I know it is really, really hard to get in shape and eat right. Dieting, working out, abstaining from fatty delicious foods. It just takes determination and the want to get healthy and look better. The 1st step is just making up your mind that you are seriously going to start doing better for your health. You have to make a firm commitment to yourself!

It always seems to me the hardest time is the 1st day. Once I make it through the 1st day I don’t want to undo all the hard work from that by cheating the next day. It’s kinda like one day in the hole and it pushes me to keep doing better. My problem with eating right and working out is that I start to talk myself into doing wrong.

It’s seems like I have dual inner voices and they don’t agree on many things when it comes to fitness. One will tell me, “you don’t need those sweets try drinking some water or working out”, which is a good idea because one of those always works. Then that other voice will tell me “just eat that one piece of chocolate and it won’t hurt”, then I end up eating the whole thing….and a piece of cake…. and I have to wash it down with a soda!!! At this point I feel like just giving up on the whole eating right, working out thing. Sad, I know.

The easiest way for me to start working out is to try and get a buddy to go with . Just until I can get a routine, getting into the routine is the hardest part of working out. The thought of leaving the house to go run on a treadmill with all those people looking at me, always makes me say “I’ll do it tomorrow” (just another way to talk myself out of it). Well that was a few months ago…..and a lot of tomorrows.

It’s also a good idea to have an objective that you working toward. One time for me, it was waiting for my husband to get back home. That way I had a reason to go to the gym and an objective to work toward. I wanted to keep myself busy and look nice when he got back. Another way to work out is to get a fitness program. You can try dance, yoga/pilates, or aerobics. Any physical activity that gives a workout is a good alternative to the gym, if you dislike going to the gym. No one said looking good was easy, so let’s get to work!!!!

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Everyone always ask me how do I get my smoky eye look. It really isn’t as difficult as it seems. The key to keeping all eye shadow from creasing into your lid is to make sure the area is oil free. You can also use an eye shadow base or “primer” Arbonne has a great one, Virtual Illusion Makeup primer, it’s safe for the eyelids . If you want a dark shadowy look try the black, brown, or gray. You can also go for a jewel toned look and use a violet, deep green or a blue shadow (like Arbonne’s About Face Eye Shadow, Inkling). This same technique can be used with a pencil or powder. For liquid liner you can place dots on your lash line then follow the dots to make a perfectly straight line. What you need for the look: 4 shadows…light, medium, dark, and the darkest shadow you have; black pencil; and mascara.

1. Use a light eye shadow (try Shy and Linen by Arbonne)– apply the lighter color right under the eyebrow, avoid the crease and lid. (I also like to add a little under the tear ducts, makes eyes look brighter and more open)

2. Shadow the lid with a slightly darker color, Cinder by Arbonne is a great color(I always use a brown or a tan color, something that is close to your skin tone is what you’re after) This will help the darker color adhere, be sure not to cover the lighter eye shadow under the lid.

*You also will need a good eye brow liner brush (you can get a great eye brow brush in the 10 piece brush set at Arbonne for a very nice price). You rub the bristle side of the brush into a soft brown and holding the brush with the bristles parallel to your lash line do one sweep from lashes up to the crease of your eye. If you think that’s not enough repeat the brushing process. Now you should be able to open your eye and see the tan color coming over your crease.

3. Adding your darkest color – Here is where you use the color you chose at the beginning…either the shadowy look or the jewel toned. Do the same brush technique you did with the soft brown only you are using the color of your choice and don’t go up to the crease, stay right under your crease line.

4. Put on your mascara

5. Eye Liner – Use your liner in either dark gray or black pencil ( I do the whole eye)

6. Now use your darkest shadow…the darker the better…you want to smudge this over the liner. A Q-tip is great for this…leave the tear duct area light.

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Hello Beautiful!

  Casadei Wedge Heel

These are one of one of my absolute favorites!

I love, love, love Wedge heels. They are gorgeous, sexy, and comfortable. To me, this is one of the best fashion items that has been invented. But these are not your granny’s wedges anymore. Granny has switched to the new wedge heel! These fabulous shoes have been redone to be more sophisticated, sleek, and fashionable. Say goodbye to the clunky heel and the bulky shoe, Hello Beautiful!

Wedge heels add height but are far more stable than regular high heels. They come as high as 4.5 inches, sometimes even higher, so you can wear spike high heels in a wedge. Stilettos have always been a little hard to master, wedges are comparatively easier. You have so much balance in them, you can stand in them and feel like you are on the floor. So, if you want to wear high heels but you feel unstable on them, go for the wedge. Also, with the sleeker heel they can now be worn with any outfit, whether casual or dressy. You can also find wedges in a boot, who would have thought!

Marc Jacobs Cuffed Wedge Boot

These shoes are great for women who have back issues but still wish to look and feel sexy in heels. I have seen women in their 60’s sporting these high fashion shoes. So, if they can do it and look fabulous, why aren’t you? Wedges are good for balance and they are very chic right now. By just putting on a pair you increase your fashion quotient. But remember wedges are still a heel, so don’t expect to put these on and be able to run a marathon. They are not taking the place of sneakers, yet ; )

What’s not to love about a comfortable high heel shoe? The stiletto is out and the wedge is in. Finally something that makes you look and feel sexy, and their comfortable, to boot.

Take a look at what’s next in heels…..

the backwards heel shoe! Will these be the next big thing in fashion?? Will you own a pair?

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