5 Steps to Shaping Up for the Big Day: Say “I Do” to Your Personal Trainer

It’s not a secret that most women want to look the most fabulous they’ve EVER looked on their wedding day. Hairstylists are enlisted, make-up artists, tailors… But what about the bod? We all know exercise is the key to health; it’s also the key to a killer silhouette on your big day. And don’t forget the honeymoon – if you’re headed to a tropical destination, you’ll be eyeing the bikini you’ve always wanted to wear (and sexy, barely-there lingerie too.) So how do you get the inches to disappear and the toned arms you want to show off in your dress? Say “goodbye” to crash diets and "hello" to personal trainers. Following these 5 steps will get you the figure you’re dying to show off.

1. Say “I Do” to a Personal Trainer. When you’re planning that wedding budget, make sure a personal trainer is on your list. You may think that working out on your own is the most effective plan, but many people lose motivation on their own. A fantastic fitness centre will not only provide you with a professional trainer that can work around your hectic schedule, it will also provide you with fitness evaluations, and nutritional consultations to make sure you know good food from bad and help you look divine on your day.
2. Make H2O Your BFF. Not only does water keep you hydrated and refreshed, it also keeps your hair, skin, nails and insides in good working order and looking sensational. Make sure to get 6-8 8oz. glass a day (4 big drinking glasses full) and not only will you be glowing on the outside, you’ll also be able to keep up with your workouts.
3. Ditch the Crash Dieting. Slimming down and shaping up for the nuptials should never include crash or fad diets. Chugging maple syrup or cabbage soup is not going to benefit that body in the long run. The goal is the wedding day but why not use a sustainable eating plan provided by a reputable fitness centre professional. Try eating small meals 4-5 times per day (and one snack) and make sure you’re choosing food that fuels your form, instead of comfort foods. Weight loss depends on revving up your metabolism with consistent healthy food, not slowing it down with an empty belly.
4. Start Cheating Before the Wedding! Allow yourself a cheat day once a week. It’s no fun if you can’t have a slice of pizza or a glass of wine (or two) at the end of your long and over-planned week. Make sure you don’t overdo and monitor your portions, but make sure you allow yourself a little bit of indulgence. You are after all, the bride!
5. Relax and Enjoy the Ride. Being super-stressed can lead to excess cortisol production in your body, which leads to heightened fat storage. In layman’s terms this means: the more stressed you are, the more fat you keep! The more calm you are, the faster your body will let go of its cozy padding. Deep breathing for even 1-2 minutes per day, or a nightly bubble bath can truly soothe the savage bride.

Your groom and your guests will be stunned when they see a glowing healthy woman floating down the aisle on the biggest day of her life. Most of all you’ll reap the benefits of dedication and healthy choices and be one happy bride.

Lilly Gordon is a freelance writer and web publisher. She is currently researching Edmonton Personal Trainers and healthy lifestyle choices.

How to Style Hair in 2011

If you're bored with your hair get ready to be excited! 2011 brings a soft romantic vibe to hairstyles and colour. This year we are looking to reds and whites to brighten our drab, boring locks and dramatically change our looks to christen the New Year. From cosmetology schools to runways, these are the trends you'll be eyeing.

Who Wears Short Shorts?
Celebrities, that’s who! With the recent dramatic cropping of celebrity hair that belongs to the likes of Emma Watson, Sienna Miller, Michelle Williams one of the boldest hair trends this year is to cut it off! This hairstyle isn’t for everyone but it can be extremely complementary on some people. If you have a heart or square-shaped face, dare to bare all with this trendy do!

I Just Threw It On
Touseled, not messy; knots, not buns. Effortless hairstyles that only do take minutes to complete but look amazing will take you miles this season. They say you don’t really care about impressing anyone, and are too busy to care about your hair, even though you still look fabulous. Top knots, double knots, knots at the nape of your neck are an easy style that will take you from day to night with a simple twist of the wrist.

Bang On
It’s all about bangs, bangs and more bangs. 2011 brings soft, fringed, eye-framing bangs into focus. Even curly haired-beauties are pairing their corkscrew curls and soft, bouncy waves with bangs. Paired with just about any hairstyle, fringed bangs are a hit.

Bobbing for Style
The bob is back, but it has taken on a new, more feminine form. Short, severe bobs are gone and longer, wavy bobs have replaced them. Celebrities like Scarlett Johannson have embraced this trend for 2011 and have never looked better. What’s more, the long bob suits every face shape; just layer correctly according to your angles, and you’re good to go.

Colour Me Happy
Move over Christina Hendricks, you’re about to have some competition. Redheads rejoice, those carrot or ruby coloured locks are in vogue this season. For those of us not born with the colour, the beauty salon awaits. The more natural looking the better – if you’re not willing to go totally ginger, incorporate some silky strawberry threads throughout your mane. Blondes, don’t despair, your colour is still in high demand, just in a different hue… Ethereal white blonde is the newest trend along with lightened brows.

DO Be So Dramatic
2011 is the year for bold, dramatic changes; this is your ticket to start the year anew with a fresh new look. If you’ve always wanted to do a 180 on your locks, this is the year to do it. Shocke your friends family and co-workers by chopping it all off and sporting a mod pixie cut, or go all Gwen Stefani and rise to platinum bombshell status.

Make the leap in 2011: take a hint from these inspired hair styles and go forth with a beautiful new you!

Lilly Gordon is a freelance writer and web publisher. She enjoys writing about beauty, hair styles and cosmetology schools.

Are You Ready For a Franchise Business Opportunity?

If you’re ready for a career change, you may want to consider owning a franchise. Business opportunity is rare in these economically unpredictable times and franchises are one way of an almost guaranteed success. Not only do franchises have a mega-high success rate, they also offer a myriad of benefits that don’t come with a normal start-up business. Also, the different types of franchises available are very diverse; there are so many options that anyone could find a perfect fit.

Become a Small Business Consultant or A Tutoring Franchise Operator-It’s Up to You! There are literally hundreds of different industries from which to choose your franchise business opportunity. There are trends that the marketplace sees every few years due to supply and demand but whole industries rarely fade away into oblivion. Some of the most popular choices for 2011-2012 are:

Business Consulting: This is a perfect opportunity for professional considering a career change after 50. Managers, seasoned sales and marketing professionals and entrepreneurs can put their expertise to good work being a business coach and mentor for Small businesses.

Fitness and Nutrition: With a new and intensified spotlight on the obesity epidemic in North America, more and more people are turning to Personal health and Fitness instruction and training. There are tremendous opportunities to become part of the fitness revolution and an already existing fitness or nutrition chain.

Tutoring and Educational Assistance: Because of the increased stress on children to learn faster, harder and more broadly than ever before, this is a blooming industry that provides a n educational supplement of sorts to help kids excel at their studies.

Convenience Stores and Fast Food: Although not the most popular in the eyes of health conscious North Americans, there’s no denying the popularity and high success rates of mega-giant convenience stores like 7-11 and fast food giants like McDonalds.

These are just a few examples of the most popular franchise business opportunities; a different opportunity for every lifestyle, price range and dream career.

There Are Definite Advantages. Aside from the biggest draw of an astoundingly high success rate for a start-up business, there are three huge advantages of entering into a partnership of sorts with already established companies:

1. Recognition and Reputation: buying into an already established and most likely popular company gives new owners a great stepping stone to success with little to no effort required. The public will already know about the company, the product or service and the quality of said product or service; this provides an opportunity for an established customer base. Trademarks and logos are supplied – no need to hire designers and marketing professionals. Also, you may find that financing falls into place easily with a well known brand name behind you.

2. Lower Overhead: Supplies and product will most like be handed out at lower costs from the head company or distribution hub to the franchisees. Also, marketing and advertising plans are generally for the whole of a company, leaving franchisees to simply take advantage of opportunities, rather than spending time, effort and cash on their own.

3. Training: More often than not in franchise situations, new owners are provided with startup equipment and extensive training. As you will be representing a branch of a larger company, franchisors are extremely concerned with having their franchisees trained and providing ongoing education and mentoring opportunities.

Franchises are not for everyone; they are notoriously controlled by the “head office” offering less creative freedom and usually expensive to buy into. But for an individual wanting the freedom of owning and operating a “sure thing” they may be the best bet.

Lilly Gordon is a freelance writer and publisher. She writes on a variety of topics including business opportunities, the economy, and how to become a small business consultant.

Potty Training 101 – Potty Seats, Dances and Regression, Oh My!

Potty training is the moment we as parents dream about. It is the milestone that will take us from diaper duty to a modicum of freedom. Sure, we still have clean up little spills, wipe bums and do laundry twice a day until the little gaffer gets the hang of things; yet we clamor towards that small light at the end of the diaper genie that seems to signify a tiny morsel of freedom. There are so many tidbits, articles, methods and products related to potty training that parents can get easily overwhelmed and confused. What is the best potty seat? When is it time? Why won’t he/she stop having accidents? Potty training time can be scary for parents and children, but there are some basics to get you on the way to kissing those dirty diapers good-bye for good (not literally of course).

Ready, Set, Go!
Knowing your child is ready to start potty training is the start of your journey. The general rule of thumb is if your child is between 18-24 months old, they have the basic motor skills to start. That doesn’t mean they’re ready, however. Every child’s maturity level is different in this area and kids do not like to be rushed!
Here are some signs to look for:

• A general bathroom schedule– regular bowel movements and diaper changes are a good start;
• Is anxious or excited to use the toilet;
• The ability to get their own pants on and off;
• The desire to wear underwear;
• Your child knows what “poop” and “pee” are;
• A general dislike of dirty diapers, feeling dirty and wet, etc.
• Dry periods of several hours at a time – nap time is a good indicator

If your tyke is showing any of these signs, he or she may be ready to try the potty.

Potty Paraphernalia
As is true with the baby product industry on a whole, there are dozens of different potty- related products to help your child through this monumental task of saying good bye to the nappies once and for all!

• Potty Dolls: These dolls can help your child learn the basics of potty training while at the same time give him or her the chance to show the doll how to do it. This may give your child the little smidge of responsibility that is necessary to get them doing it on their own.
• Potty Seats and Potties: There are several different kinds out there: chamber pot style, potties that turn into stepping stools, potties that congratulate kids when they’re through, and simple potty seats that fit over a regular toilet. Heck, they even make travel potty seats for those on the go! The best potty seats and potties are: comfortable, easy to use and easy to clean. Beyond that, if your kid will sit on it you’ve won a small part of the battle.
• Potty Books and Computer Games: Yes, they even have computer games that feature popular kids’ characters talking about “potty time”, as well as books for your child to read up on your new favourite subject.

Potty Etiquette
Everyone has their own best way to potty train in mind when they start. Some people have smooth sailing while some start to see the good side of diapers. The biggest virtue of potty training is patience. Your child will get the gist of it when he or she is ready to do it. Reward systems are popular, but the best reward is for your little one to receive a big hug and a celebratory kiss or yes the fabled potty dance, so they can see how important it is that they learn this skill.

Negative, frustrating or angry reactions or punishments are a natural response to accidents but they will NOT help your child achieve his or goal. It is normal for kids to have accidents for about 6 months after they start. Most Canadian baby stores sell products that can take the edge off of “oopsies”.

• Training pants: cotton lined waterproof underwear that hold in the wetness and remind kids they have to go.
• Crib and Bed pads: for nap and night time bed protection, until they get the hang of things.
• Dry Seats: an insert you can place in their car seats and strollers for travel protection.

If your child is having a rough time and constant accidents, it is time to put the training on hold. This is a hard thing for Moms and Dads to do, but necessary. Some kids don’t want to use the potty until they are around 4 years old, and although this is frustrating for parents, every child develops at their own rate. (Never compare your child’s learning to anyone else’s.) Getting into a power struggle with a toddler over bathroom habits never did anyone any good.

The bottom line is your child’s happiness and developmental well-being. Whether you choose to reward, dance or just let them run around naked for a few weeks, your child will get the hang of it. Hang in there and remember, your little one will not be wearing diapers to high school… They’ll get it, eventually!

Lilly Gordon is a freelance web publisher and author and enjoys writing on a variety of topics. She is a wife and mother of two and specializes in Canadian Baby Stores.

From Mortgage Broker to Moving Day – 7 Steps to Your Dream Home!

Buying a home is a fairly standard process and barring unforeseen circumstances, should go smoothly if you have a comprehensive checklist of things to expect and do.

You may want a condo, or you may only qualify for a “high-risk” mortgage – those are details that you, your realtor, your mortgage broker and your family can delve into at the appropriate time; the details may be different from person to person, but the main ideas the same.

7 Steps to Your Dream Home
1. Find Your Broker and Realtor
Finding your realtor and mortgage broker should be an easy task, but it may require a bit of research. The qualities of the best realtors and mortgage brokers are:

• Great references (word-of-mouth is key)
• Proven track records
• Willingness to build a relationship and have
• Repeat clients
• Located near to the area you are moving to

2. Pre-Approval
You and your mortgage broker will be old friends by the time this process is through. After calculating your current debt, monthly salary, and other odds and ends, your mortgage broker will get you pre-approved for your mortgage. This will give you the approximate amount you can spend on your home. There’s no point in shopping for a house you can’t afford. When calculating your monthly mortgage budget, make sure to take into consideration that you will also be paying for:

• Property taxes
• Home Insurance
• Condo fees (if applicable)
• Utilities
• Monthly living expenses
• Miscellaneous items

You may want to reduce your budget after calculating your monthly expenditures versus your incoming cash flow.

3. House Shopping
This is the often stressful, but definitely fun part of the experience. Now that you have a budget, you will want to create your list of “must-haves”; the deal-breakers in your new home. These are necessities for you or your family as well as items you feel will add to your quality of life: number of bedrooms, proximity to schools and shopping, fireplace, garage, air conditioning, etc. Once your realtor has your budget and your Must-haves” list in hand, he or she will be able to find you several houses in your neighbourhood of choice to view. Don’t be afraid to visit as many houses as it takes to find the perfect dwelling.

4. Making an Offer
After you choose your perfect house, you can then make an offer. Your realtor can advise you on the right price to come in at. Your offer will be subject to financing which means that the seller has to make sure that you have been approved for the cost of their house. As the buyer, you will also have conditions on your offer such as an agreeable possession date and a property inspection, as well as any other conditions you feel are fair. You may want to change your price if the property inspection is sub-par or rescind it all-together.

5. SOLD!
If your offer is accepted, all conditions are met, and your mortgage broker and financial institution have worked together to secure the monies needed to purchase the house, you will have a visit or two to your lawyer’s office to sign on the dotted line and agree to transfer of ownership on a specific possession date. Your broker or financial institution will have a home appraisal done as well to make sure that your prospective abode is worth the price you’re paying. You will also be working closely with your mortgage broker to create the best mortgage payment schedule (monthly, biweekly, weekly) based on your monthly income and current mortgage rates.

6. Moving Day
As your date of possession nears, you will have to start organizing your move. About two months out you should arrange a moving company or truck rental. Go with a company that has good recommendations within your community. This is also the perfect time to go through all of your possessions and have a garage sale or donate items to a charitable organization.
Your moving checklist should include:

• Complete school transfer paperwork (if you have children)
• Submit a change of address form to your local post office
• Scheduling a service disconnection and reconnection at your new address
• Pack items that aren’t used regularly

Before you go, decide on which items you will want to transfer to your new home yourself and confirm your truck about a week before moving day.

7. First Payment
Your first mortgage payment will be at the end of your first month in your house. Your payment schedule will have been previously determined with your mrtgage broker. Now is the time to organize, meet your neighbours and get acquainted with your new neighbourhood.

Lilly Gordon is a freelance writer and web publisher. She researches and writes on a variety of topics including mortgage information and Sherwood Park Mortgage Brokers.

7 Steps to a Perfect Master Bedroom - Furniture, Planning and Design

Your master bedroom is the one place that you can go after a long day and relax completely… right? If you’re shaking your head, you may be in need of a master bedroom makeover. The mood of the room and the bedroom furniture should be just right – the paint should soothe and lull you to sleep. The comforter should call your name and lure you into its embrace. If there’s no lulling, soothing or luring happening in your house, you can simply follow these steps and create a space you can’t wait to curl up in.

1. Plan
Planning your bedroom is the first essential step to your sleepy oasis. When thinking about your bedroom you first need to collect ideas and brainstorm your favourite looks and the way you want your bedroom to feel. An easy way to do this is by looking through design magazines or online furniture outlets to gather decorating ideas and look at pictures of bedroom furniture that you are fond of.

You will also need to measure your space to ensure no furniture returns or odd furniture placements.

2. Purpose
Take a minute to decide on the purpose of your master bedroom. Will it be your cozy, curl-up space? A night-time getaway with a TV and sitting area? Will you put your sewing table in the corner for quick seam stitch-ups? Your bedroom can be as simple or as multi-purpose as you make it, but this should be decided before you start picking out bedroom furniture.

3. Theme
The theme of your bedroom is extremely important. It helps tie all of the colours, furniture lines and lighting together, and will ultimately help you make logical decisions about all of your choices. Think about whether you want a casual, continental or country bedroom. What about a romantic, relaxing or Victorian theme? Choose a theme that best reflects your (and your partners) personality. Once you have done that, you can start thinking about which elements of the theme you would like to incorporate. (Bedrooms are best with simplified themes that utilize the most important elements as beautiful accents to your room, not as a main feature.)

4. Colours
The coulours that you choose for your master suite should be warm and inviting. Some people prefer neutrals while others will choose a bold colour – the choise is up to you. Just remember that your colours should reflect your theme and you can always bring in accenting colours through fabrics, decorative pillows and bedding.

5. Bedroom Furniture
After you have measured and thought about theme, you can start browsing for your furniture. There are several things to consider while you are shopping.

• Decide if you want matching pieces or an eclectic mix.
• Make sure the night stands have enough storage space.
• Choose furniture that fits into your theme. For example, a “Romantic” theme might call for a beautiful, modern canopy bed with rot iron detailing, while a relaxing oasis may call for a soothing, fabric covered headboard.
• Don’t overcrowd your room.
• Choose the furniture that fits your needs; make sure you have enough space for all of your bedroom accoutrements.

6. Lighting
When decorating their bedroom, many people often forget the very important detail of lighting. Lighting a room properly can completely change the way your furniture and skin tone look, the warmth or the room and the subtlety of accent colours. Make sure your room has enough lighting to suit your needs – choose bedside table lamps if you like to read, or a standing lamp if you have a sitting area. The main light fixture will be a focal point, so choose wisely and make sure it fits with the overall flow of the room. Another consideration could be whether or not you also need a ceiling fan for warmer climates.

7. Accents
This is where you tie it all together and complete your look. The accents in a room often make or break the look and should be chosen with care. First, make a list of everything you need. Some purchases to think about are:

• Curtains and blinds
• Bedding – duvets, comforters, throw blankets, pillowcases, etc.
• Decorative pillows
• Wall hangings and picture frames
• An area rug for chilly wood floors
• Mirrors – a stand-up mirror for a full-length view is optimal if you have the space.
• Shopping for your accents is where you can truly bring the elements and theme of your room together.

With some planning, shopping and your own personal touch, your bedroom can become the room of your dreams.

Lilly Gordon is a freelance author and web publisher. She is currently researching interior design and furniture stores in Edmonton.

Creating A Home Office – Furniture and More

The popularity of home offices has boomed in the past decade due to the technological advancements made and ease of data transfer and communication. There are many more people starting home-based businesses and employers willing to let family-conscious employees work from home. It is becoming standard practice to build houses with a specific home office space. There are many considerations when creating a home office space; essential details that can elevate, or conversely, decrease your productivity and motivation.

Phase 1: Planning
The first step is to measure the space and figure out exactly how much room there is to work with. Draw a rough diagram of your room and note where the jacks, outlets and windows later use.

Then, sit down and make a list of all of the essential elements the office will need. Some examples are:

• Main office furniture: desk, filing cabinets, chair
• Computer and accessories
• Phone and fax machine
• Shredder, waste basket, recycling bin
• Supplies
• Book cases
• Meeting table
• Chairs for visitors
• Whiteboard
• Media or Entertainment system (for video editing, presentations)
• Stereo system
• Couch and table for reading, researching
• Job-specific requirements (e.g. drafting table, projection screen, etc.)

When making the list, be sure to include enough storage space – a cluttered office is not a good space to be working in. Also, give yourself enough space to work.

Add the main elements from the list to your rough diagram to plan out the space. This is the time to take into consideration of where your power sources are and any windows.

Phase 2: Design
When thinking about the design of the home office try and choose colours and accents that not only showcase personal preferences and personality, but also make it easy to be motivated, calm and productive.

• Lighting is also a very important factor – be sure to take not of how much natural light is in the space already, and compliment that with stanp-up lamps, reading or desk lamps and a main light fixture in the center of the room.
• The office furniture should encompass all work needs. The desk should have enough table space for a computer, phone, lamp, keyboard, mouse, and elbow room to move. The look and feel of the furniture should reflect personal style as well as office needs; for example, traditional personality may be best reflected in beautiful wood furniture.
• The chair should provide good back support, swivel, have adjustable height and roll. Comfort is of the utmost importance.
• Creative and motivational pictures, wall hangings or murals are a great way to accent your room, as are special details like candy dishes, diplomas, awards, gadgets and any other unique design elements that are brought in.

Phase 3: Implement and Reflect
After all of the choices have been made and the furniture and other pieces are being brought in, take a step back and consider the following:
Flow: is the furniture placed in such a way that no one will be tripping or walking around big pieces of furniture?
Lighting: Is there enugh light created by the chosen light fixtures? Is the window properly covered or will the bright afternoon sun be an issue with sight or computer glare?
Space: Is the office functional? Is there enough space to move and work without causing clutter? Are the storage needs met?

Remember that above all, the main objective of home offices is to keep people balanced, happy and productive. Be sure to plan, design and implement accordingly.

Lilly Gordon is a freelance author and web publisher. She is currently researching interior design and furniture stores in Edmonton.