

Follow These Five Tips To Get Your Waist Snatched AF
If only we could all wake up in the morning and magically have our personal body goals. Maybe you'd kill to have abs like Teyana Taylor or the knee balance of Megan Thee Stallion. It's time to make some health adjustments mentally and physically in order to get the body shapes we desire. This can take a lot of hard work and dedication but it'll be worth it.
As the saying goes, summer bodies are indeed made in the winter. So, in order to get those waist goals you've been hoping for, here are a few tricks to commit to ASAP. Let's get into it!
Keep a Food Diary
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A food diary can be very beneficial when it comes to tracking your eating habits. You can log the foods you eat daily in your planner, the note section of your phone, or even an app like Lifesum. The beauty of the food diary is it forces you to reflect on your food choices, whether right or wrong. The more you track your diet, the more inspired you'll be to eat healthily. Feel free to get creative with your food diary by including healthy recipes, body goal pics, and progress. Make sure that you are being completely honest with yourself. If you eat something that you feel like you shouldn't have eaten, don't beat yourself up about it. Improve and make yourself proud with your next meal.
Here is a snippet of my food diary:
Healthy Recipes to Try:
- Zucchini, hazelnuts and ricotta
- Shrimp, Mexican corn, peppers
- Cucumber, onion, pepper salad, avocado dressing
- Pita chips, tzatziki sauce, chickpeas, garlic and corn
- Cabbage, sweet mayo dressing, and carrots
- Squash, red onion, and feta cheese
- Grilled carrots, avocado, and green beans
Date: 12/2
Breakfast: Peppermint tea, Oatmeal and bananas
Lunch: Spicy steak sandwich w/ plain chips
Dinner: Shrimp, spinach and peppers
Date: 12/3
Breakfast: Banana and peppermint tea (sinus infection and no appetite)
Lunch: Shrimp/veggies/pesto pasta
Dinner: Chicken and dumplings
Date: 12/4
Breakfast: 2 bananas, carrot cake, white cheddar cheese crackers, and peppermint tea
Lunch: Seafood salad
Dinner: Shrimp w/ spinach and chickpeas
Invest in an Ab Exercise App
Establishing the proper diet is more than half the battle. In order to see drastic results to your stomach area, try to incorporate some ab work. There are a wide variety of free ab workout apps that you can download to your phone. The ab workout apps are cool because they are only 7-10 minutes long, so you can pretty much do them anywhere.
Set yourself a daily schedule or an alarm on your phone to commit 7-10 minutes of your time to ab work. It can be strenuous and annoying in the beginning, but once you start seeing results of your commitment to ab workouts, you'll make yourself proud. You never know, you might even start to push yourself to go harder. So, stop scrolling on Instagram and get to those abs, sis!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Drinking apple cider vinegar reduces belly fat, boosts weight loss, and suppresses your appetite. "Before drinking the apple cider vinegar, dilute it in 1 c (240 ml) of water. Do not drink the apple cider vinegar by itself. Apple cider vinegar is extremely acidic and could harm your teeth and throat if taken alone."
Due to its acidic nature, it is advised to dilute apple cider vinegar with 100 ml of water per 15 ml of apple cider vinegar. This is important because drinking ACV straight can cause eventual harm to your throat or teeth. Trust and believe, you don't want the thing you're doing to improve your health to unintentionally become a detriment. You can drink the apple cider vinegar before you have your meals. Try to incorporate apple cider vinegar into your diet. It may taste bitter but implementing it into your daily regimen pays off.
Running and Cycling
A good run or cycling session is a great way to start your day. Running and cycling benefits include weight loss, burning calories, and building stamina. As you continue through your stomach snatched journey, it is essential to focus not only on weight loss but also muscle toning. When it comes to running and cycling, one exercise option is not necessarily ranked higher than the other. Choose the workout option that best suits your lifestyle.
30-Day Diet
Fasting and diets can assist you with acquiring self-discipline, commitment and breaking old eating habits. Once I tried a 30-day diet that included eliminating bread, pasta, rice and sugar. Also, I only ate meat once a day and natural fruits. I drank tea every morning and stayed hydrated throughout the day. In the beginning, my body went through a slight shock and I could not stay out of the bathroom due to all of the vegetables I was eating. However, not only did my stomach get snatched but I also started to feel better internally.
As time progressed, I started to feel more energized and less tired throughout the day. My spirits were high and my body looked right. Whenever people ask how did I do it, I shared this 30-day diet. It's easy to remember and it works. You have to stay dedicated, be willing to change, and get creative with your diet.
Overall, the key to making it all work is dedication and commitment to better eating habits and finding the exercise that best suits your personality. Let's get that stomach snatched, sis!
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Exclusive: Gabrielle Union On Radical Transparency, Being Diagnosed With Perimenopause And Embracing What’s Next
Whenever Gabrielle Union graces the movie screen, she immediately commands attention. From her unforgettable scenes in films like Bring It On and Two Can Play That Game to her most recent film, in which she stars and produces Netflix’s The Perfect Find, there’s no denying that she is that girl.
Off-screen, she uses that power for good by sharing her trials and tribulations with other women in hopes of helping those who may be going through the same things or preventing them from experiencing them altogether. Recently, the Flawless by Gabrielle Union founder partnered with Clearblue to speak at the launch of their Menopause Stage Indicator, where she also shared her experience with being perimenopausal.
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Here's How To Host Your First Dinner Party, According To TikTok's Viral Dinner Host
If you haven’t scrolled upon Olivia McDowell's TikTok famous dinner parties, you may need to reconfigure your "For You Page."
What began as a passion for hosting aesthetically themed meals for her closest friends has quickly become a viral sensation. With an astonishing 12 million viewers, women describe Olivia’s picturesque dinner parties as the “dream girls' night,” complete with classy cocktails, beautiful table settings, elegant outfits, and, most importantly, food plated to perfection.
Seemingly reigniting the feminine urge to host fancy dinner parties, Olivia has perfected the finer details. Overlooking the skyline in her beautiful NYC apartment, she never fails to make her signature handmade pasta dishes while simultaneously looking effortlessly chic in the wardrobe of dreams while doing so.
@oliviaamcdowell Replying to @nara0630 what should the theme of my next dinner party be? #minivlog #nycliving #dinnerpartyideas #caviarinnewyork
What I love most about hosting intimate dinners for close friends are the connections and relationships that form over food. They don't require a caviar budget with a high-rise apartment, it just takes determination and a little creativity. Watching Olivia’s journey inspires viewers to be a part of a community of positive and uplifting women who share common interests and tastes in food, fashion, and decor. Simply stated, she’s raising the bar of friendship goals.
If you’re aspiring to host a holiday-themed dinner party this season, check out the four tips that will guide you along the way.
Choose Your Theme
@oliviaamcdowell Replying to @emz.life.tsv what was your fav part? 🤍 hope this gives you some inspiration to host a fancy friendsgiving too! #hostingtip #dinnerparty #pastamaking
Set the ambiance with a thoughtful theme, which will indeed be your guiding light for less stress during the planning process. Establishing a theme sets the tone for everything else to fall in place, such as menus, table design, and presentation. For example, a holiday-inspired dinner party is a perfect occasion for elegant all-white decor paired with draped table cloths, pillar candles lit atop luxe holders, floating floral arrangements, and, for a personal touch, handwritten place settings.
Utilizing free resources such as Canva for menu templates and creating a “Dinner Party” moodboard via Pinterest is perfect for gathering dinner inspiration for themes, decor, and recipes for the special occasion.
Simplify the Menu
@oliviaamcdowell How to host your own pasta making dinner party — part 1: pasta making from scratch 🤍 Hosting dinner parties has become my favorite thing to do this year. More goes into it than you expect, the prep, planning, guestlist, tablescape, etc. but it’s always worth it in the end. What do you guys want to see next? #hostingtips #dinnerparty #pastamaking
Don’t overcomplicate the menu. A simple dinner party formula to use as your guide to making sure your guests leave full of food and joy is appetizers, salads, entrees, sides, desserts, and beverages. As a starter, assemble an aesthetic spread that your guest can nibble on while awaiting the main course with starters such as bread, cheese, jam, nuts, and fruit. A simple salad will do, complete with a light dressing right before your entree. For a main dish, pasta recipes always go a long way and also allows your guests to interact with one another, which leads to McDowell's third dinner party hosting tip.
Include an Interactive Element
@oliviaamcdowell Replying to @itstai.tv 🥹🖤 #girlhood
To break the ice and encourage guests to get to know one another, introduce interactive elements to the evening. Moments of interaction allow everyone to connect, like capturing content for social media or memorializing the essence of the night through fun Polaroids. Olivia also encourages her guests to participate in the pasta-making dinner process as a group, or if hosting a brunch, her friends indulge in building their own coffee bar as an opportunity for forming connections and conversation starters. Group board or card games are also great for laughs and healthy competition to help get the vibes flowing.
Don’t Forget the Dress code
@oliviaamcdowell Replying to @samantha_mendiz when all of your friends are the main character 🖤🥂 #dinnerparty #nycfashion
Tis’ the season for glamour and sparkles, so why not go all out with a super chic dress code? You can’t have a picture-perfect holiday dinner party without the coordinating attire to match. When planning, make sure to make the required attire specific yet broad enough for a range of personalities and preferences to comfortably partake while looking stunning doing so.
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