10 London Tube Stations and What The Names Mean, 9 Diet Myths You Can Happily Ignore

---

• 10 London Tube Stations and What The Names Mean …
• 9 Diet Myths You Can Happily Ignore …
• Top 8 Wedding Dresses for a Fall Wedding …
• 7 Absolutely Girlie Gadgets …
• 8 Ways To Make Your Office Healthier …
• 12 Ways to Tighten Your Stomach after Having a Baby …
• 7 Best Birth Control Pills …
• 10 Pros and Cons of Diet Pills…
• Top 8 Places to Have a Wedding …
• 7 Sexy Victoria’s Secret Swimsuits …
• 10 Ways to Cut 100 Calories Every Meal Without Noticing …
• 8 Signs You’re Living with a Nightmare Flatmate …
• Top 7 Exercises for the Abs …
• 5 Midweek DIY Projects…
• 10 Celebri ‘tee’ Looks that We Love…

10 London Tube Stations and What The Names Mean … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 10:53 AM PDT Have you ever travelled to London? If so, you must have used the Tube, and wondered what some of the names mean. Well, wonder no longer! I can't explain each and every one (and some are a bit obvious anyway), but here are some of the puzzles answered (the picture above is from an old map, before some of the lines were even built!) #1 Blackfriars was named after a pub. But where did the pub get its name from? Until the Dissolution of the Monasteries, there was an order of Dominican monks in the area, known as Black Friars after the colour of their habits. #2 Arsenal. This actually used to be called Gillespie Road, until it was renamed after the nearby Arsenal football club in 1932, owing to their success. #3 Charing Cross. In the 13th century, King Edward I was heartbroken when his wife, Queen Eleanor died. At every place where her funeral cortege stopped on her final journey to London, Edward had a stone cross placesd to mark the location. Most of us will be lucky to get a tiny little plaque.

9 Diet Myths You Can Happily Ignore … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 10:35 AM PDT Diet myths are EVERYWHERE. Not a week goes past without research suggesting that one of your favourite foods is hideously bad for you… Most of it turns out to be incorrect, though, so how can you tell what's good and what's not?! Being healthy is enough of a stress without adding incorrect myths into the balance, so here are the top 9 myths to ignore… 1. Myth: Coffee Dehydrates Us Photo Credit: (Erik) Coffee has been proven to have no diuretic effect on people who drink regularly. In fact, as well as keeping us hydrated, coffee also boosts our antioxidant levels, which means its beneficial! What a relief…now I just have to learn to like the stuff! 2. Myth: Margarine Will Damage Your Heart Photo Credit: PetersPic924 Until recently, this was a valid concern, as margarine was full of trans fats. The margarine companies have changed this, though, and all but the most budget margarines now contain good fats. Want to check your favourite brand? Look in the ingredients for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats. 3. Myth: Eating After 6/8pm Will Make Me Fat Photo Credit: ckaiserca This is a very common myth, and it always seems to be believed! To disprove it, scientists carried out an experiment on monkeys, several times. One group had 94% of its calories after 9pm, the other had 6% after 9pm. Both groups weighed the same after the experiment. The only reason night time eating can be bad is if you are eating for the sake of eating, rather then because you are hungry.

Top 8 Wedding Dresses for a Fall Wedding … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 09:42 AM PDT I got married on October 24, 2003. Fall is my favorite time of the year, so writing a post on the top 8 wedding dresses for a fall wedding is exciting to me. If you plan on getting married during the fall, then you should take a look at what I have to show you. 8. Sue Wong Strapless Dress with Ostrich Feathers Price: $518.00 at shop.nordstrom.com Pair this dress with a heart shaped locket and it will look great. It has crystals and sparkling beads on the waist. It's a short hem dress, so it would be great if you are having an indoor wedding, where it is warm. I like the long, ostrich feathers that are layered over the skirt. 7. Laser Cut Satin Gown Price: $198.00 at shop.nordstrom.com I like the laser cut tiers on this satin dress. It's a strapless gown and I can tell that the designer put a lot of thought in it. It has a crisscrossed sweetheart bodice. If you could change something about this dress, what would you change? 6. Strapless Floral Appliqué Dress Price: $288.00 at shop.nordstrom.com This is a gorgeous dress. It looks like a party dress, but it would look good on a bride in a wedding. The fabric has a soft metallic shimmer, which I really like. A ribbon is highlighting the waist. It is a short pleated skirt, but it has the right amount of fullness to it.

7 Absolutely Girlie Gadgets … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 08:27 AM PDT We girls must have Girl Power and there are a few things made just for girls! Well, I'm sure the guys could, maybe, possibly, have their own version, but I guess that's okay. Here is my list of gadgets only a girl could love! There's so much emphasis on toys for big boys, so let's look at gadgets for big girls! 1. Remote Control Car Photo Credit: jillybug Oh yes, we girls can race with all the guys! Ok, so maybe this isn't true girlie, but it would be fun! If you don't have any girl friends playing with the remote vehicles, your little boy will adore you for your interest in his life! 2. Pink Handbags Photo Credit: into the deep of my soul How much more girlie can you get than with pink! And a pink handbag is a great accessory! The Hello Kitty adds another girl element. Then there's the bow. Definitely a girl statement. 3. Pink Laptop Photo Credit: *cielomarie ~ still on and off Laptops are getting as common as cells. Stand out from the crowd with a pink one! I have a silver Mac, but my next new one will be pink! Or purple. Or maybe aqua? I'm not for sure, but I want a girl one!

8 Ways To Make Your Office Healthier … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 06:47 AM PDT If you think about where you spend a lot of your time, your workplace probably comes close to the top. Which is why its important to consider how unhealthy your workplace could be, and what you can do about it. Breathing electronically cooled air and sitting in unnatural positions will take its toll, and making some simple changes could make a huge overall difference to your health and wellbeing. I've been testing out some easy changes, and these are the eight I'd recommend everyone makes… 1. Dehydration Photo Credit: 7oO7oO Air conditioning is common place in most workplaces now, but it's actually quite bad for you. It sucks the moisture out of the air, which means our lungs get less moisture too. And while it's a necessity while we are on holiday, it's not too good when you are sat in it for 45 hours a week. Counter it by making sure you stay hydrated, and keeping your eye out for the symptoms, including headaches, tiredness and dry skin. Slowly up the amount of water you drink to between ten and sixteen glasses per day, and you'll soon feel as good as new. 2. Sugar Lows Photo Credit: Vali… It's built into every woman that skipping meals will help us to lose weight, and look our best. Umm…nope. It just means our sugar levels plummet, causing us to feel ill, and sugar cravings. So you'll give in, and get a chocolate bar, but an hour later you'll need another, and the loop will continue. Think you might be suffering? The other symptoms are exhaustion, snappiness and headaches. This is surprisingly easy to counter, by eating good food regularly. Stick to high energy, healthy snacks such as raisins, nuts and dried fruits, and keep them to hand for when hunger strikes. Then snack on foods which have a low GI, such as porridge, which means they release energy slowly, for longer.

12 Ways to Tighten Your Stomach after Having a Baby … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 06:08 AM PDT It's been a few months since you had your baby, and you finally have the energy to start exercising again. Of course, the very first spot you want to work on is your tummy. It can seem difficult to lose that baby-belly fat, but it's not! Here are the exercises I did, and the diet changes I made, to help me tighten my tummy after my last baby was born. Not all of the exercises are crunches! You don't have to do them all — just find three or four that you know you can do, and go from there! 1. Exercise: Single-Leg Squat This one is fun, but difficult the first few times. Stand with your hands on your hips, your legs about hip-width apart, and your knees a little bent. Not too hard! Now raise your right foot off of the ground, and put it in front of the toes of your left foot a few inches off the ground. Stand up, then squat back down. This will also tighten your bootie and tone your legs. Do as many of these as you can, then switch legs. Wow! 2. Exercise: Single-Leg Balance/Reach This one's easier, I promise! Stand with your legs apart again, and your hands on your hips. Now raise your right leg about a foot off the ground in front of you, then rotate it of the your right side. Twist at the waist a little bit and stretch your right leg behind you, too. Repeat with your left leg. 3. Exercise: Curl Up Start by laying on flat on your back with your knees bent. Cross your arms over your chest, then curl up until the top half of your body is off the floor, and you can feel your abs tighten. Return slowly to the floor, and try again.

7 Best Birth Control Pills … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 06:06 AM PDT The very first birth control pill was introduced in 1960, and today, more than 60 millon women in the United States, and 100 million women around the world, use it. I am one of them! I don't just use it to regulate my period or prevent pregnancy. I also use it to keep my skin clear. I've tried a few different brands, but right now, I use Ortho TriCyclen. All pills are not the same, and they don't work the same for all women, so make sure you and your doctor choose one that's perfect for you! Here are some choices, and how they're different from each other. Please note: if you smoke, you should not take birth control pills. Your doctor can talk to you about other risks, too. 1. Ortho Cyclen Ortho-Cyclen is a mono-phasic combination pill, meaning that it contains a combination estrogen and progestin (a synthetic form of the progesterone), and that all 21 active pills in a pack contain the same amount of the hormones. These Ortho pills contain pills for a 28-day cycle. The 21 active pills are taken the Sunday when your period ends, and continue for three weeks, when you either stop taking the pills for a week, so you can menstruate, or take the placebo (fake) pills while you menstruate. There is an entire set of Ortho pills, and I'll tell you more about the others later in this list. 2. Seasonale/Seasonique or Lybrel These three are extended-use combination pills. They cycle of pills is a lot longer: Seasonale has an 81-day cycle (you would have a period every 90 days), the Seasonique has an 84-day cycle (you would have a period about every four months), and the Lybrel has an endless cycle (you would eliminate your period). I tried one of these and had a lot of spotting, and it seemed weird to me not to have a period, so I switched. But to you, freedom from a monthly period may sound like heaven, so ask your doctor!

10 Pros and Cons of Diet Pills… Posted: 23 Jun 2010 06:01 AM PDT I have done a lot of research on the Internet pertaining to diet pills. Apart from research, I have also taken a couple diet pills in my lifetime. I have found that there are both pros and cons when it comes to diet pills. Take note that these pros and cons are not based on the "natural" pills. See below for 4 pros and 6 cons of diet pills. Pros: Photo Credit: Miss Loisy There are certain diet pills out there, such as the Alli Diet pills, that have been FDA approved. Certain diet pills block a percentage of the fat in the foods that you eat. They are not considered addictive drugs. This is because they do not cause compulsive drug-seeking behavior. Diet pills are also known for getting rid of those hunger pangs that you may have throughout the day. I have taken diet pills and have found that they make you feel full and there are no more hunger pangs. This can be good for people who have eating disorders and overeat. They give you more energy and most of all, if you choose the right diet pill, they can help you lose weight. But in order to lose weight, you cannot just sit around taking diet pills, you have to also combine it with exercise and healthy eating.

Top 8 Places to Have a Wedding … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 04:07 AM PDT There are hundreds of places that you could have a wedding at. Tons of beautiful places! If your wedding day is approaching, then it is about time to find out where your destination is going to be! Below, I am going to give you 8 places to have a wedding… 8. Mexico Photo Credit: Adrián Laris Matthews® By far, this is one of the most popular location for lovely beach weddings. Mexico has dozens of worthy coastlines. The Riviera Maya will give you a gorgeous venue along the Caribbean, while Los Cabos gives you picturesque accommodations on the lovely Pacific. 7. Jamaica Photo Credit: rastapong Imagine exchanging your vows in reggae style on the tropics of the Caribbean. These really are islands that are full of spirit and a great place to get married. The mountain ranges, sandy beaches and gushing waterfalls are what many people dream of in a wedding. 6. Dominican Republic Photo Credit: woodibabalou Wouldn't you love to have a wedding here? If you want a romantic beach wedding, but you are on a tight budget, then the island of the Dominican Republic will give you that affordable options. This is full of lovely scenes that will fit perfect in your wedding pictures.

7 Sexy Victoria’s Secret Swimsuits … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 03:07 AM PDT A new summer season means shopping for new summer clothes, including, of course, new swimsuits! And what better place to shop for new swimsuits than Victoria's Secret? No matter what your body type, they have a swimsuit (or a dozen swimsuits!) designed to flatter you. Here's my list of 7 sexy Victoria's Secret swimsuits… I'd love all of these! 1. Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Racerback Halter Top with Scoop Bottom Bikini Price: $62.00 at victoriassecret.com I love the dusky plum color of this swimsuit, and the sexy racerback styling! The cups are lightly padded and lined, and the pads come out if you don't want them. I love that you can choose a different size for the top and bottom, so you'll get a perfect fit! 2. Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Topless Bikini Price: $51.00 at victoriassecret.com This swimsuit is so sexy! The bandeau top is lightly lined and padded, and is completely detachable if you dare to go bare! I love the cheeky bottom, too! The color is slinky black, so it'll go nicely with a pair of gold sandals… 3. Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Crystal and Coral Bikini Set Price: $149.00 at victoriassecret.com I love the sleek, sophisticated look of white swimsuits, and this one has the added shine of Swarovski crystals and coral beads! The top has light, removable padding, and it ties at the neck.

10 Ways to Cut 100 Calories Every Meal Without Noticing … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 03:01 AM PDT Calorie counting is so boring, but it's the simplest way to lose weight. Where do you take the calories from, though? Low calorie meals can take much longer to prepare, and cost a lot more too, and low calorie ready meals are usually full of other bad things to make up taste, such as excessive amounts of salt, sugar and fat. I've been watching my diet lately, though, and have discovered 10 ways to cut 100 calories from every meal that you won't even notice. And that's a promise! 1. Breakfast… Photo Credit: benbenbenbenben Croissants are delicious, but do you know how bad for you they are? As well as being stuffed with calories, they are full of fat, too. Try swapping your croissant for two pieces of wholewheat toast, with some butter or cream cheese on top. You'll feel just as full, for 100 calories less! 2. Omelette – Healthy Choice? Photo Credit: formalfallacy @ Dublin (Victor) Omelettes are always offered as a healthier choice, but there are ways to make it even better! Instead of a typical whole egg omelette with bacon, order an egg white scramble with turkey. It's just as easy to order or make, and will save you calories and fat, too. 3. Hummus Photo Credit: Compmouse Swap your 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise for 4 spoons of hummus, and you'll save at least 150 calories. Not a fan of hummus, or want to save even more? Use mustard instead, which is extremely low calorie!

8 Signs You’re Living with a Nightmare Flatmate … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 02:06 AM PDT Ah, the joys of flat-sharing. There is something deeply unnatural about sharing a house with a bunch of random strangers, and many reasons to be wary. Here is how to spot the signs that you have a flatmate who could turn into a nightmare … 1. They never buy toilet paper. They commit the worst sin of all, and never buy the toilet paper. This must cause more arguments than anything else in flat-sharing. I had one flatmate who used to use a roll a day – we did wonder if she had a problem … Photo Credit: Wild snapper 2. They don’t wash. Moldy coffee mugs… Make friends with a fingerprint expert if necessary to identify the culprit, or you will be buying new mugs every week. Photo Credit: the_ferret 3. You NEVER see them. The Invisible Flatmate – the only time you met them is when they moved in. They have not been seen since. You never even meet them in passing. You start to wonder if they really exist, or if you just dreamed they moved in … Photo Credit: mypixbox

Top 7 Exercises for the Abs … Posted: 23 Jun 2010 12:36 AM PDT Tired of looking for the right abs exercise to get a tight stomach? Well, I’m here to give you yet another good blog about some working exercises for abs. With some time and some dedication, you will for sure be on your way to having that tight stomach that you have been waiting for. Listen to what I got to tell you about my top 7 exercises for abs…. 7. Sit-ups Photo Credit: successcomgroup There are tons of different ways to perform this in your own home, which makes this an easy way to get slim abs. A Sit-up consists of lying down and bending your knees. Then left your body to your knees. This will make the stomach and lower abs area burn, which means it’s working. However, people that have bad backs don’t overdo it. 6. Crunches Photo Credit: MyGymworkout.co.uk The crunches are one of the most effective exercises for your chest and stomach area. This exercise can be done in your home or anywhere that has a flat surface. You need to lay down on your back and knees up. After doing that, you need to put your arms behind your head and left to your chest. Do not go all the way, because that will be a sit-up. These can be done easily and not too much effort. 5. Exercising ball Photo Credit: bronzedangel The exercising ball is one of the best tools for exercising by yourself. You can do push-ups, sit-ups, and much more on the exercise ball. You can buy one of these in at any store around the world and online. The exercising can help you do your chin-ups and sit-ups easily. You can also stretch with the exercising ball, which makes this a perfect tool.

5 Midweek DIY Projects… Posted: 22 Jun 2010 07:58 PM PDT 1. Window to Coffee Table This is a great project for those starting a home or wanting to create new furniture for the home. Word of warning: you will need help from your boyfriend, husband, or dad. Power tools will be needed, too. 2. Tea-Lover Wall Hanging Methinks I need this in my house. If you love tea as well, check out the link, download the pattern, print, and show your tea-loving pride! 3. Vinyl Records to Bookends Not only will this DIY project make you more organized, it will also make your books look a tad cooler. The best part: It is very easy to do! 4. J Crew Necklace If you have seen those J Crew necklaces that look like fabric balls of candy, check out this post to know how to make your own. The results are fabulous, I tell you. 5. Silhouettes I have been obsessed with silhouettes lately. Of course, this fun and easy tutorial just about increased my obsession tenfold. I feel like making a silhouette of my boyfriend’s cat now. Top Photo Credit: My Life…A Happy Circus

10 Celebri ‘tee’ Looks that We Love… Posted: 22 Jun 2010 03:30 PM PDT Can you imagine life without the comfort of slipping into a favorite old tee and a pair of jeans? Me neither! And just because t-shirts are more convenient, doesn’t mean they have to be boring. Let these celebrities show you how to rock the humble t-shirt. 1. Christina Aguilera Considering, I actually owned a skull till my mother made me throw it away (you read that right), I had to include Christina’s adorable skull and crossbones t-shirt. He grins and has hearts for eyes. Awww! Of course Christina adds her own fab element with comfortable flip flops and her trademark red lips. See all photos of Christina Aguilera 2. Cheryl Cole How do you dress up a basic white tee? Pair it with denim shorts, a chic fitted vest and some killer heels a la Cheryl Cole. 3. Demi Lovato I love over-sized t-shirts! They scream comfort but can at the same time look boring, if you don’t make an effort. So take a note or two from Demi. Raid your accessories closet and wear tons of chunky bangles, chains and while my mother may disapprove… a rosary bead necklace! See all photos of Demi Lovato