Time to Lose Weight in a Comfortable Way

Many people have tried to lose weight using impossible workouts and even more impossible diets. But if you are trying to increase your health, become more fit and look thinner try these simple tips and steps!

Try this steps
1. Start out by looking at your current diet. Write down everything you eat in one week. You also may want to write down some little things like why you were eating a certain thing (like you were sad or it was at a party). DO NOT CHEAT! This is for you and you only. Be sure to keep honest and accurate notes (even though it would be nice to say you had one piece of cake when you really had two!). Sometimes, looking at all the bad choices you make helps you make better choices because you can see that your eating is out of control. You may even start to notice changes over the course of this week.
2. After the week is over, examine your diet carefully. Look at the reasons why you ate what you did. Come up with some solutions, like if you were bored while watching t.v and you ate four bags of chips, keep a knitting basket by your t.v and everytime you sit down, have your hands busy. Also, get into a routine. Eat every 4 hours even if you're not hungry so that you won't pig out if you miss a meal. To help get into this habit, keep a pack of sugar-free gum with you, and stick a piece in your mouth when you're feeling hungry.
3. Now for exercise. This is again getting yourself into healthy routines. When you wake up in the morning, do 10 sit-ups (and as you get stronger, increase that amount). This will also help wake you up!
4. When you come home from work or school, or just in the afternoon, run for 30 minutes. You can do this twice a week, and gradually increase the amount of time you run for and the amount of times a week you run. Eventualy, you should be running everyday for a good 45 minutes. Some running tips are to stretch before and after a run, start a run and end a run by walking for 10 minutes before and after, drink tons of water, and listen to music like an I-pod or CD player while you run. Listening to music will distract you from how tired you really are! It's a great tip!
5. At night before bed, do 10 more sit-ups. Again, this number should increase over time!

Some tips for you
* Don't eat less than three hours before you go to bed. If you eat then go to bed the food you ate digests the same, but the calories from the food have nowhere to go.
* Don't eat when you're not hungry. There is no point to eat when you're not hungry. Many people are overweight because they eat when they're not hungry.
* Drink a lot of water, usually 8 glasses a day. The truth is that water flushes out all the toxins & fat from your body, so drink up.
* Keep busy and active. The more hobbies you have, the less time you'll have to lay around and munch.
* Try a sport, like swimming. You can have fun, and become healthy.
* Make a schedule. If you keep yourself in routines you will do more activites like running to lose weight, and you also won't have time to stray from this schedule and munch when you're not really hungry!
* Try using mouthwash every two hours. You'll be a lot less tempted to eat when everything tastes like mint.

Remember!!!
* Do not ever try to starve yourself! You will not be healthy, and you may even may end up gaining weight, because you overeat when you try to get yourself back to a healthy weight.
* (more of a reminder) I know a lot of stuff to get obesity off your mind-
* try consulting music players, sports, pets, etc. to get your mind off it
* Do not use a lot of mouthwash, it can cause mouth cancer!

All the things You'll Need
* notebook & pen
* sugar-free gum (optional)
* walking shoes (optional)
* music player (optional)
* A friend
* New clothes for your new body

do this if u want to lose height

You have to exercise and eat healthier, otherwise you may not notice any improvement and—even worse—you may gain weight.
If you need to lose more than 10% of your body weight, consult with your primary-care physician before beginning any weight loss plan.
Try to limit water consumption to 10 glasses per day. People can drink far more water than necessary while exercising, however, putting them at risk of water intoxication. (Water intoxication is incredibly rare, and easy to avoid by making sure to consume electrolytes along with the large amounts of water)
Limit the following:

• Soda: the average soda is full of calories, sugar, and other chemicals.
• Too much bread/butter: A slice of bread with butter has around 170 calories (100 calories per medium sliced slice of bread and 70 calories per 10g of butter).
• Large portions: You’ll end up eating much less and save a lot of money as a bonus!
• Dressing: Salad dressing is the main source of calories and other things to avoid in salad, try vinegar or hummus as a low-cal dressing

Let's Eat and Lose Weight!!!

Did you know that you can eat a lot and still lose weight? It sounds too good to be true, right? Here are some ways to make it happen.
Following this steps

1. Eat more! Don't be fooled because the article is referring to more of healthy, low-fat foods rather than junk food. Junk food can range from burgers to those cookies that you always bought! Adding a lot of vegetables and fruits to your diet will help you. Also, drinking bouillon, a Haitian soup, made with filtered water will help you feel full.
2. Exercise every day! This could be the most difficult step to follow. But what you can do is actually start slowly then steady increase the amount of exercise. For example, today you will walk for 10 minutes, repeat this for the whole week. For the next week, double your workload. You may get leaner that way! The important thing is to get your heart rate up and start, now!
3. Feed your temptations once in a while. Go ahead and have that donut or slice of pizza, but before you do, drink a few glasses of water and eat a bowl of raw veggies such as cucumbers, celery, carrots, and tomatoes. They will fill you up and you will have very little room to eat the "junk" food.
4. Consume things that have no calories. There are two things you eat and drink that contain no calories: water and fiber. The more of these you get into your diet, the better off you will be. For example, you can eat a pound of mixed salad greens with assorted raw vegetables (carrots, red cabbage, celery, broccoli, onion, etc.) with a low or no-calorie salad dressing and only have eaten 100-150 calories. This is because of the high water and fiber content of the salad and low calorie dressing. Also, eat lots of celery. It has only 8 calories, but amazingly, it takes more than 8 calories to digest it. So, you actually BURN calories by eating celery! It's not much, about 2 calories per 8 inch stalk, but it sure doesn't hurt.
* Avoid sodas as much as possible. Instead, drink flavored water or unsweetened iced tea.
5. Take broth-based soups. They are a relatively low in calories. A commerically-available ready to eat "chicken and stars" soup may only have 80 calories for 1 serving, much less than diet "meal shakes" or nutrition bars.
6. Practice good eating habits. Always use utensils and sit at the table. This stops you from eating precariously. Eating with your hands will mean that you take in more food in one scoop. Don't forget to eat slowly and stop when you're full. Similar to the above step, if you can't stop, drink up! Maybe your body is thirsty and hungry no more! Also, you can do any other chores (other than eating). For instance, go shopping, or play badminton with your friend, or play games on the computer!
7. Spread out your diet! Eat more small chunks of meals, rather than 3 big meals. If you eat 100-150 calories or so every two hours, your body stays in a higher-metabolism digesting mode. This allows you to burn more calories than eating just 3 meals a day.[1]

some tips for you
* Avoid calorie dense, unhealthy food. Unhealthy food is food which contains calories, but little nutritional value. These calories are called "empty calories." You will probably be best served if you also avoid foods that would contain empty calories if they were not fortified with vitamin C (like some gummy bears) or calcium (like some cookies). Fortification with vitamins doesn't always make unhealthy food healthy.
* Try to do a little bit at a time until you get used to it.
* Get a friend to follow the diet with you. Sometimes, when following a diet by yourself, you'll break the rules because it's just you. But following it with a friend, you have a partner who will help keep you on track and responsible.
* Expect to cheat or binge once in a while. (A word of caution: if you're binging more than once or twice a month, consider a different approach to your weight loss goals.) Don't despair when you realize you've strayed from your goals. It took you a lifetime to achieve your current weight, and it will take time to achieve your new weight and size goal.
* Grab a small snack before heading to restaurants. This will curb off your hunger and keep your head clear while you make healthy choices.
* Opt for chicken or fish instead of red meat, and baked potato or rice instead of fries. Choose foods that are steamed, grilled, broiled or baked instead of fried. Avoid dishes that are labeled as "breaded", "crispy" or "battered" – those are the code words for "fried".
* Ask for dressings and sauces on the side. Even a green salad can pack as many calories as a burger if it’s swimming in a fatty dressing.
* Pack away extra food. At the beginning of the meal, ask for a doggie bag, and put what you aren't going to eat in the bag.
* If the restaurant is known for especially large portion sizes, you can share a portion with a friend.
* Add good fats to your diet. Monounsaturated fats have been clinically proven to help you burn fat, especially in your midsection. So, add foods like avocadoes, kalamata olives, walnuts, and flaxseed to your diet, and watch the weight fall right off you.

The way to Lose Weight Fast

Want to slim down fast for that beach vacation or high school reunion? While there are many things you can do to shed pounds, losing weight too quickly, like any sudden change to your body, can be dangerous. While fad diets, diet pills, and fasting may indeed induce rapid weight loss, these methods can cause you to lose muscle and may also injure your heart and other organs fairly quickly. The best solution? Don't go for an overnight miracle. Instead, follow these steps to lose fat rapidly, healthily, and sustainably.

folowing this steps

1. Determine your daily calorie intake . Losing weight is simply a matter of expending more calories than you take in, through exercise and your daily activities. To win the battle, it helps to know how many calories you are consuming in a day.
* Write down all the things you eat on a typical day. Carry a small notebook with you and write down every snack, every drink, and the contents of every meal. There are also great websites that you can use to keep track of calories, get recipes, and help achieve your goal. Don't forget to include the pats of butter or the spoonful of sugar in your coffee. It's best to do this for at least a couple weekdays and a weekend; it's even better if you can go a full week. There are also calorie tracking websites that can help you to do this, for example the US government website, My Pyramid Tracker.
* Do an itemized calorie count. When possible, write down the number of calories in each thing you eat as you eat it. Keep in mind that the recommended serving size is often considerably smaller than the serving you actually eat. Look up the calorie count on the internet for foods that don't have calories listed on the container or for fast food meals. You don't have to be 100% accurate, but you do want a good estimate of the number of calories you're taking in. There is an idea that multiplying your own weight by ten will produce a rough estimate of the number of calories you need to eat per day to maintain your weight. This is NOT true, you may wind up grossly under (or perhaps over) estimating the number of calories you should be eating. Use a scientific or health website to determine the number of calories you should eat a day or consult your doctor. Everyone has different metabolisms and there is no blanket rule that covers everyone's recommended calorie intake. Reducing 500 calories per day from the calories you eat to maintain your weight can help you lose a pound of fat per week.[2]
2. Go over the list and decide which foods to cut out or reduce. Cutting calories is usually a lot easier than you might think. For example, that daily tall latte in the morning may pack 500 calories. Since a pound of flab (lost or gained) is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories, replacing that rich beverage with black coffee can help you lose a pound a week. Other easy cuts include salad dressing (salad dressing is the number one source of fat in the average American woman's diet) soda pop, candy, and butter. Look at the nutritional information for the foods you eat, pay special attention to your intake of saturated fats and empty calories (high-sugar foods). You don't need to cut these things out entirely, but if you reduce your intake of high-fat, high-calorie foods you'll lose weight faster.
3. Seek out alternatives to the unhealthy foods you've identified. You can simply reduce the amount of soda you drink or mayonnaise you put on your sandwiches, or you can substitute healthier choices. Drink water instead of soda, for example, or use mustard instead of mayo. Low-fat and low-calorie options are also available for most foods, and many of these are natural, (although some are made with strange chemicals), and tasty. Start trying to eat healthy in most meals:
* Choose lean meats. Chicken and fish are both very low in fat (and certain fish like salmon, sardines, and fresh tuna are an excellent source of antioxidants, which are also beneficial to your health), so aim to replace some or all of the beef or pork in your diet with these foods.
* Replace high-calorie side dishes with healthier alternatives. Many people get a ton of calories from side dishes such as macaroni and cheese, French fries, or potato salad. You can eat healthier and lose weight by replacing these with fresh vegetables and salads. Pre-made salads are practically effortless, and when accompanied by a reduced-calorie dressing or no dressing at all, they're weight-loss gold.
* Start your days off right. A fattening breakfast of bacon and eggs or a pastry can be replaced with yogurt, oatmeal, high-fiber, low-sugar cereals; or fresh fruit for fruit smoothies. However, for those on a low carb diet bacon and eggs are a great combo for breakfast, since neither have carbs. But don't fall into the trap of skipping breakfast. Eating a healthy breakfast increases your rest metabolic rate earlier in the day, and reduces snacking before lunch.
4. Plan your meals. Look for healthy, delicious meals online or in your cookbooks, and create a menu for the week. Make sure that your meal plan reduces your total calorie intake: you're not going to lose weight if you consume the same amount of calories by eating different foods. Make a list of what you'll need for these meals, and -- except for a few snacks, of course -- don't stray from your list when you get to the market. Planning your meals helps ensure you get a balanced diet and reduces the temptation to stop off for fast food or order a pizza. Remember, it's easier to stick to your shopping list if you shop when you aren't hungry.
5. Watch your portion sizes. Opening a bag of rice cakes and eating all of them in one sitting isn't going to help you lose weight. When eating chips, nuts, or dried fruit put a portion in a small bowl and then put the bag away. That way you won't mindlessly eat a larger portion than you had intended. Even if you only make minimal changes to your diet choices, reducing portion size will inevitably reduce caloric intake. A great way to watch portion sizes while snacking is to buy one serving 100 calorie packages - and they come in many favorite snack food items![3]
6. Graze on healthy snacks. Just because you're getting healthy doesn't mean you can't snack. In fact, eating small meals and snacks throughout the day, or grazing, has been shown to aid weight loss, (compared to eating three large meals a day), by keeping metabolism steadier. Pick snacks that are low in calories and fat and high in fiber (dried apricots, nuts, rice cakes, fruits, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and so on). Vegetables are generally very low in calories, very high in fiber, and full of flavor and nutrition. Avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes, and try to eat vegetables plain, without fatty dressings or dips. Fruit also makes a good snack. Fruit contains more soluble fiber than vegetables, which slows your body's absorption of carbohydrates, thus releasing energy more slowly, (preventing sugar highs), and keeping you feeling full longer. Fruit juices are not a replacement for the real thing. You need that fiber, and juices often have more calories than the equivalent serving of fruit -- as many calories as soda! Be careful with dried fruits, because without the water, you tend to eat more, and fruits, when dried, are calorie-rich per ounce. With any dry or dried food, be sure to drink plenty of water.
7. Get more fiber. There are many myths about fiber, but there is science to back up its helpful role in the diet. Fiber keeps the right amount of water in your intestines, making your digestive system work more efficiently and helping to keep you regular. Thus, just eating enough fiber may help you feel slimmer in just a day or so. There is also evidence that fiber in the diet can help prevent stroke and heart disease, ease the effects of diabetes, and may even directly help in weight loss.
8. Drink plenty of water. Adequate water is essential for health, and a great many people simply don't get enough. What's more, if you're chronically dehydrated, your body will retain water in unflattering places, so if you make sure to get plenty of fluids you can start visibly trimming down in as little as a day. Remember, the more you exercise, the more water you'll need. See the related wikiHow for more details on how much water you should be getting.
9. Exercise. Remember, you can lose weight either by decreasing your calorie intake or increasing the number of calories you burn. Any health strategy should include both, but if you want to lose weight fast, exercise is essential.
10. Perform high-level aerobic activities. Moderate aerobic workouts incorporating jogging, brisk walking, cycling, aerobic machines, or classes not only burn calories -- they also keep your heart healthy. Swimming is also great, especially if you are quite overweight or have joint problems, because you can get the same benefits of running -- typically burning even more calories -- with much less stress on your joints. Try to get at least 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three or four days per week.
11. Pump some iron. Resistance training, (weight training), can help both sexes stay lean by building muscle and raising metabolism. The fact is, hours and hours of aerobic exercise won't help most people lose weight fast because your metabolism drops back to normal fairly quickly after stopping the exercise. If you gain muscle, however, your body's resting metabolism, (the amount of calories you burn when you're just sitting still), increases, because muscle requires a lot of calories to maintain. Studies have shown consistent weight training to raise the body's metabolism by 15%. This means an average woman might burn 200-300 more calories at rest every day! Resistance training is the gift that keeps on giving! Although, keep in mind that muscle mass weighs more than fat (don't be surprised if you gain weight but look slimmer).
12. Rest properly. This means not only taking at least 24-48 hours between strength training the same muscles, (and taking 1-2 days off from exercising each week); it also means getting enough sleep at night, since sleep deficiency impairs your ability to lose fat.
13. Be realistic. Don't expect a miracle. Healthy weight loss can be achieved fairly quickly, but you'll need to be patient. In addition, be sure to set realistic goals. Make sure that the weight you're trying to reach is a healthy weight for you, and keeping in mind that gaining pounds of muscle will help you lose fat, be trimmer, and look better even though you don't actually lose any weight. Your goal should be a healthy body, not a number of pounds! Everyone looks good at a different weight. A short person may look really good at about 112 pounds, but a person of a taller height would just look unhealthy. Keep yourself at a weight that makes you look good, not at a number that sounds good.
14. Make adjustments. A successful weight loss strategy based on reducing calorie intake and increasing activity can be adjusted to maintain your desired weight once you reach it. Unlike typical diets, this method is sustainable -- it is a lifestyle change, not a binge-and-purge exercise. Slowly adjust your diet and exercise to include more weight training and calories, as much as is comfortable for you. If you do gain any weight back, you want that weight to be lean, toned muscle, not fat. In addition, weight training, no matter what your age, prevents muscle atrophy and can help stave off osteoporosis.
* Instead of thinking of it as losing a certain amount of pounds, think of it as being a certain weight. So if you are 145 pounds, and you would like to lose 10 pounds, think of it as being 135 pounds. This helps you think about it as a long-term goal and not just losing the weight to gain it back again.
15. Be confident. You need to believe in yourself! If you want to diet, and you know that it will make you feel better, then you need confidence. Otherwise, the temptation to cheat on your diet will make it harder, and you will not feel better when you do lose weight. Avoid temptations like chocolate, ice cream, and cookies. They may taste good, but there are other foods that taste delicious, too, without being unhealthy. You need to always encourage yourself to achieve the goals that you have set. Learn to evaluate your efforts fairly and objectively. If you fail to achieve your target for the week, find out why is it so. Is it because you have missed a jogging session? Or you have been eating junk food for one of the days? After evaluating, look ahead to next week and try your best to stick to your plan.[4]
16. Be consistent and disciplined, and have self motivation. To lose weight effectively, you need to stick to your weight loss plan religiously so as to see results. When you have the thought of giving up, visualize how good you will look when you manage to slim down successfully. [4]

Make the Best Vacation of Your Life

We all dream of taking a perfect vacation. Unfortunately, most vacations aren't like that for many reasons. Read the following steps to learn how to plan and enjoy the best vacation of your life.

This is the steps

1. Realize what you want. Do you want to explore? Relax? See a completely different place? There are many different places that you can go to. Some people don't feel comfortable when travelling to places that are too far and different. On the other hand, going somewhere that's too close might make you feel like you're taking stroll in the neighbourhood. If you take the Vacation Style quiz, you can get an idea of what your travelling style is so you can choose the right destination for you.
2. Plan. Once you choose your vacation spot, you can start with your planning. Don't book a hotel room or a flight too early, because there might be some last minute deals. Use the internet or get some travel brochures to see what the local attractions are, as well. Some places could be dangerous and unwelcoming; make sure to read reviews of places you want to go to and stay in. If you have the choice to choose who you want to go with, think carefully. It has to be someone you like and don't have many fights with. The person you travel with greatly affects your travelling experience. Try to think of things that might ruin the experience (i.e. addictions, different travelling style, etc.)
3. Book a flight and/or a hotel. This is important, because sometimes those two can ruin an entire vacation. If you've had a bad experience with a certain airline, don't make the same mistake again. As for the flight, don't let any of it get to you. If it's a really bad experience, you can just say that it's technically not a part of the vacation. Find a good hotel that isn't too expensive and is located near many attractions. The hotel might have some flaws, but if it isn't something unbearable, then let it slide.
4. Avoid stress. There are things that have to be taken care of - just like every other vacation. Don't get it wrong this time; finish things early. If you know that you're always late to the airport, then try to leave the house an hour or two earlier. Also, make sure you have your passport and visa with you if you're going to a different country. Don't leave things for the last minute and pack your suitcase early.
5. Research. Learn about the place, as there might be some important things that you don't know about. Use Wikipedia and search engines to learn about the local customs. Read about appropriate clothing, tipping, laws, weather, and more. Check the forecast to see what the weather will be like and if the area you will be in might have natural disasters or conflicts that might arise soon. If the place you're going to isn't anything like where you live, make sure to see pictures and videos of the place to avoid culture shock.
6. Pack. You don't need to bring your entire house with you. Pack things that you know you'll need. If you know you can't live without your mp3 player, than don't hesitate to take it. Packing isn't just about personal toiletries and clothes; it's important to bring things that you'll enjoy as well. Put the items that you use often in your backpack so you'll have easier access to them. Remember to bring extra batteries and all the equipment necessary to make them work throughout the vacation. If you're going on a plane, make sure that you don't put any sharp or dangerous items in your bag (i.e. scissors, swiss knife, toy gun, etc). Don't bring a really expensive or unique-looking suitcase, they have a higher chance of getting stolen or opened. Don't pack the things that you might wear. Bring the sort of clothes that you wear now, otherwise, you'll be stuck with a whole lot of clothes that you won't be able/want to wear.
7. Watch your belongings. These days, there are many things that we need to carry around. It could be cellphones, laptops, digital cameras, and much more. Never let those expensive belongings be out of your sight. Keep them locked in a safe or hidden in a good place. When you're on the street, tie your camera on your wrist so it won't get stolen or keep it in your backpack. Don't leave your luggage and/or backpack unattended, even if you're going for a second. If you're travelling with someone else (who you trust), tell them to watch it while you're gone.
8. Set realistic expectations. As much as want to have the perfect vacation, we know that the world usually won't cooperate with us. Don't let the small things irk you and ruin your mood, just accept that they happen and move on. Try to see yourself as you are now; don't try to change and become perfect. You need to accept yourself right now instead of imagining yourself as someone you currently aren't and/or will never be. You won't be automatically happy/attractive/perfect the second your vacation starts. If you know that you're not the sort of person that can get up early and walk all day long, then don't expect yourself to be.
9. Be spontaneous. It's important to plan, but it's just as important to try something new and unexpected. It could be something as big as deciding to bungee jump or something small like trying out some of the exotic cuisine. Either way, you'll have something interesting to do and tell your friends once you do it. Don't be afraid that you might ruin something or be off-schedule. Give yourself some time to do whatever you want and have fun doing it. Don't be afraid to do something you liked doing back at home, either. It will make you feel more comfortable and give you a sense of familiarity. If you find yourself disliking a place you go to, don't hesitate to leave. Try to go to all sorts of different places, not just tourist traps.
10. Cherish the moments. Sometimes we don't realize how happy and carefree we really were until we no longer feel it. Recognize those moments and appreciate them; don't let any of your desires or worries get in the way. Try not to reflect or think too much about how it's been so far or give the vacation a grade before it's really over. Don't give yourself too much time to think about what happened, but give yourself enough to know what to do and where to go. You can take pictures and record videos, but remember to turn them off once in awhile. Let yourself be in the present instead of taking pictures of a moment you weren't in for the future.
11. Remember. There are some places that people know they'll never go back to. Some won't come back to keep the memories unique, some understand that they won't be the same, and others just know that they want to keep on going and discovering new and exciting places. Whatever you choose to do, remember this vacation and learn from it. You might just look back at it one day and realize how lucky you were to have experienced it.

Some tips

* Try to meet and converse with locals if you can.
* Learn a few basic phrases and words if you're going to a foreign country.
* Find out if your friends have ever been to your destination location and ask them for any tips or advice.
* You don't have to buy merchandise with the place's name on it to remember your experience. Keep the flight ticket or simple things you found to remember specific moments.
* Try different forms of transportation (i.e. bus, bicycle, roller-blades, cab, underground).
* Don't call/text your friends and family too much when you're there.

Remember !!!
* Don't spend too much money. You don't have to be first class or be in a suite to have a great vacation. Let yourself have fun and travel comfortably, but try to stay close to your budget.
* Stay safe. It's good to discover and see different places, but know which places you should stay away from.
* Don't get into arguments or fights with anybody you don't know well.

Time to Have a Sense of Humor

Humor is one of the greatest assets a person can have. Working on building your sense of humor will help you out a lot in life, including in being able to defuse difficult situations and in reducing your stress levels.

Try this steps
1. Know what lots of people find funny. Not everyone finds everything funny, but there are lots of general topics that are funny. Make a list of topics that appeal broadly in a humorous way and explore these further.
2. Watch shows and movies that are funny. Comedy sketches, stand-up, movies, anything you think might contain humor. If you don't get why it's funny, try watching it again and deconstruct the humorous elements.
3. Laugh. Try laughing when other people do. Get into the habit. Natural laughing may then come to you and will be an automatic reaction when something funny occurs.
4. Try to see the funny side of difficult or embarrassing situations. This can help to alleviate angst, fear and unhappiness if you can inject a little lightheartedness into such occasions. Naturally, keep in good taste and do not step over the line where mourning, death, loss and pain are involved.
5. When someone says something and you want to make it funny, start the sentence by saying "yes" and then build on it. And don't insult them or tear them down. Add to what they said to make it even better!

Save Money When Travelling

How to have a fun holiday while spending less money.

This is the Steps

1. Plan for your vacation at least 1 - 2 months in advance - this way you will get the best rates for hotels & air fare.
2. Flights which originate from a point and terminate at another point will be expensive (for example, if you want to fly from Mumbai to Helsinki, then an airline which flies from another city to Helsinki via Mumbai will be cheaper).
3. Check hostels in the cities which you plan to visit. Most leading cities across the world have cheap accommodation for leisure travellers and back packers.
4. Register at your embassy in the visiting country - this will give you a lot of options and people whom you can question.
5. Always travel by the public transport - many leading tourist cities, like Singapore, have pre-loaded metro & bus passes. These passes are very convenient for internal city travel.
6. Stay in a vacation rental condo such as the ones listed on VRBO.com You will get a lot more space at a much lower cost than what you would get from a comparable hotel room.

Some tips for you:

* Choose a destination where you can stay with friends or family.
* Look into house trading networking sites on-line.
* Walk everywhere, if possible. It's the best way to experience the place where you are, not to mention healthy and cheap.
* Be open minded.
* It's always a good idea to find a grocery store near your hotel or hostel. Eating out gets expensive.
* Talk with the natives. People familiar with the area will help you steer clear of expensive tourist traps and have a more authentic (and less expensive) experience.
* If you stay in a hostel, try to find people who want to go to the same places. Tours and sometimes ticket prices are cheaper in groups.
* Take advantage of what's there. Most hostels and cities offer free tours/maps/guidebooks.
* Buy your guide book before you get to your destination. Sometimes you can also check them out at the library or copy pertinent pages.
* If you're a student, get an international student ID card. Most museums and some transportation and housing options offer student discounts.

Remember!!!

* Never carry all your belongings in one bag or keep all important stuff like wallet, passport in a money belt. These can fit tightly around the waist and be nearly invisible. This is especially important when traveling on trains for long periods of time.
* Carry an internationally accepted credit card, like Master, Visa or American Express.
* Some hotels/hostels need to take your passport. This is normal.
* Carry extra passport photos and a color copy of both your passport and credit card. Do not keep these with the originals.

Plan a Vacation

So, the kids are out of school for summer vacation and everyone just wants to get away from home for a while. Time for your once-a-year or so "family vacation" This time, though, you'll actually be ready for it.

This is the Steps

1. Research, research, research. Do it online and discuss it with other travelers. For inspiration, go to websites to browse travel photos, journals and videos posted by real people sharing their experiences.
2. Decide what day/time you will depart and return. Write it down!
3. Decide what place(s) you will be going to.
4. Calculate how many people are coming along if you're not alone.
5. Fill up the suitcases. Pack as many outfits as you will need for the vacation, plus, an extra or two. Don't forget your undergarments, pajamas, hygiene items, shoes, swimsuits/towels if swimming, etc.
6. Be prepared for certain situations. Planning ahead for things that could possibly happen will make the trip a whole lot smoother. Decide on a schedule for what each person wants to do along the way. Gather the family together and discuss what you had in mind. Be prepared for arguments. Everyone must be willing to compromise.
7. Pack a first aid kit - and make sure everyone knows where it is - because you never know what could happen. In the first aid kit there should be band aids, anticeptic cream, paracetamol and allergie tablets at least. Also it might be useful to have an emergency contact list in the first aid kit.
8. Find a pet-sitter ahead of time if you own any animals that can't come along. If you decide to bring any, you must remember that they can't go inside restaurants or hotels, and they will have to make bathroom breaks as well. It's best to leave them at home. Put your pets into detail for the sitter and leave them with your phone number in case they have any questions while you're gone that you forgot to cover.
9. If it's a family vacation and you're traveling by vehicle (for a long time), bring stuff to keep everyone entertained and comfortable.
10. Decide what form of transportation you're taking (plane, vehicle, etc.)
11. Estimate the total cost of your vacation. Be sure to include restraunts (food & drink per person each day), gas for the vehicle to get there, back, and to places nearby where you'll be staying, hotel rooms per night, and any other activities that you plan on doing. (Swimming, the zoo, etc.)
12. If the trip seems a bit pricey, you may want to consider looking for discounts. You can normally find accommodation and travel discounts online. While your at the site, they can also help plan your trip.
13. Work around the price. Normally if you're visiting family in another state, you can stay at one of their houses overnight (if there's enough room for everyone). (Free showers, food, television, and bed!) And if you offer to pay for the gas, you can normally borrow a neighbor's "extra" vehicle for free and they'll take care of any animals while you're gone. And if you buy a gas card, you can save money on the gas! You just gotta think ahead!
14. Work some overtime at your job before you ask for a week/weekend off for vacation. They'll be more likely to give it to you when you want it.
15. Bring everyone's medications (if the family takes any.) Be sure to bring enough.


Some Tips

* Look for discounts.
* Plan as far ahead in advance as possible.
* Bring a map if you're driving there!
* Be prepared for the weather. Watch the weather channel for when and where you'll be gone. Bring clothing appropriate for what the weather will be and something that's not according to the weather in case it decides to change.
* If you must change planes, try to arrange so you do in Portland or Seattle. They both have very nice airports, so if you have an unexpected (or expected) long layover, you won't go bezerk.

Receive Love

When it is hard to receive love for fear of the consequence of letting down your defenses, it might be that you are hiding behind cynicism, pride, or trying to remain too emotionally strong, so that you don't have to face the possible hurts that loving might bring or facing aspects about yourself that you don't like. It is important to learn to receive love and to appreciate that you are loved too, so that your own sense of self can be whole. Here are some thoughts to help you learn to receive love and how to keep it.

This is steps for you:

1. Trust people when they tell you that they love you. Whether it be an intimate relationship, a friendship, or a family relationship, it is important to accept the declaration of love at face value. If you are pushing aside the gift of their love for you because you are afraid that they do not mean it, then you prevent them from having the chance to prove that they do. It also might push them away from you, so that if you change your mind it may be to late.
2. Stop fearing loss. A common reason for not being able to receive love is prior experience of losing someone you loved, whether it was from death, a break-up, or for some other reason that has scarred you. If you spend all of your life pushing aside love given to you on the off-chance that the person offering it might withdraw it, you will always feel cynical and unsure, which is not a comfortable or happy place to be. Instead, embrace the love that they are offering and go with the flow, expecting those who offer you love to stay around.
3. Love yourself. This might be the hardest step of all but if you don't love yourself that much, receiving love is nigh impossible because you don't believe that you deserve it. If this is the case, start working on why you can't love yourself so well, including seeking help to explore the issues involved if needed. Remember that every person is special and that you are very deserving of love.
4. Let love in and don't block it. Simply open your heart, live in the moment and cherish the fact that other people care so deeply about you that you are connected, needed, wanted, and included in the affairs and lives of others. Being open and receptive to the love from others can be learned with practice, provided you don't let cynicism and toughness take over. Let down some of those defenses and pride and let others know that you enjoy their deep care and support for you. And forget about keeping score; love others even if it is not reciprocated. As one large human family, it keeps going around and we receive it back again anyway.
5. Beware the voices of societal negativity. Social conditioning has a habit of making us feel wary of being effusive about and openly accepting of compliments, generosity, caring, and kind acts, lest we be seen as greedy, prideful, or selfish. Do not push aside the caring, wonderful things people have to say about you just because of such negative overlays; be appreciative and embracing of the love given out by others in all its forms. To do otherwise is to block receipt of love.
6. Show love. Receiving love is also about expressing love. Kiss your spouse and children, hug your friends, compliment your colleagues, say friendly and complimentary things to the grocery store clerks. Do this regularly.
7. Watch the experts at receiving love. Children are expert at receiving love because they accept what is said at face value and view receiving love as natural. What is also natural is that being able to receive love creates a balance in which you give and receive in equal measure. Take note of how children manage this beautifully - they ask for help when needed, they give help when asked. They offer compliments without a thought and they accept at face value the compliments that they are given. Re-learning what was once innate for you can restore a lot of happiness and trust in your life.
8. Share your feelings. When true feelings are shared, a trust is created, bond is created and friendly environment becomes available that acts as a catalyst in receiving and giving love.


Tips for you

Many faiths help with the understanding of receiving love; if you have a particular faith, follow the teachings that it espouses on receiving and giving love. Even if you don't practice a particular faith, there are many great thinkers whose wisdom can teach you much about the receiving of love.

Entertainment In Batam Island

NAGOYA ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT

Or just called NED, this compact district is bounded by the Melia Panorama, Goodway and Harmoni hotels. Lucy's Oarhouse is easiest to find, turn left out of the Melia’s front entrance and walk 100m. The famous PP Banana GoGo is upstairs. Rio Rita is over the road. Turn right out Lucy's front door and you can see the Jungle Bar, Classics, Red Cock, Bistro, Ice Pub and Steps Music Lounge. McDonald's, Kentucky Chicken and several money changers are in the same area.
Also find the Memori Karoake, opposite the Melia and the Hawaii karoake, beside the Harmoni (next to McDonalds). There are dozens of other karoakes and massage parlours in Nagoya. Among the better known are the Queen 8933 Massage. A kilometer away in the Pelita area, find Hotel Pelita karoake, Hollywood “Sports Massage” and Maxim "nightclub" .
PLEASANT EVENING DRINKS
Try the Planet Hotel’s rooftop bar (22nd floor) for a nice view of Nagoya and the Singapore Straits.
There are pleasant WINE BARS at Goodway and Harmoni hotels . Try a Cheese Platter at the Goodway’s Hotel Wine Bar for Rp45,000.
LIVE MUSIC NIGHTSPOTS
The most popular is the Tavern in the Melia. Also try the NoName in the Harmoni and Summit at the Planet hotel. All start getting busy by 10pm.
DISCOS: Pacific, Planet, Spinx, Ozon
Batam has several large discos. All are very dark, loud and smoky. The Pacific is the biggest and has the best sound system. All get busy around midnight.
RAUNCHY BARS: Try the Jungle and Ice Pub. The PP Banana is the wildest and most fun - opens from 2pm on Fri/Sat/Sun, from 6.30pm midweek.

( Special Thanks for marsel/batam)

Aerosmith

Don't Want To Miss A Thing

By : Aerosmith

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing

Watch you smile while you are sleeping

While you're far away dreaming

I could spend my life in this sweet surrender

I could stay lost in this moment forever

Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure

Don't want to close my eyes

I don't want to fall asleep

Cause I'd miss you baby

And I don't want to miss a thing

Cause even when I dream of you

The sweetest dream will never do

I'd still miss you baby

And I don't want to miss a thing

Lying close to you feeling your heart beating

And I'm wondering what you're dreaming

Wondering if it's me you're seeing

Then I kiss your eyes

And thank God we're together

I just want to stay with you in this moment forever

Forever and ever

Don't want to close my eyes

I don't want to fall asleep

Cause I'd miss you baby

And I don't want to miss a thing

Cause even when I dream of you

The sweetest dream will never do

I'd still miss you baby

And I don't want to miss a thing

I don't want to miss one smile

I don't want to miss one kiss

I just want to be with you

Right here with you, just like this

I just want to hold you close

Feel your heart so close to mine

And just stay here in this moment

For all the rest of time

Don't want to close my eyes

I don't want to fall asleep

Cause I'd miss you baby

And I don't want to miss a thing

Cause even when I dream of you

The sweetest dream will never do

I'd still miss you baby

And I don't want to miss a thing

Don't want to close my eyes

I don't want to fall asleep

I don't want to miss a thing

I realy like this song,I give this song to someone who is in Yogyakarta which have accompanied my days when i'm in diyogyakarta Two years ago. GREAT Thank's to AEROSMITH for this GREAT SONG.

Batam Island Indonesia

Batam is one of the largest islands in the Riau archipelago, and not long ago it was just another poor island with coastal villages and unspoiled nature. The declaration of the Batam free trade zone in 1989 has turned the island upside down, after just a few years of rapid construction it now has a modern airport, tourist and business centers and a still growing infrastructure that has changed the island completely.

It is no secret that nearby Singapore is the role model, and the goal is eventually to become one of the biggest ports of Southeast Asia and a major center of international trade, industry and commerce. The strategic location close to the Malacca Strait and Singapore will certainly help reaching this goal, but like the rest of Indonesia the economy and development here was dealt a major blow during and after the Asia economic crisis in the late 1990's.

Batam is actually one of fastest growing tourist destinations in Indonesia in terms of visitor arrivals. There are several tourist resorts here with luxurious hotels and golf courses. Many visitors however choose to use Batam only as an entry point, it is only 40 minutes from Singapore with boat, and then leave with the first available transport to other destinations in Indonesia.

History

The history of Batam is tightly interwoven with nearby Bintan island and the rest of the Riau archipelago. According to Chinese chronicles Batam was already inhabited as early as 231 A.D. when Singapore island was still called Pulau Ujung (Ujung Island). It came under control of the Malacca kingdom from the 13th century, and later taken over by the Sultan of Johor who ruled until the 18th century. The coastal villages that face Singapore is said to have been a hideout for pirates who hijacked ships in the strait.

In 1824 the name of the island again appear in the Treaty of London which led to the division of the region between the Dutch and the British. Batam and the surrounding islands later became part of the Riau Lingga Kingdom, a situation that lasted until 1911, when the Dutch East Indies colonial administration took over.
The People

Close to Sekupang, a large part of the population still make their living from fishing and sea transport.The native people of Batam are of Malay origin, but with the rapid growth and development of the area various ethnic groups from all over Indonesia has come here in search for jobs and a better life. Traditionally most of the people live in coastal villages, while the "Orang Laut" (sea people) continue to live on boathouses and boats and generally fish for a living. Some of their catch are sold to Singapore. Bahasa Indonesia is the language used to communicate among the multi-ethnic population here, while many now also understand English, which is commonly used in business communication.

Culture

Even if Batam is multi-ethnic it is still the Malayan culture and Islam which forms the root of the local culture. Both daily life and the ceremonies have religious and mythical elements, expressed in dance, music and other forms of art. Some of the most popular traditional dances are Jogi Dance, unique for Batam, Zapin Dance, which reflects strong Arabic influence, Persembahan Dance, to welcome honored guests and Ronggeng Dance, where the guests can be invited to come up and join the dance and song.

The Mak Yong drama is a dance and song performance which tell the story about a country named "Riuh", commonly believed to be the origin of the name of the Riau province. This country is governed by a wise and popular king, who one day to his surprise and embarrassment is told that his princess have given birth to an animal called "Siput Gondang" (the gondang snail). Upset by this he orders the newborn to be expelled to the jungle. A couple of years later he is told that the snail has begun to grow, and he asks for the snail to be brought to the Royal Palace where the shell is broken. To his surprise and joy he can see a beautiful princess appear from the broken shell, and he names her Putri Siput Gondang (Princess Siput Gondang), celebrations are then held for seven days and seven nights.

But also other cultures contribute to the Batam community, and in the "Padepokan Seni" art center in Sekupang you can see arts and crafts from all over Indonesia, as well as various kinds of performances which are staged every day for visitors and tourists. Another art center in Sekupang is "Desa Seni", Indonesian art village, which main objective is to "maintain, conserve and develop Indonesian culture", and also to manage the Cultural Institute where qualified instructors conduct various shows and courses.

Accommodation and food

You may easily find hotels of all standards here, from five star hotels with all facilities to budget losmen. The most expensive rooms can be found in Nagoya or at the tourist resorts at Nongsa on the northeast part of the island. The tourism here has seen a steep decline lately, so you may get a good bargain. More reasonable priced rooms can be found in Nagoya or elsewhere, but the budget rooms are said to be of less quality and overpriced compared to most other areas in Indonesia.

Riau is well known for its fresh and delicious seafood. Prawns, live fish, lobsters, clams and shellfish are cooked in a variety of styles, a local specialty is the "gong-gong" conch shell dipped in a spicy sauce. To find a seafood restaurant is no problem, especially in Nagoya, Batu Besar, Batu Merah and Telaga Punggur. At Nongsa you can eat in a "kelong", a restaurant built over the sea on stilts. Singaporeans even come here for a late night meal at a Batam restaurant and return the same evening to Singapore. You can of course also find other traditional Indonesian food here, like Padang food. In Nagoya you can try the night markets or the Pujasera Nagoya food center.

Sekupang

The port of Sekupang, the most common port of arrival if you go by boat from Singapore.Most travelers from Singapore to Batam will enter via Sekupang, where ferries shuttle constantly between the two ports. The ferries depart from World Trade Center in Singapore and arrive at Sekupang about 45 minutes later, the first ferry will leave at 7.30 am, and the last about 8 pm. At Sekupang you will easily find a taxi that can take you to other locations of the island, the airport or other ferry terminals, you will also find hotel and ferry counters here. The domestic terminal with boats to the Sumatra mainland is right next door.

Waterfront City Batam

The Waterfront City is a resort area on the west coast of Batam, south of Sekupang, that mostly attracts Singaporean visitors. Some of the activities here are water sports, bungee-jumping, indoor skiing or simply checking out the nightclubs.

Batam Center

This area facing Tering Bay is planned to be the pride of Batam with a business district, hotels, shops and a marina. Construction started on 29th of November 1987 when President Soharto and Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first Prime Minister, each planted a banyan tree here as a symbol of the friendship between the two countries. Prime Minister Mahathir of Malaysia planted his tree later. The center is still not completed.

Nagoya

View from one of the many hotels in Nagoya.Nagoya (also known as Lubuk Baja) is the original center of Batam, and not a very attractive town with a mix of old and new characterless buildings. But if you are looking for local entertainment this must be the place, with plenty of shops, food stalls, nightlife, discos, music lounges, karaoke, restaurants and many small hotels. It is also at the present Batams center of business, trade and finance. Batu Ampar is the port of Nagoya, and from here you can catch a ferry to Singapore, although not as frequently as from Sekupang. Several boats leave daily to Johor Baru in Malaysia as well.

Nongsa

The north-east peninsula of Nongsa is the main tourist area on Batam, an hour's drive from Sekupang. The lovely resorts were built with Singaporeans in mind, here they can escape from the bustling town to the north and visit one of the golf clubs, eat seafood, bake in the sun on the beach or swim in the sea. Don't expect to find any cheap hotels here.

Kabil

This is the site for a large deep-water port under construction, called the Asia Port. When completed it will be able to accommodate very large ships. From nearby Telaga Punggur you can go by boat to neighboring Pulau Bintan, in Kabil fishing village you can also find several seafood restaurants, and watch the passing sampans and fishing craft while you eat.

Transport

The best way to get around on the island is by taxi, but you can also go by public transport if comfort is not your main concern, like share taxis. Travel agents can also provide air-conditioned minibuses. Hang Nadim, the modern regional airport, can serve the largest passenger planes, and from here you can reach other destinations in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Pekanbaru, Bandung and Medan. Both Garuda and Singapore Airlines have regular flights here.

View from the Singapore - Sekupang ferry, close to Sekupang.As mentioned above there are several boat services to Singapore, as well as Malaysia and to the Sumatran mainland. The ferries depart daily from World Trade Center in Singapore and arrive at Sekupang about 45 minutes later, the first ferry will leave at 7.30 am, and the last about 8 pm. Less frequent services to Singapore leave from Batu Ampar and Nongsa. The service to Malaysia leave from Batu Ampar and to the Sumatran mainland from Sekupang. Telaga Punggur, 30 km southeast of Nagoya, is the main port for speedboats to Tanjung Pinang on Nearby Pulau Bintan, the trip will take about 45 minutes, there are also three boats a day to Tanjung Pinang from Sekupang.

Other travel facts

Batam is a duty free zone, and in Nagoya or at the ferry terminal you can shop for items like cigarettes, alcoholic drinks, perfumes, chocolate as well as local handicrafts from all over the Indonesian archipelago. There are many banks in Nagoya, and you can easily find a money exchange counter or a cash machine which accept Visa or MasterCard. Singapore dollars are as welcome as Indonesian rupiah. The main post office is in Batam center south of Nagoya.

Batam may not make a good first impression on a western tourist with it's ugly architecture, expensive hotels and unfinished construction sites, but if you like you can easily spend some days here. You can enjoy activities like golf, tennis, water sports, scuba diving, fishing or just relaxing after a good meal of seafood. In the evenings you can experience the local nightlife, probably different from what you are used to back home.