:

Hollister- Good for beachy looks during the summer. Their prices can get a bit high, though!

American Eagle Outfitters- Good clothes for all year round! Their clothes are usually about medium-priced, but very good quality. Their sweaters are so warm and fuzzy during cold months!

Forever21 AND Rue21- They sell basically the same stuff, for around the same price. Forever21 has much more boho and hipster styles, though. The prices are quite cheap and you can get a pair of amazing heels for less than $30!

Aeropostale- Although around my school I hear that it isn't very popular anymore, they have very good, comfy clothes. Aero's sales are FANTASTIC, too! They always have 50% off and "Buy One Get One For A $1" sales whenever I visit them! Their branded t-shirts are made from super-soft material, and their lounge pants are amazing to wear around the house with UGGs! They also have very nice jeans!

Pacsun- This store is also awesome for summer looks! They are constantly have BOGO sales too, so you get more for your money!

BIGGER IS BETTER:
Large bags are VERY in at the moment. A canvas Hollister or Aeropostale tote is very cute neutral item to take extra stuff with you to school! If you are going to a formal event though, like a dance, then a clutch is a pretty accent. Just make sure it looks cute with the rest of your outfit!


TOUCH UP TIME! If you have the chance, you should check your makeup every hour or two. You never know when you might have rubbed your eye and smudged your makeup, or have a piece of food in your teeth from lunch! Checking your face occasionally is a very good idea, and might keep you from embarrassment. Imagine talking to someone and then they tell you that you have something stuck in your teeth!

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW:
RAINBOW brand flip-flops are SUPER popular near the coastlines, and quickly spread to the middle of the country! The price runs a bit high though- They cost around $50 for ONE pair of flip-flops! If you wear RAINBOWs, or any pair of flip-flops for that matter, make sure your feet are scrubbed clean, and your toenails are cut straight and look nice! If you want to be extra cute, you can paint them to match your outfit!


SHAVING.
Ladies, if you are going to wear a tank top, shorts, or a skirt, SHAVE YOUR ARMPITS AND LEGS! Shaving your legs gives them a smooth look and feel, which is very attractive!

ACNE TIPS!

If you have problems with an oily face and are constantly breaking out, there are ways to fix that!
Neutrogena, ProActiv, and Zeno HotSpot are all popular acne treatments. I've heard that baby powder also will soak up oil temporarily on your face, but it isn't very popular and it can hurt if you get it in your eyes! Bare Minerals makeup is also great if you're prone to breakouts- it is very light and airy, and nourishes your skin while wearing it!

BODY SPRAY AND PERFUME
If you wake up late one morning and don't smell so awesome, perfume/body spray will be your hero! Perfume is much stronger and lasts longer than body spray, so don't use too much of it our people may call you a hooker! Body spray is more of a subtle scent and fades quickly, so it would be a good idea to keep a bottle in your bag. Matching perfume and body spray is a really good find, because if you use the perfume in the morning and then the body spray when it fades! You will smell SO good all day! Scented lotion is also cool because it moisturizes and gives you a wonderful scent at the same time. A good place to find all of these is Bath & Body Works!

What To Wear On The Beach Or At The Pool
If you are thin and look good in one, wear a string bikini! As long as it isn't too skimpy, a string bikini will give you a nice, flirty look. Tankinis are also really cute if you are a bit more modest and still want to look good! If your are bigger, there is a lot of options out there too! A lot of larger girls wear tankini's too; usually a tankini consists of a tank-top like swim top and either boy short or hipster bottoms. If you are self-conscious and feel more comfortable in a one-piece, you don't have to settle for an ugly, plain one! Look online for cute one-piece swim suits, I promise you will find some really pretty ones! I like the ones with the little sewn-on ruffly skirts- so cute!

And remember- WEAR SUNSCREEN! Getting a tan is NOT worth getting skin cancer, or PREMATURE WRINKLES.... *shudder*.


TEETH!
Make sure you brush your teeth for AT LEAST one minute every night and every morning! Use whitening, anti-cavity toothpaste, and anti-bacterial mouthwash. Sensodyne is a really wonderful toothpaste- it has whitening agents, anti-cavity formulas, enamel-building formulas, stain-removers, and a subtle, minty taste and smooth feel! I use it, and my teeth are less sensitive and whiter! Listerine is a good mouthwash, even though it stings a little from the alcohol content. But the sting fades after a few seconds and you get used to it eventually, and it is REALLY good at destroying bacteria.


SCHOOL SHOES!
It's probably NOT a good idea to wear heels to school, if yours is like mine. We have 3 campuses- the main building with 4 stories, an extra-course building with 2 stories, and a technology-based campus (computer and business classes) with 3 stories that we have to take a shuttle bus to! Not a good place to wear heels! In school, you want to look pretty and fashionable but still comfortable. Good shoes to wear are moccasins, sandals, flip-flops, and casual athletic shoes like Converse.

Nails Nails Nails!
You nails should always be cut and taken care of properly! ULTA Beauty and Sally Beauty Supply sell really good nail care kits, with cuticle trimmers and oil, nail files, nail cutters, and more! Dead Sea Spa sells these really good nail exfoliating blocks that you rub on your nails to get all the dead cells off, then oil to put on it to make them grow shiny and healthy. If you want to get them done professionally, go and look around online and in a phone book and set up an appointment at a salon!

I hope this gave you a few tips on how to improve your looks!