Energizing Yourself

This afternoon, after I had finished watching Australia's Next Top Model on Youtube, I felt like rolling onto my stomach and falling asleep. I nearly did, but I remembered I have work in an hour. With Minneapolis weather so dismal and depressing lately, finding energy to do all the things I want to do has become increasingly difficult, so I did a bit of research and figured I'd share my finds with you.

• Turn on the light! I always keep lights off during the day because I hate wasting energy, but a surefire way to wake yourself up is to turn on a few lights, this alerts your brain that it's day and starts your circadian rhythm. 
• Eat a big breakfast. Naturally grown foods are best for energizing you. Carbohydrates such as bread and pasta contain a lot of energy. Also, try these foods:

-berries

-beans

-melon

-soy products (yippee! for vegans!)

-nuts

-tea

-citrus fruits/juices

-spinach

-low fat dairy products 

• Exercise. Getting your body stretched out and moving helps wake you up and prepare you for the days activities. Here's a yoga routine I found in The Yoga Deck by Olivia Miller. As with all yoga, hold the position however long you want and repeat as often as you desire. (Usually I get through one repetition in 10 minutes.)

1. Knee Hug: Hug your knees to your chest, or as close as they will get.
2. Chair: Stand up straight, making sure your posture is good. Then slowly sink down as though you are about to sit in a chair. Go as low as you can and hold.



3. Mudra: Lace your fingers behind your back and push away from you. Bend over so that your head is between your knees with you arms still outstretched.




4. Boat: Lie flat on the floor. Raise your legs and torso as far off the ground as you can, arms outstretched in front of your head. Then, keeping yourself up, pull your arms behind you.

Look Swimsuit Fit, in one day

Alice Burdeu, one of my favorite models, looking gorgeous for AusNTM.

You don't need to be stick thin to look good in a swim suit, in fact, women with curves fill out swimsuits better. But nobody is perfect, nor do they have the perfect body. So for those days when an swimsuit party catches you unawares, here a few tricks to looking better.

• Drink H2O and caffeine. If you have a heads up to the swimsuit occasion, make sure you drink a lot of water the day of. Then, about an hour before the event, drink some caffeine (coffee, black tea, soda, etc). The water  helps rinse impurities out of your system and the caffeine dehydrates you, thus flushing out the water, helping you feel trimmer as you lose water weight.
• Work out. I do about 10 push-ups and 50 sit-ups, but you can do whatever works for you. These exercises tone your muscles and keep them clenched, giving you a fitter appearance for a few hours. 
• Pick a suit that works with your skin tone. Dark colors don't reflect light, thus making you appear smaller. However this can backfire if you are pale like me (I've been referred to as a glow worm). Pale skin will reflect light, giving the illusion of being a bit larger. So the trick is to find a suit that works well with your coloring without making parts of your body seem disproportionate. One color I've found works well for pale skin is red or purple. 
• Moisturize! After you've donned your suit, massage moisturizing lotion onto exposed skin. Skin that is hydrated looks healthier and feels firmer.

Now that you've done all you can, enjoy yourself! Confidence draws much more admiration and attention than your appearance ever will.