** The best time to also invest in metal reusable straws.
4. Install a new shower head. Traditional shower heads are notorious water-wasters. Switch your old one for a newer model. A new "green" shower head uses 1 to 3 gallons less water per minute than older models. That's quite a savings on your wallet, too!
5. Turn off lights when you leave a room. You'd be surprised how many people forget to do this simple action. If no one is in the room, there can't be a good reason to waste energy to brighten it up! With a simple flip of the light switch, a greener lifestyle is yours.
6. Think before buying paper products. Sometimes paper plates, cups, or napkins are a necessity. Most of the time, they're not. Even recycled paper products use energy during the recycling process. Look in your kitchen cabinets and you'll probably find an assortment of little used china and ceramic plates, mugs, and glasses that could be put to good use.
* Also, cloth napkins can make any meal seem like a special occasion.
7. Recycle old tee shirts. Everyone has old tee shirts that are not worthy of donating to Goodwill. Don't throw them out. Replace your paper towel rack with a stack of tee shirt squares. They're soft and absorbent and best of all, reusable. Just throw them in the washer and you have an unending supply of cloths for every kind of clean-up chore.
8. Use an old-fashioned broom and mop. Have you ever noticed that most of today's household chores require some sort of electrical appliance? Well, your local home improvement store still has a supply of old-fashioned brooms and mops on hand.
* Sweeping the floor with a broom gets rid of dust and crumbs just as well as plugging in that vacuum. And mops have been used to clean floors for hundreds of years. Using both makes your house a "green" haven.
Follow these simple tips every day and see how easy it is to live a greener lifestyle!
Fortunately, there are many ways to feel enchanted even when you’re a grown up with a family and a full-time job. Try these tips for simple changes you can make to create a more magical daily life.
Change Your Thinking:
Change Your Actions:
Mythical white horses don’t have a monopoly on magic. While Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccinos were only around for a few days, you can cultivate a sense of wonder that lasts for a lifetime. Take the time to notice the small miracles that happen each day and surround yourself with love and support.
Working out at home has a lot of advantages compared to visiting a gym. You cut down on driving, you skip the long lines, and you control the playlist. Plus, regardless of the weather, you can remain warm and dry.
Maybe the only thing that would make staying home even more rewarding would be making your exercise sessions extra effective.
Try these suggestions for creating and using a home gym that will help you to become slimmer and fitter in less time.
How to Design an Effective Home Gym:
How to Use Your Home Gym:
SHOP OUR ACTIVEWEAR
It’s natural to become overwhelmed if you try to imagine giving up alcohol or any powerful habit on a permanent basis. It’s less distressing to think in terms of drinking just water for the next 24 hours or skipping a single happy hour.
Similarly, if you expect to go directly from being a couch potato to running a marathon, you might give up before you even finish your first mile.
With any goal, you’re more likely to succeed with a gradual approach that allows you to boost your confidence and motivation. See what happens when you keep your focus on the present.
It’s a serious issue for anyone concerned about their own health and their children. While soda consumption has decreased in recent years, these liquid calories are still the primary source of added sugar for most Americans.
In particular, kids and teens average about 12 ounces of sugary drinks a day compared to the recommended maximum of 8 ounces per week. That’s why the American Academy of Pediatricians has joined many experts in supporting soda taxes and regulations on advertising.
While you’re waiting for policy reforms, you can change your own drinking habits. Follow these tips to help you consume more water and less sugar.
Remember that the bulk of calories for most people’s diet will come from meat. When these meats are removed from your diet, it’s crucial to fill your calorie needs with foods that are rich in protein and healthy fats.
Here are 5 foods that it’s important to include in your vegan diet.
Hands down, pumpkin seeds are the most underrated and underutilized food source for anyone looking to grow stronger. Not only are pumpkin seeds super healthy because they’re loaded with good fats and are high in fiber, but they also contain a very impressive spectrum of amino acids.
Pumpkin seeds are especially rich in an amino acid called leucine, which is crucially important in protein signalling after a workout. Pumpkin seeds are nearly 50% protein by weight and 50g / day would provide you with a great source of post-workout protein.
Oatmeal is, perhaps, the king of breakfasts. Vegan or not, it’s beneficial to include oatmeal in your nutrition program. Oatmeal contains a very wide spectrum of amino acids, fiber (both soluble and insoluble), and provides a complex source of carbohydrates.
Oatmeal will help you feel full and refreshed all day long while being super nutritious.
This is a food category that’s highly beneficial to include in your diet. Eating fruit that is high in glucose, like mangoes, apples, bananas, and guava, is a great way to rapidly replenish muscle glycogen levels. This makes them the perfect post-workout snack to combine with your protein.
Fruit will also serve as a major source of micro-nutrient values in your diet, so ensure that you don’t miss this food category.
Over the years, the discussion for soy has been very oppositional. Soy is a bean that has been used for millennia to provide a good source of protein, while being low in fat and carbohydrates. Soy provides a great spectrum of amino acids and is considered a complete protein.
Soy also contains a good supply of omega fatty acids, making it a great substitute for fish and other omega-rich meats.
Traditional bread is made from processed flour and processed wheat. To support your health, consider using sprouted grains, instead.
Sprouted grains are unique in the sense that they undergo very little processing and are very dense in calories.
Sprouted grains are created by germinating the plant and consuming it very early on. This leads to a very dense and nutritious punch that also contains a very low glycemic index and better bioavailability.
Include sprouted grains in your grocery list if you are a fan of whole-grain bread and nutritious foods.
Many people see a vegan diet as one where you cannot eat anything. In contrast, if you are still actively seeking variability in your food choices, you will notice that there is still a huge array of foods you can eat for optimal performance, health, and longevity.
In order to thrive on a vegan diet, eat these five foods and continue to actively seek other nutrient-rich sources of protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
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