Christmas Red

Hi ladies! Do you like Christmas red? It's a striking festive color that can't be missed in holiday season, but you don't have to be dressed as an old-fashioned Santa. It actually works really well with black and gold to create an edgy outfit...

BTW I'm already on the road to my winter vacation. Guess where I'm going this time? Hint: somewhere warm... :)

Dress: Searle
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Mink infinity scarf: bought from Neiman Marcus years ago
Leather arm warmer: Vince Camuto
Purse: Chanel Large Camera Bag
Boots: Cole Haan

Holiday Bling

One of the many benefits of holiday season is that you don't look as over-board if you walk down the street in bling bling at day time. Sequin pieces tend to add urban chic to every outfit as long as you keep the rest of the outfit simple and elegant. Now that Christmas is only steps away, strolling down the street with a cute sequin mini skirt sometimes seems just the right thing to do!

Express has quite a few cute sequin mini skirts this season. I picked one with tribal pattern in neutral tone. It absolutely brightened up my past weekend. Check them out!

Silk sweater: Joie (also seen in this post)

Sequin mini skirt: Express (here, similar, similar, similar, similar, similar)

Downcoat: Burberry Brit (also seen in this post) 

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Mink infinity scarf: bought from Neiman Marcus years ago (similar, similar)
Leather arm warmer: Vince Camuto (also seen in this post) 

Purse: Chanel Large Camera Bag

Over-the-knee boots: Stuart Weitzman 5050 in black napa leather (here, here, here, here, here, ) 

Eat Smart Stay Warm

昨天晚上，我突然特别想吃热干面，于是晚饭就成了半盘热干面，半盘西芹炒牛肉，几根水煮小白菜苗。我一边吃一边回想起周末逛街的时候还喝了一杯热巧克力奶，不由得感叹：冬天果然来了。

很多人，尤其是女孩子，到了冬天就会手脚冰冷，那寒意仿佛是从心头升起的，怎么也不暖和。而有些人，到了冬天则会比以前更渴望吃碳水吃辛辣吃热乎乎的火锅。这些反应正常吗？怎么才能暖和呢？怎么才能不打破减肥健身的计划呢？

人体就像一个火炉，要想烧得旺，一来需要源源不断的柴火，二来需要高效的炉子。冬天保持暖和，当然也要从这两个方面着手。

先说能量来源。大家都知道，基础代谢的一个重要功能是保持体温。冬季寒冷，人体的基础代谢升高，所以需要更多的能量是很正常的。渴望碳水，其实就是身体的自然反应之一，因为碳水是最快捷的能量来源，精细碳水最容易消化。冬天适当吃点精细碳水，就跟养病的时候吃精细碳水一样，没有什么大不了的，只要控制住份量。但是，吃高热量的食物，不一定能让身体暖和起来。吃cheese cake吃冰激淋能让人暖和吗？不能。同样是吃，也是有吃的学问的。

再来说说炉子。人体的炉子就是线粒体，而肌肉细胞中的线粒体密度远远大于脂肪细胞。所以，肌肉多爱运动的人，即使很瘦，也不怕冷。这也能解释为什么女人通常比男人怕冷。而那些皮包骨头的小姑娘，既没有强大的炉子，又没有厚厚的脂肪小袄，自然就是最怕冷的人群。

那么，我们怎么在冬天保持身体暖和呢？

首先，要保证饮食中微量元素的供应。比如缺碘会导致甲状腺分泌下降，代谢水平下降，人就会发冷。全面的营养是身体健康和温暖的保证，切不可因为怕冷而只吃热乎乎的阳春面。

其次，要多吃肉，尤其是红肉。蛋白质本身有很高的食物热效应，能促进体表散热和提高基础代谢，红肉里面还含有丰富的铁 锌 铜 锰等元素，能防止贫血，而贫血的人血红蛋白低，送氧能力弱，小炉子是烧不旺的。

第三，要多吃香辛食品，比如辣椒 姜 葱 蒜 胡椒 韭菜。这些辛辣食品能促进消化和血液循环，也能让人更暖和。

第四，要多吃热乎乎的食物。冷的食物会降低胃里面消化酶的活性，无论是淀粉还是脂肪，冷却以后的消化速度都会变慢。消化既然不好，小炉子的能量来源就难以为继。

最后，多运动多长肌肉，打造强大高效的小炉子，这才是保持身体暖和抗寒的根本。

First Step of Long Run

纽约的冬天真是不配合。刚打算重新写博了，就开始阴天和下雨。那今天就接着说说跑步吧。很多人跑步是从减肥跑开始的，跑个五分钟就痛苦万分，于是认定自己不能跑步，或者跑了没两天就膝盖疼脚丫疼，于是只好趴窝。今天我们来说说新手怎么起步，怎么防伤病。

除非你有特别严重的伤病，一般说来，人人都是能跑起来的。就拿我自己说吧：我从来就不善长跑，小时候是一直在体育及格线上徘徊的主儿，每次800米考试都跟上刑场一般。后来锻炼多年，身体好多了，但是去年的这个时候我才正经开始跑步，那时我一般跑三英里，最长也就跑五六英里而已，现在能一口气跑16英里。我的个人经历说明长跑能力的提高是完全可能的。上图上真相：

我不能说自己做到了100% 无伤跑。事实上是，我刚开始跑就伤了左脚，这个毛病至今仍象躲在暗处的怪物，时不时地就跳出来吓唬吓唬我。但是这一年来我没有增添新的伤病，尤其是膝盖没有任何不舒服，脚伤也没有太大的困扰，所以我觉得还是不错的。

不管是哪里的伤，不管是意外伤害还是慢性积累，受伤的主要原因是肌肉或关节承担的力量超过了可以承受的范围。虽然说人体可以通过锻炼越来越强大，但是拔苗助长是不可取的，说白了，人得自知。

长跑基础为零的人，一开始不要追求速度，而要保证距离。可以从快走开始，然后过渡到走跑结合，再过渡到慢跑。很多地方建议速度控制在心跳在(180-age)左右。如果你以前没怎么跑过，用心率表对照一下，就会发现这个速度慢得让人不好意思。这就解释了为什么新手跑个5分钟就趴了－－因为跑得太快。只要坚持这么跑，不出三个月，同样心跳下，你的速度就不会那么难看了。没有心率表也没有关系，可以边跑边褒电话，只要气息平静不影响说话不气短心虚就是好速度。跑的距离上去了，你可能会发现心跳上升或者气息变急，那么就减速或者走走，把心跳降下来。这样的慢跑，是长跑的基础，基础打好了才能追求速度。

一周跑多少才合适呢？这个真的因人而异。刚开始的话，建议每次跑3英里左右，隔天跑，周末跑个5英里。从这个开始，慢慢加里程，每周增加的里程不要超过上周总里程的1/10。里程加得太猛，是伤病的主要诱因。

除了跑步，cross training既能提高身体素质，也能休息跑步用到的主要肌肉。跑步的传统cross training是游泳和骑车，都是有氧训练，能加强心肺功能，但是用到的肌肉跟跑步不一样，建议每周做一次。

最后，不要忘记了热身和拉伸的重要性。如果是慢跑，热身相对没有那么重要，只要起动不太快就行了。但是跑后拉伸还是需要的，尤其是长距离以后。我主要用foam roller和medicine ball，Youtube上面有很多视频，大家可以翻一翻。每周一次yoga也是很有帮助的。

Say "Yes" to Blood Red Lips "No" to Bleeding Wallet

Sorry for being absent from blog for quite a while. I have been so swamped with family obligations as well as office deadlines. The good news is: now I'm officially in the holiday mood!

True red is always one of the best colors to wear for holiday parties. Since last winter, however, dark blood red lipsticks have taken the center of fall/winter fashion stage. I'd collected a handful of dark shades from designer brands (e.g. Fire Down Below, Afghan Red, and Scarlet Express are all fabulous dark red from NARS with different tones) since last year. This season I'm so excited at my recent findings: you don't have to break your bank account to get those awesome blood red shades. 

I might be late to the game, but the L'oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge Lipsticks are impressively creamy, pigmented, and long lasting. If you are willing to do without exquisite packages, they are ideal substitutes for brand name lipsticks.

I bought both 737 Persistent Plum and 741 Bold Bordeaux. The picture below is sourced online and true to color in real life. 737 is a cooler shade with purple/pink undertone, and 741 is a warmer brick red with brown/coral undertone. Both colors are rich and sophisticated, yet not overly vampy. Both can be used for work and fun. As a rule of thumb, 737 works better on cool skin tones and 741 works better on warm skin tones. And of course, if your skin is more or less neutral, just like mine, both colors work for you and that explains why your lipstick collection usually doubles in size! :)

I was wearing 741 in the past weekend. I really loved it! I need to add this to my forever growing list of new year resolution: exploring more bargain lipsticks and sharing them online! :)

Down coat: Moncler (similar, also like this, this, this)

Jeans: DL 1961

Lipstick: L'oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick in 741 Bold Bordeaux (here, here) 

Shawl: Louis Vuitton Monogram Shine Shawl in gray

Purse: Chanel Large Camera Bag (old, current season)

Studded leather gloves: Portolano (similar, similar)

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto

Finally, the holiday booths in Union Square are now open! It was sheer fun checking out those little cuties. I hope everyone a happy holiday!