In early times when Neanderthals lived in the wild, as some do in the office today, everybody had a health and fitness exercise program. It’s called hunting, and if they didn’t do it they’ll be on a lose weight fast diet from which they’ll never recover. Nobody had a problem with work stress then, because all the stress they got was due to surviving each day. Come to think of it, times haven’t changed much.The type of stress that early man experienced was of the high intensity kind you find in a life and death situation. Not as intense as a divorce proceeding, but close enough. Unknown to early man, the sheer physicality of everyday life gave him a daily dose of endorphins, which is the body’s natural way to relieve stress. If you’re lucky enough to be chased by a lion for 50 yards, you’ll feel the same thing. Today we call it exercise.Modern man has long known that exercise reduces stress, but what has that got to do with getting chewed on by the boss every other day? Or, slashing your product’s price by 50% and still can’t get any takers? But you know what… you’re right. Exercise can’t do anything for you there. What it does is reduce your stress levels. Then you’ll feel better. Then you’ll be in a good position to create a solution to your problems at work. Then you get a raise, or leap over your sales targets. Neat, huh?Stress in the workplace isn’t always proportional to the number of times you’ve missed out on a promotion. It has to do with our unique response to each situation. For one guy, not getting a raise is no big deal as long as that other guy doesn’t get it either. If that happens, all hell breaks loose.Things happen when you’re put in a stressful situation. You pump out adrenaline, your heart beats faster, your blood pressure rises, you get flustered, you curse under your breath because the girl of your dreams is asking you out and all you could do is stand there like a statue with a stupid grin on your face.You release the stress hormone cortisol, and sugar and fat are pumped in your bloodstream as added fuel for your muscles. You’re in a heightened state of alertness, ready to fight or run. Unfortunately, neither response is acceptable in this situation. Think how long your stress will stay with you if you let her go.This type of stress plays havoc with your hormone system. It affects everything – appetite, memory, mood, and fear, but mostly mood. If you don’t burn energy with a physical response, it leaves nasty things behind like that fat in your bloodstream that turns to plaque in the arteries. That’s bad. Plaque in the arteries causes hypertension which can lead to stroke. Ugh.A health and fitness exercise regimen is the key to clearing out all that debris after that memorable stressful event.
When it comes to our health, we need to realize that small, incremental steps are often far more helpful than we are lead to believe. While it may be a cliche of a cliche to say that a little bit is better than nothing, like most cliches it is true! Better yet, for many, a “little bit” is the most they may be able to do.There have been many sources that promote the notion that performing squats can improve your overall health. By performing body squats, you can strengthen your legs, increase your muscular endurance, and increase your metabolism. All of these components are most definitely helpful in terms of their ability to improve your health. However, there are certain instances where advice on performing squats goes off the proverbial rails.For example, many sources state that you should perform 100+ squats a day. Others say that you should work up to 500 squats a day. Granted, if you do perform such squats on a daily basis, you will find your body fat percentage dropping, your strength increasing, and your endurance enhance.Of course, the problem with such a scenario is that most people cannot perform hundreds of squats. They also lack the ability or time to even work up to 500 squats through incremental increases over time. As such, they develop the notion that they should not take part in body squat workouts.This is the wrong attitude to take. The reason is that you are not limited to performing a high number of squats. You can perform as many as you are capable. There are no rules that state you should not.So, if you can only perform 10 squats a day, go for it! 10 squats a day, 5 days a week comes out to a cumulative of 50 squats per week. 50 squats a week for a one year period will certainly be better than zero squats through the course of a year. Again, something is better than nothing. When you let too much time pass without doing any exercise of any kind, your body would not get any benefit from such an approach. This is a little bit of common sense that sometimes is missing from health and fitness books. As a result, many people get the wrong impression of what is required of them to lose weight and get in shape.It is true, however, that you would gain more from doing higher reps. But, if you are unable to perform higher reps, you should do what you can as consistently as you can. Such advice may not sound like ‘hidden magic’ advice to boost your weight loss and strength goals. However, it is wise advice that can deliver results over time.Don’t assume you are cheating yourself by performing low amounts of exercise. A little bit of exercise can improve your health far more than a whole lot of nothing. Never lose sight of this truism when it comes to your workout plans.
IntroductionInterest rates for savers generally follow inflation trends and statistics show that these gains are always positive unless you are very unlucky. The reason why so many people invest in Banks is because they are usually a safe bet. Indeed, often your savings will be guaranteed.Money in a savings account is usually a safe investment but the return can sometimes be limited for the investor when compared to other options.There are many opportunities for investment depending on the level of risk an individual is prepared to take. These forms of investment might include stocks and shares, endowment insurance policies, pensions etc. We are focusing our attention on the property market where our expertise is.Stability of Property ValuesIn real terms although property markets do suffer from peaks and troughs, property does increase in value in the long term. Recently in some areas, property prices have actually gone down, this is due to the economy which has an effect on supply and demand. An over supply of property can easily reduce property prices when the property market is struggling.Property prices do go down but history has shown that they always recover and they are stable in the long term. Steady or significant increases in property prices are usually the norm.Whilst there can be no guarantee that property prices will increase over say, a one year period it is generally accepted that a well maintained property in a reasonable area will appreciate in value.Interesting StatisticsThe following statistics make interesting reading:
50% of individuals mentioned in The Sunday Times Rich List made their money through investing in property.
A property worth just EUR10,000 some 30 years ago would be worth around half a million Euros at today’s prices.
Between 5th October and 6th November 1987 the FTSE share index fell by a massive 32.1%. (Published Bank of England Statistics)
It would not be fair to say that money cannot be made on the Stock Exchange and no one could dispute that. Most people take professional advice before investing in the stock market which is advisable.Property InvestmentThe most successful property investors usually research the market and build up a considerable knowledge before they invest. Speculators often make huge profits by predicting changes in the property market and investing for gain, often just at the right time.Most individuals who invest in property do so based on their own research and experience. The success rate for property investments is usually quite high which is why it is such a popular and sometimes enjoyable choice.Building up a PortfolioWhen a property which has increased in value, or if the loan has diminished, equity can be released from that property. Many buy to let investors have successfully used their borrowing ability to build a property portfolio and many have generated substantial wealth for themselves.Buying property enables the investor to secure borrowing which can then be used to make further investments in property; this cannot be said of most conventional types of investment.Rental Income from a property can then be used repay the loan which in time also increases the value of the investment. As property prices increase, so to does the investment and the increased equity can therefore be used to secure more funds and increase investments in property.Many individuals have also increased their gains by investing in property located in up and coming areas or by making improvements to properties. Property improvement will always enhance property value.Short or Long Term Property InvestmentWhatever type of investor you are, property should always be a good long term investment.If you are purchasing that place in the sun you can still benefit from the same investment opportunities but perhaps also with the advantage of an increased income from holiday letting.Buying an off plan property can be a lucrative short term investment because Developers usually sell the opportunities at less than the market value in order to attract investors. The reason for this is that the Developer will benefit commercially by the the Investor funding the development cost.It is not unusual for Investors to make 20 per cent profit by the time they get the keys. The Investor benefits from the enhanced inflationary value of the property during the construction period because the price is fixed before construction. Some Investors are able to sell the property on before it is even finished.Opportunities for Investment in the Property MarketPrices are probably lower now than they have been in real terms for a couple of years so now is a good time to invest.We have many bargain properties and off plan property investments on our website, if you need any help deciding on the best opportunities why not contact us for advice.
One of the most popular ways people want to use to make money online is via blogging. The number of bloggers and blogs on the internet is very high compared to the number of other online property. The reason why blogs have proliferated all over the internet is the fact that it is now very easy to start a blog at no cost. All you need to start a blog is content and time.But just starting a blog does not guarantee that you will make loads of cash online. Look around online and you will see very many broke bloggers struggling to make money online.Do you have any idea why this is so?These are they things i am about to discuss with you.1. Not all blog topics are profitableSome blog topics are very profitable while some are not worth a dime. This is because the value of your blog is directly proportional to the number of people your blog can help or is helping.
This is something you need to know before you setup a blog. Profitable blog topics are topics that people usually spend a lot of money on or is a topic where people will likely spend money on.2. Bloggers don’t know internet marketingMost bloggers only know about how to blog. They know nothing about internet marketing and how to market to people. If you want to succeed as a blogger and make money online you need to spend time and learn internet marketing. The people that makes the most money online are internet marketers so if many bloggers can add internet marketing to their other blogging skills, they will be very successful online.3. Free blogging platforms are not the bestMany new bloggers usually love to start blogging with free blogs like blogger. com. This is okay and works but there are many problems associated with these free blogging platforms. The first being that you don’t really own the blog and because of this, your blog can be deleted if you don’t stick to the rules of platform.4. Some bloggers don’t build a listI know you have likely heard this before. Well, the reason why you keep hearing it is because it is a proven fact that people who make the most money online are people who have a huge responsive list of subscribers. Many bloggers don’t build a list. Fortunately, your blog is a great asset that you can use to passively build your e-mail list fast.
Whether you’re in the market for a major interior overhaul or you’re simply looking to give your home a quick and easy update, chances are you’ve spent some time online hunting for ideas and inspiration. That said, it can be pretty deflating to stumble upon a look you love only to discover the price to achieve it is well above your budget.
Fortunately, there are some killer home decorating blogs that show you how to refresh, revive, and fall in love with your home anew without breaking the bank. For a home that looks far more expensive than it costs to create, check out the following blogs for all of the interior inspiration and DIY tutorials you’ll ever need.
Welcome back to the week 5 update for the One Room Challenge. Check out the blog posts and updates for week 1, week 2, week 3, and week 4 if you missed them. It’s crunch time now and I’ll be honest… I don’t know that this project will be completely wrapped up for the reveal date. The great thing is the reveal and hitting a deadline is not the only goal of reason for this challenge. Ultimately having a fully functional and hopefully beautiful bathroom is where we want to end up even it things are a bit delayed.
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.
When we left off last time the countertops had been templated, the trim was freshly painted and the hardware had been ordered. The hardware took about 1 week to arrive. We chose the Menlo Park 4″ pull from Schlub in chrome because I think the pull has the perfect mix of square and some rounded elements that make it a great transitional hardware option. We went with all pulls for the drawers and doors since the knob option in that line weren’t our favorite.
Guest Bathroom Reno: Quartz Countertops and Grout – One Room Challenge Week 5
The quartz countertops are now installed and things can be put back together. Rectangle, undercount sinks were also purchased through the fabricator. The Marble look quartz from Pental and it is gorgeous with the warm gray veins running throughout. For the edge went for a flat polish eased edge for a clean, simple look.
Guest Bathroom Reno: Quartz Countertops and Grout – One Room Challenge Week 5
Two days after the quartz countertops were installed the tile installer came back to finish up tiling the niches, installing the tile base and grout everything.
Guest Bathroom Reno: Quartz Countertops and Grout – One Room Challenge Week 5
The electoral is being relocated for the new lights. There are some drywall and painting touch ups to do and plumbing fixtures to be hooked up. Plus adding all the finishing touches ???? All those little things like towel hooks, curtain rod, and accessories will bring this whole thing together.
It’s been too long since I’ve updated and even longer since this work has been started. This is me sharing remodel updates, mostly for myself (but also for my nagging family members). I’m sharing photos of the progress that has been made while also document the craziness that has gone on. This is just the beginning of the remodel.
Prior to moving in I had 3-4 weeks where my apartment lease overlapped with the possession of my townhome. This allowed me, with the amazing help of my family, to paint, tear-out carpet and somewhat put back together the upstairs portion of my place so that I could have a clean room to put a bed. At least one that wasn’t completely torn apart. One area that felt more livable that the rest. If you haven’t seen or don’t remember these are the before photos from when I took possession. To list it out here are the main things that I was tacking during those week prior to me moving in.
Phase 1 Remodel Projects
ripping out baseboard, carpet and tack strips upstairs and preparing for new hard surface flooring. (this flooring will go throughout minus the stairs and bathrooms/laundry)
installing flooring upstairs (one of my installers did this)
mostly gutting the master bathroom
installing a new tub and rough in plumbing for the master and powder bath
ordering and installing a rift white oak vanity for the master
Painting (and priming where needed) the ceilings and walls of the bedrooms. Caulking and painting the crown molding in the master
replacing and upgrading the baseboard heater in the master and patch the drywall
painting the hallway and down through the stairwell
adding skirt board to the stairs
installing new carpet and pad on the stairs (my carpet installer from work did this)
removing upper cabinets on the fridge side in the kitchen
partially demoing the wall diving the kitchen (prepare to move switches, outlets, heater and thermostat)
removing drywall on wall next to bar in dining area
painting the downstairs powder bath and removing vanity to prepare for a new floating vanity
Those were the main projects that took place and then I moved in the day after Thanksgiving. Getting rid of the original, nasty cat carpet and new flooring made a huge difference to the upstairs. Also neutralizing and lightening the paint made things feel so much more fresh. I still have no baseboards but I’ll get on that one day! For now here are some photos that I snapped along the way.
It’s been a while since been posting on here but I have some new updates and projects that I have been working on. Last summer into fall I was house hunting while knowing the lease on my apartment would be expiring end of the 2019. It felt a little crazy but was a fun process for me. After a bunch of searching I found and closed on a new home!
I was lucky enough to have a few weeks of overlap with my apartment (I ended up moving out 1 month early) so I was able to get started on projects and updates prior to moving in. I’ll share more about those in the coming weeks (there are still so many unfinished things!) but for now I think it’s best to start with some before photos. Also, follow along on Instagram where I post current project updates more often. The pictures show it in the state I bought it in. It’s a great first place to me and was functional as-is but as you might expect I’m here to make things my own by doing updates that I will enjoy while living here and that will also add value and functionality to the space down the line when I sell… or maybe even keep it as a rental. My dog, Nova, has been enjoying the space as well ???? There are a couple of things to miss about my Bothell apartment but I am very ready to have my own place and space.
In 2017 the guest bathroom was remodeled. You can see more photos and read about that here. Almost everything came out and all new things went back in. From emails and comments people have been asking for sources so I have rounded up what I could in this post to share paint colors, products and links that I could find for the bathroom.
Bathroom Sources and Details:
Wall color: BM Balboa Mist
Trim and door color: BM Chantilly Lace
Floor Tile: Pental Mark Chrome 12×24 matte
Shower tile: Jeffrey Court Weather Gray 4×12 gloss subway
Niche tile: Daltile clio mosaic
Bathtub: Maax Rubix tub
Cabinet: Spencer Cabinets – painted BM Cape May Cobblestone
Countertop: Pental Quartz Misterio polished 3cm
Cabinet hardware: Schaub Menlo Park Pull in chrome
Faucets: Hansgrohe Metris single handle in chrome
Shower trims: Kohler slide bar kit, wall mount supply and Hansgrohe tub spout in chrome
Mirrors: Homegoods
Towel Hooks: Delta Tolva robe hook in chrome