Naturally Smokin’ Hot

When you look good, you feel good.

Even in the midst of a nightmarish breakup, you can stare in the mirror, through red, weeping, swollen eyes and honestly say, “Well, at least I’m still sexy.”

Who doesn’t want to be physically attractive to the opposite sex (or same sex or whatever)?

Who wouldn’t want to find stealing a glance of themselves in any reflective surface irresistible?

Of course, you place a great deal of importance on personality traits that make you a better human being: diligence, compassion, integrity. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s great. Noble, even. But you want to be beautiful on the outside too.

And you know what? Don’t apologize for it.

With the temperature dropping and the freezing, hellish winter months rapidly approaching, perhaps you’re thinking about updating your cold weather wardrobe. Before you aimlessly peruse the mall, snatching up garments you’ll surely regret buying later, consider enhancing your look naturally.

Get  in Shape, Stay in Shape

Admittedly, this tactic is time consuming and requires a lot of work. Regardless, it’s the most effective so you shouldn’t ignore it.

I won’t delve too deep into the actions required to shed unwanted poundage and tone flabby muscles. Every body is different, but here are a few tricks that will work for almost anyone.

• Eat whole foods. They’re, generally, more nutritious, lower in calories, and provide your body with the long lasting fuel it needs.
• Don’t snack. If you’re hungry, consume a small balanced meal of protein, complex carbohydrates, and heart healthy fats.
• Treat yourself from time to time. (Wo)man cannot live on steamed broccoli and grilled chicken breasts alone. Occasionally, (s)he needs a cupcake.
• Lift weights . . . heavy weights. Earlier, I indicated you should “tone” muscles. To tone a muscle, you have to build it. And the best way to accomplish that is with resistance training. Women lack the hormone levels to bulk up like the Incredible Hulk, so if this unreasonable fear has confined you to cardio exercise, you can stop worrying.

Accentuate the Sexy

Even if strangers don’t mistake you for a bikini model, I bet you have a feature or a body part that you and the rest of the world agrees is freakin’ hot. Flaunt your goods. Seriously, show off.

If you’ve got a small waist, great calves, and perfect teeth, wear a fitted top with a short skirt and smile often.

Quit obsessing over your imperfections and embrace your assets.

Flaunt Your Natural Hair

Personally, this was my hardest learned lesson.

For almost two decades, I chemically straightened my super kinky, coily hair in a futile effort to mimic the bouncy tresses of my non-black peers.

For a few women with hair similar to mine, straight hair works. But my hair was a hideous, dehydrated imitation of the shiny, voluminous look I was aiming for.

YouTube is the best resource for women with hair they think  is too straight, too curly, or too anything else. Too often, the problem isn’t your hair, it’s you–trying to make it perform stunts and styles it wasn’t naturally designed to do.

How do you enhance the features you were born with?