by | Jun 24, 2014 | Fitness |
Want a cool trick to help your body decide how to use those calories you just ate? Exercising right before and shortly after a big meal can help to activate a protein inside your muscle cells called Glut4. GLUT-4 is a protein that, when increased, tells your body to put calories into muscle tissue, instead of fat cells.
Photo courtesy of Michael Volkin
Here is how you activate your glut-4
Step 1: Do 60 -120 seconds of exercise right before eating (i.e. squats, lunges, push-ups, etc.)
Step 2: Eat a meal
Step 3: 90 minutes after your first bite, do another 60-120 seconds of exercise
Doing this will allow more calories to flow toward your muscle cells than fat cells.
This article was authored by Michael Volkin, inventor of the all new Weight Loss Stack 52, the most fun and unique way to lose weight.
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by | Jun 3, 2014 | Fashion |
Hello Elegant Readers,
I was recently asked by sammydress.com to select an item from its online store; to style it and write a review. The site has so many wonderful items that would make a great addition to any diva’s closet. I selected the Charming Ruffle Solid Color Beam Waist Chiffon Party Dress For Women for $14.76 because the teal color drew me in and I liked the design. The pleats in the dress did not look boxy to the point of making my hips look full, the lines were clean and elongating.
At first, I was a little hesitant about the sizing because the dress was “one-size-fits-all.” I did not know if the fit would be extremely large and way too big ;or extremely small and very fitted. Never the less, that did not stop me from selecting this dress.
I styled the dress three different ways:
For my first style session, I wanted to see how the dress looked on my figure without any jacket or cardigan and it is very attractive. I added a belt, my jewelry are honor pearls , gold hoops, studio barse leather bracelet, watch and bracelets, my handbag is by Maxx and my shoes are by Greta. My fragrance I am wearing is Heavenly Angel by Victoria Secret. This dress reminds me of a dress I made for my senior assembly graduation for high school.
JT styling a Sammy Dress
The teal green Sammy dress has an elasticized waist and is pleated. I added a belt to the dress to give a more definition. I added my pink and white pearl necklace that recently my hubby had re-strung and gray peep toe heels.
Charming Ruffle Solid Color Beam Waist Chiffon Party Dress For Women
This dress is perfect for work, church, or a movie night with my hubby. The fabric in the dress is soft and is not scratchy. The dress is chic and it i also very comfortable.
The second way I styled the dress is with a striped blouse that makes the dress looks like a two piece outfit: a skirt and top combo. I really like how professional this outfit looks. Perfect for work if you need to be more dressed up.
Sammy Dress styled with Top and belt
The third look speaks of ladylike charm, this Broucle jacket works. The ruffles in the collar of the jacket accentuates the dress in very elegant way.
JTwisdom
The pink and teal compliments each other very well and my two-tone pumps add contrast.
JT in Sammy dress with Boucle jacket
Overall, I give this dress a thumbs up because it is a real pleasure to wear. I can be style so many different ways. With a few minor accessory changes, cardigans, sweaters, blazers, boots or flats the dress is season-less.
Thank you Sammydress.com for gifting me the dress. I enjoyed styling it. The review is solely my honest opinion.
by | May 27, 2014 | Fashion |
Hi Elegant Readers,
If you are in the Philadelphia area or will be visiting the summer or fall, you will need to check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Your trip to the City of Brotherly Love would not be complete without a trip to see the wonderful new exhibition that examines the styles of fashion designer Patrick Kelly. The exhibition, titled Patrick Kelly:Runway of Love, opened April 27, and runs through November 30.
Patrick Kelly
Excerpt from Philadelphia Museum of Art press release.
“Fashion is celebrated this spring at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the retrospective Patrick Kelly: Runway of Love, which explores the meteoric rise and remarkable achievements of a 1980s legend whose clothing was worn by women of every age, from actress Bette Davis, late in her life, to singer Vanessa Williams, then in her twenties.This is the first exhibition to showcase the full scope of Kelly’s head-to-toe runway ensembles, and will include selections from the artist’s significant holdings of black memorabilia, videos of his exuberant fashion shows, and works by renowned photographers Horst P. Horst, Pierre et Gilles, and Oliviero Toscani.”
Patrick Kelly
Photograph of Patrick Kelly by Oliviero Toscani.
Patrick Kelly was a couture designer who loved bold colors and prints with over the top embellishments.
“I want my clothes to make you smile,” said Patrick Kelly.
I really like the behind the scenes teaser on the exhibit seen in this video. The exhibitions assistant at the Philadelphia Museum of Art gives an overview of how each look is put together. The ensembles are matched exactly as if they were being styled for the runway.
[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/87093836″[/vimeo]
Doesn’t this dress, with a coordinating hat, bring a ear-to-ear smile to your face? The colors of the rainbow is shown throughout this dress. However, it is not too overpowering. It makes a bold statement.
Patrick Kelly Design Woman’s Ensemble: Dress, Hat, and Shoes, Fall/Winter 1987. Designed by Patrick Kelly, American (active Paris), c. 1954 1990. Dress and Hat: Wool and spandex knit. Shoes: Black suede, cotton embroidery, plastic. Promised gift of Bjorn Guil Amelan and Bill T. Jones.
I included the video below because I wanted to show that his fashion shows were fun and filled with excitement. He celebrated women in all different shapes and a variety of ethnicities were showcased on his runway.
Patrick Kelly’s designs are bold and the models are actually smiling and playful.
[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/93382955″[/vimeo]
The Patrick Kelly ensemble below is so ahead of its time. This design could be worn right now, and noone would know that it was a design from the 1980s. Patrick Kelly’s designs are timeless.
Patrick Kelly Image Woman’s Top and Skirt, Spring/Summer 1985. Patrick Kelly, American (active Paris), c. 1954 1990. Cotton and acrylic knit. Promised gift of Bjorn Guil Amelan and Bill T. Jones.
This metamorphosis of the Eiffel Tour is very cool, but oh so different. The symmetry elongates the body and makes a woman look tall and statuesque.
Patrick Kelly Woman’s Ensemble: Dress, Hat, and Shoes, Fall/Winter 1989. Patrick Kelly, American (active Paris), c. 1954 1990. Dress: Wool and spandex knit, plastic. Hat: Wire, nylon velvet. Shoes: Leather. Promised gift of Bjorn Guil Amelan and Bill T. Jones.
Excerpt from the Phliadelphia Museum of Art website.
“Patrick Kelly was born and raised in Mississippi by his mother and his grandmother, who helped foster his love of fashion by bringing him fashion magazines. He moved to Paris in late 1979, and in 1988 became the first American and the first black designer to be voted into the prestigious Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter des Couturiers et des Créateurs de Mode, the French fashion industry association and standards organization. Kelly’s brilliant vision and career were cut short by AIDS, to which he succumbed on January 1, 1990.”
There is a companion exhibit called, Gerlan Jeans ♥ Patrick Kelly
Marcel Gerlan is truly inspired by Patrick Kelly, her designs are evident because they are just as bold, vibrant and individualistic.
Below is a video of Marcel Gerlan discussing how Patrick Kelly has inspired her designs through the years.
[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/92112099″ [/vimeo]
The boldness of the color palette and the accessorizing of the bows on the Gerlan dress exudes inspiration.
“Take a Bow” Dress. Fall/Winter 2009 Cotton knit. Peace & Love, Inc. Collection. Designed by Gerlan Jeans, New York, 2009–present. On loan from Gerlan Jeans.
Bow Braid. Fall/Winter 2009. Human hair. Peace & Love, Inc. Collection. Designed by Chuckie Amos. American, 1969. On loan from Gerlan Jeans.
The Gerlan dress/tunic below reminds me of a Patrick Kelly design. He loved hearts and the bold red jumps right out at you.
Patrick Kelly’s vigor for life and love of color, bold prints and patterns continually is an evident inspiration for Gerlan’s designs.
“Hit by Hearts” Dress and Sweater Scarf. Fall/Winter 2009. Merino wool knit. Peace & Love, Inc. Collection. Designed by Gerlan Jeans, New York, 2009–present. On loan from Gerlan Jeans.
by | May 20, 2014 | Fitness |
JT posing after a workout
The warm weather is upon us and the summer clothes are coming out of the closet. If you always wanted to look great in your summer clothes but didn’t want to spend an hour a day at the gym, then use the below time-saving workout tips to tone up and look great.
Ditch the treadmill warm up and do a bodyweight circuit instead – Instead of spending 10 minutes warming up on a treadmill before a workout, perform a 5 minute bodyweight exercise circuit instead. The bodyweight circuit is more fun and warms up your entire body in half the time. You can shuffle 7 Strength Stack 52 cards for a quick bodyweight circuit or make up one of your own.
Stop squatting with heavy weight – If you’ve ever seen power-lifters training their legs, you have almost certainly seen them performing barbell squats with a large amount of weight on the bar. Barbell squats are effective for large powerful legs, but getting nice toned legs doesn’t require heavy weights. Try Hindu squats instead of heavy barbell squats. Not only do Hindu squats save time by not having to load hundreds of pounds of weight on a bar, it’s safer and easier on your knees and back.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRTjwzvIQnU[/youtube]
Stop performing one rep at a time. So many times I see people in the gym doing the standard 10 rep set. Try mixing it up a little and doing a 5 rep set but perform each rep 1 and a half times. Perform 1 entire rep of an exercise, then before returning to the starting position, go only half way and finish the rep again. You will finish the set quicker and you will activate more muscle fibers, especially if you are not use to doing reps this way.
Do “the superman” to build up your back – Many bodybuilders know that a strong back is the key to looking strong. A strong back puts your body in alignment and gives you great posture. The problem with getting a strong back is it usually requires a piece of gym equipment. However, there is an easy bodyweight exercise you can do at home called the superman. To perform this exercise:
– Start by lying face down with your arms extended over your head.
– Lift your arms and legs creating an elongated u shape with your body.
– Your back should be arched and your legs should be several inches off the floor.
– Hold for 3 seconds and return to the starting position.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trDczeMSOuE[/youtube]
All of these time saving workout tips will make you look great under one condition, you have to actually do them. Getting started is the hardest step, so be sure to schedule time for your workout and have nothing interrupt that time.
This article was authored by Sergeant Michael Volkin, inventor of Strength Stack 52 fitness cards and Quick Sweat Dice
Photographs provided by JTwisdom
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by | May 19, 2014 | Fitness, Food |
Hello Elegant Readers,
Today is beautiful, it’s cool and sunny, with temps in the upper 50s. Perfect! Wonderful brisk day for a hot cup of tea. I am a tea drinker and artificial sweeteners are a no-no in my book. I try to be as natural as I can, so I am very much aware of what I put into my body. I look for all-natural products whenever possible.
I collaborated with Quality Encapsulations to try its Yacon Syrup, a 100% Pure and 100% Raw sweetener.
According to Quality, the benefits of Yacon Syrup include
** Assists in weight loss and slimming waist sizes, regulating blood sugar, and increasing daily fiber intake.
** The syrup, distilled from the Peruvian tuber yacon — contains up to 50 percent fructooligosacharides, or FOS. FOS, classified as a prebiotic, is a low-caloric sweetener and also a fiber source.
On Amazon Quality Encapsulations notes benefits”According to a 2009 Scientific study, daily intake of yacon syrup produced a significant decrease in body weight, waist circumference and body mass index.”
To be able to do this naturally is significant because I would not want to take chemical-filled supplements to loose weight. Also, Yacon syrup does not only have to be taken because you want to loose weight. It is a good natural sweetener.
“Yacon syrup speeds up the metabolism to combat excess fat and regulates the hunger hormone, making you feel full longer.” Often weight gain comes from not feeling full. The amount of Yacon syrup I add to my tea is less than a teaspoon. I also drink ten glasses of water each day (about 80 ounces) and work out. Sometimes I get the hunger cravings because my workouts really get the adrenaline going . I have make sure that I get enough water in my regime each day.
Additional benefit is that Yacon syrup is that a low glycemic sweetener. No more feeling a sugar spike and then a downward low because I ate the white sugar.
Yacon Syrup by Quality Encapsulations
The consistency is thick and looks like molasses; but it does not take much to sweeten my tea. One teaspoon is only 13 calories, but I do not add a full teaspoon so the calories are quite less. A half of a teaspoon packs a significant amount of sweetness. I am adding the Yacon syrup in my Elvis tea mug. The cup came from Graceland, so it is a souvenir token that reminds me of great memories when my husband and I went to Memphis.
Yacon Syrup
I really did not know how the syrup would taste; but it is very good. It smells like molasses and tastes like brown sugar.
I am all about 100% natural products that makes me feel good inside and out. Do your research on Yacon Syrup. Not all Yacon syrup is created equal. Quality Encapsulations syrup is %100 raw, %100 natural product, just the way that I like it.
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