Living

What Happens When You Stop Drinking Alcohol?

This is NOT an article about not drinking for two years, or about substance abuse. I am writing this based on personal experience of developing a bad habit of drinking too frequently in the afternoons and evenings, even though it did not appear to have a negative impact because I was not getting drunk.

There is a large group of people out where who are casual drinkers, who probably drink more frequently than they intended. I, for one, thought a glass or two of wine daily was good for me, years ago when I started the habit. Of course, that usually turned into 3-5 glasses in an evening.

Over the last year, I have stopped entirely for a few weeks and then gone back to drinking again, several times. This has given me a real insight into the positive outcomes of cutting way back on alcohol. I have good data because I wear a fitness tracker and pay attention to the data. I also run a business and am acutely aware of productivity. Not just butt in seat time, but actually getting shit done.

One important point about this is that one day, either drinking or stopping drinking, is just a blip with little effect. What I mean by that is the positive effects I list below get stronger the longer you do not drink, and if one day you have a couple of drinks, but do not “start back up” drinking regularly, you are not going to lose all the progress you make. This article is about changing your trend of drinking from regularly to rarely, and these effects will show themselves over time.

Productivity

When drinking regularly, I would never work at night unless there was a client emergency. In fact, sometimes I would have a drink at 3 or 4 and really not do much but read the news in the afternoon. One I stopped drinking for more than a week, I actually got rather bored in the afternoons and became much more productive. When working on projects I enjoyed, I would even work late into the evening because I liked the work, I was focused, and I was making money. This added thousands of dollars to my revenue per month and I became better at getting things done and learning new things.

Weight Loss

As someone who is not in their 20’s anymore, losing weight and keeping weight off is more difficult. I would say I eat extremely healthy compared to average, but alcohol leads to eating more other carbs, and that leads to steady weight gain and difficulty losing it again. The best example is recently I went on a slow-carb diet where I cut out obvious carbs. I know I can lose weight very steadily on this diet, as I have done it before. In the first couple of days, not drinking, I lost nearly 6lb. Then a negative experience with someone gave me an excuse to have a drink, which led to 4 days of drinking wine again steadily. Even though the diet remained perfect, I gained 2lb during that time. The only difference was the wine, and it was not excessive. Three days of cutting out the wine resulted in another 5lb of weight loss. Especially if you are a little older, you simply cannot lose weight while drinking alcohol.

Better Sleep

This should come as no surprise to anyone, but on average, you sleep better when you are not drinking regularly. There are other factors like exercise, but alcohol does affect sleep, and sleep is critical to your health and wellbeing. What I found is that actually, drinking can help you fall asleep faster in the evening, but the issue is that you get a lower quality of sleep and for me, I frequently woke up at 3 AM not feeling great, and at that point, I would have trouble going back to sleep. This often resulted in only 5 hours of sleep or less overall. Not drinking would result in about 6.5 hours of sleep or better. This is tracked in the smart device I wear and is based on data, not my personal opinion.

Exercise

For years, I rarely miss a day of getting a good 4-mile walk in, at a minimum. While not intense, I prefer the low impact regularity of it, and I play tennis and am active in other things as well. While drinking I did do all these things. But by not drinking I did them better. It basically came down to feeling better and simply skipping fewer days, because I didn’t have the excuse of feeling sore or crappy. The net might only be 10% more exercise when not drinking, but 10% more exercise over a year adds up to a lot more fitness activity.

Savings

People that go out and drink spend a lot per month. Over time, I really started just drinking to relax at home, which resulted in my only spending $200 to $300 a month on alcohol. While not outrageous, that is over $3,000 a year which could have been invested, used to fix up something in the house, or reduce high-interest debt. It is not a game-changer, but should not be ignored either. Once I stopped spending money on alcohol, I felt a little freer to splurge on things for myself and my family, because I knew I was saving all that money.

Heart Rate

One interesting data point to keep an eye on when you drink is your resting heart rate. This was the most obvious change that occurred right away. The resting heart rate reduction and increase would happen the very next day when I would start drinking or stop drinking. Typically, I was in the Good range anyway because I exercise and eat well. However, there was a range from 65 to 80 and the single thing that made the biggest impact was alcohol. Drinking would result in a cumulative 2 point a day increase of about 10 total points if I drink 5 days straight. Not drinking would result in a loss of 1 – 2 points per day. High 70’s when I drink, mid 60’s when I do not. Why is this important? Less stress on your heart, and it is probably one of the reasons you also sleep better. I am no doctor, but this is an obvious data point that you can see very easily.

Gain Time

When you start drinking in the afternoon, you tend to relax and chill. Occasionally this is great. But if you are doing this multiple times per week, you are probably feeling like you cannot get stuff done. The reality is the afternoons seem boring when you stop drinking, at first, because you are still alert and have energy. Over time you will start getting more done at this time and it will seem like your day has many more hours to achieve your goals and get tasks done.

Better Habits

Making positive changes is difficult no matter what. When you are drinking alcohol regularly, you are less likely to make a positive change or develop new good habits. The fact is, in the evenings your willpower will go down due to drinking. When your willpower goes down, you start making excuses in your head to do something you are trying not to do (eat sweets) or not do something you are trying to do (go to the gym). If you want to develop good habits, try doing them one at a time and start with reducing your drinking to special occasions or one specific day a week, at most. Then when you add more habits you want to develop, you won’t let alcohol sabotage the effort.

Tips to Reduce Drinking

Substitute Other Liquids – I find I am accustomed to having a beverage and sipping it. When I keep a glass of water, unsweetened decaf iced tea, or decaf hot tea with me in the evenings it really reduces my urge to drink alcohol.
Don’t Keep It In The House – This way when you have a bad day, and really want a drink, you have to go out and buy it. This won’t stop you all the time, but sometimes it will.
Change Habits with Friends – One friend of mine always wanted to go out for drinks. I started to offer to meet him for breakfast instead, and while we are still friends, we see each other a lot less because he was more interested in a drinking buddy and not as interested in getting together often.
Avoid Labels – Whether you are an Alcoholic, a Social Drinker, an Abuser of Alcohol, a Weekend Binge Drinker, or you just drink to relax is not really the point. The point is you have to be clear you would like to make a change and stick to a reduction or elimination of alcohol.
Track progress – I found an app called LESS – Alcohol Tracker that is very light, no groups, and does not sell anything. It just tracks your days without drinking to encourage you to keep streaks up.
Don’t let a drink trick you – When you have one drink, realize your mind will start saying “You already had one, might as well have another…” and the same might go from one day to the next, with reasoning like “You already messed up the week, might as well enjoy it and drink again today.” Or you might even just hear that little voice in your head “…it’s Thursday night…it’s Friday… it’s Saturday … I just mowed the lawn and it is so hot… “ Practice shutting down those excuses your head makes because it is trying to trick you into having “one more drink.”
Seek Treatment – if you are struggling to make a change that sticks, seek treatment. It is a struggle for many people, and some need more help than others. The change is worth it.

I hope this article is useful to you. Please remember I am neither a doctor, psychologist, addiction specialist, or any form of a health expert. These are just my personal observations over time. I will still have a drink occasionally, but the more I reflect on what drinking does to me, the less I feel inclined to easily go back to drinking most days of the week. You are really gaining more time in your day, and more years to live. You cannot buy more life with money, but you can through your actions.

5 Things To Do With Your Aging Parents

When your parents start getting older and slowing down a bit, you have to change what you do when you want to spend quality time with them. The best place to start is probably looking at things they have always liked but finding ways to do the same thing while lightening the load and reducing stress.

If your parent always liked going on rugged hikes, for example, finding less challenging paths and going shorter distances may be a welcome change without giving up things they like. Here is a list of five other things you may be able to do with them, based on past activities modified to scale back on the stress.

Shopping – If your parent has always enjoyed shopping, it is easy to take them out and just limit the number of stores, reduce the duration and take more frequent breaks.
Cooking – Did one of your parents always cook big meals, make fancy cakes or plan holiday dinners? If they have gotten older, they may want to cut back on some of the work but people who enjoy cooking usually continue to enjoy cooking. You just have to roll up your sleeves and do more of the work and let them focus on what they enjoy and make sure they are not doing a bunch of the cleanup (no one likes that).
Home Repairs- Do you have one of those parents who always was fixing things? Sometimes it is hard for them to let go and hire someone to do the repairs. However, they may not be as good at fixing things and it might be dangerous for them depending on the job. In this case, you can have them assist a pro or if it is in your wheelhouse, you can do the repair with them. Or just limit the repairs to things like painting and not getting on ladders. Doing a home improvement project with an older parent who has always enjoyed it is a great bonding experience.
Parties – If your parents used to have a lot of people over and entertain, you can still help them throw a smaller, simpler party without the stress, headache and large amount of work. Help them plan it, by more things premade and stay at the party with them. Sure you might end up being the help as they socialize with friends, but it can be a very fun thing for them to do again, if they enjoyed entertaining when they were younger.
Travel – One of the most obvious things is travel. Most people still like to travel when they are older, but there is an important difference. Chances are your parents have slowed down and will not want to do as much walking. Nor will they want to jam pack the day with sights. Instead, do less, and at a slower pace and enjoy the fewer things you do at a leisurely stroll.

Older parents are not too old for things, you just have to cut some of the stress and energy required out of the activity. Get creative, bond with them and help them enjoy their golden years without feeling like they need to give up on all the things they enjoyed for so long.

Summer Camps for Kids

Last summer, my 12-year-old daughter took a speed reading course through one of our local universities. My expectations as a parent were not met. She, on the other hand, was very happy. The long week course was different for her; it was a classroom setting, and she enjoyed the setting tremendously. From my point of view, she got some worksheets and a very good book’s list. She, on the other hand, realized that her vocabulary, reading speed, and reading comprehension were not only comparable to the kids at the course, but were oftentimes better.

Summer camps are a great time for your children to experience something new, and sometimes even challenging. Your perspective about the camps and the things she’ll learn will differ from her point of view, but at the end of the summer, you will realize her experiences are the ones that count, and perhaps they are all positive.

Sending your child or teenager to a summer camp can be an extremely positive experience for them. It can be an opportunity where your child’s self-esteem and curiosity are not only nurtured but increased by the positive feedback from counselors and campers alike. Your child or teenager may discover a new interest or rediscover the one she stopped pursuing. A summer camp can help your child become more independent and learn how to navigate the complexity of personal relationships.

Many summer camps can be a week-long only, and they are long enough for your child to recognize whether she likes it or likes the atmosphere.The price varies and so does the quality of many of them. Depending on your child or teenagers’ pursuits, it is very likely that he or she can find one that best suits his needs without paying an exorbitant amount.

The local universities in the Northeast Ohio region offer many summer camps that are academically challenging while offering a friendly atmosphere for your child. From art, dance, and music summer camps to engineering camps tailored to girls, these camps are worth the money you will be spending.

For many families with more than one child, these camps offer discounts to make them affordable for them. If attending a summer camp through a local university, they are willing and able to work with you.

Keeping a child learning thru the summer allows them to appreciate their free time and their free space, while still learning and keeping an active mind.

Don’t Let Your Lifestyle Choose You

One of the most common things that make me think about moving to a different location from Ohio is the idea of being in a place where the healthy lifestyle of people is more prevalent. It is a legitimate thought as the healthy lifestyle indexes for Ohio are middling at best.

However, just because the averages are not where someone would like it does not mean you need to let the lifestyle of where you live pick you.

One excuse I often think about is the seasonality of Ohio. You cannot always do the same things year-round. We love hiking as a family but not into Winter hiking. So I tend to do less in Winter.

However, if you look at some of the best places for active lifestyles in the nation, some of the top cities have the same seasons. Wisconsin, Colorado and Idaho all have highly ranked health indexes based on lifestyles.

So, what can you do to not fall into the trap of a less healthy lifestyle in Ohio or other cold weather locations?

1. It is critical to have a year-round plan. You can choose activities that you can do year-round, such as a gym, indoor tennis, racket ball, basketball, working out on equipment you own, etc.

2. You can also tough out an activity year-round even if it is not traditional. One person I know who is very fit runs every day year-round with a group except for thunder storms. All other conditions she goes out, no matter the temperature or condition.

3. Not planning to do the same thing year-round, know what you can do in each season and have a backup plan for when the weather is not cooperating.

A healthy lifestyle is not just about the exercise. It is also about diet and let’s face it, we have less healthy places to eat and more easy but bad places to eat. But this is a matter of planning and doing a bit of research as well. Places like Chipotle have healthy options for something fast and most places will have healthy options. If you are looking for a breakfast or lunch, First Watch is a great option that is healthy and sprinkled around the Ohio area.

We are not going to have all the options of a big city on the West coast any time soon but they do exist. Plan ahead and you will be able to not just default to a bad option when you are famished.

Plus, you can always start preparing some more things in advance and not needing to grab a meal out as often. If you are taking care of more meals at home and taking advantage of outdoor activities such as the wealth of walking paths and hiking trails in Ohio you can save a lot of money, improve your fitness and choose the lifestyle you want, instead of defaulting to the one most common near you.

How to keep kids learning all summer long

Summer is a cataclysmic change for many families. Kids go from being busy with school and homework and activities to suddenly having a bunch of free time and complaining they are bored. In the meantime, parents still need to go to work and have more tasks than ever as the outside needs cared for as much as the inside.

So how can you keep your kids learning, active and engaged once they are out of school?

This is going to depend on the age of your kids first and foremost. But here are some great ideas.

1. Chores – Once upon a time kids did chores. Put in a garden and ask them to weed and water it every day. Same with the flower beds. Kids any age can do this. The little kids will think it is fun in most cases.

2. Camps – There are two kinds of camps which are great for keeping kids active in the summer. One is sports camps where kids get introduced to a sport or sharpen their skill in a sport.

3. The second type of camp is more academic. More and more places run computer camps, robotics camps, coding camps, etc. These can teach your kids valuable skills that the schools more traditional curriculum is most likely not covering enough.

4. Want to save money on those camps? You can ditch the group activity and buy online courses and get your kids to learn via the computer. Udemy is one such place where for as little as $10 you can get an online course that will teach programming, game design or many other types of skills.

5. Summer sports – some sports are played in the summer but not run by the school system. One example is tennis, which has USTA events year-round where you do tournaments on the weekends and find people to practice with during the week. If your child cares about being good, they need to practice regularly in the sport.

6. Summer Jobs – Is your child 16 or older? Get them out to find a summer job. Kids need some exposure to working because it helps with being more responsible as well as having more appreciation for work and workers later on when they are older. Many seasonal businesses will be looking for young people to work in the summer.

7. Summer projects – decide on a project your family is going to do this summer and work on it regularly, making sure the kids have a lot of the responsibility. Maybe it is cleaning the basement, or it might be building a shed or a picnic table.

These are just some ideas for you to keep those kids engaged, busy and learning throughout the summer months.

Fire Prevention In Your Home

According to The United States Fire Administration (FEMA) “Fire is everyone’s fight’, and it should be especially important as homeowners and head of households to comply with fire safety standards and make safety around the home a priority.

The National Fire Protection Association’s reports about fire and its consequences are alarming. According to their information, between the year 2012-2016, there were an approximate 355,400 home fires, 11,670 civilian injuries, 2560 civilian deaths and $6.5 billion in damages due to these fires.

Home fire prevention can be very simple. The worry of being the victim of a fire in your home is always present, but it’s not too worrisome. As a consequence, we grow careless and let things that are dangerous creep into our lives. Preventing a fire is about being diligent about safety precautions, but more importantly, it can save the lives of your family, your pets and your property.

What are some of the basic safety precaution you and your family can follow? There is a long list of little and big things you can do if you want to check online, but here are some of the most important ones you can follow to keep your home and family safe.

Install smoke detectors in every room of the house, but especially in the kitchen. Make sure the smoke detectors are less than 10 years old, the batteries are changed frequently and make sure the smoke detectors are tested frequently to make sure they are working properly.
Cooking Safety, Keep papers and other flammable items away from the stove. Oven mitts, kitchen towels, paper towels should not be left on the stove or close to the burners. Do not leave the stove on with unattended cooking pots on it, keep small children away from boiling pots.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors should be placed at every level of the house. They become more important during the winter months when the house is closed more securely and outside air is minimal. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can be fatal if inhaled.
Candles and oil lamps should be used carefully. Extinguish the candles’ flame or oil lamps when you go to bed and keep them away from small children and pets. The candles and oil lamps should never be left unattended. This useful habit can help you prevent a fire that can get out of control within minutes.
Electrical safety is usually a topic many homeowners do not think too much about. We are more concerned about preventing fires that are the result of carelessness or accidents than electrical fires. But, electrical fires should be a concern for us. Frayed, and cracked electrical cords are a hazard that can start a fire without you being home. Old appliances with old cords can short circuit and start a fire within minutes. Appliances big or small should be plugged directly into the wall outlets to help prevent a fire in the home.

Fires are preventable. Being careful and using common sense can help you keep your family safe.

Summer Home and Vacation Savings

Vacation Saving Tips (If You Are Driving)

As the time to start planning your summer vacation approaches, gas prices are going up. It happens every year in anticipation of the travel season. Even if money is not an issue for you, these tips will help you be good to the environment, and help you save for other things you want to do with that money.

1. Shop around – Some of the best apps for your iPhone that are free and can save you money right away are:

a) GasBuddy
b) AAA Mobile
c) Gas Guru

2. Use Apps to help you with traffic and rerouting trips to avoid traffic jams, accidents or

a) Waze
b) Route4Me
c) inRoute

3. Check your vehicle’s tires. Having a well maintained car will help you save on gas. The efficiency of your vehicle on the road depends on how well maintained you have kept your car all year round.

4. Follow the speed limit signs. Even when you have a long road ahead, driving at the speed limit posted can save you money on gas. Driving slower and at a consistent speed burns less fuel, and if traveling for a long trip, use your cruise control to keep a consistent and moderate speed.

5. Keep it light – Excessive baggage or a roof box cargo can make gas consumption a bit expensive. Keeping your windows and sunroof close will reduce the drag, making you car more aerodynamic.

Home Saving Tips

Many of the new homes have excellent windows, new roofs, new air conditioning units, etc. Everything is new and working properly. But, if you have an older home and are looking to save energy and money, what are some of the energy saving tips that will also save you money?

Replacing your old air conditioning unit is not something we do frequently, they last a long time and they are expensive. But, if you have an old unit, the efficiency is not longer there. The electric bill is probably not a pretty sight every month, so replacing the unit is probably the only solution that can save you money in the long run.
Replacing old Windows – The draft you feel as you get close to a window or door is heat leaving your home and making your gas or electric bill higher than it should be. Replacing old windows or doors can save you money in heating bills and add value to your home.
Keeping the temperatures in your home at comfortable levels can save you money. Too cold in the summer months and too warm in the winter can add hundreds of dollars a year. Try a difference of a couple degrees and see if you feel a difference in your comfort level and notice the difference in your bill.
Turning off the lights in your home and appliances or other electronic devices that nobody is using saves electricity and money.
Remind your children that the water in the home is not heated by the sun. A short shower can save water and electricity and hundreds of dollars a year.

By using some of these tips, you will not only save money but will help the environment as well.

5 Ways To Improve Your Life AND Cut Expenses

The first thing we need to do is agree that some of the things in this article are not going to be more fun. When I write, “Improve Your Life” I mean in a healthy way, not in a binge drinking frat party way. The real key to this article is if follow all of these things, you should save many thousands of dollars per year and also be healthier and happier.

Next I want to say I got this information from all over. We reference some things, in other cases you can do a search and find different numbers from different sources. This is not a scientific research paper – just an interesting article on how to save money while improving your life.

Cold Showers

Your first reaction might be “Hell no!” but give me a moment. There are a lot of people that swear by cold (or colder) showers because they have significant benefits and they save you money. Cold showers have been associated with increases Alertness, Refines Hair and Skin, Improves Immunity and Circulation, Stimulating Weight Loss, Speeding Up Muscle Soreness and Recovery, Easing Stress and Relieving Depression. I have also heard that taking a cold shower when you cannot go to sleep and getting in bed right away will put you in a great, deep sleep if you have trouble with that kind of thing.

So fine, it is good for you if you can hack it. But does it save you a lot of money? I found a calculator for shower costs online here. I did an example where I did a colder, shorter shower and a longer, hotter shower and compared the cost. Turns out a family of 4 would save $478.50 in a year. Not bad – and good for you.

Drink Less

Well, this is already starting to sound really sucky. Take cold showers and stop drinking. But in 2018 more evidence has been steadily coming out that the whole 1-2 drinks a day are good for you thing is not really true. Women should have much less than that and even men should only be have a couple a week. I found another calculator that will help you see how much you are spending weekly on alcohol. And remember, it is not as good for you as you have been lead to believe.

In this very reasonable example, I have used this calculator and estimated a $1,872 annual expense per person. If you live in a big city and like to go out with friends or coworkers a lot you are spending a lot more than this in fact.

Eat Less

The average American consumes more than 3,600 calories daily. This is a 24% increase from 1961, when the average was just 2,880 calories. A man needs around 2,500kcal a day to maintain his weight with a healthy , balanced diet. Woman need around 2,000kcal a day. These values can vary depending on age, metabolism and physical activity, among other things. Body builders and professional swimmers should not try this at home.

With all of this in mind, we simply eat too much – and food costs money. We eat 37.5% too much food to be exactish.

How much money does the average person spend on food per month? This figure varies based on age and income level. Assuming you are middle class and a fairly young adult, it is $173 per week times 52 weeks which equals $8,996 in annual food costs. Now if we cut that back by 37.5%, we would be saving $3373.50 per year per person. And you would also save money on health care as it would reduce the likelihood of many weight related diseases.

This gets even crazier when you consider Forty percent of food in the United States is never eaten, amounting to $165 billion a year in wasted food, according to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council. This would figure that you might be throwing away 40% of the groceries. If you are someone throwing away a lot of food, plus eating 37% more calories than you need, it means 75% of your groceries could be wasted or eaten when they should not be.

Cook More

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014, the average American household spent $2,787 on restaurant meals and takeout, compared to $3,971 on groceries. But in 2015, the average amount spent on restaurants and takeout jumped $221 to $3,008. Grocery spending, by contrast, increased just $44 per household to $4,015.

We all know that restaurant food tastes great. It is higher in sodium, bacon fat, fried breading and slathered in butter or some delicious sauce. If you learn to make good, healthy meals at home and cut the restaurants, you can save money and be healthier very easily. Going out no more than once a week should cut that restaurant bill in half or less, saving approximately $1,500 a year and

Walk or Bike More Short Trips

In 2017, the average household made 1.5 trips per week to grocery store. Most likely these were done driving. As mentioned above in the article, chances are you have too much food in your home already so going 6 times a month is too much. But instead of saying “You can’t go” let’s say you can only go on bike or walking unless you are going for a big run that should only happen 2-3 times per month.

Walking and biking are great exercise and if you really want something, just make yourself go on foot. Chances are the craving will not be worth it if you have to walk there.

By using this strategy you will help yourself cut down on those food and alcohol expenses mentioned above while also saving gas and car maintenance. AAA estimates that it costs 58 cents per mile to operate a car. Of that 58 cents, only around 11 cents is in gas. The other 47 cents goes for expenses like, maintenance, insurance and depreciation.

So if you cut down on short trips by walking or riding your bike more, you could save several dollars on each trip and get better fit and buy less crap. Putting a savings tag on this is harder but let’s say you cut $5 a week in car expenses plus another $10 per week in stuff you do not buy on a whim. That is small but would add up to $780 saved in a year.

All told, all of these things would make you healthier. And I certainly do not mean to imply to never take a hot shower or have a glass of wine again. But the little daily things add up to huge savings and health benefits. Let’s recap.

In one year, a family of 4 average people can save the following:

Cold Showers: $478.50
2 Adults In Family Cut Drinking: $3,774
Eating Only Recommended Calories for Family of 4: $13,494
Eating Out Maximum 1 time per week: $1,500
Walking more and driving less: $780

This is all based on averages, different sources and fuzzy math. We are just having fun here. But this would suggest these changes could save an average family of four $20,026.50 per year. Your results will vary. But that is a lot of savings and health benefit.

If this all seems a little extreme, remember to start small and no one says you have to go to this level. Shorter showers and less restaurants alone could save you some cash. Make it work for you. This is just an example of how you can imagine a different life.

Five ways to make your child more intelligent

People have always wondered if intelligence is inherited or something that we adapt and polish with time! As a kid my mum made me do a lot of mental math, spatial learning exercises, and many more similar activities. She aimed to boost my intelligence, though I was never sure how effective they were. One thing is for sure, I am able to think on my feet and multitask well.

Now growing up and become a mother to a four-year-old, I adopted the same practices, but in my opinion, the results were not like the ones I was expecting. I started dreading that maybe my child is a slow learner! This led me to research and read up a lot just to clear my doubts about the kind of learner my daughter was. I came across some really interesting facts.

There are no slow learners in reality! (surprised?)
Every brain is equally gifted. Though the gifts may differ.
Our circumstances and environment play a crucial role.
Inherent qualities do exist, but again it’s our environmental setup that impacts the actual growth.

Tips and Exercises to boost our Intelligence

Through my research, I understood one thing, there are no slow learners. Each brain has its capabilities and how much we utilize or make the child utilize the brain gives us the actual level of intelligence. The genetics do come into play but they only have around 15% impact, the rest can all be honed.

The methods that can be employed are simple yet scientifically backed, and they can help in making our children able to use a larger part of their brains.

1. Work on their concentration span.

Children have a very short span of attention. They need to learn to focus. Children who have better attention spans have better working memories. An age old trick of staring at a single spot on the wall can be helpful in increasing the attention span. Also, doing activities and playing games that help in improving memory can help the working the memory and this also helps them perform better in class and makes them confident.

2. Make your child sleep better.

Today, the problem that we face with our children is their lack of sleep. They are exposed to a lot of gadgets throughout the day. Their bodies absorb light from these gadgets, and their biological clock informs them that their body system should wait for few more hours before shutting down. This way they stay awake for a long time and never get the required sleep hours. When a child has rested enough, his brain is fresh to absorb newer concepts and ideas.

3. Encourage your child.

Boosting your child’s morale will help your child become confident and encouraged to try newer things. But make sure you don’t go overboard as it can instil a sense of superiority and overconfidence in a child. Also, praise things they worked on, not things that came easily. A confident child is bound to try newer things and explore. The experiences help broaden the mind. Never snub or discourage your child in public. It shatters their self-confidence as they feel humiliated in front of their peers. This makes them clam-up and shut their minds.

4. Talk to your child.

This is very important! All the efforts that you are making on your full time or part time job is to make sure that your child has a great future. But what is the point when you are not able to give them time? A neglected child will ultimately wallow in his loneliness and become miserable. Give your child time. Discuss things with them and listen to their opinions and views and then guide them to the right and wrong. When you discuss their curiosity with them, you are expanding the horizons for them. If you wait until they are older, it may be too late as they are already used to not sharing things with you.

5. Challenge your child.

It is important that you allow your child to solve his problems, but keep a watchful eye. For example, if a ball rolls down under the bed, instead of you retrieving it, allow your child to do it himself/herself. They will learn to solve their problems and devise solutions that can help them resolve problems on their own.

My Experience

I started with making a proper sleep routine for my daughter, and gradually I noticed things falling into place. By empowering her to make decisions herself, she started feeling more confident. A happy child is a successful child; this is the mantra as parents we should be understanding. But surely we should keep in mind that fulfilling all whims is not the key; we should try to make them happier by giving love and support.

Boost Your Gym Consistency

It is common for people to sign up for a gym membership and go for a short while and then fall off. The fact is, you cannot get results going less than once a week. And three times a week is kind of a minimum for making progress. This article is not the ideal advice – we are assuming you are struggling with getting to the gym enough and we want to give you some realistic life hacks to get to the gym more frequently and get the results you want.

But first let me say, we have a list of things to try and you should not try them all at once. Chances are, one or two of these will be enough for you to accomplish your goals. The list is longer because different gym strategies will work for different people.

Meet a Friend – One common strategy is to work out with someone on a regular basis. I actually am committed to taking my teen age daughter 3-5 times a week, which has forced me to go. You could meet a friend there and talk while working out. The fact is, you are far more likely to go not going will disappoint someone else.

Do a Program – Whether you do Zumba or Spin, showing up for a class is easier than just popping in at random times. Even if the class is not that challenging, it gets you there and you can more easily go early or stay late and do some extra things.

Make It an Appointment – Time is often the excuse not to go. Don’t think of the gym as an extra. Think of it as a doctor’s appointment.

Go the Same Time Every Day – If your schedule is fairly fixed, you should also fix the time you work out each day. The less you need to think about it and juggle things the more likely you will go.

Go No Matter What on Assigned Days, Even for 15 Minutes – This works wonders for me. As long as I am not ill, I go on my gym days no matter what, even if I feel too tired or too busy. I give myself the option to leave after 15 minutes on the treadmill. I cannot tell you how many times this has worked (a lot) because once there, doing only 15 minutes is silly.

Keep a Log – You can do this electronically or on a paper chart. Track key metrics important to you. How many times you go. How long you stay. How many miles you run. Key personal measurements. A log will encourage you to want to beat last week, or at least not do less.

Appreciate the Results – Depending on your current condition and your body, you might be seeing results in as little as a few trips to the gym. I see better arm definition after 3 arm days, for example. Don’t be shy. Check it out. Show friends. Appreciate the results to encourage you to keep at it.

Hire a Trainer – Working with a trainer once a week might work for you if it motivates you to go the other days and put in the work. Unfortunately, like piano lessons, this depends on your personality and how honest you are with your trainer. You cannot just show up for the weekly session and skip training the rest of the week.

Have a Backup Plan – For days where something comes up and you absolutely cannot go to the gym, have a few weights or a medicine ball at home and do the reps. This way you do not let your body down.

Reward Yourself – Figure out something (could be small weekly or bigger monthly) as a reward if you go the minimum number of times to the gym. This only works if you absolutely follow the rules. For example, if you missed one session because of something that came up that was important, make it up a different time or day, or do not reward yourself, no matter how good the reason was.

Use a Fitness Tracker – There are expensive fitness trackers and inexpensive ones. Just because you cannot afford an iWatch is not a reason not to get a simpler step tracker and keep track of steps daily. If fact, it is probably built into your phone if you buy a strap and keep it on when you are running or walking.

Think Like a Gym Rat – You have heard the expression, fake it till you make it. Well, you have seen those people walking around looking like they own the gym. Adopt an attitude like you are a part of the gym culture and look and act confident. Eventually you have a stronger sense of belonging and will enjoy going more. (We are not endorsing being a gym jerk. Just a confident member)

Have a Gym Playlist – Have a list of music you listen to when at the gym that makes you feel great and gets you pumped up. This will positively reinforce your time at the gym and if you choose your music wisely it can help you work out better and get more excited about the results you are going to start seeing.

Break Glass In Case Of Emergency – If you start to let things slip, you need to have a plan to recognize it and take corrective action. For example, if you miss a full week, what are you going to do to re-jump-start your fitness routine? Know when it is slipping and know what action to take to stop the slide.

This is a big list of things you can do to improve your attendance at the gym. Most of these are hacks to help you form a habit that has previously been hard to form. Over time, you may be able to let go of some of the hacks because your habit of working out is very well established.