PROMOTION

As we bid adieu to the colder days and stow away our winter clothing, most of us turn our attention to the perennial pursuit of the elusive summer “beach body”. This may be partly because we can no longer rely on the extra layers of winter clothes to hide the fluff that we put on during the winter or the way we severely lost track, as it so often happens, of all the food we ate during the winter festivities. Either way, it’s time to get back into shape, and this year, do it the proper way. This year, instead of getting sucked into the vicious cycle that is crash-dieting and binge-eating, make way for a more sustainable fitness philosophy to not only help you reach your goals but surpass them.

Set yourself up for success from the get-go:

The number one rule to effectively get fit is to have a fixed goal in mind. And the first step towards setting a goal is to ascertain what it is one hopes and expects to achieve. In fitness terms this could mean running that 5k marathon, losing body fat, toning up, gaining muscle to chisel out your body or even focusing on strength and cranking out a 100 Kg deadlift.

However, it is imperative to establish an achievable target. The last thing one wants is to lose their incentive just because what they sought after was unattainable in the given time frame. It is pertinent to note here that this does not mean one should not push themselves: on the contrary, it is advised to set targets that inspire you to push your boundaries. To avoid the ‘lose 15 Kgs in 1-week’ fad, keep your objectives lofty but realistic, and watch yourself accomplish everything you set your mind to!

One step at a time:

The importance of breaking your main goal down into mini-goals or milestones cannot be overemphasised. It is human nature to seek gratification, and a lack thereof can result in wavering motivation which eventually results in falling off the wagon. Having set milestones leading up to one’s final objective can allow the satisfaction of enjoying the small victories and helps to stay on course in the long run. As they say, a fitness journey is not a 100-meter sprint, it is a marathon: you should be in it for the long haul. The setting, and keeping track of these mini-goals is a habit-forming technique that will make fitness a permanent part of your life and keep you continually motivated with every successive moment of triumph.

Fuel yourself:

It is essential to feed your body the best nutrition to enable it to perform at its highest level. Getting fit is 20% exercise and 80% diet. Staying active on a poor diet can cause one to feel sluggish and hamper progress. On the other hand, it is also easy to jeopardise your goals by unwittingly over-eating. Ideally, one should consult with a registered dietitian and nutritionist to come up with a personalised nutritional plan for the correct amounts of macro-nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) and micro-nutrients (including sodium levels, potassium, vitamin requirements etc.) required. Signing up for macro-tracking services (like MyFitnessPal or My Macros +) allows users to track exactly how much they are eating by providing a comprehensive database of food items that makes it easy to ‘count calories’.

It must be stated that crash-dieting or severely restricting one’s calorie intake will only do more harm to the body. In fact, studies show that prolonged dietary restriction slows down metabolism and causes stagnation in weight loss, along with a multitude of other physiological problems. Hence, while one should avoid exceeding their calorific limit as set by the nutritionist, it is absolutely necessary to eat enough to provide sufficient energy to help one’s body continue to function optimally.

Exercise regularly:

A well-rounded training program with wholesome nutrition is ideally supplemented by both cardio and strength training and allowances for flexibility and rest days. Where cardio workouts burn more calories per session than strength training ones, strength training elevates your metabolism and subsequently burns calories for more extended periods after the session is over. On average, three days of strength or resistance exercises and two days of cardio intensive activity is recommended, but this may vary depending on your fitness goals and your normal activity levels.

Making sure to increase your base level of activity during the day will also help boost your metabolism. This could mean taking the stairs more often, parking your car farther away from your destination, and cycling or even walking to work and back.

Stay accountable:

It is essential to have a way to hold yourself accountable, especially for those off-days when leaving the enticing comfort of a bed or couch to get moving seems like the most arduous task. Start small by dedicating a diary to log in your necessary measurements to help gauge progress (record weight, tape measurements of size and photos). We would recommend going beyond this and involving others in your pursuit of fitness- this could be in the form of having a dedicated workout partner, informing close family or friends of your progress or sharing your journey on social media. Human psychology works in a way that while some people put in the hours on their own, many others require a support group to help them on their way.

Consider supplements:

Some people may require more than just proper nutrition and an active lifestyle to achieve their targets. Those who are on the heavier side of the scale, or have specific dietary requirements, should consider using the right supplements to avoid the slew of medical problems that can arise due to being overweight. Services such as Click Pharmacy have a range of weight loss supplements that can elevate one’s progress when taken in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle and diet. Keep in mind that it is never advisable to self-prescribe any supplement without consulting the relevant professional expert.

When it comes to achieving your fitness goals, you need to have the earnest desire and mental courage to do what is required to be healthier and stronger. With a well-formed fitness plan, proper nutrition and an exercise regime catered to your specific needs, you will have worked your way to the summer body you desire in no time.

PROMOTION

Image – By DinaPhoto from shutterstock

Your health is just as vital as your baby’s when you are expecting. A balanced diet, adequate rest, and medically supervised supplementation will ensure that you have a healthy pregnancy and avoid issues like depression.

Prenatal vitamins contain a selection of vitamins and minerals that will help nourish a woman’s body and ensure the proper development of her growing baby. If you are a mom-to-be, here are some of the top reasons why you should be taking prenatal vitamins:

1. Prevent nutritional gaps

A nutritious diet composed of vegetables, fruits, proteins, and complex carbohydrates is the foundation of a healthy pregnancy. However, even though you may be making sure that you have a healthy diet, taking prenatal vitamins will help prevent any nutritional gaps that can have detrimental effects on your child.

Here are some specific instances where supplementation is highly recommended:

• If you want to optimize your pregnancy because you may not be getting the nutrients and vitamins you and your baby need from your diet alone
• If you are strictly following a specific diet, like a plant-based one
• If you have food allergies or intolerances, for example, when you are celiac or lactose intolerant
• If you are suffering from chronic stress
• If, after taking a blood test, you realize that you are suffering from a deficiency in a particular vitamin or mineral
• If you were taking hormonal birth control pills before your pregnancy
• If you experience hyperemesis gravidarum, a pregnancy complication characterized vomiting and severe nausea

It can be daunting to ensure that all your dietary needs are met during your pregnancy. Always consult with your doctor first to make sure that your diet can support healthy fetal development and determine whether or not you need supplementation.

2. Prevent neural tube defects

Prenatal vitamins that contain folic acid are necessary to prevent the occurrence of neural tube birth defects in your baby. These are conditions that impact the spinal cord and brain, and develop as early as 28 days after conception.

If you are planning to get pregnant, experts recommend taking 400 micrograms of folic acid daily as soon as possible, even before actual conception, until the 12th week of your pregnancy.

However, if your unborn child is already suffering from a neural tube defect, make sure to first talk to your health care provider before taking folic acid supplements. A study has shown that taking a higher dose of folic acid supplements can be beneficial for you and your child, but effects vary on a case-to-case basis.

3. Prevent loss of bone density

Calcium is an essential mineral for pregnant women since it helps prevent the mother from experiencing bone density loss. It is also crucial for fetal growth, helping support healthy bone development, and proper muscular and vascular function. The recommended quantity for pregnant women is 1,000 mg a day.

Remember that inadequate calcium intake does not just lead to loss of bone density. It can also increase your risk of developing osteoporosis and other health conditions. Furthermore, without adequate calcium in your diet, your body will start taking it from your bones’ calcium stores to ensure that there is enough for your baby.

4. Prevent iron deficiency

Iron deficiency anemia is a condition where your body does not have sufficient healthy red blood cells to transport oxygen to your body’s organs and tissues. During pregnancy, iron deficiency can lead to severe consequences for you and the baby, including the following:

• Higher risk of having a low birth weight baby
• Higher risk of premature birth or infant death immediately before or after birth
• Higher risk of developing postpartum depression

Because of these risks, it is recommended for expecting women to have an intake of 27 mg of iron every day. Iron supplements can help moms-to-be reduce their risk of developing iron deficiency and endangering their health and their baby.

A critical thing to keep in mind is that too much iron can also be harmful. Always consult with your physician first to ensure that you are taking the right amount. If you notice any side effects before or after consumption, make sure that you alert your health care provider immediately.

Conclusion

Prenatal vitamins are specifically designed to support childbearing women and healthy fetal growth. They contain essential vitamins and minerals that will encourage your baby’s proper development and prevent the occurrence of congenital defects.

However, you should not forget that prenatal vitamins also carry inherent risks. Before choosing a prenatal vitamin to take during your pregnancy, consult with a health care professional first. Your doctor will recommend the right kind and dosage of prenatal vitamins for you and your baby.

Image – By DinaPhoto from shutterstock

PROMOTION

Many homeowners are unaware that the humidity level in their home is not ideal. The optimal indoor humidity levels should range between 25% to 40% during winter and 60% in the summer. You can tell if the level of moisture is higher when you notice a damp smell, appearance of mold and water stains on walls, ceiling or wooden surfaces, and frequent condensation on your windows. Having elevated moisture levels in your home can affect your families’ health and damage your furniture, floor, ceiling, and walls. You need to regulate the moisture content in your home to make it comfortable and safe. Here are some easy to control the humidity level in your home:

1) Get a Dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers are electric appliances that remove the moisture in indoor air. The appliance is so far the best way to deal with dampness in your home. Dehumidifiers are made of a fan, cooling coils, evaporator, and water holding container. The fan pulls the air within the room into the device and then the air is passed over the cooling coils where its temperature is lowered. Cooling the air causes water in it to condense into droplets that are then collected in the water-holding container. The dry air is heated and released back into the room. Once the air reaches the required humidity level or the water container fills, the dehumidifier switches off automatically. Dehumidifiers vary in size. Therefore, you should get one that covers your whole house. You can view TooHumid.com for information on some of the best whole-house dehumidifiers in the market.

2) Keep Your Home Well Ventilated

The reason why most homes have elevated moisture is poor ventilation. The steam produced when cooking, and showering condenses on cool surfaces like ceilings and walls. With adequate airflow in your home, the moisture will not condense. Windows are the simplest way to vent your home since they allow for natural air movement in and out of the house. You need to have windows in all rooms especially your bathroom and kitchen and open them daily. If you cannot open your windows, you should leave doors open for free airflow to rooms. You can also ventilate your home by running your AC on “dry” to remove humidity and keep the room warm. Having ceiling and table fans in every room will also help to circulate the air in your home.

3) Make These Changes

There are simple things you can do to control the humidity in your home. Fix leaking pipes and windows to reduce the accumulation of moisture in your home. Also, taking hot showers increases the humidity level of the home, so you should lower the water temperature to reduce steam. Consider removing stagnant water in your basement and houseplants in your home. Instead of hanging your wet clothes to dry indoors, hang them outside. The final change you can make to reduce dampness in your home is to cover your food when cooking.

PROMOTION

Do you love to go sailing? Do you spend all your free time on the water in your boat or kayak? Perhaps it has been a dream come true to be able to purchase a boat. Whether you have purchased a boat before or not, this article will provide you with tools and confidence that you need to get the best loan rate and limit your wear and tear on your boat.

• Conduct Research

The idea of owning a boat is exciting and can cause great joy. However, if you are unfamiliar with how to operate and take care of a boat, it may not be in your best interest right now, and that is ok! Do some research so that you have a better idea of the commitment you are about to sign up to take on for the long haul.

It is also a good idea to conduct research online and seek out various interest rates.  The best interest rates tend to be offered by local credit unions, however you can obtain additional loan information from online resources such as https://instabank.no/batlan. Take for example, John applied for a loan to cover his academic expenses. He didn’t realize that he needed to start paying the loan back now. Had this been a known fact, the family may not have moved into the new house in a short amount of time. The reason for this is that you can go into a dealer and purchase your new boat already equipped with an approved loan which makes the entire process a breeze.

• Check out your finances

Before you buy anything, you must know how your finances are and if you can afford the boat. Sometimes, couples find that they thought they could afford a boat, but they didn’t realize that they had to shell out additional funds in order to keep and maintain it in the off season. There is a lot that goes into caring for a boat.

• Read the terms.

Avoid accepting a loan on first glance. Many consumers do not go over the terms of the loan with a bank representative. Reading the terms up front is helpful because it equips you with knowledge that you wouldn’t have had otherwise.

• Check to see if there is a early payoff penalty.

One of the biggest things that people fail to determine is if their boat loan has an early pay off penalty. This can be a big deal as the loan could be thousands of dollars. Because of that, you may want to make additional payments so that you can pay off the boat quickly. When reading over the fine print, make sure to determine if there is an early pay off penalty. If there is, you may want to consider refinancing with another bank.

PROMOTION

Creating a home environment that satisfies the needs of your child is no easy feat.

But don’t fear – here are 10 terrific tips to help you make your living space child-friendly and super-cool.

1. Creative storage

Over time, kids can accumulate a whole load of toys. So if you’re struggling for space, invest in some fun, multi-functional storage that’s pleasing to the eye and keeps your child’s treasures nicely out of sight. For inspiration, take trip to child furniture store like Ikea.

2. Incorporate their masterpieces

There’s no creature quite as creative as a child, so encourage their expressive side by displaying their wonderful works of art throughout your home. They’ll love this showcase of their works, and with so many imaginative display options out there, you can frame them so they suit your interior décor.

3. Home miniatures

If you want your child to fully embrace their home, give them their own miniature version – buy them a kitchen play set and let their imagination run riot as they concoct their own make-believe culinary delights. But be warned – they’ll be desperate to help in the real kitchen in no time!

4. Build a den

Children love hiding away – so grab some sheets, clothes pegs and a couple of chairs, and create a den where your child can have their own creative play space. They’ll love having an adult-free zone that’s theirs alone. To help motivate you, take a look at this wikiHow guide to building a den.

5. Create a chillout zone

A great play area should be balanced out by a chillout zone where your child can read or relax. So find an unused nook or corner and kit it out with a small bookshelf, a couple of beanbags and some blankets – it’s the perfect place for slumber parties.

6. Involve them in décor decisions

Let your child contribute to decoration decisions and start by giving them a say in how their bedroom looks –it’s their space, so it should reflect their personality. But remember, children like silliness, so you should embrace this by letting them pick out some wacky stuff that will amuse not only them, but also your guests too.

7. Encourage outdoor play

Spring is upon us, so now’s the perfect time for your child to get outside and play. Items such as a swing or sandpit are great additions to a garden that will keep them entertained for hours on end.

8. Get a doormat

Unleashing children’s wild side outdoors means opening your home a whole load of dirt – so arm your house with a doormat. For a range of high-quality options, check out mat specialist Kleen-Tex.

Follow these tips, sit back and watch with delight as your child has the ultimate fun experience at home.

What are your tips for making your home child-friendly? Share in the comments section.

PROMOTION

There are always new beauty tricks that come out every year, and 2019 has had trends surface which people in the beauty industry are now learning and using to their advantage. The beauty industry is large, and stylists are constantly coming up with new trends every day. No one wants bland makeup, every lady wants their makeup on point at all times. You can check AllAboutTheGloss.com and the following are a few tips you can consider adding to your beauty regimen;

Wiggle your mascara wand

This is one trick that will help you apply your mascara in a smart way and leave your eyelashes popping. Most people apply their mascara by brushing the wand over the lashes. This application method may leave the lushes clumped with product but wiggling your mascara wand will help give you more defined lashes and will also make it easy for you to apply it. You want to wiggle the wand repeatedly until you are satisfied with your lashes.

Always use your eye cream

Some people don’t fancy eye creams but it will go a long way to help keep your skin smooth. You want to use the cream around your eyes, between your eyebrows, your nose bridge and around your mouth. These areas are prone to wrinkling but applying your eye cream will help protect them. This is also a nice beauty hack for anyone who has been smoking for some years.

Wing your cat eye upward

Most people go through a hard time trying to wing their cat eye right. The best thing to do is to wing it upward and not outward. Drawing the cat eye outward will leave your eye looking droopy and will not give the cat eye impression it is meant to give. You can use the upward direction of your lower lash to help do it right. Also, use cello tape to help create a neat line.

Brush your eyebrows up

One trick to make your eyebrows look more natural and full is by brushing them upwards. When you draw them, you can use a small brush to brush them lightly then fill them up. This gives them a more natural appearance as compared to when done without brushing. Also, another trick is to use some gloss to make them shinier.

Use caffeine on your makeup sponge

This may sound absurd to many people but using caffeine in your makeup sponge is a trend that most people have been using in 2019 and you don’t want to be left behind. The caffeine will do wonders to your skin and give you an all-natural kind of look. You don’t want to use a lot of it, just sprinkle a little to dampen your beauty blender and you are good to go.

The above trends are just a few of the many tips there are in 2019 and if you want to stay on top of your makeup game, then you may want to constantly be on the lookout for any new trends.

PROMOTION

The Easter holidays are just around the corner, and that means you’ll be looking for ways to keep the kids entertained during the break. How do you keep them occupied without breaking the bank? Here are just a few ideas that will help them enjoy their time off without emptying your wallet.

Look for Free Events in Your Area

Every school has its holidays and there are cheap and free events happening in your local area where you can take your child. These range widely from children’s active events, such as football games or aerobics, to creative events where they can come to make something with friends. If you’re not sure what’s happening near you, try Googling for ‘free events in [your location]’. Event organisers often advertise on social media groups for their areas, so make sure you’re following the right channels to get all the information.

Create Your Own Easter Egg Hunt

As now is the time for Easter eggs, why not look into creating your own Easter egg hunt? You can do it cheaply and even bring in friends and family to make a day of it. The Works have lots of Easter basket ideas to get you started. You can fill up a basket full of goodies for your children to find, or even give them a kit to make their own basket before they go hunting. Hide eggs around your garden and set the kids off for hunting.

Try trampolining

If you’re not lucky enough to have a trampoline in your back garden, (or even if you are!), then an indoor trampoline park is great fun and one of those rare activities that can be enjoyed by kids of all ages and grown-ups too. A trampoline or inflatables park is a brilliant option for rainy days and a fantastic way to burn off lots of school holiday excess energy.

Go For a Picnic

This time of the year is when the weather starts to finally start getting warmer. If you’re looking for something to do with the kids, why not take them for a picnic? There’s so much free open space in the UK, there’s sure to be somewhere close by where you can go and eat some sandwiches. Take along a Frisbee or a ball for the kids to play with, or pick daisies to make daisy chains.

Play outdoors

If the weather is feeling kind then an outdoor adventure centre could be what you need. Look for one that has a range of activities, so that there will be something for everyone. Good old fashioned play parks always go down well, plus you may even get the opportunity to have a cheeky sit down and a cup of coffee while you watch the kids enjoying themselves.

Go For a Splash

Children love nothing better than splashing about in water, so why not indulge them? You don’t even have to take them to the local leisure centre to play in the pool, if the weather’s good. Fill up a paddling pool with the hose and throw in some water toys, and the kids will have a whale of a time. If the weather is rainy and wet, that’s not going to spoil your fun. Pull on your wellies and go jump in as many puddles as you can.

Check Out the Library

If you’ve never been in your local library, then now’s the time to check it out. There’s so much you can take advantage of during the school holidays. For example, there’s books, DVDs, and audio books that you can check out and use, all for free. There’s also organised readings of child friendly books, too.

These are just a few ideas that will keep the kids occupied during the Easter holidays. You don’t have to break the bank at all, so take advantage of the cheap and free options that are out there for you.