Avoiding the reflection in the mirror is a habit that is typically reserved for those who are vain -- but actress Nicole Kidman says she avoids them for the opposite reason: She's not obsessed with her appearance. Says Kidman, 41, "I'm not enamoured with youth. There isn't wisdom in youth. My own sense of vanity is not that strong. I get ready in five minutes. I'm not a mirror person. But I like to look healthy - the youthfulness is in health. It's very important."

Her idea of a healthy look? A fit look. She goes on to say, "Maybe that comes from my mom having breast cancer. I've seen people suffer. So my desire to stay agile - I want that! I want to be able to run and walk and hike, and get out there. I love being outdoors and I feel caged if I can't get out. To see the sun come up - it puts me in a place to go, 'What a great day.' "

Sounds like she's got her priorities straight -- what do you think?

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Have you ever been in a house of mirrors with all those wacky, warped things that make you look twisted, short and squat, or long and skinny? It turns out those distorting mirrors aren't reserved for festivals and amusement parks ... many clothing stores use subtle mirror tricks to make you look longer and leaner.

It can be a disappointment when, while shopping, you find clothes that look good on you -- only to find that they don't look so great when you get home. According to one Seattle boutique owner, creating a "skinny mirror" is as easy as tilting it slightly back. Your best bet is to know your own body type and dress accordingly. And maybe bring a friend shopping with you to be a reliable judge of how you look.

For many people, it's hard enough to look in the mirror and have a positive body image. Harder still when the mirrors in stores are playing tricks on you. Learning to love the reflection in the mirror starts with a healthy lifestyle. When you make a habit of exercising and eating healthfully, you know you're doing right by your body -- and that's a positive stepping stone toward confidence in your appearance.

[via FitSugar]

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Would the site of your naked body wolfing down a sandwich be enough to turn you off lunch? That's the premise behind the 'Naked Lunch' diet idea: Eat your meals in the nude in front of the mirror, and the site of all your flaws exposed -- love handles included -- will cause you to think twice about taking a second helping. Although it should go without saying that this should be practiced only for at-home meals. And avoid eating hot soup.

Extreme? Yes. Does it work? Maybe; I've never tried it -- but I can definitely see the logic behind this. What do you think? Would you eat in the buff? Would it keep you from eating too much?

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Do you avoid the camera's lens? Do you avert your eyes when you walk past a full-length mirror? It's time to take a look and learn to love what you see.

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Pop quiz: On a scale of one to 10, how attractive would you rate yourself? Got a number in your head? Ok, now take that number and add 2. That's how attractive you are to others.

No, seriously! Research out of the UK has shown that on average, others see you as 20% more attractive than you see yourself. Why? Well, it's no secret that many of us are our own worst enemies. But there's another reason: When you look in the mirror, all you see is your looks. When others look at you, they see your personality shine through. Think about it this way: When you look at a photo, you only see a person's physical features. But when you meet them in real life, they're much more dynamic and that ultimately affects how you view them.

How attractive you appear is largely based on your confidence. Take this as a mini ego-boost and hold your head a little bit higher today.

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We know the standards when it comes to weight loss -- less calories, more exercise, lots of water, not a lot of junk food. Now check these out -- some unconventional ideas for losing a few pounds.

Go Blue. The color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, wear blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Then avoid all visions of red, yellow, and orange while you eat. Studies find these colors encourage eating.

Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall. Hang a mirror across from your seat at the table and you may eat one-third less than normal. Looking at yourself while you chow down will remind you of why you're trying to lose weight.

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Any of us who've carried a few extra pounds have inevitably had that ah-ha moment. You know, the one where you look at a photo from your past vacation or family event and think to yourself, omigod, is that me? Is that what I look like? I look so ... fat ... ! The thing is, we see each other every day in the mirror, and so we sometimes don't notice an extra few pounds here and there. Until, that is, we see ourselves from far away, from another point of view.

Truth be told, these moments of realization are hard. But they're also necessary -- we need to face the facts to make changes in our lives. So next time you find a fat photo, don't burn it, bury it in the garden or hide it away. Keep in it plain view--perhaps even on your fridge?--as a reminder to make better decisions.

And trust me--with enough dedication, it won't be long before you can chuck the fat photo and replace it with a fit photo, one that you can truly be proud of.

I wanted to share one of the best fitness photos I've taken in my 17 year career. I train a lovely and highly motivated woman Kim, who comes in three times per week. Kim has been training with me for about five weeks and she's already lost 17 pounds; she's dropped down from a size 18 to a 10 as well. Kim is one of the cool folks who doesn't necessarily love exercise, but she does it because she knows it will get her where she wants to be. So far she adores the results she has earned.

Back to the photo. Kim shows her lack of love for training quite often with moans, groans and pleas for mercy. She also makes these amazing faces. I suppose it's all her way to get me to take pity on her and allow her to stop whatever horrendous thing we may be doing at the time. It never works. But the efforts she puts forth that lead to these faces of agony are the same ones that cause her to skip in beaming about her new pants.