Luxury tampons. Only a man could have come up with that

I like a bit of luxury as much as the next person. A facial here, an upgrade there. God knows, I'd have more of it if I could afford it.

But luxury tampons? Sorry, that’s just a teeny but too far. I spotted the ad last week. Gorgeous girl (mid-body shot only, no bloat evident). Looks like she never scoffs five chocolate biscuits in a row or yells at her partner. Never gets MPT. And why would she? She’s using luxury tampons – presumably wrought from the pelt of resting panda, tufts of angora rabbits and tennis bracelet.
These tampons are so fancy; they’ve given themselves platinum status. It’s a touch of luxury where you need it most.
Pardon? The only difference I can see is a well-designed box (pardon the pun) and a jazzy website with lots of helpful info. It’s time to get a grip. This is one product where practicality and convenience rule.
Sure, the Federal Government has been trying to convince us for years that the humble tampon is the equivalent of, say, a knuckle-dragging diamond. That’s why we will pay GST on them.
But you don’t see feminine hygiene product emblazoned with Chanel’s iconic double C. You don’t see tampon rip-offs at the markets in Hong Kong or Bangkok. I’m yet to have a conversation with a friend (male or female) that started with the words “Did you see X’s tampon? Geez, I wish I could afford one of those.’
And if luxury equals status, the very notion of the trumped-up tampon begs one question: Who would ever know you were using one? Nope, this is marketing gone mad. The final frontier in the push for posh.
And it goes hand in hand with a trend that says only the best will do – for everyone, always – because, no matter that we bludged all say at work or bitched about out mates or kicked the cat, we deserve it.
We’re told daily we’re worth it. We’ve bought into the idea that $500 shoes are a must-have. That labels are such desirable social currency that we’ll fake it rather than admit we can’t afford – or (gasp!) don’t deserve – the real thing.
The market for replica luxury bags is worth an estimated $12 billion a year. Consumers buy counterfeit bags, belts, sunnies and suits by the truckload. The American Marketing Association says it’s because we need a bit more love: fakes help gain approval in social settings.
But no matter how magnificent the luxury tampon, I can’t see a market for counterfeits any time soon. And I despair that marketers think some women will be so dim as to be sucked in by a bit of premium branding on a product that is, in the end, a necessity.

For what its worth - Anne Markey

i LOVE cocktails!

My favourite cocktail is a Cosmopolitan!
The classic Cosmopolitan, became one of the favorite cocktails ever due mostly to it's role in the show, Sex and the City. Most bartenders know how to make this light, fruity Martini, making it a great choice for a night out. There are hundreds of variations on the Cosmo, some use more or less cranberry juice, some triple sec instead of Cointreau, and some include a citrus vodka. It's all a matter of personal preference, this is the way I like it...

Ingredients:
•1 1/2 oz vodka
•1 oz Cointreau
•1/2 oz fresh lime juice
•1/4 oz cranberry juice
•orange peel for garnish

Preparation:
1.Shake all the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.
2.Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
3.Garnish with an orange peel or slice of lime.

Optionally, use citron vodka in place of unflavored vodka for a fruitier taste

xxx YUMMY xxx

Need to loose weight? Here are some of my tips!

Basically weight management works like this…

Each day you eat food (which is measured in calories) and each day you burn off your food (which is also measured in calories).
To gain weight, you need to eat more calories than you burn.
To stay the same weight, you need to eat the same amount of calories you burn.
And to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat.
So for example, if you eat 1500 calories each day, you need to burn more than that to lose weight.
Your body is constantly burning calories, but not very much. This is why exercise is so important when you want to lose weight. The best way to incorporate exercise into your life is to tell people that you are changing your lifestyle NOT going on a diet. Make exercise an important part of your life every day. Tell people that you’re going to the gym or you’re getting up early in the morning to go for a run.
EVERYTHING COUNTS. If you have a spare 5mins, don’t sit on the couch, get down and do some push ups. When you’re brushing your teeth at night, walk around the house doing lunges. Get it all in there as much as you can. Always take the stairs. Walk up escalators. Carry heavy bags of groceries. All help to burn calories.
Being a girl, its hard for us to build bulky muscle, we build lean muscle. The more muscle you have on your body the better. So do lots of cardio and also do strength training like yoga/pilaties or get a swiss ball and dvds. Weights are also great but only a few times a week.
Make sure you mix it up with your exercise. What kind of exercise are you doing? Get sweaty. Get your heart rate up. Push yourself. You always have that little bit more energy to get there. Get an Ipod. Music is amazing when you're exercising.
If you need a pick-me-up for exercising, get some new gear, a new work out top or something :)


Onto food…
What do you eat each day? Honestly. Write it all down. Keep a food diary for a month and look back at where the extra calories are getting in.
The best way to stay full and keep down the calories is to go for high protein foods. This includes Tuna and salmon, eggs, mushrooms, yoghurt, lean meat, chicken breasts without the skin. Don’t fry food, get a George foreman grill. Cottage cheese.
Eat 2 or 3 pieces of fruit a day. Go for citrus, so think kiwifruit and oranges. And blueberries and strawberries are a super food FULL of nutrience.
Eat LOTS of vegies! Go for rich coloured foods like baby spinach leaves, green, red and yellow peppers. Carrots. Tomatoes. Broccoli. Burgen is the yummiest type of bread, try their whole grain range as white bread is so processed and has no nutrition.

Make sure you eat breakfast every day. This is so important. All bran or muesli thats low G.I. are great. What time do you go to bed at night? Don’t eat food late at night. If you get cravings, drink a glass of water, or small glass of milk. Drink trim milk.
Do you like green tea? Try green tea with lemon. Yum!
Do you drink much alcohol? Alcohol is FULL of empty calories.
If you want to eat chocolate or lollies, buy really dark chocolate, like 80% dark choc. Its much better for you. But try to not eat it as its just not worth the calories at all.
Yoghurt is also a good protein snack, fruit yoghurt. Watch out for the sugar though. Read packaging on food and figure out what is high in sugar, carbs, calories, fat etc.
Try to figure out how much you consume and how much you burn.
What are you weaknesses? What food do you LOVE to eat? I used to be a major choco-holic. Like seriously. I would eat a massive block in a weekend. Or a family pack of M&Ms. That so bad haha. Man I had to work so hard at the gym to burn that off the following day haha.
I also LOVE pizza! I make my own pizza at home and that way you can control what goes on it. You can buy a roast chicken from the supermarket, shred it up and put it on a pizza with a base, tomato, peppers, mushrooms and a little bit of cheese. You can add whatever you want and most foods taste good under cheese haha! Cheese is also ok, go for the lite stuff. Just have a REALLY SMALL amount though! Its high in protein but also high in fat.Drink LOTS and LOTS of water! At least 2 litres a day. This is amazing for your body because it flushes out your liver. If you have a healthy liver, that means it can function properly, which means the rest of your body will follow.
Eat slow. Very slow.
Posture is important. Shoulders back. Stomach in. Walk tall.
Don’t eat carbs at night. Your body doesn’t need them at that time of the day. Carbs are for energy, good to have mainly in the first half of your day.
Don’t starve yourself. If you’re hungry then eat, but eat something healthy. Stock your fridge full of veg and fruit and snacks like yoghurt.
Forget “3 square meals a day” you want to eat 5-6 small meals a day. Every 2-3 hours.
Don't weigh yourself too often, maybe once a week. Also get a measuring tape and measure your bust, waist, each thigh, hips and arms. Do your measurements once a week. First thing in the morning before you eat and after you pee.
Oh and one more VERY important thing. Every single time you look at yourself in the mirror, tell yourself you look beautiful and healthy and slim. Don’t pick out your imperfections or your flaws. Love yourself. Make the experience really positive and you will enjoy it so much more and get amazing results.

Hope that helps! Please email me if you have ANY questions at all! I’m always happy to help xxx

No Formula Fashion Shoot - Part 1

These are a few pics from a fashion shoot I did a few months ago. Photographer is Dom from www.blacksun-productions.com and MUA Kylie Nolan.

Fiona's Fabulous Muffins!

Banana and Honey

Chocolate Chocolate Chip

I got my bake on yesturday and made some scrumdidillyumpcious muffins! Check the pics and let me know what you think ;) More to come xxx

Pink Disco Tour Party - Raising Funds for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

A few photos from the night - Tracey and I lookin' hot in pink xxx

Girls of Playboy Golf - The Pre Event Party

For those of you not on the Gold Coast, its Super GP weekend! Formally known as "Indy"

Starting Thursday and running right through til Sunday 5am, 4 days of motorsport, promo girls, wild parties and bourbon drinking bogans take over the Gold Coast. Last year I was one of the Banana Boat Sunscreen Bikini Girls and did promo all 4 days. It was one of the best weekends of my life! 4 Days and nights of full on modelling and VIP partying - it was insane! Took me a week to recover. Here are some photos...

This year I have chosen not to work at the event and instead being part of The Girls of Playboy Golf this November. Last night (first night of the Super GP parties) was the Girls of Playboy Golf - The Pre Event Party. I took my girl Kristen along with me to the party and we meet with the organisers who offered her a place in the event with me. Originally they were going to have 150 models and have now cut it back to 100 - and we're in! We are also going to be put in a room together - I'm so excited! This is going to be such an amazing experience! I spoke to Christie Lee Sharpe 

who was one of the 4 winners last year. She is so sooo beautiful and so sooo lovely! She is looking after a group of 30 girls and suggested we get put in her group which was confirmed by the organiser Kylie. YAY!

I then met up with several other friends I didnt know were in the event and found out my friend Erin Bigg

 (who was also a banana boat girl) is the MUA for the event and the amazing photographer Daniel Gowans is doing seriously discounted photoshoots. He was there last night getting lots of snaps ;)

Its 4 weeks away and I'm more excited than ever! since I started on my detox 4 weeks ago I have lost 6kgs and 8cms off my waist YUS! Another 4 weeks of super healthy eating and lots of running and I will be looking slim and sexier then ever, ready to rock the lingerie parade in Playboy gear!

Stewie Griffin

Stewart Gilligan "Stewie" Griffin is a fictional character in the animated series Family Guy voiced by Seth MacFarlane. Obsessed with world domination and matricide, Stewie is the youngest child of Peter and Lois Griffin. His older siblings are Chris and Meg.

Though he was originally an evil child-genius bent on world domination, the writers in more recent episodes usually ignore that aspect of his personality, instead focusing on a more flamboyant character. He retained an antagonistic role in the show, especially toward Brian in episodes like "Three Kings" and "Lois Kills Stewie". Stewie is considered to be the show's breakout character. Wizard magazine rated him the 95th greatest villain of all time.

Stewie is a one-year-old with a very sophisticated psyche. He reached his first birthday in the season 1 episode "Chitty Chitty Death Bang", and has remained the same age ever since. His nature and mannerisms are juxtaposed with typical childlike interests and actions. While highly literate and able to cite pop culture references that date much further back than his age would let on, he is also entranced by Raffi and the Teletubbies. Stewie succumbs to other weaknesses of children his age – he believes Peter has truly disappeared in a game of Peek-a-Boo, talks to his teddy bear (Rupert) as if he were alive, is overcome with laughter when Lois blows on his stomach, and has no idea how to use the toilet. MacFarlane has stated that Stewie is meant to represent the general helplessness of an infant through the eyes of an adult. Per cartoon physics, his ability to move objects of greater weight than himself is not surprising to other characters, nor is his ability to retrieve firearms from hammerspace.

Stewie's mastery of physics and mechanical engineering are at a level of science fiction. He has constructed advanced fighter-jets, a mind control device, a weather control device, robots, a working Transporter device from Star Trek, time machines, a shrinking pod, as well as an assortment of guns including lasers, rocket launchers, and crossbows. Stewie employs these to cope with the stresses of infant life (such as teething pain, and eating hated broccoli) and to murder his mother Lois, with mixed success at best depending on the objective.
In other, recent episodes, Stewie engages in other violent or criminal acts, including robbery, carjacking, loan sharking, forgery, and killing off many minor characters.
Stewie eventually realizes his dreams of matricide and world domination in the sixth season two-part episode "Stewie Kills Lois" and "Lois Kills Stewie". The events, however, are reverted in a deus ex machina ending, where most of the story turns out to be a computer simulation. Because of the rather disastrous ending for himself in the simulation, he decides to put aside his plans of matricide and world domination for the time being.
Despite his somewhat evil nature, Stewie does seem to have a softer side. For example, in "Chick Cancer", when Brian unwittingly makes a racist comment while the two of them are discussing Stewie's "marriage" to Olivia Fuller, Stewie is openly disgusted by it. When Brian profusely apologizes, Stewie leaves, saying, "You gotta work on that. Bad dog." In one episode where Brian goes to find his mother and discovers that her dead body has been stuffed, Stewie says, "Someone must have said something funny, because your mother's in stitches!" After laughing for a few seconds, he tells Brian, "I'll leave you to grieve," before walking out of the room to give Brian some alone time with his mother.

He is so CUTE xxx

Bingeing and Food Cravings - Six Powerful Strategies to Defeat Binge-Eating

Imagine a pile of fresh-cooked chips, crisp outside, meltingly smooth and starchy inside. A soft, squidgey doughnut, oozing jam. A mound of ice-cream. A whole box of chocolates...just for you. A big bag of salty, crunchy crisps.
Hard for most of us to refuse -- and for people with food cravings, almost impossible. Cravings are strong desires for particular foods or types of food, almost always high-fat and often high-sugar as well. These are danger foods, diet busters with a vengeance. Once you start eating them, it's very difficult to stop, and the desire for them can seem irresistible and uncontrollable.
Cravings aren't fuelled by hunger. They are often set off by emotional needs, and can also be caused by food allergy. Since many diets do leave you feeling hungry, how can you tell whether that sudden passion for chips is an emotionally-based craving or simple semi-starvation?


Craving
* Is in the mouth and mind. You long for the taste, texture, mouth-filling qualities and feel of a certain food:
* Is sudden and urgent
* Is specific, for a particular food or type of food
* Is semi-automatic; you just can't stop shovelling it in
* You may go on eating past the point of physical discomfort
* Leaves you feeling ashamed


Real Hunger
* Is in the stomach, with rumbling, emptiness, discomfort
* Grows gradually
* A wide range of food would do
* Is under conscious control
* You stop when you're full
* Leaves you feeling satisfied


Food cravings can make your life a continuing misery, trapped in a hideous vicious circle. You feel fat, unattractive and unlovable. So you binge to distract yourself, to fill the emptiness inside, to cheer yourself up. It doesn't -- or not for long. What it does do is make you feel out of control, disgustingly piggish and profoundly ashamed. Your self-esteem ends up even lower and your hips even larger.
Knowing the pointless harm you're doing yourself doesn't help you stop. Lecturing yourself, blaming yourself, hating yourself -- these reactions not only don't stop the cravings, the stress makes them worse.


There are three games your cravings play to make you feel it's OK to give in to them -- just this once.
*persuading yourself that giving in will positively improve things in the present situation -- some chocolate will really energise you.
*telling yourself that bingeing will help relieve anxieties, depression or other discomforts ... cream cake is so soothing.
*believing that you deserve it ... you've stuck to a diet all week, you're entitled to some chips tonight.


All harmless enough -- unless you have food cravings and you know that once you start, you won't stop. Obviously it's a good idea to find other things which relieve stress, make you feel good and act as rewards.


Five ways to beat bingeing
Half the battle in learning to cope with cravings is realising that you CAN resist them. These six key tips will point the way.
* Keep things in proportion. Thinking of your cravings as 'overpowering' urges it would be 'unbearable' to resist, that you just 'couldn't live without' chips or whatever is just so frightening and stressful that you'll head straight for the fridge to calm down.


Such over-the-top descriptions are simply not true, so change your inner language. Is walking past the chip shop really unbearable -- compared with breaking a leg? Use words like 'uncomfortable' to yourself instead. Remember that millions of people have overcome full-scale addictions -- for drink, tobacco and drugs. You can certainly cope with chocolate. You can bear the feeling, you won't go crazy.


It helps to remember past times when you've denied a strong urge. You survived then, you can survive now.


* Visualise the results of giving in. Counter the immediacy of the craving by making the long-term consequences very vivid. Urges are very shortsighted; it's hard to see past that tub of ice cream. So ask yourself: How will I feel later if I give in?


Imagine someone whose opinion matters to you watching you stuff yourself, finding out you can't control yourself. Imagine how you'll feel once you've, yet again, proved to yourself that you're a slob with no willpower? Now, feel the glow of achievement you'll have when you walk away from the food. See yourself as a size 12, slipping easily into terrific clothes in a communal changing room.
Warnings on the fridge door can help. So can talking to yourself as if you were advising a friend. Use to yourself the arguments you would use to her.


* The Inner Beast! Think of the craving as something quite separate from yourself. Give it points on a ten point scale. Even a name, perhaps -- one woman called her food cravings 'the Beast'. Distancing it this way makes it easier to fight.


* Mental distraction. Create a vivid mental picture of a peaceful setting -- a warm beach, perhaps -- and use it to relax. This will help if you mainly overeat as a response to stress. However, if being relaxed just makes cravings stronger for you, choose some challenging mental activity ... planning the perfect holiday, designing your dream house, creating a business, working out what makes your boss tick...


* Physical distraction. Leave the place where you feel the craving. Get out of the kitchen and take a walk or do some gardening. Monitor yourself to find out when and where you feel most tempted, and change or avoid those particular situations.


* Food allergy. If you mainly crave one type of food .. ie wheat (bread, pasta, pizza, cakes, biscuits) ... suspect you may have a food allergy/addiction. Try stopping ANY wheat (read every label) for a week, then try a little again. If you're allergic/addicted, you'll feel bad as withdrawal kicks in, great after a week, craving again once you try the food again. If you stay off the wheat, you'll be free of cravings. But having 'just one biscuit' is like an alcoholic having 'just one drink' ... Be warned! And consult a nutritional professional.

Why haven't I talked at all about understanding the emotional reasons behind food craving?
Because you can gain control of your eating without analysing the reasons. It's so tempting to use introspection as a substitute for action and a way of finding excuses and justifications for going on giving in. 'I have to binge, I had such a miserable childhood.'


You don't have to, and you can learn not to. Good luck!

Paul Walker... Just Coz ;)

Fake Tanning

Fake Tan: I am a proud user and have been for over 3 years. I got my first fake tan when I was 19 as I was going on a beach holiday and wanted to be brown in my white bikini. I also started modelling at this age which requires a tanned body. I do not "work on my tan" under the sun or even worse, in a sunbed. I see sunbeds as cancer in a box. I dont want to get wrinkles and skincancer and ugly sunspots or moles.

There are some pros and cons of fake tanning...

Pros - you look good in all your clothes, short skirts, sexy dresses, summer tops and bikinis.

        - it hides cellulite and patchy skin tones

        - it makes you appear slimmer

        - you look healthier and can wear any colour

Cons - it does smell a bit like burger rings the next day after you tan

         - if you do it wrong it can be messy (think orange hands)

        

I live on the Gold Coast and having a tan is essential! Here is a great routine thats fast and works :)

You will need:

Tanning Product - I use Loreal Sublime (its about $20 from the supermarket or chemist and does 2 full body applications)

Exfoliating Gloves

Face Exfoliator Product

Body Exfoliator Product

Time

I recommend doing this at night, thursday night so the product smell is gone by friday night. the tan will develop while you're sleeping. First of all, make sure hair removal is taken care of (waxing etc). Then have a shower and exfoliate your face and then whole body. This removes dead skin cells so you skin will have a fresh canvis for the tan. Then dry whole body and face completly. do not apply any deodorant or purfume or moisturiser. You can put a tiny amount on your face if you need to. Then squeeze the gel into your hands and apply to the skin. I start with my shins, then thighs then go back and do a light coating on my knees and very light coating on my feet and ankles. Then work your way up your body. dont forget under your arms and do a very light coating over your elbows. get someone to help do your back if you're not bendy enough. Then do the neck and finish with the face. Apply the gel as if it were a moisturising cream. once finished, wash the palms of your hands and wipe between your fingers. you will now be covered in the gel! dont bend over or crease any part of your body (elbows and knees). the gel will take about an hour to dry. i suggest standing in front of a fan or heater if its cold. Then lay in bed and fall asleep on your back. try not to touch your body with your hands. You will wake up in the morning with a natural looking tan!

Tip: If you do make a mess of yourself, fear not! You can buy a product that easily removes the fake tan, its called ModelCo TAN REMOVER Exfoliating Scrub. you can buy this here: http://www.folica.com/ModelCo_TAN_REM_d4554.html

Happy tanning :) xxx