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5 Simple Ways to Prevent Unnecessary Weight Gain

October 26, 2012 by Trish

Whether you are in college or at your first desk job, weight gain can sometimes be inevitable. There are ways to prevent it, you just need to be cautious of your actions. Here’s some of the most effective ways in preventing unnecessary flub.

Cut Out Fried Food

Yes, fried food is delicious but it certainly isn’t necessary in your daily diet. Opt for grilled food options rather than downing a basket of fried chicken fingers. If your restaurant order comes with fries, ask for a healthy alternative. This simple change can save you hundreds of calories, especially if you eat out a lot. Your body will thank you, and more importantly your waistline will love you.

Drink Water

Drinking water can save you so many calories throughout the day. Water has absolutely no calories and it helps filter the junk out of your system. It will also keep you hydrated and it even will make your skin look younger. With all of these benefits, there’s no reason to turn it down. Shoot for at least 8 glasses of water each day. If you need to jazz up your water with flavor, purchase strawberries or cucumbers to give your water a sweet taste.

Find More Reasons to Walk

Avoid being lazy at all costs. If your office or school has an elevator, opt for the stairs instead. Walk longer routes to class, and walk on your work breaks. The extra movement will keep your body active. Avoid parking your car close to any doors. There’s no excuses to sell yourself short. If it’s raining, just bring an umbrella.

Gym Membership

If you don’t want to walk more at work, invest in a gym membership. If you are at college, there is absolutely no excuses for not going to the gym since they provide students with a gym. Gym memberships can range in price so buy one that meets your needs. If you don’t plan to use group fitness programs, you can save yourself some serious cash by purchasing a basic membership. Commercial gyms like Planet Fitness offer $9.99 per month memberships.

Don’t Eat At Your Desk

When you are eating at your desk, you are not taking calorie consumption into account. Never have a bag of crackers, chips or anything to that extent open at your desk. This will cause you to reach into it for a handful every few minutes. Snack during your breaks. Avoid snacks like chips, and opt for healthy snacks like apples and granola. These snacks are healthy and they won’t hurt your waistline.

Marissa Bruce is very particular about her diet. She studied diet and nutrition before deciding to take her education a step further. She is now researching online nurse practitioner programs.

 





Filed Under: Health Fitness and Beauty Tagged With: eating, fried food, grilled food, gym, prevent, walk, water, weight gain

Knife Skills: What You Can Learn From Cooking Schools

October 25, 2012 by Trish

Admit it. The most impressive parts of any cooking programme are where the TV chef fillets a fish or finely chops a bundle of fresh herbs, showing off their rapid and adept knife skills. Slicing and dicing with speed and accuracy isn’t just extremely useful from a technical, time-saving perspective; it also looks fantastic. Whether you’re looking to save time in the kitchen or simply show off to your date, it makes sense to learn how to use a knife expertly. Whilst it’s possible to read about these methods in cookery books, it’s undoubtedly more effective to get some hands-on experience.

Knife Classes at Cooking Schools

For professional chefs, the ability to wield a knife efficiently is a core skill, being amongst the first assignments they are given in the kitchen. It makes sense, then, that amateur foodies receive some instruction in cutting – allowing them to slice and incise rather than hack and slash. You’ll learn the techniques involved in preparing herbs, spices and vegetables first. Whether it’s potato julienne or carrot brunoise, precisely cut plant matter is an essential part of a well-presented and tasty dish. Once you’ve got this aspect of knife competence under your belt, you’ll be able to move on to meat and fish. This is where the magic happens. Keen students will learn to adroitly portion these staple foods, deboning fish and seeking out the best cuts of chicken or beef. A good knife skill course will also teach you how to select the right knife for each task, and let you know what’s involved in keep them in tip top condition, meaning that you’ll be able to keep a keener edge for longer. If you’re interested in getting to grips with proper knife technique, you’ll want to look for a reputable class – cooking schools in London are probably the best bet at finding high quality suitable courses.

Cooking Schools in London: a Real Experience

A good cooking course will be an adventure that students undertake together. Keen cooks will have the opportunity to make new, like-minded friends as they take part in an interactive learning experience. As you would expect, a knife skills class is very hands-on! The course will be taught by an accomplished professional chef, with the class size kept at an appropriate level so that each student is able to fully benefit from their tutor’s knowledge. As well as specific direction from the head of the class, the teacher will be able to offer individualised hints and tips, ensuring that everybody is able to refine their technique. Everything you dissect will be provided by the school, making the class easy to fit within your timetable – no need to go shopping in advance! What’s more, you’ll get to consume your creation at the lesson’s conclusion alongside your new acquaintances, making it an ideal tasty prelude to a night out.

Sharp Skills

No need to be jealous of those famous chefs anymore. With some interactive teaching provided by one of the many cooking schools in London, you’re sure to impress your friends with your new abilities. Here’s to a fillet-filled future!

URL Image: http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd378/tlblazer/chefknife.jpg

Michael Doherty is a blogger with a passion for food. After a spell as the head chef of an acclaimed gastropub, he has settled into life as a full-time writer.

Filed Under: Dining and Restaurants, Home and Lifestyle Tagged With: chef, cooking, cutting, foodies, herbs, kitchen, knife classes, knife skills, skill

The Art Behind Receiving Freebies

October 22, 2012 by Trish

Everyone loves a freebie, what’s not to love right? If it’s easy to access and won’t cost you money to claim, then why not. There are however some rules to stick to when freebie collecting, the obvious being don’t go out of your way to get something for free or you might just end up spending money you wouldn’t have otherwise. Another useful tip is to only claim freebies when they relate to your lifestyle and can be used, what’s the point of collecting a sample diaper pack if you don’t have a kid right? Of course there are exceptions to these rules, when freebies could be saving or even making you money in other areas of your life.

The Great Karmic Clearance Sale - Image courtesy of Dr Stephen Dann from Flickr

Selling On

Some freebies will be so sought after that people are willing to actually pay for them. On sites like Ebay or Amazon you’ll often find freebie-sized makeup samples being sold for a bit of cash, it’s worth trying to flog what you get because every penny in this case, every penny is a profit!

Gift Giving

So you might be thinking this sounds a little stingy, but just imagine you received a bag full to the brim of samples of your favorite perfumes/makeup/dinner vouchers/snacks? I don’t think you’d be complaining too much about the cost of said present would you? This tip can even work on a larger scale, just look at the quality of freebies you can get when you take out your phone contract these days; laptops, cameras, games stations and sometimes even cash could see you winning best present giver of the year, and it cost you nothing!

Refurbishing

Free-cycle networks are becoming ever popular at the moment; someone uploads a picture and a description of an item they want to give away and consumers ‘bid’ by saying how much they want the item and when they can collect it, a genius solution to the expensive task of refurbishing your home.

Holidaying

Technically couch surfing isn’t a free holiday, as you still have to pay for the flights, but with so many couch surfing networks around you no longer have to worry about accommodation costs. Couch surfing sites are usually registered and as such are generally safe to use, they feature testimonials from other surfers and way to contact potential hosts. You may even find that couch surfing enhances your holiday, as many of these couch-lenders are often keen to show you around their hometown, giving you a more traditional experience of where you’re holidaying. It’s also worth noting that more often than not couch is a loose term here and often hosts are more than happy to provide a room for you.

What Now?

Being frugal doesn’t mean you have to be stingy. By using freebies in sensible ways you can save money for the bigger things in life and the things that will ultimately make you happy. Whether you use your freebies to re-gift, sell on or just save yourself forking out for something you need freebies are a great way to maximize your saving potential, just make sure you use them wisely.

Author Credits | Amie is passionate about personal finance – in her spare time she enjoys looking for the best savings account rates(fairinvestment.co.uk/savings-accounts) and high interest savings accounts such as fixed rate bonds  (fairinvestment.co.uk/fixed-rate-bonds).  Follow her @amielaroux on Twitter for more of her money saving tweets.

 

Filed Under: Home and Lifestyle Tagged With: freebies, gift giving, holidaying, refurbishing, samples

How Does Alcohol Affect Your Skin?

October 21, 2012 by Trish

Do you like to indulge in the occasional glass of wine with dinner?  Is a night out with the girls – and plenty of Cosmos – a regular occurrence?  Good for you; it is important to let your hair down every once in awhile!

After all, some recent studies are suggesting that certain types of alcohol might improve heart heath and decrease the odds of cancer.

However, the key is…moderation.  A hangover is the worse type of retribution alcohol can have on your physical well-being.  Sure, after a few hours, your headache will go away and life will appear to return to normal.  However, the alcohol you consumed is still wreaking havoc below the surface – the surface of your skin, that is.

Why is Alcohol Bad for my Skin?

Water is like an internal moisturizer for your skin.  Each time you drink water, you’re boosting your skin’s health.  Staying hydrated will smooth wrinkles, causing skin to appear healthier and more youthful.

Alcohol and caffeine have the opposite effect on your skin.  You may find this surprising, but alcohol actually dehydrates your body.  Dehydrated skin causes wrinkles and premature aging; no woman wants that!  Additionally, when your skin is denied vital nutrients it begins to appear dull and unhealthy.

When we drink – especially during a night out on the town – we aren’t usually combining our alcoholic beverages with nutritious foods.  Again, choosing high-calorie junk food over nutrient-rich foods is just one more way we limit our skin’s access to much-needed vitamins and minerals.  Since our diet has a direct effect on establishing a healthy, youthful appearance, you can see why alcohol and junk food are such bad things!

Alcohol can make preexisting skin conditions – like rosacea and psoriasis – worse.  Flare-ups are often common after alcohol consumption.

Does That Mean I Should Stop Drinking Altogether?

You are the only one who can decide if alcohol is a safe and healthy addition to your life.  However, if you do indulge, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Remember moderation is best.  At the beginning of the night, set a limit for yourself.  When you reach that limit, stop.  Switch to diet soda or water if your girlfriends continue to imbibe.

Also, consider following each alcoholic beverage with a glass of water.  This will accomplish two things.  First of all, if you fill up on water, you won’t be tempted to drink as much alcohol.  Second, alternating between water and alcohol will counteract the dehydration the alcohol is causing.

Lastly, reach for healthy, nutrient-rich foods instead of greasy bar foods when you are drinking.  Grab a handful of peanuts instead of a handful of French fries.  Ask for a bag of popcorn as soon as it is done popping – and before they add salt and butter.  If you are battling a hangover, avoid any “secret recipes” that involve unhealthy food choices.

Each time you reach for a specialty martini or your favorite white wine, remember the effect each sip has on your skin.  Be smart about your alcohol consumption and do your best to stay hydrated.

Guest blogger Jessica Adams works for CustomCornToss.com, designing custom corn toss boards.  She often helps the other guys in the office test their products’ quality – which inevitably leads to drinking!  Luckily, Jessica is usually able to limit the rowdy group to just a few beverages each!

Filed Under: Health Fitness and Beauty, skin care Tagged With: alcohol, caffeine, Health Fitness and Beauty, heart, moderation, moisturizer, skin, skin conditions

3 Tips When It Comes To Choosing the Right Bedding

October 20, 2012 by Trish

Since almost one-third of your life is spent on your bed, it is only natural to make it a pleasurable experience and this can be achieved by choosing the right bedding. Getting an appropriate bedding can help improve the quality of sleep and provide comfort to the body whenever necessary. If the bedding is stylish enough, it could also add a relaxing and harmonious atmosphere to the bedroom.

Choosing a duvet
Aside from the bed and mattress, a duvet is another essential item for your bedding, so it is necessary to find one that can provide you exactly what you need. Duvet fillings can either be synthetic or natural and both types have their own advantages and disadvantages that you should also be aware of. Synthetic fillings, such as polyester, can be washed and dried easily, affordable and can provide you the warmth you need. Aside from that, this is a great option for individuals with allergies, as synthetic fillings are hypoallergenic.

However, duvets with synthetic fillings are less breathable compared to natural fillings and the former can easily trap moisture and heat. This means you might wake up clammy, especially on summer nights. Natural fillings, such as feathers, goose down, fibers from wood pulp or wool are naturally breathable. This, on the other hand, is advisable for individuals who tend to get hot in bed easily or those who are living in places with hotter climate. Choosing the right material for your duvet is necessary to ensure that it could provide you the comfort you need.

Aside from that, you also have to make sure that you choose the right size of bedding for your bed, whether it is single, double, king or queen sized. In case your cover is too large for the bed, this can easily slide or slip off. If it is too small, it will not be able to cover you properly and this is not good during cold seasons. Checking the tog rating is also important, as it indicated the thermal or the warmth rating of the duvet. Low tog rating, normally at 3.0, is great for hot weather or for kids who easily get hot while in bed. High tog rating, on the other hand, is great during cold winter and this is normally at 13.0.

Choosing a pillow
Getting the right pillow is also important if you want to avoid having a stiff neck and if you want to have a restful sleep at night. Soft pillows are great for cradling your head but in case you have broad shoulders, it would be best to opt for firmer pillows for extra support. Individuals with narrow shoulders are advised to go for a single pillow for adequate support. Pillows also come in natural or synthetic and just like the duvet, it is necessary to know the pros and cons of the materials for pillows before deciding which one to go for.

If you want a firm pillow, you can opt for a memory foam pillow. Visco elastic pillow or memory foam pillow molds perfectly according to the shape of the head and neck, thus providing great support and to reduce pressure points to improve comfort when sleeping. It is also important to remember that not all pillows have the same shape. Pillows wit curved neck support can fit comfortably around the neck while a V-shaped pillow can be placed on your back while sitting on your bed.

Choosing bed linen
Various ranges of bed linens are also available and you can easily find one that will suit your budget. Pillows, sheets and duvets can be made from various materials like cotton or polyester. If you want something softer, you can opt for Egyptian cotton. Another material that can be opted for is percale, which is closed to woven fabric with luxurious feel.

Ken is a freelance writer that contributes to Outdoor Cover Pros where you can get some useful resources pertaining to  durable patio covers.

Filed Under: Home and Lifestyle, Home Decor Tagged With: bed, bedding, bedroom, comfort, duvet, Linen, mattress, pillow, tips

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