Today's Obsessions

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• 10 Most Common Work-Out Mistakes …
• 7 Ways to Encourage Good Study Habits …
• 8 Must-Have Gladiator Sandals for Summer …
• 12 Celebrity Basketball Fans: Couples Edition…
• 7 of the Best Summer Shoes…
• 7 Pairs of Shoes Celebs Love …
• 15 Tips for Under-Eye Circles …
• 7 Vintage Brands Making a Comeback …

10 Most Common Work-Out Mistakes … Posted: 12 May 2010 10:37 AM PDT Whether you've just joined a gym for the first time, or have been there for years, chances are, you're not getting the most out of your work-out. Most of us, newbies and veterans alike, make the same work-out mistakes, and they keep us from reaching our fitness goals, and can actually hurt us. According to Ken Cannon, the Fitness Director at a gym in metro Detroit, these common mistakes are made by men and women alike, and here they are: 1. Your work-out is too long  Photo Credit: grainofbluerice Look at the clock, Cannon suggests. "If your work-out is taking more than an hour, you're either spending too much time between sets socializing, or you're spending too much time working out," he says. That hour should include your warm-up and cool down, too. Load an hour's worth of great work-out music or set an alarm on your iPod if you're not sure you can track your hour accurately. 2. You don't watch your diet  Photo Credit: Piccolina Photography If you figure you can eat that banana split at Cold Stone for lunch because you worked out for twenty minutes on the elliptical this morning, you might as well not work out at all. Diet goes hand in hand with exercise, and one doesn't substitute for the other. If you work out, but still eat a diet loaded with fat and sugar, you will never see the results you want. 3. You load up with useless supplements  Photo Credit: John Jeddore This is very simple and straightforward, according to Cannon. "There are no short-cuts," he says. There is not now, and has never been, a dietary supplement that will replace a good diet and progressive workout, he says. Avoid any product that promises otherwise, because it's just a waste of your time and money.

7 Ways to Encourage Good Study Habits … Posted: 12 May 2010 10:27 AM PDT If you're the parent of school-aged children, then you probably already know the drama and hassle of homework time. Some children are eager and excited about homework, and get it done themselves as soon as they get home from school, but others drag their feet and need a little encouragement from parents. Either way, it's important to help your child develop good study habits early, but how? I can help! Here are my top seven ways to encourage good study habits… 1. Set aside time  Photo Credit: Christine Lebrasseur – Connexion Out Children develop good study habits the same way they develop all other good habits — with practice and routine. Part of establishing a study routine is setting aside a specific time for homework and reading, and sticking to it. Make it the rule that homework and studying is done every night after dinner, or right after school, and soon, that rule will gradually become a habit. 2. Reward good behavior  Photo Credit: Bindaas Madhavi When your child sticks to their homework and study routine without having to be reminded, or when their studying pays off with good exam or report card grades, then it's a great idea to reinforce their positive behavior with a reward. It can be something your child wanted and was working towards, or a surprise that you choose for them. It doesn't have to be expensive or extravagant, just something to let them know their hard work doesn't go unnoticed. 3. Listen to teacher  Photo Credit: ANVRecife Usually, the first person to notice a need for, or a change in, your child's study habits is their teacher at school. If your child's teacher has feedback to provide, pay attention, and work with them to help your child modify their study habits. Teachers love to see their students succeed, and they have many more tools at their disposal than parents alone.

8 Must-Have Gladiator Sandals for Summer … Posted: 12 May 2010 10:27 AM PDT Ohh! I love sandals. I even wear them in the winter, if there is no snow on the ground and it’s not too cold. These gladiator-style sandals are perfect for the summer! Take your pick. And the best part? You can shop for them all in one place! Go ahead and splurge a little — your entire “sole” rests on these fabulous finds! 1. Papillion Sandals by Cocobelle Price: $120.00 at athleta.gap.com These gladiator sandals have a very strapp-y ankle, and a between the toes flip-flop style. They come in navy blue, perfect with cute pin-stripe shorts or even skinny jeans. 2. Paradise Sandal by Reef Price: $48.00 at like.com These budget-friendly T-strap sandals are perfect if you want to show off your new pedicure! I love them! 3. Libia Sandal By Off the Beaten Track Price: $90.00 at athleta.gap.com Wrap around tie sandal in black or gold. Custom fit your foot with this leather-upper sandal.

12 Celebrity Basketball Fans: Couples Edition… Posted: 12 May 2010 03:02 AM PDT Celebrities have pastimes that most of us could only dream about. Perhaps buying islands or bidding on the most precious jewelry crafted in the 16th Century. While we may never know how having a lot of money and an entourage can affect how they spend their free time, we know that they love one thing that many of us do: basketball. Here are celeb couples who have been photographed cheering on ballers from the courtside: 1. Rihanna and Matt Kemp I have not seen photos of these two lately but I’m guessing they are still together. Rihanna may not be wearing something you will normally wear to watch a basketball game, but really, she’s Rihanna. She can go without jeans to do an errand. 2. Beyonce and Jay-Z The power couple supporting a million-dollar industry. These two are frequently photographed in Lakers games. 3. AnnaLynne McCord and Kellan Lutz Two goodlooking young actors exploring love, basketball, and preppy fashion. 4. Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery How cute is this photo? Ellen is adorable and she seems to be a true basketball fan. I like that she’s not into the whole “I must dress up because I might be photographed at the game” thing.

7 of the Best Summer Shoes… Posted: 12 May 2010 02:54 AM PDT A girl can never have too many shoes in her closet. Summer is around the corner and that means it is time to get some shoes to go with the scenes. Below, I am going to tell you 7 of the best summer shoes. 7. Frye Shay Leaf T Price: $218.00 at zappos.com They may be brown in color, but that does not mean that they aren't good shoes to wear for the summer. I think they are great. Of course, I am a big fan of wedges. I don't know, I just think they're a cute style. They have smooth leather lining and of course, they are comfortable. 6. Missoni PM52VARH Price: $324.00 at zappos.com They may be expensive, but they sure are cute! They have ankle wrap around straps, a 4½ heel and a combination of leather and textile. They would make a great addition to your summer collection of shoes. 5. Rockport Lasting Impression Flower Sandal Price: $89.95 at zappos.com They're flat, but they're still cute. They would be great to wear alongside the pool or for a comfortable walk down the beach. They will be sure to give that feminine flair to your lovely, summer outfits.

7 Pairs of Shoes Celebs Love … Posted: 12 May 2010 01:50 AM PDT I love new shoes! There is nothing better than finding the perfect pair to finish a gorgeous outfit, and getting a new pair always cheers me up. I love it when all the new styles come out, too! So I've kept my eye on the designers, the fashion shows and the celebs, and here are the 7 styles everyone loves… 1. Irregular Choice Floral Print Bow Front Heeled Shoes Price: $111 at asos.com Chunky shoes mixed with floral prints are everywhere at the moment! I've lost count of how many celebs were rocking variations of this gorgeous pair… teamed with a white dress they look divine, but they go effortlessly with jeans or shorts, too. 2. ASOS Howie Suede Buckle Clog Price: $94 at asos.com These shoes go amazingly with the glam-military trend, so it’s no wonder they are favourites all over the fashion world. They feel luxuriously soft against the feet, and the large buckle is subtle enough to be stylish whilst also being sexy. I love the studded trim, too! They add a chic edge to military trousers, or the perfect finishing touch to a military style dress, and even look fabulous for a monochrome look! 3. ASOS Posom Corsage Peep Toe Price: $76 at asos.com I've bought a pair of these, and I can't wait for them to arrive! Nothing says Spring like this gorgeous tone of yellow, and I couldn't resist them after seeing so many celebs rocking chic peep toes with corsages. The white version looks amazing with a crisp white vintage dress, and they are perfect for the girly trend, too. I even plan to wear them with my cargo pants!

15 Tips for Under-Eye Circles … Posted: 12 May 2010 12:00 AM PDT One of the problems that most of suffer from, no matter how much we try to care for ourselves, is under-eye circles. Some of us have really deep and dark ones while the others are luckier and get away with it. Either way, here are my fifteen tips to look after your eyes and get rid of under-eye circles… 1. Don't blame lack of sleep … It's very unlikely that this is the reason you have under eye bags, so you can leave your sleep pattern alone! 2. Equally, don't blame water retention … While this can cause puffiness in the rest of the body, it does not affect the eyes. 3. Avoid harsh moisturizers … Make sure that anything you put around your face is recommended for use there, because body moisturizer will be far too harsh! 4. If you have redness under the eyes … Try lying down with ice on the affected area.  This should soothe it, and the redness will go away. 5. Persistent redness under the eyes … Can be a sign of kidney problems. If this happens, take a few early nights and completely cut down on alcohol. If they don't ease up, make an appointment with your doctor, to be safe. 6. People with sinus problems or allergies … Might also suffer more with under eye bags.  Taking sinus or allergy medication will probable help ease this. 7. Try an eye brightening stick! Don't use it every day, or it won't be as effective. Simply wait for days that you feel your eye bags are affecting your looks, and apply the stick. This will make you look youthful and gorgeous, just like usual!

7 Vintage Brands Making a Comeback … Posted: 11 May 2010 11:41 PM PDT A few weeks ago I was shopping for shoes and I noticed something odd — a few of the brands I was looking at are the same brands I was looking for 20 years ago, when I was still in school. Which got me to thinking, I wonder what other vintage brands are making a comeback? I did some digging (shopping, actually!), and here's my list of the seven vintage brands making a big comeback! 1. Vans Price: $42.00 at shop.vans.com Way back when, Sean Penn wore these checkerboard classics in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," where he played a stoned surfer dude. When the movie came out, every high school boy in America had to have a pair of these shoes… and now, they're available in all kinds of styles, including cute flats for girls! 2. Converse Price: $39.99 at converse.com In the 1920s, this shoe was the passionate cause of Chuck Taylor, who loved basketball and wanted to see the sport take off here in the States. In the 1950's, rebel rock and rollers wore these as part of their defacto uniform. When I was in high school, the funkier the color or style you could find of these sneakers, the better. Now, you can even design your own, for you or your kids! 3. Atari  Photo Credit: Telstar Logistics Long before Nintendo or XBOX or PlayStation (or even Sega), there was Atari. Looking back, the graphics were awful, the games were repetitive and dull, and of course there wasn't an online option or any zombie Nazis. But the consoles and games are making a resurgence, and even thrift stores are charging high prices for them. If you can find one, try it out!

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