Wednesday, December 11, 2013

The Diet Confusion or How I Become Slim

There is certainly a lot of confusion about who to listen to regarding different diets: about what to drink and eat, what not to eat, and even about whether it is worth going to the gym in order to lose weight.Rob Poulos, a celebrated fat loss expert, said that long duration, lower intensity aerobics contribute to "your body creating more body fat in reserve after the workout is over!"Is it not shocking? It may seem that watching aerobics online is better than doing them in a gym. It is really hard not to be baffled by all this new information. It is even more challenging to find the best ways to lose weight in a healthy and effective manner with permanent results.How do you do it, then? The obvious is not always so clear. Personally, in many respects I share the view of. Rob Poulos. Why?GymsFirst of all, did you run into many people who go to the gym in order to lose weight? You probably did. But how many of them did actually lose weight? I often see the same people in the gym doing the same kind of aerobics, workouts and I never really see any significant change in their body weight. I might say I only see them making a lot of effort, the sweat pouring.... month after month....This is not to say that the workout is bad for you or that you should not do it. The facts I described here are easily verifiable, though. Go to the gym and see how many of the same people interested in losing weight have succeeded in losing weight. Some of these exercisers may be also following some diets which are nothing but fads.When there is little progress in shaving off the few pounds of fat, many exercisers tend to give up on the fad diet and, even worse, on the exercise as well. This is really sad and discouraging. Others continue to sweat it out and/or wait for another new diet to come around. Whereas they failed to reach their goals, the diet industry has already scored twice, courtesy of the same individual trying out the 2nd product. And then... again... a new product, new service... you probably get the picture.DietsHow many of them are there? 10 thousand? 1 million? If you consider the " expert" advice given by all the gurus in all the countries, the number does not sound so unrealistic. If this is the realistic number, then you still have a long way to go... before switching to another one.I do not mean to sound pessimistic or cynical by any means. Yet, when you look at what is happening in the diet industry it is hard not to. Whom do you believe, though? This may sound somewhat incredulous to some, but to tell the truth, I do not believe the expert "diet gurus" right off the bat. I do not believe the doctors, either. I mean about the diets. I certainly should have some trust in physicians, chiropractors etc. and other wise people who know a lot more than me in the field of medicine.But about losing weight, this is a lot greyer area than most doctors would admit. I keep reading a lot of times how one type of product is good for you to find out later it is no longer good for you. Or vice versa.Do you remember the confusion about the butter versus margarine, coffee versus tea, wine, etc? Who is right? Who do you turn to really? They are right today to be wrong tomorrow to find out that they were right in the first place.The Common SenseHow can you sort out the good from the bad in this jungle of misinformation, then? Personally, I use a common sense approach with respect to who I should listen to and what is good for me in the long run.a. a long term health planThe key word here is a long-term health plan; if you just want to lose weight for the graduation, you may as well stop eating, but how healthy is it?Just like a good writer writes a scene full of character and intricate nuances to entertain you, he or she never loses track of the long term objective for the whole play or story. Just like you study for a test one day, you are mindful of the long term goal. It is not for the sake of the test that you study, but for something that you think will bear fruit in the future. You need to plant this seed to harvest the fruit.What does it mean in terms of being focused on your becoming slim fast?It means having a diet full of nutrient rich foods, drinking tons of water and getting plenty of sleep and rest. You do not focus on eating one kind of food only; you can never last doing this because your body will crave the nutrients it is designed to get.But, if you are desperate to lose weight, how do you know exactly which regime to follow? How do you know some diet really works if you tend not to rely exclusively on the opinion of the "diet gurus," prescribing, for example, this kind of long-term benefits diet plan?b. whom do I listen to?The people. Not 2 or 3 that lost weight. Not 10 or 200 that maybe got something right. Practically with every diet you can find a few dozen that lost weight. In this respect most diets "work." But is it really enough to tamper with your health?There are some diets that have even tens of thousands of happy customers who have already tried it. But, even before you consider the numbers, think of the principles you probably apply in your own life when deciding on a planned course of action:1. The long-term goal for your own welfare and well-being.2. The common sense approach ( that is, nothing too extreme).3. The great number of happy customers who already tried the product or service.4. Support given by the guru who should stand behind the product or service.How I Become SlimOnce I believe the four conditions are met, I look at the guru, be it in the diet, tech industry or in the rocket science. Then I know that person is responsible for some positive changes in people, in the world. Then he or she looks more credible.In other words, to find a diet that not only works but also has genuine health benefits, consider the four common sense principles: the high number of happy customers, the common sense of the long-term health plan integrated in the diet along with the support given by a guru.This is what convinces me that this actually might be worth looking at and, possibly following. It has worked for me. It may help you, too, to decide with greater confidence what works and what does not.

If you feel like learning more, please visit my site called [http://www.becomethinfast.com]It is about losing weight in a way that fulfills the above mentioned four principles. It does not tamper with health but promotes it. Over 50,000 people have already tried it successfully. You will also learn there why many people are not successful in losing weight by going to the gym. There is a right way about doing everything, also about losing weight in the gym.Thank you for rea

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Sunday, December 8, 2013

Music On Vinyl: Shopping Tips

They are flimsy, break easily and are ancient, but these vinyl record albums continue to be desired items by music enthusiasts. Music enthusiasts often like vinyl records because they say vinyl albums give better sound quality than their digital counterparts, but also vinyl records remind a collector of a different time. While vinyl records may be old and easily broken, that doesn't stop music enthusiasts from searching online record and brick-and-mortar stores for albums. Before you run off and search for your missing Rolling Stones album to finalize your collection, you might want to consider these tips.Looking For Original Album CoverA vinyl album without its original album artwork is not a record- it's half an album. Albums often have higher resale values with their original album cover intact; however, some online stores do not always provide you with the original artwork. If you call yourself a record nut, you'll also want to have your record preserved with its original album cover. The value of the vinyl is dictated by both the condition of the album cover and the vinyl record itself.When looking for an album and album cover, remember to look for a cover that is in mint or perfect condition. Albums tend to get the best resale value if both the album cover and record are in mint condition; however, if the record is sealed, the estimated value of the album sky-rockets and can yield a few hundred or even thousand dollars depending on the rarity of the album.When Shopping OnlineCompared to shopping at a brick-and-mortar store, an online store does not allow you the benefit of inspecting the item and looking at the album cover and record. When shopping online, images and item accounts are necessary in finding the perfect record. Web pages that have vague album descriptions of products or blurry images or album covers are not the best pages to do your shopping on. Websites that provide you with detailed information about the item, from the condition of the record to information about the artist, are often the best.You may not want to shop for vinyl records on auction websites. An auction web page auctioning sealed Beatles vinyl albums may not always be telling the truth. What often happens is that the individual vendor who is selling the product may fabricate details about the product, describing false state of the record and album cover. However, not all individual vendors are lying, but before you choose to bid, be certain the vendor provides several pictures of the product and detailed information about the album.Brick-and-Mortar ShoppingWhat's important to remember when shopping at an actual store is you have the opportunity to check the album for yourself and come to your own conclusions. Still, just because you can see and examine the product yourself does not automatically mean the record will be better. It's always good to look over the records before selecting them, because if you don't, you may end up paying more for a less valuable record.

SoundStage Direct, LLC is an online independent store based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. SSD has the largest selection of Beatles vinyl online. You don't want to miss amazing closeout deals available at our LP outlet! We have record albums for everyone and a variety of genres and formats available and ready to be shipped a

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Wednesday, December 4, 2013

The Importance of Consistency in Music Study

"Use It Or Lose It!" You have made a substantial investment in your child's education.Music is kind of like exercising; if you exercise your body regularly, there has to be a benefit in great health. But, just because you exercised for 10 months straight, doesn't mean you can stop exercising for 2 months and keep your health exactly where it was the last day you worked out!No, of course not.What REALLY actually happens is, your health begins to deteriorate slowly. Do that for a number of months, and all of your hard work is reversed.The same thing happens in MUSIC. Your child (and you!) have worked hard on their instrument/voice all school year, and if they take the summer off from lessons they will LOSE IT because they didn't USE IT all summer long.Imagine what would happen to your waistline if you didn't exercise and ate whatever you wanted for 2 months! (If you are one of those people who can eat cheeseburgers and french fries all the time and never gain a pound, please don't tell me!)So, USE IT (your music lessons, that is) and keep the momentum going all summer long so you don't LOSE IT! Learn new things in a more relaxed setting, when your child has more time on their hands to practice without juggling homework.Why When you don't "Use" it, you "Lose" money:Many parents figure they will "save money" by stopping music lessons for the summer. This is actually quite a big short-sighted decision - because it is not taking into account the "attrition" of skills and techniques, and having to re-learn these things come Fall "Back to School" time. If you have to learn something TWICE you have wasted your money.Here's how you "Lose" when you don't "Use":January 2011: Pay $100, learn middle c position, play various songs in middle c position, learn notes and restsFebruary 2011: Pay $100, continue middle c position, play hands together and apart, learn a contrary motion c scale, reviewing music terminology from 2010.March 2011: Pay $100 tuition, learn C Major Position, C Major scale, using chord progressionsApril 2011: Pay $100 tuition, continue C Major Position, learn F Major Position and scalesMay 2011: Pay $100 tuition, continue above, learn transposition in C and F; learn rests valuesJune 2011 (only 3 weeks): Pay $75 tuition, prepare for recital; continue aboveTotal: $575 July 2011: OFF (no tuition, no learning)August 2011: Off (no tuition, no learning)September 2011: Pay $100 tuition, struggle through songs from June 2011, re-learn C Major position, do hand exercises from 2010 because fingers have lost some dexterity and independence, student is frustrated and losing moraleOctober 2011: Pay $100 tuition, re-learn F Major position, continue C Major position, practice scales from 2010 and 2011 to get finger strength back to where they were in June 2011. Still frustrated, student wants to quit. Parents are now frustrated, too.November 2011: Pay $100 tuition, getting ready for Winter Recital, but have to pick a song learned from May 2011 because the student has not been able to learn any new material -- they've been stuck re-learning material from March-June, 2011.December 2011 (only 3 weeks): Pay $75 tuition, perform in Winter Recital. Student feeling better about their playing, now back in a consistent practice routine. Play a Winter Recital song that is on the level of where the student was at as of June, 2011. Teacher can now plan to learn new material after winter break, in January 2012.Total: $375. However - if you review the above, you'll see that this is the SAME $375 that was ALREADY PAID between March and June. Nothing new was learned, it was all re-learned. So, this was a waste of $375. TOTAL PAID FOR 2011: $950 However, $375 was a waste - parents paid TWICE for the same learned material!Plus: Motivation waned; parents had difficulties and stress at home between lessons; student misses the opportunity to do the Studio CD for the holidays, students' overall satisfaction is down. What would have happened if the student took lessons in July and August?January - June 2011, same as above: $575 total July, 2011: Pay $75 (took vacation); learned G Major position, scales in G Major. Since the student doesn't have homework and therefore more disposable time, the student is assigned duets with another student, and some fun, popular pieces which encourages him/her to practice more. Technique soars, motivation increases!August 2011: Pay $75 (took a week off): Learning transposition in CMajor, FMajor, and GMajor; scales are fluent, finger dexterity and independence have increased, the practice routine has been consistent throughout the whole year, and the student is loving playing duets.Summer Total: $150September, 2011: Pay $100; Student is adjusting to the new school year, so the teacher cleverly assigns challenging but fun pieces, gives student finger technique exercises, has student write a song in either C, F, or G as a relaxing project.October, 2011: Pay $100; Student is already thinking about the Winter Recital, so teacher starts assigning Holiday pieces to work on; since the student's technique and practice has been consistent, teacher also assigns a Christmas Duet with another consistent, trustworthy student. Start to learn hand over hand techniques, including arpeggios, in C, F, and G.November, 2011: Pay $100: Continue working on duets and Holiday songs; refining expression marks such as legato, staccato, marcato, sforzando, and dynamics such as crescendos and decrescendos.December, 2011: Pay $75 (only 3 weeks): Getting ready for Holiday Recitals, work on stage etiquette and audience etiquette, do a fun "recording project" with GarageBand in the teacher's studio; take part in the "Holiday Studio Make a CD Project" with the other students who are ready -- give out the cds as presents to family members. Fall Total: $375 Total for the Year: $1050 AND: Student's motivation is consistent and flourishing, back to school time was an easy transition as the student was used to practicing in all year long, stress at home is limited, and student was able to advance substantially in their material. Students' hands have been improving and advancing in their capabilities. Student has had encouraging and motivating new experiences, such as playing duets, playing new, more advanced material in the Winter Recital, and is SO proud of being a part of the Holiday Studio Make a CD Project! Student practice with little to no effort from the parents. Student identifies himself/herself as a musician to friends at school, and is happy to show off to their class.Conclusion:
Although in Scenario II, the parent paid $100 more for the yearly tuition, the student has advanced consistently and is that much closer to having "music for a lifetime" instead of just "music for now". The parent has made an INVESTMENT in the child's future and the future of their grandchildren - this kid will likely continue in music until fluent enough to play for fun, at parties for friends, and perhaps even make money at this or go to college and study there. This is an enriching, consistent, and educational experience - part of the child's fabric of life.In Scenario I, it appears the parent paid $100 less, but in actuality they paid $375 MORE because of the repetition. The child had a rough start to the school year because he/she had to re-create a practice routine at the same time they were adjusting to their new grade level. The parents were stressed at home in between lessons, and even contemplated quitting altogether at a few points. The child does not see himself/herself as a "musician" as it is not consistent in their life. If this continues over a few or more years, the child will likely quite by the time they go to high school, and will lose these skills forever - they did not make "music for a lifetime."Bottom Line: Don't take the summer o

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