Drop 5 Pounds in a Week

You want to shed weight for an upcom-ing event. Do you (1) accept how you look and detag Facebook pics later, (2) stop eating, or (3) follow our simple plan? Yeah, we thought so.

Cosmo has come up with a fat-torching plan that really will subtract up to 5 pounds from your bod in seven days — without starvation, bizarre supplements, or cutting out entire food groups. How? It's all about small sacrifices combined with specific techniques. And rather than giving you a one-size-fits-all regimen, we figure you're more likely to stick with the plan if you pick the eating and exercise strategies that fit your lifestyle.

10 Uniquely Hunger-Fighting Foods to Lose Weight

What do chia seeds, pears, and chickpeas have in common? They’re all hydrophilic, or high in filling soluble fiber. Here’s why you should be eating more of them, according to the new book The HD Diet.

The Power of Water-Absorbent, Hydrophilic Foods

Think about a kitchen sponge—the hard, dry one that sits on the top corner of your sink. Place it under running water and it’s instantly revitalized.  Water-absorbent foods—all rich in soluble fiber—will have the same effect on you. When you eat these foods, they dissolve and form a gel in your intestines. This gel improves the way your body processes carbohydrates, and it decreases insulin production by slowing glucose absorption. Translation: When you ingest foods with soluble fiber, it stops nasty cravings by keeping your blood sugar levels steady. Here are 10 of my favorite hydrophilic foods that have been staples in my nutrition practice. 

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How to Lose Weight: 40 Fast, Easy Tips

You know the drill when it comes to losing weight: take in fewer calories, burn more calories. But you also know that most diets and quick weight-loss plans don't work as promised. If you're trying to drop a few pounds fast, these expert tips will make it easy for you to lose the weight quickly.

1. Write down what you eat for one week and you will lose weight.

Studies found that people who keep food diaries wind up eating about 15 percent less food than those who don’t. Watch out for weekends: A University of North Carolina study found people tend to consume an extra 115 calories per weekend day, primarily from alcohol and fat. Then cut out or down calories from spreads, dressings, sauces, condiments, drinks, and snacks; they could make the difference between weight gain and loss.
Need major weight-loss motivation? Here’s the secret weight-loss advice used by the folks onThe Biggest Loser and other reality shows.

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23 Wedding Makeup Ideas From the Red Carpet

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From Kendall Jenner's nude lips to Naomi Campbell's champagne lids, find the look that fits your wedding style, courtesy of the red carpet.

What It's Really Like to Get Hair Extensions

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In just one afternoon, my hair went from short bob to mermaid long. No, I didn't developDisney-level magic powers or turn into Beyoncé; I got head-turning extensions.

When RPZL, a new hair extension and blowout bar in New York, offered to let me try a new type of hair extensions, I jumped at the chance. I've had long hair in the past, but I'm currently in the process of growing out a pixie cut, and it is trying my patience.

So I opted for RPZL Next, which uses ultrasonic waves to bond keratin attachments to your actual hair. Like heat-applied keratin extensions, RPZL Next lasts at least three months, but unlike tape extensions, they're attached via individual wefts rather than in strips.

If you, too, are having growing-out woes, or if you just want to add body to already-long locks, you might want keratin-bonded extensions. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of what you can expect from the process.

The Products Every Woman Needs to Rock Natural Curls This Summer

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Bouncy, defined, and frizz-free curls are what every naturally curly-haired woman dreams of — especially in the middle of Summer, when the combination of extreme humidity and lackluster products can make it nearly impossible. Out of frustration, my superthick, curly hair typically ends up in either a bun or a braid. However, this Summer, I'm giving up my go-to hairstyles and embracing my natural coils with the help of products such as an amazing lightweight supercream, an insanely moisturizing deep conditioner, and a gel for those unavoidable updo days. These nine hair products will help you and your mane get through the Summer with dream-worthy curls.

Even More Inspiration For Your July 4 Nail Art

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If you're anything like us, you have absolutely no idea how some women can restrict themselves to just a weekly red manicure. There are so many possibilities for rad manicures out there . . . and when a holiday rolls around, you can bet we're on DIY overdrive. So we say, the Fourth of July isn't just about the celebration of America's b-day, but of creative freedom! Express yourself like the talented artists of social media — we've selected some of our favorite Independence Day nail inspiration from Instagram and Twitter just for you.

Fight Body Acne With This Brilliant Bedtime Hack

There's a certain tragedy to the fact that summer, the most skin-baring season of all, is also the season when many of us struggle most with body acne. In addition to sunscreen (a year-round must) and the body's naturally amped-up oil production in the warmer months, sweat is also a major factor in those pesky back and chest zits. There's a lot you can do during the day to help stave off acne-causing bacteria (showering nightly, changing out of sweaty clothes, using body washes with pimple-fighting salicylic acid). But if you live somewhere where central air-conditioning isn't the standard (looking at you, New York City), sweaty nights may be a whole separate battle.
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Small Changes Dropped This #TIUgirl From a Size 10 to a Size 2

We first discovered Cait's stunning transformation photos on the TIU community pages. From there, we saw her Instagram, in which you can see a day in the life of Cait — her workouts, healthy eats, and happy, healthy lifestyle. But we wanted the full scoop: What was her story? Where did she begin, and how did she get here?
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11 Things You Need to Do to Have a Lasting Relationship

You probably never thought about no. 7, but it's spot on.

If you're lucky, you learn a little something every time you leave a relationship. Sure, sometimes that lesson is less "life is beautiful" and more "don't date EDM DJs," but still. A recent AskReddit thread prompted users to answer the most important things they've learned from past relationships and the results are definitely worth implementing with your next/current boo.

Stop Everything: Céline Dion Is Launching a Clothing Line

There will also be home furnishings, beauty, and accessories.

Céline Dion is releasing a wide-ranging lifestyle line, including clothing, accessories, beauty, and home furnishings. This means when you belt out Céline ballads alone at home, you can soon live out the full "All By Myself" experience.

The line is unnamed for now—they're calling it "Céline Dion" as a placeholder, according toBillboard.

97 Celebrity Bangs You Need to See

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​From side-swept to blunt, the best bangs come in all shapes and lengths. See our favorite celebrity bangs of all time.

7 Genius Tricks for Dyeing Your Hair at Home

Faced with a wall of hair color boxes at your local drugstore and the very real prospect of getting things terribly wrong, you may decide to just give your strands and paycheck over to a professional. But it is possible to take the process into your own hands and get it right in the comfort of your own bathroom. We asked a couple of pros to spill the secrets to dyeing done right.
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10 Makeup Tricks Every Woman Needs to Know

We all put on makeup (at least some of the time), but is your technique yielding the best possible results? Here, Kimberly Soane, the director of artistry at Bobbi Brown, offers up some simple pointers to make sure we're using everything from concealer to bronzer to mascara right.
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Macaron Hair Is the Sweetest Way to Get In on the Rainbow Trend

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Pastel rainbow hair is our favorite variation of the trend — when done well, it looks like a unicorn's mane. And while you may associate light, vibrant strands with warmer weather, you'll want to rock this take on colorful coifs all Winter long. Introducing macaron hair! Shelley Gregory, colorist of Atelier Salon in Las Vegas, created this breathtaking look. "I wanted the hair to look and feel like walking into Laduree, the French macaron shop," Gregory explained.

To create this look, Gregory hand-painted different hues of pastel colors in layers onto segments of hair. It's similar to the sand art technique, but the softer shades leave the client's mane more romantic — not to mention multidimensional and totally dreamy. "The color stands out and looks trendy, but it's still chic and approachable," Gregory explained.

Once you've committed to macaron color, add a hefty sprinkle of glitter to your roots for the ultimate holiday party hairstyle. Read on for a closer look at mesmerizing macaron hair!

from: popsugar