Difficulty Losing Weight

Difficulty Losing Weight

How to lose weight is among the top searches that have run on the internet over a long period now. This is because most people today are conversant with the relevance of keeping fit. Are you struggling to lose weight? This is what you need to check on:

You are not cutting back on carbs.

A high intake of carbohydrates might be the reason why you are struggling with your current body weight. Most of the people who have been said to have an obese condition have consumed many carbohydrates at a certain period in their lives. The best thing that you can replace carbs with is a lot of vegetables and fruits.

You are not taking enough water.

As much as you need to lose weight, you need to keep your body hydrated. This is because your body tends to lose a lot of water, especially when working out; this is through sweat. What most gym instructors advised are a sufficient supply of water and a special diet. Always makes sure that you take at least eight glasses of water per day. Fruits such as watermelons and pineapples also tend to have a significant concentration of water.

You are not getting enough sleep.

Being mentally and physically fit is mainly influenced by your sleeping habits. Most people who are obese are said to have poor sleep hence not healthy for their bodies. It is also essential for one to adopt napping during the day at least for thirty minutes; it might be a little bit helpful to compensate for any sleep lost during the night. You should consider different practices to ensure that you have sufficient rest, providing that you do not use your phone one hour to bed, replacing watching tv with reading a book or engaging in conversation with someone.

You are still taking sugar.

Sugar, especially from carbonated drinks and refined products, is not suitable for your body, especially your weight loss journey. This is why you find that you feel tired and hungry most of the time but rejuvenated after taking these products that have a high concentration of sugar. Instead, you can consider taking freshly blended fruit juices and use sweeteners such as honey when taking tea or coffee.

You are not eating whole foods.

Whole foods, especially grains, should be the best thing to incorporate in your weight loss journey. Processed foods are not healthy. Therefore, they would delay the rate at which your body loses weight. You should ensure that you take enough proteins, especially direct from animal products. Taking the right amount of proteins when losing weight is always very helpful for your body.

You are not exercising effectively.

Different types of exercises facilitate weight loss effectively, and cardio exercises are one of them. This includes skipping rope, jumping jacks as well as running. Engaging in such activities helps the body lose the overall body weight compared to other kinds of exercises that tend to involve particular body parts. You should also use an effective workout plan with rest days to help you heal the muscles.

You are accumulating too many calories in your body.

Remember, failing to have a meal plan when working out would be useless. This is because you're still accumulating the same amount of food in your body hence not burning fat accordingly. It would be best to have a calorie calculator to ensure that the meals you take are healthy and have moderate calories. It is also advisable to understand how much they weigh as time goes by; this will help you know your progress.

It may be affected by your age.

It is essential to understand that the more you age, the more difficult it will be to lose weight. This is because the hormones responsible for weight loss may be less produced in your body. This is why you should consider other ways of losing weight, such as dieting. However, this should be instructed by a health specialist. When ageing, one tends to lose a lot of muscle strength.

You might be affected by your type of medication.

It;s essential for one to note that different types of medication cause weight gain. This is because they interfere with the hormones causing a slow response for weight loss. This is why most gym instructors will always enquire about whether you are on any medication.

Beauty tips from celebrities

Beauty tips from celebrities

Either on the runway or the screen, most celebrities boast admirable beauty we all want to emulate. Believe or not, their beauty is not always a blessing from their genes or the magic effect of an airbrush on Photoshop. Their beauty is also due to certain products and practices. Like they say, it hurts to be beautiful. You have to know what product and technique will suit you best and commit to a beauty routine. Fortunately, some beautiful celebrities have share their secrets.

Gwyneth Paltrow, a classy actress renown for her beauty and eternal youth, confessed she is a fan of Bioderma’s micellar water and she says this cleansing solution is "the best make-up remover.” Accordingly, "it's unscented, doesn't dry your skin or sting, and gets rid of all your make-up with a few swipes. You're left with soft, clean skin." She added, "I use omega-3 oil. I love light oil on my skin. It's one of my favorite feelings in the world."

The academy-award winner Kate Winslet also gave away her beauty secret. "A good eye cream is really important when you are traveling, busy and stressed-that's when the dark puffy circles can get you."

Meanwhile, Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha shared her surprising style secret."My number-one beauty tip is to practice at home whatever you’re going to be wearing. Don’t just put something on because you think it's the look of the day or the season. Especially when everyone is saying there’s a look for the season, try it out and see if it really looks good on you and be good at it before you go out there wearing it.”

"My beauty tip is bronzer. Regardless of whether you're light-skinned or dark-skinned, wear bronzer. Put it on the periphery of the face, the décolletage, and the cheeks. It always makes you look like you just came from Ibiza! As for my fitness tip: Corsets!" said Zara Mohamed Abdulmajid, also known as Iman, a Somali-American fashion model, actress and entrepreneur. She is also a pioneer in the ethnic-cosmetics market.

Actress Rachel Bilson is another celebrity that relies on bronze. "I dust my cheeks and eyelids with bronzing powder for a natural glow."

Another member of the cult of the Bronzer is Eva Mendes. She said, "A shimmery bronzer is the perfect way to look alive. If you don't want to wear makeup, mix some with moisturizer. You'll look pretty but not made-up."

Arizona Muse, an American fashion model, also shared her beauty secrets: "My number-one beauty tip is to mix Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair with foundation. It just turns every foundation into the most sheer amazingness. For fitness, I do a lot of yoga. I love yoga. I think it’s so good for your mind and body, as well."

Carolyn Murphy is an American model and actress. In 1998, she was named VH1/Vogue’s “Model of the Year” and she was also one of the “Modern Muses” on the November 1999 millennium cover of American Vogue. Her popularity has been such that she represented Calvin Klein’s perfume “Contradiction.” Murphy also shared gave beauty advice to the women of the world. "My beauty secret is drinking a lot of water. I drink a lot of water and then I moisturise. Otherwise, I wish I did more fitness. I’m not a fanatic. I don’t think it’s very becoming for a woman to have a body like a man’s, which is super cut. I prefer to be a little more on the softer side, so I just keep it light with a lot of walking, yoga, and an occasional jog. But even that’s a lot of work!"

Actress America Ferrera also relied on water to boost her beauty. "Once I started drinking more water, my skin, hair and nails all flourished."

One of Charlie’s angels, Lucy Liu, mentioned she is a fan of Aquaphor. "When I was shooting a movie in Montreal, it was freezing. If you take a little bit of Aquaphor and dab it on your face, it keeps your skin looking fresh. I dubbed it Aqua For Everything."

The beautiful actress Liv Tyler employs an interesting technique to make her skin look flawless. "After applying foundation and a little blush, dust your face with translucent powder, then mist skin with a rosewater spray and lay a Kleenex over for a second. It makes your face seem flawless in a way that looks as if you aren't wearing any makeup."

Lactic and glycolic acid for the skin

Lactic and glycolic acid for the skin

While both glycolic acid and also lactic acid are alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) used as chemical exfoliants and peels, they don’t have the same effect on the skin. For instance, lactic acid better for sensitive complexions are it causes less irritation and is more mosturinstising to the skin than glycolic acid. As it is derived from milk, lactic acids are mild and the chance of an allergy is minor. Therefore, this kind of peel if the best for those who have never had a peel before.

When the concentration of the formula is more than 30%, a lactic acid peel becomes a chemical exfoliant that dissolves dead skin cells from the top layers of skin. They are mainly used for people with pigmentation conditions including melasma, lentigo or freckles. They can also reduce the acne scars. Meanwhile, glycolic acid exfoliates the surface layer of your skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. It also dissolves sebum, which is the oil produced by your skin. With this dual effect, this acid can be used on both dry and oily skin types.

While salicylic acid penetrates deep into your pores, AHA sloughs off dead skin cells, so your skin will look more radiant and smooth. While AHA peels’ strength from one to the other, Kate Somerville’s Exfolikate Treatment sloughs all the dead skin cells from your face, for glowing skin. You do have to use it frequently to see long-lasting results. Peels are not a one time thing but it should a habit to do it regularly. This will help you recapture a youthful glow. You just need to watch out for irritation. Always test it first to make sure your skin is not too sensitive.

Lactic acid serum and cream

There are some serums and creams that are enriched with AHA formula, like Sunday Riley’s Good Genes serum which you can use overnight and it will smooth out your skin. One of the most popular lactic acid serums is Kate Somerville Exfolikate Intensive treatment. This package is very strong, so after only one use you will see your face glowing and your skin, smoother.

Try Sunday Riley’s Good Genes Treatment, an at-home mask made out of organic oatmeal and organic yoghurt. This combination with the acid and the oatmeal scrub leaves your skin feeling smooth.

Glycolic Acid toner

Derived from sugarcane, glycolic acid can remove dead skin cells, smooth skin texture and prevent wrinkles. That is why this natural exfoliator is a particularly ideal ingredient in facial toner. It can also help acneic skin, since the AHA has greater penetration capabilities and it keeps pores clear, preventing them from clogging.

Apply the toner after cleansing your face, and it will remove excess makeup, dirt and impurities, and will also balance the pH levels in the skin.

Although it might irritate your face at first, glycolic acid moisturises your skin as it increases your skin ability to bind water. If your skin is hydrated, the signs of ageing will be reduced, such as wrinkles and fine lines, as well as excessive dryness.

Drunk Elephant Glycolic Night Serum is worth a try, even though it is expensive. This product haAlpha-Hs a light gel-like texture and is formulated at pH3.8-4.0.

Another product worth a try is Alpha-H Liquid Gold, which is the most popular liquid exfoliant on the market. Apart from glycolic acid, it contains licorice which is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent. Although it might tingle slightly when you apply it, that only means that it is working. You’ll feel your skill soft after a few minutes.

If you are looking for a mast that sloughs away dead skin cells, then you need to buy Ren Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask. Then there is of course a product by Kate Somerville. This is Kate Somerville Exfolikate Cleanse which is a fruity concoction that contains pumpkin, papaya and pineapple.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid is a great way to combat acne. "Salicylic acid has the ability to exfoliate, neutralize the bacteria that causes breakouts, and reduce overall inflammation" Jamé Heskett, MD, founder of The Wellpath in New York City told InStyle. It works in many forms, you can use it in your face wash, your spot treatment, or mixed into your concealer for both healing and coverage. Her favourite is Miracle Skin Transformer Acne Control Tinted Treatment Lotion. You can find it in five beautiful shades.

The best face oils

The best face oils

Whether you are suffering from dehydrated skin, premature wrinkles or even oily skin, the right face oil can help you with a large range of skincare concerns and leave you with glowing, clear, rejuvenated skin. Although most people with oily skin are afraid to use face oils due to the fear of making their condition worse, this shouldn’t happy if you choose the right oil for your skin type.

The right face oil can protect your skin from free radicals, prevent fine lines and treat your blemishes, but they all vary so that is why you need to choose the one that suits your skin type. When you choose an oil, you have to base your decision on a few conditions. Oils are packed with natural antioxidants and fatty acids, so they can keep your skin from aging prematurely.

Face oils have many benefits. While it takes a while to see the effects of moisturisers, when you use a face oil, you see instant results. They can also be used in many ways, such as a moisturiser, makeup touchups, as a makeup remover, a lip balm, frizz fighter and under eye cream.

Here are some of the best face oils in the market:

Majo Medicine (in photo) is a natural, ethical and organic skincare and wellbeing brand, embracing the alchemy of Japan and Scotland. We make cruelty free, vegan products that are packed full of potent, high quality organic ingredients. We are on a mission to help people (including ourselves) feel good from the inside out - investing in our future, by healing our past, and fully appreciating the gift of now. We are passionate about re-inventing the word beauty and medicine.

Votary Face oil is a rosy, light oil meant to be applied overnight. You only need to apply two drops and it is absorbed by the skin very quickly. You will feel your skin much more moisturised after only one application and there is no filmy residue on the skin at all. The blend of natural oils is perfect for dehydrated skin and is great for changing seasons and for protecting your skin from poor air quality that can leave your skin looking dull.

Another facial oil that is only suitable for the evening is the Blue Orchid face oil by Clarins. This product is so oily one drop will suffice to coat the skin, yet it is not too heavy so it gets absorbed fast. This is a great way to hydrate your skin quickly.

Seaberry Moisturising Face Oil by Fresh is also a night oil. Although it is thick, it spreads well so you might just need one or two drops for your whole face. This lightweight facial oil is rich in antioxidants. Packed with beneficial fatty acids and other repairing acids, this oil is particularly beneficial for dry skin. This is facil smells like lavender and it is quite fresh, the problem is that it takes too long to absorb.

If you enjoy the smell of roses on your skin, then Una Brennan’s super facialist rose hydrate oil is the one for you. Although this oil is meant to be used overnight, you can also use it during the day under your foundation.

If you are looking for a facial oil that you can use night and day, opt for artemis hydroactive cellular face oil by Sunday Riley. Although it is thick, it does not feel heavy and its fruity and citrusy smell leaves your skin feeling fresh.

Packed with omegas and antioxidants, Pai’s Rosehip BioRegenerate oil protects the skin from environmental stress and damage. The oil also leaves your skin moisturised and feeling fresh. This is a great oil to use before going to bed, but let absorb before you actually lie down to keep it from staining your pillowcase.

If you are looking for a face oil that suits combination skin types, opt for Turnaround Revitalizing Treatment Oil by Clinique. This is an all-rounder oil that is very nourishing for dry areas but not too heavy for the T-zone and other oily areas.

Packed with tea tree oil, clary sage oil, juniper berry oil and lavender oil, Riddle Botanicals’ Relief serum is perfect to treat acne-prone skin. Although it is very moisturising, it doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy as it is lightweight. The serum smells so well that you will think you are at a spa.

Rich in vitamins A and E as well as omega fatty acids 6 and 0, Le Prunier Plum Beauty Oil is a beautifully silky oil that hydrates and soothes the skin without being too thick. As it is pure plum oil, the smells like plum syrup, strong and sweet.