Trying to Lose Weight? Beware These Hidden Calories!

Around New Year's, many people make resolutions to lose weight.  Maybe this is you, and you are struggling with your goals.  Or, sometimes in the summer, some people decide that they want to get in shape.  If this is you, perhaps you are strugging with weight loss in the summer heat.  Whether you are a member of the winter or the summer group, both have one thing in common.  They make strict promises to themselves to hit the gym, to start lifting weights, and to pay more attention to what they eat.  Yet, somehow, despite these positive changes, the scale never seems to reflect their hard work and dedication.  What is the problem?
Well, for some people, the culprit is surprising, and can be found in the glass, cup, or bottle sitting near them.  That is right, I am not talking about "food", but rather the suprising amount of hidden calories that one consumes when drinking beverages.

Most people who are monitoring their caloric intake are very strict when it comes to what they put in their mouths with a fork or a spoon, but neglect to consider the amount of calories that they are ingesting from drinking something as simple as a glass of orange juice or a bottle of their favorite sports drink.  These contain calories (often in the form of sugars) that can add quickly to your daily intake total.  Thus, even though you may only be "eating" a thousand calories, the "healthy drinks" that you are having with and between your meals may be adding hundreds of calories to your daily intake.  This increase in calorie intake can be the difference between shedding unwanted pounds and holding on to excess weight for many people.

So do yourself a favor the next time you are reaching for a second glass of orange juice or purchasing a large sports drink, and stick with water instead.  Not only is it deliciious and something that your body needs daily, but it also has zero calories and can only help your midsection decrease in size.

As always, consult with a doctor before making any radical changes in your diet or amount of physical activity.  And remember, it is not about any one major life change that will make all the difference, but rather the combination of little changes that will put you on the right road to success in meeting your goals.  Best wishes in all of your fitness goals!

How to Teach Your Dog to Rollover in 3 Easy Steps

Getting a puppy involves a lot of hard work and dedication. There are many different aspects to raising a dog, from veteranrian visits to potty training, purchasing chew toys and making play dates with other pups, and a wide variety of other time commitments. Somewhere in the midst of all of these other things, most dog owners decide that they also want to teach their new best friends a trick or two, and thus this article explains how to teach your new puppy to perform the classic "rollover." Training your dog to rollover can at first seem to be a daunting task, but this article explains how to do so in three easy steps. Soon your puppy will be performing this trick to the delight of all.
 
If you have already taught your dog to sit, then you can move on to the following step and teach your puppy to rollover even more quickly. If you have not however, then that is where the magic of the rollover trick must begin. Having your dog trained to sit on command is the foundation to performing the rollover trick, and it is a fairly easy command to teach. The best way to teach your dog to sit is to press firmly on your dog's hindquarters while applying gentle upward force under its chin/neck, and firmly saying, "Sit!" This will help your dog understand that you are trying to get it to keep its head up and hindquarters down, and will easily enable your dog to understand what you want. When your dog successfully performs this command, reward it with a treat with one hand, while maintaining your other hands pressure on the hindquarters. This will keep the dog sitting, and associate the reward with the action. Alternate this reward with petting and praise, instead of just food, and you will prevent your dog from getting complacent and expectant.
 
Once your dog has learned to sit on command, it is time to work on step two. The second step on the path to learning to rollover on command is for your dog to learn to lie down on command. This is actually a relatively simple step as well, and can be done quite naturally in combination with the sit command. After your dog has been told to "sit" and is in the seated position, issue the command "lie down" while pressing down gently on your dog's neck/head and gently pulling its front feet forward. If the dog resists this method, instead try applying pressure to the neck/head while saying the command, but also holding a treat in front of the nose and lowering it to ground level. Your dog should follow the treat, and eventually understand that "lie down" means dropping to the floor. When your dog perform this trick successfully, reward it with some petting and a treat. After a few successes, begin alternating rewards with treats and rewards with petting, so that your dog doesn't always expect a treat for lying down.
 
After your dog has learned to lie down, the next part is simple for most dogs. After you have the dog sit, then lie, you merely hold the treat in front of its nose and move it in a circular motion while saying "rollover" and gently pushing the dog on its side (you may have to help it rollover the first few times). In addition, be aware that your dog might get confused at first about what you mean, so you may have to take it slow on this one. Also be careful with your hand movements with the treat, as the dog may try to follow with its head instead of its body.
 
After some patience, your efforts will definitely be rewarded, and you will soon have a dog that is capable of three basic tricks (sitting, lying down, and rolling over) all on command. These tricks will be sure to awe at any family gathering or birthday celebration, and are also a great way to bond with your canine companion.