Side Effects Of Weight Loss

Hi everyone,

Weight loss is a positive thing; a point that few people would find reason to disagree with. For those who have lost weight, they can feel a new sense of purpose and outright enjoyment from life when they have slimmed down-- and they will be far healthier, too.

While there isn’t a catch as such, there are a few things that you might learn about yourself if you go through a weight loss transformation. You will learn that you have more willpower than you thought; that you’re in control of your own body. All very positive things that are well worth knowing, but when the weight is gone and you’re maintaining your loss, you’ll also discover a few surprising realities of life as a newly-svelte woman.

For example...

Brrr! Feeling The Cold

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When you’re overweight, your fat acts like a winter coat that you never take off. When overweight, you probably struggled to cope with heat, always feeling the impact of a hot summer day far more than those of a slimmer stature.

Your body gets used to that weight; it gets used to the warmth that it provides. When you lose the weight, you will find yourself pretty much permanently feeling cold. Even on a warm day, you will be pulling a cardigan around yourself and muttering about how freezing it is.

The good news is that this does eventually fade, but it can take up to a year for your body to truly adapt. In the meantime, wrap up warm and hope for lots of sunny days to help take the edge off the chill!

Losing Your Mind Over Loose Skin

No matter how much you exercise, if you have lost a lot of weight, you’re probably going to have to deal with loose skin. How bad your loose skin is depends on a lot of different factors; your exercise level does matter, but simple basic facts such as genetics play a part as well. If you gained weight during pregnancy, then the relatively rapid gain-and-then-loss makes loose skin all the more likely.

This loose skin can spoil the feeling of being able to enjoy your new body. If it concerns you, then try a routine that’s designed to strengthen your muscles and help you tone up. As your muscles build mass, they will naturally tighten the surrounding skin-- this can make a significant difference. If you still feel like you’re not comfortable, then you can always seek the advice of a top plastic surgeon who can help you feel more confident in your new shape.

The Need To Spend Pounds (£) After Losing Pounds (Ilbs)

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Finally, there’s a financial cost to losing weight. As a matter of pure necessity, you’re going to have to invest in your wardrobe, as your old clothes simply won’t fit you anymore. This can be quite the shock to the system, as you essentially have to start over, buying basics and then special outfits. It’s fun being able to try on new clothes you couldn’t have worn before, but it’s definitely an expensive time!

Of course, with all these minor downsides, there’s still no doubt that weight loss is the best thing for you-- so enjoy it!

MissLJBeauty

Winter Is Coming: Allow Your Skin To Embrace The Cool Weather

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Hi Everyone

A lot of people tend to think that winter is bad for your skin - it dries up and leaves you feeling rough and miserable. But actually, the cool, fresh air can work with you - not against you. You just need to know all the tricks of the trade to stay on top and not be consumed by the icy blizzards.

Here are all the reasons why the winter isn't that scary at all.

It helps you sleep better

Who doesn't want a wonderful night's sleep? - Taking away any stresses that are running through your mind, giving you the energy you need to start another day, and leaving you with healthy-looking skin. This is because sleep reduces any under eye circles that you have, leaving you with a glowing complexion to make anyone envious.

In the summer, it can be very hard to sleep through the whole night because it's hot, humid, and sticky. Whereas, although in the winter the weather is cold - your body is able to drop its own temperature to remain balanced. So even if you feel cold when you first get into bed - that'll soon be a distant memory.

It helps you burn fat

Your body, in general, is able to change in appearance significantly in the areas where you tend to store a lot more fat. This may be around the arms, the belly, the legs, and the face, etc. Your body reacts to the cool weather by triggering the effect of burning more calories, it almost works as a signal telling your body to start working even harder than it usually does.

It clears your pores

The cold air will not only naturally clean your pores for you, but it will shrink them in size meaning they will be a lot less visible - if not completely disappear altogether. This is because the cool air acts as an astringent or tonic when hitting the skin. Another great benefit is that if you tend to suffer from oily skin, the cold weather slows down and even at times prevents the secretion of sebum (which is the oil that builds up in the different layers of your skin). This means your skin creates its own kind of waterproof mask which stops any bacteria working its way in and causing you oily, acne infested skin.

It gets rid of puffiness

Being out in the cold air may not feel awfully satisfying, but your body is benefiting greatly from it because the weather promotes your blood to circulate more, all around your body and in the face. By doing this, it is essentially reducing any swelling that you may have in the face, like around the eyes if you've just woken up, or been crying, or have had an allergic reaction to something.

It rejuvenates the face

Do you know the reason why we're told to splash cold water on our faces in the morning? - Well, it's to rejuvenate our faces for a few seconds. The cold water helps by tightening the skin on your face, and leaving it looking younger and more radiant. So if you're out in the cold weather, just think how much better this technique will be. Pair that up with a nice serum to help your skin lock in moisture and you'll be model worthy. This is also why cold showers are great (if you can bear it!) It tightens up the cuticles in your hair, and closes the pores on your face which prevents both areas from getting clogged with dirt.

It adds colour to your cheeks

When out in the cold weather, the term 'rosy cheeks' didn't become popular for nothing. The cool temperate can actually train your blood vessels to be more responsive than they normally are, which leaves you with a slight redness in your cheeks. So no need to cash out on that expensive blusher you had your eye on - do it the natural way and talk a walk outside instead.

It provides cleaner air

Winter isn't only a joyous time because Santa is on his way - it’s also wonderful because all of the bad quality air that tends to surround us in the hotter seasons disappears. In its place, you are left with crisp, fresh, breathable air that fills your lungs up purely. So there's never been a better time to go out and explore the outdoors - your body isn't suffering. So go for a long walk in the pretty winter woods, breathe deeper, think less, and know that your skin is thanking you for it.

Max Pixel

MissLJBeauty

The Greatest Skincare Tips of All Time

Hi everyone,

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If you want to have the kind of smooth, flawless and radiant skin that requires no photoshopping; the kind of skin that makes everyone around you feel envious, you’ve come to the right place. Right here is a collection of the greatest skincare tips of all time. Read them, remember them and implement them if you want to have skin as flawless as Alexis Bledel or Kerry Washington all the time…

Use a Mist Moisturizer

If you mist your skin and then moisturize it, you’re doing it wrong and spending more money than you really need to on your skincare regime, You see, if you use mist and then add a moisturizer to your skin, it will only dry your skin out. It’s much better to use a product like the Body Shop’s Vitamin E Face mist, which will mist and moisturize effectively in one fell swoop. It’ll save you money too.

Apply Sunscreen with a Sponge

It’s a no-brainer that if you want your skin to look youthful and radiant, even as you age, you need to apply sunscreen each and every day. If you already do this, you’re on on the right track, but if you’re applying that sunscreen with you5r fingers, you haven't quite cracked it yet.

The best way to apply sunscreen is using a sponge or beauty blender, which will not only stop your skin from feeling tacky and making it more difficult for you to apply makeup effectively but also ensure that the sunscreen penetrates more deeply for better protection. It’s way less messy too!

Invest in a Quality Jasmine Oil

Adding a quality jasmine extract oil to your skincare regime is a great way to condition your skin because jasmine oil contains lots of antioxidants which are very effective at fighting the signs of aging and giving you a dewy complexion.

Change Your Razor Blades Regularly

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Men and women who use razor blades to remove unwanted hair should change their razor blades more frequently than the often do if they want to have flawless skin. How often should you change your razor blades? Ideally, you should change them after around five uses, but if you shave every day or so and you have thick hair, you may need to change them sooner. If you keep them for longer, not only will they stop being quite so effective, leading to stubble and cuts, but they will also be pretty dirty, and that dirt could cause skin infections which look and feel unpleasant, too.

Exfoliate Longer, Not Harder

If you want to really get rid of that dead, dull skin for a fresh-faced look (and who doesn’t), you might be tempted to start really scrubbing yourself raw with your exfoliant of choice. Not only could this be quite painful and leave you with unattractively red skin, rather than the radiant glow you were hoping for, but it actually isn’t that effective either.

When it comes to exfoliating, it is much better to do it gently for longer than it is to scrub harder. You’ll get rid of more dead skin without hurting yourself that way.

Ditch the Chemicals

If you can, it is much better to choose products that have few, if any chemicals that you haven’t hear of in your skin. It’s much better to use natural products like coconut oil, aloe vera juice, and brown sugar to create your own cleansers, exfoliants and moisturizers because chemicals can actually inflame your skin and make it puffier and redder, especially if you have sensitive skin. If you’ve noticed that you have a slightly red complexion after completing your skincare routine, chances are you’d definitely be better off without the chemicals.

Avoid the Alcohol

I know, I know - you love a glass of wine or three in the evening and cocktail night is your favorite night of the week, but if you want to have youthful looking skin in your 40s, 50s and beyond, you really do need to at least cut down on the amount of alcohol you take in. Why? Because alcohol, if you drink more than one glass a day can cause the amount  of oil your body produces to increase, causing shiny skin and enlarged pores., There is also evidence to suggest that heavier drinkers, perhaps because they are often dehydrated, tend to visibly age faster than people who rarely drink at all.

Eat Your Fruits and Veggies

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One of the best pieces of advice to bear in mind if you want to have beautiful skin is that there is only so much any skincare routine can do, and truly radiant skin comes from the outside in. Eating a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables, particularly avocados and tomatoes, which are known to maintain healthy skin, and fatty fishes which contain lots of healthy omega 3, will give you the kind of glow that money simply cannot buy.

Cleanse Twice

If you tend to wear a lot of makeup, then cleansing twice can be a very effective way of improving your skin. What you need to do is first remove your makeup and any SPF protection you are wearing, with a mild cleanser that is designed specifically for makeup removal. Once you’ve done that, use a soothing, hydrating cleanser to perk up the skin. Apply this very gently in slight, upward strokes, moving from your neck to your hairline for best results.

Keep Your Skincare Products Cool

If you get a lot of breakouts, or you suffer from acne or red skin, it can really help to keep your products in a cool box or even the fridge, when the weather is hot because cool products, when applied, will cause your blood vessels to constrict, taking away some of the redness you hate.  Good makeup will do the rest.

Avoid Spicy Foods

Avoiding foods containing hot peppers is another good way of reducing redness in the skin. You might want to try it if you have a ruddy complexion and eat a lot of hot foods.

If you try out as many of these skincare tips as are applicable to you, you should definitely see an improvement in the look and feel of your skin, especially if you practice them regularly.

missljbeauty

Ryanair Despair!

Hi everyone, 

This year has been crazy for me. Due to my and my husbands work commitments We haven't been able to have a proper holiday this year, A lot of things were working against us getting away. It's our best friends wedding, A week on Monday! which will be amazing. After which we have about two weeks off. Which is awesome as I haven't had much time with my husband since April this year. 

Since we didn't get the chance to book a holiday in advance we are struggling with getting anywhere decent last minute. We are putting our dogs to the in-laws in Torquay to be looked after, this leaves us the choices of leaving from airports near there. 

So here is our dilemma. The choices for a quick week break not flying too far seems to all be with flights from Ryanair.  GREAT, I have mixed feeling about Ryanair. I have flown with them before and had flights that have been fine But the news just now is putting the fear in me. 

The news is full of families stranded at the airport because Ryanair have cancelled thousands of flights. Could you imagine being at the airport on holiday to be told there is no return flight for you? 

Seriously a multimillion pound company can not sort out pilots holidays. These people have a very highly skilled job and I can only imagine the stress they encounter and yet their employer cant even gets their holidays sorted. Leaving 70,000 people with cancelled or delayed flights. If I was one of the cancelled flight I would be making a claim I recommend flight delay claims 4 u Let them do the hard work for you and fight Ryanair for your companion you are entitled to! Get something back for your misery so you can do something else instead. I know not ideal but at least you will get the compansation your deserve.

 I think there has been a lot of mix reports on social media about the pilots. Come on people I know I would rather have a pilot who is well rested, getting the time off and recovery they need. Instead of someone who must be near burned out and have no family time?

I know I haven't had a holiday this year from work and I am near burnout myself and I am in a customer-facing role with little responsibility. I really think Ryanair CEO needs to step down. If I was the pilots I would be asking. When did he have his last holiday? Is he too suffering from no holidays? 

Is it me or is Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary coming across as a complete asshole? Are you telling me that he, the head of this company does not know that everyone is entitled to holiday leave in the UK?
Come on everyone support these pilots decisions and yes a cancelled flight is super annoying and really not acceptable but these people are not doing this to upset or strand you its because all other avenues have been tried and they are not being listened to. We would all do the same. 

This has really put me off booking any holiday. Due to Ryanair, all the other UK flight companies have pushed up their flight prices this has a huge knock-on effect. Making a cheap week away completely overpriced. 


Have you been affected by cancelled flight? or delays over 3 hours? Don't forget to make a claim. Click the link above. 

MissLJBeauty 

Eat Your Way To Better Hair, Skin & Nails

Hi Everyone,

Hair, skin, nails -- oh my!

These three areas tend to receive a huge amount of focus from concerned women. While we can maybe manage with our nails not being as strong as we’d like, for most of us, wanting our skin and hair to be good is non-negotiable. That’s why we spend a fortune on beauty products, lather on different creams, and do all we can to ensure we look happy and healthy -- inside and out. If you’re run down or haven’t been taking appropriate care of yourself, then your hair, skin, and nails are most likely to show signs of it.

While there will always be benefits to doing your research about shampoos and finding a good skincare regime that works for you, the foods you eat have a huge impact on the appearance of your hair, skin, and nails. If you want to give these areas a boost, then you might find the best results in the kitchen cupboard rather than the bathroom cabinet…

Biotin

Biotin -- one of substances in a group known as the B Vitamin complex - is an essential if you’re trying to improve the texture of your hair and encourage growth. You can supplement Biotin, but as with most supplements, it’s generally better to try and obtain it from your diet. Thankfully, there are plenty of delicious foods that also come with a healthy amount of Biotin.

Biotin-Rich Foods To Try:

• Lentils and pulses
• Eggs
• Cauliflower
• Salmon
• Bananas

Protein

Unless you want to spend a huge amount of your time battling with tape in hair extensions and trying various hair growth methods (which never work), you’re going to need to ensure you’re eating a good amount of protein. There are various calculators online that can calculate the exact amount of protein you should be eating on a daily basis; for most women, it’s between 80g-120g. That number will be higher if you frequently exercise. If you’re not hitting your required number, then your hair is going to suffer -- because, effectively, hair is just one long strand of protein.

Protein-Rich Foods To Try:

• Meat
• Green vegetables, especially spinach
• Almonds
• Greek yoghurt
• Cheese

Fatty Acids (Omegas 3 and 6)

Finally, an addition of fatty acids into your diet is crucial if you’re trying to improve your hair strength, skin texture, and nail growth. We’re all pretty familiar with the idea of taking cod liver oil capsules, but the quality of the fatty acids in these supplements can vary wildly. If possible, use a few diet-based foods to get your allowance the nature way.

Fatty Acid-Rich Foods To Try:

• Eggs (again; eggs are very good for your hair in particular)
• Flaxseed oil
• Mackerel
• Salmon
• Spinach (another “again” -- best get to eating like Pop Eye if you want great hair, skin, and nails!)
• Tuna
• Walnuts

By altering your diet to include more of these beneficial foods, you will see a boost to your hair, skin, and nails that’s just as good -- if not better - than remedies you can find over-the-counter.

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MissLJBeauty

5 Ways To Reward Yourself For Reaching Your Fitness Goal

Hi Everyone,

You have worked hard for your body. You have risen early 6 days a week and pushed yourself to the limit. When everyone else has been asleep in their beds, you have been working on your body. You have been looking after yourself and you have been exercising. It might have been taking spin classes, or running in the rain, it’s been hard work and your body aches. You have turned lots of nights out down, and you have replaced wine with fitness shakes,  Those choices mean that you are in the best shape of your life! You can now wear that bikini on your holiday.

Working out is a journey that requires commitment. Many people set themselves a target and when they smash it they reward themselves. Let’s face it, we all love how exercise makes us feel and we know that exercise is good for us, but sometimes we need a little extra incentive.  Rewarding ourselves for hitting that goal is a great way of making sure that we  continue to exercise. We need to recognise our progress and celebrate it! Here are some great ideas for celebrating success.

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1) Book a holiday. The perfect way to reward yourself. You now feel confident in your bikini. Therefore, it’s time to go away somewhere hot. Book that beach break and enjoy some much needed rest and relaxation. However, being on holiday doesn’t mean that you should stop exercising. If you are planning on indulging in some cocktails then you need to make sure that you are still hitting the hotel gym!

2)  Buy some new clothes. Your work shirts are now too baggy and your jeans are too loose. You now need new clothes for your new body shape. Treat yourself to some new clothes. You might even want  to treat yourself to some new workout clothes.

3) A tattoo. If you want a permanent reminder of how far you have come on your fitness journey then a tattoo is for you. However, this isn’t a reward you want to rush into. You don’t want to find yourself going to a tattoo removal clinic or appearing on that Channel 4 programme Tattoo Fixers. You need to make sure that you research what type of tattoos you like and look at what is on trend for 2017

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4) A pampering session. Your body would thank you for some pampering. You have been working it hard and those muscles ache. Book yourself in for an indulgent spa session and recharge those batteries.

5) Something sparkly - fitness jewellery. You can buy some bling to remind yourself of how far you have come. Etsy have some great pieces.  You can find dumbbells in silver with a tag that reads, “I Can”. There is also a great, “Wake Up. Kick Ass. Repeat” necklace. Buying yourself a super stylish piece of jewellery is a great reward. Also, that small piece of jewellery will remind you to workout in future!

You deserve that reward: you earned it. Treating yourself to something is the best way of saying thank you to yourself. It will also keep you motivated for the future. Have fun, enjoy your reward!

MissLJBeauty