New diet books are a dime a dozen, but one that has been making major waves as of late is The FastDiet: Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, and Live Longer with the Simple Secret of Intermittent Fasting ($14.39). A big hit in the UK, the book recently came to the US and has already been lauded by readers and doctors. I’m not a fan of extreme diets because from experience – and from what I’ve seen firsthand with countless friends – it leads to nothing besides binging, but given that this book was written by a doctor I was intrigued. The premise of the diet is intermittent fasting. Five days out of the week you eat whatever you want and for two non consecutive days you are restricted to 500 calories if you’re a woman or 600 calories if you’re a man.
A number of studies have shown that intermittent fasting can have a slew of benefits including reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and delaying aging. Diet-wise when you cut your calories the body goes into survival mode and cools down on fat storage while turning up mechanisms responsible for fat burning. The problem is if you do this too long you risk putting your body in starvation mode, which will have the opposite effect. You also risk stressing your body and a stressed body tends to crave the very foods you’re likely trying to avoid. While this might work in the short-term any diet that involves extreme calorie restriction with or without binging isn’t the best idea. Plus am I the only one who becomes a raging bitch when she binges and when she’s starving!?
I try to eat as healthfully as possible, but sometimes you fall off the wagon (it happens, we have to stop beating ourselves up about it!!). I went to Vegas for four days recently and on every one of those days I ate an absurd amount of food (on one of those days my friend and I ate over $600 in fact at Chef Masa Takayama’s restaurant Tetsu..oy!). Instead of beating myself up about it however I just vowed to eat nothing but fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts and bread (I need the carbs because I run every day), for a week when I got back. Of course that didn’t work out flawlessly and some sweets made it in, but we can’t always be perfect and as long as it’s in moderation…
All that said the book does have some very interesting research, case studies, and recipes in it that make it worth checking out. Next month they’ll also be launching a cookbook with low calorie meals so while I won’t be surviving on 500 calories a day anytime soon I’m all for adding some of their 500 calorie recipes into my diet!
When the French collaborate together, you can expect twice the chic! Don’t miss out on these limited edition goodies from NARS and Pierre Hardy. I love the blushes ($41 each), especially the coral-pink Boys Don’t Cry. Gold shimmer lines the palette in Hardy’s signature geometric print, ensuring that you get both color and shine. I use it to highlight my upper cheekbone area to create a youthful glow. For a sandier shade, try the Rotonde palette. Then there are the nail polish duos ($29 each), which were inspired by Hardy’s colorful SS13 shoe collection. Each set of complementary tones was chosen by the designer himself. Wear one on your fingers and the other on your toes! I’m eyeing the orange and navy blue set, but with five options in total, there’s something for everyone. Available on NET-A-PORTER.
I haven’t gotten on the nail art bandwagon yet. I’m still all about my solid glossy polishes, but I have to say…. Ciate’s Chalkboard Manicure Set ($25- $40 value) looks like fun! Basically you apply a base coat, then two coats of matte black polish (aka your chalkboard), let the polish dry (15 minutes – it’s imperative that it’s completely dry), and then press the chalk pens onto your nails to release liquid and start creating your designs (water will get rid of any “mistakes”). Let your art dry and then seal it with a top coat – Voila!
I won’t be doing this anytime soon to my nails (how old is too old for something like this??), but I could totally see this being a fun summertime pool-side activity for a group of young teens (or someone more artistic than myself!).
Most reviews of BelleCore’s HoneyBelle Bodybuffer are positively glowing, which is exactly what your skin will be doing once you’ve tried this. I can’t speak to whether or not it “breaks the bonds of cellulite,” but when I tested it out at the store, I ended up looking as buffed up as a showroom car. This is thanks to the terry cloth cover (when I forget to bring an exfoliator on a trip, I often use coarse hotel towels to lightly buff my skin) and oscillation. The device is electric, so you don’t have to buff yourself per se. Since it’s handheld, though, the vibrations can tire your hands and arms within a few minutes to the point of numbness (ironically, the Bodybuffer helps muscle soreness). This strength is vital for getting the blood flowing and breaking up cellulite. Beauty is pain, right?
If you’re going to invest in this little gadget, make sure you understand why cellulite appears in the first place. There are many causes, and the one the Bodybuffer treats is the hypoxic body fat in your lower body. Hypoxic means oxygen-deprived, which explains why some people find that no amount of diet or exercise can remove cellulite. Belly fat, on the other hand, gets good oxygen flow, so it’s generally the first weight to go when you start losing (unless you’re me!). Basically, even though the device will help improve circulation and oxygen flow, it won’t work alone – you have to lose the fat deposits, as well.
Another cause of cellulite involves the collagen fibers in your skin, also located mostly in your lower body. For women, these are vertical and form what are referred to as “picket fences,” where the skin puckers and traps fat. Men luck out – have you ever noticed that they rarely seem to have cellulite? Only 10% do, compared to 90% of women. This is because their collagen is crisscrossed like mesh, rather than straight up and down. That’s why I’m skeptical about the Bodybuffer. This kind of exfoliation and even deep tissue massages supposedly “remodel collagen.” How could you make your collagen grow in a totally different formation, though? I’m not quite convinced. If you have severe cellulite and want to smooth it out a bit, go ahead and give this a try. The guarantee is that it will improve within a month, so if you test this, be sure to let us know how the promise holds up! Either way, it’s a lot cheaper than going to the doctor’s office (although, at least your arm wouldn’t go numb there !). Available at Bergdorf Goodman for $395.
It’s a really, really, really good day when you come home to a three foot tall lipstick-shaped pinata… I mean how cool! The pinata was created to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Sephora – a chain we’ve all come to know and love because it carries some 13,000 beauty products in-store and online. It’s hard to imagine life before Sephora so it’s fitting that they’re celebrating 15 years in a big way.
The brand will be celebrating their Sweet Fifteen in all Sephora stores every Saturday from June 8th through June 29th, 12pm to 6pm. In-store parties will include complimentary makeovers, skincare consultations, and gifts with purchase. On the Saturday, June 8th kickoff you’ll get a complimentary makeup bag when you spend $50. Can’t make it into a store? Call 1-877-SEPHORA or log on to Sephora.com for the same deals.
For those shopping on a budget Sephora is also stocking a bunch of beauty products priced at $15 and under and new products are added weekly through June. Click here to check them out.
My latest obsession is By Terry’s Radiance Renewing Mask! It’s the best complexion brightening and deep hydrating mask I’ve ever tried – not a bit oily. I’ve given it a regular spot in my beauty routine. I apply the mask to my face and neck before I go to sleep and leave it on all night, so that when I wake up in the morning, I look fully rested (even if I’m far from!). Terry recommends another fun little tip for hiding crow’s feet – apply the mask on the wrinkles for a few minutes, then rub the formula up towards your temples. The formula includes white rose to soften skin, crimson rose to detoxify it, and pastel rose to clarify (as you can imagine, it smells heavenly). I use Renée Rouleau’s Triple Berry Peel (at Renée Rouleau for $85.50) beforehand to clear off my skin. Try this two or three times a week for the best results! Available at Barneys New York for $83.
