Are you Dying to Look Fashionable?

Obesity is unhealthy, but anorexia is a killer too. And it is never a good idea for young people to go into starvation mode just to fit in and look fashionable. It can do more than make you weak, it can even kill you.

For many youngsters, fashion is like a mirror and it isn’t surprising that many young women today want to be stick-thin. They try to imitate movie celebrities and models they see on the ramps of fashion week. For years, the fashion brigade has peddled an unrealistic image of women as the epitome of feminine perfection. Thin was in. With time, it deteriorated to rail-thin and then to the anorexia chic. 

 

The Wake Up Call
Then came a wakeup call and the world realized that thin wasn’t all that right. A revolution of sorts occurred a few years ago when the organizers of the Madrid Fashion Week turned away underweight models. The widespread concern about girls and young women trying to ape the anorexic look and developing eating disorders to attain the look of the excessively thin models themselves finally reached a climax. With this line of thinking, there should actually be a collective sigh of relief among models and youngsters. The fashion industry is responsible for projecting an image of beauty and health, rather than the “crack chick” look. Young women need role models who look like real women and not like moving cloth hangers on the ramp.

Hate your Body?
It is tragic that in today’s world, the promotion of thin as the ideal has created a situation where the majority of girls and women don’t like the look of their healthy bodies. Body dissatisfaction has led girls to practice unhealthy behaviors to try to control weight gain. Semi-starvation and excessive physical activity will result in deficiencies of vital vitamins and minerals.
Infections, skin conditions, poor wound healing, low blood pressure, muscle wastage, heart problems, kidney damage and thinning of the hair on the scalp are just a few of the ill-effects. Excessive hair growth on the body, exhaustion, emotional fragility, depression, lack of energy and lethargy due to the low-energy content of their diet are some of the definite consequences.

The Negative Side of Diets
A low calorie diet usually leads to weight gain, rather than weight loss. Initially there could be a rapid weight loss, but the body then starts to slow down in order to conserve calories. Up to fifty percent of the weight that is lost is not fat, but lean muscle tissue because the body starts burning up its own muscles, as the fat tissue requires fewer calories to maintain than muscle tissue. The body thus ends up retaining more fat and burning more muscle as this is a natural defense mechanism designed to overcome the effects of a food shortage.
A very low calorie diet of less than 1000 calories can lead to serious nutritional deficiencies, involving extreme tiredness, bone weakness, skin and hair problems, as well as hormonal problems. One of the reasons that adults experience weight problems and ill health is because they follow drastic or unhealthy weight loss diets during their younger years. Dieting to reduce weight is not recommended until body growth, including all the internal physical development, has ceased, which usually happens around the age of 18.

Lose Weight the Healthy Way
If you’re fixed on losing weight, a wiser option would be to maintain a balanced, low-fat diet that provides sufficient energy through carbohydrates and all the protective vitamins, minerals, trace elements, essential fatty acids and bioflavonoids. A healthy daily diet should consist of a wide variety of foods providing your body with different nutritional contributions. Choose a variety of foods from the main food groups, fruits, vegetables, grains, lean meats and dairy products. The thumb rule being, foods high in complex carbohydrates, fibers, vitamins and minerals but low in fat and free of cholesterol. These should make up the bulk of the calories consumed. A healthy diet doesn’t mean depriving yourself of higher-calorific foods like ice cream, toffee, popcorn and cheeseburgers. You can enjoy these but in moderation or as occasional treats.
A sensible slimming program would be to eat six small meals. Eat in moderation once every two hours and do not skip meals. Exercise regularly and adopt weight training. And also, keep in mind that all of us have our limitations. Get realistic. Be healthy and fit instead of waif thin and sick. Our body shape is predetermined. Each one of us is one of a kind. You are your best model.

Staying in shape is a good thing, but suffering and killing yourself slowly just to look fashionably-in for a few years of your lifetime is just not worth the chance.

LIFE IS A SURPRISE

I’ve heard a saying, that “life is a surprise”. Call me a sceptic, but I generally scoff at lines that scream something that leaves us expecting so much.His short love story may be short on words, but it’s a story that’s filled every thought and day of his existence with happiness.Is a guy, a 26 year old guy who works in a job he likes. A guy who hangs out with his friends when the sun goes down, and one who, when the story begins, is still single.
Is single, not because he wants to be single.
He  thinks it’s weird to be single. Or maybe that’s what all guys think.

Sabstian is  just a guy who’s been looking high and low for that girl who can make things happen inside him.You know, your heart stops beating just for a second, your throat goes dry, you get gooseflesh, feel a bit dizzy, and the works.He hasn't experienced that. Most of his  friends haven’t experienced that too, but they’re all going out with someone. According to them, such things happen only when you’re suffering from a high temperature.

Short love stories and  life
The story of Sabstian falling madly in love didn’t actually go as he had expected. His throat never got dry, ever. But then, he liked a girl. Of course, it wasn’t ‘love’.Actually speaking, it wasn’t even ‘like’. As a matter of fact, He had  no idea what he felt. He spends his evenings at a café, next to a huge television display they’ve now acquired, and whether he likes it or not, he ends up spending his time staring at it. And it bloody hell annoys him! Can’t they just junk it?Well, and just like him, there was this cute girl who would come to the same café, and stare at the same display every day. Well, sometimes she read a book.Or sometimes, she used to light a cigarette and look at her fumes take shape, and then disappear into non-existence. She was fascinating and pretty. But there was one difference between both of them. Sabastian came to the café with a couple of friends. She came alone. He had  never seen any girl do that. Who has?

Love stories and stolen glances
They used to glance across each other now and then, but there was nothing more. No jolt.  No sweat. No knots in his stomach.The days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to a couple of months. That’s a long time once you picture the scene outside the world of literature. Long, long ago seems so cute in a book, but an hour in a suffocating conference hall? Murder! Without actually knowing it, he was attracted to this girl. he actually admired her, and her calm, comfortable, cool as a cat persona that she brought along for company every day. Could it be love?And then, he started the staring game. He stared at her now and then, discreetly, but in a way she knew he was glancing at her. But no deal. She just wasn’t bothered. Ouch! His ego was crushed.

A rainy evening – The perfect setting for short love stories
One evening, it rained cats and dogs, and a few frogs and fishes too. Sab was in the café, she walked in with an umbrella. The place was packed, and there was one seat that was empty. That was facing his table. He had half a mind to get up and call her over, but before he could make up his  mind and inflate his courage, she walked to a corner table that just got cleared.An hour later, it was still raining. In the midst of all that rain and thunder, he contemplated and coined her name, “The Lonely Girl”. The Lonely Girl had walked out a few minutes before he decided to leave. When he  got outside the café, he saw her standing by the sidewalk, waiting. he walked up to her quickly, and before he knew it he had asked her if he  could drop her to her place. As it was raining, he added.She didn’t smile, she just looked at him, turned around and walked away in the rain! Under her umbrella.His friends laughed at him. Yep, it was completely embarrassing. Even the bum on the street held back a grin. He hadn’t even heard the Lonely Girl’s voice. Pathetic, he says. The next day he saw her at the café, she was sitting by herself. Perhaps she was Calvin or a Noami.He was invisible. Her smoke rings were fascinating her. She couldn’t even leave good smoke rings, what was the deal with staring at it? This happened everyday for a month.

Night out clubbing – The second chance in Sab's love story
On another great day, he was out at a club. And wonders of wonders! She was there, with a few girl pals. Perhaps it was fate. He looked at her, she saw him and then she looked away. He walked through the crowd of dancing drunks and walked right towards her. He walked up and wanted to speak to her.She saw him and flashed a big grin. He was shocked.He was numb. He didn’t know her mouth could move that way! And before he could think of anything, she grasped her friend’s hand and walked away to the ladies room! And he didn’t see her again that night. But he couldn’t stop thinking about her for hours after that. Perhaps even days. Because she didn’t show up at the café the next day, and many days after that. That was shocking. He started wondering if she had changed her hideout because he  was stalking her.

Romantic persuasions
Two whole weeks later, he walked into the café and there she was, all radiant and bright. Gosh,he had missed her! he sat down at a table a few tables away from her. he knew he wanted to talk to her. And thank God, the café was quite empty. It was a bit too early for the horde of coffee addicts to make their entrance.He waited until her coffee arrived. And then,he waited for her bill. When her bill was on the table, he walked up to her. His throat was lumpy and tight. Each step he took only made his walk to her feel further away. But he walked on. The café was empty. No harm.He could always change his hangout if she slaps him. What was he thinking, dammit!

Sab;                 “Hey, you can’t run away from me today. You’ve got to get your check”, I quirked.
Noam/Calvin; “What?” she exclaimed before she realized she actually replied.
Sab;                 “I said you can’t just avoid me like this, you know…”
Noam/Calvin;  “What are you talking about?”
Sab;                  “Can I sit down with you?”
Naom/Calvin;  “No, you can’t.”
Sab;                  “Oww… c’mon, just for a minute, okay?”
Noami/Calvin:  “No”

She took out her wallet, and wanted to dart. He couldn’t help getting mesmerized by her voice, but there were more pressing things at hand. He had to talk to her.To cut a long jittery conversation short, he convinced her to talk to him for a few minutes. And that’s when everything started breezing through. They started talking, and the minutes stretched on at a really fast pace. He got to know so much about her, and he also got to know that she had a great sense of humor. They had a great time talking to each other, and soon, she said she had to go, as it was getting late for her.They  exchanged numbers and he asked her if they could “bump in” again tomorrow. She just smiled and walked away. Sigh! It was bliss. As he stared at her walk away, his eyes were distracted by an alphabet bracelet she had forgotten behind.  It said “life is a surprise”. Wow! Maybe that was true.He slipped the bracelet into his pocket.

Feeling the love at night
He lay awake that night and he stared at her number on his cell phone. He  wanted to call her, but settled for a text. The very minute he texted her, he got a call from her. She too was contemplating over whether or not to message him. Sweet!They spoke and spoke until the wee hours of the morning, and he just wanted to see her again that evening. They met again at the café and it felt so good. She was smiling the whole time and they were actually flirting back and forth.he asked her out for a movie that evening.All of a sudden, she looked offended. She declined. And then, there was silence. That calm, deadly silence that makes you feel worse than getting yelled at. He asked her what was wrong, but she didn’t mention it, and their “date” was cut short that evening. He got home and looked at her bracelet. “Life is a surprise”. Simple words can be a confusing affair at times.

Rekindling His love story
That night,he called her again and they spoke. At first she was distant, but she seemed fine after a while, and then he  asked her why she got so offended in the café. She didn’t tell at first, but as the hours went by, she told him that she hated guys and the worst thing she ever wanted to do was go out on a date with a guy.Apparently, she had been hurt one too many times by guys whom she trusted with all her heart. They spoke until five in the morning, and she told him a lot more. He just wanted to hug her, but even the thought of giving her a telephonic hug scared him. But they decided to meet again. Same bat place, same bat time.They started hanging out together all the time after that. At times,he picked her up from her workplace, and at other times, he dropped her back home. Soon, weeks turned into months, and this time, everything felt just like a fairytale.
Time stood still when it was just the two of them. One evening, when they  met up and went to the café, it was too crowded for space, so they decided to go for a drive to while away the time. It was a long drive, and somewhere along the way, the sun was shining mildly at them, it was a huge red ball that made the whole world around them glow. It was the most romantic sight, or maybe he had never noticed the sun at that time of the day. Nevertheless, it was beautiful.She said the sun was beautiful. He said it couldn’t be compared to her. She smiled.He  smiled. He clasped her hand. It felt tense. And then, they  locked eyes. Thank God, the road was deserted. And then, her lips split into a girlish grin that he still can’t forget. That was the moment. It was indeed beautiful. He felt warm and fuzzy. And he wanted the drive to last forever. The got to her place, and he hugged her goodbye. That was the first time he ever hugged her. As they hugged, he knew she didn’t want to let go. Neither did he.

A short love story that lasts a lifetime
The next evening, they went to the café. They sat next to each other for the first time. And they held hands. They spoke less, and smiled more. He told her that he liked her. She smiled a lot more. And then, she punched him in the arm, and said that she liked him too. And just then, Sabstian slipped her bracelet out from his  pocket. “Life is a surprise”.He couldn’t agree with that more.He smiled. She saw her bracelet. And she laughed. That tinkling, sweet laugh that is so intoxicating. He was a happy boy with the perfect present, all over again. And she was a happy, lonely girl. Just lonely no more.

 life is a surprise! Simple Words that can be a confusing affair in moments of life.

Money Vs Sex

I am going to focus a piece I found very  interesting courtesy of CNN about money and sex . This article raises the question “What makes you happier sex or money?”.

In a Prince & Associates survey of all the multimillionaires (including Mitt Romney) in the world, 70% said wealth gave them “better sex”. The article did not specify if they were comparing the sex that they had when they were poor to sex they have now, or if they just think they have better sex than the rest of the 99%. What about most multimillionaires who are born into their extensive wealth? I find this a bit of a broad statement to be making in a survey, as it’s hard to quantify. Not surprising: The men taking this survey said “better” sex =more sex with more partners. P.S. CNN- that’s not an exclusively “rich guy” thing.
I get that having bundles of cash means you don’t have to worry about the same things that keep most of us awake at nights; freeing you to have more energy and drive for sexual romping. It has been proven that women who experience stress have a lower libido, but that still doesn’t mean you can’t crank out a great orgasm every now and then just because you are poor. It’s Maslow’s heirarchy for sure, but the article also contests that having more money for things like fancy trips, champagne, and expensive toys can increase pleasure.

Maslow’s Heirarchy. AKA: Why you don’t feel like “doing it”.

My thoughts on Money and Sex

What made me yell out “OH COME ON!” as I was reading was the paragraph about how women who have sex with rich men experience better orgasms. According to the survey, when a man’s net worth increased so did the frequency of their female partner’s orgasms. What was the control factor for this? If a wealthy man is banging a not so wealthy girl how do we know she wasn’t lying about her orgasms? Wouldn’t she say anything to get her hands on that paper? They follow this with how infidelity exponentially increases with net worth—proving my point that the people taking the survey might already be experienced in the the art of fibbing. Still, the article asserts female orgasms might increase with wealthier partners as an evolutionary mechanism for women to find “stable” partners who will be able to care for their needs.
What I’m hearing is…much like the Lucky Charms leprechaun, my clitoris can now detect gold. I only have to tell the lucky gent my legends of the hidden temple to establish the true pauper from the prince!

The second half of the article gets much better, in my opinion, when they cite another study done at Dartmouth with 16,000 of us 99 percent-ers. Findings are in: the more sex you have, the happier you are. How happy? The equivalent of having $50,000.00 more per year. (Before or after taxes is what I wanna know…) Another thing I was surprised to learn-sex has been proven to make you better at your job. So more sex = wealth and happiness. This can lead you to become a millionaire and then you really get to enjoy the freaky! It is a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Jokes aside, I don’t think this article is without merit and I found it enjoyable and interesting. The article gives some sound advice for those couples who aren’t lucky enough to be fabulously wealthy; treat your relationships with the same care as you would treat your money. I’m happy to learn there is now scientific proof love indeed nourishes way more than money ever could. And for those of you fighting your way out of debt or working with a really tight budget-just have more sex with your spouse/partner. Aside from being the cheapest thing to do on a Saturday night, it’s now proven to make you feel richer, instantly.

What do you think about these findings on the connection between Money and Sex?