Female Bodybuilding Tips

Popularity of bodybuilding among women has increased manifold in recent years. Although previously, bodybuilding was considered to be a man's domain, women today do not hesitate to enroll in a bodybuilding program. When it comes to female bodybuilding, it is often said, that women should focus more on developing their upper body as they have naturally strong legs. Here are some proven female bodybuilding tips that can help you to put on muscles without compromising on your health.

Exercises

Simple bodybuilding exercises for women are similar to those recommended for men. However, women need to concentrate more on those exercises that increase the upper body strength. Strength training exercises such as the use of dumb bells or push ups, help build up muscles. Weight training exercises strengthen the muscles whereas cardiovascular exercises help you lose excess fat.

Supplements

There are a number of bodybuilding supplements for women that do not cause any side effects and are safe and suitable for women. One such popular supplement is creatine monohydrate, that has tremendous nutritional value. Calcium body supplements designed for women, keep their bones healthy and strong. Maintaining the strength and stability of bones is extremely beneficial when it comes to bodybuilding. Even vitamin B body supplements are very useful to the body as they positively affect the skin, hair and the eyes. These supplements accelerate the metabolism of the proteins, carbs and fats. Protein bodybuilding supplements are available in powder form and can be easily mixed with a shake or a drink to promote health and fitness. These supplements allow your muscles to grow bigger. Whey protein is another supplement that helps in bodybuilding. It is very useful for bodybuilders as it promotes muscle growth. Whey protein is available in liquid form which helps you consume high amounts of protein. L-Glutine is another essential bodybuilding supplement that should be included in your diet. It is an amino acid and found naturally in the body. It carries out a number of functions including muscle preservation and protein synthesis.

Diet

A proper diet is as important as performing bodybuilding exercises, to get the desired results. Protein is one of the most important nutrients to build muscles. A diet to augment female bodybuilding must be rich in proteins. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, fish and chicken, are a great source of protein. It is advised to have a heavy breakfast as it increases metabolism. The routine of having 3 meals a day should be stopped. It is essential to eat a meal every 3 hours as the body requires nutrients regularly to repair and buildup muscle tissue. Female bodybuilding nutrition mainly involves the intake of proteins and carbohydrates. Protein is a vital nutrient to maintain metabolism and reduce fat.

Workouts

Female bodybuilding workouts which incorporate cardio exercises, are considered to be the best. Cardio workouts like running on a treadmill, should be a part of your bodybuilding program. Squats are a good way to burn calories. Other exercises that provide effective results are deadlift, bent-over barbel row and bench press. For your biceps, you need to include standing barbel curls, preacher curls and incline curls. Workouts such as hamstring curls, leg presses and calve raises, strengthen the legs. These are some female bodybuilding workouts that must be included in your training routine. Joining a workout program that covers training, nutrition and supplements, can also be beneficial for women to develop a well toned body.

These are some of the female bodybuilding tips that have been recommended by female bodybuilders and will help you accomplish your bodybuilding goals.

Fitness Exercises for Women

The only sure shot, healthy and proper way to gain muscle, lose weight, and/or stay fit is through a well-balanced diet and exercise. There is no way around this fact, except for popping dangerous and risky drugs or cosmetic surgery. Even the advertisements on television and in magazines are false that claim to help you achieve your ideal body proportions, no matter how skinny or overweight you may be, by taking the muscle building or fat burning supplements. Instead of risking your life by trusting these false advertisements, why not give time to exercises that will provide actual results. Total body toning exercise for women successfully help you lose extra fat, gain more energy, and provide better overall health. Here are some fitness exercises for women that target your problematic body zones.

Strength Training Exercises for Women

Now summertime stroll in the evening are considered a good habit to stay in shape, but it actually doesn't do much to show those changes. Besides, working out at the gym or at home, other fun summer activities can provide hardcore body-shaping benefits. You can continue your regular exercises during the week, and over the weekend, can indulge in these exhilarating weekend activities. If you really want more rigorous fitness exercises for women, then take a look at the following outdoor activities. Find out more information on fitness training.

Cycling
A fantastic workout, it ensures an overall fitness without having you realize that it is doing good to your body. Cycling is the most effective form of fitness exercises for women, as it helps shed those extra calories and give you firm abs. For every hour of cycling, you burn about 500 to 700 calories per hour, depending on the speed and terrain you choose. Other benefits of cycling are:

• An aerobic exercise which gives your heart, blood vessels and lungs excellent workout and reduces risk of heart problems.
• One of the best thigh exercises for women, as it trims and tones the upper thigh, hamstring, and calf muscles.
• Regularly going for a ride helps relieve stress, anxiety, and depression.
• For those who wish to reduce weight, cycling can be very beneficial, as it reduces waistline and excess fat.
• Cycling builds your stamina and helps you carry out daily activities with ease. Read more on cycling for weight loss.

Kayaking
Kayaking may seem difficult, but can actually be learned in few days. It is not just a hobby anymore as kayaking has many health and fitness benefits. You can relax, enjoy a fun social sport and have a great workout all in one. Involve your family and friends along with you and spend couple of hours enjoying your time together. For every hour of kayaking, you burn about 400 or more calories per hour. Other benefits of kayaking are:

• Kayaking reduces stress levels, as it facilitates you into breathing fresh air (rather than stuffed gym environments).
• Depending on how fast you paddle, you can actually add kayaking into your weight loss program (400 calories per hour).
• You build great amounts of muscle strength in your arms, chest, abdomen, and shoulders.
• As a sport, kayaking requires your body to be flexible, which in turn helps you get a great aerobic exercise.

Tennis
Another physical activity which can be considered as one of the best fitness exercises for women is tennis. It benefits both body and mind, which gives tennis an edge over all other physical activities. You can grab a friend for a fun game of tennis over the weekend and sculpt your entire body. For every hour of tennis, you burn about 544 calories per hour. Other benefits of tennis are:

• Instead of using tennis as a recreational sport, go for a more cardiovascular approach, as it reduces the risk of heart problems.
• Trims and tones your arms, shoulders, back and abdominal muscles like a pro.
• As tennis works, many muscle groups in your body all at the same time, it helps improve overall balance, dexterity, and agility.
• Tennis helps lower body fat and cholesterol, as it reduces stress levels.

The main idea behind the fitness exercises for women mentioned above is to provide you with fresh air. When the weather is great outside, why spend your time stuck in a stuffy gym to workout. Instead, get your friends and family along with you and have some fun while shedding calories, staying motivated, and building a firm, toned body.

Planet Fitness Gym Membership

Planet Fitness was founded in the year 1992, when Michael Grondahl took over a gym which was financially struggling. He reduced the prices of the gym, to compete with the other well known brands of gyms. This low cost business model is focused on the first time gym users, rather than more experienced gym members. Planet Fitness started franchising in 2003, and now has a chain of over 300 clubs for fitness training in 31 states, with a membership base which is nearing 2 million. Planet Fitness gym membership is very cheap compared to other well known gyms. Here are more details on membership of Planet Fitness gym, and the gym's reviews.

Membership of Planet Fitness Gym

• Planet Fitness has a basic membership plan which is under USD 10 for a month.
• The USD 10 membership is basic, but if you want some more facilities then you can go for the USD 19.95 monthly membership.
• In the USD 19.95 monthly membership one can use the tanning beds and massage chairs.
• After signing up for their membership you get a styling T-shirt and a purple pen for free.
• The sign-up fee is USD 49.
• The club also serves pizzas and bagels once a month.
• They are going to introduce an annual Planet Fitness gym membership fee for USD 39, which will start around June 2011.

Planet Fitness Gym Reviews - Positive

• Planet Fitness offers a gym membership for a very low price. It doesn't ask you to sign up for an annual membership. If you don't like the gym, then one can quit it from the next month.
• Planet Fitness has all the necessary fitness equipment for exercising that one needs. Every Planet Fitness gym is equipped with many cardio machines like treadmills and elliptical trainers. They also have dumbbells and machines for weight training.
• Planet Fitness is also called as a 'no frills gym', which means it is perfect for people who are not looking for additional facilities like a pool, racquetball club or other fitness classes in a gym.
• It is aimed at new members and is famous for its 'no judgment zone'. No judgment zone or judgment free zone (JFZ), is the philosophy on which the gym is based.
• All the equipment of the gym is catered to the first time users to perform the gym workouts, hence no bodybuilders or muscled people will be mocking the lack of gym prowess of the new users.
• They also have plenty of TV's, and one can continue running and jogging on the treadmill while watching their favorite TV shows.
• The club also has a juice bar where smoothies and other bottled drinks are sold.
• It also has a small area where clothes and few products like belts and gloves are sold.

Planet Fitness Gym Reviews - Negative

• There was a controversy because of a New York Times stating the public cancellation of a patron's membership at their Wappingers Falls, NY location. However, this resulted in the club calling the police on the member. Afterwards, a lawsuit for defamation on part of the ex-member was filled, this was finally settle for an undisclosed amount.
• Planet Fitness doesn't offer any personal training, however, there are three free classes which a member can attend. The classes are about how to use the machines and to do the exercises.
• Planet Fitness customer service reviews by many users are not positive.

This was all about Planet Fitness gym membership, and some of the positive and negative reviews. If you are looking for a fancy place which has excellent service and offers good personal training, then Planet Fitness is not for you. However, if you are looking for a way to lose weight fast or be fit, then Planet Fitness has all the equipments and facilities at an unbelievably low monthly membership.

Chair Exercises

Many people, seniors and those working at offices may require to do some chair exercises. These exercises are a great way to keep the muscles from getting rigid, keep up a minimal workout routine, and stay fresh for the rest of the day. After spending a long day at work, or doing other household chores, our joints and muscles are bound to get stiff. Also, taking a break while you're at work, or at the desk, can help the muscles relax much swiftly. The chair exercises, that we are about to go over in our article, are safe, easy to follow, and can be performed by people, regardless of their age. These stretching exercises for flexibility will help you overcome minor back, neck, shoulder pains that you may suffer from, while working in an office or at a desk.

Office Chair Exercises

Even though it says that we are going to go over some office exercises, you can definitely perform them at your home as well. These exercises work well with kids, teens, adults, and seniors. But if you would like to read about chair exercises for seniors specifically, then click on the link. So let's not waste anymore time and get right to the exercises.

Exercise #1 - Arms & Shoulders

• For arm and shoulder exercise, sit straight on your chair.
• Extend arms in front of you and interlock fingers tightly.
• Keep your palms facing outward.
• Now stretch your arms outward. This will extend your shoulders as well.
• Keep hands at the same height as the shoulders.
• Hold this position and count till 5; bring hands down.

Exercise #2 - Neck

• For this neck exercise, sit straight in your chair.
• Keep hands relaxed on both sides and breathe normally.
• Slowly, tilt your head towards the right.
• Hold this position and count till 5.
• Now tilt your head towards the left. Again count till 5.

Exercise #3 - Chest

• For this chest exercise, sit straight in your chair and keep feet planted on floor.
• Slowly, bend down from your waist and bring your hands closer to the floor.
• Hold for couple of seconds and lean back.
• Expand your chest as much as you can and look up towards the ceiling.
• Hold for couple of seconds. Breathe normally throughout.

Exercise #4 - Stomach/Abs

• Sit straight in your chair and raise both arms above your head.
• Keep feet firm on the floor and breathe normally.
• Slowly, bend your chest backwards and lift your chin towards the ceiling.
• Hold the position and count till 5.
• Come back to starting position and repeat.

Exercise #5 - Spine

• This exercise works your spine and neck together.
• Sit straight in your chair and place your right arm behind the right side of the chair.
• Take left arm behind the left side of chair and interlock fingers.
• Now turn your head towards the right, as far as you can.
• Hold the position and count till 5. Repeat on the left side.

Exercise #6 - Hips

• For this hip exercise, sit straight in your chair.
• Rest your arms on the sides or on the arm rest.
• Slowly, squeeze your buttocks muscles together.
• Hold the position and count till 2 or 3 and release.
• Next you will sit on one hip and tighten the abdominal muscles.
• Hold the position and count till 5.

Exercise #7 - Quadriceps

• For this quadriceps exercise, sit straight in your chair and feet firm on the floor.
• Extend both legs in front but keep heels firm on the floor.
• Keep your knees straight as well and tighten thigh muscles.
• Hold this position and count till 10.

Exercise #8 - Calves

• For this calf exercise, sit straight in your chair and feet firm on the floor.
• Extend both legs from the knees and flex the ankles.
• As you flex, point the toes towards the knees.
• Hold this position and count till 5.

Exercise #9 - Knees

• For this knee exercise, stand behind your chair.
• Place both hands on the back of the chair and keep legs shoulder-width apart.
• Keep back straight, bend your knees, and come down; don't sit all the way on the floor.
• Sit for 2 seconds and straighten back up.

Exercise #10 - Hamstrings

• For this hamstring exercise, sit straight in your chair and place feet firm on the floor.
• Extend both legs and keep heels firm on the floor.
• Don't move the heels but only pull on them slightly.
• Hold this position and count till 10.
• Bring legs back to starting position.

For all the above mentioned chair exercises for abs, stomach, chest, neck, shoulders, arms, spine, hamstrings, quadriceps, knees, and calves, make sure you perform them at least 3 to 5 times a day. And every time, you feel that your body or any particular muscles are feel stiff, do these chair exercises and take short walks down the corridor or to the water cooler. Drink adequate amount of water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated even if you don't feel very thirsty.

Daily Exercise Tips

These days many of us follow a sedentary lifestyle that invites several health problems, which include obesity, hypertension and stress. Exercising has always been promoted as a key to a healthy and fit life. Performing exercises on a daily basis, not only helps to improve your health but also boosts self confidence and relieves stress. Exercising is a wonderful way of re-energizing your body and soul. So, have you finally decided to make exercising a part of your daily routine and want some daily exercise tips? Then, here are some simple tips for a daily exercise routine.

Daily Exercise and Workout Tips

• It is not compulsory to join a gym for exercising. You can go for simple exercises that do not require special equipment, such as brisk walking, and running and jogging.
• Include a variety of exercises so that you do not get bored with your daily exercise routine.
• Always have a pair of dumbbells and a Swiss ball, so that you can perform various exercises at home.
• You should wear a comfortable outfit while exercising. These include comfortable and properly fitted footwear and loose clothes.
• Turn on the music every time you exercise. Listen to some good workout songs that will keep you entertained.
• Keep a record of exercises that you have performed. For example, note down the number of push ups or sit-ups you performed. This will help you to increase the number of repetitions gradually.
• Never overdo and see that you exercise for 30 to 60 minutes daily.
• If you prefer working out at home, then take help of workout videos and learn the exact steps to perform various exercises.
• You can take a break from your workout once a week.
• Instead of drinking diet soft drinks or cold drinks, drink water. This will avoid the consumption of excess calories.
• Always perform warm up exercises before you start your workout.
• You should perform all types of exercises that will target all the muscles of your body.
• If you are working out at the gym, make sure you have learn't a proper method to use the gym equipment. You may end up hurting yourself if you are unaware of the proper technique.
• Concentrate on your breathing while performing the exercises. You should breathe out on muscle contraction and breathe in on muscle relaxation.
• Aerobic exercises are fun and you can perform this exercise when you get bored with your monotonous exercise routine.
• Exercise with a friend or family member to add fun and alleviate boredom.
• Along with the cardiovascular exercises, include strength training exercises in your daily workout program, since they benefit a lot.
• Bring a change in your workout program after every 4 weeks to avoid hitting a workout plateau.

Daily Exercise Tips for Weight Loss

• Watch what you eat! To lose weight you need to burn more calories that you eat. So spend more energy than what you consume.
• Do not jump on crash and fad diets and follow a healthy diet plan. Change your eating habits and increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Measure your height and find out your ideal weight, this will help you to set your goals. You should lose a minimum of one pound per week.
• Stay away from junk and greasy foods. Also decrease the intake of high carbohydrate food products like pasta, white bread and potato.
• Make yourself aware of the calories in different food items, this will help you to restrict the calorie intake.
• Try different types of exercises if you get bored with the same old exercise routine.
• Set your goals! But see that the goals are realistic and you do not starve or over exert yourself.
• Never compare yourself with others, because everybody has different requirements and each one of us loses weight with different speeds.
• You should sleep for eight hours to give good rest to your body.
• Have small and frequent meals. Do not skip breakfast and follow the age old rule, "Breakfast like a king, lunch like a common man and dinner like a beggar!"
• Increase the intake of dietary fiber as they help to absorb fats in the body.
• Drinking water is must for good weight loss, so drink a minimum 8 glasses of water daily.
• Activeness is key to weight loss! Avoid using elevators and climb the stairs. Walk to the store nearby, burn calories and save fuel. If you have a pet, take it with you for a walk.

Well, the list of daily exercise tips is quite long and these were some of the important ones. It is always wise to consult a physical trainer who will help you design your workout plan. Make exercising a daily requirement for your body and this will surely keep you healthy and fit. Good Luck!

CEOs Vows No Campaign Contributions Until Debt Deal is Struck

The CEOs of over 100 major corporations have joined Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz in pledging not to contribute any money to political campaigns until a long-term deal is struck between the president and Congress. Whereas politicians in the U.S. seem perfectly willing to ignore the will of the people, here’s guessing that company CEOs, who hold millions of dollars in campaign contributions in their hands, will get the attention of the politicians quickly.

Noted Schultz after making his pledge, "Remarkably, the initiative triggered a national dialogue and a groundswell of support." He added that in the mere 10 days since he made the promise he has "heard directly from thousands of concerned citizens and was astounded by the volume of support we received through calls, emails, social media exchanges and various other public votes of confidence."

Among the other companies whose CEOs are stopping contributions until a deal is struck are JC Penney, NYSE, Whole Foods, AOL and J. Crew, among many others. The move by Schultz follows a memo that he released within his own company last month, wherein he expressed grave concerns over "the lack of cooperation and irresponsibility among elected officials as they have put partisan agendas before the people’s agenda." Indeed, that appears to be what politicians do most of the time, though with some heavy hitters promising to cut off the lifeblood of politicians - money, that is - the story may just change. Now, if only the American people could organize themselves in such a manner, perhaps there may be actual change in Washington, DC. One can only hope.

Famous Clothing Brands

"I don't design clothes. I design dreams." ~ Ralph Lauren

Fashion is always changing and clothing brands to survive have to keep up with the latest fashion trends and designs. People love to buy the latest fashion and where else can one purchase the trendiest outfit, but at a clothing store. High end famous clothing brands are much in demand and the reason they have been successful is a combination of great designs, flawless craftsmanship, high quality and meticulous attention to detail. Most famous clothing brands usually have a team of talented inhouse fashion designers who study the latest trends and styles, and design outfits accordingly. Some high end clothing brands even have big fashion designers who design exclusively for the brand. Another way that a clothing brand becomes famous is by associating itself with a famous actress or star. Here we will discuss about the most famous clothing brands in the world.

List of Famous Clothing Brands

Here we will give you a list of world famous brands that are popular among fashion conscious people. First is a list of high end famous clothing brands that are known for their impeccable style, and design and are associated with world famous designers.

List of High End Famous Clothing Brands
Here is a list of high end famous fashion brands.

• Balenciaga
• Armani Exchange
• Miu Miu
• Gucci
• Givenchy
• Versace
• Burberry
• Dolce and Gabbana
• Chanel
• DKNY (Donna Karen New York)
• Calvin Klein
• Hugo Boss
• Max Mara
• Marc Jacobs
• Moschino
• Ralph Lauren
• Roberto Cavalli
• Moschino
• Valentino
• Vera Wang
• Miss Sixty
• Oscar de la Renta
• Juicy Couture
• Elie Saab
• Yves St. Laurent
• Tommy Hilfiger
• Guess
• Dior
• Hermes
• Anna Sui
• Blumarine
• Bottega Veneta
• Chloe
• Christian Lacroix
• Lanvin Paris
• Max Azria
• Salvatore Feragamo
• Stella McCartney
• Emilio Pucci
• Vivienne Westwood
• Nina Ricci
• Marios Schwab
• Fendi
• Carolina Herrera
• Emanuel Ungaro
• Prada
• Chloe

These famous high end clothing brands are very expensive and as you can see most of these brands are owned and named after the famous fashion designers associated with them. These famous brand names come up with their collections for every season that are shown on all major fashion runways around the week. These are the brands and fashion houses to watch out for in any fashion week.

List of High Street Famous Fashion Brands
High street fashion brands can be defined as brands that are not as expensive and exclusive as high end brands. The clothes of high street brands are affordable, are of very good quality with great designs. Here is a list of high street famous fashion brands.

• Mark and Spencer
• Debenhams
• House of Fraser
• Laura Ashley
• FCUK
• Forever New
• Forever 21
• Gap
• Brooks Brothers
• Lacoste
• Abercrombie and Fitch
• H&M
• Zara
• Mango
• Promod
• Aftershock
• Sisley
• Dsquared
• Ed Hardy
• Explosion
• Lagos
• Trussardi
• Top Shop
• New Look
• Boden
• Jack Willis
• Ann Harvey
• ASOS
• Blue Inc
• Austin Reed
• Diesel
• Dorothy Perkins
• Etam
• Esprit
• Karen Miller
• La Senza
• Miss Selfridge
• Next
• Wallis
• Burton
• Jigsaw
• Oasis
• Levis
• Diesel
• Matalan
• Nike
• PUMA
• Ted Barker
• Sweaty Betty
• River Island

These are some high street famous fashion brands. These high street famous fashion brands are affordable by most people as they are lot less expensive then high end brands. Some high street fashion brands, like Mango collaborate with iconic Hollywood actresses to come up with unique designs.

There is great competition among the famous fashion brands to get a higher market share. These famous fashion brands are the ones that dictate fashion trends for coming seasons. They are the ones that go for aggressive advertising ideas to promote the brand and keep its image intake. These famous fashion clothing brands not only sell clothes, but also sell an image of a certain lifestyle. Clothing brands sell outfits not only for women, but there are many famous clothing brands for men like Hugo Boss and Perry Ellis that are highly successful. Many of these clothing brands also sell other luxury goods like high end makeup, accessories, shoes, fragrances, jewelry and handbags. Famous clothing brands are not only about clothes, it is about selling dreams and aspirations.

Top Clothing Brands 2011

Fashion has come a long way. It has never been constant and always brings some new and innovative ideas of dressing up. The enthusiasm and interest of people in experimenting with new styles boosted many fashion designers to open various clothing lines. Today, there are numerous best outdoor clothing brands, which have brought with them some unique styles and fashion trends. These clothing brands are a display all the types of clothes and accessories that helps you to set your own trends. These clothing brands also provide employment and offer a good opportunity for the struggling fashion designers to showcase their talent. Let us now take a look at some of famous clothing brands, that many people love shopping from.

Best Clothing Brands 2011

Burberry
Burberry originates from Hampshire, England and was developed to produce outdoor clothing for men and women. The founder of Burberry fashion house, Thomas Burberry, was 21 year old when he established his fashion house in the year 1856. His fashion house is known to manufacture fragrances, outdoor attire and different fashion accessories, which have gained tremendous popularity in the recent years. The brand first started selling in US and then soon spread to UK by 2007 to earn some more potential clientele. Burberry is known to have produced attire for all the occasions from casual to corporate. After years of hard work and changes, Burberry is now known to manufacture some of the innovative, stunning, stylish and elegant clothes for both men and women.

Calvin Klein
New York based Calvin Klein fashion brand was founded in the year 1968. Calvin Klein is also popularly termed as CK, an emblem which is mainly flaunted on its clothes and accessories. Calvin Klein functions under many brands such as Calvin Klein Collection, ck Calvin Klein, Calvin Klein Sports, Calvin Klein Jeans, Calvin Klein Home, Calvin Klein Golf and CK One Lifestyle Brand. The CK lifestyle brand mainly includes a wide range of perfumes and colognes, which are available for both men and women. The Calvin Klein collection is specialized in manufacturing elegant and chic clothes and is designed by the well known designers However, the other Calvin Klein brands are affordable and also have a variety of clothes that suit best as outdoor clothing.

Forever New
Forever New is a fashion house originating from Melbourne, Australia. Women are a great fan of this relatively new fashion house. With its efforts in highlighting the feminine side, Forever New has come up with some stunning designer clothes, which every women desires to flaunt. The year 2006 saw the birth of Forever New, which has now functions in seven countries and has 111 stores around the world. A thorough study of fashion trends and making it accessible to the customers has brought great success to this brand.

Lacoste
Lacoste is famous for making fashionable clothing, footwear, perfumes and even sports wear. This French clothing brand came into existence in the year 1933 by Réne Lacoste and André Gillier. All the Lacoste clothes and fashion accessories are recognized by a crocodile logo, which looked similar to that of Crocodile Garment's logo. However, the latter fashion house modified its logo, while the Lacoste could keep its logo the way it is.

Guess
This brand is among the top clothing brands 2011, and is a famous American clothing line founded by Maurice, Armand, Georges and Paul Marciano. They opened there fashion house in the year 1981 and soon started creating various fashion clothes and accessories. Today, they are known to sell different clothing lines, various fashion accessories, and even perfumes. Guess Stores exist in many countries and their top-end designer clothes are now available to many fashion enthusiasts. Guess not only creates clothing line for men and women, but also designs clothes for little children. As the company started manufacturing many other fashion accessories such as watches, shoes and bags, it quickly gained popularity. Also reasonable rates made Guess one of the favorite outdoor clothing brand.

French Connection UK
Commonly termed as FCUK, French Connection UK was started by Stephen Marks, with an intention to create appealing and comfortable clothes for the people. Always in search of change and new fashion trends has prompted French Connection UK to always introduce something new and innovative into the market. The price range of its clothing line is affordable and so French Connection UK is known to have achieved maximum clientele all around the globe.

Zara
Amancio Ortega and Rosalía Mera, together established Zara, which is a Spanish clothing line. Zara is a compilation of many other brands such as Pull and Bear, Bershka, Stradivarius, Massimo Dutti and Uterqüe. Many Zara stores were spread all around Spain and watching its success, it soon took up to international marketing. Today, Zara stores are there in many different countries and is rapidly increasing its sales. It is known to have great collection in men, women and kids apparels, which are priced at reasonable rates.

Following are some more well known clothing brands:

• Gucci
• Chanel
• Prada
• Versace
• Valentino
• Dior
• Fendi
• Dolce and Gabbana
• Ralph Lauren
• Armani Exchange

Providing quality and variety has today made these fashion houses very successful and are rated as the top clothing brands 2011. With their ever increasing popularity, these clothing brands are making their presence felt in many countries and trying to reach out to as many potential clients as possible. Therefore, be ready to explore the latest fashion trends, as these brands are now just a few blocks away.

Cool Rave Party Clothes for Girls

Rave - Just the word makes you feel energized and totally out of control! Rave is all about heightening your senses to a level where it feels like ecstasy and pure bliss. The term 'rave' is almost four decades old! Rave - as a movement and a genre of music - lives by the acronym PLUR, which stands for Peace, Love, Unity, Respect. Ravers - the people who follow rave - are sometimes compared to hippies, for their love for music and peace. Raves are characterized by 'light and fog', as I like to say. Dance forms most popular at rave parties include glowsticking, glowstringing and lightshows.

The word 'rave' originated to describe 'wild bohemian parties', and this original theme of raves has been carried through the years and into the present through the clothes that ravers wear. The fashion at raves has seen a lot of change and has gone from wild to wilder! Here are some rave clothes suggestions for girls.

Rave Party Clothes Suggestions...


... for the First-Timer
If this is your very first time at a rave party, play it safe. By 'safe' I do not mean you dress like a Plain Jane, but do not experiment to an extent that it proves to be uncomfortable! No matter what you wear and what you drink and what you eat, it is important you have a good time. Rave parties usually begin in the evenings and go on into the night and sometimes into the wee hours of the morning even. SO it is important what you wear is comfortable and something you can spend so many hours in!
Tops: The best thing to do would be a t-shirt. It is an unwritten code that boys come in black, and girls in flashy colors! So go babelicious! Wear bright colored tees - pink, green, yellow and hot favorites. If you are ok with a little bit of skin-show, you could opt for a halter neck or a t-backed tee. They look cool, casual and chic.
Bottoms: If you are wearing a fancy/stylish top, go for a plain bottom. Short tops can be teamed with boot-leg jeans. Loose over-sized tees can be teamed with hot-pants. Of course short tops and short bottoms go well together too.
Footwear: If you are gonna bear your long legs, you can opt for tie-ups. They look super sexy and are also super comfy to dance in. If you are wearing jeans or capris, you can go for sport shoe. And of course, if you opt for sport shoes, the laces HAVE TO be LED!
Accessories: Make sure your accessories don't get in your way. As long as you remember that, you are good to go!

... for the 'Been-There-Done-That' Girl
So you have been to enough rave parties to know what they are all about. You know your routine at a rave party - what you do once you arrive, and as the party raves up - and you know the clothes that best suit your dance style too! You are running out of options to choose from! What do you do? The trick here is to wear something you haven't worn before! You are going to have to take more efforts than the others if you are a regular raver, for you would definitely have tried different looks all through your raving journey! Work up a look that is distinctly different and distinctly you!
Tops: Thought about slash? Slash tops look absolutely sexy and are 'the' thing to be worn to raves! If you want to go for something more bold, what about a bra-top? And if you want something even more drastic, an LED bra-top? It is bound to make your wildest side come out!
Bottoms: Micro-minis could be something new. If you have already tried those out, how about frills? If not, a bustle is bound to change your look!
Footwear: Fluffies look oh-so-wild with short bottoms! You could even opt for stilettos.
Accessories: Whiplash, jumper-ropes, gauntlets maybe? Actually LED gloves would be better than gauntlets, though that is only a personal opinion! Basically something that is totally wild and new!

... for the Boyish Girl
Leave your guy friends shocked for the rest of the night by turning up in an ultra-feminine look! Do the works from head to toe! Boyish rave clothes maybe cool, and casual, and comfortable to dance in and all that jazz, but if you want the guys rolling their eyes and dying to shake a leg with you, you can't just do with looking cool - sexy is the word girl!
Tops: Did I just say sexy? Yes I did. Do I still need to elaborate? Set the mercury rising! Spaghettis, halter necks, loop/tube tops, corset, bra-top - anything BUT a normal or regular tee. Add LED in it, and you are bound to be center of attraction! A fishnet hood clubbed with a bra-top would look feminine yet boyish!
Bottoms: Keep it short! The ultimate thing would be a mini skirt. Hot pants can weight over a skirt only if you are going to go absolutely crazy dancing. Also you can always spice up a hot pant by teaming it with a bustle!
Footwear: Heels! Heels Heels Heels. Period. Fluffies would be too 'girly' a change for you. But big black zip-up boots would be ultra-hot. You can opt for wedge type heels too - they will give you better footing to dance.
Accessories: Piercings would give you that edge. It's not strictly a 'girl-thing' to have a piercing in your eyebrow. Being boyish though, may urge you into one without much persuasion! A navel ring looks totally desirable too!

... a Costume Dress
There is something about a costume dress. It is just too cool to be left out! Also a personal favorite and strong recommendation. You could be a sexy nurse, a lady-cop, a fairy, bumble-bee, ladybug, army-girl, bimbo... the list is endless. Costume dress also mean you have lots of options for the accessories - antennas, hand-cuffs, whiplash, cane-stick, whistle, fake gun... this list is endless too. Just get creative - and make fantasy a reality! Stockings will also help you spice up the look. If you want to experiment there, you could opt for fishnet stockings. Another outfit that is a great hit at rave parties is 'The Devil'! Dressing up as a devil will give you room to really turn up the heat. You can wear LED horns, have an LED tail, and even an LED fork! Just like what The Satan is depicted to carry in cartoons and comics. Use pencil heels, tie-up heels, stilettos or even block or platform heels to complete the look... and watch the guys go gaga!

So I hope this has got you sorted about your look! What to wear at a rave is not a difficult question to answer - if you know ALL your options! One final tip I can give is - gang up with your gal-pals and get dressed together. That way you all have an idea who is wearing what. It will also help you all work up a look based on some common theme if you want - like for example, you could all be fantasy characters, or all be superwomen, or... or I don't know what! It is for your girls to brainstorm and come up with! Have a blast!

Spirituality Vs. Religion

Spirituality vs religion is an ancient debate. For some, religion is a set of dogmas and for a few it's a way of life. Some believe spirituality to be a bogus conundrum, while some affirm it to be the purpose of life. Irrespective of who has to say what or whether it is, spirituality vs religion, they both lead the followers on a path to choose the right and do the right thing. The distinction between the two is a fine line of perspective. One needs to have a keen eye for exploration to see what is the difference between psychology of religion and spirituality. Let's take a walk through the two, to see what we understand.

What is Religion?
Religion is a framework to a way of living life. It is a set of rules that guides its follower and owns its followers. Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhism and Jainism are some of the well-known religions of the world. Each of these religions indulge in certain practices of worship, to reach God. Whether it's idol worship or worshiping nature or worshiping scriptures, each of these religion is guideline for worshiping. They are governed by beliefs designed by sages and saints who practiced the same. These religious faith and beliefs have been formed, to some extent, by cultural conditioning. World religions have been passed on to us over generations together. They take the form of traditions and customs, which decide the way we live our lives. In totality, religion is what sets our lives in a direction, and in a large way grooms us.

What is Spirituality?
Spirituality is not bound by any rules. It does not follow any religion and neither does it adhere to any set of principles. Spirituality is the art and science of self-realization. It's a practice of knowing each part of your body. Being spiritual means awakening the very spirit of being who you are. It's means to recognize what you are made of. It can seem complex in the beginning. However, all of us are spiritual beings, it is just a matter of realizing it. Spirituality is a walk towards the ultimate goal of your life. In essence, it's your journey to find yourself. There are many schools of thought that believe in uniting with the pure mental and physical being by meditating. Meditation is focusing on breathing, which is the very reason for existence.

Spirituality vs Religion
Both spirituality and religion aim to take an individual towards the ultimate goal of life. A religion does so by spoon feeding the individual. Religion gives the person set guidelines and asks him/her to follow. Often, religious beliefs instill fear of God in you and make you do things without questioning them. Spirituality is worship of self as it believes God resides in you and no where outside. The reasons to do so, often remain unexplained. On the other hand, spirituality is an individual experience of the encompassing effect. A spiritual person finds his own way, travels it alone and reaches there in a state of euphoria. Following a religion is doing a duty, whereas being spiritual is being who you are.

Read more about

• Spirituality: The Key to Problems of our Age
• Growth, the Spiritual Way
• Anthropology of Religion

Spirituality vs religion will no longer be a debate for you, if you can see beyond it. Beyond it lies the task of finding your purpose of life, fulfilling it and living it wholeheartedly. Today, I can finally find the words to answer my mother, who thinks I am an atheist. Atheism does not mean, not believing in God. God is a supreme power, the ultimate goal, the eventual destination or a universal belief. An atheist may not believe in an idol, but he sure does believe. The fact that he/she believes, is good enough to set them on the path, life has in store for them. So, spirituality vs religion, does not matter as long as you are ready to explore this life, the only one that you have.

On Beauty

How can we define beauty? What makes someone beautiful, and others seem less attractive compared to him/her? Some say the famous cliché that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Indeed, it may be so; still we all know there are certain very well-defined criterias according to which people label other people, measuring their physical qualities. But if we are to admit that beauty is indeed in the eyes of the beholder, are we then to say that everything and everyone is beautiful? This may not be right, because each of us has his/her own opinion regarding beauty and what makes us beautiful, and because of that ideas and points of view are likely to vary a lot. Beauty may be determined by the media, by movies and music videos, society in general, magazines, and so on and so forth. Also, the majority may have the final word, if we are to take into account the beauty contests (which may not always be fair, by the way). This is how it may function, in fact. If we hear long enough about someone being beautiful, if everybody is saying that, then that person is highly probable to become beautiful to our own eyes. Pop culture can indeed brainwash most of the human minds. But then, how can we define beauty, if that is indeed possible?

Basically, there are two types of beauty: physical and spiritual. Physical beauty can be therefore quite subjective and superficial. Thus, it can be obtained through artificial means such as plastic surgery, through cosmetic or diet products, food supplements and it can be created by clothes, and so on. We could definitely say that even if one is not naturally born beautiful, that person could obtain gorgeous looks through material means. Money can indeed buy you attractiveness. Because we live in such a superficial society, physical appearance really does play an essential role for one’s personal success, and not only for that, but also for social acceptance in general.

We all feel the need to sometimes please our eyes with beautiful creatures and things. Of course, it is very important to take care of ourselves, to be clean and try and look our very best. Because all the human beings on the face of this planet do something in their desire to feel and look beautiful, although it’s true that some do more than others. Many speak of the previously-mentioned natural beauty, but it’s also true that everyone does at least a very small thing to alter and improve one’s appearance in a way or another. And when we speak of someone else, about his/her accomplishments, health, no matter the subject, we most often have to add things like: "but she’s really pretty", or other such qualifications.

On the other hand, spiritual beauty can be in fact considered the truest type of beauty because it has to deal with the inner life of the individual, with the person’s soul and mind. We probably all know such people, who radiate by their very own presence, giving us a sense of calmness, tranquility, whose inner beauty shines more than that of merely physically beautiful people. This inner beauty can be obtained with the help of God, by searching Him more than any other things in this world. The knowledge of His divine protection can make someone feel confident and positive, together with the desire to turn good, to be good to others and try not to upset anyone with any egotistical attitude, through feeling sorry for our evil behavior and accepting God’s forgiveness and mercy. The thing is, in this search for spiritual beauty one can feel very good, and want to take more care of one’s general health and not only. Furthermore, physical beauty will cease to be a priority, and because of that, one is likely to become even more attractive, without even knowing or intending it. And yes, if we are preoccupied with both sides of beauty-physical and spiritual-we may indeed attract people in our lives who share our view on beauty.

Beauty in indeed deeply connected with a godly character. Without a beautiful character, how can one be beautiful? Would you fool yourself enough to believe that you could spend a lifetime with superficial beauty? It does fade in a few years anyway. As someone was saying, if a woman is not beautiful at 16 it is not her fault, but if she is not beautiful at 60 it is her fault. Beauty and character grow as years pass by and that shows!

Pressed Glass Patterns

"Pressed glass was fine crystal to the middle-class folks." I say this for a reason and the reason is that glassware was an expensive baggage to buy in the archaic times. Fine crystal could not be afforded by the masses. Sipping wine from a crystal goblet was a privilege availed only by a special 'selected' few. This is where pressed glass came to the forefront. John P. Bakewell is credited for the invention of pressed glass in the year 1825. It was inexpensive and meant for the masses. It was a type of glass that was made by using a technique, where the molten glass was made to dive into a plunger to convert it into a shapely mold. The plunger was used as the tool to produce pressed glass patterns.

The Evolution of Pressed Glass
When pressed glass was invented in the year 1825, pressed glass patterns were referred to as lacy glass. The designs of this type of glass were produced by employing a technique called stippling. This technique involved decorating the glass with dots on the interiors of the glassware, giving it a rich look. Stippling technique encouraged the production of many objects such as candlesticks, goblets, fancy plates, ornate water jugs and lots more. Later, during the mid 19th century, the formerly called lacy glass adorned a new term for itself and that was pattern glass. Stippling as a technique, gave way to colored glass patterns. The colors introduced were attention seekers in their own way. Blue and green were the colors of the 'royal' class. Nature designs became the backbone of pressed glass pattern decorations. Borders were also introduced to make the glassware look more interesting. The late 19th century saw the onset of opal or opaque glass. Collectors now call it by the name of milk glass. Milk glass got its milky color through the addition of bone ash. The latest to join the list is named the vaseline glass.

Pressed Glass Patterns
The initiation of discovering and producing different pressed glass patterns was a humble one. Designs that had nature as its background became the backbone of pressed glass patterns. As time elapsed, pressed glass patterns were not just confined to different color usage or natural backgrounds and borders. It spread its wings far and wide by adapting to the cut glass patterns. Patterns such as Ashburton (named after Alexander Baring 'Lord Ashburton' of Great Britain.), Diamond Thumb-print and Bellflower were the classic cut glass designs imitated by glass-men for producing pressed glass patterns. Pressed glass patterns were found on kitchen cutlery such as goblets, plates, jugs, food bowls, spoons, knife rests to make the pieces look attractive.

How to Identify Pressed Glass Pattern
Pressed glass pattern identification can be a task if you don't know what a pressed glass pattern looks like. One could comment that the pressed glass pattern falls in close relation to cut glass. Pressed glass patterns can be identified by its edges being round and smooth. Pressed glass ranks lower in terms of index of refraction. One can also find mold marks on the pressed glass whereas cut glass is free of mold marks. You could identify pressed glass when you tap it on another object. The sound it emits is dull and thick. To identify pressed glass patterns one could also refer to the collectors guide for more information. In your quest to identify different patterns, you could take help from other pressed glass pattern collectors as well. You could compare your collection with theirs and observe how the designs differ from one another. Owning an antique pressed glass patterns collection is an honor in its own respect, for a collector. As a collector, you can lay your hands upon pressed glass patterns that were placed high on the popularity charts and cherish some rare pieces as well. Ashburton, Diamond Thumbprint and Bellflower are patterns that the collector must possess. These patterns are priced very high in today's day and age.

Pressed glass patterns are a collectors priced possessions. They exude charm with extravagant light. So forge ahead and build a collection for keeps!

Steve Jobs' Childhood

Steve Jobs, the co-founder, Chairman and Chief executive officer of Apple Inc, is an efficient and powerful leader and one of the most prominent businessmen today. For an overview of the founding years of his life, let us peep into the childhood of Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs' Childhood

Steve Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, to Joanne Carole Schieble and Abdulfattah Jandali, who was a professor of political science. His mother was an American while his father was from Syria. A week after Steve’s birth, he was put up for adoption. Justin and Clara Jobs, residing in Mountain View, Santa Clara County in California, adopted Steve and named him Steven Paul. He spent his childhood in the South Bay area. This region came to be known as the Silicon Valley. Steve was a student of the Cupertino Junior High School and then Homestead High School in Cupertino, California. It was here that he attended his first electronics class and made friends with Bill Fernandez, who was equally passionate about electronics. During the early years of his education, Jobs attended after-school lectures at the Hewlett-Packard Company in Paulo Alto. The company hired Jobs and he got an opportunity to work with Steve Wozniak, who would later co-found Apple Computers with him.

After completing his schooling, Steve Jobs was admitted to the Reed College in Portland, Oregon. He dropped out from college but continued with calligraphy classes. This course helped Jobs in creating multiple typefaces for Mac. This was perhaps the classic example of the fact that nothing learned is ever wasted! During the years he was learning calligraphy, no one would have probably thought that calligraphy would form the basis of the font system in Mac. But it did.

Steve Jobs' childhood gives us a glimpse of his skills to do different things and do them differently. He went on to become a giant in the computer industry and a source of inspiration for many budding business entrepreneurs.

Steve Jobs Takes Medical Leave from Apple

In a memo distributed to Apple employees this morning, Steve Jobs announced that he is going to be taking a medical leave of absence from his post as CEO. COO Tim Cook will be acting on Jobs' behalf with regards to day-to-day operations at the company, although Jobs mentioned that he would still be involved in top-level strategy decisions. Jobs also requested privacy for he and his family while he dealt with the undisclosed medical issues.

This is the second time in two years that Jobs has taken a medical leave from Apple and his health struggles have been well documented. He was originally treated for Pancreatic cancer in 2004, then received a liver transplant in 2009, after which he was away from Apple for six months.

With the recent announcement that Apple's iPhone will be available on the Verizon Wireless network, there don't appear to be too many major announcements in the pipeline. Given the timing of Jobs' announcement it is difficult to discern whether he had been planning the leave for some time - perhaps for a new procedure - or if this is something that developed very recently.

Given Jobs' penchant for privacy, it's unlikely that any definitive information will be released about his health until he returns to the company, assuming that occurs at some point in the future. Apple is scheduled to release an earnings report on Tuesday.

Facts about Steve Jobs

Steven Paul Jobs, the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Apple Inc, is an aggressive and demanding manager and an excellent team player, who strives to get better with each passing day by looking ahead of time and has made a valuable contribution to the technological advancement in society. Look at some of the facts about Steve Jobs.

Facts about Steve Jobs' Personal Life

Born on February 24, 1955, in San Francisco, Steve was adopted by Justin and Clara Jobs of California. His adoptive parents named him as Steve Paul. He was a student of the Cupertino Junior High School and Homestead High School in California. During his years of schooling, Steve used to attend after-school lectures at the Hewlett-Packard Company, which fetched him a summer job in the company. Here he got the opportunity to work with Steve Wozniak, the cofounder of Apple Inc, later to be.

In 1991, Steve Jobs married Laurene Powell and they later had three children.

After graduating from high school, Steve was admitted to the Reed College in Portland, from which he dropped out and took up a course in calligraphy. Calligraphy, seeming to be of no use in a career in computers, later turned out being the most important factor responsible for the development of fonts.

One interesting aspect of Jobs' life is the philosophical side of his personality. He had toured to India with intent of philosophical enlightenment and was observed to have returned to his country with head shaved and clad in traditional Indian clothing.

In 1984, Jobs purchased a 14-bedroom Spanish Colonial mansion, which he inhabited for around ten years. Reports say that he had kept an old BMW in the living room of this magnificent apartment he owned.

In 2004, Jobs was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in his pancreas. He had to undergo a surgery, which could have had several aftereffects on his health. His declining health was widely talked about during those times. Mistakenly, the word ‘obituary’ was published in the Apple news service during that period, thus intensifying the rumors about Jobs' health. In 2009, Marketing Vice President of Apple, Mr. Phil Schiller came in place of Jobs to deliver the keynote address at the Macworld Conference and Expo, on account of Jobs' ill health. This, for another time, brought Steve Jobs' health issues in the news. In 2009, he underwent a liver transplant and resumed working in June that year. In January 2011, Jobs went on a medical leave and operations were handed over to Tim Cook, making him the acting CEO for the duration of the leave. (updated in March,11)

Facts about Steve Jobs' Professional Life

In 1976, Steve Jobs in collaboration with Stephen Wozniak, a former electronics hacker, founded Apple and a success story had begun! They were funded by A.C. "Mike" Markkula. With the effective words, which said, "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water to children, or do you want a chance to change the world?" Jobs managed to attract John Sculley, who was previously working with Pepsi-Cola, to be the CEO of Apple.

January 24, 1984 was the day that marked the introduction of Macintosh, which went up to become the first commercially used small computer with a GUI.

Later, during the same year, Jobs' relations with Scully worsened and Jobs had to receive one of the greatest blows of his life, a lay-off from Apple! But he was Steve Jobs, not the one to lose hope so easily. He went on to found NeXt Computer, a computer company that was highly experimental and technologically advanced. The NeXt workstation had a built-in Ethernet port; it supported embedded graphics and proved being a step towards personal computing.

In 1996, Apple came forward to buy NeXt, thus resulting in Jobs returning to Apple. At the 2000 MacWorld Expo, Jobs became the permanent CEO of Apple. From then on, there was no looking back. He is the winner of many awards, the most prominent of them being the National Medal of Technology from the President. He is also inducted to the California Hall of Fame. While facing criticism from some sectors of industry, he continued being one of the admired figures in the sphere of technology. Steve Jobs remains being one of the icons of the computer industry.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs Resigns

Steve Jobs, the head of Apple Inc., one of the most successful companies of our time, has stepped down from the position of CEO. Former Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook will be his replacement. Cook was in fact recommended for the position by Jobs himself. Jobs, who is 56, has been suffering from pancreatic cancer, and has been on medical leave at an undisclosed location since the middle of January this year.

He has always maintained that the day he felt that he would no longer be able to fulfill his commitments as the CEO of Apple fruitfully, he would step down from the position himself. In his letter to Apple's board, he said, "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's chief executive, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come. I hereby resign as chief executive of Apple. I believe Apple's brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role. I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you." Board member Art Levinson said, "Steve's extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world's most innovative and valuable technology company. In his new role as chairman of the board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration."

Investors said that no one would be able to match up to Job's intuitive ability to predict market trends in technology. "Apple without Jobs is nothing", says Mr. Chowdhry, an analyst with Global Equities Research. Jobs has transformed Apple from a two-man start-up to one of the topmost technology companies in the world. Jeffrey Fidacaro, an analyst at Susquehanna Financial Group has said that it would be near-impossible to replace Jobs' vision and passion for his products. Many people felt that Steve Jobs' resignation was inevitable and soon coming, though many industry experts are also of the opinion that the day-to-day working of the company will not be affected in any way by his resignation, nor will Apple's customers notice any difference in the company's policies. This just goes to show what a great setup Mr. Jobs created over the years. Trading of Apple's shares was briefly halted after the announcement, and on resumption, they slid 5% in the after-hours trading.

Diet Tips for Women

The fact is that if you are an overweight woman, you have to lose weight in order to protect yourself from the damage caused to your body due to excess of body weight. When you lose some weight it can make you more confident and you will look more beautiful than ever. When the dieting is done correctly it is bound to work and that too without any side effects. The things that are important for diet tips for women include what to be eaten, what not to be eaten and of course when to be eaten. Read more on diet tips.

Healthy Diet Tips for Women

In this section we have spoken about all those healthy foods that can provide required nutrition to the body without adding any excess calories and also about food items which can lead to weight gain and hence should be avoided.

Fresh Fruits: They have high nutritional values and are rich in vitamins and mineral that can improve the metabolic process of your body and provide energy for a long time. Though it contain sugar, it is not going to add up your body weight. This is because the sugar present in the fruits act differently in our body in comparison to other forms of sugars.

Vegetables: Vegetables also have rich content of nutrition that are essential for women. Vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, celery, lettuce and other leafy vegetables have low calories but high in nutrition. You can eat them in raw form as salads as well as in the cooked form.

Cereals: Whole grains are better in terms of both flavor as well as nutrition. Therefore, eat whole grain cereals like brown rice or buck wheat instead of white rice or any other processed grain foods. Whole grains are rich in fiber.

Protein: Protein is also very important for proper functioning of the entire body. Therefore, high protein food s like steaks and beans should be included in the diet. Instead of red meat which has saturated fat one should opt for poultry without skin which will supply essential proteins to the body. Read more on healthy diet.

Dairy Products: Dairy foods are rich in calcium and vitamin D. If you eliminate dairy products completely from the diet, you may end up with deficiency of these essential ingredients in your body. Therefore it is advisable to eat dairy foods like milk, yogurt, etc., that are low in fat content.

Water: The most vital diet tips for women is that if you wish to lose weight fast you have to drink plenty of water. Water flushes out all the toxins from our body and makes the system clean which in turn will give us good health. You can also refer to diets that work fast for women.

Foods To be Excluded: Any processed high carb foods have a tendency to slow down the process of weight loss. So when you are looking for weight loss then you should stay away from foods like white rice, white breads and pasta. Refined sugars are also exceptionally bad and often prevent weight loss. You should keep your hands off all those foods and drinks which contain refined sugars. Eliminate any kind of saturated fats from your diet. Cheese, butter, margarine, salad dressings, ice creams are all rich in saturated fats and hence you cannot afford to have them when you are in a weight loss program. If you want some oil to be use in your food opt for unsaturated oils like olive oil. Most importantly, do not take carbs and fat together as both are rich in calories. You can also refer to low carb diets.

Tips for Diet Plans

Here are some tips which will help you to prepare your weight loss plans in such a way that you will be able to lose maximum amount of weight in a short span of time.

• If you perform work outs in the morning in order to lose weight, you should do it in empty stomach to get the maximum benefits. Of course, you should drink some water before starting for the work out.
• Never skip the breakfast no matter how busy schedule you have. This is one of the most useful diet tips that works invariably. Start your day with healthy breakfast with fruits and fiber rich cereals. It will keep your energy levels high and control body weight. Read more on importance of breakfast for weight loss.
• Keep six meals of small proportions every day. There should be a gap of two hours between each of the meals. Eating more number of meals will help you in losing extra fat as the a large amount of calories are burned out in the process of digestion.
• The quantity of each of the six meals should not be the same. Rather, your breakfast should be the heaviest meal and as the day proceed you have to make your meals lighter with your dinner being the lightest meal.
• Do not eat anything two hours before going to bed. This is because while sleeping very less amount of calories are burned. So if you sleep soon after having your dinner all the calories will get stored up inside the body in the form of fat.

I hope you found the diet tips for women that are given here helpful. Set some small achievable goals for yourself when you are try to lose weight. If you expect too much from your diet program then you will feel disappointed with the results and may feel like quitting the diet mid way.

America's Economy is Coming Down!

Facts or suppositions, all Americans have felt it on their pockets that there is something happening to their economy and not towards the positive side. The newspapers have been full of titles like "Oil and gasoline prices skyrocketed". With the new oil price record of over $135/barrel, the price for food and goods reach new heights as well; keeping in mind that the dollar has dropped by 18% of his international value in 2007. In other words, the slumping American dollar caused the US economy a major hit; the latter shrunk by 16% in the past year when compared to global economy.

The response to what caused the US economy drop is complex; however, some answers can be found in the credit crisis.

Charles Moffat, from The Politics eZine affirms: "Americans have too many mortgages, too many credit cards and too much national debt. They rely on foreign imports from China and other nations and their own economy has become too service oriented and lacks manufacturing.

Imagine you have $10,000 in the bank and the yearly compound interest rate is 5%. Over a year you would get $500 in interest. But imagine for a moment if the value of food, gasoline and all commodities doubled in price in one year. Your $10,500 isn't really worth the same as it used to be... it is now worth approx. $5,250 in terms of actual purchasing power".

Economists' answer

This is the situation in USA at the moment and the most important economists in USA seem to be rather gloomy when referring to the country’s economy:

"The world is set to jump off the top of a waterfall without knowing how deep the water is below." - Kenneth Rogoff, IMF (International Monetary Fund) Head of Economic Research.

"There's a 75% chance that the US will experience a currency crisis within five years." - Paul Volcker, Chairman of the US Federal Reserve.

Stephen Roach, Chief Economist, Morgan Stanley says:"There's nobody home on economic policy in America right now. It’s an accident waiting to happen."

Pastors' answer

To this reality, I’ll let you read on the spiritual answer of David Wilkerson, founder of Teen Challenge, Inc., the worldwide Christian drug and alcohol rehabilitation ministry. He is the author of The Cross and the Switchblade, The Vision, Have You Felt Like Giving Up Lately?, Hungry for More of Jesus, Revival on Broadway and many other books. David and his wife, Gwen, live in New York City, where he serves as senior pastor of Times Square Church.

". . .Beloved, America is facing God's judgment--and we will never be the same! In the days to come, literally hundreds of thousands of Americans will lose their homes. Why? They've leveraged them with equity loans, so they could play the stock market and try to strike it rich!

I tell you, the stock market has become America's golden calf! People see it as a financial savior, and they worship it daily--trusting in it, depending on it, giving it all their energy and attention. But it's going to fall suddenly--and none of the small, individual investors will be spared. They'll suffer the most, losing their homes, their cars--everything!

I must ask you: "Are you prepared for what is coming? If not, are you acting now to get ready? When I speak of being ready, where do your thoughts take you? Do you think immediately of investments, bank accounts, survival plans, safety for your family?"

Indeed, today - while most of America focuses on its prosperity, God is waking a holy remnant in the church. These saints are on their faces, seeking Him with all their strength and crying out for a true Word from the Spirit of truth.

In recent months, our ministry has received hundreds of letters from pastors and believers who are repulsed by most of what they see in the church: hype, foolishness, entertainment, shallow preaching. They're crying out, "Enough! We're tired of seeing our pastors go to conventions and return only to introduce come new gimmick. We're sick of seeing the flesh accommodated. We're hungry for truth! We want to hear preaching that convicts us and challenges us to holiness and prayer."

Believer, you can rest assured--in the coming days of calamity, the true revival won't come through showboating, big-time preachers or TV evangelists. It won't come through prosperity teachings or other doctrines of false security. No--God's revival will come through a hidden company of pastors and lay people who have been in the school of Christ, learning His ways and trusting in Him. These will lead a revival of truth!

Yet not everyone is going to want truth. Many will turn to unbridled lust. Indeed, our society could see Sodom replayed a hundred times over. But, as our nation poises on the brink of chaos, many Americans will begin to seek truth, answers, life.

As for me, I want to face the coming times as "... a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth" II Timothy 2:15

I urge you: Ask the Lord to prepare you--His way--for the day "America's golden calf" comes down. Seek His Spirit of truth in your secret closet. Learn to recognize His voice above all the worldly clamor going on in His church. Then you'll truly be prepared to face the coming storm."

History of The Canadian Dollar

Canada is geographically flanked by the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Arctic Ocean. It shares the longest common border with the United States of America. The diversity in flora, fauna and landscape within the territory, now acknowledged as Canada, has been explored incessantly by aboriginal people, the British and French explorers. After the ceding of its territories by France in 1763 and the Seven Years' War, the country was formed by the union of three North American British colonies in 1867. The federal dominion was highlighted first within the Statute of Westminster in 1931 and finally in 1982, within the dictates of the Canada Act. Today, Canada functions as a federation of three territories and ten provinces. This parliamentary democracy, also adheres to the regulations of a constitutional monarchy, headed by Queen Elizabeth II. Canada is now recognized as a technologically highly advanced economy that efficiently capitalizes on its industrialization, abundant supply of natural resources and complex trade relationships across the continents. The Canadian Dollar or C$ is an important world-currency and is currently acknowledged as the 7th most traded currency across the globe.

History of The Canadian Dollar:

The Canadian Dollar is recognized in the fiscal world by the symbol CAD or simply C$. The gold dollar was first adopted in 1841, when the Province of Canada declared a 'pound' currency equal to one-tenth of the then popular gold Eagle coin. The evaluation then was with 10 U.S. dollars and 5 shillings in local currency. The independent Canadian Dollar was first issued on January 1, 1858. The first independent Canadian Dollar was pegged at par with the U.S. Dollar. Over the next few years, the history of Canadian dollar rates was characterized by fluctuations in the adopted decimal systems across the colonies that united under the Canadian Confederation. While British Columbia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island adopted a currency dollar-equivalent to the independent Canadian dollar, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia retained their individual currencies till 1895 and 1871, respectively. Till 1949, there were seven independent currencies, that floated the Canadian fiscal arenas. These included the Canadian pound, Canadian dollar, British Columbia dollar, Newfoundland dollar, New Brunswick dollar, Nova Scotian dollar and the Prince Edward Island dollar. In April, 1871, the federal Parliament passed the Uniform Currency Act and eventually replaced independent currencies within a common Canadian Dollar.

The gold standard that was applicable to the Canadian dollar till the First World War and was eventually abolished in 1933. All through the Second World War, the Canadian dollar witnessed an evaluation at 1.1 C $ = 1 U.S. $. Parity was achieved only in 1946. When the sterling was devalued in 1949, the Canadian dollar returned to the peg applicable during the Second World War. All through 1950, the Canadian Government allowed the dollar to float, before assessing and determining a fixed exchange rate in 1962. The dollar was then pegged at 0.925 U.S. dollars. The fiscal arena also witnessed the use of bronze coins between 1858 and 1859. Between 1908 and 1919, sovereign $5 and $10 coins were issued. In 1942, the tombac replaced nickel, as a war-time measure. Between 1944 and 1945, chromium-plated steel coins were used before the reuse of nickel between 1951 and 1954. Other Canadian coin variants seen throughout the history of Canadian currency include the silver Voyageur dollar, dodecagonal, bimetallic and the cupro-nickel.

Dollar Diplomacy

Dollar diplomacy is a term used for describing the foreign policy of the United States of America especially, under the Presidency of William Howard Taft. The policy aimed at furthering American interest in East Asia and Latin America by using the economic might of the USA. It was President Taft who first coined the term dollar diplomacy. The term is historically used by Latin Americans to show their dislike of the role played by the American government and corporations which used military, diplomatic and economic power and forced these countries to open their markets.

Dollar Diplomacy Definition
Dollar diplomacy can be defined as a policy applied by the government of the United States of America of providing loans to the financially week nations so that, they are free of financial instability and in return the commercial interests of the USA would be taken care of by the recipient. The policy was first implemented by President Theodore Roosevelt by peacefully intervening in the Dominican Republic. During his reigns loans were provided to Dominican Republic and in exchange the USA had the right to select a person of their choice to the head of customs (the major revenue source of the country). Philander Knox, the secretary of state, in the Taft administration carried forward Dollar Diplomacy in several Central America countries and also in China.

Taft Dollar Diplomacy
President Taft was of the view that the foreign policy of the USA should aim at creating stability in other countries, and in the process promote the commercial interests of America. He felt that this would help improve financial opportunities for USA corporations. With this policy in mind, the USA intervened in Central America and Cuba besides China.

Dollar Diplomacy in Caribbean
The Caribbean islands served as a center of dollar diplomacy as the USA had an eye on the commercial and strategic interests in the region especially, in the building of the Panama Canal. Soon after assuming office, President Taft felt that American bankers take over the debts owed by Honduras to British financial institutions. In1911, a treaty was signed with Honduras which allowed American financial institutions to pay the foreign debts and in return, set up an American customs base in the country. However, the agreement was not ratified by the legislature of Honduras. Dollar diplomacy was more successful in Haiti, as this policy was successful in stabilizing the currency of the country.

A classic case of dollar diplomacy was Nicaragua. In the year 1909, the government of the USA backed the rebellion against José Santos Zelaya, a dictator of Nicaragua and sent USA marines to Bluefields so as to safeguard foreign nationals. Due to the backing of USA, Adolfo Díaz, a supporter of the United States became the president of Nicaragua. A treaty was signed between the two governments wherein the USA was allowed to refund the foreign debts of Nicaragua. The the USA Senate debated the ramifications of this treaty and in the mean time, American financial institutions started rehabilitating Nicaraguan finances. In return, the USA received majority stake in the National Bank of Nicaragua and the state railways.

Dollar Diplomacy in East Asia
The aim of the foreign policy of the USA towards East Asia was the same as that of Central America. In this region a former USA Diplomat Willard Straight, who was responsible for representing numerous banking groups in China, influenced the administration and pressed for active American role in China. During the early years of the 20th century, railroads played a crucial role in the economic development of China. As such, the American government demanded that its financial institutions be allowed to join railroad projects. During this time, European powers like Britain, France and Germany were dominant powers and had their spheres of influence in China. The entry of America alerted the European powers, but the Philander C. Knox, the then Secretary of State, convinced the European powers that it would be a win-win situation for both sides. As a result American financial institutions were allowed to start construction projects in China. Read more on reasons for foreign aid.

Thus, dollar diplomacy was a foreign policy used by the government of the United States of America, to increase its sphere of influence in Latin America and East Asia. It uses the financial might of the country instead of military might to increase America's sphere of influence.

US Economy Grows

We have experienced the worst economic recession since the 1930s, in the recent past. But believe it or not, this period (3rd quarter, 2009), has been the best in around 2 years. The US economy has grown at around 3.5%. The Commerce Department's report released yesterday indicated that, though these are early days and things are not 100% clear, the recession has indeed ended.

Before this quarter, there were 4 consecutive quarters of diminishing economic activity, which was experienced for the first time since 1947. But this quarter's performance has been good, and it's the first time, that we have something to cheer about since the depression hit us, in the last month of 2007. It is fair to say that this growth has not been totally unexpected since the growth projection was around 3.3%, but yes, the even better growth of 3.5%, is definitely welcome.

The government programs are largely to be thanked for this turnaround, especially the push given to the housing and automobile sectors. One such program was the 'Cash for Clunkers' program, in which a rebate of around $4,500, was offered on purchase of new cars. Trade-in of old cars, too was promoted in a large way. As a result of all the government initiatives, big spending rose by more than 22% annually, this quarter, the best showing since 2001.

The housing sector also managed to do very well. Annual growth is over 23%, an unbelievable rate, that was last seen only in the 1980s. It is also the first time since way back in 2005 that spending on housing showed a positive sign.

While things seem to be good, going ahead, it maybe wise to be cautious and keep our fingers crossed.

Bernanke Says He Will Aid Economic Recovery Gradually

With the U.S. economy undergoing a recovery that is so slow that it feels like no recovery at all, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke announced that his group was very likely to keep taking action to help the sluggish economy along. Bernanke is set to give a speech at the annual central bank conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming this Friday and will likely downgrade the official Fed outlook for the economy. That said, it is unlikely that he’ll do anything drastic to move things along.

Said Millian Mulraine, an economist with TD Securities, "With the recovery grinding to a halt in the first half of this year and the economy operating perilously close to a second recession, the Fed will remain on guard against a negative surprise on growth, and will be willing to act accordingly." With interest rates already so low that they really can’t go down any further, it’s likely that the Fed would likely turn to its own balance sheet to effect change.

The last time the Fed took such action, a round of bond purchases totaling $600 billion and referred to as "QE2," signaling a second round of "quantitative easing," was not very successful and, in reality, simply amounts to printing money. With inflation concerns in the modern day, the approach of printing money is certainly not without risks. Back in the first two rounds of quantitative easing, inflation was not as much of a concern, but now if the Fed makes such a move that leads to inflation – and that move doesn’t spur the economy – the dreaded instance of "stagflation," last seen during the presidency of Jimmy Carter, would occur.

If we’ve learned anything during this economic crisis, it’s that President Obama doesn’t want to hear any more comparisons to that beleaguered former president, so one must wonder just how much money the Fed may be willing to print this time around. A more likely scenario is that the Fed simply keeps its $2.8 trillion balance sheet intact for longer than expected, just as it has done with the low interest rates.

Texas Voters Approve Ban on Same-Sex Marriage

Voters in Texas have overwhelmingly approved changing the Texas state constitution to include a ban on same-sex marriage. The approval makes Texas the 19th state to take that step, and doing so gives social conservatives a key victory going into next year’s state elections. The controversial proposition was soundly supported by Gov. Rick Perry, as well as by many churches throughout the state. "That's where the victory was won, from the pulpits of the state of Texas," said State Rep. Warren Chisum, a Pampa Republican who wrote the amendment. "The people of Texas have spoken and they intend that marriage should be between one man and one woman."

The executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Matt Foreman, said that the outcome of the vote was not unexpected. "When you put a fundamental right of a minority up for popular vote, it's almost impossible to win," said Foreman. "I'm not sure the right to desegregate schools, the freedom to marry another race or even access to contraception in many states would exist if those issues were put up for a vote." Over three-fourths of the Texans who voted favored the amendment. Although Texas already has a law defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman, the proposal approved yesterday will lock that definition—defining marriage as "the union of one man and one woman"— into the state constitution, making it more difficult for a future Legislature to change.

Both sides of the debate ran a largely grass-roots, word-of-mouth campaign, targeting viewers through telephone calls and television ads. Opponents of the measure likened the amendment to historical discrimination against blacks, Hispanics, woman, and Hews, saying that it would affect about 43,000 same-sex couples living in Texas. Supporters of the amendment said that the state has for years banned polygamy, and has a right to set a high standard for marriage. "We should protect the institution of marriage as it is defined in law today," said amendment sponsor Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine. "We should hold that higher up than any other relationship." Staples said the U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized the right of states to define marriage, because polygamy is against the law in every state.

The amendment will not affect any private contracts between individuals or corporations relating to guardianships, hospital visitation, or entitlement to proceeds from insurance policies. But Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, said that the amendment could affect gay adoptions or companies that offer domestic partner benefits protected by civil unions. "We're going to carve out a class of individuals and say you cannot share those benefits," Shapleigh said. Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, said that at least one major Texas insurance company has stopped offering health-care coverage to domestic partners after Texas passed its Defense of Marriage Act two years ago. Ellis said the ban on same-sex marriages is reminiscent of the laws written by Texas senators decades ago to discriminate against black people. "At least they had the good sense to never write their bigotry into the state constitution," Ellis said. "In some of our sister states, they did write that trash into their constitution, and they've had holy H getting it out."

But Staples said that the amendment should have no impact on companies that offer domestic partner benefits, and that the amendment is designed to protect the institution of marriage, not discriminate against gays. "Texas is not Alabama. This is not discrimination," Staples said. "Texans of all different colors have said this is not about discrimination." Do you believe same-sex marriage should be banned?
Yes, the law should say that marriage is only between one man and one woman
No, any loving and monogamous couple should be allowed to be legally married
I'm not sure; I can understand both sides of the issue

Country Star Chely Wright Marries Girlfriend Lauren Blitzer

Chely Wright, who famously came out and announced that she was a lesbian just over a year ago, has married her girlfriend Lauren Blitzer. Wright posted wedding photos on Twitter, showing both she and Blitzer wearing white gowns. After announcing her sexual orientation in May, 2010, Wright did an interview where she addressed the mindset in the country music scene regarding homosexuality. While the format has morphed from its roots of sweet melodies, true stories of pain and suffering and steel guitars and fiddles to what can mostly be classified as bad rock and roll performed by people in cowboy hats, it seems that the long-rooted resistance to anything else that is non-traditional remains.

In that interview over a year ago, Wright noted, "It’s the unforgivable. Historically, country music would rather an artist be a drunk – they even encourage and endorse that one. You get good money from Jim Beam to put that emblem on the side of your bus. I was on the Crown Royal tour, and I have to say it was one of my favorite tours. They would rather you were a drug addict than be gay. They will forgive you if you beat your wife, lose your kids to state, get six divorces, make a sex tape, get labeled as a tramp – any and all of it is better than being gay."

Wright is, well…right, of course. And it’s odd from a genre that has been willing to all but forget its roots and open the doors for such a watered down version of its original format that Alan Jackson and George Strait created the song "Murder on Music Row," an allusion to the fact that country music had been wiped out of Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee in favor of "drums and rock and roll guitars [that] are mixed up in your face."

NATO Bombs Libyan State Television Transmitters

Tired of seeing Libyan state television used by beleaguered leader Moammar Gadhafi to incite violence and as a means to intimidate the masses, NATO forces launched a major airstrike against state-run resources over the weekend. State TV satellite transmitters in Tripoli were hit, and NATO targeted an array of facilities that have been used by Gadhafi and his regime to further their own cause. As of Saturday morning, however, state television was still on the air in Tripoli.

In a statement, NATO noted that the strikes were intended to cease or greatly challenge Gadhafi’s "use of satellite television as a means to intimidate the Libyan people and incit acts of violence against them." The statement added, "Striking specifically these critical satellite dishes will reduce the regime’s ability to oppress civilians while [still preserving] television broadcast infrastructure that will be needed after the conflict." Also noted in the statement was a belief that Gadhafi was using broadcasts to help to organize and mobilize those that still support him.

Among other targets in ongoing NATO strikes are military vehicles, radar facilities, ammunition depots and command centers. The ongoing NATO bombing campaigns are now in their fifth month and the organization has been largely embarrassed at the futility of the efforts so far. Among the countries helping to carry out the bombings include the U.S., Britain, France, Belgium, Canada, Norway, Denmark and Italy, and more than 6,500 strikes have been launched to date. The continuous failure has threatened to pull apart the coalition that is attempting to oust Gadhafi, with concerns about spending particularly evident.