Benefits of Drinking Coffee

Good news for all you coffee lovers out there! I've been hearing that coffee, besides giving you a jumpstart to your morning, has some health benefits. I did a little bit of research, not extensive or anything but here's the main information:

According to WebMD...
"Recent research shows that coffee drinkers (compared to noncoffee drinkers) are
- less likely to have type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and dementia
- have fewer cases of certain cancers, heart rhythm problems, and strokes"
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/coffee-new-health-food

According to Harvard Medical School...
"Blood pressure. Results from long-term studies are showing that coffee may not increase the risk for high blood pressure over time, as previously thought. Study findings for other cardiovascular effects are a mixed bag.

Cancer. Coffee might have anti-cancer properties. Last year, researchers found that coffee drinkers were 50% less likely to get liver cancer than nondrinkers. A few studies have found ties to lower rates of colon, breast, and rectal cancers.

Diabetes. Heavy coffee drinkers may be half as likely to get diabetes as light drinkers or nondrinkers. Coffee may contain chemicals that lower blood sugar. A coffee habit may also increase your resting metabolism rate, which could help keep diabetes at bay."
http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/coffee_health_benefits

AND
According to Mayo Clinic...
"Newer studies have also shown that coffee may have benefits, such as protecting against Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and liver cancer. And it has a high content of antioxidants. "
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/coffee-and-health/AN01354

This gives you an excuse to go out to Starbucks and buy a Venti frappuccino. Kidding. After doing a little research, however, I feel a little bit better that my addiction to my Keurig is actually doing the body good ;)
...The only downside to drinking a lot of coffee is that over time it stains your teeth, which clearly means I should give you some teeth whitening product recommendations in the next post ;)


Photo Credit:
http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1280&bih=717&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsr&tbnid=PE93BcQ_Fd-bqM:&imgrefurl=http://athenagrayson.com/blog/2011/11/28/momming-mondays-making-sense-of-scents/&docid=rW0wfaM7ynn1UM&imgurl=http://athenagrayson.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coffee_beans.jpg&w=400&h=300&ei=WB1QT7veO6Tl0QG51bS6DQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=849&vpy=355&dur=65&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=155&ty=118&sig=104968184224994541996&page=5&tbnh=158&tbnw=230&start=75&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:75

Another Easy Way to Curl Hair

So one of my best friends was telling me about a new curling iron she got, the curling wand. I had seen these "wands" at various stores but didn't think much of them. Anyways, my best friend came over and showed me how she curls her hair and I gave it a try. I LOVE IT! It's easier, it's less time consuming (esp. for girls with long hair like me) and gives a different curly look.
Best part is... $29.99 at Target. ;)
* Make sure you use the glove that comes with it.
All you need to do, once the iron is on and ready to go, take strands of hair and wrap them around and hold for a few seconds.

Your curls should look similar to Taylor Swift's curls shown here. If these are too tight for you,  run your fingers through or even flip your hair over and shake your head to help loosen them.

Also, curl AWAY from your face to make the curls look more natural.

For the visual learners out there, like me, I found a YouTube video tutorial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuY5ASiRqWw

<3 ALi
Twitter: @xALi0RR

Best Mascaras I've used! Seriously. The best.

I LOOOVVEEE trying new mascaras and testing which ones hold true to what they advertise. The downside would obviously be purchasing a product that doesn't work. I have tried a lot of drugstore mascaras but these are the BEST ones I've used so far:


- Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
On a lot of makeup sites I've read that a lot of girls use this mascara so I decided to give it a try. I have to say...very impressive. The problem is my eyes itch like crazy so I stopped using this mascara..that doesn't mean yours will though. It's worth a try. I had girls come up to me and ask what kind of mascara I used because they liked how long my eyelashes looked.

- L'Oreal Telescopic Explosion
That's right..the odd looking mascara wand. This mascara is great for length and the small eyelashes in the corners of your eyes. It's good because you can focus on small sections of your eyelashes.

- Maybelline Lash Stiletto
I've used this mascara multiple multiple times because I love how it makes my eyelashes look. The only reason I don't wear this mascara right now is because with ALLLL the mascaras out there, there has to be other great mascaras to try as well. This one was my absolute favorite for the longest time. Definitely gives your lashes length and volume.

- * L'Oreal Voluminous ORIGINAL *
This mascara is currently my FAVORITE. Seriously. It looks like I have fake lashes on. It's great for length and volume as well. A lot of girls compliment me on my eyelashes and always ask what I do. I DEFINITELY recommend trying this mascara.


There you have it. My top 4 winning mascaras I'd recommend to anyone. I'm constantly trying new products so I'll keep you in the loop if any of these favorites change. Let me know what you think if you try any of these or if you have any suggestions on which ones I should try next. <3

My Cardio Routine

Jogging...Running...Swimming...
Ellipticals...Kickboxing...Stairsteppers...
Bicycles...Rowing Machines...Pilates...
Powerwalking...Sprints

The point is, there are various ways to execute a good cardio routine. I was told the main way to lose weight is to run run run run run (...and a lot of it). I never had the desire to run long-distance, it's boring to me. I decided to divide my cardio workout to keep it energizing and less boring. Instead of only running....

(At the gym) Started with:
Elliptical - 5min
Stairstepper - 5min
Bike - 5min
Jogging - 5min
Power Walk - 5min
Total: 25min

...seems fairly easy right? If you're just starting out you WANT to start off SLOW AND EASY and gradually build up your time intervals. 5 minute intervals of different forms of cardio keeps your body in a state of confusion which limits your routine and weight from plateau-ing.

3 days a week and every day you do your cardio routine, increase each exercise by 30sec-1 min.
For example, as shown above Day 1 would be 25 minutes total. Day 2 when you increase each exercise by a minute would bring the total cardio time to 30 minutes.
Also, allow a LITTLE bit of rest time inbetween exercises which will keep your heart rate up to an extent.

*This is my cardio routine I follow, I'm not a personal trainer.. just giving insight on what works for me. The gradual increase of time as well as the combination of different cardio workouts allows me to enjoy working out more and help form an every day habit.

...Don't go to a gym to do your workouts?
Alternate powerwalking, jogging, sprinting and stairs where you can do these different combinations around your home.

2 Benefits to take away from this:
- Dividing up your cardio keeps your body "confused" which helps burns more calories and you're less likely to coast and slack-off..SO SWITCH IT UP! :)
- Gradually building the time and switching things up makes you more likely to continue working out on a frequent basis. Think about it: You start working out on the first day that by the next few days you are so sore that you take a few days off to recover and then are less likely to want to continue exercising. It gets better with time so keep going!

Spray Tanning Trick

Besides the obvious that spray tanning is a better alternative than tanning beds, it is also more convenient, less costly and less time consuming. Even though going to a salon for spray tanning is nice, it can also be considerably expensive for how long your tan lasts. I've only done it once a few years ago for my senior prom. I used to lllooovvveeee going tanning in the tanning beds but senior year I had to have a mole removed immediately because the doctor said it was abnormal. Skin cancer runs on both sides of my family and had I kept going tanning at the rate I was going, I would have had skin cancer by my senior year of college (now). So... spray tanning became the alternative. Here's what I use at home:
This is a really great product I highly recommend. After showering, apply all over and let it dry. THE TRICK: After applying this self tanner use a regular daily lotion. Apply your lotion everywhere you sprayed to help buffer and evenly apply the tan eliminating streaks. Once you're done applying, wash your hands (soap and water) so you won't have awkward colored palms. If you sprayed your arms, after washing your hands take some regular lotion and apply working from the wrists down to your fingertips allowing the tan to "stretch" and fade to your fingertips. That way it doesn't look like you have a tan with sleeves that cut off at the wrists and then have white hands.

Need a face tan?

LOVE this face moisturizer with gradual tanning by Victoria's Secret!



Even though I loved going in tanning beds, it isn't worth ruining your skin and dramatically increasing your risk of skin cancer. Use this trick with your self tanning lotions at home and I guarantee people will still compliment you on your tan.