HAVE A QUESTION, PROBLEM, ETC. ABOUT LOVE, FRIENDSHIPS, SCHOOL, FAMILY? POST 'EM HERE!

Hey, everyone! So, I've decided to add on a regular feature to my blog - an advice column, conducted by moi! I'm no expert, but my loved ones always come to me for guidance or favours, so I'm going to share and serve my talents - with and to - you lol... But, I do have some journalistic experience writing about love and relationships.

In my position as a writer from Today's Toronto, I wrote various articles and transcribed my interviews with female glamour models into small profiles.


While a freelance writer for Bobbi Magazine, I researched and created profiles on male fitness models in the publication's regular feature section "Guys Next Door." I also wrote an article comparing the male and female brain.

In my first year of university, I collaborated in an advice column with another student for "Excalibur," one of York University's main publications. It was called "For Students, By Students" written by Mandy and Val (I'm Val!). Here are a couple of links:

http://www.excal.on.ca/cms2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3107&Itemid=2
http://www.excal.on.ca/cms2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2616&Itemid=2


I have also written many articles about love and relationships. One was based on a study I conducted about cheating.

http://www.campuslifemagazine.ca/article.php?id=cheating
http://todaystoronto.ca/content/view/320/30/
http://todaystoronto.ca/content/view/272/30/

So, basically, if you have a specific or unique problem, you can email me or post a comment under my piece here. You can use aliases online, so don't worry about having your identity revealed, because you can make yourself totally anonymous.

Can't wait to hear what you guys have to say! XOXO

ONLINE WITH EIKONA: PLAYBOY AND ESQUIRE-PUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPHER PHIL BRIDEAUX DISCUSSES HIS MASTERPIECES OF WOMEN, IN AND OUT OF TORONTO

Many Americans probably wouldn't expect a Toronto-based freelance photographer to have their pictures published in the likes of Playboy Magazine and Esquire Magazine (Turkish Edition). But, as far as Phil Brideaux is concerned, that brave assumption won't become a reality. Maybe this wouldn't be true, if Phil didn't attend graduate school for Theology and Comparitive Religion at McGill University and didn't get expelled after his first year, for "cutting (his) seminars to print in the darkroom of the university's photo club." Because like the film rolls of a camera, that's when his visions for photography really started to develop.

And his project - Eikona - took centre stage, inside his head and on to laminated paper, thanks to a summer in Ottawa and a BFA in Photography at Ryerson University. Eikona - a name inspired by his school knowledge in ancient Koine Greek language and early Christianity - became his long-term mission to producing a collage of "beautiful women." "While living in Ottawa for a summer," Phil explains, "I photographed a friend as a favour to her. Most guys don't mind photographing beautiful women, so I was pretty much hooked then."

About 5 years later - after shooting gorgeous female co-eds at Ryerson and a crucial medical situation - Phil took the plunge and founded "Eikona Photography" in 2005. "When I was able to pick up a camera again, everything had become digital, and I knew then exactly what I wanted to do."

And with that chosen career path came pros and cons. You could say accomodating Eikona with the industry's standard of what they see as a "beautiful woman" could be hard to balance, not to mention along with what Phil thinks is the psychological view of how the opposite sex grows up seeing as a "beautiful woman." "I think I'm trying to communicate something almost impossibly abstract that I always experienced as a young, hopelessly naive teen about the way women would 'seem,' when they moved, spoke softly, or dressed sensually." While one could argue whether boys are taught to view a woman's body as a voluptuous hourglass Mona Lisa or a thin, airbrushed model Phil would typically photograph in one of his published fitness or glamour magazine issues of, say, American Curves or MMA Sports Magazine, Phil claims it's all relative, where these figures - curvy or skinny - are photoshopped anyway. "There's no stopping the sorts of increasingly amazing manipulations that software can do with images," Phil says. "People have manipulated images, since photography was invented." But, while Phil understands the reality of photoshop, he doesn't necessarily condone extremely distorted, deceptive images - especially ones that destroy the message of the art intended. It depends on the goal of your photo, Phil emphasizes, but in his case, with glamour photography, it's "largely about creating fantasy, (hence) alot of retouching and body shaping."

 

Despite the timely cliche "the rest is history," Phil admits he's still improving upon his already-exquisite quality imagery and shooting, wide network, up-to-date tech - and, now, consistent submissions to Toro Magazine. Taking into consideration his beautiful women in Eikona, his advice to other beautiful aspiring models is this: "Don't make an identity for yourself from modeling. It can be incredibly damaging to one’s self-esteem, especially if there’s not enough self-esteem to begin with. It's not a healthy remedy for feeling unrecognized or unloved." And as for aspiring photographers, look around, and you might just get mused, like Eikona did.

SHE'S JUST THE GIRL NEXT DOOR: MAXIM MAGAZINE'S CANADIAN HOLIDAY AND HALLOWEEN HOTTIE STACEE MICHELLE MAY TALKS ABOUT HER NATURAL BEAUTY, KINDNESS, AND "BEING READY TO BARE IT ALL" - TO THE WORLD

With an olive complexion, a naturally graceful body, and blue eyes that can twinkle underneath luminous brown or blond locks, it's no wonder Stacey Boulianne has won the hearts of Maxim, UMM, and men alike. The 26-year-old has a lot to be thankful for. Not only has her exotic look been praised by UMM Magazine as a Girl Next Door and Maxim Magazine TWICE (as a Holiday Hottie and a Halloween Hottie), but her generosity and kindness has been put to good use, with regular contributions to our society.

Not to say that her natural beauty and brains combo is an easy prize. She works diligently to service her God-given talents as much as possible. Living in and around Kingston, Ontario, Stacee's patience enduring three different schools and a parental divorce may explain her need to help others i.e. elderly for the Canadian Red Cross - and a completion of the Personal Support Worker course. Despite her abundant successes, Stacee remains humble: "Knowing I make a difference in other people's lives makes my job all that much better." 

But, first and foremost, is her passion for modelling. "I've always had a thing for being in front of the camera," Stacee says, "getting my picture taken. As a little kid, I was chosen to be in a local photographer shop and have my picture in their window, because I was waving and being super cute." But, it was when she became legal that she appropriately decided to take her OWN action and make the right business connections. A Model Mayhem account and 7 years of networking later, Stacee's dreams came true: she landed gigs with legendary Canadian avids, like Sunshine Girl, Miss Hawaiian Tropics, and Miss Chin Bikini Canada. 

With years of experience under her belt came loads of maturity - and an extremely optimistic attitude. "You're always going to run into catty girls, especially in this industry," Stacee explains. "A lot of people want to see you fail, but if you have a kick ass personality, I believe you will shine through all those other people." Especially if you're jealous of a girl with looks like Stacee, whose blessed with a genetically high metabolism and love for rollerblading. So, she should have no reason to join those poor young female models who have been coerced into self-destructive methods of sex, eating disorders, and drugs to blend into the industry. "You will look and feel better, when you are sober," she advises, not to mention these supposedly slimming remedies are counterproductive: "You're only young for a short period of time, so take advantage of your body and looks, while you still got it."

But, while Stacee's not up for conventional party-girl tactics, she's all for sharing her one-in-a-million silhouette, and, er, essence depicted in what she considers to be an artistic form of photography. "My goal now is to make it to Playboy," Stacee reveals. "They are having a casting call in Toronto in August, and I'm ready to bare it all. A lot of people are against Playboy and think its wrong or slutty, but to me, it's a really classy magazine. I think if you're comfortable with your body, then nobody should judge you for what you want to do. Life's too short..."

As for all those aspiring models out there (or maybe models who want to be just like Stacee), Stacee urges you to follow your dream and do everything you can to preserve it - and, most importantly, to listen to your own heart. As for Stacee, the dream has just begun - and to keep the dream alive, with interests in pursuing singing and modelling, Stacee can remember her affirmation that she already has "died trying."

ROBERT PATTINSON IS RELATED TO DRACULA?

How ironic is this?! Robert Pattinson, who plays a vampire in Twilight, is blood with a supposedly real supernatural person?

Genealogists - or researchers at Ancestry.com - have found that Robert is related to Vlad the Impaler, the "person" consensually decided as the muse for in Bram Stoker's Dracula! They're both somehow linked to the British royal family. Apparently, Twilight creator Stephenie Meyeris is also related to a vampire!

It's almost as if it was meant to be....

KRISTIN CAVALLARI IS WITH THE HILLS' CAMERAMAN?

According to reports, Kristin's new beau is a cameraman for the three-year-old reality show.

Kristin was seen with Miguel Medina at LAX the other day. Insiders claim this isn't something new, that the two have been casually dating for about two months.

LOL at the random guy closing his eyes in the back!

JUSTIN BIEBER'S MOM IS GOING TO TAKE IT ALL OFF FOR PLAYBOY?

Allegedly, Playboy Magazine has invited Justin Bieber's mother, Pattie Lynn Mallette, to pose in a feature for a future issue!

According to a magazine insider, the proposal deal is only for $50,000, given the 34-year-old mother would only be pictured topless.

There has been no confirmation as to whether Mallette will take the legendary publication's offer.

Are You A Reese, America, JLo, or Salma? Let Bradley Bayou (Hollywood's finest couture designer) Dress You Now!

FASHION - While wandering through the sections of Chapters, I came across one of the most articulate, helpful books about fashion and body image I've ever read.

It's called "The Science of Sexy," which is written by Bradley Bayou, a prestigious Hollywood designer who has styled famous divas, such as Demi Moore, Queen Latifah, Drew Barrymore, and Halle Berry. Quite impressively for a man, Bradley understands the struggles of finding skinny clothes in a non-supermodel's world. He explains that the attire available in retail stores is often designed only to fit the tall and thin runway models of today, and ironically not the average 5'4, size 12/14 regular American gals who it is sold to.

Saying that, we often feel unattractive, uncomfortable, and unable to accept our bodies, because the clothing we find in stores probably don't flatter our body types best and play up our flaws, or make us appear larger or smaller than we actually want to be. And then when we look in the mirror long enough, we start to believe that's what our bodies look like, regardless of what Bayou points out is the "illusion" that our clothes establish.

But, just like we can choose certain clothes that make us look fatter or flatter than we really are, we can change into different clothes that can make us as skinny or as shapely as we like to be. Bayou points out we can "create an illusion of symmetry," meaning we can mold our bodies with a variety of different looks to appear more balanced, no matter what our body type.

In his book, Bayou gives you different sections i.e. metaphorical closets to go into, depending on your height, weight, and body shape. Of course, I can't cover all the possible size and shape combinations, but I can summarize the 4 major body types and the stars dressed by Bayou that best represent these body types. First, here's a guide to discovering which body type you fall into, according to the measurement instructions listed:

You're an INVERTED TRIANGLE (APPLE SHAPE), if your shoulder and bust measurements are more than 5% larger than your hip measurements i.e. 36 inch shoulders and 34 inch hips. You basically store most of your weight on your upper half (which can include your stomach) and most likely have enviably long, lean gams, in contrast.

You're a RECTANGLE (STRAIGHT SHAPE), if your bust, hips, and shoulders are approximately or exactly the same size, but with no tinier or visible waistline. Your waist would be under 25% smaller than the rest of your measurements i.e. 36 inch shoulders and over 27 inch waist.

You're a TRIANGLE (PEAR SHAPE), if your hips are significantly (over 5%) wider than your shoulders or bust i.e. 37 3/4 inch hips and 36 inch shoulders. You store more weight on your lower half i.e. hips, butt, and/or legs, in comparison to a smaller waist, shoulders, and stomach.

You're a HOURGLASS (MOST SYMMETRICAL), if your shoulders/bust and hips are within 5% of the same measurements, but your waist is a minimum of 25% smaller i.e. 36 inch shoulders and at the maximum, a 27 inch waist. You probably have a full bust, small waist, and curvaceous hips (lucky you!)

HERE ARE EXAMPLES OF WHAT TO WEAR AND WHAT NOT TO WEAR, ACCORDING TO YOUR BODY TYPE:

INVERTED TRIANGLE (APPLE)

America Ferrara's dress on the left has wide straps that better proportion her shoulders and a v-neck, sweetheart neckline that brings out her buxom bust over her fuller stomach. The A-line bottom half curves hips, shaping a more hourglass silhouette.

The dress on the right, however, hides her excellent figure. The too form-fitting shirt causes her torso to seem shorter and stockier, and the too wide array of colours makes her appear wider.

Other celebs like you: Alyssa Milano, Angelina Jolie, Denise Richards

RECTANGLE (STRAIGHT)

Reese Witherspoon's corset-like top lifts and separates irresistable cleavage, while the full, ruffled skirt bottom poufs out hips to sharpen her already itty bitty waist, giving her a womanly, hourglass physique.

As for the dress (or sqourt or pantsuit) on the right, the sleeveless arms make her shoulders and torso look more boxy and the baggy peasant top loses her figure, which explains the whole rectangle thing.

Other celebs like you: Demi Moore, Liv Tyler, Jennifer Coolidge

TRIANGLE (PEAR SHAPE)

JLo's puffed sleeves (on the left) - joining forces with the slimming black top - broaden her shoulders adequately to correspond with her wider hips, and the dark denim jeans slim her heavier lower half.

But the wide, flared pants (on the right) make her legs appear wider than they actually are.

Other celebs like you: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kelly Clarkson, Mischa Barton

HOURGLASS (MOST SYMMETRICAL)

Even the more "symmetrical" figures can have their issues. Salma Hayek - who looks stunning in the pink dress - also uses the plunging neckline and corset top to amplify her abundant bosom, cinched waist, and feminine hips.

The red dress's empire waist exaggerates her measurements to the point that her cups runneth over squeezed out (not in the sexy, push-up bra way), her waist creates small buggles, and her hips protrude more than they have to.

Other celebs like you: Jessica Simpson, Drew Barrymore, Kate Winslet

OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD (AND SHOULD NOT) WEAR:

1. APPLE:

WEAR:

waist belts

v-necks

empire tops

wide straps

a-line dresses

brighter bottoms

dark-coloured pants

DON'T WEAR:

too-tight tops

baggy tops

turtlenecks

too many colours

halters

sleeveless

strapless

ankle-length shorts

tight shorts

low-rise jeans

off-the-shoulder tops

pencil skirts

2. STRAIGHT:

WEAR:

wrap tops

wide straps

wrap dresses

shapely pants

full skirts

corset dresses

DON'T WEAR:

baggy peasant tops

sleeveless tops

anything clinging to your stomach

double-breasted blazers

pencil skirts

3. PEAR SHAPE:

WEAR:

scoop necks

lighter tops

dress shirts

puffed sleeves

empire dresses

halter dresses

dark bottoms

high-waisted trousers

pencil skirts

side slits on skirts

DON'T WEAR:

flared pants

long skirts

shiny dresses

4. HOURGLASS:

WEAR:

v-neck

corset

wrap dresses

blazers

sleeveless tops

a-line skirts

skirts above and below the knee

DON'T WEAR:

empire waists

baggy pants

turtlenecks

LINDSAY LOHAN POSING NUDE WITH HER SCRAM BRACELET?

Lindsay Lohan will be stripped (literally) in the print ads for her new 6126 handbag line, according to LAmag.com (and according to MSN entertainment :)!)

Richard Luna from The California Bag, which licenses her handbags, claims Lohan will be Vogue-ing in her birthday suit on a lucky bed for a photoshoot in LA sometime in July.

However, Luna says he can't guarantee whether Lohan will be sporting her alcohol-detecting, SCRAM anklet in her pictures.

His quote: "We're thinking of having police on hand so we can remove the ankle bracelet for the pictures."

However, he also mentioned that they may have her strike a pose with the anklet on and then photoshop it off later.

FREE KARL WOLF AND FABER DRIVE CANADA DAY CONCERT IN MAPLE! CHECK THIS OUT FOR MORE DEETS!

Hey, everyone! While I was driving on Dufferin, I found a sign about a Karl Wolf and Faber Drive concert in Maple! Come check it out!

Vaughan Celebrates Canada Day!Presented by
Thursday, July 1, 2010

Mackenzie Glen District Park

220 Cranston Park Ave. Maple, Ontario
3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Come out for the City of Vaughan's annual Canada Day celebration - a day and night filled with concerts and yummy barbequed grub!

The FREE performances begin at 4 with a tribute to the Jonas Brothers - and now to the good stuff, if you want the original celebs in person - Karl Wolf at 5 PM and Faber Drive at 6:30 PM.

Parking is not accessible on site. A free shuttle bus from local parking lots will be ready to use.

For more information, visit http://www.city.vaughan.on.ca/vaughan/vaughan_celebrates/www.vaughan.ca or call the events hotline at 905-832-8585, ext. 8200.

See you there!

I Guarantee (These 10 Celebs Will Make) You Love Your Body More After Reading This! Stop Smashing Your Mirror and Flaunt Those Sexilicious Curves!

Skinny or curvy, many young girls and women feel dissatisfied with what they see in the mirror. They don't realize that their cellulite, fat, etc. are normal and airbrushed off the supermodels and superstars scattered across magazine tearspreads. And to think, just because of a photoshop device, an industry, a standard, females across the globe are put into the hands of eating disorders and plastic surgeons. Because of a photoshop device, an industry, a standard, too many females become hospitalized, depressed, or - even worse - dead.

Now, if I can be one female - just one female - who can stop another female, from sticking a finger down her throat or putting a gun to her head, I would, even if that means having an unretouched photo of me in a magazine for the world to criticize. If that's what it takes to stop her, I would. And if the following celebs didn't exist, even more of this tragedy would exist. Thanks to the lovely ladies below, more magazines - like Glamour and Shape - are publishing body image articles and "plus-size" models who have redefined this seldom skeletal definition of beauty. Here are to those ladies who keep it REAL:

1. TYRA BANKS

A self-described awkwardly skinny teenager and a somewhat fuller Victoria Secret model, Tyra has battled with the struggles of body image, even closer to the heart of the industry. On her talk show (The Tyra Banks Show), she works incessantly with young girls and aspiring models alike to help them not hide behind their physical "flaws" but accept them for being cool, authentic, unique. Tyra admits to camouflaging her ample bottom in sarongs on the Victoria Secret runway, convincing the audience that not everything they see on TV and in magazines is REAL. She also initiated her own experiment, wearing a fat suit and disguise to see what it's like to live in the physical and emotional pain of an obese person. When reality soon followed to imitate art, and an "unflattering" swimsuit photo resurfaced, Tyra Banks stood up in front of all national television- and for all the slandered stars, mothers, daughters out there - and told everyone to "KISS (HER) FAT ASS!" Go, Tyra!

2. BEYONCE

At a tall and voluptuous 5'7, Beyonce's curves are in all the right places, according to drooling boys and lad publications internationally. Her most sensual trademark asset - a full and round derriere - has caught so much attention, she even wrote a song about it! However, her primary objective for writing the song was the negative attention she thought she got from her A$$. Beyonce confesses to penning her hit "Bootylicious," when she felt the most insecure about her weight. As a r-(c)aboose to encourage positive body image for women everywhere, she sings "I don't think you're ready for this jelly...my body too bootylicious for you baby," with her accompanying music video displaying girls who were supposedly "100 pounds and 300 pounds." Beyonce fluctuated from her DreamGirl weight 120 lbs to her curviest 160 lbs, but either way, she stayed true to herself, and if you glance at the above photo, you cannot miss those hips. And those hips don't lie; her curves are au naturel, and she has nothing to apologize for!

3. KIM KARDASHIAN

Another female famous for her prominent lower half, Kim is the most recent addition to these healthy, average-sized women who like to keep it REAL. You wouldn't normally see her type in a magazine like Playboy or FHM, but somehow, she managed it, and there's no surprise there. Kim represents the cartoonish, extreme hourglass figure males have been longing for, since the days of Mona Lisa, Marilyn Monroe and excruciating corsets. Some may argue she's a spolied heiress who can only be credited for her sex tape and reality TV show, but I say she's a truly brave and beautiful fashion icon who accentuates her silhouette in mostly tasteful but form-fitting BCBG bandage dresses and business-y pencil skirts and reveals her unphotoshopped face and body in various tabloid magazines. "I'm proud of who I am. I'm proud of my curves," Kim consistently declares.

4. CHRISTINA HENDRICKS

This red-headed, fiery bombshell used to be a lanky supermodel. But, thanks to Mad Men, she gained gorgeous meat to her delicious frame for her role, as a woman living in the fleshy 60s. A break from her starving days as a model, Christina emphasizes that men like to feel that little tummy roll there, that it's ok to have a woman's body. Because of her exotic looks and positive attitude, both men and women agree Christina is one of the sexiest women out there, well, at least, according to New York and Esquire Magazine.

5. MELYSSA FORD

A Toronto-based original - appropriately branded with the name of the desirable cartoon character "Jessica Rabbit" - Melyssa's prestigious thick thighs, buttocks, and hips have landed her in various music videos and magazines, such as Maxim, FHM, and Playboy. Her 40-22-40 may be hard to attain, but naturally, it must all be good jeans/genes for Melyssa, who attributes her race and ethnicity in magazines that typically use girls of her womanly size and shape (finally!), like Black Men's and King. Where most publications would slenderize and extend one of her most memorable features, Melyssa's built legs here (above) are made the centre of attention. And why shouldn't they be? She looks awesome!

6. CRYSTAL RENN

Another model who retired from being a "straight-size" model to embrace her natural body structure as a "plus-size" model," Crystal was more successful as a size 12 landing gigs with legendary laminates, such as Glamour and Vogue. If she listened to the agency who told her to drop a few, maybe she wouldn't have written her inspiring memoir "Hungry," a frequent must-see at Chapters and Indigos stores. Recently posing nude in the evolutionary Glamour photoshoot - with other so-called "plus-size" models - Crystal is a shining example of a woman who isn't afraid to show off her size in a public and sexy way.

7. JENNIE RUNK

Another model who joined Renn in the Glamour photoshoot, Jennie also had alot to say about the ever-changing media and modeling industry. She also agrees with Renn that we are working to adapt to the more colourful body types demonstrated on the Prada runways and that the women she shot with at Glamour aren't plus-size like the industry labels them, but "healthy, average-sized women, just like smaller models (are made) to represent average-sized women (in advertisements, etc.)." In the June 2010 swimsuit issue of Glamour - which features a cover of Crystal Renn, alongside a Victoria Secret model and a Sports Illustrated model (to convey swimsuits for different body types) - Runk strikes a pose in an implied nude shot, saying "it's better if (I) don't look like everyone else." And at 5'10 and 175 lbs, she makes her own hot standard.

8. STELLA ELLIS

Maybe the larger of the plus models, Stella has written a semi-autobiographical, semi-selfhelp book appropriately titled "SizeSexy." Stella was first discovered by a fashion designer, when she was employed as a make-up artist in France. Made someone's "muse," Stella - as well as her nicely-proportioned body and distinct facial features - was celebrated on runways and in magazines, such as Italian Vogue and Glamour. Stella has proven that there are different types of modelling that many people can participate in and, as a size 20, she has amped the size expectation of usually size 8-14 "plus-size" models. Not to mention that she was featured in Madonna's controversial 1992 book "Sex." Now, that's sex-y.

9. JESSICA SIMPSON

Jessica has gone from being an early-blooming teenager to a thinner movie star in Daisy Duke shorts to a widely-publicized "chubby girl" in "Mom jeans." Despite her look being blamed on an unflattering angle and her "Mom jeans," Jessica and her sister Ashlee still had to defend her growing figure, by comparing her overrated and over-promoted weight gain to that of the importance of Barack Obama's inauguration. While, like a typical woman, Jessica humanly found imperfection in her body and starved and sweated for a better body - according to celebrity gossip magazines - Jessica eventually came at peace and reinforced "Going from a size 2 to a size 8 is not FAT!"

10. KATE WINSLET

Most remembered by her impeccable performance in Titanic, Kate has been debated as "fat" or "curvy" by various tabloid, men's, and women's magazines. More recently, she had to defend an obviously photoshopped cover of her on GQ Magazine, claiming her "legs were obviously cut down by a third" and that she preferred the untouched version. With loads of confidence, Kate emphasizes that she loves her "mother" body, and that she wonders why women think they need to be skinny to be loved. "The men I know want women with an arse on them!" Now, there's the British spirit we know and love!

I hope you take what's in the moments from reading this article, confidence that should last for a lifetime. We all have our bad days, but if we continuously compare ourselves to models with bone structures that we can't have and photoshopped images that aren't real, then we will slowly burden ourselves emotionally and mentally. So, eat healthy, exercise, indulge, LIVE LIFE, and love the body that God gave you, because there's only ONE you. Come as you are, and the world will follow!

How to Make your Fave Exercise Work for You!

FITNESS - I've always been an active girl, but not one blessed with a small bone structure and long, lean limbs. I'm curvy - with hips and thighs, amongst other things. And while I can't reverse my body type (BTW, size is different from type or shape), I can sculpt and tone with many of the activities I love. In the past, I've tried everything from martial arts to hot yoga to lose weight, and guess what? They all work! But, I've also acquired a few cheat tricks to make each exercise more effective and calorie-burning than it already is!

First off, running and biking - at a moderate pace - already burns about 500 calories every 40-50 minutes, which goes into our first rule: If you want to lose a healthy, maximum 2 pounds a week, you must burn an additional 3,500 calories a week, which you can take out from food or through exercise. If you have the time, you would prefer to do an average of 500 calories per day with a daily 1,600 calorie diet, if you're like me and you love your food! Or you could take out 250 calories from food and burn 250 calories through exercise, which would also be a more balanced way to lose weight. And, like I said, one of the quickest ways to burn it off (which you can do almost anywhere) is running and biking, but to make it even quicker, you can wear a slimming belt (you can find it at Shoppers or Walmart). You can put it around your stomach (and even with some, your butt and legs, but with the stomach especially), it helps you perspire and shed the most water, release the most toxins while you're exercising, which makes you burn more calories and lose instant water bloat weight. Rapid (while temporary) results like these are strong motivators to psychologically and physically prepare you to reach your fitness goals!

And if you can't burn 500 calories a day, you can always burn 1,000 calories 3 times a week! To my amazement, activities like hot (or bikram) yoga and Zumba (dancing) burn approximately this amount of calories every 1-1.5 hours that you do it. For hot yoga, it's up to 1,200 calories (depending on how much you weigh - the more you weigh, the more you burn) for 1.5 hours - and while it's super hard to commit (don't eat 2-3 hours beforehand and drink plenty i.e. bottles of water), it supplies you with the cardiovascular heart rate and lean muscle mass simultaneously for the essential woman's workout. As for Zumba, you can burn anywhere from 500-1,000 calories per class, and while it emulates the exciting and sensual movements of club bumpers and grinders everywhere, it's more exhausting than probably any pole dancing studio boasts!

If those activities don't work for you, you can always dance 8 hours a day (ala Dancing with the Stars celebs), drip off the fat in a sauna, or melt inches off with a spa body wrap. Otherwise, the above exercises imprint flat abs and built thighs, indeed! Enjoy!

MMVAs Drama! Miley Cyrus Too Sexy, Too Soon & Justin Bieber's More Contagious than the Swine Flu?

FAME - I introduce you to my first blog with some good old celeb gossip. Despite watching just half-time of the MMVAs (and half-time of the World Cup! eek), I still managed to capture some juicy moments. First off, what was Miley wearing? She's not even legal yet. I understand she wants to adult-erate her Disney image into a sexier one and she can wear whatever she wants, but I really do think she's trying too hard to be another Disney star that matures in a striking, stripper-ish way i.e. Britney, Christina, Vanessa Hudgens? Has anyone seen the lesbian kiss and "Can't be Tamed" Miley cover, aka Britney's trademark midriff show? Not to be a prude, but I've seen this done way too many times before. While cliche, I'm empathetic that she feels the pressure to use her looks and sex appeal - as a woman - to get ahead. And while she looks hot, even if I had that body, I still would not wear that!

And maybe this hasn't been reported and I'm taking this the wrong way, but look at the sign this girl made about Justin Bieber! (SEE BELOW)

Really? We could metaphor-ize Justin Bieber's popularity into a fever energy fed off by millions of crying, screaming girls, but swine flu? A clever joke but it's just as funny (as in NOT) and offensive (as in YES) as that joke about Osama Bin Laden i.e. you ask Osama Bin Laden what time it is and he says 9:11? Sorry! Jokes that mock the most recent world epidemics and disasters are not funny!