Lose weight to look and feel sexy

The new "Loozit" weight loss program at health centres will not only make you look sexier with that receding waistline, but will ensure that you even feel sexier at the same time.

A large number of overweight and obese teenagers have reported that they feel sexier and more confident after participating in "Loozit" programme.

An analysis of the "Loozit" program by obesity experts has revealed that it showed a considerable improvement in self-esteem for participants belonging to age-group of 13-16 years.

According to the study, all but two of the 22 adolescents completed the pilot program in 2005 - the other two were unable to make it to the last session. "There were significant increases in the scores for physical appearance and romantic appeal by the end of the five-month program," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted the evaluation, as saying.

While researchers had earlier raised concerns over the negative impact on self-esteem due to weight loss programs, but the parents have claimed that their children were making healthier food choices and increasing physical activity.

Under the programme, the adolescents attended weekly group sessions for four weeks and then another session at two, four and five months, with goals that include eating together as a family, having water as the main beverage, eating increased fruit and vegetables, increasing physical activity to an hour a day and reducing time spent watching TV or using a computer.

All the teenagers participated in group discussions, games and cooking lessons under the programme, which is the first weight management program that took into account adolescents in evaluating the program and their feedback - such as weekly sessions, sessions for parents and booster sessions for up to two years.

According to a participant, Josh Hamm, 15, of Londonderry, who has just finished the program after two years, said that he felt fitter and happier and is doing his Duke of Edinburgh Award, which included a recent three-day hike in the Blue Mountains. "The great thing about the program is that it's a round table with a bunch of teenagers with one person [health professional] so we just sat there and talked ... It didn't feel like a weight loss program,” he said.

10 Ways to be a cheap date (in a good way...)

You don't have to go broke to have an active dating life. By applying a little creativity and some rule-breaking, not only can you save some serious cash in the dating playground, you can also have more interesting dating experiences. From learning the tricks of how to look fabulous on the cheap to a few inventive no-cost date ideas, check out our date great on a budget guide -- because a fabulous date with little money spent is always priceless.

Shop your friends' closets

To look your hottest without going broke, swap cute tops, adorable dresses, killer shoes and ooh-la-la accessories with your besties. Although the goods aren't technically new, they will be new to you -- and certainly to your dates, too. Also, consider keeping a dating wardrobe log. Write down what you wear, with whom and where you go. This way you can recycle favorite outfits without fear of repeat.

Groom at home

An easy way to save a bundle is by handling basic maintenance such as eyebrow waxing, mani/pedis, bang trims and even basic highlights at home. Consider hosting a pre-date party with your girls, second-grade-slumber-party style, and give each other makeovers.

Avoid extraneous costs

Dating can come with a lot of superfluous costs. By skipping valet parking, that last drink that never gets finished, dessert that just makes you feel guilty later on anyway, bars with cover charges and so on, you can pocket some serious cash to put towards future dates. Focus on being with each other more than unnecessary amenities.

Share food

Splitting dishes, be it the appetizer, main course or a sinful dessert is not only cost effective it has other benefits, as well. A couple can get to know each other's tastes and discover how they work together through deciding what to order. Plus, eating off the same plate requires an intimacy that can be a highly sensual experience.

Dial down your idea a notch

Cocktail conversation? Opt for coffee conversation. Dinner date? Tantalize your sweet tooth instead with a dessert date. Pro sports game? Cheer on a minor-league or your old high school team instead. Movie night? Try a matinee or a second-run theater. You get to have all the fun for half the price, with a simple modification.

Cash in on free events

Indulge at a variety of events for free by checking out your local paper. From free museum or zoo nights to complimentary wine, chocolate and cake tastings, as well as street festivals and farmer's markets that are open to the public, there is no shortage of no-cost adventures to be had.

Hit up happy hours

Half the price and just as nice, happy hours usually offer specials like two-for-one drinks and half-priced appetizers on weekdays from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Cook at home, but with a twist

Meet your date in a bookstore cooking section. Mull through cookbooks until you find something delectable to cook for dinner. Shop for necessary ingredients and then together, create a culinary masterpiece!

Go green

Explore the wonders of nature around you by taking an explorer's walk to trace shadows and collect interesting finds, hike in a nearby forest and stop for a picnic, bike ride through an undiscovered part of your city or lie in a sentimental field and gaze at the stars over a bottle of vino… all low in cost but high in delight.

Just play!

Both you and your date should select your favorite childhood activity… swinging on the swings, playing Monopoly, making a mess with fingerpaints, having a pillow fight and so on. Do each other's activities and while doing so, share stories of what you were like as a kid -- also nibble on your favorite childhood treats.

5 Sexy Moves You Don't Do In Bed

Romantically speaking, when it comes to heating things up, most people think of heading straight to the bedroom. While this makes sense for certain activities, that doesn't mean you two should be acting chaste as monks outside the boudoir. With a little creativity, seduction and sensuality can happen at any point in your day, whether you're strolling hand-in-hand down the street or kicking back in front of the TV together. Don't believe me? See how these couples below managed to turn up the temperature without removing one article of clothing (or at least not until it was more appropriate to do so).

Partial public displays of affection. Pretty much all couples have engaged in some public displays of affection—but what's even hotter are PDAs that are slightly hidden. Just ask Jess, 29, from Brooklyn, NY: "I had this one boyfriend who would squeeze my thigh under the table whenever we were out to dinner with my friends or relatives," she says. "It always turned me on—in fact, sometimes I'd have to kick him pretty hard to get him to stop." What makes semi-PDAs so arousing? Perhaps because it's a secret only you two are aware of—and a test for your sweetie to maintain his or her composure.

Hand-holding gets hot. Lots of couples hold each other's hands...but is it a turn-on? Probably not the way most people do it. But that can easily change. The next time you two are at a movie or watching TV with your digits entwined, up the intensity by treating your partner's mitts to a mini-massage. Brian, 27 from Miami, FL, is one such lucky guy. "Sometimes my girlfriend will massage my hand—palms, fingers and all," he says. "It feels so good because that part of the body does the most work but is usually neglected. You never realize how sensitive your hands can be until someone actually takes the time to give them a little massage."

Walk this way. We kid you not, even the way you walk together can be a sensual experience. Laura, 31, from New York, NY, explains how she and her fiancé keep things hot while they're hoofing it: "When we walk somewhere, occasionally we enhance our experience for a few minutes by 'hug-walking,'" she says. "Imagine a three-legged race where every body part moves in unison with your partner. Usually, he walks behind me with his arms around me and his face next to mine, over my shoulder with occasional neck kisses. It's super-cozy, and it feels like we're one person!"

Feeling as if you lack enough coordination for that move? Then try this simple, yet sexy, stroll-enhancer from Gretchen, 26, from Memphis, TN. "While I'm walking down the street with my boyfriend, rather than putting my arm around his waist, I like to put my hand in his back pocket," she says. "Not only is it simply easier to hang on, but I get to squeeze his butt whenever I feel like it! It's almost like making a sexy move in secret."

Music-free dance moves. In the mood for a little romance that'll lead who knows where? Try grabbing your honey for a three-second slow dance; you don't even need music, and you don't need to be at a dance club. Jody, 27, of Las Vegas, NV, finds it to be the ultimate turn-on: "Sometimes my boyfriend Dan will raise his arms toward me—kind of out of the blue—and we'll just embrace and slow-dance for a minute or two. I love it."

Take a breath together. Sometimes when it comes to seduction, less is more—and that's exactly why the subtle sensation of your breath against your sweetie's skin will feel sublime. Adam, 31, from Raleigh, NC, explains how to do it: "I come up behind my girlfriend when she's doing something mundane like working on the computer or doing housework, and put my arms around her and just breathe on her neck for several seconds. Breath is warm and moist and can be very arousing. It's sort of like I'm teasing her because I'm about to kiss her, but I'm just breathing instead."

GET SEXY!

You don't have to bare all to look sexy. Here's how you can look sexy without looking 'cheap' or sleazy.

Who says you have to bare all to look sexy? That's probably the biggest misconception of them all! Slim people can dare to bare without looking obscene, as they are just too waif-like to look voluptuous, but unfortunately the rest of us can't. While it's great to be voluptuous, there's a fine line between sexy and sleazy, and it's easy to overstep that line. As a result most women end up dressing conservatively so they don't end up looking sleazy. Here's how you can look sexy and classy at the same time.

Overweight?

Sometimes we wear tight stuff in the belief that it will make us look slimmer. Well, it will NOT. You can get away with wearing clinging stuff if you are slim and without any excess weight anywhere, but the minute you have some spare flesh anywhere, don't draw attention to it with tight clothing.

Lips

Get your lips right. You cannot look sexy unless you've got some lipstick on. Sure, you can look pretty and innocent, which is fine if that's the look you're shopping for, or you can look sexy if you wear the skimpiest number you can get your hands on. (Who's going to look at your lips!) But, like we said, we're trying to look sexy yet decent. So make the most of your lips. If you're wearing all black or all white, you can get away by wearing a red or maroon lipstick. Don't wear a glossy lipstick though. Wear a matte shade, and cover it with a layer of transparent gloss. That always works better than glossy lipsticks. Or wear only gloss with a light rose or pink tint. Dark matte lips are out. Make it a point to line your lips and make sure there's never any lipstick on your teeth.

Quality over quantity

Always wear good quality stuff. Even if you don't think so, believe me, quality shows. Of course if you have a good eye and some great fashion sense you can get some great bargains, but on the whole it's easy to go wrong. Pick up your causal clothes from the roadside, but for your formals, get ready to shell out a little more.

The colour red

If you're wearing a bright colour like red, stick to simple styles and good fits. Don't show too much leg or cleavage. Don't wear red from top to toe unless it's a red dress or you're Julia Roberts. Offset it with another colour. Wear red pants with a black top or vice versa.

Body

Don't show too much of your body at a go. If you're showing cleavage, don't wear a mini. If you're wearing a spaghetti top or if you're baring shoulders, don't show cleavage. While a low neck looks nice, a lined cleavage looks plain cheap it's sexy all right, but, as we said before, we want to look classy, not crass.

Bra straps

If you're wearing a black top with a black bra, or a green top with a green bra - the identical green you can show your straps. But otherwise showing them is a fashion NO-NO. Take pains to pin them up in place. We know it can be bothersome, but it's something you should definitely do.

In order to look sexy you have to FEEL sexy. If you try and hide certain imperfections, it's going to show in your body language. So wear what makes you feel good and confident, and watch your sexiness quotient jump up by leaps and bounds.

• If you haven't waxed your underarms, don't wear anything with short sleeves. You will feel self-conscious every time you lift your arms, consequently reducing your sexiness quotient.
• As mentioned earlier, pin bra-straps to tops with wayward necklines so you don't keep wondering if everything is in place.
• Don't wear anything ripped in the hope that it doesn't show, unless you're a hundred percent certain that no matter what you do, your secret is safe.
• Wear sexy lingerie. It makes you feel good and ups your sexiness quotient.
• Apply perfumed body lotion on your arms before stepping out. It makes your skin moist, softer and will give it a subtle glow. The light scent will bolster your spirits, elevating your mood.
• When speaking to someone always look them in the eye.
• Don't hunch or slouch. Walk with your back ramrod straight.
• Exercise, exercise! Exercise produces endorphins that make you feel good.

12 Tips to Cut Calories

Anyone who's ever tried to lose weight knows it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Fortunately, it's easier than you think. By cutting just 40 to 50 calories per meal you can enhance your weight loss efforts and achieve your targets much faster.

Nutritionists agree the best way to lose weight and keep it off is to modify your eating habits in such a way that you are taking in lesser calories and still you never feel deprived. Some people take this advice too seriously and go for fad dieting which can be dangerous. Taking extreme measures is not the answer but you may find that some calorie cutting initiatives need not be excruciating.

Cutting calories can be easy. It's a matter of making a few simple substitutions over the course of a day. Here are a few ways to proactively cut calories, which in turn will help you to reduce your weight:

1. Have fresh fruits: Choose fresh fruit instead of fruit juices. Fruit juices contain a lot of sugar to sweeten them up. A medium orange has 60 calories, while a cup of orange juice contains 120 calories. Adding to that, a fresh fruit always has more fiber, is tastier and satisfying than its juice.

2. Downsize on desserts: Cutting calories doesn't mean saying no to all deserts. You can certainly have them but in very small proportions. Small steps like skipping the cream on your bun or avoiding the chocolate topping can go a long way!

3. Choose water over soft drinks (soda): Replacing a sugary soft drink with water can save you hundreds of calories a day. If you cannot give up on soft drinks then try switching to diet soft drinks. Choosing coconut water over fruit juices can also help as coconut water is low on calories and high on natural vitamins and minerals. Limit your alcohol, dairy and juices.

4. Increase protein intake: The high-protein, low-carb approach may help keep fat away. Proteins require a complex procedure to be converted to energy and plus they can make you feel full very soon.

5. Use less fat in cooking: Instead of bathing your food with oil, try using a tablespoon of oil on a lower heat setting. Prefer stir frying over deep frying. Spread less of butter on your bread and avoid putting it in your food. Prefer healthy cooking oil like olive oil, flaxseed oil etc that provides less calories and more of Omega-3 fatty acid.

6. Load up on fiber: Fiber adds bulk, which is not only good for your digestive system, but also good for giving your stomach that sense of fullness so you eat less. So have more foods that provide you fiber like whole unrefined grains, carrots etc.

7. Reduce portion size: You don't have to eat 3 big meals a day. Instead you can reduce the portion size and have 4-5 small meals a day. This way your metabolism stays busy throughout the day. If you eat one and half bowl of rice, cut it to one bowl or even half for that matter. You can also eat 3 meals and 2 snacks daily.

8. Go for smaller plates: Change your plate size to a smaller one. The bigger the plate you have, the bigger the tendency for you to load it up and consume. So, switch to a smaller one and cut off those fats. It is easier to resist the temptation to fill the plate if the plate is not large enough to accommodate a heaping mound of food.

9. Eliminate starchy foods: Starchy foods like potatoes do tend to have a lot of calories so its best to avoid them or have less potions of them. Instead, replace them with peas and other legumes like chickpeas (chana) and kidney beans (rajma) which are rich in vitamins and fiber.

10. Choose whole grain: Whenever possible, eat whole grain breads, whole wheat pasta, etc. instead of white. Whole grain gives you fewer calories and more nutrition. They are also rich in fiber and iron.

11. Eat at home: Restaurants and fast food places make it their business to get you to eat more food than you really need. We almost always get too many calories when we go out to eat. When you eat at home you choose exactly what and how much you eat.

12. When eating out, order smartly: When eating out in a restaurant, order an appetizer as your main dish. If you are still hungry, order a salad with it but without mayonnaise based dressing (choose vinaigrette dressing). Also, instead of pouring large amounts of dressing on the salad, just dip your fork into the dressing before taking the salad. When ordering a pizza, choose thin crust base with less of fat loaded toppings and more of veggies.

Cutting calories doesn't have to be painful, just use the above tips to do it in the best possible manner. By making these small changes to your diet, you should be able to lose weight and keep it off, without too much effort or hardship.

Exercise At Home: Get FIT with the Fitball

How to Get Fit at Home?

Most of us know that exercise is important for losing fat and building strong bones. But attending a gym might be difficult for some people because of the tight schedule. Purchasing exercise equipments at home can be an option. But it can be expensive for someone who's on a tight budget. Many people give up on getting fit because they cannot afford a gym membership.

Fitness has thrived since long before the introduction of the gym's monthly membership fee or the stair-stepper. There are plenty of exercises you can perform at home without any weights or other equipment. Give the following exercises a try and you'll find that you can truly enjoy losing weight and keep your muscles toned with very little help from anything or anyone but yourself.

1. Walk: Because everything today is done at a breakneck pace, people tend to rely a lot on cars. Daily walking can help one get in shape, help the heart, and even help one lose weight and tone muscles. Walking puts very little stress on the joints and is often an enjoyable experience. This can be done in your neighborhood, at a park or even at a mall. Start with 5-10 minutes and work up to 30 minutes of brisk walk daily.

2. Running / Jogging: Jogging/Running is one of the best home exercises without weights. It will work your entire legs. Moreover it is one of the classic cardiovascular workouts. You can jog in-place in your home while watching television or listening to music. This would require a good pair of shoes to eliminate unnecessary stress on your legs.

3. Dancing: Dancing is a wonderful exercise, which is great for your heart. Exercise experts agree that when it comes to home exercise without equipment, dancing does it for everyone. Moreover, dancing is an instant mood booster and gives you an overall feeling a boost.

4. Household Work: You may not realise it, but doing housework can actually help you to keep fit. Chores such as dusting, vacuuming and gardening can burn off quite a few calories. Just put on some lively music to keep you going.

5. Squats: This is a good exercise for your legs and buttocks. Stand so that your feet are about shoulder-width apart and put your hands on your hips. Keeping your back perfectly straight and looking straight ahead, bend your knees slowly as if you were going to sit back in a chair. Take care to ensure your knees do not travel past your toes and are bent only to the half- to two-thirds position. Return to the standing position. Repeat for twenty or more repetitions.

6. Stair Steps: You can get the same benefits at home as you would in a step aerobics class at the gym. Simply climb up and down the stairs or use the bottom stair to step up. You will definitely feel the burn by the end of this step routine. This is a good cardio workout and will tone your muscles too. It you don't have a staircase use a big brick.

7. Lunges: Lunges are a great exercise for the entire upper leg; thighs, hamstrings, and glutes (rear end). Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart and take a big step forward with your left leg landing with the heel first. The knee should be at 90 degrees and directly above the toes. Bend the right knee, until it almost touches the floor, then push back to the starting position. You can repeat with the same leg or alternate right and left; whichever you prefer.

8. Crunches: This is best exercise for building up and strengthening abdominal muscles. Not only will it get you a six pack, but it's also an important factor in preventing back problems.

9. Push ups: These are probably not the most favorite exercise of many people. Push-ups hit the chest, shoulder and tricep areas, building core strength and overall power. To make it more difficult, bring your hands closer in, lift one leg, or elevate your feet on a stair or chair.

10. Use Household goods for Exercise: If you cannot afford or do not want to buy exercise equipments, you can use objects around the house to get fit. For example, you can lift cans of food, water bottles or books to build upper-body strength.

Remember to always warm up before you start exercising. Stretch your muscles gently and jog on the spot for 5-10 minutes (depending on your fitness level) in order to raise your body temperature and prepare your body for exercise. Also, don't forget to cool down after exercising by gently stretching your muscles afterwards.

Getting some exercise is important, but you don't need to go out and join a gym, paying a large amount in membership fees each month. Do it at home and enjoy the benefits!