Personal trainers and gym owners across the country have big smiles on their faces right now.

Why?

Because they know they’re about to get flooded with average folk making New Year’s Resolutions to drop that extra 20 pounds and finally get fit.

And they also know that the vast majority of these new sign ups will show up for about a month and then disappear forever. Or at least until next year.

Now don’t get me wrong. I love goal-setting (when it works) and I like the idea of making plans to get in shape for the new year if it gives you a boost of energy and motivation.

So how can we set fitness goals for the year and actually stick to them? 

Here’s 5 things successful goal-setters do that quitters don’t do:

1. Keep your goals PRIVATE.

The last thing you want is for the wrong person to find out that you want to improve your diet or take a few inches off your waistline. Because he or she will try to bring you down with negativity and get in the way of you developing new and good habits. Don’t even give them the chance.

2. Figure out WHY you want to accomplish your goal.

If you want to drop 20 extra pounds come up with a good reason for it. And don’t think this is obvious stuff either. What you need to know is what personally motivates you and gets you emotionally involved. Is it because you want to look better? Have more energy? Attract a new mate? Re-attract an old one? Figure it out.

3. Use this reason to keep you going when things get rough.

Whenever you feel like giving up or taking it easy after a couple months have gone by and your goals lose their luster, remember your reason for making the resolution in the first place. Focus on that and your fire will reignite. Post it up on your calendar, in the bathroom, in your bedroom, or anywhere that will remind you why you are doing this. 

4. Get around like-minded people.

This means avoiding your friends who overeat if you want to clean up your diet. And getting around active people if you want to exercise more. Like it or not, it’s a lot harder to accomplish something alone.

5. If you stumble a bit, shrug it off.

Don’t worry if you fall back into your old habits for a week. If you miss a couple workout sessions, don’t waste time feeling bad. Just get started again and treat it as a learning experience. If you eat bad for a week or two, pouting won’t do any good. Just laugh it off and get started again.

Arm yourself with these five strategies and you’ll get halfway through 2009, look back, and realize you’ve transformed your body for the better.

By Michael Lee

Some people may consider herbal acne treatment only as a secondary measure in eliminating unwanted zits and skin blemishes. What they may not know is that so many commercial products available in the market today contain at least one herbal ingredient. Herbal acne treatment has proven through the years to be a very effective and cheap approach in keeping your skin looking radiant, fresh and beautiful.

A lot of citrus fruits contain antioxidants which help prevent skin damage and pimples. Great examples of these would be lemons and oranges. You may choose to dilute the juice of the products in warm water then directly dab the mixture on affected areas. Allow the concoction to treat the skin pores for 3 to 5 minutes then rinse with clean water afterwards.

Garlic is a proven antibacterial that you can directly rub raw on your face. A lot of hard-to-remove skin problems have successfully been treated with garlic such as boils, pimples and spots. Ingestion of citrus fruits and garlic will help cleanse the blood to prevent acne.

Another effective herbal acne treatment includes fenugreek. You can make paste out of fenugreek leaves, which you can apply on your face every night. Leave the paste on overnight then wash off with warm water the next day. Grated cucumber placed over the face and neck for 15 to 20 minutes can prevent blackheads and pimples. Other notable useful herbs for your skin are green tea, tea tree oil, lavender and golden seal. These contain anti-microbial properties that help stop and prevent infection.

Aside from herbal acne treatments, make sure you take enough vitamins and minerals to keep your skin healthy. Vitamin A and niacin have been found to effectively treat acne as well as zinc. You may take vitamin supplements of about 100 mg 2 to 3 times daily.

By Michael Lee

You weren’t born perfect – nobody is. But you can do something to make your life a lot better than what is experienced by the average individual. The people who are the happiest with their lives are those who can learn to love themselves just the way they are. 

Here are some suggestions on how to place yourself up on that pedestal and laugh at negative energy.

Pay Yourself A Compliment

Give yourself a compliment at least once a day. It could be something like “I really liked the way I handled that situation,” or “I love how my hair falls softly onto my face today”. The compliment can be deep or superficial. Whatever it is, it should help keep your mood up, even if only slightly. Highlight the positive aspect of every situation you encounter. If you practice this often, you’re on your way to liking yourself a whole lot better.

Make Yourself Over

Grab your closest friend and get all dolled up. Put on your best attire, dab on a little make-up and get your hair done (not necessarily by a professional), then grab a camera and snap fun and funny photos of each other. Once you’ve had the photos printed, discard those that make you look drab and keep only the shots were you looked your best. Whenever you feel down, you can just go look at these pictures to remind yourself that you are good-looking and that your life is fun.

Get Physically Fit

You don’t need to achieve a supermodel-like physique. Simple daily exercises to boost your bloodstream every morning will do. You’ll feel better, your mood will be more positive, and the more congenial you will be with other people. If you give out positive energy, the more beautiful you become – and the more people will be inclined to return positive vibes to you, too.

Change Your Body Image

If there’s something in your body that you dislike, find out what’s causing you to smirk at it. Chances are, the reasons are very shallow and superficial. The realization of this will help you attain a better self-image and teach you to appreciate yourself more. 

Treat Yourself

Set aside time once a week to do something just for you. It could be anything from watching a cheesy movie to walking your dog in the park. As long as it’s time for you in doing what you want to do.

Wear Nice Underwear

This sounds silly, but it works! Wearing really cute knickers does make you feel better and a lot more confident about facing others. Don’t believe this? Try it!

List Your Good Points

Without looking at the mirror, make a list of all the things you appreciate and like about your body – things like, “I have great hair” or “I have a nice set of teeth”. Keep this list in your wallet or wherever you can see them and whenever you feel terrible, just take out this list and read it to yourself.

Travel

Ask a few of your best pals to spend a day out of town with you. Pack a delicious snack and spend the day fishing or hiking, or whatever suits your interests. A day in the fresh air is sure to give you an energy boost and make you feel good about yourself.

Get Away From People Who Put You Down

You know these kinds of people. They simply can’t stand the fact that you’re okay with your life and will always try to dampen your mood. Avoid them at all cost, because they’ll never make you feel good about yourself. Learn how to say no to people who only have their self-interest in mind. 

Do A Good Deed

Do something good for someone else. You will find that things like volunteering at a homeless shelter or even a simple thing like helping somebody who is lost by giving proper directions will make you feel good for the rest of the day. You’ll be doing something worthwhile and when you see how badly off some people are, you’ll start to appreciate your life more and be grateful for what you have.

Prevent hair-loss

Hair loss is a common problem. It would be incorrect to attribute hair loss to hereditary factors alone. Hereditary factors may be a cause for hair-loss only to a certain extent. Just because the previous generations of a few families have experienced baldness, thinning hair and receding hairlines, it does not mean that their descendents are destined for the same.

It is certainly possible to control the extent of hair loss and thinning. It is essential to have a healthy scalp to avoid hair loss and aiding new hair growth.

Some of the factors that contribute to the acceleration of and permanence of hair loss are-
* Genetic factors as mentioned earlier.
* Hormonal imbalance
* A diet devoid of essential nutrients
* Stress
* Insomnia
* Improper brushing or combing the hair
* Pulling your hair often
* Excessive use of hair dryers, perming, back-combing
* Hair-dos such as ponytails which tend to pull the hair tightly from the scalp
* Excessive oil production from the scalp � scientifically termed as sebum.
The scalp emits excessive oils due to the emotional and physical stress. The build of oil and other substances clogs the hair follicles and creates an unhealthy condition of the scalp, resulting in hair loss, thinning hair and various unhealthy scalp conditions.

Below are some tips that can help stop hair loss and keep your existing hair look healthy and great:
* Massage the scalp daily with finger tips (not the nails) to stimulate and promote circulation to the scalp. It is essential not to scrub while washing hair. It is better to �milk� the hair from the hair backwards in the same direction. This will give a shiny look to the hair.
* Comb or brush your hair and scalp gently with about 50-100 strokes in the morning and at night. This helps break up hardened oil (sebum) that has clogged hair follicles. Doing this alone has enhanced the growth of new hair. Combing or brushing has to be in one direction only, which is from the hair root to tip.
* While using blow dryers, always keep the heat a good distance from the scalp and hair. Avoid heating the scalp and hair excessively.
* Avoid applying hair creams, lotions, styling gels and sprays directly on to the scalp as this will clog up the hair follicles.
* After swimming, shampoo your hair as soon as possible to remove any chlorine residue, as chlorine is extremely damaging to the hair and scalp. Cucumber hair pack is ideal.
* While it is difficult to avoid exposure of the hair and scalp to the wind and sun, over exposure is best avoided and perhaps a cap could be used. However, tight hats and caps contribute to poor circulation, depriving the hair of proper nutrition.
* Sweat, dirt and grime around the rim inhibit follicle health and contribute to build up. Extreme hair loss and thinning could also be the side effects of a medical condition or medication and it helps to consult a dermatologist.
* Strive for balance and harmony in both your personal and professional life. High stress factors lead to fluctuating hormone levels, which in turn cause excessive oil secretion (sebum) resulting in hair loss. Stress can be dealt with in many ways,most notably through exercise, adequate sleep, healthy diet and techniques like relaxation, exercises, deep breathing and yoga.
* Pregnancy, nursing, menopause or even birth control medication cold cause constant changing factors on your nutritional needs and hormonal levels which contribute to hair loss.
* Last but not the least, it is necessary to avoid �crash and fad� diets.
* Proper nutritious meals along with vitamin and mineral supplements are key factors for healthy hair and skin.

Follow these tips to avoid hair loss and also help your hair look great and shiny that you would want to flaunt it.

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