The Brunette Diaries

Steps To Get A Guy To Fall In Love With You

Are you looking to hook up with a guy who you’ve had your eye on for quite a long time? You may not feel confident to approach him… well, there’s your problem, in fact. If he ever notices that you lack confidence, it can be a real turn off to any guy. While most claim that there is something called love at first sight, we beg to differ. He can fall in love with the way you look, and have a crush on you, but love you? Love is something more meaningful and the term has been thrown around wrongly too often.

(Also read – Signs that he is falling in love with you)

So here we look at steps in which you can build up your confidence to walk up to the man of your dreams and make him fall head over heels for you.

Love yourself

Loving yourself is the first step towards being loved. If he sees that you love the way you look, he’ll perceive you to be confident. Everything we see and read on television and magazines gives us an unrealistic perception of what our bodies should look like. Instead, learn to love yourself just the way you are, and he will too.

(Also read – Mistakes that can ruin new love)

Love everything you do

Any boy will be much more likely to fall in love with you if you love what you do and feel more positive about the things in your life. If you make it known that you’re happy pursuing your interests, work, or career, then he’ll be more inclined to want to get to know you.

Melroy Day, a 21-year-old I.T. student feels that, “The biggest sickness society suffers from is ‘what will people say’. A girl who could get rid of this unreal expectation of society and love herself will be much more attractive to me.”

Get his attention

If you want a boy to love you, then you have to look like a fun person to be around. 19-year-old Maargi Mehta opines, “Whenever a guy sees you, you should have a big but genuine smile on your face, do something different, be fun to hang out with.”

Body language

You don’t want to be friend-zoned, do you? It’s important to get your body language right and not send him the wrong message from across the room. This can involve eye contact, standing upright and not showing any signs of nervousness.

Show something special

If you have a special talent, portray it. Highlight your strength and hide your weaknesses. He’ll love how you are different from others when you show him some skill that you may possess.

(Also read – Falling in love too fast?)

Be mysterious

Don’t give him a chance to get to know you completely. Make him want to come back for more. Don’t tell him every story you know, make him want to ask you things. Don’t show too much excitement and he will long to hear from you!

You have to be patient. Love doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s surely worth the wait, because it is beautiful.

Get Fit In 15 Minutes!

Sometimes you don’t have all the time in the world to just take care of your fitness. Here we list for you a few easy 15-minute workouts that will make you look fabulous in no time.

Dumbbell sumo squat

If you want proper shaped legs, back, shoulders and also a great-looking posterior, this exercise will work wonders for you. Stand with your back straight, toes pointed out and your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab two dumbbells of equal weight in each hand. Squat down with arms extended keeping the lower back taut and upright. Keep on holding the pose for a few seconds before you lift yourself up to the starting position again. Repeat this process three times.

Burpee

If you are running short of time but need a full work out then this is the apt exercise for you. Stand straight. Then come to a complete squat down position with your hand placed in the front, and your knees near your chest. Now spring like a frog and push your legs behind as required for push-ups. Do a push-up and now go in the reverse order to reach back to the original standing position. This workout tones your arms, shoulders, legs and endurance. To reduce the difficulty level, you can avoid the standing part of the exercise.

The reverse plank

This exercise is much harder to do than it looks, but it is advantageous as it tones the abs, triceps and posterior muscles in your body. Sit down on the floor and place your palms beside your hips. Pressurize onto your heels (toes up) and palms to lift your frame. Keep your body in a straight line as you continue to look up to the ceiling and hold the position for 30 seconds. You might not be able to keep the straight position for more than two or three breathes in the beginning. It’s only normal!

Post Workout Mistakes You May Be Making

No matter how much effort you put into your workout, if your post workout habits are inappropriate, you’ll be losing out on your desired results. Pretty soon, you may find yourself de-motivated to work out and give up on your health goals. Therefore, it is necessary to maximise your workouts by paying attention to healthy post workout habits. Here we take a look at a few unhealthy post workout habits that you have.

(Also read – How to burn fat without losing muscle)

Cooling down

Post workout aerobics can help you cool down

Letting your heart rate and blood pressure return to normal levels cuts your risk of injury, according to experts. We hardly ever pay attention to this and return to our regular chores after a rigorous workout. The best solution is to end your workout with a light aerobic exercise to bring back your body to the normal resting levels gradually.

(Try reading – Benefits of push-ups)

Stretching

You must stretch to prevent muscle soreness

Stretching can prevent muscle soreness on the following day. Less soreness will mean you can hit the gym the sooner than ever and get back to working those muscles to attain your dream body!

Nutrition

Nutrition helps your muscles repair after a break-down workout. A combination of carbs and protein, like yogurt or a handful of nuts, is a great post workout snack to revitalize your body!

(You can also read – You can dance to lose weight!)

Hygiene

Make sure you take a shower and change your clothes after a workout

This may or may not apply to you; however, there are some people out there who don’t change their clothes or wash their bodies after a workout. Gross as it sounds, it obviously has more to it than just plain dirtiness. It can lead to yeast infections!

Sleep

Most people do not find the time to rest their bodies adequately due to hectic schedules. But what is important to note is that a good 7-8 hours of sleep is imperative for a person who works out.

(Also read – Get fit in 15 minutes!)

So the next time you think that skipping any of these things is fine, think again. Workouts can be good for you, but don’t let it affect your health!

Fitness habits to establish in your 20’s

Your twenties is the time to live life to the fullest, to explore, to go on adventures and do everything your body permits you to do. However, if we neglect our body at this age, it is obvious that we have to bear the brunt of it at a later age. It is essential that you take care of your body and inculcate the following fitness habits at this age.

(Also read – How to avoid weight gain due to a desk job)

Strength training

Strength training is one habit that you must get into. It increases lean muscle mass, boosts metabolism, torches calories, eases back pain, helps you sleep, and even wards off diabetes. Doing this at a young age when you have the strength and time to do it is like making hay while the sun shines.

(Try reading – Benefits of push-ups)

Drink water

Get into the habit of having enough water

If you aren’t into the habit of having six to eight glasses of water per day, you must! Our body is made up of 50-65% water and it is the most essential and overlooked part of our fitness regime. So get to chugging on that H2O.

Learn proper form

The key to weight lifting and circuit training is proper form. If you do not use proper form, you risk injury; and injuring yourself at such a young age could make matters worse later on in life.

(Also read – Too much of fatigue ruining your lifestyle?)

Stretching

Stretching before and after your workout is essential. If you do not stretch, your muscles can get tight and this sets you up for injury. Stretching is one thing that most of us overlook but is imperative in your fitness regime.

Have fun

While you’re at all of this, make sure you have fun. Because, remember, you’re in your twenties after all!

(You may find this interesting – Post workout mistakes you may be making)

Your 20’s is basically a time to prepare yourself and your body to live a wholesome life. So get off your behind if you are lazy and make the most of it!

Foods that can cool you down this summer

The summer can be unforgiving these days. We wonder if the sun is pissed off. While we can’t do anything to change the sun’s mood, we can at least do something to cool ourselves down after a hot day. Let us look at some foods that can help you cool down this summer.

Watermelon

With a high percentage of water, this fruit is healthy, cooling and refreshing as well. It contains a mere 50 calories per cup, so it clearly isn’t stacking on your calorie count if you are one who takes special care of that. Watermelon has immense health benefits, and having it as an excuse to cool off is a wonderful idea. Not to mention it is tasty too.

Yogurt

Yogurt is healthy, filling and will help cool you down on a hot and humid day. Be it frozen yogurt or just the usual one, yogurt can be a healthy and cooling breakfast, lunch dessert or evening snack.

Cucumber

Besides being used to cool off your skin on application, cucumbers can cool off your body as well. Cucumbers keep the body hydrated, and help in digestion as well, all of which is of utmost importance to brace yourself against a hot summer day.

Ice tea

The thought of tea on a hot summer day is frightening at times. But what if it is ice tea? Try this over the normal tea you are accustomed to, to ensure that you aren’t dehydrated. Switch out your hot morning tea for a glass of chilled iced tea, instead.

Salads

Green leafy vegetables with a sprinkle of olive oil can be a great way to indulge in a meal without the fear of it being heaty. Salads can leave you feeling cool and energized before or after a meal, as a meal, or even as an evening snack.

So if you are looking to cool down those struggling and sweaty pores that have been working all day while you were outside, this is a cool way. Yeah, it’s a cool way!

Junk food made healthy

When it comes to eating right, one of the worst things to do is treat it like a chore. And because our mentality has it that healthy food is boring, we don’t even take a minute before calling for pizza. But guess what? Comfort foods, like everybody’s favourite pizza, burger, or fries, can be made healthy too!

Also read: Tips to keep your kitchen healthy and clean

Of course, you’ll have to do away with all the bucket loads of oil and fattening ingredients that are not doing any good for your waistline. Today I’m going to share a few recipes for healthy homemade everyone’s favourite junk food, which will not give you a reason to worry about your weight!

Hot’n’crispy French fries:

Who loves hot crispy fries? I do! And because I can never satiate my cravings for a huge bag full of French fries I decided to make them healthier. Here’s how…

Baked french fries are a tasty yet healthy option to calm your junk food craving

You will need:

4 large potatoes or sweet potatoes if you want extra, extra healthy

One tablespoon olive oil

Salt as per taste

Water

Method: Wash and cut the potatoes into thin long slices (you may keep a little bit of the skin on for taste and health benefits). In a large pan, boil some water and dunk the potatoes in with some salt. Once they’re done, drain them on a piece of clean cloth and give it a shake to make the edges a little rough. Drizzle a baking tray with olive oil and spread the potatoes out on the tray. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Yummy, crispy and healthy French fries are ready to serve. Don’t forget the salsa dip!

Also read: Are you obsessive about healthy food

The massive hamburger:

Hamburgers top everybody’s favourite foods list. When it comes to burgers, bigger is always better. But the best burger and the current favourite of mine is my mom’s recipe of a good healthy homemade one. It’s a must try.

When it comes to burgers, it’s always the bigger the better

You will need:

Whole grain burger buns/Sesame buns/Multigrain buns

Fresh lettuce

Tomatoes

Onions

Cabbage leaves

Many slices of juicy grilled chicken ham/vegetable patties

Tangy homemade salsa sauce

Low fat mozzarella cheese/ fat-free cheddar

Tomato ketchup

Mustard sauce

One teaspoon of either low fat mayo or olive oil

Also read: 6 awesome Maggi noodle recipes

Method: This one is no less than a food extravaganza. Get your chicken ham slices/veg patties and the burger buns grilled. Wash and slice the tomatoes and onions. Wash the lettuce and cabbage leaves thoroughly and pat them dry with a soft kitchen towel or simply spread them on a plate and put them in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Now, once you’ve got all your ingredients handy, start piling them up in 2-4 layers however you like it. For a fun food session, let your family members do the stacking themselves! Vegetarians can make the same by using veg patties instead of the chicken.

Crunchy crust pizza: Pizzas may be a takeout speciality but once you try this pizza-made-healthy option you’ll definitely know why it’s better. Most times, the chewy pizza crust adds to the inches on our belly; so in this homemade variety I used the ever so healthy whole grain chapattis with a twist!

Whole wheat pizza can also be yummy! Try it to believe it.

You will need:

For the crust:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour (maida)

2 teaspoon yeast

1 teaspoon salt

Hot water

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the toppings:

Black/green olives

Red/Yellow bell peppers

Onions

Tomatoes

Jalapenos/pickle

Dried Oregano/Dill leaves

5 sprigs of parsley/fresh coriander leaves

200 grams cottage cheese/soya chunks/chicken breast/lean minced chicken (steamed)

Boiled baby corn/corn kernels

One bowl of grated feta cheese/goat’s cheese

One bowl of grated fat-free mozzarella cheese

Salsa pizza spread

Salt and pepper to taste

Method: Combine the whole wheat flour and the all purpose flour with yeast, salt and hot water in a food processor, to make a light and fluffy dough. Knead well so that the dough is soft. Lightly flour a flat surface covered with plastic wrap; let the dough rest for 30 minutes maximum. Meanwhile, chop the olives, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and the herbs. Roll out the dough in circles or rectangles and use a fork or toothpick to prick it. Spread a thick layer of salsa spread on each rolled out crust. Top the pizza crust with the chopped veggies, herbs, and cottage cheese/chicken (or whatever you are using as a main ingredient) and season it with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the feta and mozzarella cheese on top and bake in a pre-heated oven at 450 degrees C for 10-12 minutes. Serve immediately.