Start Losing Weight Without Trying Too Hard

I don't know anyone who enjoys feeling like they are going to explode (from eating too much food).

My cousin and I are going to France in six months. That should be enough time to get in shape, right? We decided we would rather not want to visit Paris looking like the obvious, stereotypical, obese Americans. However, talk is just talk until you actually do something about it.

Instead of continuing our argument over who's going to gain the most weight I have made a few suggestions to jump start our healthier lifestyles. (Notice: these are not rules. Constricting yourself to what you can and cannot do/eat may make a person feel deprived. The point is to subtly change your habits.) Here are a few things to consider:

1. Try not to eat anything at least two hours before you go to bed!
Your body needs to digest the food you eat. By laying down you are disrupting the process which, in return, may reduce your metabolism.
2. After you clean your teeth be lazy!
I don't know about you but for me I tend to not want to eat anything after I brush up. I'm guessing being lazy can contribute to this. So floss, brush, and rinse your teeth and most importantly: be lazy! (This is a win-win suggestion since you would also be promoting pearly whites.)
3. Occupy yourself!
A habit that I have is eating when I am bored. Instead of reaching for some munchies try 20 jump n' jacks, 10 pushups, or holding a plank position for 30 seconds. If all of a sudden you realize you have something better to do then do that! The goal is to not eat something merely because it is in front of you. Now if you're in public and you don't want to embarass yourself it should give you all the more reason to control your boredom eating!
4. Stay hydrated!
For each time you think you are hungry drink a glass of water. Oftentimes we mistake hunger for thirst. Try drinking water then waiting 5-10 minutes. If you are still hungry afterwards go ahead and eat!
5. Try controling your portions!
In America several restaurants offer giant portions. It can be difficult to eat just what you need. Try to imagine your body as a car. Cars do not benefit from too much gas nor does it benefit from running on nothing. Fuel your body right and pay attentiont to how it runs. Try eating smaller portions (as many times as you want) to the point where you are satisfied but not full. Before you know it your rusted body will turn into a smart car! In other words: your body won't need to consume as much food to carry you throughout the day.
6. Sneak in mini excersices!
The gym can sound dreadful to some (most) so why not try moves while doing everyday activites? For instance: when you are sitting in the car, suck in your gut (this will train your muscles), straighten your back, and lift slightly so your back does not touch the seat. Remember to breathe. It will take a little getting used to but in the end you will strengthen your core muscles a little and perfect your posture.

...Have any other suggestions? I'd love to hear them! Feel free to leave a comment!

Soleko Queen's Solitaire Contacts in Perla (Picture Heavy)

Alright, first thing's first: vlogging (video blogging) is definitely a new experience for me. I did attempt it however because for reviews it's often helpful to have visuals in motion. For a few laughs from my errors here is the link to my first video review EVER:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQxuOyfh9f4

(Did you enjoy my upside down box? How about my speech blurbs?)

After I re watched the video I realized I missed plenty of details. To compromise I am providing more information and photos here. Warning: It may be redundant.

Name: Soleko Queen's Solitaire in Perla (Pearl)
Price: $50 (inclusive of tax and shipping and handling)
Website (that I purchased from): www.lensmarketplace.com

Pros:

• They are very comfortable. They are comparable to Freshlook Colorblends. I could wear them for the entire day and forget that I am wearing them. They are not too thick.


• They cover up dark eyes very well. They are very opaque compared to American brands. (Even Solotica which is a popular Brazilian brand) Depending on how light/dark your natural eye colors are will determine the shade of blue these contacts will have on your eyes.


• They are the prettiest colored contacts I have ever owned and I strongly recommend them!


• They last a minimum of 3 months and can reach half of a year before losing its quality.


• Given you need contacts with power Soleko also offers the same product with prescription


• Great for changing up something about your looks that will have people guessing what is so different about you

Cons:

• Because they are colored contacts they are not going to look real when you move your eyes a certain way (ex: When you look to the side the irises do not appear natural and the contacts stop from moving as far as your iris. This will happen with all colored contacts though.)


• Just like most colored contacts they have an unnatural pattern to them. It does not bother me that much but if you were to try and fool someone into believing these were your natural eye colors your best bet is to not let them get too close to your eyes for you can see the odd detailing.


• Shipping took 15 days for me. The website claims 10-14 for shipments to the US. They are not sold or made in the United States so if you're planning to have them for an event I suggest you buy them ahead of time or choose express shipping. (Lensmarketplace only accepts PayPal meaning if you do not already have a PayPal account it takes time for the order to process through.)


• Photos with flash brings out the white within the contacts so your eyes will look eerily bright and "zombie-esque"


• In dark areas your pupils will dilate causing possible tunnel vision. In other words, it blurs the sides of your vision.

Extra:

• Upon receiving them in the mail the first thing I did was take the contacts out of their individual vials and soaked them in Re Nu contact solution by Bausch and Lomb overnight to fully cleanse the contact lenses before usage. This sterilizes the contacts so you don't burn your eyes with the solution within the original vials.


• Be careful ordering contacts from other countries. The United States has strict policies as far as regulation goes. Although it may be as strict in foreign countries it's simply better to be safe than sorry.


• The brand Soleko also carries many other contact colors. Check here: http://www.lensmarketplace.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=6&products_id=61


• To enhance them mascara and makeup is a must! (But don't get too crazy!)

Picture timeThis is the miniature golden box with chrome letters that the contacts came in.Here is the side of the box with the bar code and information details. (Notice the expiration date!)The vials they came in were made of glass. They are very tiny and were part of great packaging.Here is a photo of the contact lens still inside the vial. The color of the pattern is completely white. I found it very interesting how it turns blue/gray on my dark brown/black eyes.Note: Never use a product that has a broken seal prior to you opening them! Immediately contact your supplier if that is the case. They will guide you through and they will most likely send you new ones at no additional cost. (However I am not 100% positive so don't take my word for it.)My natural eye color is a dark brown/black. In these photos the flash makes them appear a lighter brown than they are in natural lighting.As you can see the pattern on the contacts make them appear less realistic when someone is standing close enough to your face to view them. Also note that my irises do show through because they constricted due to the brightness of the flash. Another thing I should point out is that it can sometimes make your eyes appear as if they are going in different directions. This photo explains exactly what I mean.The same pose and focus on my eyes (thanks to my heart-shaped hands) compare the effect of flash to no flash of the lenses. They look much more natural without flash.If you were my mother you would be rambling about how much these Soleko contacts make me look like an alien or a zombie. With bright flashes I have to agree it can appear so.

For more questions or comments please feel free to comment! (Subscribe while you're at it if you please!)

College Decisions

College is the place you go to after high school.

College is the place that you pour your money into for a better education.

College is the place where you turn that education into a career.

College is what students constantly ponder about because it unleashes a list of questions.

College is stressful.

College is exciting.

College is where I want to go.

Unfortunately for me, I am one of the most indecisive people you will ever meet. The instant I visited the College of Charleston in SC I knew I wanted to go there. But then I visited Northeastern in Boston. I changed my mind. At that moment I knew that I didn't want to go anywhere else. I knew that wherever I went I wanted to be somewhere- anywhere Boston. I over exhausted myself and I instantly applied to Bay State (a private college in Boston). It was the first and only place I applied to. I immediately got accepted. The only thing I had to do from then on was save up for the $30,000 difference of what I already had and what my goal was- which would only cover freshman year.

I was driven. I attempted all I could to make the decision happen. There was no stopping me. The last thing I wanted to do was move down South with my family to attend a college in an area of no familiarity. I had lived in the Northeast my entire life. I did not care that it was cheaper. It did not matter that my parents had bribed me with a car. It was not going to happen.

As time passed I became overwhelmed. My drive sloped into a negative attitude. Loans, scholarships, and financial aid couldn't help my clouded mind.

Then one day my cousin asked me if I wanted to go to France. I immediately responded, "YES!" However, when she mentioned the airfare price I told her I had other priorities. Not even a once in a lifetime trip could dissuade me from my goal.

As more time passed my stress level increased.

Finally I asked myself, "Why have I been ignoring everyone and every opportunity with this irrational goal?" Not only did I not have a stable idea of where I was headed for, I was also spending my time and effort on something I had no idea would even satisfy me. I was bitten by what felt like an unreasonable dream. I imagined my life in Boston beautiful, exciting, different, and new. But what dawned on me was that Boston isn't a way of living. When all the hype was gone it was merely a location. Sure Boston may be breathtaking but what I did was confine myself to that one area.

But why? Why did I blind myself from all other options? Why couldn't any other place be just as beneficial?...

Oftentimes we all need to realize that no matter where we go or how we get there it all boils down to what you make of it. Pricey colleges are probably expensive because of the people that made something out of their education there. They gave the power to the college's name. By no means does that mean we cannot do simmilarly. Make something of what you have and I can assure you that when you look back on it all, you will realize you made the right decision. A life without regrets is the best life to live, isn't it?

And so after a few months I decided I would go to France. I would live a little. I would learn to love a lot. I would make the most of that trip (because let's face it: after college years when you have a job and your time is restricted, when will you actually have the time to go on a trip again?) I would be able to afford all years of my tuition without help from loans or my parents. (Who wants to leave school with massive amounts of debt anyways?) To say the least I would start off my first years as a legal adult with a life to be proud of. On top of it all, my parents would get to have the two extra years with their beloved first-born. (In other words I would have to endure more time with my annoying family. Just kidding... sort of.)

The lessons I learned overall was to simply live a life worth living and that large dollar signs don't have to control your happiness...

Up next: My first challenge proposed by a dear friend of mine- to bake a 6 layer cake!

Samsung MV800

Duck face?! (Taking silly photos with my brother Kason.) The above photos are examples of pictures taken with the Samsung MV800. Usually I'm not a fan of flash photos but I was really impressed that it didn't flatten out the depth too much. In daylight the photos are phenomenal! No editing was used!

I was about to kick myself after I realized I had gone on a shopping binge. One of the items I bought during my period was the Samsung MV800. I figured since I'd be going off to college my parents most likely would not hand over the Nikon D40 even though I use it most. I decided I might as well purchase my own camera that was less bulky and easier to carry along with me.

The Samsung is one of the smallest digital cameras with a swivel screen. The screen can be unfolded up to a 180° angle making it much easier to see what you're taking a picture of when, say, you need to take a self portrait. Instead of spending numerous minutes snapping photos at what you think is aimed towards our face you get to see what you're taking right off the bat. It's also extremely convenient when you need to take shots that would originally require you to awkwardly position yourself.

Price: $279.99 (the model came out last year but I got mine for $199.99 at http://www.adorama.com/ which included free shipping)

Pros:

• Shoot from any angle


• Adjustable LCD touch screen


• 16.1 Mega pixels (The Nikon I used to take photos of this camera has 6.1 MP. If for some reason you wanted to enlarge the photos then you've got a great big poster awaiting you.)


• Includes fun features for photo taking (frames, fish eye lens, etc.)


• Live panorama option


• Can take 2D or 3D photos


• Can take videos as well


• Great if you're looking to take non-professional photos (more for fun and traveling!


• Black brushed metal exterior


• Can stand up on its own with or without the swivel screen as a support


• Very bright and lightweight


• Built in speakers


• Includes a USB cable that can be connected to a laptop or connected into a charger via outlet


• The flash on the camera isn't too harsh and does not flatten images as much as other digital cameras

Cons:

• Requires a micro SD (not included)


• The software that the camera downloads is very slow and limited (I avoid it all together)


• Full scene shots aren't as nice as the close up


• Face detector only recognizes faces if their face is directly pointed at the camera (not even slightly tilted will enable the detection)


• Sometimes lags on snapshots (more so with the special effects/frames)

Below are photos of the packaging and the product itself (Sorry for the visible little dust particles.)Look at the brush detail on the metal!This is when you unfold the screen just enough for it to rest as if it were a stand.Fully opened at a 180° angle. Notice it resembles a flip phone.The swivel screen folded down. The camera clicker is located on the top right.Has a hole to screw on a tripod if you needed.The bottom compartment opens to hold the battery and the micro SD card. As you can see on the right it has a slot for a USB to charge or uplaod photos to your computer.When the screen is opened up all the way you can't press the top clicker to take photos so there's another button on the back to take photos

Overall I strongly recommend this product. For questions or more photos please comment!

About Vavem

va • vem vä věm'-noun A blog created to inspire through reviews, tutorials, opinions, or events.

Inspiration can be derived from just about anywhere or anything. However, the lack of taking the first few steps towards an idea or goal is what limits a person. I've been telling myself I would eventually create a blog. I would share my personal advice on fashion, beauty, baking, life, etc. It would be focused less on what I do on a day-to-day basis but more on the how-tos and accomplishments. I would also attempt to reach out to other crowds by reviewing gadgets and sharing my projects...

But that's the thing- you can only tell yourself you are going to pursue something so many times. How many times do you have to tell yourself you are going to do something before you actually do it?

So make the first few steps towards that project you always wanted to start! Do what defines you! Keep yourself occupied! There's always something to do!

I may not believe in the 2012 prophecy but I do believe in living life to its fullest, doing what you want, and pushing yourself to create and inspire.

Go invent your world.