That's Fit

A little something I read yesterday in the Late City Final edition of of the New York Post ...

Featuring a photo of aged piano man Billy Joel, 58, and his barely post-college aged new wife, Katie Lee Joel, 26, the article highlights a Stanford University study on the life-extending effects of being a sugar daddy. It turns out that when men "mate with women who are eight years younger, it increases the life span of both sexes over time."

Really? A bit incredulous, I read further, only to find that there is an actual scientific explanation for the life-extension effects of a May/December romance. To find out what it is, continue reading by clicking HERE.

I've worn fake nails exactly one time in my life -- on Halloween when I was a teenager. And all I can say about that experience is that I've kept my nails super short ever since. Typing, opening jars and even wiping your behind are just too much hassle with long nails, if you ask me. But if you've found a way to get used to acrylic nails, good for you. However, there are some things you should know about acrylic nails, according to my favourite beauty experts, the Beauty Brains:

• Don't use your nails as a tool. Sure, your nails are a handy alternative to a screwdriver, but if you end up ripping it off? You real nail goes too. Ouch.
  
• Acrylic nails can also expose you to some harmful chemicals.
  
• Gel sculpted nails can react with some medications.
  
• Nail polish remover can be harmful both to real and artificial nails.
  

Want to find out why? Read the original post. And tell us -- do you use acrylic nails? Have you encountered any problems with them?

Who doesn't love a tried and true home remedy? I know I for love knowing little quick cures that don't involve trips to the drug store and expensive purchases. eDiets has put together a list of household items that you can use on problem skin. Here are some tips:

• Apple cider vinegar will help take the skin out of a sunburn
• A mixture of buttermilk, vinegar and salt will help heal a poison ivy rash
• It's thought echinachea can help with eczema
• To fight acne and blackhead, break a vitamin E capsule on your face before going to bed. Then, in the morning, do the same thing with a vitamin A capsule.
  
• Use tea tree oil to nip a cold sore in the bud.
  

I have my doubts about these remedies, but I'm eager to try them. What about you?

Change is good as far as I'm concerned -- especially when it comes to how you wear your hair. I've never really been able to understand why some women on makeover shows go so ballistic when the resident hairstylist comes at them with a pair of scissors. I get that people want their hair to look great, but you never know if a look will work for you unless you try it and the great thing is that hair does grow back.

If you're thinking about taking the plunge and trying out a new hairstyle but aren't sure what to have done, take a look here for some ideas on what's currently in and what's not. Apparently bedhead, a sleek, short bob and heavy, French-cut bangs are very in. Straggly, extra-long tresses, a straight-edge cut and the over-done and excessive lion's mane are out.

For some styling tips on how to create the three currently cool styles, take a look at the article in full here.

Would you be willing to change your diet if it meant you could look younger? It's a pretty intriguing possibility, isn't it? According to this piece, author Dr. Steven Masley who penned the book Ten Years Younger Diet suggests adding a number of food items to your daily meals in order to look and feel younger.

In the article, the items are described in a range of ways:

• cancer-fighters (leafy green veggies and lean proteins, seafood, beans and legumes)
• foods that help you maintain a healthy weight (soy and whole grains, cruciferous vegetables, berries, nuts and flaxseed)
• items that lower cholesterol (garlic, herbs and spices, green tea)
• foods that stabilize blood sugar levels (non-fat yogurt, red wine, cocoa and chocolate)

Everything on the list is relatively easy to find at a local supermarket, and also quite simple to add to your diet. If you want to read more about each of these youthful foods and just why they're so good for you, take a look at the full article here. I think we all know that eating well is the key to healthy insides but I think it's pretty encouraging to know that it's also helpful when maintaining a healthy-looking exterior.

Most of us are aware of health risks associated with the foods we eat and the ingredients in them, but I suspect that many people are in the dark about the dangerous ingredients in cosmetics, since, unlike foods, we don't ingest them. But cosmetics can be scary too, and here's a prime example: The FDA has recently approved a black pigment to be used in cosmetics that contains small, but supposedly safe, amounts of carcinogens.

D&C Black No. 3 is also known as bone black, which is interesting considering where it comes from -- it's made from cattle bones that are heated to over 700 degrees. Mmm, sounds lovely, huh? But regardless of how gross it is to make makeup out of charred cow bones, I have to ask -- is there any amount of carcinogens that are safe? What do you think?

(via The Beauty Brains)

Dove is well-known for their hard-hitting commercials, which attempt to expose the superficiality of the beauty industry -- and do quite well at it, if you ask me. They have a new commercial out that's being talked about ... a lot.

So here it is, if you're interested in seeing it. And let us know ...

There are all sorts of definitions of what's sexy (and when I say sexy, I mean sexy -- not sleazy). Whether you're down-to-earth, funny and easy to talk to, nice but with a naughty side or super confident and flirty, your personality will likely appeal to a range or guys.

Ever wonder if you're the 'Girl Next Door', the 'Seductress' or the "Vixen on the Prowl"? I found this fun quiz from Elle that lets you know where you fit on the sexy scale. Answers to questions about an idea first date, your favored bra and undie combo, your typical bedtime wear, the TV character who is most like you and favorite celeb style, help determine which of the aforementioned categories you fit into.

I ended up with the 'Girl Next Door' label, which I think is pretty accurate considering it's a fun and simple quiz. Why not give it a try and let us know what kind of sexy you are?

I don't think that anyone would be particularly happy to notice that their hair is thinning. It's got to be upsetting for men, but since it's a more common occurrence among that sex, I think that it would be even harder for a women who is losing her hair.

If you've found that your mane isn't as thick as it used to be, is patchy or even starting to show bald spots, you might want to check out this gallery, which offers 20 tips on how to deal with thinning hair. The first, and probably most important tip is to head to your doctor. There may be a reason why you're losing hair and a physician can help you find a remedy.

Additional advice includes improving your diet and taking vitamins to improve hair quality, experimenting with a new hair style that will disguise patches and trying out volumizing or other specialty products to improve the look of your hair. To see the rest of the tips, take a look here.

Do you wish there were a miracle cure for split ends, besides cutting them off? Yeah, me too. There's a rumor out there that mineral oil (also called Jasmine Hair Oil, baby oil or paraffinum liquidm) can help rid you of split ends. But is it true? Is it really that easy?

My favourite beauty experts, the Beauty Brains, have weighed in on using mineral oil for your hair. Their verdict? While there's nothing wrong with using mineral oil on your hair, you'll probably see more benefits from using Coconut Oil, which can actually penetrate the cortex of the hair.

Or, if using oil on your hair doesn't sound too appealing, try some of these great tips.

Manicures, pedicures, facials and visits to a salon for haircuts, coloring and hi-lites can be incredibly expensive. So what's a girl to do if she wants to maintain a polished, movie star look but obviously doesn't have the same kind of money to spend as a star? Well, you can try some of these tips on getting an expensive look for less.

The piece offers advice on how to keep hair looking shiny, keeping a just-polished look on finger and toe nails and getting celebrity-worthy eyebrows. Tips include not washing hair every day or using mousse as both will make your mane look dry and dull, shilling out for a really great, classic and personalized haircut a few times a year rather than opting for a trendy cut that needs maintenance every six weeks and buffing nails or using light, shimmery polishes -- like opal and taupe -- to keep nails looking like you've just been for a mani-pedi.

Let's face it, unless you've got too much money to throw around -- and most of us don't -- it's not really realistic to try to keep up with all of the treatments and styles that the stars favor, but these hints will help you look great without spending a fortune.

We all want good skin, and we've all heard of countless different ways to go about getting it, but sitting in an enormous bowl of Ramen noodle soup? That's a new one.

A Japanese spa is offering just that: the opportunity to dip yourself in noodles to get a healthier glow. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you look at it!) it's not real noodles (just noodle-shaped spa treatments) but it is real broth. The pork-based broth contains collagen, hence the skin-enhancing benefits.

The treatment costs about $29 -- would you do it? I think I'll pass, and save my Ramen noodles for meals only.


Via Luxury Launches

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi there. I'm a 32 year old male and recently my girlfriend has (repeatedly) suggested that I start moisturizing my skin. I've always considered the whole moisturizing market to be a bit of a scam, right up there with "anti-wrinkle" creams. So come on, level with me, is there really any (proven or otherwise) benefit to moisturizing? Thanks and Regards,Dan

A. Hey Dan. Your letter made me giggle, cause my husband gives me the same response when I encourage him to address skin care. I frankly don't even think the man even washes his face every night. Weird to me, but fine for him he says. In fact, when I first began dating him...he had these tremendous calluses on his palms from weight-lifting. I'd beg him to wear weightlifting gloves and moisturize, but he refused because the calluses "reminded him of his Dad. "

Rob adores his father who's been a builder all of his life and has apparently always had rough 'man hands'. That was enough for Rob to think scratchy skin was cool. UNTIL! Last year Poppi (Rob's dad) came for a visit and started bragging about this lotion he was using to make his hands amazingly soft. He was ecstatic! He even suggested that the other girls in the family and I should use it on our faces. I wasn't sure whether I should take that as an insult, or a thoughtful suggestion. Either way...he loved the dramatic results of his , and my honey's hands are now smooth enough to for touching me.

Look Dan. There are a lot of things very different about men and women. One of the things we do have in common though, is the fact that we all have skin. Many products on the market legitimately do what they advertise. Even the anti-wrinkle creams. Check out this article on skin care, and decide what your skin care needs are. At minimum, it would be nice for you to apply a lotion with sun protection each day.

Sounds like your girlfriend cares a lot about you, and is just trying to share some of the knowledge she's come to appreciate. You're going to wear that skin of yours for a very long time, so you might as well take care of it! Fitz

Q. Hi Fitz. The school my daughter attends will be hosting a parent education seminar, and one of the topics is about providing healthy foods. My concern is that this presentation is being made by another mother who has absolutely no official health or fitness education. I think she's an accountant or something. Should I even bother going? How can I trust her? Rebbecca

So we're working on dressing in a way that suits our own styles, in clothes that fit our own beautiful bodies and in spending our money wisely on items that we will wear and will support the lives we want to live. If we want to be active, a way to support that is having workout wear that we want to put on and put to use. If we want to spend smart, we are not buying any old pair of ill-fitting spandex pants from the junior section clearance rack at KMart just because they are cheap and well, on the clearance rack. That means we need to find smart and fun ways to shop that will support all of our good habits and ease out the old tendencies.

This week, I suggest you choose to buy something that's handmade. Handmade workout wear? Why, yes, kittens, it's possible to find clothes, accessories and gear that is unique, competitively priced and possibly customized just for you.

Luckily, one of my favorite sites, Etsy, is devoted to handmade items and their creators. Here are few fabulous finds that top my list of workout wear that will slip beautifully from the artists' hands to yours. Now, doesn't that feel good all the way around?

Summer is coming to a close, and your skin may be showing the effects. Now's the time to do damage control, in this in-between time of the year when the summer sun is waning but before the winter weather sets in and you have a whole other set of issues to deal with.

Your top priority should be exfoliating, and then applying moisturizer. Now is the time to switch to something a little heavier than you were using during the summer months, and it's also a good time to attack imperfections like sun spots and other skin/sun damage issues left-over from the summer season. If you're looking for some new products (and who isn't) take a look at this list, and if you've found something that works wonders for you please share!