tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38822045724467169342024-03-26T23:38:22.025-07:00How to be Awesome, for FreeA survival guide for surviving in style. Practical tips for living, being self-sufficient, and being happy with yourself on a budget. Part of being awesome is doing things the smart way, and knowledge is power. There is nothing more awesome than knowing how to do things yourself instead of having to pay for someone else to do them. Learn how here. (Feel free to comment and ask questions.)OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-865777466473375762013-04-14T17:12:00.001-07:002013-04-14T17:16:17.320-07:00Laptop Keep Overheating?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogKtOMvZXGPGYEqy8wI31O5qzhVbxlvTd5SKJFveE9EQ7OG4SbvmZLC02P3hPpwTy9ssjpdch1XfnvBa1vylq58wLvv9FT7p-91IAKNMVCsrGqKN1yk9bvjoHIFuS-FtML499EFXs2KmC/s1600/GetAttachment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" bua="true" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogKtOMvZXGPGYEqy8wI31O5qzhVbxlvTd5SKJFveE9EQ7OG4SbvmZLC02P3hPpwTy9ssjpdch1XfnvBa1vylq58wLvv9FT7p-91IAKNMVCsrGqKN1yk9bvjoHIFuS-FtML499EFXs2KmC/s320/GetAttachment.jpg" width="320" /></a>I have a mediocre quality laptop and it's getting old. Living in Florida puts a lot of strain on its already failing ability to cool itself. I got tired of it shutting down on me. If you are tired of your laptop overheating and shutting down on you, read and follow these directions:</div>
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1. Take a cold pack and stick it in the freezer. I happen to have a couple of clay packs that are almost exactly the size of my laptop.</div>
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2. Place your laptop on top of the cold pack to help it stay cool.</div>
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That's it, you're done, and that should buy you some time.</div>
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: If there is any merit to the thing I've heard about the heat from a laptop lowering a man's sperm count, it is possible that this might also mitigate that situation.</strong></div>
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OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-8813767909054151702013-04-13T11:46:00.000-07:002013-04-14T17:32:54.205-07:00Getting Clothes to Fit Your Hourglass Figure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Assuming that all my lady readers have been working the hourglass figure <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2013/03/getting-that-hourglass-figure.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">since I posted on it</span></a> a few months ago, I might as well address this topic. It is not easy to find clothes that fit a curvy figure. The whole point of having this shape is to enjoy a proportionately small waist. So why settle for unflattering clothing? If I want to buy something that fits, it seems to involve luck, cost, or both. That said, there is a cheaper way and you can cheat your way around the luck part too.<br />
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I have a sewing machine. I'm no master at using it but I understand geometry and the way cloth behaves. That's all you need.<br />
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Here's what to do...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Wv-JxdLVVsS4W5wLPnnHPrkV6SmyTTCrJISBIQrBf3cQpGEC8GYpQj_lxOeUR71bqWxXP1kHUolBJeZJgMi7DbSFV7JgSoInTWkr_6gZDmVC1GJ48mMf_jOtoN_0z0KDgu-cM5L4JZ1S/s1600/2013-04-13_14-08-04_284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" bua="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Wv-JxdLVVsS4W5wLPnnHPrkV6SmyTTCrJISBIQrBf3cQpGEC8GYpQj_lxOeUR71bqWxXP1kHUolBJeZJgMi7DbSFV7JgSoInTWkr_6gZDmVC1GJ48mMf_jOtoN_0z0KDgu-cM5L4JZ1S/s320/2013-04-13_14-08-04_284.jpg" width="180" /></a>1. Go to discount stores like Ross, TJ Max, Marshalls, etc, or the clearance rack at places like Target.</div>
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2. Start with something simple to fix, like a dress. Find something you like that is "close enough".</div>
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3. Try it on and make sure that it fits in the bust and hips. Gather the waist area and look at it in the mirror and be sure that you are happy with the general appearance.</div>
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4. Purchase and return home.</div>
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5. Lay the dress inside out on the floor or carpet. Most likely you will not be able to get it completey flat so do one seam at a time. Spread the cloth away from the seam so it is completely flat. Draw a line freehand that takes in the waist about the amount you pinched in front of the mirror. You may have to try on the dress again inside out and mark where that line should start and stop and where it should go in the furthest.</div>
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6. Repeat on the other seam and check to see the lines are identical, mirror image.</div>
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7. Use a simple stitch to sew along those lines, being sure to keep the cloth flat and doubling back over the area you started and finished so the stitching does not come undone. You should not have to cut off the extra material. It should lay flat and you will not notice it once the dress is on.</div>
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8. Try it on again in the mirror and admire how it now accentuates your waist and makes you look like the amazing bombshell you are!</div>
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: Visit the lingerie section while you're at it. There are a lot of "chemise" styles that make awesome Saturday night dresses if you trim out the babydoll look. You can find one for less than $12 and it will look like a $30 dress. I've had plenty of women in the restroom at bar/clubs ask me where I got my "dress".</strong></div>
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OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-38386094376777627952013-03-14T16:33:00.002-07:002013-03-14T16:35:05.527-07:00Living Green<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is not my specialty. It is, however, the specialty of a very good friend of mine who has finally been convinced to start her own blog. I was asked by a reader if there are any blogs that I read. <a href="http://trustedgreenexpert.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #38761d;">THIS IS IT.</span></a><br />
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She is well educated, very smart, and passionate about the subject. Ask her a question about sustainable living or environmental anything, and you can trust that she will legitimately research it and give you an honest answer on her findings in words you can understand. The post about prescription meds was in response to a question I submitted. Look for the three-eyed fish.<br />
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OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-35998568722809212332013-03-14T15:46:00.000-07:002013-03-14T15:46:42.540-07:00Too Much Clutter in the Home?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Well, I meant to write extensively on how to fix this problem and then, by chance, I stumbled upon <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5804927/how-to-de+crapify-your-home"><span style="color: #38761d;">another site</span></a> that has already done a pretty good job, so...</div>
OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-20321716035408535172013-03-14T14:57:00.000-07:002013-04-14T17:31:07.507-07:00Guilt Free Fruit, Flax and Oat Cobbler<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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(<em>Click <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/p/recipe-page.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">here</span></a> for more cooking ideas.</em>)</div>
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This is how you get to have pie for breakfast! It is a variation of the <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/09/guilt-free-apple-oat-cobbler-recipe.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Guilt Free Apple Oat Cobbler</span></a> and it is wonderful freshly baked, cold, or microwaved. It is not too light but will also not leave you feeling heavy. In this case, I made one with frozen mixed berries and strawberries from Costco, and one with peaches, pineapple, strawberries and mango from Publix. They were both awesome.</div>
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<strong>Fruit, Flax and Oat Cobbler</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OnFuS5dwTtI-rlobK2V6jsS44jLK7jeh5IX3rCibZCfD1aJc3SAYMdLROAxWM94CweKhKjLAura_0molyUAEGhSfB-jUfT_q1vecfB-69yAr_0dus5Sj_wYXsunhCSyIjnF-lQLnmxSP/s1600/2013-03-12_16-32-56_947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" bua="true" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OnFuS5dwTtI-rlobK2V6jsS44jLK7jeh5IX3rCibZCfD1aJc3SAYMdLROAxWM94CweKhKjLAura_0molyUAEGhSfB-jUfT_q1vecfB-69yAr_0dus5Sj_wYXsunhCSyIjnF-lQLnmxSP/s320/2013-03-12_16-32-56_947.jpg" width="320" /></a><em>45 minutes, serves 6</em></div>
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1 cup of dry oats</div>
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1/2 cup of almond meal</div>
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1/4 cup of ground flax seed</div>
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1 quart of frozen fruit</div>
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Coconut oil</div>
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Water</div>
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Preheat your oven to 450.</div>
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Pour out your fruit into a 1 quart Pyrex and microwave it for about five minutes. This will cut down on your baking time and I suggest covering it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGF6cFhXo4l5Aio_IgWI5ZYu_KoQhvaQucQvHad7TK95i48hY57lIfTWXQ4n7uS4_dJqEWbYwMKurnYAl8t7gPWyb_yCl-xbovqcXlMswMjfhb9GHHs_xjoTlFR6QWGrJPUbWhATZRL_s/s1600/2013-03-12_16-25-26_32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bua="true" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGF6cFhXo4l5Aio_IgWI5ZYu_KoQhvaQucQvHad7TK95i48hY57lIfTWXQ4n7uS4_dJqEWbYwMKurnYAl8t7gPWyb_yCl-xbovqcXlMswMjfhb9GHHs_xjoTlFR6QWGrJPUbWhATZRL_s/s200/2013-03-12_16-25-26_32.jpg" width="200" /></a>Meanwhile, grease a 9 inch pie pan with coconut oil. In a separate bowl, mix your oats, almond meal, and flax evenly and add water until you have a mix that will stick together but isn't too soggy (think sand castle). It should crumble in your hands but you should be able to press it together. Press the mix into the pie pan to form a crust at the bottom and around the edges. There will probably be leftover mix so save it to sprinkle over the top of the fruit.</div>
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By now, the fruit should be more or less defrosted. Pour it into your pie crust along with all the juice that goes with it. The juice and steam are going to cook the oat based crust. Spread it evenly and sprinkle any leftover crust crumbles on top of the fruit and place it in the oven for about 30 minutes. Remove and enjoy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOf0D9IphAFq-HrcZZrUAyeFb1xLSBrA96mwoe_7y5IQYYcW7A8auMfK58KCIp1J_-BNlmeEciadkOiF9exsPS_vsOMhyxB_jOmiB5BRaVc4cwzPLpZOnB3kJImP1yZ3exD3EdGzKKyP4L/s1600/2013-03-12_16-28-36_413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" bua="true" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOf0D9IphAFq-HrcZZrUAyeFb1xLSBrA96mwoe_7y5IQYYcW7A8auMfK58KCIp1J_-BNlmeEciadkOiF9exsPS_vsOMhyxB_jOmiB5BRaVc4cwzPLpZOnB3kJImP1yZ3exD3EdGzKKyP4L/s200/2013-03-12_16-28-36_413.jpg" width="200" /></a><strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: Oatmeal has a habit of getting cakey if you cook it and let it set. You are counting on this to be able to cut your cobbler and scoop it without having a delicious crumbly mess, although it will taste the same. Let it cool off a bit before you cut it.</strong></div>
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If you find that this comes out a little dry, consider adding a couple of tablespoons of juice to the fruit mix or covering it with aluminum foil to keep some of the moisture in.</div>
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Go nuts! (I couldn't resist.) This kind of pie goes well with sliced almonds or chopped walnuts on top. Top it with yogurt or cream to make it more of a meal. This is a real guest pleaser if you have health conscious visitors in the house and is not too much effort to make.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8pVgJ1k9dQWZwR-HVklH0HvJWmCoRKqtP_VFHQ9VBsa0ejL8pM3LUIJWMIHh90mVjljwSs_NseKeltwfFWBTbgnbnscVgGceOTA0iBTBBouKcPAgFCIjyQvknWvOxWFRGdRRXoTrcq7W/s1600/2013-03-12_17-20-38_132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bua="true" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8pVgJ1k9dQWZwR-HVklH0HvJWmCoRKqtP_VFHQ9VBsa0ejL8pM3LUIJWMIHh90mVjljwSs_NseKeltwfFWBTbgnbnscVgGceOTA0iBTBBouKcPAgFCIjyQvknWvOxWFRGdRRXoTrcq7W/s320/2013-03-12_17-20-38_132.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-42290747533798766662013-03-03T14:31:00.001-08:002013-03-14T16:12:37.594-07:00Getting That Hourglass Figure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42V6NbEw6rH9Zku8GEF8zY7dV8EaAvDGQWy2lts-b6R2l2vylHKDOVEdjgF3k5diDLG858ffd-9QWL4wjpD_W6Q4c2zfZSlWTZla0CLVWul_lnhq6hq0S8fOqfjHJA6HiqEqR4LGEwnlY/s1600/2013-02-22_16-22-33_454-1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gsa="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42V6NbEw6rH9Zku8GEF8zY7dV8EaAvDGQWy2lts-b6R2l2vylHKDOVEdjgF3k5diDLG858ffd-9QWL4wjpD_W6Q4c2zfZSlWTZla0CLVWul_lnhq6hq0S8fOqfjHJA6HiqEqR4LGEwnlY/s320/2013-02-22_16-22-33_454-1-1.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
Ah, the hourglass figure. Many women think that they are doomed by genetics to never look curvy and feminine. Although genetics can help determine the degree of curviness a woman can have, the bombshell classic can nevertheless be yours if you are willing to put in the work. <br />
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An hourglass figure basically means that you are small in the waist area and proportionately larger in the hips and bust. You can’t do a whole lot (short of surgery) about your bust size. Fortunately, you have a lot more control over the rest than you might think. The standard ideal waist to hip ratio is usually agreed upon to be around .70, just for reference. You can get this number by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement. Start by finding a flexible measuring tape and wrapping it around the smallest part of your waist. For most women this is well above the belly button (around the inferior angle of the rib cage). The measuring tape should be firmly touching your skin all the way around, level with the floor, and not so tight that it creates any bulging. The hip measurement should be taken in the same way at the fullest part. </div>
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Now that we know what an hourglass figure is, how do we get one? Okay, the goal here is to make your waist smaller, which will usually involve burning off some fat, and make your hips and butt larger or at least stay the same, which will usually involve building muscle. </div>
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<strong>Midsection:</strong><br />
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So what makes your waist large? There are many factors: <br />
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<strong>1.</strong> The first and most obvious is excess fat. I’m not big on counting calories, but it is a good idea to do it just once, just to know what you’re really taking in. There are plenty of resources online to help you estimate your calorie intake and most big restaurants and a lot of grocery stores have information posted about the nutrition of their meals and products available for those who are curious. Keep a food journal for a few days just to see what your typical meal plan actually looks like. A lot of people simply eat way more than they need to of foods that provide little nutritional value and don’t realize it. Let’s say I have a recommended 2000 calorie diet. If I kept three meals a day at 500 calories a piece, and saved 500 calories for snacks and drinks, that’s it. See how many meals you eat are actually 500 calories and it may make you reconsider your meal plan. What this should tell you is that you’d better make those 500 calorie meals provide you with enough fuel to keep you going so that you don’t get hungry later. </div>
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<strong>2.</strong> I am not a nutritionist. However, I do know that certain foods seem to affect this belly area differently for different people. While you’re keeping a food journal, you may want to pay attention to what you eat for awhile and measure your waist circumference to find out what does it for you. For me, excess wheat and/or heavy fried foods not only make me feel heavy and unmotivated (so less likely to want to work out), but tend to put fat around the midsection for me. If I minimize my intake of these foods, my waist tends to be slimmer. Things high in sugar don’t seem to do this for me so that isn’t as big a deal. Pay attention to your own body and see what works and doesn’t work for you. <br />
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<strong>3.</strong> Skipping meals. This is something a lot of people do when they’re trying to slim down. All I can say is “don’t”. Three things are likely to happen. The first is that you will be tired and unlikely to want to do any physical activity. The second is that you are likely, when drained, to crave comfort foods. The third is that starving yourself can send your body into (surprise!) starvation mode, which will possibly have you storing up your fat reserves. <br />
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<strong>4.</strong> Sleep and stress. I will address these two together simply because they are related. Stress tends to increase belly fat. Google “cortisol” if you want to learn more about this topic. Lack of sleep tends to do make you tired, hungry and unmotivated. It also tends to increase your stress level. Try to get some sleep and a little down time. It’s good for you anyway. <br />
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<strong>5.</strong> Bloating. This usually related to your menstrual cycle. People tend to be more bloated as their period approaches. Don’t get discouraged if you see no results during this time. You will most likely see them as soon as your period is over. Added benefit of being leaner/more fit is that this often correlates with lighter periods and milder symptoms. </div>
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<strong>6.</strong> In relation to the previous topic, many people actually have backed up bowels they don’t know about. If you think this might be you, try doing a partial liquid diet for a few days and see if it doesn’t help you out. During this time, the blender is your best friend. Keep your solid meals light and easy to digest. If you are unsure about your ability to properly nourish yourself, consult with a specialist. </div>
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<strong>Bottom:</strong></div>
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Now that we’ve discussed getting your waist smaller, it’s time to talk about toning up those hips and buttocks. Take a lesson from Brazilian girls. No really, the Brazilian butt for the most part isn’t any more natural than disproportionately large pectorals and biceps on the gym guy with the skinny legs. I’m sure you’ve seen this guy. If you watch Brazilian girls in the gym, they work almost exclusively the butt and hip area. The result of working these muscles not surprisingly makes them bigger. So there we go, big hips and buttocks. This won’t, however, happen from getting on the elliptical trainer for two hours with no resistance. If you want to make muscles grow in size, it will require some kind of weight bearing activity. There are countless online resources and available personal trainers to teach you how to exercise if it is not your forte. Don’t be afraid to seek advice and try it out and see what works for you. </div>
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: Notice how I didn’t mention doing hours of abdominal work outs? Remember when we talked about how working muscles makes them bigger? Right. A lot of women make the mistake of overdoing the ab work outs and end up with a flat, square shape instead of a lovely feminine curve. Also, too much abs and not enough back makes for strange posture (see other tip below… )</strong><br />
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<strong>Top:</strong><br />
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All of this will help you get what is known as a “pear shape” body. Not everyone is destined for a true hourglass figure as it is limited by breast size. A sad fact of losing weight anyway is watching your breasts get smaller (unless you are already considering a reduction). So how do we make a “pear shape” look like a “peanut shape”? The secret is to work your back and shoulders. By putting some meat on your back and shoulders, it will create what is known as a “V shape” on men. This is because men have a lower waist than women do. For women, it will help balance out the larger bottom side and create the illusion of the hourglass (especially from the back, which is awesome!) and turn your body into the bombshell figure you’ve always wanted. <br />
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<strong>Second Awesome Tip of the Day: Stand in front of an honest mirror and take a look at your posture. If you see a female Mr. Burns, I’m talking to you. <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/07/getting-rid-of-upper-back-pain.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Standing up correctly</span></a> is not only good for your alignment but it is physically attractive. Even a skinny girl can create a little belly pouch by slouching. Don’t do this to yourself. In addition to contributing to back and shoulder pain, slouching can make you look flimsy and insecure. Standing up straight can make you look firm and confident. That attitude alone is attractive to most people. </strong><br />
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All this said, I am a strong believer that insecurity comes from a feeling of helplessness and lack of control in one’s own life. If you are unhappy with your body, or would just like to improve it, know that this is within your power as long as you are willing to put in some work and self-discipline. Start a food and work out log to keep yourself accountable and check in with yourself every week. You can weigh yourself if you want but I suggest taking measurements instead, since the goal is to change shape, not weight. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results right away. Many people won’t see a noticeable change within the first month of trying to change their body. You might like taking a picture of yourself in the mirror in your best lingerie every two weeks to track your progress and keep yourself motivated. Feel free to ask questions via email and I will be happy to respond. <br />
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<strong>UPDATE</strong></div>
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One of my readers asked a bunch of good questions about this post so I thought I would just address them for all of you.<br />
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<em>1. About the abs, I thought there were some ab muscles that supposedly "cinched" the waist in tighter when they were stronger. Is that not true? Also, where does the core sequence fit in with trying to not work abs to get a smaller midsection?</em><br />
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Yes. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transversus_abdominis_muscle"><span style="color: #38761d;">Transverse abdominals</span></a>. They don't have to be super strong, just trained to do their job. The core sequence is done with no resistance and works you evenly. You don't need to do it more than a couple of times per week to stay strong. It becomes more of a low level cardio when you get used to it. It won't bulk you up.<br />
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<em>2. About the bottom, what if you have small hips but a big butt? From the front you would look less bell curve, but based on the measurement you might have the .70 ratio. Or should I be measuring around the hips, not butt area?</em><br />
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The measurement factors both hips and butt and you should measure right around the fullest part, parallel to the floor.<br />
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<em>3. So making the butt muscles bigger seems pretty easy to me. Lots of running and squats and stuff. But how do you make the hips themselves look wider?</em><br />
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You have muscles on the hips too. I get them from holding kicks out, but I saw the girls in brazil with ankle weights lying on their side doing leg extensions. Similar idea. Basically, bring your knee up to your chest and then extend your leg so that it is alongside your other leg as it would be if you were standing. This should look like doing knee raises from a standing position on you are lying on your side without letting your leg rest against your other one. You can also get on your hands and knees and lift your leg out to the side (think dog watering a mailbox). I saw some people doing this to develop hip strength for kicking during a cardio kickboxing class.<br />
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4. <em>Can you identify a few exercises you think are easiest/best for increasing the shoulders? Push ups?</em><br />
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Push ups are going to help tone and strengthen your pectorals and triceps primarily. It is good to do these and they help firm and tone your chest and arms. However, I would suggest working your lats and upper back to create a V shape. Try lat pull-downs and rowing.<br />
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5. <em>Back to the abs and core sequence again. Do these exercises strengthen the back as well? My back gets tight after doing them. Does that mean I'm doing them incorrectly?</em><br />
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Yes to the first part. The idea is that they work everything around fairly evenly. Most people will feel it in their backs because they're used to working the front disproportionately. As your back becomes stronger, you will not notice this as much. Stretch your back out afterward if you feel like it helps. It is good to stretch anyway.</div>
OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-58938963449942391162011-02-18T23:54:00.000-08:002011-02-21T17:15:03.333-08:00On Getting Offended<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">We all get offended now and then. It's really unpleasant for the person getting offended and frequently uncomfortable for the offender. The good news is that much of the responsibility of getting offended, and especially how you deal with it, is in your own hands. If you find yourself being offended, here are some things you can do about it. <br />
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I apologize in advance for all of the generalizations.<br />
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<strong>The knowing offender.</strong> There are two categories of knowing offenders. The first is one who is an ***hole. This person wants to offend you and has found a way. It is quite likely that you are just as offended by the fact that they are trying to offend you as by what they actually said. I would suggest giving this person a really sarcastic look, shake your head, and laugh. That makes it pretty clear that all people present know that whatever they said was stupid and inappropriate. If that is not enough, end the situation by removing yourself from it.<br />
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The other type of knowing offender is someone who feels they need to tell you something important even if they know it will offend you. This is usually something for your own good, so even if it hurts you, it is a good idea to recognize that this person is probably a better friend than you thought. It's a good idea to admit to yourself that this person is really trying to help you rather than hurt you and accept it as such. It is the same idea as someone telling your that there is food in your teeth. You may not like it. You may be embarrassed. However, you are now saved from talking to the cute checker at the grocery store with lunch on display. Thank you, offensive friend. I appreciate your bold ways.<br />
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<strong>The unknowing offender.</strong> There are two kinds of unknowing offenders. The first is one who is offending you and should really know better. This is the person who is cracking paraplegic jokes in front of the guy in the wheelchair. Chances are, he's not trying to be rude. It's just really difficult to see what's going on around you with a severe case of cranial rectosis. Take a deep breath and calmly mention to the person, "So you see the wheelchair, right?" If that isn't enough, and given the situation it may not be, just say, "You're cracking paraplegic jokes in front of the guy in the wheelchair and you should probably stop." This is normally enough. If not, just don't encourage it and move on with your life.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: When you feel yourself getting worked up, you are already losing your power of reasoning. This makes it much more difficult for the other person to explain to you that they meant no offense, and much more difficult for you to believe them. It is important in that case to remember that you cannot fight your emotion any more than you can fight fire with fire. You must calm yourself down. Calming your emotion will help you be more receptive to whether a person really is even trying to offend you or what else they could have meant by what they said or did. Once you begin to understand what is actually happening in the situation, it will be easier to diffuse it.</strong><br />
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The other unknowing offender has just said something that relates to another thing they could not possibly know about. This is the person who says, "Hey, nice haircut!" and doesn't know that you've been upset all morning because the stylist did the opposite of what you wanted and you hate it. Getting upset with that person will not help. Thank them for their kind gesture and move on. They probably genuinely meant it. People have different tastes and you can't just assume that they feel the same way about it that you do so they should know that it's terrible. If you must, just sigh it off and let them know that you wish it was a nice haircut, because you just spent all morning being upset because the stylist did the opposite of what you wanted and you hate it.<br />
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<strong>The misinterpreted offender.</strong> It is extremely important that you understand that this person did not actually offend you. There are two situations in which this might occur. The first is that you actually misheard what the person said. They said one thing, you heard another. It's as simple as that and you must admit that to yourself and to that person.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip #2: While you're calming yourself down, try to think very clearly and rationally about one important question... "Why would this person say this to me?" Can't believe it? Don't. Unless this person hates you or is otherwise trying to hurt you, chances are they actually did not say whatever it was or at least did not mean it that way. Why would your best friend tell you you're too ugly to go out wearing that? Well, they didn't. Try to go back and think about the actual words that they said and try to take them at face value, without reading into them.</strong><br />
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The second situation is that you heard what the person said, but misread what was meant. For example, if you co-worker says to you, "You look tired," and you think they mean that you look bad this morning, you're wrong. Most likely, they're just commenting that you look like you're having a rough day and should take a break. Or it could be that you show the tell-tale signs of a night out and they are looking for a way in to that conversation to hear all about what happened. In other cases, the person is probably also tired and wants to commiserate. None of these are offensive things. These are friendly things. If you keep that in mind, you're less likely to be hurt by what they say.<br />
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Final thought on the matter... If you find that you are a relatively sensitive person and the person who is offending you is insensitive, take a moment to understand insensitive people. An insensitive person doesn't not care about how you feel, they just don't understand why you feel that way. Sometimes they don't understand even THAT you feel that way. It is unwise to assume that an insensitive people should "just know" anything, ever. It won't happen. Sensitive people tend to use words and tones to express feelings and emotions. They speak a language that is meant to be interpreted and read into. Deciphering meaning in this language is truly an art. Insensitive people tend to calculate specific words in a specific order and deliver those words to express a specific thought, idea, or observation. This language is meant to be taken exactly how it was delivered. Speaking this language is truly an art.<br />
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That said, the person is likely to just repeat for you very clearly the exact words they previously said. If you tell an insensitive person, "You said this, but you meant that," they will disagree with you. They will be upset if you don't remember the words that they carefully chose to deliver to you. Reading into their tone or relating what they said to what that means to <em>you</em> (which they will not have known as mentioned before about assumptions) is effectively the same to an insensitive person as not listening at all. It is like saying, "I don't care what you're really saying. I'm inventing my own meaning and getting offended by it and blaming you." <u>This is highly offensive to an insensitive person!</u> They honestly probably feel bad about offending you, but you can't see it through their frustration. If it continues, and they are smart enough to not try to dig themselves out of the hole, they will likely assume that you are unreasonable and abandon the situation.<br />
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The best thing to do is to first calm down and second realize that the person did not mean to offend you. They're probably still unsure even why you're offended because they didn't say anything they could possibly imagine as being a bad thing. Insensitive people tend to make casual, objective observations and comments that they have no emotional attachment to or feeling about one way or the other. Their is no "good" or "bad" label on most things, so they will be completely unaware if you have one. Most insensitive people that I know are just as surprised when they find out that people naturally have this view as an sensitive person is to find out that people live without having that view. Just imagine the amazement between two people, one who has slept in a hammock all his life and never seen a stationary bed, and one who has always had a bed and never seen a hammock. Each has it's advantages but they are such different ways to get the same job done.<br />
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Best of luck! Reducing the incidences in which you are offended can greatly reduce the stress in your life and improve your general happiness, especially if you are one to be offended often. Also, if you are either a sensitive or insensitive person looking across that line, maybe this has provided a little insight on what is happening in a situation in which one person is unknowingly offending the other. Talking about it with the wrong approach obviously only makes it worse.</div>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-34693275280633359502011-02-18T22:27:00.000-08:002011-02-18T22:36:04.217-08:00Her Room Online Lingerie Store Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.herroom.com/"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Her Room</strong></span></a> is an online store for women's lingerie. Their catch line is "Lingerie We Buy For Ourselves". They carry lingerie, swimwear, sleepwear, active wear, hosiery, etc. There is also an attached His Room for that man in your life.<br />
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Anyway, the people at Her Room have seemingly thought of it all.<br />
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<strong>Return Policy.</strong> The first thing I checked was their return policy. They are good about returns and also do "phone exchanges" in which they send you the new stuff right away and just refund you for the old stuff when they get it back from you. Also, because their return policy is good, you can order a few sizes if you're unsure and just return the stuff that didn't fit.<br />
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<strong>Product Reviews and Ratings.</strong> Their products are available for review by customers, so you can see what people are saying about what you're looking to buy and also sort products by star ratings.<br />
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<strong>Bounce Tests.</strong> This is truly unique and really stands out to me. The took 40 or so of their most popular sports bras and took a video of a woman wearing it and mimicking a jogging motion. This is a great way to compare effectiveness in sports bras.<br />
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<strong>So many sizes!</strong> Her Room carries 28A-56K. I'm quite sure your size is in there.<br />
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<strong>See It Under...</strong> There is an option to see the bra on a manikin with various shirt/blouse styles laid over in to see what parts of the bra might show under a V neck, boat neck, button up, etc.<br />
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<strong>Fit Guide.</strong> There is a fit guide, which are suggestions on sizing based on customer feedback. For example, if the band runs loose, they might advise you to try a tighter band size and larger cup size to get the proper fit. This helps you buy and helps them minimize returns and unsatisfied customers. There is also a customer service representative available for online chat to help you make fitting decisions in a hurry. Furthermore, there are product specific measurements listed. For example, if something claims to be "low rise", they will tell you what it really is in inches.<br />
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<strong>Pictures.</strong> All products come with a variety of pictures from different angles so you know what the back and front will look like on a real person.<br />
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<strong>Shipping.</strong> Orders $70 and up ship free.<br />
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<strong>PayPal.</strong> I'm a huge PayPal fan and they accept it.<br />
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All in all, I would recommend looking through their online store and see if anything appeals to you for your next lingerie buying experience.</div>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-39485967186287293732011-02-18T21:50:00.000-08:002011-02-18T22:29:44.746-08:00Get the *Point* Out of Freya Active Bras and Product Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This is going to start off with a product review and then finish with how to soften the pointiness of this particular bra.<br />
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<strong><u>Freya Active Bra 4002 Product Review</u></strong><br />
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First, Freya is a wonderful brand that makes lingerie for women, keeping women in mind. What I mean by that is that they aim to make supportive, attractive lines for women of a broad range of sizes. It is one of the few brands that actually carries my size, as I am naturally petite and almost all bra bands are too loose to provide me the support I desire. I wear a 28F/30E in Freya sizes at the moment since I've lost some more weight.<br />
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Second, <a href="http://www.freyalingerie.com/active.aspx"><span style="color: #38761d;">Freya's Active</span></a> line is well thought-out. It appears they looked into what a really big and busty woman would need to wear while running and jumping and then made it also in my size. In fact, they carry these sports bras in 28D-G and 30-38D-H. 4002 is an underwire sports bra that looks like a 1940s full figure bra. They are made with a dry-wicking fabric that surprisingly does not chafe. There are three hooks in the back up to E cups and F cups have four. I can personally attest to the minimal bounce this bra affords me during highly strenuous and high impact exercises. While it is not "the perfect" bra, I would still give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars simply because it gets the job done.<br />
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<strong>Pros:</strong><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>quick dry material that doesn't chafe</li>
<li>comes in a wide variety of sizes</li>
<li>keeps bouncing to an absolute minimum</li>
<li>comes in a variety of colors (black, white, nude, plus a sister style in red and charcoal)</li>
<li>underwire design provides separation and stability</li>
<li>encapsulation protects from upward bounce</li>
<li>fully adjustable (four hook settings on the band/a lot of room for adjustment on the shoulder straps)</li>
<li>durable</li>
</ul><strong>Cons:</strong><br />
<ul><li>there is a seam that runs horizontally across the cups that can be seen through clothing</li>
<li>cups are slightly pointy, very pointy out of the package</li>
<li>straps would be better if crossed or crossable</li>
<li>pricey at about $60 a bra</li>
</ul>I would not recommend an underwire bra for sparring or grappling or any other sport in which someone might strike or dig into the wire area. It just hurts. Freya carries a softcup version but I have not tried it. I wear Under Armour high impact (cross back) sports bras for martial arts.<br />
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<u><strong>So What Does One Do About the Pointiness?</strong></u><br />
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I gave this some thought and then tried a few things. I suggest washing your bra with warm water to start with. That seems to help the material soften up faster. You may machine wash it in a lingerie or bra bag (not with towels or other fabrics that are heavy on the lint) or you may leave it to soak in a bucket of warm water. Hang it to dry. When it is *almost* dry, put it on and wear it around the house on a snug setting. This should help it mold to you a little faster as it dries with your body heat to your personal shape.<br />
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After doing this once or twice, the pointiness should reduce to an acceptable level.<br />
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<u><strong>Want to Buy One?</strong></u><br />
If you are interested in buying one of these bras, I would suggest properly sizing yourself and ordering from a place that has a good return/exchange policy. The bands run pretty true to size. If you're not sure how to size yourself, click <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/07/bras-that-actually-fit.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">here</span></a>.<br />
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I have made purchases from both <a href="http://www.herroom.com/"><span style="color: #38761d;">Her Room</span></a> (US) and <a href="http://www.menarys.com/"><span style="color: #38761d;">Menary's</span></a> (UK) and had good experiences. If you already know your size you may have luck with <a href="http://breakoutbras.stores.yahoo.net/"><span style="color: #38761d;">Breakout Bras</span></a>. They tend to carry very few sizes but have better prices on the ones they have. Her Room also has an attached His Room for that man in your life.<br />
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Click <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2011/02/her-room-online-lingerie-store-review.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">here</span></a> for a my Her Room review.</div>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-84979174838726430172011-01-27T11:01:00.000-08:002011-01-27T11:03:43.327-08:00How to Not Get Deodorant Marks on Your Shirt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">If you are getting deodorant on your shirt, you are likely not using proper technique when you put your shirt on. Ask yourself if you are using your armpits to help get your shirt on. You are probably doing this without even realizing it. Try this instead:<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1.</strong> Fold the bottom of your shirt out over itself before you put it on. The inside of your shirt will now be facing outward in the area that usually picks up deodorant marks. If you get them now, they will be in a place where no one sees them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaeXYwarwdQJk_yKkdgBzLm8to4WR8HNYfZBa9JHBS0bpbJpUHwzJzNdjPRafHWep472q-3FTAv9b1BwXvuIA-o9NdIaMjB_9F9Al16m-ISKkL1GwjTJ_wM31BX4GMbDg789kmlY7tVco/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaeXYwarwdQJk_yKkdgBzLm8to4WR8HNYfZBa9JHBS0bpbJpUHwzJzNdjPRafHWep472q-3FTAv9b1BwXvuIA-o9NdIaMjB_9F9Al16m-ISKkL1GwjTJ_wM31BX4GMbDg789kmlY7tVco/s200/027.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><strong>2.</strong> Put your arms through the arm holes of your shirt up to your upper arms, but not all the way to your armpits.<br />
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</div><strong>3.</strong> Put your head through while keeping your elbows up. The easy way to do this is to use your two thumbs to pull the neck hole open before your pull it over your head.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCUKIdwTIo2lFqoDWjdXqWLBF1sDrJ_-CFyYx5WwPEvZ-ZliPSZwCsvEeAqX6E4uVOWjX_Aysr55fQKn67vNOl1a2QRezNgbitXLIHZYo8_eQKXWxLLgtYmhSAklRUql1_lFpMAQ10HH7/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCUKIdwTIo2lFqoDWjdXqWLBF1sDrJ_-CFyYx5WwPEvZ-ZliPSZwCsvEeAqX6E4uVOWjX_Aysr55fQKn67vNOl1a2QRezNgbitXLIHZYo8_eQKXWxLLgtYmhSAklRUql1_lFpMAQ10HH7/s200/029.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><strong>4.</strong> Now, use one hand to grab the shirt under the opposite armpit and hold it away from your skin. Slide that hand across the folded hem of the shirt toward it's own side, and then match it symmetrically with your other hand.<br />
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<strong>5.</strong> You should now have your head and arms through the shirt and be holding the bottom (folded edge) away from your armpits. Now you can pull it down with your hands, not sliding it across your armpits.<br />
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</div><strong>6.</strong> Unfold the bottom of the shirt so that it is on normally.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: If you somehow mess this up or simply forgot to do it, you can get rid of the deodorant marks by rubbing the cloth against itself over the deodorant mark. If that does not work, wipe it with a damp paper towel or cloth.</strong></div>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-31916406310823047552011-01-13T10:07:00.000-08:002011-01-13T10:07:15.984-08:00~Why I Go Out With Her... Yet Another Saturday Night~This is just a moment to appreciate my dancing buddy. <br />
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A little back story...when I met my dancing buddy, she was a shy, passive, soft-spoken classmate of mine in Jr. High. She's really tiny anyway, so it's all the more funny to hear the things that come out of her mouth now that she is no longer that passive, pushover little girl. Apparently, she's grown a pair over the years and knows how to use it.<br />
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We went out last Saturday. She ended up dancing with this "Chatty Cathy" guy who wouldn't shut up the whole time he was dancing with her. She seemed okay with it, since most of it was flattery, but then it got annoying when he started reaching out and touching my hair. I mean, really, you're only here as long as my friend looks like she's having a good time. Don't push it, right? So, knowing how irritating that kind of thing is, after about the third time she looks at me, and then stops and turns around and says, "If you're interested in continuing to dance with me, you should stop that, right now. She doesn't like it and I don't like it and you can be replaced." Replaced?! Awesome! So he behaved and stuck around for quite awhile. Win, win. Nice job, dancing buddy. Fourteen years ago, I never would have guessed. :DOsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-40970161192793202412011-01-06T15:44:00.000-08:002011-01-09T09:33:18.595-08:00Guys! Afraid of Dancing and Night Clubs...?How to Go to Night Clubs<br />
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First, you're not alone. I say this because I'm writing this article in response to a personal request, although that was certainly not anywhere near the first time I've been asked about it. I'm guessing you probably have a wife or girlfriend that wants you to go out with her or some nice friends, male or female, that have invited you to hit the clubs. However, you're afraid of dance clubs probably mostly because you don't know how to dance. Many people will advocate taking dance classes to deal with this (and that's nice and all...), but I think there is a cheaper and easier way. Anyway, let's get started by just addressing some common questions and concerns that I've been asked by many.<br />
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<strong><em>"I don't know how to dance and it looks goofy if I try."</em></strong> No one is expecting you to be a professional or even be any good. No one worth talking to or caring about is going to care about this at all. Even good dancers are not usually worried about it. I'm a good dancer, and when I see guys out at night clubs goofing about with each other or their female friends or girlfriends, it's endearing. I love see other people having fun. Here's a secret, you're more attractive when you're smiling and having a good time. The girls I know will take a guy who is fun and unskilled over a guy who is skilled and boring or stuck up any day of the week. That's why "guy who can make me laugh" and "guy who is fun/doesn't take himself too seriously" is usually in the top three to five on pretty much any girl's list of what she wants in a guy.<br />
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<strong><em>"I feel like people will be looking at me."</em></strong> You have to be trying to get attention for people to notice you at a night club. It's packed with people, many of whom are pretty intoxicated, so few people can see you at all. What you don't think about is that many of the people there, including a lot of the girls, are too self-conscious about their own dancing to think about what you're doing, especially if they don't know you. If a girl is looking at you, she might be checking you out. If she looks at you and smiles, don't get scared. She's probably trying to get <em>your</em> attention.<br />
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<em><strong>"So how does one actually dance? Do I need to know steps?"</strong></em> Well, there's the easy part. No, you do not need steps. DJs at nightclubs go out of their way to make it easy for you to find the beat. You can start by just listening for it. Shift your weight from one foot to the other in rhythm with this basic beat. You can actually just avoid steps altogether if you want to. It's easier and leaves less room for error (like stepping on someone's foot). In fact, a lot of people get more goofy by overdoing the stepping thing. For now, just don't worry about it. Once you start to get into this rhythm, let your body just go with it. Take a look around. Try and pick up what other people are doing. I guarantee that you will eventually meet eyes with someone who is looking at you to pick up on <em>your</em> moves. You may be thinking, "Sucker, I don't know what I'm doing..." Most people don't, though, so you'll fit right in.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: While you're out there trying to figure out the dancing thing, worrying about what people are thinking about you, here's a secret: There will be a lot of girls looking at you... wishing their boyfriend/husband was (believe it or not) as awesome as you! That's right, they're dancing by themselves because their man will not join them. See a cute girl by herself? That girl wishes her boyfriend was dancing right now, goofy as it may be, instead of looking "cool" by himself at home or at the bar. Boring.</strong><br />
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<em><strong>"Uh oh, so this girl wants to dance with me. What do I do now?"</strong></em> First thing? Relax. Smile, she must think you're attractive or at least fun. Dance with her.<br />
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<em><strong>"Okay, now she's moving in on me and wants to do that whole dancing *together* thing."</strong></em> Yeah, let it happen. When the time is right, you'll know what to ... wait, wrong speech! Actually, this is the easiest part. She will either face you or face away from you. No real difference there. I must caution you to not get too grabby. Some girls may tolerate it, others will find it offensive and irritating. Keep it respectful. Try to avoid touching the breast and butt area. She will appreciate that. If she's facing away from you, you will be best off keeping your hands on her hands or arms. It's still affectionate but not too presumptuous.<br />
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The key is to just move with her. Try to avoid friction. Just stay close to her and try to get into her rhythm. This will probably be a very basic swaying back and forth with the simplest part of the rhythm, since it is most practical when you have a partner. I get crazy with music and rhythms and dancing, but on the occasion that I dance with a guy, I stick to what makes sense. Once you get into her rhythm, just get comfortable and forget the rest of the room. You can talk to her a bit if she's interested. Introduce yourself and ask her her name. She probably just wants to dance, so don't worry about having to come up with a conversation.<br />
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<em><strong>"What if I have to have some drinks to "get loose"? Is that okay?"</strong></em> Yes, but... try not to have more than just that amount. Unless a girl is really intoxicated, she's not too interested in being approached by someone who is really intoxicated. You may think you're a charming guy when you're drunk, and your friends might agree, but she may think you're just sloppy and obnoxious. Have a couple of drink if you must, then take a break. It will be easier on your wallet and help keep you from making an ass of yourself.<br />
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<em><strong>"How do I get a girl to dance with me?"</strong></em> Well, that only works if 1. you ask and 2. she wants to. The safest thing is to make eye contact with her before you approach her and try to judge her reaction. If she wants to to approach, she may make eyes at you or smile or something. If she doesn't, she will probably look away and try not to see you so as not to give you an invitation. If you're on the fence about it, flip a coin. Once you've made a decision, it's best to approach casually. If a guy is approaching me that I have no interest in, I usually move away a little bit to give him space. Any guy who approaches respectfully, asks me or my friend to dance, taps us on the shoulder or something, gets a nice response. Even if that response is no, it's still done nicely. If the guy is a jerk about it, he gets that in return. Also, be a jerk to one girl and all her friends will hate you, too. Be nice, and even if the girls is not to interested or if she has a boyfriend, she might send a cute friend your way. However, if you try all her friends after she said no, it may look bad on you.<br />
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<strong><em>"Am I supposed to dress up? What do I wear?"</em></strong> Well, that's going to depend on the place you're going and what night of the week it is. If you're unsure, ask your girlfriend/wife or female friends what you should wear to the place you're planning to go. Girls are usually pretty happy to give out fashion advice. If it's <em>your</em> woman you're asking, you're sure to please her. If it's just your lady friends, they're probably happy to help you look your best.<br />
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<strong>Other cool tips and clubbing etiquette...</strong><br />
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<strong>Take "no" for an answer.</strong> Being pushy will not get you anywhere unless you're persistent enough for the bouncer to show you the door.<br />
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<strong>Don't be *that guy*.</strong> You know, that guy that comes up behind girls by surprise doing something that resembles a dog humping her leg? He deserves the same rolled-up newspaper to the muzzle. That same guy is usually the one that puts his hands on people unnecessarily when he walks by. You don't want his reputation.<br />
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<strong>You may buy her a drink,</strong> but don't think that entitles you to anything. It was your offer. If she refuses, it's probably either because she doesn't want one, or she doesn't know if you're the kind of guy that will follow her around because you bought her a drink. If she accepts, ask her what she wants. It's a little weird to try to choose for her unless she asks you to.<br />
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<strong>If she asks you to buy her a drink,</strong> don't. You're probably not the first guy she's gotten to pay for her drinks tonight.<br />
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<strong>If you dance with a girl,</strong> try not to occupy all of her time and attention. Don't try to cut her off from her friends. You want to be the highlight of her night, not that guy who ruined "girl's night out". It's fun for her to have a guy with her for a little while, but having some guy attached to her all night can really cramp her style. If a few songs go by, excuse yourself. Offer to get her some water or tell her you're going to step outside and chat with your friend for a few. Invite her if you'd like. You can come back later and dance with her again. She will appreciate this.<br />
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<strong>Don't stand in the corner.</strong> If you must stand around for awhile, stand by the bar, in line for the bathroom, in the patio/social area, anywhere but the dance floor. 1. Usually, those places are pretty packed and it sucks to have someone just standing there, taking up space. 2. At best, you look boring. 3. At worst, you look like that really creepy guy who stands there, fantasizing about all the young girls, making <a href="http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=spot_the_pedo"><span style="color: #38761d;">this face</span></a>. You don't want to come off like that, ever.<br />
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<strong>Be clean.</strong> I'm not kidding, I've had "stinky guy" ruin many a night club experience. I know, most of you are not this guy, but in case you are, read carefully. It's not just about the shower, it's how you shower. Go to your local discount store and buy something that really scrubs. *Hint* Those little puffy things don't scrub, they just lather. Scrub all of your skin with it. Wash your hair. Make sure your clothes are fresh. Wear clean socks. <strong>If you're going to wear a cologne</strong>, try not to wear too much of it. You will stop smelling it after about ten minutes because you get used to it, <em>not</em> because it wears off. Everone you meet will have to smell it at full force. Anyone who gets too close to you will be stuck with it for the rest of the night.<br />
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While we're on the subject of hygiene, brushing your teeth is not enough. Long term lack of flossing creates a type of bad breath that cannot be cured by any amount of gum or even mouth wash. This type of bad breath actually comes from old decay between your teeth. You may be used to it, but no one else wants to breathe it (let alone taste it). I know that "high tech mouth wash" claims to clean between your teeth in the commercials. Don't believe them. Floss works, though. You can count on floss anytime.<br />
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<strong>Don't swing dance</strong>, unless it is a swing club. On a crowded dance floor, it seems unusually self-centered to dance in a way that involves big spins and dips and flailing arms and legs, especially since it doesn't even fit the music. However, invariably, every time I go out there is at least one pair doing this. Stepping on people's feet and elbowing their faces and drinks won't win you any friends. It might, though, get you "put outside", as my bouncer friends call it. Anyway, people who do this don't impress anyone, they just ruin other people's good time. Don't let it be you.<br />
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Learning to go out to clubs and have fun (and be fun to hang out with) can really add a nice aspect to your dating/social life. People will be more likely to invite you out. Ability to dance when called for is a good skill to have even if you decide that clubbing is not your preferred night life. It will come in handy when you meet a girl that likes dancing and hated how her last boyfriend wouldn't go out with her. It also helps when your friends want to go bar hopping and end up at a club. It also saves your butt when that one really beautiful girl comes along and wants to dance with you, and you would otherwise have to look at the floor and say, "uh, I don't dance..."<br />
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If you have any questions or helpful tips and advice I didn't think about or forgot to add, feel free to comment below.OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-5802163880807476042011-01-06T13:02:00.000-08:002011-01-08T13:57:14.745-08:00The Gunslinger Move - Forearm and Shoulder StrengthMy dad showed me this move when I was a little girl (yeah, guess what part of California he's from...). He said that the old gunfighters used to do this every day to keep their forearms strong so that they could more easily hold their guns straight and, therefore, aim better. Interesting side note: I saw a documentary about Mirko Cro Cop, and he was doing exactly this in one scene. So...that was pretty awesome. Anyway, this is a good exercise for anyone in or entering law enforcement, the military, or just your everyday gun enthusiast.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJP3PCwAz8ZZEhvTn8WB-ixW8EQS0dHKNSCatgeGsjNcfTuAmSGyyFN-zpcLKv88r_io5VJa3sn6pkXTqSkZ8lN2hse0SzOmlKF2jKMyJdniowG2K0ujYvm7bq0eeTImIskM6bitXghqgy/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJP3PCwAz8ZZEhvTn8WB-ixW8EQS0dHKNSCatgeGsjNcfTuAmSGyyFN-zpcLKv88r_io5VJa3sn6pkXTqSkZ8lN2hse0SzOmlKF2jKMyJdniowG2K0ujYvm7bq0eeTImIskM6bitXghqgy/s200/002.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeKqiOE8Uciiz-YFVBtS4Ag5f1mCfchv_HGJP0N2s1qX071TTWp65NqZy6s8nVmzucFxf1mwQhOIGcaWI7a6x9yJQeQNjq-WEd8H1MTbzQYhIfy7wIjLv_LS-k3BkzuVCgJ7nrhtPnbr3/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeKqiOE8Uciiz-YFVBtS4Ag5f1mCfchv_HGJP0N2s1qX071TTWp65NqZy6s8nVmzucFxf1mwQhOIGcaWI7a6x9yJQeQNjq-WEd8H1MTbzQYhIfy7wIjLv_LS-k3BkzuVCgJ7nrhtPnbr3/s200/003.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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So for this exercise, you will need a prop. You can make one with a stick (something big enough make a good handle), a rope, and a weight. Tie the rope around the middle of the handle nice and tight so that it doesn't slip. A little duct tape will fix it if you can't get it tight enough. Tie the other end around the weight. It doesn't have to be a big weight, just a few pounds. The rope should be long enough that if you hold the stick straight out in front of you in both hands, the weight will be off the floor.</div><br />
<strong>The exercise goes like this:</strong><br />
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<strong>1.</strong> Standing in good posture (shoulders down, back straight, hips tucked, feet apart), hold the handle out in front of you at about chest height. The rope should be right in the middle between your hands so that you're not holding more weight on one hand or the other.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sxbo2yKdqSJDY2kZmKzJqWqPxrfP7GIGstGN3x9EfncAtviMcHIKqRRM-Y1vjlx-JHJI6kU7ffvkYY2Yq0x4E1v1q7qy-4HWj1CjSzqhaQTkhUFgRCMccjdFwn0u6ZfDDHOs1O3hyphenhyphen9og/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sxbo2yKdqSJDY2kZmKzJqWqPxrfP7GIGstGN3x9EfncAtviMcHIKqRRM-Y1vjlx-JHJI6kU7ffvkYY2Yq0x4E1v1q7qy-4HWj1CjSzqhaQTkhUFgRCMccjdFwn0u6ZfDDHOs1O3hyphenhyphen9og/s200/004.JPG" width="200" /></a><strong>2.</strong> Start rolling the handle toward yourself so that the rope winds around the handle, getting shorter and shorter until the weight reaches the handle.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>3.</strong> Unwind the rope by rolling the handle in the opposite direction (away from you) until the rope reaches full extension again and then winds back up in the other direction until the weight is, once again, at the handle.</div><br />
<strong>4.</strong> You complete the exercise by rolling the handle back toward yourself until the rope is unwound and the weight is hanging at full extension.<br />
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<strong>5.</strong> Repeat as necessary. Pay attention to your body position while you do this exercise. As you get tired, your hands will want to droop and you may start arching your back doing other strange things to compensate.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: If you cannot do this without cheating, you are either using too much weight or doing too many repetitions. This gets tiring fast, so maybe only do this once or twice the first day if you're not used to it. It is always better to build strength slowly and consistently to avoid injury and strengthen connective tissue as well as muscle. People tend to get injured from trying to get stronger too quickly. Muscle builds pretty fast, especially for men. Strong connective tissue, however, takes time. That's part of why gym guys get tears near the joint. Take your time and do it right. It will pay off in the end.</strong>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-8614435852531852092011-01-06T12:16:00.000-08:002011-01-06T12:18:37.531-08:00My Core Sequence, Part 6: Upper Body Circles<em>If you haven't already, please read </em><a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/core-strength-and-me.html"><span style="color: #38761d;"><em>Core Strength and Me</em></span></a><em> and </em><a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-core-sequence-introduction-to.html"><span style="color: #38761d;"><em>Introduction to Isolating Movement</em></span></a><em>.</em><br />
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This is the final installment of My Core Sequence. I will eventually post other core and dance related instructional pieces. Also, keep an eye out for other fitness articles.<br />
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Some of these upper body circles can be quite strenuous and difficult to do with good posture and technique. Focus on that so as to avoid putting undo strain on your back. Be sure to do all circles in both directions.<br />
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<strong>Chest Circles</strong><br />
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Your head will not move for this one. You will pass through all the full extension points in the Back and Forth Rib Slide and Up and Down Chest. Push your ribs out to the side, round your chest to the front, round to the other side, to the back, and repeat. Do ten and then repeat in the other direction. There will be no twisting involved, so your chest should be pointed toward the front the whole time, albeit tilted up or down a little.<br />
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<strong>Ribcage Circles</strong><br />
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Your head will move, but your hips will not. Make a big circle passing through all the full extension points of the Back and Forth Shoulder Slide and the Front to Back Chest.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: It is extra important for these next three movements to be done from good posture. Lift your torso as if you were trying to be tall. Especially if you are finding a bad or uncomfortable portion of the movement, really check your technique. Most commonly, it is the back bend that people are not okay with. Sometimes it is a strength issue and sometimes it is technique. Don't let your body sag on the forward part either.</strong><br />
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<strong>Tilting Ribcage Only Circles</strong><br />
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This one is a bit difficult for some. You will use the diaphragm area articulation point. Your head will move. If you do it right, it should look odd because the belly area should not move. Review the movements of the Back and Forth Rib Tilt and Front to Back Rib Tilt as you will be making these movements into a circle.<br />
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<strong>Torso Circles</strong><br />
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Starting from good posture, and keeping your torso more or less stiff, take your torso in a medium circle making sure that you are leaning evenly in all directions (as you should in any circular movement). Do ten and repeat in the other direction.<br />
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<strong>Big Torso Circles</strong><br />
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These require a bit of strength, so if you feel satisfied with the regular torso circles, just get used to those for awhile before you move to these ones. They are essentially the same, only you will make a much wider range of motion. You should feel a stretch and even let your body curve downward a little in every direction you lean. Do not twist. Do not lean further to the front than you do to the back. Chose whichever direction is most difficult for you and make that your range for every other direction so that you can maintain an even motion. With time, you will get stronger and more flexible at that angle and can increase your range of motion for the entire circle.<br />
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<strong>THAT COMPLETES THE "MY CORE SEQUENCE" SERIES. CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK!!</strong>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-83447036465365900522011-01-06T10:58:00.000-08:002011-01-10T15:22:35.375-08:00My Core Sequence, Part 5: Upper Body Figure Eights<em>If you haven't already, please read <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/core-strength-and-me.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Core Strength and Me</span></a> and <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-core-sequence-introduction-to.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Introduction to Isolating Movement</span></a>.</em><br />
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Just like the lower body figure eights, if you haven't yet mastered <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-core-sequence-part-4-upper-body.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Upper Body Linear Movements</span></a> I suggest taking the time to get comfortable with them before you try to get into figure eights. The linear movements are the basis of figure eights. As with all upper body movements, your goal is to keep everything from your hips to your feet from moving. So if you're wearing pants, they should stay relatively still the whole time.<br />
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As always, it is really important to focus on posture and technique. It is much better to do it right than fast. A tall standing mirror is invaluable for this.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB7yE6MmJcI"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><strong>VIDEO LINK!!</strong></span></a><br />
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<strong>Lateral Torso Figure Eights</strong><br />
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These are athletically a bit more difficult due to the trajectory and range of motion. You should definitely feel a stretch. Starting from good posture, drop one shoulder as you start to lean to one side. Once you start to feel a stretch, begin to lift that shoulder until you reach the position you would be in if you were doing the Back and Forth Shoulder Slide. Your shoulder should have made a big, upward half circle. Now, start to drop your other shoulder as you slide your torso across your center line diagonally downward as far as you can. Start to lift your shoulder until you reach the same, fully extended position in this new direction. Point the original shoulder downward again and repeat the diagonal, downward slide. The figure eight will resemble an infinity symbol, or an eight laying on it's side.<br />
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<strong>Reverse Torso Figure Eights</strong><br />
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These will more or less be the reverse trajectory of what you just did. Lean to one side, starting at the shoulder and letting your body bend, as far as you can (without letting your hips move) until you reach full range of flexibility. Now think about lifting your other shoulder straight up toward the ceiling and then coming to zero position. Repeat on the other side. Your figure eight will be a bit lopsided for this one.<br />
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<strong>Snake Torso</strong><br />
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Lean forward starting from the chest until you're as far forward as you can get without losing your balance. When you reach this position, start lifting your body, starting from the chest until you're in the same position as you would be in if you were doing the Front to Back Chest. Now, lift your chest until if is facing upward and start leaning your body backward until you're at full range of motion leaning backward. Very important: Do not let your lower back sag. By keeping your chest lifted during any movement that involves a back bend, it helps keep your back muscles engaged throughout the movement. Once you reach full extension without losing balance, round your upper back the same as the Front to Back Chest movement. Now, moving chest first, lean forward to repeat the motion. Your hips will need to tilt a little front to back to make this motion work.<br />
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<strong>Reverse Snake Torso</strong><br />
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This will pretty much be what you just did, but in the other direction. Start by pushing out your abdomen and then your chest until you are leaning forward as far as you can. Now, push in your belly (muscularly, NOT by "sucking it in") until you're more or less at the Front to Back Chest full extension toward the back. Lift your chest by arching your back muscularly until your chest is facing a bit upward (think limbo). Repeat the whole motion by pushing your belly out to the front and slowly rolling it out up through your chest until you come back to your full extension to the front. Repeat, repeat, repeat...<br />
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<strong>Twisting Torso Figure Eights</strong><br />
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Push in your chest toward the back as in the Front to Back Chest. Start rounding out your movement to the side until you reach the side extension of the Back and Forth Shoulder Slide. Continue rounding to the front while you twist that shoulder to the front. Now, you should have one shoulder facing diagonally to the front and the other facing diagonally to the back. Slide your body along that line and repeat the rounding motion front the other side, untwisting and then following that motion until you are twisting the other shoulder to the front. Repeat, repeat. You will be twisting your torso in the same motion as the Twisting Torso and making a circular path on each side of your body, passing through the full extension points of the Back and Forth Shoulder Slide and almost through the Front to Back Chest (because you will be twisting and crossing your center line, you won't be in exactly the same place). Your shoulders should, nevertheless, stay pretty parallel to the floor the entire time and your figure either will be just like any other twisting figure eight.<br />
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<strong>Reverse Twisting Torso Figure Eights</strong><br />
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This should be pretty self-explanatory. You will follow the same path as the previous movement only in reverse.<br />
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<strong>Twisting Chest Figure Eights</strong><br />
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Do not move your head or your hips for this movement. Push out your upper back as in the Up and Down Chest. Round your movement to the side until you are in the same pushed-out ribcage position as in the Back and Forth Rib Slide. Start twisting until your chest on one side is pushed toward the front. Now, follow that same diagonal line as the previous movements. Bring your ribcage to the side while untwisting and then twist your other shoulder/side of your chest to the front. Follow the diagonal line backward to the other side and repeat.<br />
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<strong>Reverse Twisting Chest Figure Eights</strong><br />
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Same path as the previous movement but in reverse. Start by pushing one side of your chest forward and untwisting toward the back.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: "A thousand times slow for one time fast." Really, technique is so much more important than speed. Repetition is the only way to master these movements. However, mindless repetition will not help you. Mindful, self-critical repetition is the path to success for My Core Sequence. Film yourself periodically if you have a camera so you can make comparisons and track your progress.</strong><br />
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<strong>NEXT IN THIS SERIES...</strong><br />
<a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-core-sequence-part-6-upper-body.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">My Core Sequence, Part 6: Upper Body Circles</span></a>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-12446162101605903982011-01-03T12:38:00.000-08:002011-01-07T10:36:01.317-08:00My Core Sequence, Part 4: Upper Body Linear Movements<em>If you haven't already, please read <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/core-strength-and-me.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Core Strength and Me</span></a> and <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-core-sequence-introduction-to.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Introduction to Isolating Movement</span></a>.</em><br />
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All of the upper body movements will be started from good posture. You may find that widening your stance just a little will help you with stability. The goal with upper body movements is to keep everything from your hips down as still as possible. For the sake of balance, it will not be possible to keep completely still, but try. You will find that the upper body movements pretty much match up with the lower body movements. If you find that you are either very uncoordinated in the hips, or just nervous about looking goofy, upper body movements may be a good place for you to start.<br />
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As always, if you're just starting off, it is wise to do just ten movements on each side, or twenty total, until you are comfortable with the new movements. Those of you who are new to core work may find yourself unusually sore if you do too much, too fast. Don't overdo it. You can add more repetitions next week if you find it is too easy. The most important thing is proper form so you're not training the wrong movement and not inadvertently causing strain or injury.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_annotate?v=FK_1w_yHhig"><strong><span style="color: #0b5394;">VIDEO LINK!!</span></strong></a><br />
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<strong>Back and Forth Shoulder Slide</strong><br />
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Start from good posture. Keeping your hips still, slide your upper body to one side, keeping your shoulders parallel to the ground, as far as you can. Repeat in the other direction. Try to keep from arching or hunching your back.<br />
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<strong>Back and Forth Rib Slide</strong><br />
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The key to this is keeping your head and hips still. Push your ribcage out to one side as far as you can without moving your head or hips. Repeat in the other direction. Your shoulders will naturally make a pendulum motion if you do it correctly. Resist the urge to stick your hips out in the opposite direction while you do this. There should be a constant mild tension in your legs throughout the upper body sequence that helps keep this kind of thing from happening. You will notice your legs by the time you are finished.<br />
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<strong>Back and Forth Rib Tilt</strong><br />
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Now you will go the other way. This will resemble an upside down pendulum swinging from the diaphragm area. I have a crease there in my skin, so it is easy for me to judge where that is. Starting from good posture, let your ribcage tilt to one side as far as it can hang without moving what is located below the diaphragm area. Your head will obviously move, but do not let your back sag. This is only a lateral movement. Now lift back to zero position and repeat on the other side. Do not let your hips or abdomen compensate for the movement. It should look like their is a joint located at the said articulation point and everything below that should not move.<br />
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<strong>Front to Back Chest</strong><br />
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Starting from good posture, push your chest forward as far as you can without falling over. Do not look down. Keep your chest and head facing forward the entire time. Maintaining that same position, push your upper back as far backward as possible without falling. Let your upper back round in order to keep your chest and head facing forward only. Do not let your lower back get lazy and arch or you may put unnecessary stress on your lumbar spine, possibly causing pain. Try to keep your hips as still as possible, even though they will have to move forward a certain amount to keep you from tipping over.<br />
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<strong>Up and Down Chest</strong><br />
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Keep your head still for this one. Start from that good posture. Push your chest (not your stomach) forward while pulling your shoulders back so that they stay in one place. This will effectively lift your chest at a wide range of motion. Now pull your chest in so that your upper back (not lower back) rounds. Your shoulders should still be in the same place, as should your head. Keep your hips tucked the whole time, do not let them go anywhere.<br />
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<strong>Front to Back Rib Tilt</strong><br />
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Find that same articulation point at the diaphragm area that you were using for the previous rib tilt that was side to side. Viewing from the side, this movement should resemble the same upside down pendulum that the other one did. Start from good posture. Tilt your ribcage forward. Return to zero position. Tilt your ribcage backward. Repeat. Do not move anything below your articulation point. It is very important that two things happen during any of these movements that includes a back bend. The first is that your lower back stay in posture. Do not let your lower back sag. Doing this puts a lot of pressure on the lumbar spine. The second is that you lift your chest toward the ceiling. This will help keep you from letting your mid to upper back sag while tilting or leaning backward.<br />
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<strong>Twisting Torso</strong><br />
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I'm including this one in this section because you will need it for the figure eights. Start from posture. Do not move from your center line. Rotate your upper body so that one shoulder comes forward and the other backward as far as your flexibility allows you to go. Your head should not move. Go to your fullest range of motion without allowing your hips to follow. Repeat in the other direction.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: There is a tendency to start to arch or hunch your back or stick out your bum if you're not paying attention to it. Keep this in mind throughout your movements. Try not to distort yourself in the wrong direction while you are practicing. Keeping good posture will help you use the correct muscles, reduce the risk of injury, and make you appear more graceful and coordinated.</strong><br />
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<strong>NEXT IN THIS SERIES...</strong><br />
<a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-core-sequence-part-5-upper-body.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">My Core Sequence, Part 5: Upper Body Figure Eights</span></a>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-53134166161137362602011-01-03T11:17:00.000-08:002011-01-03T12:51:15.221-08:00What to do with Long Hair for Martial Arts?I've seen this question several times now, so I thought I would address it. After many years of martial arts, both on the ground and standing up, I have found but one hairstyle that actually works for everything. It is very simple.<br />
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<strong>1.</strong> Make a nice, tight braid from the nape of your neck. A French braid is fine but not necessary.<br />
<strong>2.</strong> Tuck it through your sports bra strap in that little groove above your collar bone.<br />
<strong>3.</strong> Turn your head as far as you can to make sure there is enough slack to not restrict your motion.<br />
<strong>4.</strong> Tuck the braid tail under your gi collar and go about your business.<br />
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<em><strong>"So what if I'm doing a no gi session?"</strong></em> You should be using a rash guard of some type. Tuck it through your bra strap and into your rash guard, around the side of your breast. There are a lot of reasons why a rash guard would help you even if you are wearing a gi and you don't have long hair.<br />
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<em><strong>"What keeps my braid from coming out of my gi?"</strong></em> Your bra strap is the first thing. It naturally directs your hair around the outside of your breast into a convenient area.<br />
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<em><strong>"What if I'm a guy with long hair, so I don't wear a sports bra?"</strong></em> The same thing should apply. Tuck it down through a shirt or a rash guard over your shoulder of choice. The stiffer the gi, the better. My 14 oz. gis have a nice stiff collar that holds braids in place really well. I normally don't even notice my hair, which is the whole point. A medium weight gi doesn't hold as well, so tuck it into something.<br />
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<strong><em>"Can I just tuck my braid down my back?"</em></strong> Be my guest, but you're not going to like rolling over it or laying on it.<br />
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<strong><em>"My braids start to fray really fast."</em></strong> Braid it wet. It's good for your hair anyway. If it becomes a problem, you might try placing elastic hair ties in various places down your braid, starting at the base of the braid and having one every couple of inches until you reach the end.<br />
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<strong><em>"So what's wrong with buns and ponytails?"</em></strong> Buns are great if you're just standing up and not doing any contact or anything that would require head protection. Ponytails tend to get in your face any time you spin or turn your head fast. They are murder for grappling because laying on your ponytail is painful and prevents you from moving. You will not be able to do any escapes that require you to scoot up. This has gotten me stuck in high mount many times. Don't do this to yourself.<br />
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<em><strong>"I have bangs/fringe and layers."</strong></em> I'm sorry. I made this mistake, too. The layers are not so bad if they are long enough to stay in your braid. The bangs must be either kept short or grown out for maximum efficiency. I made the mistake of cutting side swept bangs. Yeah, they look nice if my hair is down. What is not nice is this bob length hair that doesn't stay in my braid and having it stepped on and ripped out while grappling. It's not too fun to have it sweat-plastered to my face during forms and drills either. Ideally, hair that is all one length is the most efficient way. If you must have a prettier hairstyle, try to keep layering at a functional length.<br />
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That brings me to another point. The bob is a terrible idea for physical activity. I know the military hasn't figured this out yet, but it just gets in the way. You can't tie it back, but it's long enough to be in your eyes and your mouth. The way I see it, there are three functional lengths of hair. 1. The buzz cut/pixie cut. It stays out of the way for everything. 2. Pony-nub length. This is when it is just long enough to stay in a ponytail but not long enough to bounce around or get in the way. 3. Bun length. This is usually mid-back and beyond. Shorter than this and it does not stay well in a bun without "billions" of hair pins and probably lot of product. Hopefully, one day they will get over their "above the collar" regulation and allow the tucked braid...but I won't hold my breath.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: I do not recommend using any clips or pins for any sport in which there is contact, especially if you will be rolling around on the ground. Your scalp is not terribly thick or very tough, but being that it is located on your head, it bleeds a lot. Want to find out? Try it.</strong><br />
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Feel free to use the comments section if you need any further clarification. Happy training!OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-53780903091060423232010-12-27T12:08:00.000-08:002010-12-27T12:08:16.263-08:00How to Sleep on the Plane - Traveling HappilyFor those of you faced with lengthy airline travel, sleeping on the plane is the only redeeming factor to look forward to after crowded airports, mediocre (at best) airline food, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation_Security_Administration"><span style="color: #38761d;">TSA</span></a>. If you can't sleep on the plane, you're screwed. What to do? Learn. Follow these guidelines to help you get the most possible rest before reaching your destination...<br />
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<strong>Before you go.</strong> Try not to sleep too much before you get on the plane. It helps to be a little tired if you're going to have to sleep sitting up. This may sound obvious, but many people try to be too well-rested before they get to the airport. This makes sense if your flight is going to be less than three hours, but I can't imagine why anyone would think they can sleep on the plane after already having a full night's sleep.<br />
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<strong>At the airport.</strong> Try to stay calm. Getting all wound up is just going to make you have to wind down before you can get to sleep. Try not to let anything that happens at the airport bother you. You're there. You have your ticket. You find your gate and wait for your turn to get on the plane. No big deal. Let security hassle you if it makes them happy. Tune out the family with the annoying kids. Have an overpriced beer if you must. Just don't worry about anything.<br />
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<strong>Getting comfortable in your seat.</strong> Okay, you've found a place for your carry on and now you're in your seat. Chances are, your seat is uncomfortable. For some reason, seat designers for both cars and airplanes have decided that seats that make you sit like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Burns"><span style="color: #38761d;">Mr. Burns</span></a> are the most cost-effective. I don't know why, so don't ask. The solution to this is to use a little airplane pillow, a folded up sweatshirt, or some other soft thing that can fill some space and stuff it behind your lower to mid back. This should help you straighten out a bit. It should also help your neck fall back at a more natural angle when you get the go ahead to recline your seat back the full five inches or so that it's designed for.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: Scoot your bum all the way into the back corner of the seat. You are much more likely to get mid to lower back pain if you let there be a space between you and the seat for your lower back to sag into while you sleep.</strong><br />
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<strong>Dealing with space confinement.</strong> This is a really difficult one for a lot of people. Feeling confined is very psychological. Here's an example... a lot of people move to island paradises and get "island fever", which is a term used to describe the claustrophobic feeling of knowing you're stuck on an island and can't easily go anywhere. The interesting thing is that most of these people never drive more than two hours worth of distance (so not stuck in traffic) in any direction in their home town. They stay in their city most of the time. They only start to panic because they are suddenly aware that they can't leave even if they wanted to. That said, a lot of discomfort on an airplane really comes from knowing that you can't move around much.<br />
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Here's what to do. Find a reasonably comfortable position to sit in. If you know you're sensitive to light or sound, bring an eye mask or earplugs accordingly. Take a nice slow breath, and let your body sink into the chair. Try not to move other than just breathing. This will help you avoid feeling restricted. If you chose not to move, there is no problem. Once you're in this relaxed position, try to just let all the thoughts in your head fall in importance. If you think of something, just remember that, "Yeah, who cares? It's nap time." Consider those imposing thoughts a phone that keeps ringing as you are trying to sleep. It's best to not answer, even better to turn it off. (Yes, I just called that better than best...) So stare at the back of your eyelids if you must. Think about how much you just can't wait to sleep. Think about how happy and relaxed you are. Pretend you just got into bed after a long, hard day. Before you know it, you will probably be asleep. If not, even just being calm in this position will help you avoid discomfort and feel rested by the time you reach your destination. When you do reach your destination, try not to snap to attention. Take a moment and let your thoughts come back and plan out what you need to do next before you start moving your body around.<br />
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<strong>Being restless.</strong> There are two remaining things that ought to be addressed. The first one is the restless body. If you find yourself trying to relax, but your body won't cooperate, give your body what it wants. Take a moment from your reasonably comfortable sitting position and tense every muscle in your body. Hold it until it gets difficult to hold. Repeat if you must. Once you find yourself losing power to stay tense, let go of all that tension and just relax. Hopefully, that will get out that physical antsiness and let you get to sleep.<br />
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Another thing worth trying is a solid stretching and relaxation session before you leave your house. I do this any time I'm going to be in a car or on a plane for more than two hours. It helps my ability to sit still for long periods of time without becoming uncomfortable. A good work out is recommended for those of you who are energetic. Also, airport gates have plenty of floor space. I'm not above stretching for twenty to thirty minutes between flights if need be. It helps kill time during a layover and it feels wonderful. Most people just ignore me while I do this, although I've had a few people join me once or twice. I will never see those people again anyway, so I don't care at all if they think it's weird. My traveling experience is much more pleasant than theirs, so I win. If you are traveling with a close friend or significant other, it doesn't hurt to trade a little neck and shoulder massage while you wait for your flights.<br />
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The second thing is mental restlessness. Similar to the body, sometimes simply relaxing isn't enough and you need to sort of "burn off" whatever tension needs to get out. Choose something that is strenuous for your mind and do it. Try to visualize math problems and solve them mentally if that works for you. Visualize folding up a piece of paper, punching a couple of holes in it, and try to figure where the holes would be located if you unfolded it. Try to remember all the signs you saw on your way to the plane. Whatever it takes, just tire your mind so it is willing to submit to relaxation.<br />
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If you have any questions about your particular sleeping challenges while traveling, place them in the comments below and I would be happy to help you come up with solutions.OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-61832159533542311332010-12-10T13:34:00.000-08:002011-01-06T11:20:55.404-08:00My Core Sequence, Part 3: Lower Body Figure Eights<em>If you haven't already, first read <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/core-strength-and-me.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Core Strength and Me</span></a> and <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-core-sequence-introduction-to.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Introduction to Isolating Movement</span></a>.</em><br />
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Figure eights are probably the most complicated and difficult movements in the sequence, so make sure you have a good handle on <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-core-sequence-lower-body-linear.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Lower Body Linear Movements</span></a> before you get yourself frustrated with this. Do not attempt to learn this without a mirror. Remember to start with ten movements on each side, or twenty total.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjL3t5_5Mpk"><strong><span style="color: #0b5394;">VIDEO LINK!</span></strong></a><br />
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<strong>Basic Figure Eights</strong><br />
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Remember the Pendulum? This movement comes from that. The difference is that you will not drop your hip on your way back to zero position. You will keep your hip up until you get to zero position. So essentially, you will be making a big upward circle on one side, then another on the other side. Start in the same position as you would for the Pendulum, do not forget your good posture. Bring your hip up as you let it slide out to the side as usual. Now slide your hips back to your centerline without dropping your hip. This should remind you of Up and Down. Now that you are here, come back to neutral position and repeat the movement exactly on the opposite side. When you put both sides together into one movement, you should see your hips making a sideways figure eight (or infinity symbol) in the mirror in front of you.<br />
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<strong>Inverted Figure Eights</strong><br />
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This is to the Inverted Pendulum as the previous movement is to the regular Pendulum. You will start the movement exactly as you would the Inverted Pendulum only maintain your hip down as you return it to your center line (also like the Up and Down). You will pass through neutral position on your centerline as you repeat the movement on the other side.<br />
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<strong>Stationary Twist</strong><br />
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This is not a figure eight, but has the same relation to the Twisting Figure Eight as the Up and Down has to the Figure Eight. Stand at neutral position in good posture. Without moving from your center line (neither side to side, nor forward or backward) facing the mirror, twist your hips such that one hip comes forward and the other goes backward. Now repeat on the other side. It can be difficult to do this in good posture if you're not used to it, so really fight for it. It will be impossible to keep your whole rib cage still with this particular movement, so just try to keep your chest and shoulders in the same place.<br />
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<strong>Twisting Figure Eight</strong><br />
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The figure eight in this movement will be parallel to the floor, with each hip making one of the circles and the center being at neutral position. Start from neutral position. Do one side of your Stationary Twist. Now, bring your rear hip in a circle, parallel to the floor, toward the front as you twist. Now that hip should be in front, your other hip to the rear, and you should be back at your centerline. Repeat the movement on the opposite side, bringing that hip in a circle from the rear to the front as you twist and return to your centerline. Again, try and keep your chest and shoulders still.<br />
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<strong>Reverse Twisting Figure Eight</strong><br />
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This is exactly like the previous movement only you will bring your hips in circles that travel from the front to the rear as you twist. Do not move your chest or shoulders.<br />
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<strong>Bicycle Hips</strong><br />
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This is a tough one. There is no figure eight in this movement. Your hips will make alternating circles in a forward, downward motion just as your feet would if you were pedaling a bike. You will be using a combination of Up and Downs and Stationary Twists. This is a smaller movement, so you should be able to keep still from the diaphragm down. Start with the first half of your Up and Down motion so that one hip is high and the other low. Now, twist your high hip forward and your low hip backward while your bring both hips level with eachother (parallel to the ground). At this point, you should be half way into a Stationary Twist and your Up and Down will be neutral. Continue the downward, forward circular motion with the hip that was up, and the backward, upward circular motion with the hip that was down until the low hip is up and the high hip is down. That is one half of the movement. Repeat on the other side. Your hips should be circling forward and down to mimic two feet pedaling a bicycle. Your body should not be moving up and down or side to side. All the work will be in your legs for movement and your lower torso for keeping your upper torso still throughout the movement. It is easy to lose posture during this movement, so once you get a feel for it, really fight for that good posture.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: This really is a lot of leg work. Stretch those legs, especially your quadriceps, before you do your Core Sequence. It is a good idea to also stretch out your hips and torso in any direction you can think of. Take a break and shake out your legs if they're starting to burn. As you become comfortable with the movements, you will make be able to do a greater range of motion, which should slowly increase your flexibility. Stretch.</strong><br />
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<strong>Reverse Bicycle Hips</strong><br />
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No explanation required. This is exactly the same as the previous movement only your hips will be pedaling backward.<br />
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<strong>Snake Hips</strong><br />
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I know, snakes don't have hips. What you're looking for is a rolling movement that, from the side, resembles a figure eight combined with a pendulum. It definitely rolls more than a pendulum, but it is not as clear as a figure eight. It is snake-like movement. Remember the Front to Back Slide. Start with that. Bring your hips forward. As you reach the end of your motion, tilt your pelvis upward. Now, when you go backward, try to do it in a rolling motion starting from the middle of your back and ending at your sacrum. As you bring your body forward again, start by pushing out your stomach just below your diaphragm and rolling all the way out to your hips. When your put the whole thing together, you should have a nice rolling motion that is equal on the front and back sides.<br />
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<strong>Inverted Snake Hips</strong><br />
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This is the same idea as the previous motion. Starting from neutral position, tilt your hips upward and push them forward. When you reach the extent of your range, tilt your hips downward and push them out toward the back. Tilt them forward again as you bring them forward. This should help you achieve the upward rolling motion with your body that should move from your pelvis to your middle back. Try to keep your chest and shoulders still, more if you can. Make sure that you count these like the figure eights, one count for the front and one for the back. That helps you mentally emphasize both sides of the movement instead of focusing more on one half or the other.<br />
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<strong>NEXT IN THIS SERIES...</strong><br />
<a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-core-sequence-part-4-upper-body.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">My Core Sequence, Part 4: Upper Body Linear Movements</span></a>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-76351689534554298902010-12-08T22:29:00.000-08:002010-12-08T22:29:08.330-08:00Acing the ASVAB: How to be a Good Test TakerI was helping a friend study for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Services_Vocational_Aptitude_Battery"><span style="color: #38761d;">ASVAB</span></a> the other day and I think I understand why he has always been, as he says, a "bad test taker". This is a very common ailment but I had never really thought about why until then. So, to all of you future service members (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard...), I present this guide to doing your very best on the ASVAB, and any other test you take from this day forward.<br />
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I'll use my friend as an example. He's neither unintelligent, nor uneducated, so there is no reason why he should ever do poorly on this test. His problem, and I suspect most "bad test takers'" problem, is that he goes about taking a test in a way that makes it more difficult and more stressful on himself. In other words, he both does things the hard way and gets in his own way emotionally over it. For example, let's say he has a word problem (math) that he's trying to figure out. He's worried about time, so the first thing he does is rush in and try to start figuring numbers. Next, he realizes that the numbers are too difficult to deal with without a calculator and take too long to compute anyway. Half way through, he finds out he's not really sure what the question is asking because he rushed into it. He may or may not come up with a good answer eventually, but by now he's getting flustered and makes a simple error of not converting feet into yards. Reluctantly, he chooses and answer but is really worried about whether it's right. He hurriedly moves on to the next question, still thinking about the last possible failure (and the clock), and starts layering on stress and frustration with each new question.<br />
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Wow. I made this journey with him through about three questions before I realized that he actually intended to do the whole test this way. I can't imagine anyone ever doing well on a test with that attitude. Stress and frustration have a nasty habit of clouding your mind and making you more stressed out and frustrated. I like to skip that part. Here's how...<br />
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Stop. Smile. "Okay, we're about to answer some questions. This should be fun. Let's go!" This may sound very strange to you, but this is the way I look at test taking. I am great at taking tests, so maybe this method has merit. Hear me out. Your attitude greatly affects your mood and your ability to learn, focus, perform, etc. When I go to take a test, I only bother to think about stuff that's going to help me. I ignore things that will not. The ASVAB is a great test because it is multiple choice, there is no point penalty for answering incorrectly, all of the math is meant to be done without a calculator, and everything is at a level meant for people who just passed high school. In other words, the test is meant to be passed. That's the good news. There is no bad news. Just remember not to waste too much time on any one question because you may run out of time.<br />
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Multiple choice tests are the greatest. On the ASVAB, there are four options to each question. Normally, you can eliminate one or two of those questions without having to do much work, if any. If you're looking at an English question, at least one answer is always ridiculous. In math, if you take a moment to see what the question is really asking, there is always at least one answer that, if you even just estimate, is not even close. What that means to you is that when you inevitably come across a question you don't really know the answer to, you can make a blind guess between the two or three answers that look reasonable and still have a pretty good chance of getting it right. That said, there is no need to panic whatsoever.<br />
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Speaking of math, keep in mind that, as mentioned, all of the questions are meant to be able to be done in a reasonable amount of time without a calculator. You have scratch paper. You'll be fine. Just remember that if you're getting too caught up in strange numbers that are difficult to calculate, you're probably working too hard. Who wants to work too hard? I don't like dealing with strange numbers that take me too long. I don't even like dealing with familiar numbers that take me too long. If I don't know 13x9=? right off the top of my head, I don't waste my time trying to remember it. I know that 3x9=27 and 10x9=90. It's much quicker and easier to at 27+90 than try to remember multiplication tables, so I skip that part and do the easy adding instead. There's no pride here. I don't get hung up on why I can't remember my multiplication tables from third grade. I don't care. I can get that same answer much quicker my own way right now when it is needed. In fact, after I add it up, I know that 13x9=117, just in case that comes up in another problem later on in my test.<br />
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It is also a good idea to glance at the answers before reading through the problem so you have a good idea of what your answer should look like when you're finished. This will help you make a decision if you're unsure exactly what to do with the information they give you. At least you'll know if they're asking for a dollar amount or a square footage of carpeting or a time or temperature. Also, if the answers are just a number value and each one is very different, you shouldn't even have to do any real math. You can just estimate and choose the one that is closest. That way, you get the answer really quickly and save some time for the questions that will actually require a little scratch paper.<br />
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There is a section pertaining to shapes and spacial awareness. A lot of people panic when they see this, but you don't have to because I'm about to tell you how to finish it quickly and get them all right. If you sit and stare at all the shapes in front of you, you won't see anything but a bunch of odd shapes staring back at you. Most of what you will be doing is matching up shapes in the example with shapes in the answer options. Step 1: Pick a detail in the example. If there is a particular shape of triangle, or a particular angle or side or arrow sticking out of a square or something distinguishable, find it. Chances are, each answer will offer some version of this. Most likely, upon closer inspection, two of the answer options will have a different version of this detail. Immediately, you can eliminate those two answers. Now you are left with only two to choose from. Step 2: Pick another detail. Which one of your two remaining options has the correct version of this detail? That's your answer. If you can do those two steps, you can avoid confusion and get all of those questions right, every time, in a timely fashion. You are left with absolutely nothing to worry about. Congratulations.<br />
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The most important thing for you to do is to stay in the moment. Do not dwell on any previous questions. In this test (if you take in on the computer, like I did) you will not be able to go back and change any of your answers. Stay away from stressing about anything you can't change because it doesn't matter. My friend was getting hung up on two basic things. The first one is that he would answer a question and then really want to know what the real answer was. Who cares? You answered it. Move on. You won't know. They will give you a number score when you're finished and that's it. That question is over and effectively no longer exists. Next. The second thing is that if a question was vague, or let's face it, stupid, he would actually be judging both the test itself and the people who wrote it. Again, who cares? Just answer. Guess if you have to. Eliminate two answers and flip a coin. You can get a great score without getting every question right, so let it go. The sooner you answer the question, the sooner it's out of your life forever and you can move on to the next one. The sooner you get them all done, the sooner the test is over and you can move on with your life.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: Feel free to just guess and move on if you feel like you're getting too frustrated over one question. If you're stuck on something you honestly don't know or remember how to do, make your best educated guess and save yourself some time and frustration. Once you choose an answer, be sure to feel satisfied with it and relieved that that question is now gone. This will help you move on to the next one with a positive attitude. Remember, you really can get a great score without getting every single question right.</strong><br />
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All of this is related to Emotional Discipline, which is another article for another day. In a nutshell, just calm down. You can't fight your emotions. You can't try to force yourself to not get upset. You can't get mad about getting frustrated. Those are all just ways of trying to fight fire with fire. The only way to lower your emotional level is to calm down. Whatever it is, it's not helping you, so it doesn't matter right now. You can get all worked up about it when the test is over if you want, but right now you need to focus on the task at hand. Whatever it is you're worried about, let it go. Maybe you're thinking about how much pressure you have on you to get this one question right because you need to get a good score to qualify for the job you want which is your future and your career. What if you fail? The military was your plan. Now what are you going to do with your life? How are you going to pay for school? Ahhhh! Deep breath. How about we skip that part? All of that pressure is stressing you out and clouding your test taking brain. Plus, all of those thoughts are distracting you from your work. The military does not ask you for a particularly high percentile to qualify for pretty much any job you want to do, so don't worry about it. All you have to do is take your test. You're not allowed to panic unless the test is over and you actually failed. Even then, you have the opportunity to just study up a little and take it again. No worries.<br />
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If you do feel like a little studying would help boost your confidence, <a href="http://www.military.com/ASVAB"><span style="color: #38761d;">http://www.military.com/ASVAB</span></a> offers some untimed practice tests and a little more information about the way the ASVAB is scored, etc. <a href="http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=asvab+for+dummies&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7ACAW_enUS356US356&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=16106857136382535545&ei=nm8ATeiMBoOosQPyu5mwCw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CD0Q8wIwBA#"><span style="color: #38761d;">ASVAB for Dummies</span></a> gets pretty good reviews, so feel free to study up before you take your test. <a href="http://www.asvab.us/free_ASVAB_test_online.htm"><span style="color: #38761d;">http://www.asvab.us/free_ASVAB_test_online.htm</span></a> has a free online test that is timed, so that may help you. If you have any questions about math or word meanings, a quick Google search should put your mind at ease.<br />
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Good luck on your test taking future. Please remember that that ability to stay calm under pressure will help you at basic training, during your whole military career, and throughout your life. Keep your head and it will look after you. Thank you for your interest in serving in the US military.OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-54951601275922724092010-12-05T09:50:00.000-08:002010-12-10T13:44:05.928-08:00Sick Dog Who Won't Eat or Drink?After nine years, my dog has finally gotten sick enough to be cause for alarm. Normally, she drinks water constantly and will lie to me just to get a second helping of food, so when she refused to eat or drink I was concerned. It all started off with what appears to have been a sinus infection. After about a day, she was becoming lethargic and disoriented. I noticed she was drinking significantly less water, so I figured she was just dehydrated. We switched her food to chicken soup, which she loves. Fever ensued. After about another day, she refused to even eat that. What with the arthritis on her back legs, she was just stumbling around sideways like a drunken camel. Not so good.<br />
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We took her to her doctor and he prescribed her an antibiotic in a pill form, which is hard to feed a dog who doesn't want to eat. I snuck it in with the eggs and tuna that I had to actually put inside her mouth, but after another day she wouldn't even accept that. Even after her fever broke, she still refused to eat or drink.<br />
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Running out of ideas, I went online to look for some more information about dogs who won't eat or drink, and I stumbled upon <a href="http://www.suite101.com/content/helping-a-dog-who-wont-eat-a58276"><span style="color: #38761d;">this article</span></a>, which talks about feeding dogs maple syrup and water or chicken broth via syringe or turkey baster. I must say, I felt strange injecting a maple syrup and water solution into the back of my beast's cheek, but she liked it. After a few minutes, she was willing to take a short walk, which opened up her appetite for a little more tuna and turkey (in which I hid her pill). She even ate some by herself out of her bowl and then had a little water. This morning, she had more maple syrup, plenty of water, and some puppy treats with a few bites of tuna. The puppy treats she's willing to eat on her own. We will take another stroll soon and hopefully open up her appetite a little more. She's definitely on the mend.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: Spoil your dog when they're sick. Just give them whatever is necessary to get them to eat and drink and take their medication (if applicable). Try not to think about how impossible they will be once they're both healthy and well-accustomed to eating gourmet dodo bird eggs drizzled lightly in unicorn tears and served up on a gold platter.</strong><br />
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Update: Osa is eating just fine now and drinking plenty of water. Now it's just a matter of weening her from being picky, now that she's used to all the special treats. I let her be hungry all morning and she finally ate her food. We had some blood drawn a couple of days ago to test for Lyme Disease, which is quite possible in coastal California, just in case. Just waiting for the results.<br />
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Update on Lyme Disease: Results- negative. (No more excuses... ;) )OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-58893363602839221302010-12-01T21:51:00.000-08:002011-01-06T11:22:36.943-08:00My Core Sequence, Part 2: Lower Body Linear Movements<em>If you haven't already, first read </em><a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/core-strength-and-me.html"><span style="color: #38761d;"><em>Core Strength and Me</em></span></a><em> and </em><a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-core-sequence-introduction-to.html"><span style="color: #38761d;"><em>Introduction to Isolating Movement</em></span></a><em>.</em><br />
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Linear movements are fairly simple and easy to do and a good way to get yourself ready for more complicated movements like figure eights and snake-like rolling movements (called "camels" in belly dancing). Lower body linear movements work exactly how they sound. They involve moving your hips back and forth or front to back in specific trajectories and articulating from varying points. The articulation point determines what area is not involved in movement, meaning from which point your body will be staying still.<br />
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Don't forget that all of these movements should be initiated with your legs. The core work will come from keeping your articulation points still. And keep your eyes on that mirror! It really makes all the difference.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEj9SQZIW18"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><strong>VIDEO LINK!</strong></span></a><br />
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<strong>Back and Forth Slide</strong><br />
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The first movement is a simple back and forth. Starting from good posture (lifted chest, tucked hips), give your knees a little bend and get low in your center. You will articulate from the ribcage (at about the diaphragm) down. Slide your hips to one side as far as you can without moving the ribcage. This movement will be done with your legs. You should feel a little stretch in your side. Once this is achieved, push the other hip out to the other side. Again, nothing from your ribcage to your head should be moving. Keep a close watch in the mirror to make sure this is the case. You will notice that the muscles in the ribcage are working not to move your hips but to counter the movement in your hips. This is a result of having an articulation point above which nothing moves. This is where the core work comes from.<br />
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<strong>Up and Down</strong><br />
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Starting from good posture and low in your center, you will be lifting one hip while lowering the other simultaneously. The articulation point in this will be a single point located in the center of your pelvis. The movement will occur by bending one knee, and then bringing it to neutral while bending the other knee. This is an important motion to get as it will be the basis of many other related movements, so give it some attention and make sure it feels comfortable. Your torso should not be moving.<br />
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<strong>Pendulum</strong><br />
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This motion will combine the previous two. Slide your hip out to one side. As you reach your full extension, incorporate your up and down motion so that your hip lifts on the side of the extension. Because of the extension, you may need to come up on the ball of your foot a little on that side, but the other foot should be firmly grounded. Let your hip come down and you return to the neutral position and repeat on the other side. With your ribcage still, your hips should appear to swing as a pendulum would in the mirror. Check to see if your movement looks like this.<br />
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<strong>Inverted Pendulum</strong><br />
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This movement is a little trickier than the pendulum because it feels less natural and involves a bit more of a stretch. You will do this exactly the same way as the pendulum only your hip will drop down instead of lift at the extension of the hip. Again, make your best efforts to maintain posture and not allow your ribcage to move from around the diaphragm up. At the very least, your head and chest should be still and he ribcage will follow with practice. If you were not moving side to side, your articulation point would be at your pubic bone.<br />
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<strong>Front to Back Slide</strong><br />
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The concept here is exactly like like the back and forth slide only it is front to back. Try not to roll over your heels or toes. Do your best to keep your ribcage from moving.<br />
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<strong>Pelvic Thrust</strong><br />
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Men love this one. Try to articulate from about your belly button down. If you were to do this sideways in front of the mirror, it would bare resemblance to the pendulum motion you were doing a moment ago. Start from the neutral position. Bring your pelvis forward and slightly up as far as you can go without moving anything just above the belly button. Now bring it back to neutral and mirror the motion for the same distance in the opposite direction. You should feel a squeeze in the lower abs when you move forward and probably a little butt squeeze as well. You should feel the same thing on the lowest part of your back as you move backward. That's it. You've got it. You're a rock star...<br />
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<strong>Pelvic Rock</strong><br />
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This one is also really good for your lower back and is excellent for training yourself to keep your pelvis centered (not tilted backward, which is the tendency). Like the Inverted Hip Circle and Inverted Pendulum, the articulation point will be at about the pubic bone. Rock your pelvis forward from that point so that your belly button pushes forward as far as you can without losing technique. Now reverse the motion pushing your lower back out while pulling the belly button area in. Your pubic bone should not be moving forward and backward in space and the ribs up should not be moving either. This is a tricky one so give it some time and practice.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: Since linear movements are done on both sides of the body, all linear movements must be done twice as many times receive equal attention as neutral movements like circles. Left and right or front and back each count as one. So, if I were doing ten each of my circles, I must do ten per side or twenty total of each linear movement (and figure eight, as you will see in the next installment of this series).</strong><br />
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<strong>NEXT IN THIS SERIES...</strong><br />
<a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-core-sequence-part-3-lower-body.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">My Core Sequence, Part 3: Lower Body Figure Eights</span></a>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-19021278020732240732010-12-01T11:27:00.000-08:002011-01-06T11:23:12.037-08:00My Core Sequence, Part 1: Lower Body Circles<em>If you haven't already, first read </em><a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/core-strength-and-me.html"><span style="color: #38761d;"><em>Core Strength and Me</em></span></a><em> and </em><a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-core-sequence-introduction-to.html"><span style="color: #38761d;"><em>My Core Sequence, Introduction to Isolating Movement</em></span></a><em>. </em><em>If you're having a hard time with circles, start with Lower Body Linear Movements. It may help you get a feel for it.</em><br />
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There are many ways to make lower body circles. You can articulate your circles from different points on your body, but they are all circles. That means that whatever part of your body becomes the widest part of the circle, it should stay an equal distance from the center line you would have if you were standing up straight. This is important for the circle to stay fluid and also important to ensure that you are working and stretching the muscles on all sides evenly. For example, if you push your circles more out to the front than to the back, you will be doing more work on the front than on the back and, therefore, develop unevenly.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: Remember to keep good posture throughout the movements. Lift your ribs and tuck your hips. Letting your back or shoulders sag or curve unnaturally can put undo strain on specific vertebrae, which can cause you pain or exacerbate pre-existing injuries. None of these movements should hurt.</strong><br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb2ZD4ABxEQ"><span style="color: #0b5394;">VIDEO LINK!</span></a></strong><br />
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<strong>Big Circles</strong><br />
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Big circles articulate all the way from your head. Your stand from good posture and lean to one side while sticking your hip out to the other side. Try to keep your head in the same place. It will be impossible to keep it in exactly the same place, but do your best. Now try it on the other side. Once you see how this feels and looks, try it to the front and to the back, making sure that when you stick your hip out in any direction, the end of your movement places your hip at the same distance from your center line as it would in any other direction. Once you have a feel for that, try taking your hip in a big circle connecting all the dots from side to front to side to back. Do maybe ten and then try it in the other direction, making sure that your head is staying in the same place as much as possible. Big circles should resemble the big hip circles one does to stretch before working out.<br />
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<strong>Upper Hip Circles</strong><br />
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The idea of these is exactly the same as the Big Circles only instead of articulating from below the head, you will articulate below the ribs as viewed from the front (so right around your diaphragm). That means that from the ribs up, you should not be moving. Your hips will still be the outside of the circle. You may just jump into this if you feel up to it. Otherwise, try the same approach of feeling each side individually before connecting the dot. Do the movement slowly in front of the mirror. As you move in a circle, you will notice that the muscles surrounding your given articulation point will engage in attempt to keep that area still. Those muscles are countering the movement that you are doing. Keep your movements even and controlled and those muscles will build strength and control all the way around your body. Do ten in each direction.<br />
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<strong>Middle Hip Circles</strong><br />
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When you first start, it is difficult to drive distinction between upper, middle, and lower circles. When you get used to it, you will see that they engage very different muscles. Middle Hip Circles are exactly like Upper Hip Circles only the articulate from a lower point. This point should be around where the lowest ribs are (located on the back side). On a woman, this will be around your natural waist (smallest part of the waist). On a man, this will vary. Same as before, feel it out carefully and then do your circles, ten in each direction.<br />
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<strong>Lower Hip Circles</strong><br />
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Same thing. Your articulation point should be around where your belly button is. You will notice that the circles are getting progressively smaller. Try to keep your good posture. Do your ten in each direction.<br />
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<strong>Sexy Hip Circles</strong><br />
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These circles are a little bit different. Some people find them easier and some people find them confusing. Imagine your pelvis is a plate, parallel to the floor. You want roll around the edge of the plate. To illustrate, drop a coin on the table. Once it falls to once face up, it will roll around its edges (staying in one place) before finally laying to rest. This is what you will be doing with your hips. If the center of that coin or plate was in the middle of your pelvis, facing up, you will be making that same motion. Everything above that area should be still. The movement will be coming from your legs, as usual. You should feel the muscles working very low on your abdomen and back. Do your ten in each direction.<br />
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<strong>Inverted Hip Circles</strong><br />
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This is the most confusing one and the one my ladies will probably find very useful. This one articulates from below the pelvis (around the pubic bone) up. Everything until this point has been from a given point down. The widest part of your circle will not be your hips, it will be probably around the height of your belly button. At first, this is all you need to worry about as it is difficult enough to figure out what you're actually doing in this movement. Once you figure it out, try to do it keeping still from at least the chest up. For a visual, imagine that your pelvis is a bowl. Do the same rolling motion with the bottom of the bowl that you did with the plate. Do your ten in each direction.<br />
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<strong>NEXT IN THIS SERIES...</strong><br />
<a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-core-sequence-lower-body-linear.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">My Core Sequence, Part 2: Lower Body Linear Movements</span></a>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-74378265817640590322010-11-30T10:41:00.000-08:002011-01-03T11:47:55.889-08:00My Core Sequence, Introduction to Isolating MovementThere is a common misconception related to any kind of abdominal articulations (hula, bellydance, etc.). People think that you work your abdominals because you're using them to initiate movement. This is false. If you see someone trying to move their hips, for example dancing salsa, and it looks awkward and wrong, this is probably why. The lower body (hip/abdominal) movements always start with the legs. The core muscles are used to isolate the movement. That's worth repeating because it is the core concept (you like that little pun?). Your legs will initiate all lower body movements. You will use the muscles in your core to counter those movements. If you use your legs only, your whole body will move. Add the muscles of the torso to keep everything else still and only the hips will move.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: You will find that the upper body movements pretty much match up with the lower body movements. If you find that you are either very uncoordinated in the hips, or just nervous about looking goofy, upper body movements may be a good place for you to start.</strong><br />
Don't be afraid to bend your knees and get low in your center of gravity. Take off your shoes and feel the floor if you have to. These should all be very solid, grounded, strong movements. Try not to get too high up on your toes or on straight legs. There should be no jerking or straining. Everything should be very fluid and controlled.<br />
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You will need:<br />
1 mirror, that's it.<br />
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It is really important that you can see what you're doing. When you first start, it feels completely unnatural, so you will have to train the motions by the way it looks and as your body gets used to it, you will get a feel for when you're doing it correctly. I have been doing these kinds of movements for near twenty years and I still prefer to practice in front of a mirror. That's another thing worth mentioning. I have been doing this for a really long time. For me, most of it is pretty easy. If this is new to you, you must have patience. It will probably take you quite awhile to get it right. For some of you, it will take a long while. I will do my best to explain and demonstrate, but it's really a matter of you practicing a little each day. Do the movements every time you pass a certain mirror in your house or every time you've been sitting at the computer too long and the practice will add up without having to sit down for long sessions that can become frustrating.<br />
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I will be writing and later demonstrating related movements grouped together. These movements will be thoroughly explained, so I will have to do a series of posts, one group per post. Within each group, certain moves will be more basic and probably easier for you. Start with those and they will hopefully help you build up to the more difficult ones. Also, some movements may require more strength than you yet have. Work into these slowly so as to avoid injury. Learn one entire group, then another. It doesn't really matter which group you do first, so just choose one you think will be easiest for you and have at it.<br />
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Posture, posture, posture! Before you start. Take a look at yourself in the mirror. All movements start from one specific posture. That posture is called "good" posture. Check out the <a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/07/getting-rid-of-upper-back-pain.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Good Posture Checklist on this page</span></a> in <strong><span style="color: #073763;">blue</span></strong>. If you do not work from good posture, you are training yourself to have bad posture. If you already have poor posture, training from that position will not help you fix it. It will also have you engaging the wrong muscles and possibly hurting yourself.<br />
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As with any kind of exercise program, use good judgement. If something makes you sore, no big deal. If something causes you pain, check your technique. If that doesn't help, stop. Be mindful of any pre-existing injuries that you may have. Take your time. New movements may be using underdeveloped muscles or use muscles in new ways. Give your body a chance to adapt and develop.<br />
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<strong>NEXT IN THIS SERIES...</strong><br />
<a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-core-sequence-part-1-lower-body.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">My Core Sequence, Part 1: Lower Body Circles</span></a>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882204572446716934.post-30789084680797528452010-11-29T23:03:00.000-08:002010-12-01T22:04:13.977-08:00Core Strength and MeI'll just say it outright, I have a pretty strong core. I tend to do pretty well on sit-up tests and planks and bridges and other core related things, especially for one who rarely practices these things. Somewhere down the line of being a teenager, I decided that these things were boring (which I still maintain), and I didn't plan to do them unless I was told to or if I had little else to do in the way of exercise. So why am I good at them, you ask? I grew up dancing. Not ballet. Not jazz. Not modern. I grew up with homegrown salsa dancing from the womb. My mom is awesome. By the age of eight I started bellydancing, thanks to the talented mother of my childhood friend. In retrospect, this was such a wonderful start to my life for so many reasons.<br />
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<strong>Awesome Tip of the Day: Not so much a problem for my female readers, but many of the men will get scared when they read "dance" or "hips". Bare with me. I also mention "striking" and "grappling" if it makes you feel better. No one ever has to see you do my core sequence if you don't want them to. I typically do it in front of the mirror before I get in the shower either in my room or in the bathroom. Few people have ever seen it. Just keep it discreet and only impress the people you want to impress, like your wife or girlfriend. You will thank me later when you discover new things you are capable of...</strong><br />
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Over time, I developed a changeable sequence of core articulations to make it easy for me to practice. It's a nice way to get warm in the morning or get a little physical activity in before a shower. It keeps me strong in some really important places, which does wonders for my back and posture, while making me feel like I'm actually digesting my food. I have a balanced muscle tone in the torso, which creates a natural-looking waist line. I feel that doing a lot of (boring) exercises tends to give people a square look or just a funny, overdeveloped "six pack" area and a really weak back with big "love handles".<br />
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I realize that there are special workouts like pilates and certain yoga sequences that are meant to deal with this, but I think mine is better. The reason I think this is that, in addition to making the muscles strong and evenly developed, my sequence also encourages flexibility, full range of motion, and the kind of coordination that helps you on the dance floor and in the bedroom (be you a man or woman). Also, instead of holding poses or doing small articulations, you are really moving the torso in all different directions, which according to me just feels really good. Plus, this kind of functional core strength helped me a lot in martial arts, both striking and grappling. I'm not a big girl and my arms and legs are not super strong, but I can pull my own weight because of my core strength and flexibility. I may gain or lose fat, but the muscle and strength are always there. By the way, if you have a weak core, increasing strength in that area will likely cause you to gain weight (muscle weight) with little to no change in size, so don't be alarmed if you put on a couple pounds and don't know where they are.<br />
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So what is this, "Core Sequence"? Essentially, I took all the basic bellydance/latin hip and torso movements and strung them together in a way that incorporates various articulation points, ranges of motion, and types of motion including some movements that are not as practical for this type of dancing but very practical for training for this type of dancing. That said, you can do them to music if you want, but I tend to just pop out the sequence in sets. I like to do the whole thing together in sets of 30 reps per movement. If I haven't done them for awhile, I will do 20. If I am doing them frequently and have the time, I will do 40 of each. I would recommend 10 for anyone just starting. It is important to keep the same number all the way through so that the body stays balanced. No fair doing more of the ones that are easier or the ones that you think will tone one specific area the prettiest. That would be ridiculous. This takes me anywhere between 30-45 minutes, depending on how quickly I do it, so it's a pretty good core workout.<br />
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I will be posting videos to demonstrate the movements via my YouTube channel. These will accompany written explanations (see below) and be grouped by movement area and type. Eventually, I may put together some more dance related combinations to practice (once you adventurous types master the movements) so you can dance like Shakira and impress your friends.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Disclaimer:</strong></span> <em>I am in the process of getting back into shape myself, which is very difficult during the good food season, so just ignore the little belly you will most likely see in my videos. I have recently dropped 25lbs of fat, so please don't think that that little belly means my methods don't work. They do. It's really just a matter of time before I have my old body back. And before you all ask, no, I wasn't pregnant. I put on weight largely due to stress and a couple of other factors that made me unresponsive to things like good food and exercise for quite awhile. I've sorted that out.</em><br />
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<strong>FOLLOW THIS SERIES!</strong><br />
<a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-core-sequence-introduction-to.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">My Core Sequence, Introduction to Isolating Movement</span></a><br />
<a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-core-sequence-part-1-lower-body.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">My Core Sequence, Part 1: Lower Body Circles</span></a><br />
<a href="http://howtobeawesomeforfree.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-core-sequence-lower-body-linear.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">My Core Sequence, Part 2: Lower Body Linear Movements</span></a>OsasMamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01536246190850827845noreply@blogger.com5