Do Push-Ups And Get Rockin' Body Like Gwen Stefani

We're here to say, that working out gets results. And if there's one exercise that can reap you many benefits, it's the humble push-up. No equipment required.

Look at lean and mean, no-belly, flaxen-haired Gwen Stefani.

Need we say more?!

The 39-year-old mother of two, was jumping and bouncing all over the American Idol stage last night, in a performance of 'Just a Girl' with band No Doubt. With a lime green bra, whose straps were peeking out of her white tank, Gwen Stefani went on to amaze the audience with 5 push-ups behind the Idol judges' chairs.

Check out Gwen's fantastic performance here and those cool push-ups, not the girl push-ups, either:

http://www.doghousegallery.net/blog/no-doubt/video-just-a-girl-live-on-american-idol/

So, what's so great about doing push-ups?

It's an overall body strengthener. And this one, simple exercise works multiple parts of the body at the same time. And it is considered a resistance exercise, which means you get muscle strength, as well as bone-building results.

We found some great information about push-ups from the webmd. website:

If you're thinking the push-up is the best upper body exercise, many fitness experts agree. But, personal trainer Jessica Bottesch tells WebMD, the push-up benefits many muscle groups body-wide.

"The primary movers [the major muscle groups that produce the motion of a push-up] are the chest and tricep. However, if you look at the form your body takes during the perfect push-up, you're typically suspended from your toes all the way to your neck, so in reality, every muscle between your shoulders and your toes is engaged," says Bottesch, co-owner of Empower Personal Training in Durham, N.C.

This includes the all important core muscles of the trunk, as well as the abdominals, legs and hips, she says.

To learn how to do the proper push-up, visit the webmd site here, and get some super tips:

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/doing-the-perfect-push-up?page=2

A Good Makeup Sponge Can Make All The Difference

The BeautyBlender Sponge(pink) and the Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge(blue).

You could call it, "The Sponge Wars." And a good makeup sponge can make all the difference. Sure, some makeup artists prefer to apply foundation with fingertips only. And some won't touch a face without a makeup brush, like the trusty MAC 190 and MAC 187.

We're here to say, that the sponge is the way to go. And both makeup sponge applicators are excellent products. And as you can see by their interesting shapes, not the usual triangular sponge, both items have an easy form to hold on to, and are able to get into the little 'nooks and crannies' of one's facial features, to perfectly blend, blend, blend.

You end up with beautiful skin and a foundation makeup that appears air-brushed.

In these hard economic times, however, every smart recessionista is still on the hunt for a beauty product that costs less and performs with the very best. In this case, we will have to pick the blue sponge, or the Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge. This little product can be purchased at Target, currently marked down to just $8.99. http://www.target.com/dp/B00149XKOY/ref=cm_reviews_pg1?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=1T4PAHF3F33PJW3E9G3B&pf_rd_p=468561591&pf_rd_i=B00149XKOY&page=1&pf_rd_s=bottom-6&activetab=Reviews&pf_rd_m=A1VC38T7YXB528&pf_rd_t=201

And the Sonia Kashuk sponge is just as effective as its more expensive sister sponge, the BeautyBlender. One fallback, the Kashuk sponge has a funny odor to it.

Both blending sponges are best used when dampened with water. These sponges expand and get nice and fluffy and soft, and makeup glides across the face.

The famous BeautyBlender Sponge can be purchased online and at some makeup stores like Sephora's for $19.95. Some might say that's a bit pricey, but the sponge has a huge fan base, and many call the BeautyBlender, the ultimate makeup applicator. http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P228913&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=5938

We're not sure how deep your pocketbook is these days, ladies, but you'd be wise to buy either the BeautyBlender Sponge or Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge. Both applicators are good investments and can give you the flawless complexion you dream of.

To learn how to use a unique makeup applicator like these, just click here, and watch celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic in action with the bright pink BeautyBlender and his client Kim Kardashian:
http://www.beautyblender.net/videos/mario01.html

Inhalable Chocolate New Way To Delicious No Calorie Fix

Has it really come down to this?!

We all love chocolate, but now we can't enjoy it the old-fashioned way. There's a new method of chocolate madness. It's called Le Whif. And this is so bizarre, it will knock your socks off.

Take a look at the picture below. No, ladies, that is not a tampon, ha ha. That is the new way to enjoy a piece of delicious and sinful chocolate. With no calories! That's right.......calorie-free. Zero. Nada.

Scientists have gone way beyond the boundaries, folks. Now you can actually taste chocolate without chewing. You inhale it! Breathe it in, baby! This ain't your mama's chocolate. And believe it or not, you feel satisfied with an inhalation using this chocolate gadget.

Hard to believe, but you can thank a Harvard professor for this sweet tooth apparatus. David Edwards calls it 'whiffing.' Okay, we like the concept.

"Over the centuries we've been eating smaller and smaller quantities at shorter and shorter intervals," Professor Edwards says.

"It seemed to us that eating was tending toward breathing, so, with a mix of culinary art and aerosol science, we've helped move eating habits to their logical conclusion."

And yes, the beautiful taste of real chocolate is in there. It's actually a chocolate powder placed in a small, plastic cylinder which users breathe from. It's safe and easy to use.

"It fills your mouth with almost pure chocolate - it tastes really good," says a member of Professor Edward's collaborators.

"It's zero calorie, so could also be used as a diet tool," one says.

"But chocolate is only the beginning - we're going to be unveiling more different types of food in the future."

The cost?

The dispensers can be bought separately (at $2.40) or in a box of 24 (at $53). But we could not locate an exact place just yet. Flavors come in raspberry, mango, mint, and plain chocolate.

Yum. But if I had my choice, I'd really love a big piece of chocolate to chew, even with the sinful calories.

What do you think?

People's Cover Girl Christina Applegate And Her Fav Beauty Things

We aren't surprised that actress Christina Applegate graces the cover of People magazine's annual 100 Most Beautiful People for 2009.

The 37-year-old stunning blonde and star of telelvision's Samantha Who? had been through a public battle with breast cancer. She was very open about undergoing a double mastectomy last July, and then following up with reconstructive breast surgery last November.

Christina Applegate has been an inspiration to many and a truly gutsy woman.

In the meantime, we were curious to see how this slender and all-American Hollywood beauty keeps looking so healthy and pretty.

We stumbled upon a beauty list she gave to InStyle magazine last summer. Let's put it this way, Christina Applegate has very luxurious taste:

1. La Mer Face Cream (starting at $125 and up, at fine dept. stores)

2. It's a 10 Leave-In Hair Conditioner ($18, at professional salons, and beauty online stores)

3. MAC Tinted Lip Conditioners ($14.50, at fine dept. stores, and beauty online stores)

4. Child Perfume Extremely Rich Body Creme ($86, at fine dept. stores).

That is some good stuff, Christina.

She also has a super nice boyfriend in musician Martyn Lenoble. And Christina Applegate says she's not a timid girl any longer:

"I used to be really shy but I started to come into my own in my late 20s and early 30s," Applegate, 37, tells PEOPLE in the cover interview for the annual Most Beautiful issue. "Now I'm not afraid to speak up in a room full of people and be a part of the conversation."

Move Over Green Tea: White Tea Can Make You Skinnier

Have you heard of white tea?

If you haven't, don't feel bad. There's been so much talk about the wonderful benefits of green tea for the past few years. Green tea had taken over as the beverage darling. But wait......drinking white tea has even greater anti-oxidants and can keep you skinnier.

And some new, encouraging research on white tea may make you forget all about the green.

So let's take a closer look at this no-calorie, healthy beverage.

We have just learned that there are compounds in white tea that are capable of breaking down fat cells and preventing new ones from developing. That is what German scientists said last Thursday.

Wow! That's a dieter's breakthrough.

"We've shown that white tea may be an ideal natural source of slimming substances," Marc Winnefeld says. And he led the team of researchers.

What we really like about white tea is its non-staining ingredients. Sure, white tea contains tannic acid, which can discolor teeth. But white tea is a very clear liquid, like white wine, and contains much lower amounts of tannic acid. So no worry there.

If you really want to take off the pounds, you should start drinking white tea:

1. White tea is a fat-buster. This tea has zero calories. So that means the body has to work harder to digest and metabolize it. So your body is expending more energy.

2. White tea has less caffeine. Also a great feature. You won't get the jitters, and you can enjoy cup after cup, all day. This in turn burns more fat, because if you keep your caffeine level up all day, experts say the body burns calories evenly for hours.

3. White tea takes away your sweet tooth cravings. This unique beverage acts like a natural appetite suppresant for a couple of hours after you drink it.

4. White tastes better than green tea. Of course, that's really a matter of opinion. But white tea has a lighter taste than most teas. Some describe it as similar to the fresh jasmine tea. Whereas green tea can have a grassy sort of taste.

5. White tea is full of healthy things. Like green tea, white tea undergoes very little processing and no fermentation. White tea is the first tea to be harvested in the spring. That means this tea is able to keep its nutrients in tact. And white tea is said to contain the most anti-oxidants, 3x greater than green tea. And scientists say white tea may help prevent cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and other conditions.

Hey, drinking white tea can't hurt. And if you're really concerned about staying skinny, why not try a cup?

Halle Likes New Revlon ColorStay Mineral Mousse Foundation

If you're a big fan of mineral-based makeup, there's a new addition to this sheer, natural-looking makeup.

Our friends at Revlon have just introduced to your local drugstore, ColorStay Mineral Mousse Foundation Liquid. It retails for $13.99. Gorgeous Revlon spokesperson Halle Berry, adores it, too. She's always photographed modeling the ColorStay Mineral Foundation collection.

This new mineral mousse foundation(pictured at left) is a bit different from Revlon's original and still popular liquid ColorStay foundation.

When you're working with mineral-based makeup, it's a whole new ballgame. And by that, we mean texture and coverage. But what many women are attracted to in mineral makeup, is its sheer look, naturalness, lighter coverage, and less-irritating formulas.

Revlon's new ColorStay Mineral Mousse Foundation Liquid offers women a medium coverage. It comes in 8 shades, at the moment. It goes on easy, not cakey like some mineral foundations. It's quite blendable and chases the 'greasies' away. It also offers an SPF20 for secondary sun protection. And Revlon swears their Mineral makeup lasts for hours and hours.

The new mousse consistency might be a better choice for those humid, very hot summer days ahead, when a full coverage liquid foundation might 'melt' away in the scorching temperatures.

You could also try Revlon's ColorStay Mineral Foundation(pictured with Halle Berry). This lightweight foundation comes with its own brush for a quick and easy application. And it features a 'loose powder' formula with an SPF10.

How Chewing Gum Can Actually Help You Lose Weight

We love chewing gum, much to the dismay of our dentist. And yet, we really believe, along with the folks at Wrigley's gum, that you can actually lose weight by chewing gum.

Wrigley's has a group of researchers that look into the merits of chewing gum. The organization is called WSI, or the Wrigley Science Institute. Yeah, for real. And they conducted a study in 2007, that revealed some amazing things:

Chewing gum significantly reduced caloric intake by 25 calories and specifically reduced sweet snack intake by 39 calories; salty snacks were decreased by 11 calories.

Hunger and desire to eat were significantly suppressed by chewing gum at one, two and three hour intervals after lunch.

Participants reported that chewing gum improved their mood by reducing anxiety and stress, and increasing contentment and relaxation.

We swear this activity or hobbie, ha ha, of chewing gum, can really help you lose weight.

Of course, the best kind of gum to chew, is sugarless. It helps protect your teeth from cavities and kills off bad breath. And studies have shown, that sugar-free gum containing sorbitol, can help you shed some 11 lbs. a year!!

That is according to results published in the New England Journal of Medicine, that showed people chewing sugar-free gum could burn off a considerable amount of weight each year.

The results from this study also indicated that chewing sugar-free gum at 100 chews per minute, will raise the metabolic rate by approximately 20%, and someone chewing gum all-day can burn off an equivalent of 11 pounds of a year.

But heck, that's a lot of gum chewing 365 days a year, for just about every waking hour.

We love Bazooka bubble gum!!!! You can blow bubbles when appropriate. It's just a fun gum to chew. And we also are addicted to Wrigley's Extra gum in spearmint. Yummy, and the flavor lasts a long-ggg time.

We're not saying you will be bikini-ready, just by chewing some gum, but let's be honest here, enjoying a few sticks of gum, are so much healthier than inhaling a slice of cheesecake.

Check out the Wrigley Science Institute here:
www.wrigleygumisgood.com/science_institute.html