Bike To A Better You-And Save The Planet En Route!

August 2, 2013 by MikeTremba Leave a Comment

The grocery store. The kids’ soccer practice. Work. Places you wish you could ride your bike, but you just can’t.

I mean, how are you supposed to carry three bags of groceries, shin guards, or a briefcase on a bike? Balance them on your handlebars?

No, of course not. But if you buy a quality, supportive backpack, you can toss a change of clothes and anything else you need for work in, and bike safely to the office. And why not get the whole family on a bike, so soccer practice turns into a team effort?

Get the Family Involved

Biking shouldn’t be something you do on Saturday mornings for a workout, it should be something you do every day because it’s your transportation. Invest in good quality bikes for your whole family, and make a point to create a bike culture in your home.

Let the kids pick their own bike out, personalizing colors, bells, stickers and other ways. Create a convenient, safe and dry place in the garage or house for the bikes to be stored, and teach your kids the importance of bike safety.

Helmets are a must; hand signals are important; and reflective clothing and markings keep you safe and drivers aware.

It’s an awesome way to get your family involved in an exciting activity together, and it’s a great step toward overall health.

Plus, it’s Good for YOU!

Let’s face it: you’re no spring chicken. Having kids takes a physical and emotional toll on you, and your mind and body deserve some TLC.

Biking is an excellent source of catharsis for your mind, and an amazing workout for your body. Long day? Take a ten mile ride when you get home from work. Kids driving you wild? Hop on your bike and take a spin around the block to clear your head.

Plus, if you incorporate an all-over diet plan into your family’s lifestyle, biking will complement it beautifully, helping you stay in tip-top shape and getting your kids to see the importance of staying fit and eating right.

Plus, a natural, whole food diet is totally conducive to a biking life. Do them both, and watch the weight pour off!

Eating Well= Biking More

One of the downsides of incorporating a , raw/fresh foods diet which includes and fresh, organic meats and plenty of fruits and veggies into your life is going to the grocery store more frequently. Reviews for Beyond Diet program, one of many healthy eating plans, outweigh the downsides of this type of eating with a plethora of upsides.

And you can outweigh the final downside—extra trips to the store—by using it as an excuse to get your daily bike ride in. Instead of making one trip a week to stock up on everything, bike there three or four times and get only what you need for a day or two’s meals.

Install a basket on the front or back of your bike, and make an effort to only drive to the story every ten days or two weeks to get heavy things, like meats, or big things, like packs of toilet paper.

Zero Emissions?

A lot of folks justify driving instead of biking by maintaining the fallacy that driving a zero- or low-emission vehicle makes little or no footprint on the Earth.

Wrong.

The process of manufacturing a car is damaging to the environment, so owning one altogether is an investment in pollution. While some families live in areas where owning a car is necessary, those of us who live in cities have plenty of options.

Bike whenever it’s possible; the kids can bike to school, you can bike to work, visiting friends and family? Take your bikes.

When biking isn’t an option, there are car share programs that cost very little compared to owning a vehicle, and help cut down on car manufacturing because many families are essentially using just one vehicle.

About The Author: Hannah Tool enjoys speaking, writing, and publishing, sharing her thoughtful advice with articles like the Truth About Six Pack Abs reviews. She loves helping people of all ages and levels of health lose weight and live the extraordinary lives they’ve dreamed of. In her free time, Hannah enjoys reading, exercise, and of course, the occasional bike ride.

Learning the Art of Observation & Mindfulness Like a Yogi

July 25, 2013 by Featured Author Leave a Comment

In the eyes of an outsider, yoga looks like simple stretching with holier-than-thou, life-changing epiphanies. In the heart and soul of a yogi though, yoga is whatever you want it to be, but however you choose, its impression on your life can be magnificent. And until you hit the mat and embrace the practice of yoga, you’ll remain a critic. A runner may enjoy yoga postures for limbering and loosening the body. To one person, yoga’s exercise, and to another person, yoga is a spiritual connection and link to higher energies.

Be Trendy

To me, I saw yoga as a fitness trend, and I wanted to be trendy. So I went to classes here and there at my local gym only to feel like I was following a yoga video during a high school gym class. It wasn’t until I was introduced to hot yoga that I experienced the practice on a whole new level. My hot yoga studio is 80 minutes of a series of postures, four flows and stretching. And, unlike Bikram, flows and poses are practiced to music, which connects me more to the practice. While moving from Warrior I into Warrior 2 and flowing from side angle Parsvakonasana into twisted side chair pose, the room is highly heated. Hot yoga is an excellent workout for flexibility and toning, but it also strengthens the mind incredibly. And by hitting the mat and sweating it out, I learned about the power of observation, self-awareness and mindfulness.

Savasana

Although savasana (corpse pose) can be a relaxing state, hot yoga isn’t a pleasant sunny stroll through the park. Holding eagle tree pose or standing hand-to-big-toe pose as the room heats up creates physical and mental challenges. My heart rate increases, my vision blurs and my head feels dizzy. I could say I feel on the verge of panic, yet by calming the mind and focusing on my breath, I can ease that physical anxiety. In the yoga studio, I acknowledge those moments of difficulty and exhaustion. I observe how it makes me feel and open my awareness up to how I’m negatively reacting. Mindfully, I make the decision to engage in this pose and positively soak in how my body feels. Rather than immediately react to a feeling of discomfort, I identify it, observe how it makes me feel and then consciously determine how to deal.

Stress

Every day we encounter stress, uncomfortable or unpleasant moments, and unexpected negative circumstances that can shut us down. Naturally, I’m prone to “freaking out.” But to draw parallels between the beauty of yoga and the hardships of life, the power of observation and mindfulness can provide you with the mental strength to endure anything. As long as you’re actively engaged with your emotions, you can self-talk your way into a reasonable state.

For a temporary escape, I can always head to a yoga class to give my mind and body a different focus. It’s an environment where I feel at my best and purposeful. Also, I follow and gain inspiration from the Ed Young Fellowship Church Facebook page. When I read the post, “go where you are celebrated, not where you are tolerated,” I immediately thought of my yoga studio. I was reminded that each yoga practice is a celebration and space where I can practice living excellence.

About the Author: Tammy Winslow is a mom and freelance writer happily living in Phoenix.

Can’t Sleep? Here’s How to Fix it

July 18, 2013 by MikeTremba Leave a Comment

Americans are plagued by insomnia.

There are too many bills to pay and not enough income. Too many job seekers and not enough jobs. Too many mouths to feed and not enough food in the fridge.

Essentially, our lives can feel completely out of whack at times and the first thing to go to waste is our sleep patterns.

Without healthy sleep habits it’s almost impossible to lead a healthy overall life. If you find yourself laying awake at night, here are a few tips to help you catch the Zzz’s you need and get your health back on track. [Read more…]

5 Things to Consider Before Choosing the Right Home Security System for Your Family

July 16, 2013 by Featured Author Leave a Comment

According to the FBI, in 2012, the number of home burglaries rose by 4.7 percent. With one in six homes being broken into, have you considered a home security system to prevent theft at your residence? Here are five things to consider helping you choose the most effective system.

What Features Does the Company Offer?

Image via Flickr by vagawi

It’s important to make a list of features you want in your security package. Some possible options are:

Alarm and monitoring services only
Fire and smoke detection and monitoring
Carbon monoxide alarms
Surveillance cameras
Motion sensors (indoor and outdoor)
Home automation and remote control features
Wireless service in you don’t have a landline
Window or window screen alarms
Monitors for measuring water levels or home temperatures
Identity theft protection
Pet monitoring
Medical alert monitoring
Affordable service contracts

Make a list of all the home security features you need before you begin searching for the right company.

Is the System Easy to Use?

No family wants a system that’s so complex, it’s too hard to use. A good security company will not only offer adequate training but also systems that are easy-to-use—even for young children.

If you have out-of-town guests coming but can’t be home to let them in, can they easily enter using verbal instructions from you or via remote disarming?

If an alarm is accidentally tripped, what are the next steps and how do you inform the company to cancel emergency medical, fire or police from coming to your home? Will the company be able to cancel these organizations from arriving in time so you avoid “nuisance alarm” fees that some counties charge?

Do you own or lease the equipment? If it’s owned, does it come with a warranty? If leased, what are the lease terms and buy-out options? If elements are defective or not functioning properly, how quickly can they be replaced?

Considering your desired features, how long will it take to install the system? Do they use employee and company-wide security controls so your passwords aren’t leaked?

Will the System Fit Within Your Budget?

Based on the features you choose, how much will you pay each month in total? Figure this dollar amount into your monthly budget to see if you can afford it. If it’s beyond your budget, you may need to prioritize the system a bit, keeping the features that are most important to you, and eliminating anything you can do without.

How to Choose the Right Company

If you’re seeking home security systems in Nashville TN, once you have made a list of desired features, what should you look for before choosing a company?

Before making a selection, call various companies and ask if they:

Have positive ratings from the Better Business Bureau
Participate in the community by supporting non-profits and other community events
Provide free videos that demonstrate and teach how to operate their systems
Have made the top 100 ratings list compiled by the Security Distributing and Marketing organization
Offer in-home training until everyone in your home is properly educated on the system

Will You Save on Homeowner’s Insurance?

Call your insurance carrier and ask them if they offer a discount for homes equipped with security systems. You may also want to ask if the amount of the discount depends on the type of system and the number of features.

If you consider these five things before choosing a home security system, the process will be much smoother.

About the Author: Susan Pizarro is a freelance writer based out of Florida with a degree in Marketing. She loves writing about personal finance, health, and frugal living tips; and she enjoys travelling the world and trying different foods.

How To Reignite The Spark, Even After Kids

July 5, 2013 by MikeTremba Leave a Comment

When it comes to raising kids, the last thing on most married peoples’ minds is intimacy.

When is there time? You both work eight hours a day, the kids have five hours of homework, you have to make dinner, find an hour to exercise, run errands, get your daughter to soccer and your son to band practice… all while making sure there’s gas in the car and food in the fridge.

By the time you get into bed at night, the last thing either one of you is thinking about is romance.

A hot shower and bed before 10 p.m. is probably the most romantic thing you can imagine right now. But maybe you’re thinking about romance the wrong way. And if you are, it could be damaging your marriage.

Being Intimate Comes In Many Forms

[Read more…]

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