General Article

Would You Like to Go From Couch Potato to 5K Runner?

Have you ever watched a running race and thought to yourself how immense it would feel to go from ‘couch potato to 5k’ runner, then take heart, with a little determination and the correct type of training, you can certainly do it.

The secret is to begin bit by bit, by gradually improving the distances and pace you run at. No one has ever gone from couch potato to 5k runner without any training or practice, they only trained on a regular basis and followed a regular 5k training schedule, consistently taking the steps required to build up their fitness up to the stage where they could without difficulty run 3.1 miles in one go without stopping.

* Initially you need to set some realistic goals. These should be a string of less significant goals broken down in to manageable chunks which lead up to your main aim of running a 5k race. Being able to run a set distance, eating balanced meals or running on certain days are just a few examples of specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time framed goals.

* Next you’ll need the guidance of a good training schedule which you can buy one from a reputable source. ‘5K Training For Beginners’ is a sound choice. This schedule needs to include a section on the theory behind running so you know how your body responds to training so you can carefully avoid over training and picking up injuries.

* Thirdly your footwear has to be suitable for your running manner. Running in any old footwear may potentially cause long term injuries to joints, especially your ankles, knees and lower back.

Lastly you need to spend time practicing. This is where most runners give up. Without knowing the changes you should be witnessing in your fitness and endurance levels you too may falter.

If you’d like to find out how much training you need to do in order to go from couch potato to 5k runner, any good running program should get you there in one piece and faster than going it alone!…

Convertible Sofa Couch – For a Contemporary and Luxurious Feel

Whenever we have guest visiting and no extra bedding for the night, we often use our sofa as the bed. This can get a little uncomfortable as the sofa restricts our sleeping positions, thus giving unwanted body pain. In order to avoid such inconvenience try convertible sofas. They are basically a day couch which can be turned into an actual bed, with easy hand-held mechanism. It is a good alternative to futons and has many advantages to it.

Convertible or sleeper sofas are the perfect example of multipurpose furniture, as it’s used as both sofa and bed. With homes getting smaller these days, investing in furniture which serves more than one purpose, utilizing a small portion of the floor is a no brainer. During the day the sofa proves to be a comfortable seating and with nightfall it can be converted to a bed with easy click-clack mechanism. Just push the back-support of the sofa onto the floor to get a flat full-sized bed atop a cushioning mattress. On lifting up the sofa bed, you will find a spacious storage space underneath for you to store bed sheets and pillows.

Another advantage of this modern furniture is the luxury and high degree of comfort it has to offer. Though it is heavier than normal sofas, it provides comfort like no other sofa beds. Furnishing your home smartly and cost effectively is important and what better way to give your home a stylish look other than a convertible couch. The contemporary styles and unique designs make it an excellent choice. Convertible couches are available in many styles, so it is not hard to spot the right one that suits your style and adds sophistication to the room.

The next advantage of convertible sofas is its affordability. Luxurious furniture is expensive, but the scene is changing now. Keeping the needs of modern living in mind, manufacturers are aiming at providing their customers comfort in every way, including the price. The sleeper sofa is available across a wide price range, making it affordable for everyone. It is also safe to have multi usage furniture around as you may never know when u might need it on an emergency basis. Moreover, contemporary furniture is the order of the day for home big and small alike.

Looking at the advantages, it is an easy call to buy convertible furniture. Since buying any furniture is a long term investment, compromising with quality will be inappropriate. Always buy furniture from recognized brands and make sure you understand how to use them. Convertible sofas are easy to maintain and give a luxurious feel to your home.…

Favorite Daily Yoga Pose – Anantasana – Lord Vishnu’s Couch Pose

Anantasana, Lord Vishnu’s Couch Pose, has been a favorite yoga pose of mine for quite some time. In fact, it is probably the pose I have been doing for the longest. When I was a little girl, I would watch a good deal of television with my sister up in our third floor playroom of the house in which we grew up. And while watching our favorite shows, I had a habit of lying on my side and stretching one leg up in the air. Imagine my surprise when I was in yoga class one day and my teacher, Sandra Pleasants, taught us Anantasana! I still think this is a fabulous yoga pose. It is a balancing pose so it requires a bit of concentration to stay balanced on your side hip bone. But if you extend through the bottom leg and keep your gaze, dristi, focused on a point on the floor in front of you, you can stay balanced.

To practice Anantasana:

1. Lie on your left side and extend your left arm out onto the floor.

2. Place your left ear on your left upper arm and begin to find your gazing point on the floor in front of you.

3. Extend your left leg underneath you and balance your weight on the side of your body. See if you can press evenly into every point along your side body from your outstretched left palm, down your left arm, down to your hip and out your left leg. Keep the side of left foot on the floor.

4. Bend your right leg and hug it into the side of your chest to begin to feel the shift in balance when you remove your right leg from the floor. You can then place your right sole of your foot into your left thigh and balance there for a moment. When you are feeling balanced reach for your right big toe and clasp it with the thumb and forefinger of your right hand.

5. Keeping the extension on the left side of your body slowly extend your right foot up towards the sky, extending fully through the foot.

6. Take your tailbone towards your left heel and curl the outer right hip under. Bask in the feeling of extension in this pose and after a few slow deep easy breathes, bend your right knee and return the right foot to your thigh and then back down in line with your left foot or release your grip from your right toe and point your foot and extend your leg down to meet your left foot.

7. Take a few deep breaths and then practice the pose on your other side.

Listen to the pronunciation of Anantasana on Tilak Pyle’s Sanskrit Pronunciation Guide.…

Losing Weight Building Muscle – How to Motivate Yourself to Get Off the Couch

The key to starting something new is to actually develop a new habit. Think about it. You have become you because of the things you get into the habit of and continue to do. As the saying goes ‘You make your habits and your habits make you’. If you are in the habit of being a couch potato, making the first move to create a new healthier habit is often the most difficult obstacle. Sticking to it is the next obstacle.

To generate a new habit you need to get the wheels in motion and that means taking some action. Set your self a relatively easy goal and stick to it. This should be something you can do on a daily basis and build from there. Depending on what shape you are in will determine what you choose but this could be literally anything. It should be enough though to start the wheels of motion in the direction that you want to go.

If weight loss or building muscle is your goal then perhaps you could get yourself some dumb bells and pick them up every day and do 10 sets of curls. Put them down and put a tick in your dairy next to your new exercise program. You have started a new habit and can forget about it now until tomorrow! Your daily habit needs to be enough to motivate you to continue with it but not so big as to scare you into inactivity. It should be something you can do every day as a ritual. Once you have kept it up for a week, pat yourself on the back and put another tick in your dairy.

It is well worth having a notebook, journal or dairy to keep a record of your progress. This will help keep you motivated to continue with the exercises. If you are fitter than this you can start with a 5 minute jog each day to the shop or something like that. The important thing is to create a HABIT out of doing the activity which will generate the biggest difference in your development. Either you are looking to build muscle, lose weight, become fitter or simply give yourself more exercise. Choose your activity accordingly but make sure it is small enough that you actually do it but big enough to make a gradual change.

Once you have started ingraining your habit it will become natural to want to continue and you may even want to do more. This means you are making progress and you should increase or improve your exercise in some way each week. Allow yourself some flexibility and the occasional day off and do not be too hard on yourself as this can be counter productive and you might become disillusioned and give up. Do not focus on the results of your activity but rather the activity and the new habit itself. Again this can cause you to lose heart when you do not see immediate results.…

Clawfoot Tub Shower Curtain

Clawfoot tub shower curtains have a beautiful design and that’s why many people choose to buy it for their bathroom. Showers for clawfoot tubs are a sophisticated accessory but create an elegant atmosphere in your bathroom. Shower curtain for clawfoot tub is circular and that’s why its design is special. Clawfoot tub is ideal for those who want to relax after a stressful day of work.

Circular curtains give pleasure to your senses and invites you to stay several hours in the tub in order to revive your nervous system. If you want to buy a tub with shower curtains first you must measure the size where you want to put the tub. Then choose a bathtub that has a size which matches with your measurements. When choosing shower curtain be sure you measured the rod.

On the rod you should fix the shower. For curtains you can choose a waterproof, non-bacterial material to prevent the accumulation of germs in the bathroom. You must also buy some hooks to mount shower curtain. The distance between hooks should be around 3 and 4 inch. After you have mounted shower curtain by hooks you can try to see if it pulls easily from one side to another side of the tub. When you buy a clawfoot tub with curtain is also important to choose bath accessories.

If you don’t know you can contact a specialist in interior design. He can help you make the best choice for your bath tub. For example if you have a white tub you could choose a blue curtain and combination of these 2 will be a pleasure for your eyes. Polyester curtains are very good for clawfoot tub because it is a water resistant material. This tub works well with showers whirlpool. If you want to buy a quality clawfoot tub curtain then order online and you will get free shipping.…

Moving a Sofa – Its a Dirty Job, But Somebody Has to Do It

Ask 10 people to help you move a sofa, and you’ll quickly find out who your true friends are. That’s because moving a sofa is hard work. But with the right equipment, and the right knowledge plus a little positive attitude you can move the unmovable clumsy behemoth.

The tools needed for the job are inexpensive and can be purchased at many hardware stores(moving straps, moving blankets, furniture sliders). Although these tools can be purchased at most hardware stores, the one thing that cant be bought at a local Walmart is furniture moving knowledge. As a Knoxville mover who has moved a lot of sofas in my life, knowledge is what I share.

First make sure to take all measurements of doors, hallways, and any tight areas that the sofa will need to pass through. The last thing you want is to be caught in the process of moving a sofa and then discover that it will not fit through a door. This is energy wasted, and the one thing a professional mover needs more than anything is stored energy.

Write these numbers down so you will not forget them. You will also want to measure the dimensions of the sofa (LxWxH). If it is ascertained that your sofa will not fit through your doors or hallways, you may be able to tilt the sofa so that the back of the sofa is facing upward. This will make the sofa narrow, giving you the flexibility you need to squeeze it through.

Now that you know how you will get the sofa through the house/apt, it will need to be padded well to protect the sofa from dust, rips, and debris. As a Knoxville mover I know that moving blankets can be rented from places like Uhaul by the dozens. Wrap the sofa well with moving blankets; blankets can be secured to the sofa by using movers rubber bands or shrink wrap. The sofa is padded well, so the only thing to do now is to lift (carry) the sofa to its predetermined destination.

It will usually take two people to accomplish this job, but if you’re sofa has an attached bed it could take three people to handle the weight. Only carry the sofa when you absolutely must. You can place moving sliders under the feet of the sofa; now you can slide or pull the sofa as far as possible. Once you’re in a position that you have no other choice but to carry your sofa remember to keep the back straight as a board.

You and your moving partner can lift on a three count, but remember to keep the sofa as close as possible to the your body. Keep your movements slow–keep them calculated. When you get your sofa to its destination, lower it. You have just moved your sofa; now you can go move the refrigerator.…

Black Out Curtains Make For Better Naps

Most people enjoy opening up the curtains and the windows and allowing the sunshine to come in and brighten up the house. I feel this way about my kitchen, and sometimes my living room. But I’ve worked nights most of my life so I tend to be a night owl. Often times, I’m going to bed shortly before the rest of the world is waking up. This is when I get the most use out of my black out curtains. I can sleep my own hours in a nice dark room.

But, when I’m up in the daytime, I like for some rooms to be well light. I don’t like kitchen black out curtains because I don’t like to feel like I’m stumbling around in there. Don’t misunderstand, I do have a black velvet curtain in there, but it’s not the same thing. That just the color I decided to use for decoration.

Same thing goes for my living room. I don’t use black out curtains in there, but there pretty close. I have a black and white striped curtain in there which hangs proudly from its black curtain rod, and I can leave it open when I want to enjoy the sunshine, and I can close it so that it’s dark enough for me to see my TV, or if I want to take a little nappy-pooh:)

I understand the benefits of allowing some sunshine in now and then. Being in the dark all the time can make you feel a little depressed at times. It’s a good idea to open the house up for a little while everyday. This can elevate the symptoms of seasonal depression and it can boost your mood in general. However, sometimes when I’m on my computer, too much light hurts my eyes. Black out curtains are designed to help you maintain control of how much light enters your home.

In my den, where my computer is, I have a black beaded curtain that works well when I close it. It will do a good job of keeping out most light, even though it doesn’t completely block it out. I like to leave it open most of the time so I can look out the window to give my eyes something different to look at rather than just my computer screen.

If you just want to darken a room a bit and not really block out all the light, you could try a black lace curtain or a black sheer curtain. A black window curtain will set a mood for a room without making it like a dungeon. This can be a good thing if you’re like me and most of your decor is black and blue. I think it looks classy, some might think it looks gaudy.

Before I started using black out curtains, I used to put aluminum foil up in the window of my bedroom. That helped a lot, but it looked bad from the outside. In fact, one day the homeowners association called and asked me if I would remove the foil. I explained that I often slept during the daytime. The lady who called recommended I get a black window curtain, and that’s where I took it a step farther and got the black out curtain to shut out all the light completely in my bedroom. It seemed to work out well for everyone!…