Benefits of Having a Fitness Buddy

It's raining outside. Your shoes are still wet from your last walking session. You really should just go out and exercise, but there's something good on TV. Maybe later...

Sound familiar?

Now try this scenario: It's raining outside. Your shoes are wet and you don't really feel like going for a walk, but your cell phone is blinking with a message from your buddy that says she's already left the house and she'll meet you at the trail. You know you have to go, or she'll give you a hard time for ditching her. So, you grab your soggy shoes and head off for a power walking session. Afterwards, you feel good. You always feel good afterwards; it's the getting started part that's hard.

That's why it's so beneficial to have someone else to exercise with on a regular basis. There's no type of fitness regimen that can't benefit from having a fitness buddy. If it's weightlifting, your buddy can spot you. If it's running or biking, they can push you to go faster than you would if you were alone. If it's climbing, she can catch you when you slip and start careening down the mountain (maybe climbing isn't the safest fitness activity).

Whatever your choice of fitness outlets, a workout buddy can not only push you harder than you would yourself, but they can actually get you out the door. Never underestimate the power of social obligations. Those of us who wouldn't think twice about breaking a date with ourselves cringe at the idea of breaking a date with a friend. Especially if we have friends who are experts at giving the guilt-trip.

OK, so you're sold on the idea of a fitness buddy. But wanting one can be easier than finding one. Your regular friends might not be into fitness, or they're the kind of people who start something with good intentions and gradually slack off. It's important to find someone who is as dedicated to fitness (or more dedicated) than you are. But where to look? Here are some ideas:

-Ask a friend, or see if a friend of a friend is looking for somebody. -If you belong to a gym or health club, see if there is a bulletin board out front where you can post requests. -Join an exercise class or take some sports lessons; you might find an interested person or two. -Check fitness web sites, especially related to your interests; there may be a message board where you can look for activity partners.

Whatever route you choose, don't be afraid to initiate proceedings by starting up conversations with people or starting new threads on message boards. You might be surprised at how many people are also looking for regular workout buddies.

Once you find a fitness buddy, don't let him or her down. If you both show motivation and keep to a regular schedule, you'll both reap the benefits.


7 Steps to Great Makeup

1. Avoid wearing too much

Makeup is meant to enhance features not bring negative attention to you. That's what wearing too much makeup will do; it will bring you unwanted attention. Don't wear too much of anything such as:

1. Eyeliner: dark, thick eyeliner will make you look overdone and will ruin the rest of your makeup.

2. Mascara: too much mascara looks fake and will flake. It looks especially bad if worn with thick eyeliner or dark blue eye eye shadow.

3. Foundation: Make sure your foundation is the same color as your skin. Foundation is meant to protect and give the face a smooth look. The magic word is blend.

4. Powder: The same holds true for powder - not too much. Also, be sure to blend your makeup so there are no obvious lines.

2. Lips

Apply lip liner to completely cover the lips, add color and your lipstick will stay on much longer. Make sure your lip liner doesn't show. Also, your lip color should match your
skin tone; wear cool colors if you have cool coloring and warm colors if you have warm coloring. If you want to make your lips look smaller, keep your liner on the inside of
your lips. However, if you decide to make your lips look larger, going outside the natural outline of you lips is a mistake. This can look quite messy and unnatural.

3. Appropriate makeup
Wear makeup that is appropriate for the occasion. If you are going to the beach you shouldn't wear the same or as much makeup as you would if you were going dancing. Also, when you are in daylight your makeup should be a lighter than when you are out for the evening.

4. Too little or no makeup
Some women don't wear makeup because they are not sure how to use it and are afraid of being overdone. If you are unsure, start will light colours in your shade. Start slowly and add one product at a time. Maybe start with foundation, add mascara, blush or lipstick. If you are not used to wearing makeup, using a lot a first may be a little too much for you, so start slowly. The bottom line is a little is better than none. If you are still unsure seek professional advice.

5. Overall look
When your makeup is completed it should look natural. That means avoiding colours that clash. If you have dark skin and hair you will look better in darker shades; light colours will make you look washed out. If your hair and skin tone are light, light colours will look better on you. Dark makeup will make you look older and harsh. If you have oily skin, first use oil control moisturizer and foundation. Then be sure to wear loose powder, keeping pressed powder with you for touch ups.

6. Hair color
Your hair color should also be in harmony with your skin. If you have dark hair and you want to add color, keep it close to the same shade. If you have light hair, use light colors. As you age your skin will lighten, so should your hair color. One last thing about hair color - if you do color you hair be sure you keep it up, don't let your roots show.

7. One last thing
Keep makeup looking fresh all day by doing regular touch ups. Don't let your makeup fade or crease. Smile!!!


How To Make Shaving Easy!

Avoid shaving when first getting up after sleep as body fluids make the skin puffy making it more difficult to shave the hair. After 20 or 30 minutes the skin becomes more taut so the hair shaft is more exposed making it easier.

Don't stay in the bath too long before shaving. The skin will shrivel after eight minutes or so making it difficult to get a smooth, close shave.

Use preshave products such as soaps, lathers, creams and gels. They lock moisture into the hair, they help keep the hair erect and they reduce friction allowing the blade to glide easily over the skin.

Hair conditioner can also be used to soften hair.

The more repeat strokes over an area of skin the greater risk of irritation.

To remove stray hairs which are not removed after one or two passes with the razor, use a pop-up trimmer.

Never share your razor or shaver with anyone else to avoid skin infections.

Running the fingertips over the shaved area is a very effective method of ensuring a close thorough shave. The sense of touch will alert you to stubble and missed patches it may be difficult to see in the mirror.

Always wet the hair first for at least 3 minutes. Hair absorbs water which makes it stand up making it easier when shaving.

Wet hair also reduces wear on the blade. Shaving after taking a shower is an ideal time.

For a close shave with minimal irritation, try and use an angle of approximately 30 degrees between the blade and the skin.

To lessen the risk of razor burn and extend the life of the blade, allow shaving cream to sit on the skin for 4 minutes before shaving.

Thick shaving cream or foam offers the best protection against irritation and cuts.

Use a sharp new blade. If you need to use pressure on the blade it is time to change it. Using a blunt blade can increase the danger of ingrown hair.

Splash the skin with cold water after shaving to help stop any bleeding from small nicks and also remove any traces of soap or lather.

When shaving the leg area use long strokes going against the grain avoiding repeat strokes. Great care needs to be exercised especially around bony areas such as the ankle or knee.

Hair under the arm grows in all directions so a side to side stroke as well as up and down strokes may be necessary to catch all the hairs.

Do not apply deodorants or anti-perspirants right after shaving as this can cause acute irritation and soreness.


Time Out: Stop Beating Yourself Up

Boxing is a professional sport that you can actually learn a great deal from and apply to managing certain areas of your life. According to the official website for the World Boxing Association, all world championship bouts shall be of a twelve round duration. Each round shall consist of three minutes in duration with one minute rest between each round. Apparently parameters are necessary even in a situation where a motivated opponent with the goal of physical injury is involved coupled with the ongoing task of defending your reputation and a substantial amount of money.

Unfortunately, the parameters established for professional fighters are leaps and bounds above what I extended to myself. I was taught at a very early age to dig my heels deep into every situation:

•Push
•Sacrifice
•Endure
•Achieve
•Acquire
•Succeed
•Contribute
•Excel

All the above are very worthy attributes, but similar to medication we take for illness, the dosage must be regulated, and will vary from person to person based on our unique differences. Like most people, I never regulated the dosage as I forged ahead personally and professionally. Also, I didn’t allow much room for error or rest from beating myself up when I missed the mark. Missing the mark these days isn’t very difficult with the increasing demands of life, in general. A short list of our roles and responsibilities include:

•Parents
•Employees
•Sons
•Daughters
•Business Owners
•Soccer Moms
•Neighbors
•Wives
•Grandparents
•Husbands
•Community leaders
•Friends

Often, we tend to concentrate a great deal more on what we’re not, rather than who we are. Our focus is in most cases lopsided, seldom acknowledging all of the many reasons there are to be very proud. I can relate to this so well having lived this way most of my life. For as far back as I can remember my concentration has always focused on the following:

•Tasks I had not accomplished
•Achievements that fell below my expectations
•Victories that had not yet been won


As an older and hopefully wiser person, I’ve learned to decrease the amount of self- inflicted injuries by taking a few simple steps that may be effective for you as well:

1)Make a list of your accomplishments- when feeling the urge to take a swing at yourself, review the list as a powerful reminder. This exercise renews your self confidence to face obstacles and develop creative solutions. Remember to include both professional and personal accomplishments and continually update your list.

2)Set realistic expectations – goals should be challenging but realistic. Achieving the right balance can be tricky. Allow yourself to make needed adjustments as you move along.

3)Be patient – some victories take longer than others. We often try to apply a fast, got-to-have-it-now approach that is simply not applicable. This step is particularly challenging to me, but I’m improving, so there is definitely hope for you.

Time out is an effective tool that helps you put things back in perspective. Several large corporations recently have been involved in ugly scandals. At some point, they stopped beating themselves up in order to move forward. This is a critical lesson for all of us. On a daily basis, do your very best in each role. Allow yourself to make mistakes but most importantly learn from them and please move on.