Style2

Style3[OneLeft]

Style3[OneRight]

Style4

New Year's Resolution


People love the idea of a new beginning, which is why annually, just before the New Year, resolutions are put in place with the hope that new goals can be reached and a better understanding of life can be formed. Resolutions are great motivational tactics to help put things into motion, but they are also a little intimidating. They are promises made to ourselves that can feeling binding and contractual because they are tied to a very personal longing to be a better person. Many resolutions get set to the wayside because of busyness, lack of commitment, or even fear. Don't let your ambitions escape you for any of these reasons. Here are a couple of common goals people make for themselves in the New Year and a few tips on how you can achieve them.

Getting Healthy

Whether your plan includes losing weight, gaining muscle, drinking more water or even quitting smoking, you must remember to do it gradually. If you're cutting something routine out of your life, the withdrawals you're bound to suffer will surely challenge your commitment. Begin slowly, making reasonable weekly goals for yourself. If you plateau at any point, keep steady and make adjustments to give you some leeway until your next weekly goal. While it's important to give yourself room for error, you mustn't allow too much flexibility. Your goal is progress, so the key here is to make a sincere and conscious effort so you can see real results by the end of the next year.

Saving Money

Imagining what a little extra money could do for you is all the encouragement you need to save. What will you put it towards? For some, that may be taking an overdue vacation, paying off bills, buying something frivolous or just building a rainy day fund. You might have to give up some unnecessary luxuries and replacing them with new, cheaper alternatives; making coffee instead of buying it and planning your meals at home instead of eating out. Keeping your objective in mind makes saving a lot easier to digest. Print out pictures or make notes to put up all around your home. Use a piggy bank for any extra change in your pocket at the end of the day. Keep reminding yourself of what's at stake.

Staying the Course

The best way to fulfill a resolution is to start off slow; making immediate drastic changes to your lifestyle will no doubt end in failure. Reward yourself every step of the way and keep moving. Communicate your goals with friends and family, so they bring them up from time to time, reminding you when you may have forgotten or lost steam. Find a common goal with someone else and pursue it together. Having a physical motivator is nearly impossible to ignore. Keep a journal with your goals inside, report your progress, daily, weekly or monthly and reward yourself after periods of time with the opportunity to splurge.

Credit : Asia Fujikake

Tips for New Year's Eve Party

When you decide to throw a New Year party, say cheers in style! Every person has his or her unique way to celebrate. Your party comes to life, when you have like-minded guests enjoying their heart out and there is sheer joy all around. There are innumerable innovative ways in which you can plan your New Year party. The sole purpose of New Year party is to get together and welcome the New Year with joy, fun and hope. Given below are a few party tips that can help you decide or plan your New Year party with ease:

The Personal Touch

This is a vital point that is sadly often overlooked. People decide to throw a party and hand everything over to the event management company. Then they rue over the fact that their party has been just like any other party, with no uniqueness. Well, you need to remember that when you are throwing a New Year party, you would want it to be a mark of your individual taste and style.

There is nothing wrong with handing over the responsibility to an event management group, but make sure that you discuss with them in detail each little thing that you want to incorporate. Your planning should involve your individual choice and touch and this is what will make your New Year party different from any other.

The Lighting

The lighting is what creates the atmosphere for a New Year’s party. There are many varieties like twinkling ones, laser ones, etc available in the market. You can choose from them or even go for the traditional candles. Dim out all the electric lights in your house and light up some candles at strategic points so that the entire area is well-lit. They induce a very festive and romantic environment. To get the maximum out of your candles, keep them for a day in your freezer in a zip-lock bag.

Be Silly, Have Fun

New Year’s party has to have some of the traditional elements like bling hats, the noisemakers, masks, horns and the tiaras. Arrange all these fun elements in large numbers and of different types in two or three large bowls and place them near the entrance so that guests can choose and pick something of their choice as they enter. These apparently silly things can add an incredible amount of fun to your New Year party.

Serve Food Differently

Plan out a different menu and serving style. Maybe you can serve some finger items like varieties of chips, pretzels, roasted veggies with dips or mini-pizzas at the start of the party. Then during dinner time, you can surprise your guests by serving an elaborate breakfast buffet complete with casseroles, Danish and assorted fruits. This can be a surprising and healthy change as people mainly expect some high calorie items on the New Year party menu.

Serve Drinks Differently

When you want to make your New Year party different, you can plan to serve some specialty drink right at the start of the party and ask the guests to order for their desired drinks thereafter.

All said and done, the most vital point to remember, a little detail has the potential to make or break a party. So be patient and think well on each aspect that you plan for the New Year party. You will surely not want any harm either on yourself or any of your guests during the party and neither would you like any of your guests to feel compelled to stay along with a grumpy face. Therefore, the focus of concern at all points is the safety and comfort of each and every guest that you invite. Your New Year party can well be a simple one sans any lavish arrangement, but you would want your guests to remember it for the sheer joy and fun they have felt in it.

Home Remedies for Healthy Hair Growth

Do you wish to have long, strong, healthy and beautiful hair? Here are some natural home remedies for hair growth and for having a beautiful mane of hair.

In case you are worried about your hair loss and inadequate growth of your hair, then home remedies for hair growth will solve your problem to a very large extent. A number of factors like our diet, physical stress, mental stress, water intake, sleeping patterns combined with hereditary factors directly impact the growth of our hair.

Normally, on an average hair grows at the speed of 12 to 15 centimeters every year. In case you are looking for home remedies for hair growth it is important to understand at the outset itself that there is no magical cure for growing your hair quickly. However, there are remedies which can help to make your hair strong and healthy, thereby ensuring that it grows properly. Following are some of the most effective home remedies for hair growth:

Onion Remedy - Applying minced onion to the hair is one of the best home remedies for hair growth. You must apply minced onion in your hair and let it stay on the hair for around fifteen minutes, after which it can be washed off with a mild shampoo. For those of you who find the smell of onion repulsive it may be worthwhile to apply minced or ground onion after mixing it directly with your shampoo.

Another popular onion based remedy for hair growth requires adding minced onion to the shampoo. Let it stand for fifteen days and use the shampoo regularly whenever you wash your hair. In addition to accelerating hair growth this remedy is known to give hair a glacial shine.

Onion-Garlic-Cinnamon Remedy - This is a powerful hair pack to accelerate hair growth. For preparing this pack you must take half an onion, four garlic pods and two sticks of cinnamon. Boil water in a pan and put garlic cloves, cinnamon sticks and onion in it. Let it cool to lukewarm level and use it as a hair rinse for four consecutive days to promote hair growth.

Lime Juice Remedy - It is a myth that lime juice greys the hair. Lime has excellent acidic properties and is a powerful home remedy for a number of common health issues. To get thick, luscious hair lemon juice must be combined with onions. Mix equal parts of lemon juice and minced onion and use it as a hair pack for massaging the scalp.

Grape Seed Oil Remedy - This oil is believed to promote hair growth. It can be used for massaging the scalp every day before bedtime. However, ensure to wash it off the following morning. For proper hair growth remember to always keep your scalp clean. You must never clog hair follicles with oil or such other hair packs.

Honey and Aloe Vera Remedy - For making use of this home remedy you must cut three Aloe Vera leaves and scrape off the gel. Mix the gel with honey in equal part and apply it to the scalp. Let it remain on the scalp for 20 minutes after which rinse with a mild shampoo.

Although hair experts believe that there is no guaranteed way to accelerate the growth of hair, there are a number of natural home remedies which have been used by people for centuries and passed down from generation to generation. Natural herbs, fruits and vegetables are some of the most common and effective remedies for stimulating hair growth and promoting overall good health. And the only way to find out whether these will work specifically for you or not is to test it out yourself.

How to Plan Christening Parties

The christening of a child is a very special occasion. This is the first step that the baby takes in the world of Christianity and as such, it deserves to be marked and celebrated.

A christening party or a reception, as it is often called, will bring friends, relatives, the parents and the godparents of the child together. Planning a christening reception is not a simple task. The party needs to have special atmosphere and to correspond to the importance of the event.

You can make use of several great ideas when planning a christening party. These simple tips will help you put together the most amazing baby christening event ever.

Keep It Casual and Intimate
A christening party does not have to be flashy. The simpler it is, the better. Christening parties are usually very casual and relaxed, giving a group of people the chance to socialize and to celebrate a very special occasion.

The decorations can be exceptionally plain and minimalist, after all a christening is something far from luxury and vanity. Christening parties usually go without a theme but you can also dedicate it to anything baby-related. Crosses or a biblical theme will be appropriate.

Focus on the menu rather than on decorations. Ornate arches, table centerpieces and expensive tablecloths are unnecessary.

Think of Games
The games selected for a christening reception differ from the activities typical for a baby shower or a birthday party.

Board games will be best for this occasion. Such games give family members a chance to talk to each other while having fun and discussing issues of interest. Card games will also be quite appropriate.

If the reception is held outdoors, you can include sports. Volleyball, basketball, tennis and other sports that will give everyone the chance to participate will be a good selection.

Getting Guests Involved

The party will be extra special if you manage to get the guests involved in some way. Their input will be valuable to the family that is having a child christened.

The simplest option you can make use of is a guestbook. Have it available at the entrance, giving everyone the chance to write down a greeting or a special message. This guestbook will be a delightful souvenir from the christening reception.

Having video messages is another opportunity that you can utilize. You will need a small camera. Ask everyone to dedicate a personal message to the baby or the entire family. This option will give you the chance to create a very touching movie.

Decoration Ideas
Once again, the keyword that should guide all of your organizational activities is "simplicity."

White is a color that is typically connected to Christianity, purity and innocence. Make it focal to the reception's interior.

The items you can use include white balloons and white flowers. Refrain from overdoing it. Several centerpieces and delicate wall decorations will do just fine. In case the reception is held in the evening, you can make use of white candles.

Hold the Reception Immediately After the Christening
It will be easiest and most appropriate to hold the reception immediately after the baptism. Guests will be in a festive mood and you can extend the celebration.

Many churches have special halls that can be rented for special occasions. This makes it very convenient for you to hold the reception immediately after the baptism. Guests will be freed from the obligation to travel to another venue right after going to the church.

These are the basics of planning a christening party. It can be very simple, yet effective. Focus your efforts on creating intimate atmosphere. All other aspects of the reception hold secondary importance.

Credit : Jammie

How to Look Beautiful Always

Women like to look sweet 16 forever and never want to get old. So here are 15 useful tips that will make you look young and beautiful.
  • Sleep well and drink lots of water daily, it will clean your body and make your skin look healthy and younger. It will also reduce under eye dark circle.
  • Beauty starts from within, so eat healthy and nutritious diet and do regular exercises.
  • Take care of your teeth and brush twice a day.  
  • Keep your hair clean, wash them regularly. Find a good shafairmpoo and conditioner that works well for your hair. Try natural products for better results.
  • Try coloring your hair to cover grey hair, look trendy and fashionable.
  • Use selective makeup and try to choose colors that suit your natural appearance and add compliments to it. Apply little mascara, kajal, lip gloss, blush for soft natural look.
  • Moisturize your skin well after bathing so that it looks soft and healthy.
  • Wear a sunscreen lotion whenever you go out in the day to protect your skin from harmful UV radiations.
  • Make sure that you look clean and smell good always. Choose a perfume that suits you and apply it on wrists and neck.
  • Most important is to be confident about yourself because it is the best investment you can do.
  • Get more sleep. It is recommended that you get at least eight hours of sleep a day. Sleeping will allow your system to work effectively. Also, it will help reduce eye and face puffiness in the morning.
  • Shower using a moisturizing soap or body wash; those that do not contain any form of moisture will automatically make your skin drier. When choosing a face wash, try not to choose those that are harmful to the skin. Read the instructions on the product and wash less often then recommended. Example: If the product says to wash your face every other day, then wash your face every three days with the product.
  • Once again, moisturize! Get into the habit of putting moisturizing lotion on your skin once a day, preferably one that contains natural products. I would strongly recommend Aveeno but try different brands until you find the perfect one for you.
  • Not only is it important to keep the outside of your body healthy, but it is also important to keep the inside as well. Try drinking at least eight cups of water a day or try a mixture of both water and green tea. The use of green tea has increased tremendously because of its high content of antioxidants. Start drinking!
  • Now the hard part, eat healthy and work out at least half an hour every day. Try to eat as healthy as possible without depriving yourself of your favorite foods. Try eating a fruit instead of a snack that contains a high percentage of fat. As for working out, you be the judge of what types of workouts you want to do. Do you have a specific part of your body you want to focus on? If so, focus on that body part but remember to also make time for cardio workouts.

Ways To Avoid Thyroid Problems

Our thyroid is the gland in our neck that is responsible in creating hormones for the balanced actions of our metabolism. If this gland malfunctions, then the metabolism of a person will be disrupted which could cause many different health disorders. This is because metabolism plays a big role in the functions of the body. There are actually different diseases that one can obtain in case the thyroid is not functioning well. You may have a disease called hypothyroidism which is caused by the inflammation or swelling of the thyroid. In case your thyroid is inflamed, it cannot produce hormones properly which stops metabolism. This situation will then lead to obesity, insomnia, depression and hormonal imbalance.

To prevent going through these health problems, you should be aware of the natural ways on how to prevent thyroid problems. It is always better to start with prevention rather than cure. You can learn a few ways on how to prevent getting any problems regarding your thyroid glands. Keep in mind that you will need iodine to keep your thyroid healthy. With this, you need to eat foods that are rich in iodine. Though there are iodized salts available, it is important that you check if it really has enough iodine in it. You may also go for diets that are focused on increasing your iodine intake.

Bad health habits can also trigger thyroid problems. You should avoid smoking and drinking alcohol especially in an excessive manner. If you can, just try to avoid taking these things as it can cause many other health problems.

You will also need to have lots of Vitamin A, B and C in your body. This is why taking in healthy foods like vegetables and fruits is important. Green leafy vegetables are the best to take to keep your thyroid healthy and functioning well. You may take veggies like broccoli, spinach, soybeans and others. These foods will help in the functioning of your thyroid to make your metabolism in total order and balance.

Vitamin D is also important. People who would like to avoid thyroid problems should get enough sunlight on a daily basis. Do not congest yourself in the office for too long. Take some time to go out and enjoy the sunlight and the freshness of the air in the outdoors. In case, you really cannot go out that often, you may just take vitamin supplements which can help your body absorb the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and strong.

And always keep in mind that everyone will need a balanced diet with healthy lifestyle. Abusing one's body with unnecessary activities will only make one's immune system weak and making the parts of the body obtain problems which can affect the overall health of a person. So, staying healthy is the most natural way to keep your thyroid healthy.

If you still want to learn some more about thyroid glands and how to make it healthy and functioning well, you may try out some programs from health and wellness websites that you may learn a lot from. You may take the programs that they are offering to achieve optimum health and wellness. By simply taking these holistic programs, you are actually improving the quality of your life and be ultimately healthy.

Credit : Randy Gray

Effective Ways to Get Age Proof Skin in 30s

Thirty is a pivotal age for women to preserve the health of their hair and skin. And while aging is inevitable, there are definitely things you can do as a woman to turn back time. Follow these practical tips and you can look years younger than your chronological age:

Brown Spots

One of the most common signs that your skin is starting to age is when you start seeing brown spots, especially on your face. Properly known as melasma, those big blotchy patches you see on your cheeks and forehead are usually related to pregnancy. They appear on the skin of pregnant women in their thirties who have never been pregnant before. There are several reasons for brown spots to appear on the skin, but whatever the reason, they sure don't look good and can make you years older than your real age. Experts advise that melasma be treated using light chemical peels. If you are tight on budget, using a topical cream that contains kojic acid should also do the trick.

Thinning Hair

Thinning and falling hair is also common among women in their thirties. Usually a result of hormonal shift, thinning hair can also be result of vitamin deficiency and stress. Taking multivitamins and eating a well-balanced diet should help prevent thinning hair. If you are already suffering from it, you can turn back time with the help of synthetic hormones or prescription drug that can inhibit the growth of testosterone.

Wrinkles

Another common sign of aging, wrinkles are usually a result of spending too much time under the sun. It can also be a result of too much smoking, excessive drinking, and poor eating habits. Wearing sun block with at least 30SPF should be able to help prevent the early onset of skin wrinkling. And while it's impossible to totally get rid of wrinkles without surgery, using retinoid can help delay them.

Cellulite

Around 80 percent of women have cellulite, a skin condition often caused by poor collagen production in the skin around the thigh area. While there is no known cure for cellulite, simple weight-training exercises can improve its appearance. The use of over the counter retinoid creams can also help stimulate collagen and offer relief.

Cellulite, brown spots, wrinkles, and thinning hair are just some of the signs of aging among women. By putting the tips here into practice, you can undo the damage caused by some of these beauty erosions.

How To Get Rid of Big Pimples

A big pimple can be one of the worst conditions to have. They tend to show up out of nowhere and often at the wrong time. For those who may be dealing with the uncomfortable thought of dealing with this unsightly condition, there are a few ways you can reduce the pain and suffering and finally give yourself the opportunity to get rid of the pimples. Pimples, also known as acne, can sprout quickly, but the sooner you attack them, the better the treatment will be and the more effective it can work.

Getting Rid of a Big Pimple

If you have a larger sized pimple, this indicates a larger sized infection or inflammation under the skin. It can occur for many reasons, but mainly it is because of the presence of bacteria in your pores. The larger the pimples are, the more painful they can be because more nerve endings are involved. There are a few things to get rid of that big pimple so you do not have to deal with it in public.

1- Avoid popping it. By popping it, you allow the pus, which is filled with bacteria, to spread across the face. This could create additional pimples for you rather than slow the progression of them.

2- A good solution is to use an anti acne cream or product on the area as directed by the manufacturer. This type of product can help to control the inflammation and reduces the redness. Many products available are highly effective like this.

3- Do cleanse the skin. One of the ways you can reduce the appearance of the big pimple is simply to cleanse the skin properly. Remove the excessive oils from the skin as well as any debris locked in the pores. By doing so, you remove much of what is keeping the bacteria alive.

4- To reduce redness, a common side effect of this condition, consider using an aloe lotion on the area. This natural soother can help to reduce the inflammation you feel. It creates a soothing feeling without contributing more to the problem of oil production.

5- Do clean the skin gently. You do not want to break open the big pimple since this will lead to pain and discomfort. It will also create a larger, open sore. When that happens, you will find yourself with a redder and even larger problem to deal with on your skin.

That big pimple may in fact be painful. If it is, you may want to consider over the counter treatments that can help to reduce the pain. You do not want to add any type of oil-based product to the skin or scrub the pimple vigorously. This could spread the condition and making it significantly worse. You can tackle those larger pimples and you can get rid of the condition fast by acting quickly. The larger it gets, the more inflamed it will get. That will only worsen the condition and push-off healing even longer.

Pimples are a condition that happens to many people. Take the time to find out how to treat Pimples.

6 Tips on How to Lose Belly Fat

In regards to weight loss, there are numerous steps you can take on how to lose belly fat, and remember there is no miracle to getting rid of belly fat. But instead it involves some process, determination, change of lifestyle and diet in order to realize this goal.

Many people believe that belly fat is only associated with overweight or obese folks without thinking that even slim people do have this problem as well and in this case, the fat can hide deep inside internal organs and may end up posing health risk quietly in the long run.

Extra fat in your body system can present health risks such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancers of the colon, breast, endometriun and also can lead to dementia.

So let us start by looking at how to lose belly fat or how to burn fat around your belly, well;

1. You definitely need to start exercising 
This is unavoidable and one of the best, easiest, fun and highly encouraged form of exercise to help get rid of belly fat is aerobics exercise also known as cardio to many.

So lets see what aerobic exercise is, well aerobic exercise is where you use the same large muscle group, rhythmically for a duration of 15 mins and more while at the same time maintaining 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. Think of cardio activity as being long in duration yet low in intensity.

Try to focus on aerobic exercise that is targeted to calorie burning and abdominal workouts or belly exercises.

A research by Duke university showed aerobic training significantly reduced visceral fat and liver fat, the culprit in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Aerobic exercise also did a better job than resistance training at improving fasting insulin resistance, and reducing liver enzymes and fasting triglyceride levels. All are known risk factors for diabetes and heart disease.

Resistance training is great for improving strength and increasing lean body mass, says Slentz. " But if you are overweight, which 2/3 of the population are, and you want to lose belly fat, aerobic exercise is the better choice because it burns more calories".

2. Decide on whole grain over refined food products 
Secondly on how to lose belly fat is nowadays, our food stores are full of refined food products piled on the shelves. And every single day and even at this instant, people are still eating highly processed foods knowingly or unknowingly which contain preservatives, stripped off nutrients and fiber, and individual still wonder why they are facing lots of healthy problems.

Deciding on whole grain food products over refined food is the best healthy choice you can ever make when it comes to living a healthy life and healthy body. Whole grain foods include whole grain rice, whole wheat flour, pasta, brown bread and white bread is a big NO. Keep in mind whole grain and least processed foods are available in our local stores and its a matter of making the right choice when buying these items for yourself and family.

Also consume legumes such as beans, lentils, peas which are rich in essential nutrients, minerals and fiber to help burn fat.

People who often eat a healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains have a decreased risk of disease and those who consume high refined diet, processed food and high fat have an increased risk of disease such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and many more.

3. You need to get adequate or enough sleep 
Getting regular sleep will help in battling cravings and overeating consequently assist in belly fat loss. Try to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night as this will really help in getting into shape, feel more relaxed and help your body renew.

Watching TV in the evening deprives you sleep, overeating and then going to bed late and not having adequate sleep is a sure way of increasing body fat and weight, since when you overeat and go to bed, your digestion slows and stops and hence the food end up being converted to body fat.


4. The power of 3 meals a day
Eat well balanced diet and health experts says breakfast is the most essential of all three meals, since breakfast is intended to supply you with energy to see you start your day well. For super or dinner, try to eat light like fruits and vegetables can do.

5. Choose water above all other drinks
Another choice to make on how to lose belly fat is to choose water above all drinks, as it is a healthy choice and it does not supply calories. Cola drinks and other soft drinks are full of unhealthy sugars and empty calories which are not helpful to your body in any way.

6. Power of relaxation
Going through high level stress is damaging to your body, learn to relax and take life easy and surround yourself with positive minded people who are going to impact your life in a positive way in one way or another.

Its well known that when individuals who are going through high level stress, they tend to crave a lot or overeat and for this reason adding weight to their bodies.

Practical Guide to Weight loss


Let's face it, none of us find weight loss easy. Common perception is that weight loss is a science for trainers, a blessing for supermodels and a harrowing task for the rest of us.

Today, we get behind the weight loss scene and bring you a practical weight loss guide that will help you decipher its finer points. So, if you want to lose weight, then here are 10 pointers that are easy to understand and will help you lose those extra kilos and keep them off for good.

Understand where energy comes from and how to burn only fat.
When you exercise you're burning proteins, carbs and fats depending on your workout. Burning these components results in energy, but we are interested in burning calories. Regular exercise will help to lose weight, but your body should adjust to a healthy adaptation. This means, your cells should learn to burn unwanted fat without an effort, regular exercise should enhance your body like improves the circulation of blood. It is suggested, to increase metabolism one should lift weights.

Adopt the 80-20 principle in weight loss
If you're a party animal or love to try out new places, you will tend to binge on food. But if you want to lose weight, here's what you should do. If you're out for dinner, your 80 percent aim should be to avoid ordering food that uses processed food or food that is soaked in oil, au contraire, go for grilled dishes; while the 20 percent incentive should be a good glass of wine. As for dessert go for the 70 - 30 ratio.

Avoid spot targeting, a major mistake in weight loss efforts
Repeat after us - spot targeting does not work. This one is a rookie mistake. A lot of first time weight loss warriors believe that if they want to lose weight from a particular body part, then they only need to exercise that body part. So, people with paunches attempt a hundred sit ups, people with flabby arms stick to bicep curls and people with thunder thighs invest in squats.

However, what all of them need to know is that such spot targeting simply does not work. To lose weight in one spot, you have to first exercise the entire body. Ever heard the phrase - the place you put it on first, is the last one you lose it from? Well, it's true. The only way to lose weight in one or all parts of the body is to follow a strict routine of cardio, strength training, balance, flexibility and healthy eating.

Make your own to-do list for weight loss
Before embarking on any big project, it is common practise to outline a carefully planned to-do list. Why not do the same for your weight loss efforts? The five musts on any weight loss to-do list are: Fitness training, bad carbs control, full body resistance training, protein inclusion and being active everyday.

Nip it in the bud - banish more weight gain
Many times, it turns out that people put on more weight while trying to lose weight. Before you question the logic behind this state of affairs, take a look at fad diets. These are what damage metabolic health, impairing it for a long time to come. Therefore, stay away from any diet that tells you to give up on any essential nutrients like carbs, fats and proteins. It is important to know what makes you add the extra pounds, so nip extra weight gain in the 'butt.'


Which brings us to our next point - beware of weight loss scams
Most of us are brainwashed by publicity stunts, even when it comes to diets. We literally judge the book by its cover. We fail to ask questions or prod at the fine lines and end up following the trend blindly. Don't fall for scams like weight loss creams, body firming gels, vibrating bands that knock off pounds while you sleep and diets that tell you to eat a turnip for dinner.

Learn to distinguish which weight loss is good for you
You have to be aware that there are a lot of weight loss programs and you need to know all are not designed to suit you. Fitness comes in many different types of programmes. If you like dancing, for instance, you will never enjoy weight training. Keep the essentials in mind, i.e., resistance, cardio, core, balance, flexibility, and experiment with different types of workouts. The same applies for meal plans. Understand which nutrients you need every day and in what quantity, then attach this knowledge to an eating pattern that suits your body type and caloric requirements.

Socialise and still lose weight
Even though popular belief says that alcohol will add pounds to your figure, we give you hope. If you had a choice between a Pina Colada, Mimosa or Irish Cream, what will you choose? Simple decisions you make will have a big effect on your body in the long run. Stay happy, drink healthy (but don't drive, if you do drink).

Focus on making sure that your metabolism runs like a well-oiled machine
Metabolism is a chemical reaction that speeds up the breakdown of organic matter either for energy or for growth. There are few ways to develop this process and enhance metabolism that you can do on a regular basis like have breakfast, consume protein based food and get chromium in your diet. Exercise is an excellent metabolism booster.

Unhealthy weight loss will make your skin sag. Avoid it.
When you lose weight, the unhealthy way, your skin wants to contract but the end result is sagging skin. But there are ways to avoid sagging skin after weight loss. Firstly, avoid losing weight rapidly; stop weight gain and reverse it right now, as the older you get, the more weight loss will make your skin sag; drink plenty of water and follow a healthy diet. As always, exercise is the best way to ensure that your skin remains supple and tight.

7 Postures to Avoid When Exercising


If you often wonder about why you suffer frequent injuries at the gym, it's time to take a long, hard look at your workout form.

While exercising, method and posture play an important role. We give you an insight on why poor form is to blame for your aches and pains.

Stop jerking: Stop jerking your weights and your body, it will only cause injury and it will have no effect on the muscles. Take a cue from James Bond; being smooth gets the best outcome. Smooth weight training will surely get you the much needed muscles. When you twist and jerk your body while lifting weights, you open yourself up to a world of injuries like joint pain, muscle pulls, even fractures.

Slow movements: You don't want to workout in a jiffy, it defeats the purpose. Muscle fibers need slow yet smooth movement to build size and strength. If you workout really quickly, all the fibers don't get worked out. Take time and do a proper workout.


Pain in the neck: Summertime is the best time to flaunt your six pack abs. But, if you are gung ho about stomach crunches, you need to know one thing. Do not place your hand on your neck as you pull your neck forward. This will cause severe neck pain. Instead, place your hand on your chest or by your side. If you are accustomed to placing your hands behind your head, then use them only as markers. Do not force your head forward in order to compensate or start the crunching movement.

Squat right: When it comes to squats, balance and body alignment is important. Do not bend too forward nor go down below your knee level. When squatting, arch your back, your abs should be tight, head up and your body should be in proper alignment. Do not let your knees cross your toes, and do not lock your knees as you lift yourself.

Full range motion: When weight training even if you do easy and few exercises make a note to do full range motions. There are two benefits: your joints are more mobile, but more importantly your muscle has a boost of strength when completely extended.

Straighten your back for a deadlift: If you arch your back, chances are you will risk a slip disc or hernia. Also keep your head in neutral position, not up or down.

Bench press posture: You may think that bench press doesn't have a right posture, but arching your back can induce lower back pain. Here's what you should do; feet should be on the floor, butt on the bench, with slight arch in your lower back and you're good to go.

How to Become a Loving, Positive person


It's one thing to wax eloquent on positivity, but quite another to be a positive person at heart.Despite believing to have a positive outlook, we invariably weigh the cons first, consider several times before sparing a compliment, and broadcast only the odds when someone counts on us for advice. What's more, we prefer needless sarcasm for humour, manage a wry smile when something is genuinely funny, and believe deep down that the glass is actually half empty.

We live in denial of our inherent negativity for the most part, and often wonder why the world around is so mean and reckless. At work, we never fail telling our juniors how meeting deadlines can be a tough proposition, and not to think too 'out of the box' to impress the boss. In short, we never tire telling all concerned how tough things can be! Unlike dogs we may not be born eternal optimists, but positivity is something that can be imbibed even if a tad forcibly; such as by trying to tweak our sense of humour, the way we react to a given situation, by being more pleasant and believing others too have a mind, and by smiling each time somebody says 'thank you'.

Have the desire: First thing first, to become a positive person one must have a strong desire to be positive. And the desire will come only if you are convinced that becoming a positive person will enhance the quality of life. Positivity is like an aura, and you know you are a positive person when people start trusting you, random people become polite with you, colleagues at work start patronising you, and you start building rapport easily.

Be realistic: Do not try to become a saint. Becoming a positive person does not mean you can never have any negative emotion or encounter any negative situation. It is the overall attitude that matters. Don't get bogged down by failure, and disappointed when your expectations are not met. Mentally, you should always be calculating a way out of difficult situations come what may.

Experiment: Be a keen observer. Use everyday life incidents to see how you can manage them in a more positive manner. These will serve as perfect instances to turn your outlook more positive. For starters, contemplate how you could have better handled a situation by being less hostile and more indulgent. Come up with five ways that could have saved the day, and learn to take things at face value sometimes. Remember, your ability to trust the other person also reflects your genuineness.

Speech and body language: Try and make positive words a part of your daily lingo, and work on your body language in way that you come across as friendly and approachable. Look amused when something is amusing, laugh when something is funny, congratulate when someone's bought something new, and give others a chance to narrate their side of the story. Never think you are the only interesting, knowing one around.

Company: One way to becoming positive is to seek positive company as both positivity and negativity are infectious. If the people you spend most of your time with are grumpy or have a pessimistic standpoint, you'll find yourself mirroring the same emotions before a different set of people inadvertently. In order to inculcate positivity it is imperative that your friend circle is a positive, energetic, and a happy bunch. You'll find yourself carrying the same positivity everywhere you go.

Activities: Do not remain idle and brood. Take up positive activities with others or in isolation. Share a joke, narrate a pleasant incident, take part in sporting activities, go for a run in the evening after work, have healthy sex, and you'll find yourself bubbling with positive energy.

Take it easy: Everyday life is bound to give you shocks. Be prepared to minimise impact and shrug it off. For instance, you may get too hassled everyday while driving to work or trying to park your car. When you accept the fact that certain things cannot be changed, you'll be more at ease with yourself and those around too.

Learn yoga: Says yoga teacher and nutritionist, Abhilasha Kale, "Do pranayam everyday as it lets you focus and meditate. Not only does it secrete happy hormones but also creates a sense of awareness within you." With the help of yogic asanas you control your breathing, and by way of it, control your mind from wandering. Every time you do yoga, you feel a surge of positive energy through your body that calms your nerves, soothes your mind, elevates your mood, and not to mention enhances your level of tolerance.

Maintain a diary: Instead of recounting all events of the day, filter out only the positive ones and make a note of them. It could be anything trivial from your bus arriving on time, your mom cooking a delicious breakfast, to remembering to pay the bills on time. When we look for positivity in the little things that make our lives worthwhile, we leave no room for negativity. "Try consciously practising this for 10 days, and at the end of day ten when you read your diary back you'll only have memories of all the good things that happened to you," she asserts.

Say 'thank you': Thank god, thank your parents, friends, and thank yourself for all the hard work you did, for everything you achieved. Says Abhilasha, "Saying thank you frequently makes you humble, and a humble person is seldom cynical."

Try these methods, and you'll be surprised when others notice the change in you

Guidance for Bottle Feeding to Baby

Need for bottle feeding arise for infant depend on mother. Working mother needs to bottle feed her baby earlier than non-working mother. There are various reasons that mother needs to bottle feed her baby earlier. Many women breast-feed their baby for more than one year. It depends on availability of mother and also milk production of mother. With breast feeding many women give bottle feeding to their baby. It is good practice to make your baby habituated with bottle feeding after six months. This is because once infant get familiar with difference between mother’s milk and formula feeding, they refuse to accept bottle feeding. In such case it is very difficult for mother to go outside for any work and need to more attentive towards her infant’s need.

Habituate your baby with Bottle Feeding

Remember, it is always advisable that mother’s milk is the best than any other feeding. It is advisable to breast feed baby minimum for six months. You can breast feed your baby as long as you can, better if you can provide for one year. You can give bottle feed as supplement with breast feeding.
  • When your baby is habituated with mother’s milk, initially they don’t accept formula feeding.
  • Initially you can collect breast milk and fill it in bottle. Thus, your baby finds same taste and gets habituated with bottle feeding gradually. It is good for your baby and for mother as well. If mother needs to go outside for some reason or for job she can store her breast milk in clean container and whenever your baby get hungry, her care-taker or anyone else can give mother’s milk in bottle.
  • It is advisable to start bottle feeding before they understand difference between mother’s milk and bottle feeding.
  • Initially give bottle while your baby is sleeping. During sleeping time your baby is less conscious about taste of milk.
  • Do not stop breast feeding your baby at once. In the beginning give breast feeding twice or thrice in a day as per your convenience and give bottle feeding as supplements during day time.
  • Once your baby accepts formula feeding, you can breast feed your baby once in a day and then gradually start only bottle feed your baby.
  • Give bottle feed to your baby only when she/he really gets hungry other than providing as per your schedule.
Position for Bottle Feeding Baby


To bottle feed your baby, first seat comfortably and hold baby on your lap. Give support to baby’s head from your left arm. Don’t keep your baby in sleeping position, you need to keep baby’s head level up from his stomach. It will help your baby to suck bottle easily. Keep some soft support below head like baby pillow if you feel uncomfortable to hold your baby.

If your infant is less than six months old, you need to take more care for her bottle feeding especially her head position. Remember never feed your baby in sleeping position.

Mother can build strong bonding with her baby by sparing time for bottle feeding. Talk with your baby softly to keep her happy. It will make strong bonding between mother and baby. Do not get hurry while your baby is feeding. Mother need to keep patience during her baby’s feeding time.

Basic Tips for Bottle Feeding
  • Buy good quality bottle and nipple for your baby.
  • Clean bottle in boiled water.
  • Remove nipple and top of bottle and keep bottle, nipple and top in boiled water for few minutes. Sterilize the bottle is very essential to protect your baby from bacterial infection. 
  • Keep good stock of bottle if you only bottle feed your baby. Don’t keep single bottle to feed your baby.
  • Keep whole of nipple such that your baby can suck it easily. Do not keep it very small otherwise your baby will not get any satisfaction in bottle feeding and she may refuse to feed it. You also need to check that whole is not very large otherwise your baby need to suck fast and she might vomit if she cannot swallow properly.
  • Change nipple if you find any leakage or found yellow layer around it. You should also clean nipple properly. Clean hole of nipple and check that milk can easily come out from it.
  • Never give cold milk to your baby. Give warm milk to your baby. Check that milk is not very hot or cold. Take some drop in your hand and once you find that it is lukewarm, give it to your baby. Do not heat milk in microwave oven as it creates hot spot in milk.
  • Do not reuse leftover milk from bottle. Do not keep milk in bottle. Once your baby finished drinking, make it empty immediately and clean it properly. Use baby brush to clean bottle properly.
  • When you give formula-feed to your baby check manufacturing and expiry date before purchasing. Take advice of your baby’s pediatrician before giving her any formula feeding. Always prefer branded baby formula powder for your baby.
  • Give attention to your baby while bottle feeding. Some times mother gives bottle to baby and sleep in the night. Baby do not understand that milk is finished or not and she continues to suck the bottle. It may affect your baby’s health as baby suck only air after finishing milk.
  • When you give milk or formula powder, keep proper measurement for preparing formula feed. You can keep same scoop for preparing bottle feeding every time. Give it according to prescribed by your doctor or as per instructed on tin of formula powder. You should also care your baby to prevent her from constipation. Often infant gets gas or constipation problems due to milk. Use cow’s milk for infant as cow’s milk is the best after mother’s milk.
  • You can make your baby habituated with bottle feeding once you understand her feeding time. You can keep bottle ready once you acquainted with her timing and give to her immediately before she cries. Your tender care and love enhance strong bonding between mother and baby. Bottle feeding is the best medium to increase bonding with your baby.

How to Improve Concentration

With distractions present everywhere, concentrating on work becomes difficult. The human mind isn't designed to cope with surrounding chaos as each sense picks up on something that could distract us in a second.However, even though it is difficult to improve concentration, it is not entirely impossible. Perseverance is important in improving your concentration power. Here are the top 20 ways with which you can improve your concentration. Get cracking today!

Select your environment

The environment in which you work plays an important role in improving your concentration.Comfortable and appealing environments are more conducive to attaining full concentration while working.Usually, while selecting the environment, keep in mind, the lesser the distractions, the better the chances of working with full concentration.

Control your thoughts

The key to concentration is to not allow your mind to distract you with casual thoughts.When unrelated thoughts emerge in the mind, pay no attention to them and actively focus on the task you are trying to accomplish.

Make a time plan

Make a schedule for the jobs to be done. In order to balance, allocate time appropriately to serious tasks, and to leisure as well.This will help you feel more fulfilled and less weak toward playful distractions.

Never be negative

Do not tell yourself that you cannot concentrate; this will make it more difficult to focus, because you will force your mind to be short of concentration and attention.

Avoid Multi-tasking

Multi-tasking ensures that we cannot concentrate on one single task at hand when we have a horde of tasks lying in front of us.Focus on completing each task before moving on to the next.

Cut off the Noise

Cutting off noise is very important, as it is obvious that distractions won't help you focus.Though it can be tempting to put the e-mail alerts on, reply to the BBM or whatsapp messenger and answer every request sent your way, eventually it will only prevent you from concentrating.

Diet and Exercise

Focus depends, to a great deal, on a balanced diet and exercise plan.Lack of essential nutrients can cause fatigue and lethargy. Ensure concentration by eating a diet rich in nuts and fruits containing Vitamin E, and follow through with a healthy workout routine.

Understand the task

Concentration is particularly difficult if you have doubts about what you are doing or if you find the task confusing.When work is difficult, the mind looks for easier things to do. Hence, try to get a general overview and develop a basic concept and framework before you start each task.



Conquer Procrastination

Don't feel like concentrating? Are you putting off a task? This is procrastination.Do not postpone, in fact simply decide to not leave your seat till the burdensome task is over.

Spot your peak times

All of us have our times of peak alertness in the 24-hours cycle. However, it is not the same for all.Find out yours and use it for more tricky or less interesting tasks.

Be positive

Whenever you need to focus, tell yourself over and over again that you can concentrate, and this will easily help you to develop this ability.

Divide tasks

Tasks that have no clear start or end point will destroy your focus. If you have a large project that needs work, clearly identify a path that you will use to get started working on it.

Concentration Exercises

Exercise restores the loss in focus by improving mind and body coordination.Focus is closely related to memory preservation exercises like coin trick, chair trick. This will improve your concentration.

Meditation

Meditation is not a cure; but, if you can practice sincerely and learn to control the mind you will notice a difference, and slowly improve your concentration power.

Go slow

It is important to discipline yourself as well as put in more time to effective use.So start small, but stick to it if you are not able to concentrate easily.

Train your brain

In order to improve your concentration you need to train your brain.

If you are unable to focus on a subject for more than a few seconds, but if you preserve, you will be able to fix the mind on anything for a longer duration.

Set a Deadline

Deadlines work well when trying to strengthen concentration.A deadline can make it easier to forget the non-essential and speed up your working time.

Get enough sleep

Impose a regular bedtime.Tiredness, fatigue and lack of a good night's sleep is one of the leading causes of poor concentration.

Steady progress

If you feel you are horrible at concentration, try to make small improvements each week.

If you get distracted for say half of the time, make an effort to get distracted for less time each week.

Manage requirements

Make sure that you have arranged all your requirements before you start with each task.This may avoid unnecessary distractions, and you will work serenely.

Unite your heart with mind

Applying your mind to the work is a requirement in any case; adding positive attitude makes the real difference.

When you start enjoying the work, your understanding of it and desire to concentrate on it is much faster and better.