Staying Motivated: An Important Factor in Weight Loss

If you are attempting to fight fat, it is simply not enough to begin an exercise program. You must also be able to stick with it. This can be challenging, especially if you have spent most of your life as a couch potato. You may find exercise to be boring or a chore. And you may be wondering whether your exercise program is really worth the effort.

 

It should be noted that the key to a successful exercise program is perseverance. This means that you need to commit to it for the long haul—in fact, it is best if you commit to it for the rest of your life. Certainly, it can be difficult at times. But in the end, it is well worth the effort you exert.

 

Staying motivated may begin with having a tangible goal. For instance, if you are basically inactive when you start your program, you should aim to burn off 500 calories a week. If you are fairly active when you start exercising, your goal should be 1,000 calories. But you must also have a long-term goal. This might be doubling the amount of calories you burn within six months of commencing your exercise program.

 

You might consider starting an exercise log. Here, you will record exactly what kind of aerobic, anaerobic, and stretching exercises you do each week. Be sure to include the number of repetitions you’re performing with each exercise. This way, you’ll have a concrete chart for your progress. Seeing how well you’re doing can be truly inspiring and can keep you going when you find it difficult to go on.

 

Another effective motivational strategy is to join a group that engages in some kind of exercise. For instance, you might become a mall-walker or you might find a local square dance club to join. Other possibilities include hiking groups, golfing groups, softball teams, or even ping-pong teams. The fact that you are part of a social network will help to keep you motivated. 

 

You might try psyching yourself out by using a computer screensaver which says, “Get moving.” Or you might post a “get moving” sign on your refrigerator. In other words, you should be constantly reminded of the value of exercise. You might also invest in home exercise equipment such as a treadmill, elliptical trainer, or free weights. The amount of money you spend could be a powerful incentive for making sure that you use the equipment on a regular basis. You should also place the equipment in a prominent place so that you have to pass it often. After a while, you’ll find no excuse not to exercise. 

 

You might also consider investing in exercise videos or DVDs. These allow you the convenience of exercising in the privacy of your own home. They can also give you an electronic “exercise buddy” who can help keep you inspired even on rainy days when you don’t feel like exercising at all.

 

Another effective idea is to place your athletic shoes near the door so that you are reminded of the need to walk rather than drive. You might also consider rewarding yourself for keeping with your exercise program. Your reward could be as elaborate as a cruise or as small as a treat from the dollar store. The idea is to make sure that your accomplishment is celebrated.

 

While we’re on the topic of celebration, seriously consider throwing a party once you’ve reached an exercise milestone. You can serve nutritious snacks and beverages and even encourage your guests to come in their athletic wear in order to build upon the party’s theme. Sharing your joy can help to motivate you to continue your physical activities. 

 

It should be said that there is no right way to exercise. But you do need to make sure that whatever you do is effective and that you’re sufficiently motivated to do it. By following just a few simple tips, you can ensure that your exercise routine is not just a fad, that it will continue over the long term. Remember that you may face setbacks from time to time, but that shouldn’t stop you from continuing to try to reach your exercise goals. 

 

Handy Organic Ant Control for your Home

It’s a fact of life, unless you live in Antarctica, that pests will make themselves at home in your house or apartment.

 

There are a variety of insect pests you need to think of and no two are alike. Rather than spraying toxic chemicals into your home environment, consider using organic, non-toxic pest control. It’s safe for your home’s human occupants and for your pets as well. Pests will show up in the air, your carpeting, your kitchen counter and other places you’d rather not find them.

 

Let’s take a look specifically at ant control for your home or recreational areas outside. Remember that organic pest control varies somewhat with the pest you’re dealing with and that just like with inorganic chemical pest control, you don’t always use the same thing for ants as you do for fleas. Here’s a look at your organic options for ant infestation in your home.

 

For the organic treatment of ants, a common summertime pest, you need to make sure your countertops are free of crumbs and anything sticky or sweet. Cover your food well and keep your honey wrapped in a plastic baggy. Leave water sources off 

during the night and don’t leave dirty dishes lying around. The same holds true for your deck or patio. Clean all food up after an outdoor meal and teach your children not to throw food into the yard, like watermelon pieces or other sweet foods.

 

Your organic pest control continues with a small spray bottle filled with soapy water that you can spray on the little beasts. Put cucumber peels or slices in your kitchen, especially where the ants come in. You can also put tea bags with mint tea in them or cloves around the places where the ants are very active. See if you can trace the column of ants back to their entry point and set out a line of cayenne pepper, citrus oil, lemon juice, cinnamon or coffee grounds. Ants won’t cross those lines.

 

For serious organic pest control against ants, mix a small amount of honey with an equivalent amount of Borax and aspartame. Put about a teaspoon and a half of the mixture in a bottle and set the bottle (without a lid) on its side where ants are active. This acts as a kind of toxic bait that the ants bring back to their colony. Keep small animals and children away from this toxic bait.

 

Another organic pest control trick is to leave a low-wattage light bulb or nightlight around where the ants are. 

 

It disrupts their day and night pattern and can confuse their patterns of food hunting.

 

If ants are on your deck outside, use your organic pest control skills and put a few cloves of garlic, previously cut into pieces, between the cracks of the deck slats. Ants don’t like garlic and will steer clear of the strong odor. 

 

You can use some of the same indoor tricks outdoors, especially those involving the use of cayenne pepper, citrus oil, lemon juice, cinnamon or coffee grounds. You can’t use the trick using the toxic bait outdoors as some small animals can get into it. 

 

There’s no reason to resort to harsh and dangerous chemicals, indoors or out, when perfectly acceptable organic pest control for ants will keep your home ant-free in a much safer way. As long as you keep your kitchen and the rest of your home clean and follow the above methods to discourage or kill ants, your summertime experience will be more enjoyable and healthier for you and your family.

 

Organic Clothing and Our Environment

Few of us would connect the idea of organic clothing with the Earth’s environment and yet, a strong connection between the two exists. In fact, now that global warming is becoming more of a fact than a probability, consumers need to think of the impact on the environment of even the clothes they wear. 

 

Have you considered what would happen if the entire world stopped buying conventional garments and instead purchased only organic clothing? Immediately, all of the toxic chemicals used in the production of conventional clothing would begin to disappear from the soil and the groundwater and all of the chemicals used in making synthetic clothing would be of no use. 

 

Using organic clothing throughout the world would save thousands of lives - those of the farmers killed every year from pesticide toxicity, particularly in third world countries. In addition, there may be a reduction in the number of people with chemical sensitivity syndromes, which is also often related to chemicals in clothing. With organic clothing, chemical dry cleaning would not be necessary. If buyers went totally “organic” energy wasted in conventional dryers would be restored.

 

In truth, however, the garment industry does participate in environmental pollution and global warming - even those who participate in making organic clothing. Consider all of the sheep, alpaca, llamas and other wool-producing animals that 

provide clothing fibers in the form of wool but that also contribute to methane gas emission from belching and animal flatulence. Cows, which produce leather, create about 600 liters of methane per day per cow. 

 

The growing of even organic fibers requires tractors and trucks - all of which use fossil fuels and emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Improving the fuel efficiency of farm implements would help reduce such emissions.

 

All fibers, even organic fibers, go through a manufacturing process that relies on fossil-based energy. Petroleum-based fabrics like nylon and polyester use additional energy in their production. 

 

Much of the clothing we buy - organic or otherwise - uses plastic for packaging. Plastic is made from non-renewable resources and, if not recycled, is sent to landfills where the chemicals in the plastic leach into the soil and cause harm to the environment. Recycling of all plastic materials needs to be a must if we are to stop this process from happening.

 

Consider the energy costs of shipping clothing from manufacturers to the public. As a great deal of the conventional cotton clothing is made in China, you also need to consider that most of the energy these factories use comes from coal - a substance not very good for global warming. From there, all garments, organic garments as well as conventional garments, need to be shipped all over the world. One solution would be to produce and purchase clothing as close to the source of the manufacturer as possible. 

 

Another solution to improving the environment is to purchase organic clothing and to wash them in cold or warm water. Use a clothes line if possible. A great deal of energy is spent washing clothes in hot water and drying them with high heat. 

 

While buying organic clothing is just the beginning of what it will take to improve the environment, there are clearly things consumers can do to do their part to reduce energy use and to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. Clearly it will take everyone to make the biggest difference.

 

The Health Benefits of Organic Meat

Organic meat differs from regular meat in the way the animal farmer raised the animal priorto butchering. Organic meats must be certified through one of several certification organizations, including the Midwest Organic Services Association. 

 

Farmers must follow strict organic guidelines in the production of the meat product.

Meat certified organic are often born on farms and raised with the utmost of respect and animal dignity. Beef cattle are not raised in pens but are often free to roam the farm with unrestricted access to water, food, sunshine and outdoor air at all times. 

 

Everything that goes into an organic farm animal must also be organic. The pastures the animals graze in must be certified organic themselves. Organic forage and grains grown organically must be fed to the animals and organic pest control must be utilized on these farms. No synthetic or chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers are applied to local fields or pastures.

 

Organic animal farms must apply specific conservation practices to preserve the natural surroundings and the soil in the area. Water is not wasted and recycling is used whenever possible.

 

No organic meat can be certified organic if the animal has been fed any antibiotics, growth hormones, steroids or animal by-products. Animals are fed what they eat in the pastures and organically grown farm products, such as organic hay. Water is free from contaminants. 

 

In many cases, animals grown on organic animal farms are removed from the program if they ever become sick enough to require antibiotics. They are removed from the herd as soon as their illness is discovered. While antibiotics are an excellent way to treat bacterial infections, there is always the risk of developing resistant strains of bacteria and no one knows the health effects to consumers who eat meat treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics speed the growth of cattle that seem to grow using less feed but, because of resistances, sick animals often can’t be well treated and often die of their illness.

 

Growth hormones, eliminated from the production of organic meats, are given to cattle to speed up their growth on less feed. 

 

This is another situation where scientists do not know the effect of this practice on consumers who eat non-organic meats. 

 

Most organic meat comes from animals grown from birth on small farms in which the animal has free range to move around on the pasture and to eat when it wants to. Such animals generally are healthier than their conventional counterparts and are 

treated more humanely. Animals are allowed to mate as they wish, adding to the sustainability of the farming practice. 

 

Much of the organic meat is derived from bull meat, which is some of the leanest meat around. Farmers who raise bulls and sell them (called seed stock producers) must provide affidavits stating that their bulls were not raised using antibiotics or growth hormones from the time of their birth. Such affidavits generally go back at least twenty months prior to the time that the organic farmer purchased the animal. 

 

Organic meats, particularly organic meat, may be somewhat more expensive than conventionally-grown meat. In general, however, the meat is fresh and the consumer can guarantee that there is nothing unhealthy in the organic meat product.

 

The Beauty of the Perfect Cup of Organic Tea

As our world becomes more and more filled with plastic waste, unused pesticides and herbicides, many tea lovers have come to the conclusion that organic tea is not only the safest tea you can buy but that it might even be the tastiest. Let’s look at organic teas and how it’s made for the consumer.

 

Organic tea begins with soil that can be considered “organic” itself. Soil quality has a great deal to do with the foods we eat and drink, whether it be meat products, produce or products like tea, which are harvested from tea plants grown in the soil. 

 

The tea plant itself can live more than a hundred years and is generally tightly rooted into the ground, eliminating the chance for crop rotation. Nutrients must be directly added to the tea bush and, in organic tea plants, these nutrients must be natural products. On conventional tea farms, chemical fertilizers are sprayed directly onto the tea plant, which retains some of the chemical when harvested. Over-treating the land can burn the tea leaves and destroy soil integrity, leaving the soil vulnerable to erosion.

 

In organic tea estates, nutrients added to the soil are typically made from manure, compost or plant cuttings. Microbes in the soil break down the fertilizer, making it useful to the organic tea plant. Some organic tea gardens practice a custom called permaculture, in which plants are grown between the tea plants to allow for an interconnected and sustainable soil system. Some of the plants used in this practice are legumes, which rejuvenate the soil by adding nitrogen to it. 

 

Some tea gardens practice biodynamic agriculture in which the entire area is considered a holistic, self-nourishing soil system. Carefully-aged soil preparations use plants like dandelion, yarrow and chamomile, which are worked into the soil in harmony with local conditions. Organic soil is kept healthy and nutritious without the addition of harmful chemicals. 

 

Organic tea is labeled as such by being “Certified 100% Organic”. This applies to loose leaf tea and to tea inside teabags. 

 

Certified organic tea is grown, handled, processed, stored and packaged in accordance with the standards set forth by the National Organic Program. This type of food is also regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. 

 

Certified organic tea is grown on farms that have been inspected on a yearly basis by the certifying agency. The tea handler and the processor of the tea leaves are also inspected and must meet the regulations of the certifying body. Some products, simply labeled “organic” are not 100% organic but must contain at least 95% organic food product. 

 

The organic tea producer is also audited yearly and is issued a certificate that says the producer have met USDA-National Organic Standards for handling organic tea. A certificate is required for each type of tea labeled and sold as 100% organic. Steps are taken to prevent the commingling of non-organic and organic ingredients at all times and machines are washed to prevent commingling. 

 

Purchasing 100% organic tea signifies to the buyer that the tea they are drinking is not laced with pesticides or other chemicals. Non-organic tea, given that the leaves are routinely sprayed with pesticides, may contain trace chemicals that are not healthy for anyone to drink. 

 

What Makes Organic Makeups Better?

Most organic makeup producers take special pride in providing you with organically-based cosmetics produced using the highest possible standards. Cosmetics and skin care products labeled “organic” must pass certain certification standards. 

 

Users of organic makeup believe they are getting a healthier and higher quality product. Makers of high quality organic cosmetics require that their ingredients are all-natural and come from unrefined, preservative-free organic ingredients that are cold processed so as not to break down the delicate features of the product. 

 

While every product needs some processing, manufacturers of organic make up do this in an environmentally-friendly way. Organic make up avoids synthetic preservatives or those that release formaldehyde that can get into an individual’s skin. This means that no parabens, urea derivatives or other formaldehyde-producing products are used in their cosmetics. In the same way, no petrochemicals are used, which are those preservatives derived from petroleum. This includes petroleum jelly, mineral oil, parabens, propylene glycol, acetones or benzene-like products are used. 

 

Some cosmetics require extraction steps with solvents. Most chemical solvents are fairly toxic to humans and these are avoided in organic make up production. Phthalates, found in plastics, have been known to mimic the hormone, estrogen, and can cause female-related diseases. These, too, are avoided in the making and packaging of organic makeups.

 

Commonly used detergents, like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and related compounds, are kept out of organic make up and skin care products. These are irritating to the skin and other natural options are available. In addition, all ingredients in this type of makeup must be certified organic or be verified as being pesticide free.

 

Part of being good to the environment in the making of organic cosmetics, many manufacturers require that there be no animal testing or other cruelty to animals in the making of their products. All fragrances are natural and all essential oils come from natural sources. Special attention is made to make sure there are no pesticide residues in any of their organic products.

 

Essential oils are extracted from bark, roots, flowers, stems and leaves of organic plant sources. They are cold pressed or steam distilled to keep the oil fresh and not degraded. Essential oils are used as organic makeup preservatives, fragrances and to create a certain texture. Only small amounts of essential oils are used to protect sensitive skin.

 

In some cases, organic make up can contain iron oxides and titanium dioxide that are processed synthetically but exist in nature. In nature, these ores contain too many contaminants to be able to be used. In addition, fractionated oil is often used that is derived from coconut oil and palm oil. This is considered a semi-synthetic part of organic make up. 

 

Because some companies can call their product all-natural, consumers need to ask further and look at the ingredient list to make sure the cosmetic product they are buying is, indeed, organic. Hopefully, the above information will help consumers interested in purchasing the safest, healthiest and most environmentally-friendly organic products. 

Debt Is Something That Can Completely Take Over Your Life: Information Regarding Debt Relief

Debt is something that too many of us have to worry about day after day, feeling as though things might not ever get better some days. It is so very stressful wondering how in the world you could ever possibly find some debt relief and in many instances, it can cause depression, anxiety and even problems within a relationship or marriage. Throughout this article I want to discuss with you some more information regarding debt relief and how you can get it. 

 

There are many options available for those of you who are completely flipping out each day just trying to make ends meet, feeling as if it will never get any better for you. Nothing positive is going to come your way if you do not decide to try and do something about it. Some choices are not easily made but in life, if you do not sacrifice when needed, things just might not get any better for you. We all want more information regarding debt relief, right! So, keep reading this article.

 

One thing that you could do if you are noticing that debt is controlling every aspect of your life is, start making some changes on the way you spend money, what you spend money on, how much you are spending and anything else within your daily routine that might need to be changed a little, to ease you from some of your financial struggles. Sit down and really give this a great deal of thought, instead of crying all the time, wishing, hoping and just waiting for something to change, without doing anything to make it happen! 

 

Really pay close attention to what financial mistakes you are currently making that is helping to keep this debt burden on your shoulders at all times. Are you doing everything right, are you blowing unnecessary money on unimportant things, are you working hard enough to earn the money that it is going to take to clear up some of the debts that have collected over time? These are some questions that you all need to be asking yourself in order to begin the process of making corrections and different improvements in your life. 

 

You also have the option of debt consolidation but make sure before you make any decision to do something such as this, that you are going through a legitimate company that is highly reputable. This decision needs to be one that is going to really help you financially. Ask plenty of important questions and really make sure that this is the best decision which will benefit you the most. 

 

Get on the internet and do some research in your spare time, to find out more about debt relief, as well as different little things you can do on your own to try and help out with your stressful financial situation. Anybody can run into problems such as these and it can happen when you least expect it. Do not wait for it all to pile up so drastically that nothing could possibly be done about it, do something now!

 

Debt Issues Can Cause Many Negative Effects Throughout Your Life, So Why Are You Still Not Doing Anything To Help With Your Situation?

Debt can really just sneak up on you, before you know it you could possibly have thousands of dollars’ worth of credit card debts, including other types of debts, which might have possibly been because of borrowing money for different purposes, a possible illness which increased your amount of medical bills each month and other unexpected events in life that many of us just cannot control. Often times a person just loves spending money entirely too much, only they do not have the means, so they charge it. Debt can completely take over when you least expect it to. 

 

Be cautious and thoughtful anytime in your life when you are thinking of making some sort of purchase of which you know you could never possibly afford. It always sounds so good, knowing that you can get something that you really want, without paying any money down right up front. Thinking that you can just charge something and make small payments on it later, can be what gets all of this trouble started for you in the first place. 

 

Staying away from too many credit cards is truly your best and smartest choice, even though sometimes it is too late and many of you have already sank to the bottom when it comes to an overabundance of credit card debt. This can be prevented however, if you become more educated about finances and problems with debt, at a very early age. So, to all parents out there right now, reading this article. Begin speaking with your children at an early age about the importance of not spending money that you do not have and always talk to them about the problems that can come from too much debt. 

 

There is so much more negative stuff that can come from being in too much debt and those negative issues need to be determined and discussed as quickly or before they are ever truly recognized. The sooner that you can alleviate a great deal of your debt, no matter what the debt is from, the better off you are going to be financially, as well as every other aspect of your life which will also begin improving because of getting rid of so much of that debt that has kept you up many restless nights, concerned about how in the world you might ever be able to afford such payments each month. 

 

Nobody is going to fix your debt problem for you, it is all in your hands and you are really the only individual that can improve your life, as well as your financial status. Nobody is safe from getting involved in debt, unless at an early age you were taught about all of the risks and dangers involved, hopefully carrying that on through into your adulthood, which prevented you from making those same mistakes that possibly your parents or grandparents made. 

 

Good luck and take back control of your life people!

 

Figure Out What To Do About Your Current Debt Condition: It Does Not Have To Be That Challenging

Debt condition happens for many different reasons and for most people it can really turn out to be extremely overwhelming for them at times. Unfortunately too many of these accrued debts never end up getting paid off at all and the creditors eventually just take the huge loss and lose quite a bit of money or have to spend more time and money trying to file suit so that the debt can be collected, one way or another. 

 

Debt problems come in all different sizes, and with all different types of people, nobody is beyond ending up in trouble with debt issues. It is definitely something that has taken over many peoples’ lives and has caused many families to lose everything that they have worked so very hard for their entire lives. It is difficult for some people to understand the importance of paying off their debts on time and always being consistent on their monthly payments, otherwise creditors are going to be pounding at your door, calling your house phone nonstop and sending threatening letters that will most definitely cause you a great deal of stress. 

 

It is absolutely crucial that you all figure out different ways of finding the debt relief that you deserve, because if you do not figure things out quickly on into this then more than likely you are going to end up in so much debt that you will never possibly see the light at the end of the tunnel, which is extremely depressing. Debt is not something that you should be ashamed of because as I mentioned before, it can happen to the best of them and nobody is above ever running into any problems like that. 

 

Debt conditions can come in many different ways, whether it be from credit cards, bank loans, mortgages, car loans, student loans and many other things as well. Either way it goes, if you allow these stressful debts to continue collecting as they have, things are only going to get much worse for you at the end of the day. It is so sad that entirely too many people allow their debt condition to keep them down and turn them into people that ignore their responsibilities, that is not what you want for your financial future. 

 

Online help can be found just by simply taken a few minutes out of your time and spending time doing a little bit of research. There are people online that can help you to figure out what your best options would be to try and straighten out your current debt condition. Debt does not have to worry you constantly and become so bothersome that you end up mad at the world. Gain back control of your life and your money, do not allow your debt to slow your pace down, preventing you from accomplishing the many things in life that you have made your goal throughout the years.