Complete Guide To Losing 20 Pounds In A Month

An important event is coming up in a month’s time. One that might require you to lose 20 pounds otherwise the dress or tuxedo you plan to wear will be close to impossible to put on. A glance in the mirror and it’s a confirmation that you had let loose the past couple of months gaining the unwanted blubber around the waist. Most of us have been here before. The need to shed those pounds which we didn’t realise we had gained is real and we have nothing more than a month’s time before the big day arrives.

The need to lose 20 pounds might seem like an unachievable feat only made possible by fitness gurus. But guess what? It is possible, but like what Rocky Balboa said to Johnson in the movie Creed, “You’ve got to work hard. If you don’t do that. I’m out”. You have to keep that end point in mind every second of every day, and you have to follow the plan that we are about to present forth to you below:

Week One: Prepare Your Mind and Getting Used to The Pain

This is an important first step to success and it is advisable not to skip it. With a piece of paper and pen, ask yourself why you need to lose those 20 pounds. Make sure the word “Why” gives you a big enough reason to do it. Just simply telling yourself “I want to look good” will not motivating enough as the reason has to be more specific. An example of a big enough reason will be “I want to look fit and good on John’s Wedding Day that Melissa (a long time crush) is going to notice my change”. Now, paste that piece of paper on the wall next to your bed so when you wake up, you will see it. Once you have established that, it’s time to get down to work.

You have to be ready to constantly increase your pain threshold when you go through a series of circuit trainings. According to scientists at McMaster University, circuit trainings of 6 days a week and a low calorie, high protein diet could be the holy grail of all weight loss programs. So if you plan to lose 20 pounds in a month’s time, get rid of high calorie foods and exercise 6 days a week. Get your mind ready for the pain.

An example circuit training is like this:

30 seconds rests in between sets:

30 seconds of Burpees
30 seconds of Mountain Climbers
30 seconds of Push Ups
30 seconds of Knee lifts on the spot
30 seconds of Planking
30 seconds of Bicycle Sit ups

Repeat for 3 sets.

End with 20 minutes of slow-paced jogging.

Week Two: Dieting

“Great Abs are made in the kitchen”. I’m sure many have heard this quote before and it is very true. This is the hardest step to adhere to because there are so much temptations around us in terms of convenience and cravings. But do note that short term gratifications will not make you a happy person in the long run. The rule of thumb for dieting is to get rid of high calorie foods such as white bread, ice-cream, potato chips, soft drinks and all the other processed foods that you know are not good for you in your refrigerator right now. Instead, stock up on high-protein foods such as lean meats, fish and green leafy vegetables. For the next few weeks, your aim will be to eat high protein and low calorie foods.

For a more accurate measurement of how much calories you need to cut down to shed 20 pounds, you will have to shed 500 calories per week to lose 1 pound per week, this is the general rule of thumb without any exercise.

Week Three: Don’t Turn Down The Intensity

By now, circuit training exercises might be a little too mundane to you and there is a very high tendency to lower down the intensity a little. Some might even turn to low intensity exercises such as hot yoga which is a huge craze now. Many believe that hot yoga helps the body to “release toxins” but little do people know that there is a huge risk of getting heat exhaustion during hot yoga. So it is not advisable to be tempted to be swayed by low intensity workouts which you believe can help speed up the process of weight loss. The only sure way to lose weight is sheer determination and hard work.

Week Four: Measure Your Progress

So you are finally used to eating clean and having six days of work out a week has become part of your lifestyle. Now, it is the time to reap what you sow. You may or may not have reached your goal but you will definitely see the results. However, do take note that you should not turn obsessive with your diet plan as it will be detrimental to your health. The rule of the game is to stay away from foods with high carbohydrates, eat foods with high protein and are wholesome and always challenge yourself to do more when exercising.

Featured photo credit: Constantin Stanciu via shutterstock.com

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Complete Guide To Getting Rid Of Flies In The House

When the summer comes around, we welcome the warmth with open arms. It’s time for holidays, picnics outside, fresh breezes through open windows…and flies. Yes, flies suddenly become the most irritating things around and somehow manage to slightly spoil our summer vibe. They seem to endlessly be buzzing around the windows trying to figure out how they get into the house in the first place. They land on our kitchen tops, our nicely prepared food and even worse, on us. Trying to swat them becomes the ultimate challenge between man and fly – they seem to outthink us by moving at the speed of light before we even lift the rolled up newspapers used to get it.

Of course, having flies buzzing around isn’t just irritating. They fly and crawl on almost anything – most commonly faeces – and whatever they land on they pick up and carry on their legs opening up chances of spreading disease and infections. In addition they lay eggs often and pretty much defecate on anything they touch which is why it’s important to not have them flying around your home.

There are many effective ways to get rid of flies in the house using home remedies. You can use repellents to deter them or construct traps to attract. Either way, getting rid of flies is the ultimate aim and here are some ways to help you do that.

Using Fly Repellents To Get Rid Of Flies

One way to get rid of flies is to use a repellent in various forms. Despite seemingly wanting to land on anything going, flies are quite fussy when it comes to certain smells and flavours. Since flies taste through the hairs on their legs, they are very sensitive to landing on things they don’t take a fancy to so try these home-made repellents to deter the flies.

1. Basil and Other Herbs and Plants

There are some strong-smelling plants the flies just do not like. The most common one is basil which is good news for us as not only is it easy to get hold of in shops, it also has anti-bacterial and ant-viral properties creating a healthy environment for your home. Just place your basil plant anywhere in the house, preferably near any open window to deter the flies. Other plants that flies take a dislike to are lavender, mint, bay leaf, tansy and wormwood.

2. Essential Oils

Flies absolutely hate the smell of essential oils, in particular Eucalyptus and Lavender. Lavender oil has been used for centuries as a insect deterrent including for clothing to prevent moths from eating away at them. You can buy essential oils from any good homeopathic shop but you can also make your own.

• Infuse fresh lavender with a carrier oil (an oil that is pale in colour and low on scent as to not overpower the smell of the lavender).
• Allow to infuse for 48 hours in a warm place, shaking periodically.
• Once done, strain the plant from the oil and place in a container. You can place the oil around the house or alternatively you can use it as a spray to spread the smell around the house.

3. Plastic Water Bags

This is a clever trick to repel those pesky flies. Hanging a bag full of water outside windows and open doors can deter flies away because of the way a fly sees it. Since a fly has a remarkable amount of lenses in each eye, this gives them the ability to detect light patterns and movement. A bag of water is reflecting light all over the place therefore confusing the flies and causing them to stay away. It’s pretty easy to make too.

• All you need is a large plastic bag (preferably a zip lock)
• Fill it up to 2/3 with water and tie string firmly around the top making sure it is tight and unable to slip off.
• Hang the bag outside any openings such as doors or open windows.

4. Camphor

Camphor is another natural way to get rid of flies and can be bought online or from any homeopathic store. It has a very strong smell that, you guessed it, flies absolutely hate. Like basil, it contains anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties as well as deterring insects and it comes from the wood of the Camphor Laurel tree. You usually buy it in blocks or tablets which you then place on a heated surface like a hot plate or a heat diffuser. Place these around the home preferably under open windows to let the aroma float out and send the message to the flies.

5. Fresh Orange Peel

Orange peel is a wonderfully cheap way to get rid of flies as well as encouraging us to eat more oranges. Citrus extracts are actually used in a lot of commercial bug repellents due to its ability to deter insects. With its great fresh fragrance, orange peels can be left around the house on windowsills and beside doors to help stop flies from entering. Make sure that the peel is fresh and replace them once they’ve dried out. Make sure to rub the skins every now and then to release more of the smell and allow this remedy to last longer.

6. Cloves In Citrus Fruit

Since we know citrus fruit (especially oranges) are a pet hate for flies, then another great way to get rid of them is to use a combination of citrus fruit and cloves. Sometimes a Christmas tradition, inserting cloves into an orange is really easy and they can be placed anywhere in the home.

• You can use most citrus fruit including lemons and limes
• Insert 10-15 cloves into the fruit. You can leave the fruit as a whole or you can cut the fruit in half to allow more of the citrus fragrance out into the air giving a good warning to the flies.
• Place around the house or hang them up with string or ribbon around windows.

Using Traps To Get Rid Of Flies

Another way to get rid of flies in your house is to use fly traps. Although this doesn’t stop the flies from entering our home, it will draw them away from food or kitchen tops. Here are some different types of traps you can make and use around the house.

1. Vinegar Fly Trap

Vinegar attracts flies so it is a great way of luring them in and away from the rest of the house. To make a vinegar trap all you need is a some apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar, a glass, a plastic bag and a rubber band.

• First pour a small amount of the vinegar into the glass, put the plastic bag over the glass and secure with the rubber band.
• Cut a hole in the centre of the bag at the top to create an opening for the flies – make sure that the hole is big enough for the flies to enter but not big enough for the flies to escape. You can do this by pushing the plastic bag down into the glass to form a kind of funnel.
• Place the trap anywhere where flies enter the house.

2. Homemade Fly Strips

Fly strips are a well-known way of catching flies. Although strips can be easily bought in shops, making your own is extremely easy.

• All you need is some brown paper or card cut into strips
• Mix 1/4 cup of golden syrup with 1/4 cup of sugar to make it very sugary.
• Punch holes in the top of the strips and thread some string through creating a loop to hang them up.
• Paint the sugary substance onto the strips and let it dry.
• Hang these anywhere around the house.

3. Venus Fly Trap

A wonderful and natural way to keep flies at bay is to purchase a Venus Fly Trap. Not only are you adding a plant to your home but it is fascinating to watch the plant at work. Venus Fly Traps can be bought at any good garden centre and are relatively cheap so you can even buy a few to sit around the different parts of the house.

4. The Wine Trap

It turns out that flies like a bit of wine. If you’re the same and have some wine lying about, then you can make a quick and easy trap. Flies are attracted to anything fermented. That’s why you often find flies around rubbish and rotten food.

• Find some white or red wine (flies aren’t fussy)
• Pour about a cup of the wine in a container and add some washing up liquid. This will act as a poison when the flies drink the wine.
• You can create a funnel by making a cone out of paper with a hole snipped into the end. This will allow the flies to enter but not escape.
• Place the container where flies will seek it out After a while you will start to see flies floating on the top of the liquid.

5. The Honey Trap

Honey is notoriously good for trapping flies with its sweet aroma and sticky consistency and if you don’t have honey to hand then jam can work equally as well. The best way to make a honey trap is to:

• Get a large plastic bottle and cut it in half.
• Fill the bottom half with a mixture of honey (or jam) and water around an inch or two.
• Turn the top half upside down and place it into the bottom half of the bottle creating a funnel. This will make it easy for the flies to enter but difficult for them to escape.
• Place the bottle outside your window or door, or alternatively, in the house where flies are most common.

6. Homemade Fly Killer Spray

Not so much a trap, but if you want to be proactive and not leave it up to traps to catch the flies, then you can make your own fly spray. The sprays we buy in the shops are full of chemicals and generally should be used in a well-ventilated room. But you can make your own effective spray that will zone in on irritating flies with the help of your washing up liquid. Washing up liquid acts as a poison without any harsh chemicals that can affect us.

• Get an empty spray bottle and put in around 10 drops of washing up liquid.
• Add two cups of warm water, screw on the top and gently shake.
• Spray directly onto the flies if you can get to them fast enough!

Featured photo credit: ChameleonsEye via shutterstock.com

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Improve Your Concentration

It’s no secret we live in a busy world. It seems like every day of our lives we have to hit the ground running to keep up with the goings-on around us.

Our jobs, social lives, and home lives constantly pull us in all different directions. Whether it’s our boss asking us to “take care of something real quick,” our friends texting us to see if we’re free this weekend, or our children reminding us they have soccer practice that afternoon, our responsibilities can be a bit overwhelming.

It’s no wonder we can never concentrate on one thing at a time.

Thankfully, MindTools, a website focusing on helping others succeed in their careers, has put together an infographic describing the best ways to stay focused throughout your day in order to operate at your maximum potential. The infographic dives into the many factors which influence your concentration – whether you realize it or not.

Some of these factors are, admittedly, a bit obvious (such as the presence of distractions within the workplace). But others, such as leading a healthy lifestyle – whether through exercise, eating well, or utilizing smart energy supplements – often take a backseat to our other obligations, and go unnoticed throughout our daily lives.

The infographic goes on to present actionable advice that will help improve your concentration, and in doing so, increase your daily productivity. Check it out below, and be sure to visit MindTools.com for more advice and strategies to help you be the best you possible.

Featured photo credit: Improve Your Concentration / MindTools via mindtools.com

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What to Do When Your Identity is Stolen

You’ve seen the commercials warning you to keep your information safe. You’ve heard horror stories of families facing year-long battles with creditors, banks, and insurance companies. But you never thought identity theft would be something you’d have to worry about. That is, until your credit card was declined when you went to pay for your lunch.

The truth is, identity theft can happen to anyone. If a thief’s intent on stealing your identity, he’ll do whatever he can to get his way. Of course, it’s those who are careless with their information and data who place themselves at the highest risk. If someone really wants to steal your identity, the least you can do is make them work extra hard to do so.

At any rate, if you happen to become a victim of identity theft, all is not lost. You’ll definitely face an uphill battle in the coming months – and possibly years – but there are steps you can take to ensure your name and reputation are cleared. The sooner you take action, the sooner you’ll be able to go back to real life.

Take Immediate Action

If your identity is stolen, wasting time worrying will only exacerbate the problem. Though you may still be dazed and confused after realizing you’ve been victimized, you can at least begin the process of rebuilding your identity by taking the following steps.

Document Everything

From the moment you realize you’re a victim of identity theft, you need to keep a running record of every step you take toward fixing the issue. Keep a log of every call you make, letter or email you send, and form you fill out. Note the date and time each was received or sent out, as well as the content of each instance.

By doing so, you have proof of the moment you realized something was wrong, and also that you are actively trying to fix the situation. You also keep a record of who you’ve contacted and have worked with while trying to solve the problem – in case there is a mixup on the other end.

Contact Credit Reporting Companies

Once you’re prepared to document every conversation you have regarding your identity from here on out, contact a credit reporting company – Equifax, Experion, or TransUnion – to request that a fraud alert claim be placed on your account. Doing so will flag your account so companies know there is an issue that is currently being dealt with in regard to your credit score.

Request a Credit Report

Although you only need to contact one of the three companies to request a fraud alert claim, you should request a credit report from each of them. Although major damage has already been done, checking your credit report for ID theft will help you pinpoint when the security breach occurred, and will also keep you informed of any further issues with your credit score.

Create Official Reports

Once you have all the information you could possibly get from your credit report, you’ll need to file formal complaints. The first complaint to file is a report to the FTC. In this report, you’ll need to provide as much information as possible regarding the identity theft. Make a copy of this, of course – you’ll be using it immediately.

Next, file a police report at your local station. This will open the door for a formal investigation by law enforcement on your behalf. Together, these documents form a solid identity theft report, which should be sent to any banks, credit card companies, and businesses you work with.

Taking Care of Business

The main purpose of stealing one’s identity is, of course, to use their credit cards and other information to make fraudulent purchases. Once you have your claims in, you’ll need to track down exactly what the thief did with your information, and inform these companies of the issue.

Contact Companies You Work With

Most of us nowadays have multiple bank accounts, credit cards, and other open accounts involving our hard-earned cash. Unfortunately, when someone steals your identity, you’ll have to contact each and every one of these businesses to make sure they know what’s going on.

When reaching out to these companies, ask to speak with someone in the fraud detection department. Workers in these areas should be able to notice discrepancies between your normal course of action and when you were victimized. Provide these companies with the identity theft report you previously created so they have solid documentation to work with.

Change Your Passwords

You undoubtedly have dozens of online accounts that store bits and pieces of your identity. Whether it’s your social media accounts, bank accounts, or credit card accounts, they all give away something about you. Be sure to change every single one of these passwords.

And make sure the new ones aren’t in any way similar to the previous ones. Your best bet is to make them a convoluted series of characters rather than your favorite TV show or the year your sister was born. Again: Don’t make it easy for thieves to get into your accounts.

Check For New Accounts

Since the thief has all of your information, there’s nothing stopping him from opening accounts in your name and running up the bill.

Use your credit reports to see if this has happened. If so, contact each business’ fraud department and be ready to provide them with a copy of your identity theft report. Hopefully, if you catch it quickly, they should be able to close out your account with little to no hassle.

Request Records from Businesses

While contacting each company to report the theft of your identity, request that they send you a record of your past activity with them. Some companies may be reluctant to do so. If this occurs, contact the police department where you filed the initial report and give them permission to contact these companies on your behalf. If need be, the police can subpoena this information formally.

Dealing with Fraudulent Bankruptcy Claims

Thieves may have filed bankruptcy on your behalf, which will present major issues for you moving forward. Check with the US Trustee office, again providing them with all of the information you’ve collected thus far. Unfortunately, if a fraudulent bankruptcy claim has been filed, you may have to hire an experienced attorney to work through the issue on your behalf.

Other Outstanding Issues

There are a lot of other issues that may come up while you fight this seemingly uphill battle, but hopefully you won’t have to deal with the entire gauntlet. Your student loans, medical bills, and utility bills are all at risk of being used as means to nefarious ends. Keep track of them throughout the process of rebuilding your identity.

Reduce Your Future Risk

Once you start to get your life back on track, you’ll want to keep it that way for good. After what you’ve been through, you’ll probably be extra careful moving forward as it is. Make sure you take extra care in the following areas.

Keep Track of Credit Reports

Victims of identity theft have much freer access to their credit reports. Take advantage of this; check your credit score at least a few times a year as time goes on. Even if you do end up having to pay a small fee, it’ll be completely worth it to ensure you don’t have to go through the same nightmare again.

Keep Track of Important Documents

Even though you’ll probably want to shred the pages and pages of documentation regarding your identity theft case, keep them. You’ll likely need to provide them to any company you open accounts with in the future. And, if anything, they’ll serve as a reminder to keep your information safe from now on.

Protect Your Electronics

Make sure you use antivirus and antispyware programs on computers which you use to access important information. Spending a hundred bucks or so upfront will almost certainly save you money and time in the long run. Don’t ever use public Wi-Fi, period. Hackers are quite adept at accessing other users’ information through these networks, no matter how protected you think you are.

When disposing of electronics, remember: Just because you delete a file doesn’t mean it’s gone. Find a program that will completely erase your hard drive to the point of no return. This may mean hiring an expert to help you out. But, once again: spending a little up front can save you a ton moving forward.

Conclusion

It’s a sad truth that criminals will do whatever they can to make their lives a little easier. Unfortunately, this often involves using technology against us – even technology that could be used to unite us.

If you become a victim of identity theft, you face an uphill battle. But that doesn’t mean you can’t come out of it stronger, more knowledgeable, and more wary than before.

Featured photo credit: Credit Card Fraud / Simon Cunningham / Flickr via farm8.staticflickr.com

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10 Best Hair Tips You’ll Ever Read

We all want to have great looking hair. But, no amount of styling, products, coloring, perms, etc. are going to help if your hair isn’t in terrific shape. Even chemically treated hair can be soft, shiny, and luxurious, if you are properly taking care of it. Here are 10 tips that will help you have awesome hair that even complete strangers will want to touch.

1. Brush before Washing

We all lose up to 100 hairs, or more, per day, and when you wash it, that hair goes right down the drain. Protect your drain from clogs by brushing before you wash. This will also get rid of tangles, and open energize your scalp.

2. Condition the Ends Only

You don’t need to condition your whole head. In fact, doing this can cause your hair to look oily. Unless your scalp is very dry, only condition three quarters of your hair, and leave the top quarter free of conditioner.

3. Use Silk Pillowcases

Silk is better for your skin, and it helps to keep moisture in your hair. Cotton pillowcases will suck the moisture out. Satin may cost a bit more, but it is definitely worth it (it feels pretty luxurious too).

4. Massage Your Scalp

If you want to have long, luxurious hair, start massaging your scalp every time you wash your hair. Not only does it feel terrific, it helps to increase the blood flow to your scalp. This will help your hair to grow faster and longer, and make your roots a lot stronger. It also helps to relieve stress and headache pain.

5. Use a Wide Toothed Comb

When combing through wet hair, or getting rid of tangles, use a wide toothed comb. Other combs, and brushes, will break your hair, keeping it from looking great. Keep a wide toothed comb in the shower, and comb through your hair with conditioner in to get rid of tangles.

6. Squeeze Dry Your Hair

Instead of using a towel to dry your hair, squeeze it dry with paper towels. You won’t end up with the frizzies this way, and more water is absorbed than with a regular towel, so your hair dries faster.

7. Use a Split End Mask

Using a home-made mask can help prevent split ends from happening, and keeps your hair looking good and shiny. These masks are easy to make, using ingredients you probably already have around your kitchen. A great mixture is one egg yolk, three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and one tablespoon of raw hone. Apply to the ends of your hair, sit for an hour or longer, and rinse. Repeat once every two weeks.

8. Filter Your Shower Water

The chemicals found in water, such as chlorine, fluorine compounds, salts, minerals, and even rust, can be very damaging to your hair. You don’t need to upgrade your water system though. Simply buy a shower filter, which you can get at any hardware store.

9. Steam Spiral Curls

Your curling iron is slowly destroying your hair by burning the ends and drying it out. Create spiral curls with steam rollers. You can do your hair as quickly as you would with the iron, but without the damage. An added bonus is that you won’t burn yourself, which often happens with curling irons.

10. Use a Humidifier

No, humidity is not the enemy, even though people with curls may think it is. If the air is dry, your hair is going to dry out, and it isn’t going to look good. Running a humidifier in your home will provide the moisture in the air that your hair needs to stay healthy and look terrific.

Featured photo credit: Unsplash via pixabay.com

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