Get HAPPY!

University of Alabama is starting welcome week this Friday and I remember how stressful it can be. I mean I know there is a lot of fun, but late nights sometimes equal stressful days. When I was college I took a self-help class that I thought was silly then, but now see the benefits of it. One of the things we learned about was how to make yourself happier. If you are feeling down or just feeling blah there are plenty of things to get your spirits up. Below are 3 of the tips that I learned, use today, and think everyone would benefit from.

• Spend time with happy people. People don’t say “misery loves company” for no reason. It is so easy to get caught up in someone’s drama and take on their emotions. The best things to do are step back and bring some positivity into the situation or spend more time with other people.
• Unplug wisely. Everyone has different ways to unplug, but I have found that instead of watching television, doing something like yoga or meditation is actually better. I feel a lot more rejuvenated and healthier after.
• Give a little. I know times are hard right now; so many people can’t give money. But there are plenty of other ways of giving. Drop a nice note on a friend’s car or send them flowers. It will definitely lift your spirits to see how happy it makes them.

What other ways do you like to make yourself happier? I surround myself with happy people for the most part. I do volunteer and struggling youth, so I am able to take my hope to them. The other two I try and do at least 3 times a week. You can find more tips like this on Yahoo!

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Keeping the Pounds Off After 20

As we get older our metabolisms naturally slow down and we gain weight. I learned the hard way in college I broke my leg and then definitely picked up 15 lbs pretty quickly. It was hard for me to get it off, but then I trained one summer really hard and got back down to my ideal weight. It didn’t take long again for it to creep back up. And the once I graduated college I went on this health kick, but I couldn’t attain my goal. This past year I have finally balanced out and my weight has set in. I am no longer doing the “yo-yo” program. There are a few keys that I have learned along the way by working with trainers and reading numerous articles that I think everyone could benefit from.

• Left weights. Just doing cardio is not going to cut it. You need muscle in your body to help you burn more calories through out the day.
• Eat more frequently. Eating 5-6 times a day is better than 2-3 big meals. Consulting with a nutritionist is also a good idea because of your body changes. I learned that I wasn’t eating enough calories and once I increased my calories I lost weight.
• Be consistent. I have learned that working out hardcore for 1 week and then not going for the next 2 weeks isn’t going to cut it. Make a schedule that is feasible. As we get older our schedules get busier. For me I try to go 4-6 days per week.

What other tips do you have for keeping the unwanted pounds off?

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Practical Tips for Patience

Would you call yourself a patient person? About 3 years ago I would have said no with confidence. I moved 100 plus miles per hour. If someone couldn’t answer my question within a minute of asking it, I would jump to something else. My mom would always tell me to slow down and I would tell her what’s the point. Then I decided to try yoga and that’s when I learned the beauty of slowing down. Yoga taught me a lot of patience that I have today because I wanted to be able to do all the moves right away, but that’s impossible. It takes a lot of practice and discipline. I have transferred the lessons of patience into my everyday life too. Below are some tips that I used to help me become the patient person I am today:

• Take a step back from the situation before reacting
• Deep breaths
• Count to 10
• Laugh about it
• Talk to a friend

My favorite tip out all of these is deep breaths. I breath in calming thoughts and breath out the chaos. It really helps calm me down and focus on what is really going on . How do you get patience?

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5 Tips to Good Skin

Growing up I never had a lot of breakouts until I was about 18 and then it went away a few years later. I am 26 now and started breaking out last year. I went and saw the dermatologist and she gave me some tips that said I had to do in order to get clear skin again. I will admit I rarely washed my face before I went to bed and I never used sunscreen. When I told her this she said ” I am not suggesting , but telling you that you need to take better care of your skin.” I have been following her tips for the past 3 months and they really have helped my skin look a lot better. Below are the 5 tips that I have incorporated into my regime that I suggest for everyone:

1. Wash your face before you go to bed.
   
2. Wear sunscreen.
3. Eat foods high in Omega-3’s.
4. Stay hydrated.
5. Use retinoid.

These seem pretty simple, but for me it’s always the simple things that I forget the most. I know sometimes we all have those late nights where we just want to get in bed without doing anything. I keep makeup remover clothes in my night stand, so if I am that lazy I can at least wipe off my makeup. It is better than going to bed with makeup on. To stay hydrated I try and drink at least 2 liters of water a day. I got retinoid cream from the local pharmacy; I like to use Olay. What other skin care tips do you have to share?

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Fitness Myths You Must Know

There are so many articles floating out there about exercising. Exercising has become a huge passion of mine. I have loved fitness ever since I was younger. I have tried numerous diets, workout trends, and cleanses. I will say the only thing that has really worked is a well balanced diet with regular exercise. This doesn’t mean you have to eat tasteless healthy food, it just means you have to watch your proportions. I eat whatever I am craving. If I want French fries, I will eat them. Instead of over indulging and getting a large I get a small or kids size.

I was talking to one of my friends because she was complaining about her weight. I couldn’t believe some of the things that she believed. Some of the myths that she really believed were if she lifted weights she would bulk up, her weight had to do with her genetics and that she was already too muscular. These are ALL FALSE. When women feel like they are super muscular in certain spots, but it’s usually more fat than muscle. Weight training is vital to a good program because muscle helps you burn more calories throughout the day.

What other fitness myths have you heard before?

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What Did Your Mom Tell You?

Some things your mom told you as a kid were right — and some were just plain wrong. Check out these wives’ tales and see if they are backed up by medical science.

Mom’s wisdom: Ginger relieves upset stomach.
Science says: Yes. Ginger is proven to reduce nausea.

Mom’s wisdom: Eat an apple a day and keep the doctor away. Science says: An apple will help your heath by lowering blood pressure and preventing heart attacks. Will it keep the doctor away? That’s an overstated claim.

Mom’s wisdom: Honey quickens healing.
Science says: Honey helps heal mild to moderate burns by speeding tissue growth.

Post Holiday Bulge

Need some tips to beat all that post holiday bulge. Fear not I have a great article that will help you with your battle. Here are a few simple tricks from this article that can help you start being a newer you.

Tips:
Drink plenty of water throughout the day to beat dehydration
Take a high-quality B-complex and vitamin C
Eat fruit in the morning on an empty stomach
Eat a large green salad for lunch and dinner if you’re having dinner at home
Eat a small healthy snack every two hours to stabilize blood sugar.

Click here for more details.

Healing From A Cold

Getting sick is not fun at all. I know I absolutely hate getting sick. Many people normally get sick once or twice a year and it is usually during the winter season. However, did you know if you focus more on healing than your sickness that you might heal faster. If you are sick or next time you fall sick try using these simple tips to heal faster.

Here are some help tips:
Get Plenty Of Rest
Limit Contact With Others
Wash Your Hands
Get Some Fresh Air
Eat
Don’t Push Yourself

Click here to read more.

Cell Phone Safety

Have you ever heard that cell phones can cause some kind of cancer. Many experts are saying that cell phones and head phone devices raise the risk of brain cancer. You don’t have to stop using your cell phone all together, but there are a couple of pre-cautions you can take to keep safe.

Use your home phone when you can
Set limits to your kids cell phones use
Try to keep cell phones away from your head. Try using the speaker phone or a pair of head sets.

Click here to read more.

Mood Boosters

Are you feeling sluggish or anxious? It may be time to re-examine your health and what you are eating. Did you know the foods you eat can effect your mood? Not only does what you eat impact your weight and health, studies show it can affect your mental and emotional states as well, says Tanya Zuckerbrot, M.S., R.D.

Foods to help boost your mood:
Bananas
Orange Juice
Tea
Salmon
Chocolate
Sun Flower seeds

Click here to read the rest of the list.

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