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Monthly Archives: July 2020

10 Tips For Weight Loss

There are ads all over the place for the quick and easy ways to lose weight. But permanent weight loss is not easy and should not be quick. The faster the weight comes off, the more likely it is to come back on. However, while weight loss is hard, it is possible. Here are ten tips for dropping the pounds and keeping them off forever:

  • Write down everything you eat

We underestimate how much food we really put in our mouths. A handful of nuts here and a bite of chocolate there can really add up by the end of the day. By forcing yourself to write down everything you put in your mouth, you cannot lie to yourself about how much you are really eating. This also allows you to notice any patterns in your eating habits and cut back where you don’t really need to be eating. By becoming conscious of what you eat, you can turn down those handfuls of snacks here and there and that will add up over time.

  • Plan your meals

If you plan ahead what you’re going to eat, you are much less likely to deviate from your plan. Those temptations you face everyday are less tempting when you have already planned a snack for yourself in half an hour anyway. Planning also allows you to make sure you are getting all your food groups in while allowing for treats here and there.

  • Brush your teeth after meals

If you’re like me, once you start eating, you have trouble stopping, even if you’re full. To prevent the desire to eat more after meals from sabatoging your weight loss efforts, brush your teeth once you finish eating. The taste of tooth paste should signal your brain and stomach that it’s time to stop and the desire should subside. Not only will it help you keep from eating, your dentist will be pleased.

  • Eat consciously

Our society is one that moves quickly and many people eat too quickly to really enjoy what they are eating and register that they have had enough. It takes twenty minutes from beginning to eat before your stomach will register that it is full. If you eat too quickly, your stomach won’t be able to keep up so you’ll eat too much and realize you are full too late. To keep this from happening, eat slowly and deliberately, enjoying the food. Put the fork down between bites and take sips of your drink. When you think you might be satisfied, stop. It can take time to learn the signals from your body, but if you start listening for them, you will come to understand them and often find that you don’t need as much food to satisfy you as you might have thought.

  • Eat foods you enjoy

This may seem obvious, but many people think that once they start trying to lose weight, they will have to eat nothing but vegetables they hate and end up sabotaging themselves because they deprive themselves of what they like. Incorporate foods you enjoy into your meal plans. If your favorite foods are unhealthy, search for ways to cut down the calorie and fat contents through substitutions. And never tell yourself that there is a food that is off-limit. This will only cause you to want that food even more and will often end up in a binge. Everything should be open as long as it is in moderation. If chocolate is your vice, have a small bite every now and then so you get the taste without overdoing it.

  • Get moving

Exercise is a four-letter word for many people, especially many embarking on a weight loss journey. The image of people running on a treadmill at the gym at 6 am often comes to mind and that is rarely appealing. However, you can get exercise through a variety of means, many that don’t include an expensive gym membership. Just taking a walk after dinner or taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking at the end of the lot and walking can add up over time. Just adding a bit of movement every day can make a big difference.

  • Do exercise that you enjoy

If you don’t enjoy running on a treadmill, then you aren’t likely to make time to go to the gym to do just that. Instead, find an activity that you do enjoy. Find an exercise DVD, take a yoga class, or go hiking. If you find yourself getting bored with an activity, find something else to try. There are endless ways to get in exercise and if you enjoy the activies you are doing, you are more likely to stick with it. Don’t like exercising alone? Join a team or get an exercise buddy. Just make sure that hating what you’re doing is not an excuse for skipping your workout.

  • Set small goals for yourself

Instead of aiming for one large goal that seems like you’ll never reach, set smaller goals along the way. Have 50 lbs to lose? Aim for 5 lbs at a time and give yourself a small, non-food reward at each increment. Just losing 10% of your body weight can have great health benefits and even if you want to lose more than that, aim for smaller goals like that. You’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to reach the smaller goals. The more smaller goals you reach, the more quickly you’ll reach the final goal. And when you have a reward to look forward to at each smaller goal, you’re more apt to work for it. Been eyeing a new pair of shoes? Get them after you lose your next 10 lbs. It’s a great way to keep yourself motivated.

  • Get outside support

It can be hard to tell other people that you’re trying to lose weight, but the support that can come from the outside can be instrumental in keeping you motivated to work. By keeping yourself accountable to other people that are watching, you’re more apt to stick with what you’re doing than if you were just accountable to yourself. And if the people around you know that you’re working to lose weight, they are more likely to support you and help whenever possible. It’s easier to stick to your plan when you can count on the support of those around you.

  • Make yourself your top priority

When you realize it is time to lose weight, make yourself your top priority. Don’t lose weight for anyone but yourself; if you are going to work hard, make it be for the right reasons. Sometimes you will have to sacrifice a bit of catering to others when you are losing weight, but this is one of the times that it is important to put yourself ahead of everyone else. Your health is the most important thing because you only have one body. Make sure you are losing weight for the right reasons and you are much more likely to succeed. After all, you’re worth it. At the nutrisystem reviews 2020, the information should be correct and accurate for the people. The weight losing will be as per the requirements of the customers. The risk to the health should be less and damage is reduced to get the right results. The success lies with the intelligent decision of the people for the purchase of the supplements.

Day Three of South by Southwest Music Festival

Well, unlike the usual rumors, this year some have actually been true. Yesterday, the Beastie Boys played at Stubb’s in a not-so-secret show. Having seen them not too terribly long ago, I have to admit I am not upset that I missed out on it. But seeing them at Stubb’s would certainly be interesting. Stubb’s is a barbeque restaurant with an outdoor stage. It is like a dirt lot with portable toilets lining the back fence. But again, a line forming two hours before a show isn’t really my idea of fun during South by Southwest. I am sure it was a blast though. If you missed that show, then you can watch the recording and listen to the music tracks on gudanglagu for free. 

Perhaps the other fun part of South by Southwest rumors is the sightings of famous people everyone seeks out. Elijah Wood is no stranger to SXSW, having DJ’d a party from his iPod in recent years. But if Frodo isn’t good enough for you, perhaps seeing Ray Romano or Charlize Theron and her huge entourage of people would satisfy you? But enough with the rumors, let’s get on to the show already.

Today I had to make a hard decision. Do I go see David Ford again since he only played three songs last night? Do I see Snow Patrol at 1 am and have yet another night of no sleep? Do I try and check out the band getting more buzz than the rumored shows and see the Editors? There were a ton of bands I wanted to see tonight. But I opted to be a fan and see Blue October. The same Blue October I have seen four times in the past year. And since the last two shows I went to was sold out months in advance, I decided to get there early. I hadn’t really heard much about the band’s opening. I knew one was Juliette Lewis’s band. Other than that, I didn’t know a thing about any of them.

I walked into the Austin Music Hall during the middle of Juliette and the Licks’ second-to-last song. To be honest, I wish I had walked in after they were finished. Hearing that music, if you can call it that, made my ears want to bleed and plead for mercy. Not only did it sound awful, but she wore this God-awful yellow unitard with embellishments reminiscent of a Teletubby. I can’t imagine why she thought it was a good idea as it wouldn’t be a good look on anyone, but apparently she always wears something of this nature when she performs. Juliette is also into the crowd surfing. She had to motion for the crowd to come near her and catch her. But she smacked the stagehand after he helped her back onto the stage. It was interesting, to say the least.

After Juliette and the Licks was Taylor Hawkins The Coattail Riders. I actually didn’t know who Taylor Hawkins was before they started playing. I just noticed that the drummer was set up close to the front of the stage and that was kind of odd. When they came out, I recognized who he was; he has a very unique-looking mouth. I still thought the drums were set up in the front to make room for Blue October’s stuff behind them. But then the drummer started singing. I cannot imagine how hard it must be to drum and sing at the same time. Taylor mentioned that this was their eighth show ever and that he was extremely nervous. If he drums for the Foo Fighters, you think he’d be over stage fright, but I suppose it is his band makes a difference. Taylor Hawkins The Coattail Riders weren’t horrible, and after Juliette and the Licks, they were almost good. They weren’t impressive, though, and sounded just like anyone else that starts a rock band. Oh hell, it sounded like someone’s friend’s band playing at a backyard barbeque. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and say it is because it was only their eighth show, but I’m not planning on buying their CD when it comes out.

At this point, my friends and I notice how not crowded the Austin Music Hall was. It made us wonder if there had been a memo sent out that Blue October wasn’t really playing and only a handful of us hadn’t heard. Or that it would only be a CD playing and not a live show. We staked out our spot not far from the stage, but far enough back that should there be a last-minute rush we would still have space.

Blue October was certainly there and lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Justin Furstenfeld expressed his gratitude for the audience showing up. He actually thanked us many times for coming out, as if he expected no one to show. I mean, they are from San Marcos, which is all of 20 minutes away so Blue October had the home-court advantage. Add to that that this was actually the smallest crowd I have seen at a Blue October concert and you have me confused. But hey, Blue October loves their fans and their fans love them. Tonight wasn’t the first time they claimed they are only where they are because of their fans.

Blue October did a good job of playing a mix of older songs and a few from their upcoming album, Foiled. Granted, two of the new songs have been played on the radio for quite some time now, “Hate Me” and “18th Floor Balcony.” They also did a good job of playing some of their slower songs and some of their angrier-sounding ones. This seems fitting as Justin has admitted to having two selves, one that likes to cut himself and one that likes to smile. The fact that he writes their songs and really taps into those deep, almost taboo emotions means they sound all the more genuine. Add the fact that he’s going through those things and you can hear it in his voice as well.

Tonight Justin Furstenfeld seemed happier than he has in the past few shows I have seen. Maybe it was just a good night, but he also put on one hell of a show. He tends to have some dance moves that border on psychotic looking. He also has facial expressions that shout out crazy. Tonight he did a lot of these things, including hitting his head as he sings. I don’t know what it is about the crazy dancing, but I enjoy it and it adds to the authenticity. I was glad to see he did quite a bit of it tonight.

I love seeing Blue October play a live show. They are one of those bands that sounds just as good as their recordings. It doesn’t sound the same, but it isn’t inferior on any level. If anything, they simply rock out a lot more. And while this was the shortest set I’ve seen from them, at just under an hour, it was probably the best show I’ve been to thus far. You better believe I will be buying Foiled and seeing these guys play many more times.

First Person: The Video Game that Made Me a Gamer

The video game that made me a gamer was Nintendo: Super Mario 4 that I now play on unblocked online games free. I’m a young adult, and this game happened to be my Mother’s in the late 1980s. It was the first true video game I was introduced to at the age of six. As a child I was never engulfed by the latest “gadgets” or “systems,” I was intrigued only by this one game. I’d spend hours in the basement playing on the ground, determining ways to master each new world on an ancient Nintendo 64 device. And as I got better at the game, as Mario managed to grow more powerful, I officially became a gamer

My delight at gaining extra lives while gathering endless coins jump-started my road into the world of gaming. After countless years of trying on and off, I finally mastered the animated worlds and completed the game. I was overjoyed but also saddened. I was twelve years old when I finished, six years after being first introduced to the game. A feeling of emptiness overcame me; a sullen preteen who had nothing to do with his spare time now. Nonetheless, I recovered and began my new gaming experience. After saving up money through chores for months, I bought a play station two. My passion for action and adventure presented through Super Mario reclaimed itself through new titles like Spiderman and The Incredibles.

Eventually, I evolved into video games like Call of Duty and Halo. Nonetheless, my passion for video games roots in the adventures I experienced as a little kid on an antique game system that most people my age haven’t even heard of. Now, I’m an avid gamer who is always searching for the next best thing. I still, however, love to play my favorite original video game once in a while; it brings back vivid and exhilarating memories of my childhood.

I learned that Super Mario 4 is a harder game than most of the modern games I play, with both difficulty and time spent to complete. I’ve also learned that even though modern PS3 and Xbox 360 games are far more “high-tech” and “life-like” both types of games are extremely similar to Super Mario 4. They both continue to engage my mind in ways school and education cannot. I owe a multitude of credit to video games because they’ve taught me how to engage and problem solve. But they’ve also been my prevalent outlet for stressful times in my life, my sanity. In a way, instead of drowning my brain in nonsensical information to rot my mind, I’ve learned how to take all the positives out of gaming. I owe all this to Super Mario 4.

Great Gifts for Dad

Dads love gadgets and electronics. Many of these are probably too expensive for your gift-giving budgets but I will list some here that are less expensive along with some of the more expensive ideas for those of you with larger budgets. Whether you spend a lot of a little, if you put a little thought into your gift, surely your dad will be happy with what you choose for him! Besides all this, if you are looking for gift baskets, then these corporate gift baskets are quite perfect as they are not only affordable but have utility as well. 

Many dads love to watch sports on television so what better gift than a TV set. But, not just any TV set will do, of course! Dad will be overjoyed with a JVC – 61″ Rear-Projection HD-ILA HDTV with TV Stand. This can be purchased at www.bestbuy.com for $2500. Dad will never leave the family room if you buy this television for him. This could be good or this could be bad!

Unfortunately, this may be too expensive for many gift-giving budgets. There may be cheaper large-screen models available, especially if you shop around. Super warehouse stores such as Costco or BJ’s may be good places to check out to see if you can get a better deal. But, if this is still too much for you, you may have to consider something different.

There are many ideas of things you can buy to go with dad’s new television set. Even if you can’t afford a new TV set, dad may be happy with some accessories or things he can use while watching television sports. Put together your own snack variety pack with large bags of dad’s favorite snacks in a big bowl and add some dips and it will make a nice homemade gift that is not too expensive. Buy dad a remote control holder that goes over the armrest of his favorite chair and dad will be able to keep his remotes organized without having to yell for you to come to find them for him every time he needs a different one! One place you can find such a remote control organizer is www.carolwrightgifts.com and it will only cost you $7.99!

A totally different suggestion would be to buy dad an iPod. Most dads love little gadgets like this. There are many different features in iPods and the prices can be significantly different. They can range from $70 at Circuit City on up, depending on the features you choose. If your dad loves to listen to music, this may be a good choice for him.

Another good choice for a music lover is to purchase CDs with music from dad’s favorite groups or artists. You can purchase CDs starting at $10 so this is definitely a reasonable amount for the budget-conscious shopper. There are many places one can buy music CDs from online to in brick and mortar stores. And, if you can’t figure out what dad’s favorites might be, you could always get him a gift card from a place that sells a wide variety of ‘CDs such as Best Buy or www.amazon.com.

Cell phones and Blackberries are a few more gadgets that dad may like to have. Cell phones have so many features on them now that they are very popular with those who love electronic gadgets. The Blackberry, essentially a miniature computer, is popular among those who need to have available access to email and other information on the computer even when they are on the go. There are also many accessories such as leather carrying cases, car chargers, and Bluetooth earpieces that you may choose to get for the dad who already has a cell phone or Blackberry.

With a little thought and a few bucks, you can surely find something that your dad will appreciate. Most dads will be happy that you have put the thought into a gift and will appreciate whatever you can do for them. After all, it is the thought that counts when gift-giving!

 

Accountants and What They Do for You

As a person with a big heart and a desire to help others, I have searched for a long time for a career that would pay me to help others. I went through a long list of the common careers that help people and studied them thoroughly. As I went through the list, I concluded that none of them suited me. Before beginning at Ivy Tech, I had an epiphany. My career choice didn’t have to be the typical “helper career”. I could choose anything as long as I tailored it to fit my wants and needs. I plan on pursuing a career in accounting and starting a tax preparation business that is designed to help the needy. I want to do people’s taxes for a fee that is lower and based on their income so they can afford it. I finally chose to pursue a career in accounting for the following reasons: it fit my skills and talents, it pays well and has a good employment outlook, and it doesn’t require as much education as many careers do.

An Accountant is a person who is responsible in some way for the finances of an individual or organization. They file taxes, keep financial records, and do other tasks related to finances (Bureau). As a person who is strong in mathematics, I knew that I should pursue a career that dealt with mathematics (Learn). I thought about computer programming and engineering, but concluded that they didn’t fit my personality as well as I would have liked. When I really sat down and thought about it, I realized that I already possessed the qualities of an accountant. I am an ethical person and I do not like to cheat people or to see others cheat. This is a big deal for accountants because as they fill out federal tax forms, they need to be ethical (CareerOneStep). I am also skilled in problem solving and providing customer service. Accountants need to be skilled in these areas as well (CareerOneStep). Hence, if you need to hire the right accounting service for your company or small business, make sure to consider several factors. Ideally, reliable and professional accounts in Singapore accounting service always proves the best services in the industry. So make sure to make them as your standard and basis when hiring an accountant for your company.

Another aspect of this career that led me to choose it is that it pays well and has a good job outlook. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, an average accountant in the United States earns around $54,600 (Bureau). In Indiana, the average is around $51,000 (CareerOneStep). The salary of Accountants is expected to rise in the future. Within the last 2 years, the average salary has raised approximately $2000 a year (Bureau). Since Accountants are primarily responsible for helping clients file taxes and keep financial records, the job of an Accountant is not likely to decrease in the future. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, the employment rate of Accountants in the United States is expected to rise in the next 10 years (Bureau). The only foreseeable reason that Accountants may not have employment in the future is the increase in financial tools for non-professionals online.

Careers in Accounting often do not require much education. For what I want to do, for example, I would only really require the knowledge of tax filing and businesses. Many clients would probably not appreciate my lack of knowledge in Accounting; therefore, I plan on obtaining at least an Associate’s degree in Accounting and possibly a Bachelor’s degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most Accountants have at least a Bachelor’s degree and a CPA license (Bureau). A Certified Public Accountant, or CPA, is required in every state in order for an Accountant to work for a public corporation or for the government (Bureau). As many business careers require a Bachelor’s degree and sometimes more, I believe that Accounting careers do not require too much education for me to complete.