Fun (but scary) Halloween Recipes

Witch's Fingers Recipe

Halloween Cupcake Recipe

Halloween Sugar Cookies Recipe

Eyeball Cakeballs Recipe

Witch Hats Recipe

Ghost Cake Recipe

RIP Mousse Recipe

Devils Cupcake Recipe

Love,

ALPHA

Makeup Brushes For Dummies

 

Love,

ALPHA 

Amazing Paris Fashion Week Dresses

These are 5 of ALPHA's favorite Paris Fashion Week dresses! What do you think?

Elie Saab

Louis Vuitton

Maiyet

Love,

ALPHA

Foods To Never Eat

Artificial Sweeteners

Since sweeteners are sweeter than sugar, they can reset your taste buds to crave sugary foods. As a result, you end up eating more junk. 

Margarine

Margarine has loads of trans fats, which increase your cholesterol. And it contains a lot of ingredients vs butter's one or two. The calorie count is also similar to butter, but we tend to eat more of it because we think it's healthier. Stick with small does of butter or use heart-healthy olive oil.

Soy Protein Isolate (don't know why people would eat this in the first place)

All soy isn't bad, but the isolate (a refined, often genetically-modified form of soy that pops up in a lot of soy-based products) resembles estrogen, which is iffy—some research has shown that it can increase the risk of cancers and infertility in women. If you want to go vegetarian, opt for veggie burgers with quinoa, chickpeas, or black beans as a base, and eat protein bars that are based on nuts and seeds. And for meat subs, go for beans, nuts, seeds, nut butters, and natural sources of soy like edamame, tofu, and tempeh.

Diet Foods

"Diet" or "low-fat" doesn't mean low-calorie. Diet bars and low-fat foods usually have more sugar, salt, and unhealthy fillers to make them taste okay. Even worse, we typically eat double the serving we should because we're not satisfied or think that it's okay to eat more because it's "healthy."

Frozen Foods

These are often heavily processed and filled with fat and salt. Instead of going this route, make a big meal at home when you have some downtime, portion it out, and freeze the servings. 

More information on Cosmo

Love, 

ALPHA

Foods That Fight Fat

Salmon

Research suggests the omega-3s in salmon and other fatty fish help build muscle—and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Omega-3s may also help reduce fat storage by lowering cortisol levels.
Go for: Two 3-oz servings of fatty fish per week.

Yogurt
Calcium-rich foods have slimming superpowers. Get too little of this mineral and your body's more likely to pack away calories as fat, according to a review of studies. With up to 50 percent more calcium per ounce than milk, yogurt is a potent source. Better yet, its probiotics may help keep belly fat under control.
Go for: At least two servings a day.

Avocado

For a speedy metabolism, you need to keep inflammation in check and blood vessels clear and supple. Avocado's unique combo of essential fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, and antioxidants helps you do just that. Plus, one avocado's 14 grams of fiber kicks up your calorie burn.
Go for: One to two daily servings of foods high in healthy fats.

Beans

High in resistant starch and fiber, beans force your system to use extra energy (as in calories) to break them down. Research suggests that if you choose foods high in resistant starch—it's also found in whole grains and not-quite-ripe bananas—you can increase your calorie-burning power by up to 24 percent over the course of the day.
Go for: One serving of a resistant-starch food per meal.

Chili peppers
Chilies' heat signals the presence of capsaicin, a compound that, along with capsiate, can propel the body to scorch an extra 50 to 100 calories following a spicy meal.
Go for: Chilies as hot as you can stand. 

Green tea
This packs caffeine and antioxidants called catechins, a dynamic duo believed to stimulate your nervous system and increase fat-burning. Studies suggest that drinking green tea can help you drop pounds and trim your waist.
Go for: Several cups a day (keeping in mind how caffeine affects you).

Coffee
The caffeine in one cup of joe temporarily perks up your metabolism by as much as 15 percent. Caffeine also helps mobilize the forces that burn stored fat.
Go for: One to two cups a day, especially before exercise.

Love,

ALPHA