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Outsmart Your Eating Instincts

Outsmart Your Eating Instincts
The road to diet hell is paved with good intentions. Even if you’re committed to eating healthily, our minds are tricky little buggers that often derail our plans, without us even realizing it. The result is that people, in general, eat way more food than they think they do. Here are nine stealth-y tricks to take control of your mind-of-its-own appetite. QUIZ: Is Your Eating Influenced? Eat dinner on dessert plates. Are your eyes bigger than your stomach? RESEARCH: We Can't Stop Eating Drink from thin glasses. If a short, wide glass looks smaller than a tall, thin glass, don’t be fooled. MORE: The Dirty Truth About Water Eat at the dining room table. Prone to eating straight out of the container while standing at the kitchen counter? QUIZ: Measure Your Daily Diet Drink a glass of water before eating. Think you’re hungry? MORE: How Much Water Do You Really Need? Nix “family style” serving platters. MORE: When Everyone Around Is Overweight... Snack on pistachios. MORE: Snacking: Good or Bad? Read More

All-Natural Sleep Aids Do you have trouble falling asleep at night but dread the idea of taking sleeping pills and dealing with potential side effects? If you’re looking for alternate ways to induce the zzz’s, here are some natural remedies that can help lull you into dreamland. MelatoninMela…what? This natural hormone, which is made by the body’s pineal gland, is available over the counter, and many health experts say it can safely help you get drowsy before bed (it may even have immune-stimulating and antioxidant benefits, too). But, as with all herbal and natural remedies, it’s best to get your doctor’s OK first. “High levels of melatonin may raise the level of another hormone, prolactin, aggravating the risk of depression or infertility,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, an internist and the author of From Fatigued to Fantastic! Awareness Breathing Does your mind race with thoughts and worries in bed? YogaWhat can a few downward-facing dogs do for your sleep quality?

Double Stuffed Oreo Cake Yesterday I had a desperate phone call from my very good friend, B. It was her boyfriend's birthday & she'd promised him a "cake he'd never forget". "Great!" The Double Stuffed Oreo cake was born. Put 25(ish) cookies into the bag... ... and beat the hell out of them, until you're left with something like this: Taste just a little bit, y'know... just to check they're not poisoned or anything. Stir in your Oreos. Pop it in the fridge until your cakes are ready. Place them on a wire rack to cool. completely cool, all the way through, you can get started. Now, turn this upside down onto your serving dish. See? Don't be afraid of it, use your fingers & get it all the way to the edge. Carefully place your second cake on top, upside down Look at that smart looking cake! Ok I lied, it wasn't that complicated was it? And there you have it, your very own 'Man Vs Food' style Double Stuffed Oreo Cake! (Click on the photo for instructions

OPTIFAST Weight Loss * – Institute for Weight Management The OPTIFAST program is a comprehensive weight loss solution that is more than just a simple diet. OPTIFAST is medically supervised approach to weight management that combines a high quality, calorie controlled liquid diet with nutrition education, and medical monitoring. With over 1,000,000 patients successfully treated with the OPTIFAST since 1974, the program is well respected in the medical community as “The Serious Solution for Weight Loss.” Average results from an OPTIFAST program are:* 52 lb. (22%) average weight loss29% average decrease in blood glucose15% average decrease in total cholesterol10% average decrease in blood pressure. The results for people using OPTIFAST who have weight related medical problems are even more significant. Why Replace My Normal Food With OPTIFAST? Research shows that the greater the variety and palatability of food in a given meal, the more we eat. Full Formula Program * The full formula program is our most effective weight loss program. What To Expect *

Best Peels for Skin Treatment If you're looking for effective exfoliation to slough away acne, clogged pores, fine lines and discolorations, look no further than at-home peels. With spa-quality, derm-approved ingredients like glycolic acid, lactic acid, fruit enzymes and more, you can bypass pricey spa treatments when you DIY. Bliss If you’re looking to lighten and brighten without the big spa bill, Bliss’s no-rinse peel pads are just what the doctor ordered. With gradual-release glycolic acid that renews skin overnight, witch hazel and licorice extract are added to target dark spots and fine lines. MORE: The Best Makeup for Your Skin Type Bliss That’s Incredi-‘Peel'! Proactiv Formulated to clear acne, this peel contains one percent salicylic acid, lactic acid and green tea extract to unclog pores and speed cell turnover, as well as aloe vera and shea butter to soothe, hydrate and protect from dry, irritated and flaky skin. MORE: Makeup Tips For Acne Prone Skin Proactiv Purifying Botanical Peel, $25. Natura Bissé Arcona Ren

The Londoner: Slutty Brownies Now I don’t want to over sell this, so I’m going to be conservative and simply say, that these are… The Best Brownies In The WORLD. I know, big statement. They’re called Slutty Brownies because they’re oh so easy, and more than a little bit filthy. They’re best served warm from the oven, with good quality vanilla ice cream (devastatingly I didn’t have any in the freezer this time, so I guess I’ll just have to make them again). They take about 45mins to make, including baking time. The ultimate comfort food, whipped up within the hour. You will need… 1 Box of cookie mix, 1 Box of brownie mix, 2 Eggs, 2 Packs of Oreos (double stuffed ones are even better if you can find them) Some oil & your favourite ice-cream (optional) Preheat your oven to 350F, 180C, gas mark 4. Line a baking tray with grease proof paper. Squidge (technical term) the cookie dough into a lined baking tray, until it covers the bottom. Cover this layer with your Oreos. Mix up your brownie batter. & pour over your Oreos. Bake for 30mins.

Weight Loss Support - Institute for Weight Management Having strong support services available to you while you’re making the lifestyle changes to promote weight loss and improve your health can often mean the difference between success and failure. Research has found that people with strong support systems are more likely to achieve their weight loss goals and maintain it over the long-term. Because of the importance of support systems during the weight loss phase, the Institute for Weight Management has several support options: Medical Support Dr. Chhabra’s expertise in the field of bariatric medicine and knowledge surrounding the science and physiology of obesity will serve to help you more pounds to lose. All of our programs are very low in calories and monitored by our physician on a regular basis. Dr. Nutritional Support Grasping the basic principles of healthful eating and good nutrition is crucial for successful weight loss and long-term weight maintenance. What we do? Behavioral Support Metabolic Support

Acne Fighting Foods One of the most covetable beauty traits, in my opinion, is being blessed with naturally clear, glowy skin. But we all know that even the luckiest of ladies might get a blemish or two once in a while, and bad nutrition might be to blame. Pesky pimples are never any fun so you might be surprised to learn that making some small swaps in your daily diet can be the key to clearer skin. For today’s Tuesday Ten, I researched acne-fighting food properties that are proven to help beat blemishes or keep them at bay (sources listed at the bottom of this blog post). Not only are these things good for your skin, they’re good for your figure as well (I’m talking to you, Bikini Boot Campers). Be sure to check out my list below and keep these healthy staples in mind the next time you hit the grocery store… Foods with omega-3 fatty acids. I don’t know about you, but this list has completely recalibrated my shopping list. Which acne fighting food is your favorite? XO Lauren

Dulce de Leche Vanilla Cake First time I made this cake, it was for my boss’ birthday (say it, i’m the best employee ever!)! But seriously, this cake was amazing!!!! It’s all I want it to be! This cake is amazing, just do it and everyone will love you!

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