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7 Workout Ideas for Couples Posted: 27 Nov 2011 05:18 AM PST This is a guest post by Jaime Castle. If you're looking for some ideas that will bring you and your significant other closer, why not try working out together? Hectic work schedules, kids, and many other of life's obligations can make it difficult for couples to spend time together–and tossing in separate workouts several times a week is just one more thing that prevents them from enjoying some quality time with each other. Here are 7 workout ideas for couples that will exercise their hearts in more ways than one. Play a Sport Together If you and your partner like to play sports, sign up to play on a local league or team. Check with health clubs and fitness organizations in your area to find out if there are any recreational leagues you can join. Volleyball, basketball, and softball are just a few of the sports that couples can have fun playing together. Sign Up for a Class Signing up for a class is another great way to stay active together. Some ideas include dancing, yoga, Pilates, or martial arts. Couples will learn something new while getting in shape together. Take Advantage of the Great Outdoors There are plenty of activities for couples to do in the great outdoors–and best of all, most of them are free. Biking, canoeing, hiking, and swimming are some excellent ways to get some exercise and fresh air together. If you live in the city or don't have easy access to these kinds of outdoor activities, try incorporating them into a romantic weekend camping trip. Train for an Athletic Event Marathons, triathlons, and bike races are more fun to train for if you have company, so pick one, set a goal, and do it together. In order to prepare for the big event you can set up a training schedule that will work for the both of you–and don't forget to encourage and support each other along the way. Join a Gym A really convenient way to work out as a couple is to join a gym or fitness club. You can head there together before work or meet there after–and chances are if you pay the money for memberships you'll be more inclined to make the effort to get there and actually exercise. Don't forget to ask about discounts for couples or families–many gyms and clubs offer them and they're usually cheaper than individual memberships. Play in the Snow Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean you have to be stuck indoors. Don't let the snow slow you down–get out there and play in it. Skiing, snowboarding, skating, and snow-shoeing are fun activities that will get the blood moving in the winter, and they're even more exciting to do with someone you love. If those ideas don't appeal to you, try sledding together. You'll get a great workout trudging to the top of the hill after each run, and you can take turns carrying the sled! Go for a Walk One of the best ways to work out together as a couple is to simply go for a nice, long walk. Whether you've both had long days at work or you just want to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, a walk is the perfect way to share some much needed-time with each other–and you can hold hands while you do it. As you can see, there are many benefits to working out with your other half. Look good, feel great, and have more time to share with the one that you love. Jamie Castle writes about dating and dating sites for OnlineDating.org. Visit my sponsors: 1) DreamHost – Web Hosting used by johnisfit.com 2) Go Daddy – Domain registration 3) Intellilinks – Earn money publishing links on your website Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog 7 Workout Ideas for Couples

Fight off those hunger urges Posted: 27 Nov 2011 04:39 AM PST This is a guest post by Jonathan Jenkins. If you have ever dieted then you will surely have suffered at one time or another with hunger urges. These urges are quite common and have led many people to quit their diets. When these hunger urges appear it is easy to forget all about your diet and binge, however this is not good for you. It is important that you find a way to fight off these hunger urges. Keep reading and you will find a few tips that can help you to overcome your hunger and help you to finally reach your goal weight. Try to reduce the amount of carbs you consume The first tip that can help to reduce your hunger is to eat fewer carbs than you do currently. This does not mean cutting them out completely, just use a little moderation. Out of all the different food groups, carbs are the ones that make you feel hungry the most. If you can keep the consumption of carbs to a minimum and by adding some protein to your diet you will be able to last a longer time between meals and ensure that those hunger urges don't ruin your diet. Eat smaller meals but more often The next tip to help control your hunger is to eat smaller meals at regular times through the day. Rather than eating 2-3 large meals, you should instead split them into 6 smaller meals. Doing this has been shown to boost your metabolism, and will ensure your blood sugar levels do not drop. Try eating every 3-4 hours as this can help to significantly reduce your appetite. Eat more soup When you go out for a meal instead of eating a large main course you should have some soup as a starter and then a smaller main course. By eating a starter you will not feel as inclined to eat a large main course so you will be taking in fewer calories in total. Start drinking Green Tea Drinking 1-2 cups of Green Tea every day has been shown to be able to reduce your appetite. Also there are many other health benefits including the ability to lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, while increasing your good cholesterol (HDL) levels. It has been shown that Green Tea can reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes These health benefits occur due to the large number of powerful antioxidants including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that are found within Green Tea. Another bonus of Green Tea is that it can help to increase your metabolism so you will also be burning more calories than you would normally. Make sure you get plenty of sleep The last tip that can help fight off hunger is to make sure you get enough sleep. Sleep is important when you are dieting as you will find that if you have a bad nights sleep you are often more hungry the next day. This hunger is due to your body craving the energy it gets from food, as it is fatigued. If you can follow these tips you will be able to reduce your hunger and finally get your diet under control. Jonathan Jenkins is a stay at home Dad who is interested in helping you all to get in or stay in shape. I hope you enjoy my articles and they help you to reach your goals. http://www.weightlosssupplements.org.uk/ Visit my sponsors: 1) DreamHost – Web Hosting used by johnisfit.com 2) Go Daddy – Domain registration 3) Intellilinks – Earn money publishing links on your website Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog Fight off those hunger urges

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The Importance of Medical Equipment

Just like any business, it is necessary for those that operate a medical professional business to make sure that they are financially profitable. The unfortunate thing is, there has been somewhat of a decline in the overall profits that are being seen by primary care physicians, as well as many others that are working within the medical field. This has led many to question whether it is necessary to purchase new medical equipment or if it is going to be possible to purchase used medical equipment, such as used ultrasound machines. What are some of the things that you should consider when you are trying to make this decision for yourself?

First of all, you need to really consider the needs of your patients, as you would never want to use a substandard piece of equipment in an effort to save a few dollars. Even when it comes to ultrasound equipment, one of the more common types of medical equipment that are available, there are going to be choices that need to be made. Many physicians decide that it is possible to purchase used ultrasound devices and to be certain, there are some high quality used items that are available. It is important, however, for you to not only trust the device that you are purchasing but also to trust the clearinghouse which is offering those items to you. In that way, you can save some money on the equipment that is necessary without having to worry about the quality of those items when you do so.

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College Cafeteria Eating Tips Posted: 13 Nov 2011 08:25 AM PST This is a guest post by Taylor Harris. Being away from home and on your own for the first time is an experience many college students share. The freedom can be intoxicating, and could cause you to make a few mistakes, such as eating pizza or burgers for every meal instead of maintaining a healthy diet. With no one to look out for you but you, these college cafeteria eating tips could help you pick healthier foods. Self-Control The key to eating healthy in a cafeteria, or anywhere else for that matter, is self-control. The fact that you're now responsible for your own actions and don't have mom and dad looking over your shoulder telling you what not to eat means you must take control of your passion for eating the wrong food. Good intentions will only carry you so far–you need to exercise self-control and bypass the burgers and fries and fill your plate with healthy alternatives, such as fruits and vegetables. That won't always be easy to do, because although many college and university cafeterias are offering healthy foods at mealtime, they still put out the pizza and hot dogs. Smaller Portions Although self-control is necessary in choosing the foods you eat at the college cafeteria, you may not always to strong enough to resist. Eating the type of food that tastes good but isn't exactly a healthy choice doesn't mean you could keel over today, but if you give into temptation often enough the effects could add up. If you do give in and enjoy a pizza or burger once in a while, the best thing you can do is limit the size of the portion you take. Eating a slice of pizza may not be exactly what you need to get healthy and stay that way, but it's not nearly as bad as filling your plate with a half-dozen pieces, plus ice cream for dessert–and if you do have dessert limit your intake to a small amount. Will power is the name of the game. Eat a Balanced Diet Simply cutting down on fatty foods isn't enough if your diet isn't balanced. You need to eat a variety of foods. Sure, a diet of water and carrot sticks will make you lose weight, but in the end you may be even less healthy than if you stuck to pizza and milk shakes. The reason is that the human body is designed to perform efficiently when fueled properly, and going from one extreme to another won't make you any healthier than you are now. On a daily basis your body needs the vitamins and minerals contained in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, and the type of proteins contained in lean meat, chicken, or fish. If you try and cut out all forms of fatty foods, it would be a mistake because your body needs the types of fats that are found in such foods as peanut butter, nuts, or olive oil. The menu in most cafeterias will allow you to choose healthy foods; all you need to do is pick the right combination to improve your health. Know What You Need Stating that you need to eat a balanced diet is all well and good, but do you really know what a balanced diet consists of? In order to make sure you're eating the right foods, and in the correct amounts, you need to know what foods to choose. A little research before going to the cafeteria will help you know what to load your tray with. If you go online and enter something such as, 'what does a balanced diet consist of' into your search engine you'll be rewarded with a variety of resource articles that will guide you into choosing the right types of foods. The basics are fruits, vegetables, grain, dairy products, proteins, and oils. Knowing the right kind of food to eat is important, but you also need to know what quantity of each category will enrich your diet and help you to get healthy and stay that way. Know What You Want Knowing what you want to eat before entering the cafeteria can also be helpful. Since you've gone to all the trouble of finding out which foods are good for you it would defeat the purpose to walk into the cafeteria and be enticed by an array of good-looking morsels that aren't healthy. If you decide beforehand what you're going to have, it will be easier to resist the temptation and stick to a healthy diet. Remember, at college there is no one to look out for you but you, so use these college cafeteria eating tips to help you pick healthier foods. Taylor writes about the best online colleges for BestOnlineColleges.com. Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog College Cafeteria Eating Tips

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He Lost 50 lbs in under 1 year Posted: 08 Nov 2011 03:07 AM PST This is a guest post by Dan Petraglia. This was quite a story that was lingering right under my nose and I just never saw it for what it actually was until recently. Today I'm more than happy to share it on John is Fit. A close friend of mine recently lost over 50 lbs. Is this an impressive feat or is this just a good accomplishment in someone's life? Well both really. To him, it was just something he needed to do. For some of us, that's an incredible weight loss goal attained. Since I know him rather well I got to see a lot of what he did to get there. So let's dive right into it then and examine a little more into detail as to how this was actually done. START FROM SCRATCH I saw a complete overhaul and lifestyle change almost instantaneously. You have to realize if you want to lose the amount of weight my friend did, you better buckle up because it's going to be a bumpy ride. I saw everything from dieting changes to exercise milestones being met on a constant basis. He understood there are no shortcuts and you need to stop everything. Stop what you're doing right now. Then say to yourself "there's no point in doing things in life halfway if you know you're going to do them anyway". Many of us are already eating healthier discovering which food groups and meal types provide the best nutritional value and which ones to stay away from. That doesn't mean you've solved the weight loss riddle quite yet. Exercise is the other big component which needs to be addressed in all seriousness. You have to get exercise on a fairly regular basis for your body to start understanding that you can do this activity and it can burn many calories at once. This is going to take some fire that you need to summon from deep down within side of you if you ever want to make exercise work in your favor. In order to lose this amount of weight in this amount of time without hurting any bodily functions, you have to do both. No excuses. PERSISTENCE OR DETERMINATION? It's good to be determined to do something in life. It's better to be persistent at it. You're probably thinking they are basically the same thing. Not quite. Determined to do something is more of a mind set. But being persistent is constantly beating on your craft until you know how to make it work without thinking too deeply into it. It's repetition after repetition, after some more repetition. What I saw with my friend was persistence. This is what you need to do! Everyday work on it, maybe try something new. Experiment with a new exercise or food. Have fun with it. Your body responds very well to you when you take care of it. Your body will start to feel good (stronger, more flexible, harder), starts looking better, and thus making you feel better psychology. It's a perfect circle. So persistence is a key essential to weight loss and I guess many other things in life now that I happen to think about it. Try to do something every single day that you know is contributing to your weight loss target. IT'S A NUMBERS GAME Now you don't have to be a math wizard here but you do need to understand your rate of progression through numbers. My friend tracked everything he ate through an iPhone application called MyFitnessPal. I could tell after a few months he understood caloric intake values as good if not better than even myself. Now I'm not saying you have to do the same. But having an idea if you are first starting out with serious dieting of anywhere between general to the exact amount of calories you take in one day should be considered. As for exercise a similar system should be implemented. For every two to three weeks, you need to really try to have increased in a time doing something cardiovascular. For weight training, move up slightly in the weight itself, repetitions, or even better both. This can be accomplished on average in the exercise realm around every month. With my friend, I saw slight increases in these places sure enough, every month. So you see it was a combination of things put together that can make such a significant amount of weight loss happen for someone. Think of a combination on a lock. You have to find the right combo in order to open the door. However, everyone's combination is different. You just need to find your right combo, and you're in. Once you find the combination that works for you, sky's the limit! Dan Petraglia runs a weight loss and fitness information blog. Unique exercise, dieting, and nutrition information, products, programs, and services are provided. For more information, please visit Fitness and Weight Loss Central. He is also on Facebook and Twitter. Visit my sponsors: 1) DreamHost – Web Hosting used by johnisfit.com 2) Go Daddy – Domain registration 3) Intellilinks – Earn money publishing links on your website Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog He Lost 50 lbs in under 1 year

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5 Basic Dumbbell Exercises For Your Home Workout Posted: 06 Nov 2011 09:11 AM PST This is a guest post by Tess Mathews. Working out is a passion for some; not for all, of course. Many people are leading a busy, still sedentary, life these days that they don't find time for a gym-schedule everyday. Doing some workouts at home sounds like a good plan, but – let's face it – comes with its own pitfalls. Prominently, we miss the guidance of an expert – a crucial element for a really serious fitness plan. But as always, we are bound to our limitations. Having a pair of adjustable dumbbells at home and doing some simple workouts won't hurt, though. Here are some simple dumbbell exercises to follow at home for various groups of muscles. Abdomen Want those six packs? Lie down on your back on a bench and hold a dumbbell on top of your chest. Raise your upper body till the shoulder blades don't touch the bench. Hold on to this position for a brief while and then lower yourself back down on to the bench. The other exercise for tightening the abdomen muscles is slightly more difficult and involves lying down with your back on the bench, hands gripping the sides of it and hold a dumbbell between your feet. Raise the legs straight up until they are perpendicular to the floor and put them down after a brief while. Chest Become a hot D.O.G. – darling of girls Lie down on your back on a bench and hold two dumbbells at chest level, the elbows bent and palms facing feet. Raise the dumbbells straight up until your elbows are locked. Lower the dumbbells back slowly after a short while. Breathe out when raising the dumbbells and breathe in when lowering them back. A slight variation to this is with the palms facing each other. Shoulders Go wrestler go Standing up, hold dumbbells one in each hand, at shoulder level, palms facing each other. Lift the dumbbells straight up until your elbows are locked and lower them back down after a short while. This exercise can be repeated by alternating the hands in a rhythmic motion. Care must be taken to avoid jerking the back while raising the dumbbells. These two routines can be repeated while sitting on a chair or a bench and also palms facing outwards. Back Never Back Down Take one dumbbell in each hand; flex your knees and hips to bring yourself to a squatting position. Lift both dumbbells straight up maintaining the posture of the knees and hips. Lower the dumbbells back after a short while. Breathe out when lifting the dumbbells and breathe in when returning to the starting position. Legs Minus Achilles' heel One dumbbell should be held with both hands, standing up, in front of your thighs. Keeping the upper body steady, lower your body by bending your knees till they form a 90 degree angle (with the portion below the knee). After holding the position for a brief while, slowly raise yourself back up. Repeating this a few times, strengthens the all the leg muscles. That's a fair set of workouts for a simple home workout plan. But if you really have time, I would say, just cut out your excuses and go look for a gym. Tess Mathews is a freelance writer who has a specific interest in Health & Fitness related topics. Apart from writing, she likes to keep herself fit and has her own set of workout equipment at home which includes an indoor cycling bike. Visit my sponsors: 1) DreamHost – Web Hosting used by johnisfit.com 2) Go Daddy – Domain registration 3) Intellilinks – Earn money publishing links on your website Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog 5 Basic Dumbbell Exercises For Your Home Workout

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Why Put Your Heart Under Strain? Posted: 04 Nov 2011 03:22 PM PDT This is a guest post by Jessica Ainsworth. Whilst our hearts have to work incredibly hard on our behalf to keep us not only healthy but to keep us alive, a huge number of us start to take this major organ for granted. We feel as though our hearts will continue to do what they have to do no matter what we put into our bodies, and often it is only when the heart eventually buckles under the strain that the lucky ones who survive this cardiac breakdown realize that it isn't that simple. The vast majority of us put unnecessary strain on our hearts, often without realizing that we are doing it. Some of the things that we are guilty of, which can result in the heart having to work far harder, include: Smoking Excessive drinking Poor diet Little exercise Excessive stress levels Improving your lifestyle to make life easier for your heart The good news is that even if we have spent years living an unhealthy lifestyle that has put additional strain on the heart, it is never too late to make amends! There are a number of ways in which we can improve our lifestyles to help reduce the strain on the heart and some of these include: Quit smoking – attend cessation classes if you are finding it difficult to give up alone Reduce your drinking, avoid binge drinking, and stay within the recommended safety levels when it comes to alcohol Improve the diet by switching high sugar, high fat foods for healthier alternatives Step up the exercise, particularly cardiovascular activity for the health of your heart Find time to relax and let off some steam so that you don't become increasingly stressed Consider how your diet affects your heart One of the major changes that you can make in order to improve the health of your heart is in terms of your diet. We live in an age of fast and processed foods and most of us are guilty of shovelling far more of this type of food into our mouths than we should! Over time, a diet that is rich in foods packed with fat, calories, salt and sugar can really take its toll on the heart, which is why it is important to evaluate your diet and make changes. There are certain foods and even drinks that you might be consuming on a regular basis that could be having an adverse effect on your heart and health. This includes: Sugary food and drink, such as fizzy drinks, candy, donuts, cakes and biscuits Food that is deep fried, such as French fries, fried fish, etc. Some margarines and shortening, which contain hydrogenated fat White bread, white pasta and other similar white foods Food that contains a lot of salt You won't need to give up these foods completely of course, as there is nothing wrong with indulging in your favourite treats and foods once in a while – in fact, that is probably advisable as otherwise you could end up having cravings and bingeing, which is never good! However, when it comes to your staple diet you should try and avoid these foods on a regular basis and instead opt for alternatives such as: Wholegrain and whole wheat variations of foods, including bread, rice, pasta and cereals Naturally sweet drinks such as freshly squeezed fruit juice as well as plenty of water Food that contains natural sweetness to placate that sweet tooth such as fresh fruit Low fat and sunflower spreads that are not hydrogenated Low salt and sodium foods Food that is cooked healthily using methods such as baking, steaming or grilling Shop smart to help your heart! With the huge choice of healthy options that are available today you should have no problem finding the foods and ingredients that you need to live a healthier life in terms of your diet. You will find many low fat, low calorie versions of your favourite foods, which means that you won't have to worry about living off just salad and water in order to reduce fat, calories and salt! When you go shopping take a little extra time to check the nutritional value of the foods that you are considering before you purchase them. Many food products will now list the nutritional value so you can see at a glance whether the product is going to be suited to your healthier diet. Also, try and motivate yourself to buy more fresh food, such as fruit and vegetables, so that you can create your own meals made from fresh ingredients rather than going for pre-made meals. This way you have far more control over what goes into your meals and you get the added benefit of more vitamins and minerals than you would get with food that has been processed to within an inch of its life! As an expert in weight loss, weight management and fitness, Jessica Ainsworth has shared her keen interest and expertise in these areas through her website proactol reviews. She is a certified holistic nutritionist who specializes in weight loss and fitness. Visit my sponsors: 1) DreamHost – Web Hosting used by johnisfit.com 2) Go Daddy – Domain registration 3) Intellilinks – Earn money publishing links on your website Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog Why Put Your Heart Under Strain?

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30 Funny Ads that’ll Make You Laugh [pics]

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30 Funny Ads that’ll Make You Laugh [pics] Posted: 02 Nov 2011 08:28 AM PDT In the world of print advertising, there's a small window to grab the audience's attention. Being restricted to a still image means the message must be very strong and catchy. Ad agencies often rely on humor to achieve this. A humorous print ad campaign starts with a funny idea, but must be brought to life with clever art direction and great visuals. For this post, we've rounded up 30 funny print ads that'll make you laugh. 8in1 Dental Snacks: Bad dog breath Rowenta: 2100 Watt Vacuum... [[ Click Through for the rest of the post, and other interesting content. ]]

16 Abbreviated Company Names Explained Posted: 02 Nov 2011 04:05 AM PDT Dozens of companies use acronyms or initials in their names, but how well do you know what the abbreviated letters mean? Let's take a look at the etymologies behind a few abbreviated company names. [via mentalfloss] 1. CVS Sorry, drugstore fans, there aren't three fatcat pharmacists with these initials running around out there. When the pharmacy chain was founded in Lowell, MA in 1963, it was known as "Consumer Value Stores." Over time the name became abbreviated to simply CVS. ... [[ Click Through for the rest of the post, and other interesting content. ]]

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