Exercise And Sleeping Better

Exercise And Sleeping Better

The amount of physical exercise that you exert during
the day is one of the key ingredients to helping you
get a good sleep at night.  The more active your
body is during the day, the more likely you are to
relax at night and fall asleep faster.

With regular exercise you'll notice that your quality
of sleep is improved and the transition between the
cycles and phases of sleep will become smoother and
more regular.  By keeping up your physical activity
during the day, you may find it easier to deal with
the stress and worries of your life.

Research and studies indicate that there is a direct
correlation between how much we exercise and how
we feel afterwards.

You should try and increase your physical activity
during the day.  The goal here is to give your body
enough stimulation during the day so that you aren't
full of energy at night. 

Your body requires a certain amount of physical
activity in order to keep functioning in a healthy
manner.  It is also important to note that you should
not be exercising three or four hours before you go
to bed.

The ideal exercise time is in the late afternoon or
early evening.  You want to make sure you expend
your physical energy long before it is time for
your body to rest and ready itself for sleep.

You should attempt to exercise at least three or
four times a week for a period of 30 minutes or so.
You can include walking or something simple.  If
you prefer, you can include strenuous activities
such as running as well.

The goal here is to increase your heart rate and
strengthen the capacity of your lungs.  By adding
a regular exercise activity to your daily schedule
will help you to improve your overall health and
help you emotionally as well. 

Along with running and walking there are several
other physical activities that you can add to your
daily life to increase your level of physical
activity.  If you are battling not sleeping, you'll
find aerobic exercise to be the best.

Your goal with exercise is to increase the amount
of oxygen that reaches your blood stream.  Overall,
there are many types of aerobic exercise for you
to choose from.  The activities include running,
biking, using a treadmill, dancing, and jumping
rope.

There are some non aerobic exercises that you may
find beneficial to help you solve your amnesia
problem. 

Yoga

Yoga is an exercise that has a stimulatory effect
on your nervous system, especially the brain.  Yoga
utilizes breathing techniques and yoga postures to
increase the blood circulation to the brain, promoting
regular and restful sleeping patterns.  The regular
practice of yoga will help you to relax as well
as relieve tension and stress.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is an ancient art of breathing and movement
that was developed by the Chinese monks.  The
movements involved are slow and precise, which is
ideal if you have joint pains or you are unable
to participate in high aerobic exercises.  Research
has shown that Tai Chi can help with insomnia by
promoting relaxation.

If you discover that you don't have any time to
exercise on a regular basis, you should try to
sneak moments of activity into your schedule. 
Whenever possible, you should take the stairs instead
of the elevator, as little things like that will
do wonders for your body.

You should also park your car around the corner and
walk that extra block or two to get to your
destination.  As you may know, there are many small
things you can add to increase the activity in
your life.  Your overall goal here is to have a
healthy and well balanced life - with plenty of
sleep.

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Essentials to Health and Fitness

Essentials to Health and Fitness 

Living a life of health and fitness is hard but it is not impossible. In fact, with discipline and commitment, you can actually change your habits and finally get rid of those habits that affect your health.

Below are some of the things that we feel are important parts in the road to a better and healthier you. Read on and see if you have any of them or are doing most of them.

1. Serious commitment If you really want to change your life and get rid of habits that you have for so long been doing, you’ve got to want it real bad. You need to really commit on it to ensure that you will see the plan through. There are a lot of people who start eating healthy and living healthy who will fall back to their old ways after some time. Don’t be like those people. Starting and stopping will only serve to deflate your spirits and make you believe that you can never really do it. Start when you feel that you really want it bad enough and you can really do it. Will power can be really amazing. It can make miracles.

2. Support system Changing old habits whether foregoing with a bad diet or quitting a vice, is hard but when done with people who live and support you, the task can be easier and more manageable. This is the reason why diets and programs for quitting alcoholism and smoking have support system programs within their organization. People who share your experiences whether or not they are undergoing the same things as you are will help encourage you to continue with the goals that you have set.

3. Avoid temptations Without the will power to avoid temptations, your plan to change will constantly be derailed. It is important that you remain in control when it comes to the changes that you want to do for yourself. But this however is not something that is easy to do. There will be lots of instances when you will be truly tested and most people will fail the test. They will go back to their old habits once, and then twice and then thrice until they completely forgo with their plans for a healthy lifestyle.

To avoid this, you should first stay clear of the temptations. If you have friends for instance who influence you to not eat and not live healthy, don’t go with them for the meantime especially if you know that you will only be tempted when you are with them. You should also avoid going to places that you know will tempt you to go back to your old ways.

4. Reminders People who are constantly being reminded of how they should proceed have better chances of making it through the program than those who are just doing it alone. This works in the same way as the support system but even better because in this instance, you have somebody who really point out to you what you should be doing. Sometimes, we go back to our old ways not because we want to but because it is something that your bodies are already so used to. So if you want to really change your ways and live a life of health and fitness, have somebody you trust and respect with you all the time.

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Choosing Suitable Exercise For You

Choosing Suitable Exercise For You

The character of exercise one does all depends on you and what you love to do.  What you hate doing, investing monthly fees on gym, and whether to purchase exercise equipment are all things you need to consider along with your requirements.

Should you decide to choose something which you don't love to do, you aren't going to maintain doing it for a long time period.  Give it some thought - should you think that you don't like jogging, you aren't going to wake up at 6 AM and go running around.  Should you think that you can't discover anything you love to do, choose anything you hate the minimum, that will commonly be walking.

Walking is a great exercise, as it meets all levels of fitness.  Anybody can begin a hiking system at any time, it's usually the strength and length that varies.  Walking is additionally a personal exercise, as it isn't difficult to locate a training partner to chat with while you doing the exercise.  Walking with a partner also will render the time to pass by much more quicker.

Regardless of what exercise you choose, you really need to begin at a minimal level of strength and develop it more than a period of days, and is important to the endurance of the exercise plan.  Should you decide begin too hard, you can end up getting an injury that will need time off to overcome.

If you think you are actually in bad shape, you really need to begin by walking for 10 mins each day.  Then, increase it by 5 moments every 2 days.  To help make things more interesting, you really need to try walking a different course every few days.  You can easily also roster a different buddy to stroll to you each day of the week.

If walking isn't your thing, then chances are you might desire to try a fitness center.  They have a lot of assortment and commonly have coaches available to you to answer any concerns you have.  As soon as you choose a fitness center, make sure they give good provider.

If they aren't prepared to deal with you well if your wanting to join, then they certainly won't once you join.  You really need to also make sure the gear they utilize is well taken care of.  It's very easy to discover the truth, as all you need to do is hear to the gadgets.  If they squeak a lot or render sound, then odds are they aren't being taken care of.

Should you decide nevertheless aren't positive what you really need to do, then chances are you must look into golf or tennis.  Both are good personal activities in many areas, and you may actually meet new pals.  Tennis is perfect for fitness although it isn't for somebody that is purely beginning.  Should you decide haven't exercised within a few years, then golf is the best activity for you.

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Herbalife Weight Loss Product: How to Weigh in With Lower Fat

Herbalife Weight Loss Product: How to Weigh in With Lower Fat

Genetics does play a role in obesity, of course, but not as big a role as you do. Most health experts say that the concept of genes compelling you to be heavy is a myth.

For the vast majority of us, genes may set the lower limits of our weight, but we set the upper limits by our food choices.

Nonetheless, we all know that most of us tend to put on weight as we age. In addition, if there is one thing we cannot prevent, it is the aging process. But we can prevent eating more and exercising less as we get older. And first of all, you have to have surgeries for food control in your life, strategies that work.

One of the known strategies is to take some weight loss medications. This does not necessarily mean those that are being advertised as diet pills but also those that fall under the category of herbal medicines. One of the fast-growing herbal medicines especially formulated to help you lose weight is the so-called herbalife weight loss product.

Herbalife weight loss product is one of the major breakthroughs as far as herbal medication is concerned. Herbalife weight loss products contain the necessary herbs in order to facilitate losing weight.

Some of the well-known herbalife weight loss products are herbalife formula 1 strawberry weight control powder, herbalife diet formula 1 tropical fruit, herbalife formula 1 vanilla diet slim lose weight, etc.

One of the best things about herbalife weight loss products is that they are great tasting products, easy-to-use, and is definitely effective in losing weight. Best of all, the prices are relatively affordable when compared to other weight loss products.

To know more of the benefits that herbalife weight loss products can do for you, here is a list of the advantages.

1. One of the best things about herbalife weight loss products is that you do not only lose pounds but also inches. This means that herbalife weight loss products do not just get rid of excess fats but also tone and shape the body built, curbing the imminent re-accumulation of fats.

2. Herbalife weight loss products do not only make you lose weight but also supply you with the nutrients that are needed by the body’s cells on a daily basis.

3. Herbalife weight loss products are known to have excellent taste that is why more and more people who have tried it are satisfied with its yummy flavors.

4. Best of all, herbalife weight loss products lets you eat more of the foods you like without having to worry about accumulating more weight in the end.

5. Herbalife weight loss products are also known to help you lessen the extra calorie ingestion. Hence, losing weight will be more effective.

What’s more, herbalife weight loss products give you the pleasing feeling that curbs your hunger while you lose weight.

The bottom line is that your mission for preventing weight gain, should you decide to accept it, is to eat fewer calories when you are not involved in activities that burn up those calories. Then, try to incorporate these herbalife weight loss products in your diet.

In the end, you will achieve the ideal weight you have long wanted to obtain.

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"Losing Weight the Healthy Way"

"Losing Weight the Healthy Way"


Almost 108 million Americans were overweight or obese in 1999. Until now, obesity continues to be a serious problem and is predicted to reach epidemic levels by the year 2020.

One way to prevent this scenario is to make people aware of the risks of being overweight or obese.

Here are some diseases that you are putting yourself in risk of if you are carrying a lot of extra pounds:

1. heart disease
2. stroke
3. diabetes
4. cancer
5. arthritis
6. hypertension

Losing weight helps to prevent and control these diseases.

The quick weight loss methods which have spread like fire these days do not provide lasting results. More often than not, dieting methods which involve dietary drinks, foods and supplement or  pills do not work. If they do, the results are just temporary.

It is better to rely on a healthy weight loss option which will provide lifetime results. You have to set realistic goals and not expect to lose a lot of pounds in a short span of time. 

Here are some tips on how you can lose those unwanted pounds the healthy way:

1.   Do not starve your self. 

The key to a healthier way of losing weight is: Do not diet.

You may seem happy and feel that you are losing those unwanted flabs on your belly and thighs by skipping meals. But remember that this would not last long. Your body cannot tolerate having insufficient food to fuel the energy that you use up everyday.

If you get used to skipping one or two meals a day, your stored calories will be used up instead of the energy that should have been provided by your meals. So if you just eat one huge sandwich in one day, it will end up straight to your problem area (i.e. highs, buttocks, hips).

2.  Start your day right. 

Mothers always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Have a healthy meal in the morning to jump-start your metabolism.

Your food intake after you wake up will be used to burn fat all day long.

3.  Eat small, healthy meals frequently. 

Five  small-serving snacks per day is better than three hearty meals. Eating more frequently, and in small servings, can prevent over-eating. This will also increase your metabolism and make calories burn faster.

4.  Decide on how much weight you want to lose.

Keep your goals realistic. In the long run, it is virtually impossible for you to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks. Have a mindset that you want to eat healthy to stay healthy for the rest of your life.

Once you have decided on a weight loss plan or program, stick to it and make sure that you follow your own set of dieting rules. 

5.  Drink lots of water. 

Your body needs sufficient water  to burn fat and keep your cells hydrated and healthy.

6.  Avoid too much sugar. 

Plan your meals around lots of fruits and vegetables, some bread, rice or pasta for that carbo fix that you need, plus lean  meat and protein rich-foods. Sweets, sodas and pastries should be once-in-a-while indulgences only.

7.  Watch your fat intake. 

Fat is not the culprit to being overweight. You need this to keep your weight at the proper level.

There is such a thing as healthy fats. Olive, peanuts and canola oil have them. Tuna, salmon and mackerel have omega-3 fats which is good for the heart. 

8.  Exercise. 

Leave your car if  you are only going a few blocks from home, take the stairs instead of the elevator, jog, cycle or  skate. Use these activites and other home chores if you are too lazy to go to the gym and take exercise classes. Make sure that you do this regularly and you will not even notice that you are already shedding pounds with these mundane activities.

It does not matter how much weight you plan or need to lose. What is important is that you set realistic goals for yourself.

Go slow. If you have already lost 5 or 6 pounds, give yourself a break then try to lose the next 5 pounds.

Eat healthy, drink lots of water, have enough sleep and exercise. This will give you a higher chance of losing weight and improving your health, which would result to a new, healthier you.

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Free Weight Loss programs

Free Weight Loss programs

The race to fitness is on and a lot of people are getting into the band wagon. Some people do it to achieve a sexy body, some people just do it because they are embarrassed with the body they have now, while others do it simply to remain fit and heatlthy. As such, many fitness programs are out in the internet, in gyms, spas and fitness centers all over. Some are too expensive to afford that one may even lose weight just by trying to work out the money needed to pursue these fitness programs.

One may not have to go to the gym or the spa or any fitness center and spend much just to slim down to obtain that longed for sexy body. There are many books available in the bookstore which offer weight loss programs which are convenient and for free, of course the books are not though. These weight loss programs, or diet plans are gaining immense popularity with so much publicity, testimonials and reviews that one may be confused which exactly to follow. So before choosing which weight loss plan to follow, try reading these summaries about the most popular diet programs out today.

Atkins' New Diet Revolution by Dr. Atkins. This weight loss program encourages high protein diet and a trim down on the carbs. One can feast on vegetables and meat but should fast on bread and pasta. One is also not restricted against fat intake so it is okay to pour in the salad dressing and freely spread on the butter. However, after the diet, one may find himself lacking on fiber and calcium yet high in fat. Intake of grains and fruits are also limited.

Carbohydrate Addict's Diet by Drs. Heller. This diet plan advocates low carbohyrate eating. Approves on eating meats, vegetables and fruits, dairy and grain products. however, warns against taking in too much carb. "Reward" meal can be too high on fats and saturated fats.

Choose to Lose by Dr. Goor. Restrains fat intake. One is given a "fat" budget and he is given the liberty on how to spend it. It does not pressure the individual to watch his carbohydrate intake. Eating meat and poultry as well as low-fat dairy and seafoods is okay. A go signal is also given on eating vegetables, fruits, cereals, bread and pasta. This weight loss plan is fairly healthy, good amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as saturated fats. Watch triglyceride levels though; if high, trim down the carbohydrates and tuck in more of the unsaturated fats.

The DASH Diet. Advocates moderate amounts of fat and protein intake and high on carbs. Primarily designed to lower blood pressure, the diet plan follows the pyramid food guide and encourages high intake of whole wheat grains as well as fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy. Some dieters think it advocates too much eating to procure significant weight loss.

Eat More, Weigh Less by Dr. Ornish. Primarily vegetarian fare and strictly low-fat. Gives the go signal on the "glow" foods but warns to watch it on non-fat dairy and egg whites. This diet is poor in calcium and retricts consumption of healthy foods like seafoods and lean poultry.

Eat Right for Your Type. Interesting because it is based on the person's blood type. recommends plenty of mest for people with the blood type O. Diet plans for some blood types are nutritionally imbalanced and too low in calories. And for the record, there is even no proof that blood type affects dietary needs.

The Pritkin Principle. Focused on trimming the calorie density in eating by suggesting watery foods that make one feel full. Eating vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, pasta, soups, salads and low-fat dairy is okay. Although limits protein sources to lean meat, pseafood and poultry. Although it is healthy by providing low amounts of saturated fats and rich amounts of vegetables and fruits, it is also low on calcium and limits lean protein sources.

Volumetrics. For low-density calorie eating. Recommends the same foodstuff as Pritkin but restricts fatty or dry foods like popcorn, pretzels and crackers. This plan is reasonably healthy given the high amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as being low in calorie density and saturated fats.

The Zone. Moderately low on the carbs yet moderately high on the proteins. Encourages low-fat protein foods like fish and chicken plus veggies, fruits and grains. It is also healthy but lacking in grains and calcium.

Weight Watchers. High carbohydrates, moderate on fats and proteins. A very healthy diet plan and very flexible too. it allows the dieter to plan his own meal rather than give him a set to follow.

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Motivation For Business Success

Motivation For Business Success

If you have your own business or are thinking of starting a business then you will need consistent levels of motivation to make it work. There are many opportunities out there today but succeeding in business is tough and if you lack the necessary motivation then you will either fail or get average results.

All businesses face obstacles that they need to overcome. How to find new customers and generate more revenue? How to manage cash flow properly so that enough money is available to keep your business running? How to find the right kind of people to hire for your business? The list is endless.
So you really need to master how to motivate yourself so that you can take all of the challenges that will come your way in your stride. When you are the business owner the buck firmly stops with you.

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation comes from within you. It is a result of how you feel and the values that you hold as well as other things. You use intrinsic motivation to drive you forward to achieve your business goals. The best way to use intrinsic motivation is to associate pleasure with everything that you do in your business.

You can certainly do a lot to develop your intrinsic motivation. One of the best ways to do this is to identify your sense of purpose. Why did you start your business and what do you really want to achieve? Successful businesses have something in common – they all serve others well.
It is also important that you consider your personal growth and that of your business. What are your growth plans for your business? If you don’t have any then take the time to create them and get help if you need it. A plan for growth that is realistic is likely to drive up your motivation to high levels and keep it there.

Are you a master of your chosen business niche? When you achieve this you will gain a great deal of respect from others which will keep your motivation levels high. If you are not at the mastery stage yet then create a plan to get there.

Extrinsic Motivation

External factors account for extrinsic motivation. You are not in total control here as you are with intrinsic motivation but there are things that you can do to drive up extrinsic motivation levels. Usually you will need to earn your extrinsic motivation.

Having status can certainly be an extrinsic motivator. If you employ people then consider giving them job titles to motivate them. It is amazing the effect that an empowering new job title can have on people.

Another extrinsic motivator that you can use with your employees is their levels of pay. If your business is growing then consider increasing the amount of pay that your employees earn. They will really appreciate this and it should make them more motivated to work harder for you.

You could also set up a bonus or reward system for your employees. It doesn’t matter what job a person does you can give them targets to achieve. If they achieve them in an agreed time period then they will receive a bonus.

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How To Motivate Yourself To Learn New Things

How To Motivate Yourself To Learn New Things

We all have an inbuilt desire to grow and learn new things. But many people find it hard to find the motivation to do this. Some people want to learn new skills to improve their lives and others want to learn a new language to make their travel experiences a lot better.

Sometimes the new things that we learn do not have a lot of benefit to us. In other cases they are very beneficial. Learning about what people are doing in TV soap operas or reality shows is not going to move you forward much in life for example.

On the flip side learning how to speak in public or speak Spanish fluently can change our lives for the better. Whatever you want to learn will require different levels of motivation. To learn how to speak Spanish fluently will take a great deal of persistent motivation. So in this article you will find motivation techniques designed to help you learn more.

Learning is a Choice

When you are an adult you can choose what you want to learn. This is very different to the school system where children have to learn about set subjects. So be happy that you have the choice now and really feel this so that it increases your motivation to follow through.

Focus on the Outcome

If you want to take your motivation to new levels with learning then focus on the outcome. How much better will life be for you when you have completed your learning? Visualize being able to do what you want to learn competently. If you want to learn Spanish then see yourself having conversations with Spanish speaking people.

Have a Strong “Why”

You will really supercharge your motivation for learning if you have a strong “why” for doing it. So think about the reason or reasons that you want to learn something. What will it do for you? How much better will your life be? Always add emotion to your “why” statement (yes you need to write this down) and refer to it when you feel your motivation waning.

Set yourself a Learning Goal

If you just get yourself some audios to learn Spanish and do not set clear goals on what you want to achieve and by when then you will probably experience a motivational high at the beginning and then a number of lows as things get harder.

So set a proper goal for learning the language. Decide where you want to be in 6 months time and then a year. Write your goals down and keep them with you at all times so that you can read them to boost your motivation.

Get Support

These days there are online forums and support groups for just about everything. So join them and get involved. The people in these communities are committed to their learning goals and can help you with advice on how to succeed. Having a support network around you will definitely have a positive impact on your motivation.

Reward yourself on your Learning Journey

Set yourself milestones to achieve and come up with a reward for getting there. Make the reward something that you will really enjoy so that it will drive up your motivation levels to reach the milestone. The reward can be big or small – it is entirely up to you.

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4 Great Ways To Strengthen Your Motivation

4 Great Ways To Strengthen Your Motivation

What separates successful people from the rest of society? The answer is that the successful people all had goals and developed the necessary motivation to achieve them. Other than that they are no different from anyone else on the planet.
So how do you make your motivation strong so that you can achieve your goals? In this article we will show you how you can do that. Like anything else you will need to give these techniques a little time to work and be persistent with them. The rewards will be certainly worth it.
Motivation is a state of mind. So you need to use techniques that will get you into a motivated state when you really don’t feel motivated. Don’t just read this article and do nothing – take action and reap the rewards.

1. Find your Purpose

What is the main reason behind your goal? If your goal is to become financially free then why do you really want this? What will you do with the money and the free time that you have when you have achieved your goal?

If you want to create a successful business then your purpose could be something like “I want to provide value to the world”. Create a “why” statement and add your reason or reasons to it. Refer to this every day and whenever you need to give your motivation a much needed boost.

2. Don’t let Mental Blocks deter you

We all have mental blocks from time to time. It is very important that we complete a particular task in the pursuit of our goal but our brain seems to be disengaged and we just can’t get started. Has this ever happened to you?

When you experience a mental block like this it is usually related to negative thinking. You do not ask yourself the right questions or say the right things to yourself. Instead of saying “I don’t know how to do this” ask yourself “how can I get this done in the fastest possible time?” Reframe the negative into a positive.

3. Don’t Think too much

A lot of people have a tendency to overthink things. When this happens they create more pressure on themselves and this leads to stress which will have a negative impact on motivation. Doing this too often can actually shrink brain size.

So if you overthink everything then stop right now. Look at your goals and simplify them as much as you can. Break them down into simple daily steps that you can take without thinking too much about them. Each time you achieve a small step you will add fuel to your motivation as your brain sees progress.

4. Change your Perception to Positive

When you about to start working on any task notice how you feel about it. Are you feeling positive and ready to go or do you have concerns or even thoughts of dread? If you have any negative perceptions about a task then this is going to drive down your motivation and you will make everything a lot more difficult for yourself.

With a bit of effort and practice you can change your negative perceptions towards any task. Think about how you will feel when the task is complete. Will you have a great sense of satisfaction? Or will you be really relieved? Use these positive feelings to change how you approach the task.

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How To Motivate Others

How To Motivate Others

There are likely to be times in your life when you need to motivate others. The obvious examples here are where you have management responsibilities at the company you work for or you own a business and employ people. But there are other times that you can motivate others as well.
If you are a parent then you will want to motivate your children to do well at school. Maybe you are a sports coach and need to give your team a lift after a string of disappointing results. Or you could just want someone to help you and you need to motivate them to do this.

So here are 6 great tips for motivating others:

1. Listen to others

A lot of people find it really difficult to listen to others. There might be a number of different reasons for this but the reason really doesn’t matter. You need to practice listening to people so that you can understand what drives them and what they want to do.
In a business scenario too many managers will just deliver a speech and expect everyone to be super motivated from this. Sometimes this can work but it is always a good idea to listen. When you know what the other person is looking for you can refer to this to motivate them.

2. Ask the Right Questions

Another great way to motivate others is by asking them the right questions. Always use open ended questions to find out what you need to know. So if you want someone to help you with something you could ask “I understand you are an expert so how would you approach this?” The person will be motivated by the fact you think they are an expert.

3. Provide Encouragement

People like to receive encouragement. Sometimes they may feel that the thing that you want to do is beyond their capabilities or will take them out of their comfort zone. So say to them that you truly believe in them and that you know they can do it.

4. Get them to tell you how they will approach the problem

After you have encouraged a person to do something then boost their motivation by asking them how they will approach the task. So you can ask them what steps they are going to take or what they will do first. When they respond to you give them more encouragement for coming up with the idea.

5. Offer your help to others

This is a good motivational tactic where you will not usually have to do anything other than make an offer of help. When you have asked someone to do something for you and they have agreed tell them that if they need your help you will be there for them.
People will appreciate you making this offer. It will motivate them because they know that you will be their support system if they need it. Most people will want to solve the problem themselves so it is fairly unlikely they will ask for your help. If they do ask then you must provide it.

6. Following Up

Don’t just ask others to do things for you and not check with them how well they are doing. A follow up session can be very motivating for another person. In the first place you are showing an interest in them and secondly you are there to help if they are having any difficulties.

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Advantages Of Playing Basketball

Advantages Of Playing Basketball 

Playing team sports such basketball is one of the best ways for people—especially those who have big families or those who have groups of friends—to enjoy spending time with another.

It is also one of the best ways to maintain a healthy body since it can serve as a daily exercise. In fact, many people play basketball because they want to maintain an ideal weight and they want to be active.

PLAYING BASKETBALL IMPROVES SKILLS 

Aside from gathering people together, many don’t realize it but sports that are played by team such as basketball can bring about many advantages compared to those that are played by individuals.

Primarily, the biggest advantage would be playing team sports such as basketball is that it is more fun since it involves so many people with different personalities.

One of the major advantages of playing team sports such as basketball include is that it helps people develop their social skills. Since most of the team sports encourage people to interact and get along with other members while playing the game, playing basketball helps each individual to develop good social skills to win the respective game. It is also one way of learning how to properly mingle with other people and respecting their individual personalities.

Aside from improving the social interaction of people, playing basketball also helps instill the value of unity and cooperation. One of the major advantages of team sports such is that is teaches each member the value of being one while playing the sport. Since everybody wants to win, all members will be forced to cooperate with one another to achieve a common goal of winning.

Playing basketball also helps improve the person’s overall skill levels. As a team, the members are expected to rely on one another's performances. When playing basketball, there is a possibility that the overall performance of the group will improve once they see each other's desire to win.

BASKETBALL HELPS KEEP A HEALTHY BODY 

These days, people are into more into more popular weight loss means such as indulging into weight loss diets. Little do they know that a simple sport such as basketball can do all the work in keeping healthy and fit body.

One thing that sets playing basketball apart from weight loss plans and diets out there is that it promotes and encourages versatility since playing basketball can be played alone for a practice or with a team. 

One good thing about playing basketball is that it aids good lung and heart conditions. Experts say that basketball helps increase oxygen that can be found in the body, hence, it makes people have better lung and heart function.

It also enables good utilization of oxygen as well making the person’s heart use oxygen supply more efficiently. If played regularly, basketball can help people prevent and even cure illnesses of the heart.

Aside from conditioning the heart and lungs, playing basketball can also help control the body’s fat along with proper diet and strength training, increase the body’s resistance to fatigue resulting to the supply of extra energy, helps achieve toned muscles and could increase a person’s body mass, prevents stress, vital to good sleep and can generally the person’s stamina.

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Basketball Training Equipment

Basketball Training Equipment

Basketball is a sport that does not require much equipment, you just need a ball, a hoop and a playing court which you can find in your backyard or gym.   However, if you are seriously training for a varsity team or planning to pursue a career in basketball, then there are important training equipment which may help you improve your performance.

Let’s start with what the player needs.

Basketball Jerseys and Shorts

When playing and training make sure to wear the right size. Wearing ill-fitting sizes could cause you problems when moving around.  Basketball shorts should not be far below the knees so that the player could easily run or move around the court.  Jerseys are sleeveless to allow swift and free movement of the arms.  The clothes should be made out of breathable material.

Safety Pads

Wear elbow and knee pads to avoid possible knee and elbow injuries. These pads provide enough padding to cushion the blow or impact that may cause broken joints or if you are playing in rough surfaces, scratches and serious wounds.  For ankle support, you could  use an ankle brace or support which can be worn regardless of any type of shoes.

A head band could also offer protection, especially from sweat dripping from your head.  The sweat may get into your eyes and affect your vision when trying to shoot the ball.  Wrist bands also serve the same purpose, to dry up excess sweat.

Mouth Guard

Mouth guards would protect your teeth.  Although basketball is not that physical, there are times when contact could happen and hit your mouth.  Not all players prefer wearing mouth guards, since it could be uncomfortable. 

Basketball Shoes and Socks

When playing basketball, make sure that you will be using the right basketball shoes. Using the right basketball shoes would ensure that your ankle will be safe from any sprain or possible injury.   Playing with incorrect footwear would increase possible risk of injury.  Correct shoe size is also important, the last thing you need is to finding your basketball shoes too tight.  Tight shoes can cut proper blood circulation.   It is important to always wear socks, since it would prevent the foot from slipping inside the shoe.  There are also socks which reduces foot or shoe odor.

Coaches and trainers should be able to provide different equipment like basketballs, hoops, and strength training equipment.  Basketball is not basketball without its trademark balls.  There are three kinds of basketballs, those made of leather, synthetic and rubber.  Leather made basketballs are best for indoor games, synthetic basketballs for outdoor games and rubber for children. 

Of course, the basketball hoop is important and there are different kinds of backboards to choose from.   Some basketball trainers would include weight lifting exercises in their training, like bench press, shoulder press, leg extensions and press downs.  Aside from training, basketball players must also build their body’s strength through different exercises.

There are a lot of sources for basketball training equipment.  There are sports shops where they sell basketball gear and equipment.  The internet is also a great source of  affordable but still efficient training machines.

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Basketball Tips: Making That Free Throw

Basketball Tips: Making That Free Throw

They say that practice makes perfect.  Would that be the same to clinch free throws in basketball?  It is a combination of trick and practice.  Professionals have their own strategies or ways on getting that ball through the net.  But if you are a beginner or an amateur, then it would be best to start with the basics, before you find your own “rhythm” when shooting from the free throw line.

It is important to be consistent in free-throw shooting. First, it would put your team in advantageous position, specially if the opponents would foul you. Second, developing your free throw would help you develop your other shooting techniques.   But making sure that the ball would get into the net is hard since there is a lot of pressure when you are on the line.

Here are some free throw tricks. 

Be in a comfortable position.  When shooting free throws, the feet and the shoulder should be wide apart and parallel with each other.  You should be standing just a bit behind the line, figure the position where you have balance and  you could target the shot.


Bend your knees a bit and shift your weight at the balls of your feet. 

Handle the ball with your non-shooting hand.  Your shooting hand should be at the seams of the ball. The thumb should provide support on the ball but the force should come from the palm of the shooting hand.


Concentrate on the ring and visualize the target. 


Make sure that the foot, on the same side of your shooting hand, shooting elbow and the shooting forefinger is aligned with the center of the rim.

You elbows should create a 90 degree angle.  Release the ball from the fingertips. You would have a good follow through if your fingers are still pointing to the target.


Get some arc when shooting the ball.  The concept the higher the trajectory or the flight of the ball, then there is higher possibility of hitting the wide area of the hoop.


Taking your time on the foul line is important.


The pre-shot ritual is something of rhythm for some players.  This would allow them to relax and focus.  You could establish you own free throw ritual by dribbling and spinning the ball.


Remember that you are making or shooting free throws in a middle of a game which is completely a high-pressure environment.  To ensure that you will practice your focus and concentration, try recreating the distraction and noisiness when doing free throws.

Your pre-shot routine is something you should be comfortable with.  Your routine is more that just bouncing or spinning the ball.  Whenever you are on the free throw line and performing the routine, you are shooting using “muscle memory.”  Others agree that being consistent with one routine on the foul line could ease tension which makes bagging the net easier. You are teaching your muscles to react in the same way, every time you are on the foul line. 

Always practice your free throw shot.  Basketball is not only about natural skill and talent, everything is honed with practice, concentration and focus.

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Be On Your Game: Basketball Diet

Be On Your Game: Basketball Diet

Success as a basketball player does not only rely on training and skill.  Nutrition and diet plays a major role on developing and improving the body’s physical condition. Eating proper food would ensure that the body is supplemented with the much needed energy needed while playing the sport.

It is important for athletes to be conscious with what they eat and drink.  Their energy and stamina, as well as muscle development would depend on what kinds of food they consume. 

Carbohydrates - Athletes, in this case, basketball players, need to consume carbohydrates since this is a source of their energy.  It is also very important in brain function.   Just like in any diet, this is essential but should not be overly consumed.   Great sources of carbohydrates are wheat breads and pasta.

Protein – Another source of energy and aids the body’s building blocks for strength and muscle mass.  Rich sources of protein are lean turkey, fish with least amount of fat, like Halibut, tuna and cod, eggs, meat, dairy products, some vegetables like peanuts, soya and asparagus. 

Fat- it is still needed, but all you need to consume would be low-fat foods like fish and nuts.

The amount of carbohydrates and protein that nutritionists recommend may differ, but generally these two are what basketball players need more. Nutritionists recommend that a balanced diet should contain about 60-65% of carbohydrates, 15-20% of fat and 10-15% of protein.  Make sure to eat vegetables, fruits and whole  grain food.  Aside from fat, also limit sugar and sodium in your food.

Players are often recommended to eat lots of carbohydrates, at least an hour before the game.  This would keep energy stored in the body. Sometimes, players would eat a banana to replenish their energy in the middle of the game. After the game, the body needs to repair itself, eating protein is important at this stage. 

It is important to hydrate the body, especially during trainings and practices. The best way to keep the body hydrated is to drink water.  Athletes are recommended to drink more than a gallon a day, since they would be sweating out more than that.  Water could also provide the needed energy and could refresh the body.  Energy drinks are best avoided, since they can be laced with sugar and caffeine which may give the body a quick energy fix but not the necessary nutrients.

It is important for athletes and basketball players to have a meal plan.  This would ensure that the athletes are eating properly and what they are consuming is what their body needs.  Meal plans would not only include main meals but also snacks like cereal bars, fruits and yogurts.

Following the meal plan would be easy, especially if you would be eating at home.  When eating out, you should consider the serving sizes to avoid eating too much.  It is okay to eat about 5 to 7 meals throughout the day, but the portion would depend on what would be the goal.  For example, there are some basketball players who would like add more bulk, while others would like to reduce weight.

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Basic Lessons on Basketball

Basic Lessons on Basketball

Basketball is a sport—one of the most famous sport aside from soccer, football, and baseball. Like any other sport, it requires, as well as develops, physical strength. It is a sport of agility and endurance that develops hand-eye coordination of players.

Basketball is a game that only requires a basket, a ball, and at least two players. It is invented by Dr. James Naismith in 1891 by nailing two peach baskets to the balconies on opposite ends of a YMCA gym in Springfield, Massachusetts. Two centuries after, it became an unofficial pastime of nearly all races especially Americans. According to International Federation of Basketball (FIBA), more than 300 million people play basketball around the world. Also in 2001 report of National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA), it says that more than 28 million Americans played basketball.

With two baskets and more than two players play the game, how does exactly a basketball is being played?

The basic idea of the game is so simple. The two teams need to achieve two goals: get the ball through the opposing team's basket as much as possible (also called offense) and stop the opposing team from doing the same thing (also called defense). The team with the ball plays the offense and the other is the defense.  Hence, the team with a ball position players to take a shot, whereas the defense players place themselves to block the shots. Fundamentals of the game include passing, dribbling, and shooting.

The way players perform largely depends on the court, of which dimensions’ vary depending on the level of the play. An official court is a rectangle. A midcourt line divides the court into two halves. On each end, a basket is mounted to a backboard. It is raised to a height of three meters. A regular basket is 18-inch-diameter metal rim with a 15 or 18-inch long, and with an open-ended nylon net extending below it. It is about twice the diameter of a regular basketball.

A team is called on frontcourt during offense and on backcourt on defense. A center circle along the midcourt line is used for tip-off. This starts the game when a referee throws a ball into the air and one player from each team jumps to tip the ball to his/her respective teammates.

Furthermore, on each half of the court is a three-point line. Within such line is the key consisting of free-throw line and free throw lane—sometimes called the paint.

Players, compose of six, of basketball are categorized by position. The point guard is the best dribbler and passer, sometimes called the floor general. The shooting guard is the best outside shooter, the one who tries to create space to take a shot. The power forward is near the basket. They are skilled rebounders. The small forward is a better outside shooter than a power forward. Traditionally, the center is the tallest player who establishes a position near the basket allowing him or her easy jump shot. On defense, he blocks shots and grab rebounds.

Gaining points in basketball is by throwing the ball through the basket—called shooting. Different points are given to a shot depending where they take the shot. There are three, two, and one points.

There are also rules of the court. The referees police the action of the game and use hand signals to indicate the type of violation that has occurred. Furthermore, an official game is played for a set amount of time. These rules allow a fair game in basketball.

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America’s Most Celebrated Basketball Players

America’s Most Celebrated Basketball Players

Basketball has only been popular during the time of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Any basketball history before that is unclear. However, it is injustice not to mention great basketball players in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Take for example the basketball superstar George Mikan. He, a 6'10" goof, was a sensational inside scorer, rebounder, and shot-blocker. Another legendary player is Bill Russell, who is comparable to Patrick Ewing. Russell had an ultimate defensive presence. He rejected approximately 8 to 10 shots a game. He had as many rebounds as Ewing.

Witt Chamberlain is a famous 100 pointer in a game. Three months before the fateful night, he had games of 60, 78, 61, 60, 73, 62, 62, 62, 65, 67, 61, 67, 65 and 61 points. He played during the 1961-62 season with an average of 48.5 minutes per game.

Before Magic got the tag, there was “Mobile Magician.” He was Bob Cousy, who is also known as “Houdini of the Hardwood.” Cousy had an excellent backward pass, twice-around pass, and behind-the-back dribble.

Meanwhile, Jerry West was a great basketball player because of his admirable long-range bombers. He topped the key and filled up from the corner.

Some remarkable and famous players who make the Cow Palace filled with fans during the late 1960s are Pete Maravich, Bill Walton, Bill Bradley, Austin Carr, Ralph Sampson, and Tom Gola. Most especially Maravich, he shot and scored from every spot in the half court and scored 44.2 points a game.

Of course, when naming people who contributed to the great basketball history, coaches should not be excluded from it. These include Adolph Rupp, John Wooden, Dean Smith, and Pat Riley. Indeed, they coached the talented players in history.

Looking into the masters of the court who made remarkable fast breaks and slam dunks, one must take a glimpse at every actor in the actor—guards, forwards, centers, and coaches.

Guards play a vital role in team’s strategy. They rack up points from beyond the three-point line. They direct the flow of the team’s offense. They definitely play a significant role. An example of an excellent guard who has an innovative ball-handling is Cousy.

The list of great basketball forwards includes both men and women. They perform the astounding lay-ups, slam dunks, rebounds, and steals. One of the famous forwards are Scottie Pippen with his award-winning defensive skills, Charles Barkley with his extreme use of the Round Mound of Rebound, and Paul Arizin who has an extraordinarily unmatched jump-shot.

Meanwhile, you may be most familiar with basketball centers. The list of notable players in basketball history consists of mostly centers. Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Meadowlark Lemon, and Shaquille O’Neal are famous centers. Abdul-Jabbar played for twenty seasons, whereas O’Neal had multimedia appearances such as film, music, television, and video games.

In addition to the list of great basketball players, the history of basketball can never be complete without the people on the sidelines—the coach. They provide guidance, support, and encouragement. They train players in their own ways and supply differing strategies on the court. For example Knight is known for his military style while Riley is a statistic-driven coach.

Last but not the least is James Naismith who completes the legend of basketball history. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is named after him. It is an institution which honored and celebrated the game’s brightest stars.

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Avoid These Motivation Mistakes

Avoid These Motivation Mistakes

When people are trying to increase their motivation they often make a series of fundamental mistakes which are so avoidable. In this article we will discuss the most common motivational mistakes that people make so you can avoid them.

If you are pursuing a number of goals then you are going to face some obstacles that can overwhelm you. It can be a daunting prospect when you are pursuing long term goals as achieving them just seems so far away. This can change your motivational state dramatically and you need to do the right things to get it back on course.

So read this article in full and avoid the most common mistakes when trying to raise your motivational levels.

1. Goals are Unrealistic

If your goals are unrealistic then it is going to be very difficult to achieve them. This will really test your motivation. It is much better to have more realistic goals that you feel confident you can achieve. Your motivation will stay higher in this situation.

So don’t try and go for near impossible goals. If you are in your fifties and overweight it isn’t realistic that you will be the next great world sports star is it? It is fine to go for financial goals but don’t make the time frame too short. When you set unrealistic goals it will really test your motivation and the likelihood is that it will fail.

2. No Discipline

Making changes to your motivation is going to take discipline. But a lot of people lack this and expect miracles. Increasing your motivation is something you need to work at consistently. You cannot make a change and expect this to last forever.

So you need to improve your discipline if you want to make lasting changes to increase your motivation. Make a commitment each day to work on your motivation and find different ways to do this.

3. Stop Procrastinating

Are you a procrastinator? Do you look at your task list and think about other things that you would be sooner doing? Do social media and other things that you fall back on when you just can’t be bothered easily distract you?

The more that you procrastinate the more you will damage your motivation. Procrastination is a total success killer. So rather than thinking “I will do this later” change your thinking to “I want to get this done right now”. There are many ways that you can overcome procrastination. Admit that you have the problem and then take steps to overcome it.

4. Change Long Term Pain into Short Term Pleasure

When you are trying to achieve something worthwhile you are going to experience some pain. The way that you approach this will mean the difference between being totally unmotivated or highly motivated to push forward.

Be sure to link pleasure to completing all of your tasks. If you feel overwhelmed about completing a large task then break it down into smaller tasks that you can complete easily. So change your thinking to pleasure rather than pain.

5. Too Much Planning

To achieve any goal you need to have a good plan. But a lot of people go overboard with too much planning. Creating a realistic plan will give your motivation a boost but spending too much time refining a plan can have the opposite effect.

So create a good plan and then start working on it. You can make adjustments to it as you go along. Taking action will be far more beneficial for your motivation than creating a perfect plan.

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