College Lifestyles (TM) New Year's Eve Celebration Dish!

Okay, we love New Year's Eve at College Lifestyles! It's a great excuse to dress up, hang out with our loved ones, and toast to a great 2009!

What's a celebration without food!

Here are some of our easy dishes:

1. Dark chocolate + strawberries (see post below)
2. Hummus + Tostitos light (pics)
3. Diet Sprite + Crystal Light (can we say a sparkling beverage!)

Here's to you!

Happy New Year - A Toast to You!

From our family at College Lifestyles to yours, we are toasting you a Happy 2009!!!!

Ring in the New Year with Style! (with looks from Banana Republic and Forever 21)

We LOVE New Year's celebrations at College Lifestyles! (It's an excuse to dress up!)

Ring in the 2009 with style!!!! Here are some of our favorite looks/styles!

1. Are you more of a 'Boho' style? Like more of a free-flowing look? This lovely red dress from Banana Republic ($99.00) is a nice alternative to a fitted/tighter dress. The red color is vibrant and matches the holiday spirit! Wear with strappy heels or flats and gold hoops.



2. Are you more of a ladylike dresser? Go for more romantic looks? This LBD from Banana Republic ($99.00) will look great on all figures, especially on fuller figure ladies. The wide straps add support and the fitted waist shows off curves! Complete the look with hair pulled off the shoulders and drop earrings.



3. Do you love the classic look of an LBD? This dress from Forever 21 ($24.99) is just that - simple and classy! The seams on this black dress is very figure flattering! Add a metallic clutch and shoes with a classic cocktail ring!

Congrats to our Director!

We are happy to announce that our director, Shelly Marie, is a nominee for the Louisiana Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year!

Shelly will learn if she is the recipient of the award at the Louisiana Dietetic Association Meeting in April! Good Luck!

Shelly was nominated by her peers in the Shreveport Dietetic Association! She states, 'That is what makes this so special, I am nominated by other dietitians! Wow!'

But Baby It's Cold Outside - Finding the Right Coat to Flatter Your Shape!

Here is a quick guide on finding the coats to flatter your shape!

(1) Petite (under 5'4") - congrats! Your similar to our director! Her biggest complaint - 'I can wind up looking 12 years old if I wear the wrong coat!' Problem resolved - look for belted (at the waist), hits mid thigh, fits close to the body. This coat from Forever 21 is perfect for our director!

(2) Tall. Look for a style that hits right above the knee with a slight flare at the bottom.

(3) Curvy bottom. Look for button up, double breasted, A-Line styles.

(4) Smaller on top. Look for an empire cut with larger buttons/collar.

Stay warm!

Body Image Goal for the Holidays! Krazy Karaoke Anyone?

Make it a goal to surround yourself with people and activities that make you feel good! If you are traveling home from college, stay connected and re-connect with friends and family who make you smile! Set up a phone date or Facebook chat with your friends while you are home and enjoy a walk with family members! When you are having fun and around people who support you, you will be less than likely to have a negative body image.

Some examples from the College Lifestyles (TM) family:

Our director will jump into 'Krazy Karaoke' with her family and her lil sis will sit at the bon fire with her family! While our College Lifestyles family will be apart for the holidays, we know that we will be texting and chatting with one another everyday. We are already smiling about that one.

What are you going to do?

Who Doesn't Love Dark Chocolate and Strawberries? (You Bet You Can Do This at Home, Apartment, and Dorm!)

Dark Chocolate and Strawberries! Let's see - the dark chocolate has a ton of antioxidants - our favorite, it's found to give us healthier skin (a chocolate moisterizer!) and strawberries (improve my memory - isn't it finals time!).

Bakers Dark Chocolate (found at any local grocer) + strawberries makes a quick snack, but also can make a great dish for any holiday party!



So easy to prepare! Warm the container of Bakers Dark Chocolate in the microwave for 45 seconds. Stir. Dip washed (dried) strawberries and arrange on a plate (so we ate some while we were preparing!).

Place the remaining chocolate in the refrigerator!

What else can you dip in the chocolate? Bananas, Gram Crackers, and whatever your holiday heart desires!

Special note - Our director will feature this on KTAL The News Station on Monday at 5pm.

College Lifestyles (TM) Director to Appear on NBC KTAL.

Our director, Shelly Marie, will appear on NBC-Affiliate KTAL The NewsStation on the Monday 5pm broadcast!

She will be discussing simple, savvy, tasty delicious appetizers for holiday parties! Move over boring, tasteless fat-free dip; and say hello to delicious! (Forget fat-free stuff anyways)

Do you Journal??? Or Know Someone Who Does? Here is a Great Gift!

Do you find yourself jotting down items on slips of paper? Or, are you an aspiring writer or journal a lot? (Our director journals constantly and encourages all her nutrition clients to journal their thoughts and feelings).

This journal set from Pottery Barn ($16.00-69.00) is a great gift for yourself or for the friend, sister, or family member who enjoys putting pen to paper!

Journaling- putting your thoughts to paper!!!! Try it, it's amazing!

How does the staff of College Lifestyles Stay Warm? With Great Finds from the Limited?

This lovely scarf from the Limited ($20.70) will keep you warm on chilly night. Great for class, internship, and for a holiday party!

We love the look of this scarf! This scarf looks great casually with long sleeve T-shirts, sweaters, and dresses!

Are you a Houseguest this Holiday Season? Simple Etiquette and Gift Ideas.....

Many of us will be traveling to either family members homes, the homes of a special someone, or the homes of our sorority sisters! Show your appreciation for your host family by offering a small gift, washing dishes, and/or preparing a small meal (if you are a good cook!)

Simple gift ideas include:
1. You can send flowers in advance.
2. Nice bowl or pitcher (for serving foods).
3. Candles/candleholder.
4. Foods that your host cannot find where they reside!

Always thank your host when leaving (send a thank you note!). A special touch - send a picture of the entire group (if you all went to dinner, in front of the home) in the thank you letter!

Happy Holidays!

Add a Festive Touch to Any Holiday Outfit with this....

These bracelets from Express ($12.50 or 4 for $20) will add a great hint of pizazz to any holiday outfit!

These bracelets will look great casual (with dark jeans and a cardigan sweater) to dressy (with any LBD or pencil skirt and top!)!

A New Staple in College Lifestyles (TM) Pantry? Great for a Dorm Meal!

We love the new V-8 soups! These soups are very easy to store in the dorm or apartment!

So simple to prepare! Shake the container, pour in a bowl, and cook in the microwave for a few minutes! Delicious!! And for less than the cost of any fast food meal, this will make a great study break/meal!!

Our favorite - butternut squash!

Eating Disorders and Holiday Time.

For those of us who are in the recovery phase of an eating disorder, the holidays can be a stressful situation.

Some suggestions that we have for holiday time and recovery:

1. Journal. Continue to carry your journal. Write, write, write. Write of your accomplishments of 2008 and future goals for 2009.
2. Activity. Continue to participate in personal time activities. If you are traveling home from school, start now looking online for local festivities that you, friends, and/or family can attend.
3. Identify. Identify how you will handle any 'comments.' Look at discussing more of your accomplishments of 2008 and goals for 2009! Shine, you deserve it! For example 'It's great to see you as well! I can't wait to start xyz.'

Please let us know of any other suggestions that you have!

What's on College Lifestyles (TM) i-Pod??? Listen to this when done with your finals!

Beat the winter chill with these pumping beats!!! Dance crazy inside your house, dorm, or apartment to these songs!!! When is the best time - dance like crazy when done your finals!!!!

BTW (by the way), Ferry Corsten is our director's favorite DJ.

1. Beautiful - Ferry Corsten
2. Watch Out - Ferry Corsten
3. Fire - Ferry Corsten
4. Radio Crash - Ferry Corsten
5. It's Time - Ferry Corsten
6. How Would You Feel - David Morales
7. Love Don't Let Me Go - David Guetta
8. Turn on the Music - Roger Sanchez
9. Lola's Theme - Shape UK
10. Dangerous Power - Gabriel & Dresden

College Lifestyles - Body Image Activity

Try this activity for improving body image. Look at it daily!!!

'I will list 5 good qualities that I have (intelligent, funny, artistic). I will repeat these to myself when I start to feel down.'

Dinner Etiquette - What if I spill something at the table?

Pick up any 'small item' - jelly, vegetable piece, meat piece - with the blade of your knife or a clean spoon.

If it stained the home hostess tablecloth, dab some small water on the corner of your napkin and blot lightly.

Apologize to your host! Continue the celebration!

We Enjoy our Cocoa at College Lifestyles!!!! (And it's a beauty food!)

The holiday time and the chill in the air brings out the cocoa in College Lifestyles!!!!

Not only does it taste great and is a 'feel good' food, studies have found that cocoa can keep our skin nice and hydrated!!! Say goodbye to our dry winter skin!!!!!

The Swiss Miss cocoa is great for your dorm pantry or apartment!!!

Enjoy cocoa on your break from studying this week!

Need a quick brain booster on the way to a final? (It's in College Lifestyles travel bag!)

Fish is a known brain booster (see the salmon below); but there's more!!!

Kashi Pumpkin Spice Flax Bars are delicious and we can munch on while we are studying or, let's face it, running to class! The secret - omega-3!!!!!

Good luck!!!

A Great Bracelet from The Limited!

This charm bracelet from The Limited ($18.55) will look great at school, work, and at all holiday functions!!!

Brain Foods for Exam Week! (It's already in College Lifestyles pantry!)

It's hard to believe that this semester is winding down!!! Finals and projects are approaching!

Certain foods can act as brain boosters. Imagine, certain foods can improve your grades!!!!

A well known brain food is fish!!! These Chicken of the Sea salmon packets are just perfect for the dorm and for a study break (and not as smelly as the can)! Available at all local grocers!!!