Category: Everyday

Morning Pages: How Writing Can Help You Start Your Day

04/02/2022

How you start your day often sets the tone for the rest of it. If you wake up feeling stressed out and rushed, that’s probably how you’ll feel all day long. But what if there was a way to start your day that would make you feel more relaxed and calm? Believe it or not, there is! Writing morning pages can help to get your day off to a good start. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what morning pages are and why writing them can help improve your day-to-day life.

What are morning pages?

Morning pages are simply a way to start your day by writing down your thoughts. They can be about anything and everything that’s on your mind, from what you plan to wear that day to what you did last weekend. Morning pages don’t have to be perfect or well-written – in fact, they shouldn’t be! The point of these pages is to get you writing, not worrying about spelling or grammar mistakes.

Why should I write morning pages?

There are many benefits to writing in the morning, and they aren’t just for writers! Writing can help clear your mind so that you’re ready for whatever comes at you throughout the day. It can also help you to focus and be more productive. Additionally, writing morning pages can help to improve your mental health by providing a space for you to express your thoughts and feelings.

How do I start writing morning pages?

The best way to start writing morning pages is by setting aside some time each morning specifically for this purpose. Dedicate a notebook or journal to morning pages, and make sure you have plenty of pens or pencils on hand. Once you’ve set aside some time each morning to write, simply sit down and start writing. There’s no need to plan what you’re going to say – just let your thoughts flow freely.

If you find that you’re struggling to get started, try using a prompt to jump-start your writing. A few prompts to get you started might be “What are my goals for today?” or “What was the best thing that happened yesterday?” You can also use these prompts to continue writing if you find yourself running out of things to say.

Once you’ve finished writing, put your notebook or journal away and get ready for your day. There’s no need to go back and edit what you wrote – just move on with the rest of your morning routine! If you’d like, though, feel free to read through what you wrote later in the day (or even tomorrow) and see if anything stands out.

This is a great opportunity to reflect on what you’ve written and ask yourself questions about it. For example, do any of your morning pages contain information that might be useful for an upcoming project or meeting? If so, make sure you write it down somewhere so that you don’t forget!

Stop The Diet Fads: Here’s How You Can Actually Shed Pounds

18/08/2020

It’s every man and woman’s dream to have that perfect body they can be proud of. To not be mortifyingly embarrassed to take off your shirt at the beach or the gym changing room. Understandably, you would want that. Not only does it help with regaining your confidence, but being at a normal weight can be extremely beneficial to your health. Obesity is a risk factor of many diseases, which means that dropping those extra pounds can decrease your chances of sickness significantly. This can lead to an increased lifespan as well as more years of complete health.

There are almost too many weight loss fads that constantly come and go. While many are advertised by celebrities, talked about in interviews and wildly popular, most of these regimes revolve around one key aspect: calorie deficit.

Our organisms are infinitely complex and hard to understand but in this case, there isn’t much to it. Calories represent the energy our bodies get from eating food. To stay alive and move around, we use a certain amount of calories. If you consume more than you expend, the rest will be turned to fat and stored. It’s as simple as that. The only thing you need to do is to make your intake less than what you burn.

The energy our bodies spend can be divided into two. Most of the energy used goes for basic bodily functions like breathing and simply staying alive and awake, also known as BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate. The rest is used for physical activity during the day. When you consume fewer calories than you need for these two parts, you will lose weight. Generally, the average person requires around 2000 calories daily. That number varies from person to person, so you should consult a specialist or at least look up a calorie calculator to estimate your daily needs. If you need 2000 calories every day, then consuming no more than 1700 will result in you dropping those pounds easily.

The beauty of the caloric deficit is that you can pretty much eat whatever you want. You just need to carefully monitor the calories you consume and try not to exceed them.

One thing to keep in mind when practicing caloric deficit is the body’s need for nutrients and vitamins. You should eat a combination of healthy foods to ensure you are getting the essential vitamins. If it’s helpful you can sign up for a meal plan delivery service, there are so many these days you can even find meal plans for dogs like PetPlate, so you should have no problem finding one that works well for your lifestyle. Without proper nutrition, you could be compromising your health which is dangerous.

Another key tip people frequently forget is the fact that the body needs water to survive. If you are dehydrated, then your metabolism slows down. That makes it harder and sometimes impossible to lose weight. This is why you should always stay hydrated, drinking at least 7-8 cups a day.

Physical activity, be it walking, running, biking or swimming uses energy. It’s easy to deduce that the more you move, the more calories you will burn. Being active carries numerous health benefits, not to mention, it speeds up the weight loss process.

These are a few ways you can shed those extra pounds and finally get the body you’ve always dreamed of. If you combine these methods, you are pretty much guaranteed to succeed. Not only will you be healthy, but you’ll notice an unimaginable boost in confidence, which will serve you well in life, increasing the quality of your social life.

What To Look For When Buying A Snowblower For The Upcoming Winter

08/10/2018

Shoveling snow can be an obnoxious and even physically dangerous chore, especially in places where it can really pile up. Many a poor homeowner has been faced with the prospect of shoveling out a driveway before work, or on what was supposed to be a relaxing day off. A snowblower can be an easy, more thorough alternative, especially when it comes to larger properties where manually shoveling every drive simply isn’t a workable solution. Finding the snowblower that’s right for you, though, can be a complicated chore in and of itself. How do you pick the one that’s right for you and your property?

Well, to start with, we need to familiarize ourselves with the different types of snowblowers.

The Different Varieties of Snowblower

Snowblowers come in four main types, each having its own strengths and weaknesses. No one type is perfect for every application, and it’s up to you to decide which is right for your property!

Electric Snowblowers

Electric snowblowers are a small, portable, and compact option. They typically don’t require the maintenance that a gasoline-powered device does, so you don’t have to worry about changing the oil, keeping filters clean, or fumbling around with a gas can in subzero weather. Small and light enough to easily fit into most small spaces, an electric snowblower can be a perfect choice for anyone on a smaller property that doesn’t receive much snow. The trade-off for that portability is that an electric snowblower simply doesn’t have the horsepower to deal with large amounts of snow, or snow that has frozen solid.

Single-Stage Snowblowers

Single-stage snowblowers are smallest entry in the gasoline-powered category. Requiring more maintenance, these medium-sized snowblowers are never-the-less convenient and small enough to be a good option for areas where an electric blower simply isn’t up to the job. Essentially a horizontal, gas-powered auger on wheels, the snowblower’s rotating screw simultaneously scoops and tosses the snow out of its chute and away from the work area. While able to make short work of moderate snowfall, the single-stage snowblower’s auger makes contact with the ground, meaning it can’t be safely used on gravel surfaces, and its vertically narrow mouth means it can’t effectively deal with deep snow.

Two-Stage Snowblowers

The next size up, two-stage snowblowers are generally slightly larger than the average upright push mower, and may be more tool than you need if you live in an area that receives only moderate or occasional heavy snow. In return for that bulkiness, though, you get a generously sized bucket and a two-stage mechanism that can devour everything short of truly massive snowfalls, and sits high enough above the ground that it won’t damage concrete or gravel surfaces. Similar to the single-stage, the two-stage snowblower sucks up the snow with its auger, but then tosses it into a high-speed impeller that ejects it far away from the work area.

Three-Stage Snowblowers

The 800-pound gorilla of the snowblower kingdom, these monsters are large, powerful machines that inhale, chop, then HURL snow and ice a significant distance away. Featuring dual augers that chew through even the largest and most solid snowdrift, a three-stage snowblower offers a third auger, positioned perpendicular to the collection augers and called an accelerator, that chops and shoots the snow and ice directly into the impeller, which further chops it up and fires it out of the chute. More machine than most people will need, these powerful tools will clear almost any amount of snow and are perfect for someone with large and deep areas of stubborn snow who just wants to get the job done.

Choosing The Right Snowblower

While a single or two-stage snowblower will be sufficient for most properties, larger areas or places that tend to receive large quantities of wet, stubborn snow may require a three-stage snowblower. For those who are concerned with maintaining a pristine property, an electric snowblower might be a convenient and maneuverable supplemental device for areas where a larger machine won’t fit, or for small touch-ups when a larger device isn’t necessary. Ultimately, the needs of a specific property depend on its size, winter weather patterns, and even the personality and capabilities of the user, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. You simply need to evaluate the requirements and quirks of your specific situation, then decide which machine best meets your needs!

The Top 5 Home Exercises For Busy Parents

15/08/2018

As a health-conscious, fitness-enthusiast parent, I want nothing more than setting a good example for my kids by paying attention to my body, remaining in good shape, and enjoy the boost of physical energy that being active gifts me with, every single day. Often, however, despite my best effort, reality ends up standing in my way.

Let’s face it, as a busy parent, juggling work, household, and child-rearing duties, often we simply can’t afford to lose the time driving to the gym or even spending heaps of time by hopping on the elliptical or going for a long jog or cycling session. Fortunately, as I’ve found out, if you are truly serious about your health and revamping your physique, you don’t even have to.

Take a look at the following exercise ideas designed to tighten your abs, sculpt your arms, lift your buttocks, and get you into shape in no time, without having to leave the comfort of your home. Easy-to-do in-between chores, before going to work, or even while playing with your kids, these workout ideas eliminate all those typical excuses that we usually allow to stand in our way to obtain that much-coveted ideal body.

1. Planks

Benefits:

  • improved core strength
  • toned tummy
  • better posture
  • stronger back
  • shapely upper arms

How To Do Them:

Get on the floor in a push-up position, elbows on the ground, right under your shoulders. You should balance on your toes and forearms, holding this position as long as you can, but at least 10 seconds. Add 5 seconds every day; before you know it, you will be able to maintain a proper plank for a minute or even longer.

2. Tricep Dips

Benefits:

  • sculpted triceps and shoulders
  • firmer arms
  • elimination of upper-arm “bat wings”

How To Do Them:

You can easily utilize a sturdy chair, the couch, or even your heavy, non-tipping kitchen table for this exercise. Place your hands on the edge, firmly gripping them, on each side of your hips. Next, lift your buttocks up from the seated position and begin to lower it by walking your feet forward slowly. You should be supporting your full weight with your arms and feet. Next, return to your starting position.

3. Counter Push-Ups

Benefits:

  • upper arm strength
  • sculpted back
  • lifted chest muscles

How To Do Them:

Facing your countertop, place your hands on its edge, shoulder-width apart. Step two steps backward. Next, slowly lower your upper body towards your hands and the edge of the counter, much like in the case of a regular push-up. Finally, return to your starting position.

4. Squats

Benefits:

  • stronger legs
  • sculpted glutes
  • shapely thighs

How To Do Them:

Place your legs about shoulder-width apart, facing forward. Next, slowly lower your rear end, as though you are trying to sit down on an imaginary chair. You can extend your arms in front of your body to help with your balance. Bend your upper body forward and stop moving downwards once your thighs are parallel to the floor. Return to your original position.

5. Glute Bridges

Benefits:

  • tightened glutes
  • toned hamstrings
  • slimmer hips
  • shapely legs

How To Do Them:

Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground. Let your arms rest on the floor by your sides. Next, slowly lift your hips off the ground and keep moving them upwards until they form a straight line with your thighs. After a few seconds, lower them back to the ground.

I hope you agree; these exercises don’t seem too difficult to incorporate into your busy daily schedule, as a parent. If you commit to doing a few sets of them daily, you will find -much like I did,- that getting into shape is simple, effortless, and doesn’t have to be time-consuming at all!