Blog Posts by Tips on Healthy Living

Because your wedding will be one of the most memorable days of your life, your behavior needs to reflect this. Learn what to do -- and what not to do -- on the big day from David Tutera of WE tv's The Wedding Planner and author of My Fair Wedding: Finding Your Vision... Through His Revisions! It's simply important that you come across to your guests as appropriate, sincere, and genuinely thankful that they are there to celebrate with you. Trust me, being a graceful bride will keep you from having any regrets five, ten, or fifty years from now. It will also keep your guests filled with memories of you as nothing less than charming, beautiful, and blushing. Remember, this party isn't only about you; it's about the bride and groom -- and, of course, your guests! Follow these tips to ensure that you are the picture of elegance and grace at your wedding:

• Walk down the aisle with poise, and hold your bouquet by the stems with flowers tilted forward.

• Practice your wedding kiss

The next time you feel like mainlining a pizza, stop and ask yourself the following questions. They will help you identify and label the emotions that lead to emotional eating. From The Life You Want: Get Motivated, Lose Weight, and Be Happy, by Bob Greene, Ann Kearney-Cooke, Ph.D., and Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D.

1. Am I really physically hungry?

2. What emotional state am I experiencing now? Label it. (Example: "I am sad because my sister was just diagnosed with breast cancer.")

3. Decide how to handle your feelings. (Example: Call her. Empathize with her. Offer help. Talk to your husband and tell him: "I would like to go to California to help my sister during her treatments.")

4. Learn to tolerate the reactions of others. (Example: In an ideal world, everyone would be understanding of the fact that you want to help your sister, but unfortunately, that's not always the case. If your husband responds negatively to your decision -- perhaps he gives you a hard time about

Makeup, like food, has expiration dates. Bacteria can build up and can lead, in the worst case, to rashes and infections. From Wear This, Toss That! Hundreds of Fashion and Beauty Swaps That Save Your Looks, Save Your Budget & Save You Time, by Amy E. Goodman.

Here's a tip: Place a small sticker on the product and write the month and year (such as 4/2011) you open it. Better yet, calculate the date it expires and write that down. And if anything has a strange odor or is starting to separate, crackle, or clump, just toss it!

How Long Should You Keep It?

Makeup
Concealer -- 1 year
Foundation -- 1-1½ years
Facial powder -- 2 years
Blush, Powder -- 2 years
Blush, Cream -- 1 year
Bronzer -- 2 years
Pencil Eyeliner -- 2 years
Liquid Eyeliner -- 3 months
Eye Shadow, Powder -- 2 years
Eye Shadow, Cream -- 1 year
Mascara -- 3 months
Brow Liner or Powder -- 2 years
Lipstick -- 2 years
Lip Gloss -- 1 ½ -2 years

When you have PMS, the last thing you want to do is exercise and ditch your favorite foods. Dr. Mike Moreno, author of The 17 Day Diet: A Doctor's Plan Designed for Rapid Results, shares easy ways to relieve bloat

1. Stop eating high-sodium stuff like canned soups, fast food and cured meats. Sodium causes your body to hang on to water.

2. Drink more water. Believe it or not, extra fluids will help to flush out the sodium -- and the bloat.

3. Avoid simple carbs (think white bread, white pasta, chips, etc.). Carbs get broken down into glucose and stored in the body as glycogen for energy. In order to be stored, a water molecule must attach to that glucose. The more stored carbs you have, the heavier you'll feel.

4. Opt for high-fiber carbs like vegetables and fruit. The longer food sits in your intestines, the more likely you are to retain water.

5. Exercise. It sweats out excess water and speeds up digestion. When you exercise, you stimulate the muscles that help

When you're tired and overwhelmed the first month at home with your new baby, being stylish isn't exactly a priority, but doing something that makes you feel good can have a huge impact. Get tried-and-true advice from Alison Sweeney, host of The Biggest Loser and author of The Mommy Diet: A Month-by-Month Plan for a Healthy Body and Mind Before, During, and After Pregnancy.

1. Don't expect to squeeze into your old clothes right away! Too-tight clothes are never attractive, so even if you can lie down and zip up your jeans with pliers, don't. Have patience, and remember that it took you nine months to get up to the size you were when you had your baby, and it might take nine months to get back to your former size.

2. Hang on to a few of your favorite maternity pieces for a little while. Nothing tentlike, please, but maybe a great pair of jeans that look like normal designer jeans with an internal adjustable waistband, or a cute top from before you got really big. Yes, it's

It's a V-neck, semi-fitted dress, worn with a bold necklace or statement earrings, a bracelet, and heels. Here are eight more details to look for -- and 10 to avoid -- when shopping for the dress. From Wear This, Not That!: Hundreds of Fashion and Beauty Swaps That Save Your Looks, Save Your Budget & Save You Time, by Amy E. Goodman. Wear: A V-neck, semifitted dress, worn with a bold necklace or statement earrings, a bracelet, and heels.

• Shoulder straps or fabric that rests naturally on your shoulders
• Armholes that fit -- no gaping, no constricting
• A zipper that zips easily. Holding your breath? Size up
• Seams that lie flat on shoulders, sides, and butt
• A style that tastefully shows some skin in your décolleté to balance a curvy body
• Fabric that drapes smoothly, showing off curves without being taut
• Monochrome color scheme, which is almost always slimming
• Patterns proportional to your body size. If you're petite, go for smaller prints; for larger

If you're conducting a date like a job interview, no wonder your dates are duds. Learn how to turn them around with Travis L. Stork, star of The Bachelor: Paris and author of Don't Be That Girl: A Guide to Finding the Confident, Rational Girl Within.

I don't think you can have a more painful experience than a date that feels like a job interview. Or a marriage interview. Or any type of interview, for that matter. The problem is that when you have an agenda, a date often does resemble an interview. How do I know this? Let's just say I've been guilty of my own agendas.

In college, I went on a date with a girl many considered to be the most beautiful on campus. I went out with her with one goal to accomplish: get the girl. Unfortunately, since I was so focused on an agenda rather than trying to get to know her as an individual, the date was doomed. At dinner, I was extremely nervous and all I could think was: This is going horribly. The conversation was perfunctory and I

These 17 activities -- including sleeping! -- burn more calories than you'd think. From The 17 Day Diet: A Doctor's Plan Designed for Rapid Results, by Dr. Mike Moreno

1. Run errands: Walking briskly while lugging dry cleaning or groceries can burn about 120 calories in 30 minutes.

2. Fidget frequently: Research has shown that fidgeting, such as tapping toes and fussing with hands, blasts off up to 800 extra calories per day.

3. Get on top: Skip the passive missionary position and climb on top. This position decimates 4.5 calories per minute.

4. Take the stairs: Every minute you climb kills seven calories.

5. Take two: Taking the stairs two at a time burns 55 percent more calories than single stepping.

6. Rock out: Studies show that exercisers who tune in to music while exercising work out 25 percent
longer.

7. Give your lover a massage: An hour-long massage burns 230 calories.

8. Have sex: An hour of passionate playtime kills 270 calories.