Tips for Stress Relief

The best thing to do when fighting stress is to deal with it head on. Even mild stress makes it harder to get in a good workout. To help you balance today's treacherous times — in and out of the workplace — here are four easy stress-management survival tricks.

1.) TALK IT OUT
Fighting layoffs? A micro-managing supervisor? Just have too much to do? Feeling helpless can hit you, no matter what type of job you have or your rung on the ladder. To combat the problem, always make an effort to stay informed. Know as much as you can about what is going on above and below you, and keep both sides informed about you too. If you don't know what's going on in your boss's world, he probably has no idea what's really going on in yours, either.

2.) TAKE A BREAK
Nonstop work marathons actually hurt your productivity. Instead, take regularly scheduled breaks during the workday. Try a 10-minute stretch every hour. And stop eating lunch at your desk! You need a break away from your 8-by-8 world in order to recharge.

3.) REMEMBER: YOU'RE NOT PERFECT
Many of us brag about being a perfectionist — as if it's a good thing. Setting yourself up for such failure can send stress rocketing. Accept that you may not be able to do everything perfectly — but you can do everything correctly. Focus on doing that instead of being perfect, and everything else on your to-do list should fall into place.

4.) CUT THE CORD AFTER 5 P.M.
Too often we don't realize that our personal life can take a huge toll on our 9-to-5 life. If our personal life — social, physical, or emotional — is suffering, it will invariably poison the workday, since that's where most of us spend the majority of our time. Take care of your business at home and your stress levels should plummet. If they don't, the best stress relief may be a new job.

Three Facts your Workouts are Not Working

The addition of lean muscle mass does not always come easily and there can be nothing more discouraging than working out and not seeing any results. Thanks to SHAPE Magazine who weighed in on these faux pas and fixes, you'll error-proof your exercise and see tremendous payoffs, and the time you invest in your workouts will be smart and well-spent.

1.) Getting married to your strength routine
Facts. If you do the same routine over and over, your muscles will simply adapt; you're likely to hit a plateau because each exercise stimulates only a limited number of muscle fibers. However, if you challenge your muscles from a variety of angles by adding or alternating moves periodically, you'll get significantly more fibers into the act and develop more tone and strength.

Fix. For each muscle group, learn an additional 2 or 3 exercises, trying new angles and equipment. (If you can't get instruction from a trainer, there are plenty of books and videos organized by routine for each body part.) For instance, if you usually do the dumbbell chest press on a flat bench, try it at an incline. If you normally use the chest-press machine, try the dumbbell chest press or the bench press with a barbell. Expand your repertoire enough so that you can change your entire routine every 6–8 weeks.

2.) Performing your reps too quickly
Facts. If you zoom through your repetitions when strength training, you'll be using momentum instead of muscle power. You won't get the same stimulus for muscle building, and you won't burn as many calories. You'll also be more susceptible to training injuries such as torn muscles or connective tissue.

Fix. Take 6 seconds to perform each repetition: 2 seconds to lift the weight and 4 seconds to lower it. (Since you have gravity to help you lower the weight, you need to slow down even more on this phase in order to give your muscles a sufficient challenge.) Our experts agree that slowing down is the single most significant change you can make to get better results from strength training.

3.) Exercising too hard, too often
Facts. If you don't rest enough between hard cardio or strength workouts, you'll stop making progress and may even lose some of the fitness you've gained. You're also likely to burn out on exercise.

Fix. To keep your muscles fresh and your motivation high, alternate shorter, tougher cardio workouts (for instance, 20 minutes) with longer, easier days (40–60 minutes). Don't go all-out more than twice a week. Keep in mind that the more intensely you train, the more time your body needs to recover. It's a good idea to do a couple of tough workouts and take 1 day completely off each week. On the strength-training front, take at least 1 day off between sessions that work the same muscle group.

Tips on a Whiter Teeth

We would all love to have teeth that are a shade or two whiter than we have now. If you want to get that superb winning smile, Shannon Nelson’s tip could help you out bite that dust.

Whiten While you Chew
Everyone knows that red wine and coffee stain your teeth, but some foods can actually work to whiten your teeth while you eat! The following foods remove stains by exfoliating teeth before the stain molecules have the time to attach deeply to the surface. It is like a skin scrub for your smile. Foods that whiten teeth include:

• Apples
• Celery
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Lettuce

Kiss the Stain Away
Some lip colors can actually make your teeth look significantly whiter (and darker!).
If you have grayish teeth:
*Avoid: Red Lipsticks with blue tones
* Try: Cool tone with a brown base. Nude pinks with an almost brownish hue are best.
If you have yellowish teeth:
* Avoid: Deep, dark shades. Bright Shades. Super shiny glosses
* Try: Pink shades that have blue undertones. Nudes

Go Bronze (you still can before winter!)
Golden and tan skin tones (from a bottle not from harmful UVA/UVB rays of course) not only give you a more toned, healthy appearance but also make your eyes pop and your teeth look brighter! Some of the most natural looking new tanners include:
SkinCeuticals Sans Soleil - a unique self-tanning lotion that delivers an even, natural looking tan without exposure to the sun’s harmful rays.
DuWop Revolotion Body - Unlike traditional bronzers, Revolotion is actually a moisturizer that contains SPF 15 sun protection along with a kiss of bronzing pigment and subtle shimmer. The streak free, easy to apply formula is meant for legs, arms, back and decollate. Anywhere you want to show off perfect, glowing skin.

Accessorize
Try wearing shimmering white rhinestone jewelry or gleaming silver to make your teeth appear whiter. Stay away from gold, which exaggerates any yellowish tones in teeth.

Clothing
A bright white shirt will only accentuate less-than-white teeth. Choose an off-white or cream-colored shade instead. Reducing the contrast will result in the appearance of a brighter, whiter smile.

Tips for Exercise Newbies

You surely are juggling on different types of workout outfit to wear, from headbands to sneakers, or even exercise possibilities in the gym. However, your outfit is just a part of it in getting the most beneficial exercise for newbies in becoming a healthier you.

Shine have some fitness don'ts tip for exercise newbies.
 
Don't lean on the machines
You may not realize how much your depending on the handle bars on stair-steppers, treadmills, ellipticals and other equipment you use to exercise. Do a posture check several times throughout your workout so you will get the most out of your time on the machine and avoid wrist and back strain leaning can cause.

Don't overdo sports bars and energy drinks
Don't assume that "fitness" food and beverages are low in calories or fine to eat in mass quantities. If you're doing endurance exercise - two hours or longer - you will definitely need to refuel. Otherwise, pay attention to what's in the bars and drinks you're packing in your gym bag and how many servings you're really consuming when you work out. Check in with a nutritionist for some healthy snack and diet options if you are relying on Luna Bars and Gatorade as meal replacements or for every snack outside of the gym.

Don't undereat before you exercise
If you are training for an event, doing endurance exercise, or love intense workouts, it is especially important for you to have enough fuel for all that activity. Be sure your body's getting the right amount of healthy carbs - vegetables, fruits, and whole grains - to help you maintain your energy.

Don't overstay at the gym
It makes sense that if you pay all that money for a gym contract, you want to get the most out of your membership. Be sure to balance the time you are spending indoors on the treadmill and in studio classes with outdoor activities. Not only will it shake up your routine a bit, you may exercise differently, more intensely, calmer, or longer when you are outside. Plus, you might just soak up some much-needed vitamin D while the 40% of Americans who are deficient are sadly experiencing bone weakness and higher levels of crabbiness (kidding...sort of).

Don't obsess over your abs
Of course, building a strong core is a key to being fit. But ignoring the rest of your muscles could throw your body out of balance. This can cause low back pain (and who needs more of that?), not to mention out-of-whack body image. Consult a certified personal trainer for ways to incorporate training other muscle groups into your weekly routine. You might just be able to capitalize on your fitness passion while re-framing your focus to toning, caring, and appreciating your whole body, not just one part of it.

Don't lift too much weight
Check your self-competition or need to one-up the lady lifting next to you at the gym door. Instead, get some good advice from a trainer or strength and conditioning coach to find out an appropriate amount of weight for your body size, fitness level, and goals. From there, gradually add weight, being sure to listen to your body when you are struggling to do another set or just get the dumbbell off the ground. Remember that being challenged is good but lifting to the point of muscle failure is not.

Don't take it too easy
If you've gotten bored with your daily treadmill session, don't ever sweat anymore, or don't really feel like you've worked anything out when you leave the gym, it may be time to amp up your exercise drill. Set some challenging and still attainable goals that you can work up to slowly, consider doing an interval workout to make things more interesting, or buddy up with someone who will keep you (and your routine) on your toes. Clearly, any activity is better than none, but why not make the time you invest in working out really worthwhile?

Managing Neck Pains

If you've sustained a minor injury or stress or the feeling of being stress or by other health problems, including some that may have serious consequences on your neck, there are things you can do to get the pain under control.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions:

•    Use an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
•    Apply an ice pack for the first two or three days, followed by a few days of applying heat, such as by taking a hot shower or using a heating pad.
•    Gently exercise and stretch the neck, with up-and-down and side-to-side motions.
•    Have someone lightly rub or massage your neck.
•    Use a neck pillow or no pillow at all when you sleep. A firm mattress will help, too.