Sunday, January 1, 2012

How To Look Great On New Year!

 With New Year's Eve looming close, here is a last minute guide to hooking up, getting fit and dressing smart

The clock is ticking and signalling the end of a year. But you just finished Christmas shopping and partying that has left you parched and goggly-eyed the next day. Suddenly New Year's Eve is this weekend. The frenzy of the past few weeks and general excitement of the season has taken its toll on you. You are just a little shy of fitting into that dress perfectly and look just a little too haggard to find yourself an interesting date. So we have made your life a little easier by providing some last minute guidelines for you to get in shape, spruce your wardrobe and of course, grab a date.


FOOTLOOSE NO MORE Don't worry if you still haven't found a date and your friends have already hooked up for New Year's Eve. While not having a date isn't what you would call a catastrophe, it is nice to not be the odd one out. If you're scrambling for a last minute partner for the evening, here are a few tricks:

GET FIXED UP BY A FRIEND Ask your friends to hook you up. If you have friends with charitable spirit and are the type who want to spread the good cheer, they will introduce you to a couple of potential dates. Your goal is simply to have a fun date for New Year, so approach the idea with an open mind.

MINGLE The best way to meet new people is to divert from the usual places where you have been hanging out at. Explore places you have never been before, such as an art gallery at a location away from your home, a new book store, restaurants, pubs and discotheques. Also meet a different set of friends, who will hopefully be there with their single friends and introduce them to you. Dress spiffy, be confident and enjoy the high of meeting new people.

SOCIAL NETWORKING While your social networking page may boast of 500-odd friends, it's time to connect with someone you may not have been in touch with for a while or on a regular basis. Poke them, send a message, chat with them or drop in a light phone call just to connect. The first message should never suggest that you're fishing for a date, but build up to it nicely and you just may have one. USE ICEBREAKERS When you meet someone new at a coffee shop, book store, a mall or a pub, try talking your way through it by using causal one liners. For instance, you could start a conversation at a book store by asking someone "What book is that?" If you happen to have knowledge about the book, you can get lucky easily. If nothing comes to your mind, you could simply ask for the time. At a pub, you could say, "Your cocktail looks interesting" and then try to keep the conversation going. Often it isn't as tough as it looks and it's a question of being able to talk your way into charming someone. Don't come on too strong, approach the person with respect and don't harbour notions about getting laid. There are enough single people in the city and if you can solely focus on having an enjoyable evening, your date is waiting for you.

TONE DOWN Unbalanced diet, pollution and environmental changes, bad sleeping habits and alcohol, all add up to increasing toxin levels in the body leading to skin eruptions, water retention (edema), nausea, dizziness and dullness. Our expert, nutritionist Nupur Krishnan, shares her last minute tips to get fit and glowing, just in time. A QUICK FIX DETOX PLAN 

Your detox plan should contain 70 per cent liquids and 30 per cent solids. Include foods that offer enough phyto-chemicals and traditional nutrients and enzymes. For instance, pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps in digestion; papaya contains papain, a great colon cleanser; broccoli helps control blood pressure; and onion and garlic contain sulphur compounds that strengthen the process of detox.

Add more fruits to your breakfast cereal and lettuce, cucumber, tomato, spinach, onion to sandwiches. Have soups and salads rich in fresh fruits and vegetables.

Combine your detox with the right exercise such as walking, jogging, skipping, dancing and swimming. As you sweat and breathe heavily, it facilitates the expulsion of toxins through skin and lungs.

Hydrate your body. Drink lots of water in the form of fresh seasonal fruit juices such as watermelon, strawberries, cucumber and orange.

Stay way from sodium (salt) as much as possible. It is the key culprit in water retention. Herbal and green teas work wonders for a detox diet.

Those under medical supervision, elderly people, pregnant and lactating women and people with thyroid problems should consult their doctor before taking on a detox diet. LOSE THE KILOS Here are a few basics to help you shed your weight pronto:

Stay off white carbs as much as possible. That includes white bread, rice, pasta etc.

Drink at least four litres of water during the day.

Post meals, stay away from caffeine. However, have a cup of milky coffee an hour before gym to boost your body into working harder.

Do any cardio-related exercise that can amp up your heart rate and burn calories. Consider spinning, cardio kickboxing or running and jogging with free weights to tone up the body.

Sleep a minimum of seven hours at night to let your body regain and restore its systems. You'll be amazed at the effect it has on your strength.

Sex in the woman-on-top position is also a great calorie buster, if you have the dedication for it. PREVENT BLOATING

Avoid aerated and soft drinks at all costs. Alcohol and coffee can also cause intestinal irritation and swelling. Water remains your best bet when thirsty.

Certain vegetables such as cabbage, kidney beans and peppers are top examples of healthy foods that contain difficult-todigest carbohydrates, which can cause gas. Limit servings to a half cup at a time.

High fat and fried food takes a longer time to digest, making you feel bloated and heavy. Try nuts, seeds, fish instead.

Avoid chewing gum - it promotes intake of air into the digestive tract.

Lactose intolerance can also cause bloating.
Source: TOI

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