How to Dress like Vanessa Hudgens

I really don't know how or why I haven't written about this girl earlier! Vanessa Hudgens is adorable and she definitely has her own style. With that hot man candy on her arm, Zac Efron is the perfect accessory to her outfit every time. Vanessa's style is comfortable, casual, and flirty. Her outfits seem to be all about being multifunctional. And during this economy, it would certainly benefit you to get some tips from Vanessa's style. Let's break down a couple of simple outfits to replicate Vanessa Hudgens' look.

Casual Look
This look is great for running errands, hanging out with friends, lounging around, or shopping on weekends. It's just a pair of skinny jeans, with a white bohemian top (very figure flattering), cute empire sandals, a motorcycle bag, and a splash of color with a light purple scarf. Such an easy and inexpensive look to replicate! What I love about these pieces is that they can also be used in different ways with different outfits. For example, you can wear black pants instead of jeans and throw on a blazer and be stylish for work. Or maybe you can wear tights instead of the jeans for more comfort. Just make sure the white shirt is long enough to cover your booty. Otherwise, hello wedgy city. But my point is, this look is so simple and can be easily incorporated into many other outfits in your wardrobe.

 

Business Look
Depending on your dress code for work, this might be a cute choice for the office. It's a one piece tank dress with a thick black belt. If you aren't able to wear sleeveless tops to work, you can always throw on a bright yellow cropped cardigan for added color and pizazz. Not only is this dress uber comfortable, it's cute and flirty. Vanessa elongated herself with a long gold necklace and threw on some white wedges that are great for the summer. BTW, wedges are also great for the office because they give ya a little more support and are much more comfortable. Again, this tank dress can also be worn for a more casual look. Buy one dress for the use of many occasions is always a winner in my book!

 

Dressy Look
Who says that when you get all dressed up, you have be in a tight dress and be uncomfortable all day and night? Wrong! Take for example Vanessa in this white dress with blouson sleeves. This dress is forgiving on the waistline and the main focus is legs legs legs! Simple accessories like a long gold necklace, gold bangles, and zebra shoes complete this stylish look for any dressier occasion. Whether you wanna feel a little more stylish during the day or going out at night, this dress will look good on most body types. I also love white dresses on dark haired girls. Love the contrast.

 

Going Out Look
Most of the time Vanessa sports more of a bohemian girly style, but here with her leather jacket, she proves she can still pull off a little rocker flair. I love how Vanessa paired such a girly black polka dot, ruffled, chiffon dress with the leather jacket and it totally works. And the double ankle strapped pointed toe pumps? Uhm...yumersville! Love it love it love it! Again, this dress can be worn as a daytime dressy look, to a daytime party or weekend gathering and still be adorable. You can use these shoes for work or going out at night. And what about the leather jacket? Well, throw it on any outfit to give you a little more flair. One outfit, multiple uses for different occasions. Winner!

How To Get A Natural Face Lift

As mentioned before, I am a gym rat.  I've trained my body with a personal trainer and dabbled in many different exercise classes.  One of my favorites is yoga.  Now the yoga class I normally attend is not your usual "lay down, relax and go to sleep" yoga.  It's more hardcore/boot camp....the "I kind of want to cry right now because this is hard and also someone just farted in class" type of yoga.  Aside from that, it's one of my favorite classes.  You get a great workout and your body stays very tight yet flexible.  Which is why my ears perked up when I heard of face yoga.  According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons,  in 2006 Americans spent $11.6 billion in cosmetic procedures.  But now, there is a yoga method for your face that gives you a natural face lift.  They're saying I can forget about botox in the future and all of the anti aging creams.  Face yoga is the way to go and I'm totally digging this concept.

Traditional yoga stimulates anti-aging hormones already. Which poses comprise a face yoga sequence depends on who you ask. Hagen teaches a combination of traditional yoga postures along with face-specific exercises formulated to combat wrinkles through relaxation and tension reduction, and to tone the muscles as a preventive measure. It's preventative for people who are still young and it is said that people in their 50s have stopped using botox and taken face yoga classes instead.

Leta Koontz, owner and yoga instructor at Schoolhouse Yoga in Pittsburgh, also incorporates face yoga into her classes. “We hold a lot of tension in our faces,” she says, “so if we can consciously learn to relax those muscles and to reduce the overall stress in our lives, the end result is almost the same as Botox.” Read More....

Basically, making hilarious and crazy faces while doing the downward dog.  I didn't know it at the time, but when someone in yoga class would pass gas, I would make a face (mostly a sour face).  Who knew I was practicing face yoga as well!  Check out this video to see the latest craze first hand.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Product Review: Getting Over Your Plateau

The end of the first month of the year is coming to a close, and I hope all of you have been doing well with your resolutions! Gyms are still packed, which is great to see. Keep at it guys!

Good news: Like I've mentioned before, it's no secret--proper diet and exercise are the keys to a healthier lifestyle and slimmer physique. You WILL see a change when you start exercising correctly and eating well.

Bad news: If you don't switch up your exercise routines, your body will get used to what you're doing and you'll hit a 'plateau,' meaning the scale stays constant no matter how many carrot sticks you're eating or how many lunges you're doing around the football field. You're giving it your all, and nothing seems to be happening.

Good news (Part II): When I hit a plateau, I came across something called CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID or CLA. CLA is a substance that is converted from the linoleic acid of pure safflower oil. It reduces body fat by decreasing the number of fat cells and decreasing fat that is stored after a meal. In addition, it also builds lean muscle tissue and increases the rate of fat metabolism.

"Extensive research is now showing CLA to play an important role as a multi-beneficial health promoter. More than 200 studies worldwide are indicating that CLA may help reduce the incidence of breast cancer, improve asthma, allergy control, and blood sugar control (diabetes), and limit the extent of atherosclerosis which can lead to heart disease." (Wellnesspartners.com)

Bad news (Part II): There are a lot of impure versions of CLA being sold on the market today that will burn a hole in your wallet, but do nothing for your waistline. Here's what you want to look for:

• Make sure the capsules have 100% pure SAFFLOWER oil. Do NOT buy the ones that say it uses sunflower oil or even a safflower/sunflower oil blend. The ones that include sunflower oil have less of the active fat loss ingredients.
• The entire capsule should be at least 1000mg.
• 750-1000mg of the capsule should be composed of CLA.

Where to buy CLA capsules online:
To make it easier on you, here are some trustworthy CLA vendors. This is something I recommend, because I've tried it and I've seen the favorable results. Best of all, I got through that plateau period and am at my ideal weight. Hopefully, this will do the same for you.

• GNC Pro Performance CLA
• Nature's Way Tonalin XS-CLA from eVitamins.com

*Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor before trying CLA.

Enter To Win “5-Factor Fitness”!

Ok…what is the number one New Year’s Resolution? LOSE WEIGHT! Take off those holiday cookie pounds and get ready for the summer right?? Well let me let you in on a secret…you don’t need a gym membership; your treadmill is outside honey! Anywhere you can put your foot down and continue walking is nature’s equivalent to a treadmill. All you need are hand weights, a jump rope, and the ability to step outside. Annddd….you HAVE TO HAVE THIS BOOK!

The 5-Factor Fitness by Harley Pasternak

He is the celebrity trainer who train celebs like Halle Berry and you know she’s got a pretty hot bod. But I personally could not take off the extra 15 lbs. until I read this book and followed everything he said.  Well, also with the help of my certified trainer, Dr. Katelyn (check out her featured posts on my health and wellness section.) to motivate me and make sure I was doing things correctly.  However, this book is awesome!  What I love is that it’s totally attainable and doable! No crazy workout routines, just simple strength training mixed with a little bit of cardio goes a long way! Get this book; it’s the only way you’ll achieve your New Year’s resolution!

However, if you do need the motivation of other people who have the same resolution as you, absolutely join the gym! I still suggest getting this book and do it there because you can run on a treadmill for days, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll just have really strong legs and still have your holiday inner tube…and that does not float in the pool during the summertime…just so you know.

Spring $10 for this book on amazon.com before shelling out hundreds on other things that don’t work. I assure you, it’s worth every penny!

Contest Giveaway!
In the spirit of New Year's and all of it's resolutions, I'm holding a contest where I will be giving away a copy of 5-Factor Fitness. To enter, simply fill out the form below and tell me what your New Year's Resolutions are. Contest ends January 30, 2009. Must be 18 or over to enter.

Congratulations to our winner, Magdalene from Canada!