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
*promotional material *
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.
by | May 17, 2014 | Around the Home |
There are so many different fabrics choices to go with when you are looking for furnishing fabrics. Many people look for fresh and modern colours that can help them bring their room cohesively together. With little investment, you can refresh and renew a room with just a few simple touches, great upholstery fabric goes a long way. When you begin to look for a design that you might prefer, make sure that the colours also match the style of the furniture that is going to be upholstered, but it also should match well with the rest of the furniture that is already in the room. This way you can be sure that it blends in nicely and doesn’t look out of place.
When you make the move to purchase your new fabric, take a moment to consider what look you want for your room. A variety of furnishing fabrics can each help to create a different feel and setting, choosing a fabric that is going to compliment the room it will be placed in doesn’t have to be a difficult job. Today there are so many options to go with, offered at competitive prices. Many are turning to high quality upholstery fabric and refreshing their old furniture instead of purchasing new items. Depending on the design and fabric option that you go with, you can dramatically increase the aesthetic value of your furnishings with just a few simple touches.
If you choose to go with a synthetic fabric, also known as microfiber material, you can be sure that this fabric is very stain-resistant. However, this benefit also offers some difficulty in that it will make it more of a challenge to dye. Durable polyesters are a fantastic option and work well with natural fibres like cotton, which will provide crease resistance as well as offering you stability. This material also offers exceptional tensile strength and abrasion resistance; you can be sure that it won’t wear from rubbing. For choosing a fabric there are many options, whether you want hemp, linen, cotton, silk, satin, wool, or some other variety, there is something for every need and taste. The fun is in choosing what you like best, what works best in your home individually, and customising your item to fit into your room specifically. This is one of the greatest benefits of choosing to design, deciding on the upholstery fabric, it offers you the option of adding an extra little touch by using specialised furnishing fabrics. High quality upholstery fabric isn’t hard to come by and there are many places where you can find modern and tasteful furnishing fabrics and upholstery fabric at competitive prices.
You can drastically re-vamp an old piece of furniture with a dramatic and fresh-looking high quality upholstery fabric. This is a simple way to drastically improve and change the look of your property, you can refresh furniture that you’ve already had for decades and new furnishing fabrics can help to make it look brand new; like you’ve just purchased it. When looking for new fabric, make sure you consider what item you will need the fabric for – the usage will play a part in deciding which furnishing fabrics are going to work best for your own needs. Luckily, there are so many different furnishing fabrics to choose from.
* promotional material *
by | May 16, 2014 | Fashion, Fitness |
Hi Elegant Readers,
I have some exciting news to share. I have been selected as a fashion influencer for a new collaboration with the Saint Louis Rams! I was one of their favorite bloggers and have been selected to promote their newest membership program, The Lady Rams.
Lady Rams Logo courtesy of Saint Louis Lady Rams
“Where football, fashion and fitness meet!”
I am all about feeling good, from the inside out. In order to be healthy and fit, I have to watch what I eat in moderation and workout regularly. Eating healthy and getting your fitness on, adds balance.
Without a healthy and fit body, you cannot enjoy your fashions. The Saint Louis Rams has created a new avenue for women to come together for football, fashion, and fitness. Introducing the Lady Rams! With an annual cost of only $35, the Lady Rams has so much to offer to its members, including:
– Unique Rams premium item
-Membership packet
-Monthly newsletter
-Monthly drawings for autographed items, tickets,
special experiences and more
The membership also includes exclusive invitations to:
* Lady Rams Kickoff event on June 12
The Launch Party with the opportunity to meet Rams personnel and meet other Lady Rams members.
* Ladies night at Rams training camp in July
Get the first look at the 2014 Saint Louis Lady Rams at this up close private event.
* Girls Night Out in September
Catch the latest fall fashion paired with your favorite Rams pieces at our lady Rams Fashion show, featuring food, drinks and guests appearances throughout the night.
Portion of the proceeds of the memberships
will benefit St. Louis area charities.
CLICK HERE to learn more and sign up to be a LADY RAM!!!
The membership privileges are great and reinforces health and feeling confident. Some years ago, I lost 50 pounds that I had gained because of medication that I was taking at the time. It was a hard time because I was gaining weight and it was not because I was eating the wrong food. To read my store click on this post.
I work out four to five times a week and I love to mix the workouts to constantly keep my body working different parts.
Stretching the legs and arms release tension and warms up the body. Standing on one foot on steps strengthens the thighs and increases your balance. I have on my Rams Long sleeve T-shirt! The T-shirt is great because I have on my Rams fashion to keep warm on the cool days,
like today.
JT stretching and doing leg lifts
Once the body is warmed up, it is time to do lunges. Lunges are a great way to keep your legs lean and stretch your thighs at the same time. With my Rams shirt on me doing lunges, I imagine myself having a football and I am ducking and dodging my opponents to get the touchdown. Don’t ya see it? I do.
Being health minded has really made me think about my fitness fashions. I like my workout tanks to be vibrant and bright. In the picture above, I am wearing a bright pink tank and a cross trainers with pink highlights. The bright colors and sleek look makes me smile and feel good confidence booster. You will see a lot of pink because it’s one of my favorite colors. When I want to treat myself I might get a cute tank or a great pair of workout shorts. I like to interchange my workout tanks and shorts. When one outfit is in the washing machine I don’t have to wait for it to wash and dry because I have an extra workout gear.
I can’t wait to see the Lady Rams Fashion show this fall because I really want to get extra ideas on styling with my Rams pieces. I expect to see jeans, light wale corduroy and blazers. I see a Lady Rams bra tank with shorts in the near future.
Live your best life now and put your fashion foot forward.
The St. Louis Rams invited me to preview Lady Rams and provided me with a complimentary membership.
Check out the Rams online at
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by | May 12, 2014 | Beauty |
Hi Elegant Readers,
Smile Brilliant Professional Teeth Whitening
A smile gives a first impression that can say a thousand words. I have heard the cliche, “show me your pearly whites,” because stained yellow teeth are not what I want people to see when I smile. I was asked for my honest review of the Smile Brilliant teeth whiting gel system. The company asked me if I wanted to try its LED Light and Pen, so I took to them up on their offer. After trying the application only one time, it has left me all smiles. The process is very easy and can be accomplished without trips to the dentist office.
The first step is to coat your teeth with the gel in the pen. It is a twist pen that allows you to release the amount of gel that is needed for your mouth. If you need only a little amount, than only a few twists are needed. If you need more, keep twisting until the desired amount is achieved.
Smile Brilliant Gel pen
The gel does not have a taste and goes on quite smoothly. You can see my teeth are already pretty white before using the Smile Brilliant application. The application brush is ideal for areas that are more stained. You can apply additional gel to these areas without any problems. The brush get in between your teeth and in the back of your mouth with ease.
Coating my teeth with the whitening gel
After I coated my teeth with the gel, I put the mouth guards in and applied the LED Light on my teeth for 25 minutes. The guards need to be snapped together in order to get them in place when using the LED Light. This ensures that the gel is maintained on your teeth and allows the light to work effectively. I could not feel or taste the the gel in my mouth. It is a good idea to keep a towel or tissue at hand, in case any of the gel or saliva oozes out of your mouth. Doesn’t sound pretty but stating what I have learned from using the product.
My teeth are already pretty white, so it doesn’t take much to make my teeth bright and sparkling.
After photos
I put the Smile Brilliant to the real test by asking my hubby to try it. His teeth are more stained than mine and I knew if the Smile Brilliant really worked, it would be seen on his teeth. This is a picture of how his teeth looks before he used the gel.
Before teeth whitening
He followed the instructions exactly like I did. He used the LED light for 20 minutes because he thought that was long enough. And look at the after picture below, quite a difference.
After 1st application of teeth whitening gel
These are results after only one treatment. My hubby was so impressed that he will continue to use the gel and light until he gets his desired results. Smile Brilliant makes it quick and easy to use.
I give this teeth whitening gel system a thumbs up.
“Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening gel ingredients:
Glycerin 77.1% | Carbamide Peroxide 22% | Carbomer 0.5% | Menthol 0.2% | EDTA 0.2%”
“Carbamide Peroxide is said not to cause damaging to the enamel of the teeth, sensitivity to gums may occur.” Smile Brilliant
Do not teeth whitening if you are:
– Pregnant or nursing
– Under the age of thirteen. Those under the age of 18 should have parental consent.
According to the ADA youth 13 and up are considered candidates for teeth whitening but should consult with their dentist first.
-If you have dental cavities
Teeth whitening will not alter you teeth, it will remove stains. Teeth whitening will restore natural coloring.
I think that if I did the teeth whitening treatment three days in a row my teeth could become sensitive. I would recommend trying every other day or maybe once a week. Smile Brilliant does have a gel that you can apply to your teeth if you have any sensitivity issues.
This is a great at-home product. However I believe that you should consult your dentist first to see if you qualify for teeth whitening. Teeth whitening in a dentist office can cost over $1,000. The Smile Brilliant treatment is more economically price and gives the same benefits as an professional application. That will give you something to smile about.
Smile Brilliant provided me with the products to use for this review. I was not paid to provide my personal and honest thoughts.
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