Great Games to Sneak in at Work

Everyone needs a work break now and then.
Between meetings, meetings to prepare for other meetings, and meetings to discuss what happened in those other meetings, even the most dedicated employee needs to shift his or her focus away from the grind, if only for a few minutes.

And games are a great way to clear your head.

Playing a round of Angry Birds on your iPhone is a little too obvious, though, and odds are your company's IT department (not to mention HR) frowns on your idea of installing World of Warcraft on your work PC.

Fortunately, the web is full of great time-wasters. There have been studies indicating that playing games for an hour or so per day improve both productivity and job satisfaction. You might want to have one of those handy in case you're caught playing one of the following — as the days of the "boss" key (which would quickly hide games) are long gone. (Also, remember to mute your computer before playing.)

Canabalt

If you like it simple, you'll love Canabalt. An instant web hit that has since made its way to the App Store, it's one-button game that requires you press the spacebar to jump over gaps and objects as you try to outrun a disaster. You won't make it, of course, but that's not really the point. Addictive, intense, and perfect for short bursts of fun.

Bomboozle 2
Like Bejeweled, this is one of the many "match three" games you can find scattered across the gaming universe. What's unique about this one is the way you align those like-colored blobs. Rather than simply swapping gems, you'll connect them by either selecting a large group or drawing a line through them, letting you form much longer chains and resulting in satisfying 'pops' as you clear the board.

Desktop Tower Defense
An oldie but goodie, this addictive strategy game game racked up over 15 million play sessions  in its first few months alone. That was years ago, but it's still pretty great. Protect your territory (in this case, an actual desktop) from invaders by placing and upgrading offensive units, in some cases building a kill-zone maze for them to follow.

Portal

It doesn't have the mellifluous tone and polish of Valve Software's stellar first-person puzzle game, but this flash version of the PC and console hit actually manages to capture the essence of the series. It's not made by Valve, either, but it's noteworthy that the developer hasn't sicced its lawyers on this tribute, letting the online game find a devoted audience over the years.

Goldminer
A game doesn't have to be especially complicated to be addictive. In Goldminer, a grizzled old prospector tries to fish chunks of gold and diamonds from the ground with the help of his trusty winch. The early levels are especially easy, which can lull you into a sense of false confidence. And by the time you lose after 5-10 minutes or so, you'll find yourself determined to do better next time — which usually starts as quickly as you can hit the replay button.

Four Second Fury
Nintendo's WarioWare series was chock full of goofy, fun games that took just seconds to play. This Flash-based equivalent is the perfect diversion for the mid-day blahs. It's fast-paced enough to let you shake off the 3pm drowsiness, but won't devour hours from your day.

Papa's Taco Mia!

Ever dream of running a taco stand? Us neither, though we've definitely dreamt of this well-made time-management game after hours spent playing it. Using a wealth of ingredients, you'll build tacos to order, cooking up meat, chopping up veggies and trying your best to deliver the deliciousness on time. Good luck with that.

Lemonade Stand
Economic simulators sound boring, but this game, which challenges you to make a profit selling lemonade over a 30-day period, is actually more engaging than you think. Who knew determining ad budgets and projecting demand could be such fun?

N
Another Flash classic; you'll control a gold-hoarding, stick-figure Ninja who has to collect cash and avoid everything from mines to lasers to heat-seeking missiles all within 90 seconds. It turned out to be quite a hit as a downloadable console game, but you can play it for free during your work break.

Tower of Doom
This is a twist on the tower defense genre, only this time, you're in the tower you're hoping to defend. As villagers and armies attack, you'll build new levels onto your tower, raising it higher in the air and making it more deadly.

Source: Click Here

Great Games to Sneak in at Work

Everyone needs a work break now and then.
Between meetings, meetings to prepare for other meetings, and meetings to discuss what happened in those other meetings, even the most dedicated employee needs to shift his or her focus away from the grind, if only for a few minutes.

And games are a great way to clear your head.

Playing a round of Angry Birds on your iPhone is a little too obvious, though, and odds are your company's IT department (not to mention HR) frowns on your idea of installing World of Warcraft on your work PC.

Fortunately, the web is full of great time-wasters. There have been studies indicating that playing games for an hour or so per day improve both productivity and job satisfaction. You might want to have one of those handy in case you're caught playing one of the following — as the days of the "boss" key (which would quickly hide games) are long gone. (Also, remember to mute your computer before playing.)

Canabalt

If you like it simple, you'll love Canabalt. An instant web hit that has since made its way to the App Store, it's one-button game that requires you press the spacebar to jump over gaps and objects as you try to outrun a disaster. You won't make it, of course, but that's not really the point. Addictive, intense, and perfect for short bursts of fun.

Bomboozle 2
Like Bejeweled, this is one of the many "match three" games you can find scattered across the gaming universe. What's unique about this one is the way you align those like-colored blobs. Rather than simply swapping gems, you'll connect them by either selecting a large group or drawing a line through them, letting you form much longer chains and resulting in satisfying 'pops' as you clear the board.

Desktop Tower Defense
An oldie but goodie, this addictive strategy game game racked up over 15 million play sessions  in its first few months alone. That was years ago, but it's still pretty great. Protect your territory (in this case, an actual desktop) from invaders by placing and upgrading offensive units, in some cases building a kill-zone maze for them to follow.

Portal

It doesn't have the mellifluous tone and polish of Valve Software's stellar first-person puzzle game, but this flash version of the PC and console hit actually manages to capture the essence of the series. It's not made by Valve, either, but it's noteworthy that the developer hasn't sicced its lawyers on this tribute, letting the online game find a devoted audience over the years.

Goldminer
A game doesn't have to be especially complicated to be addictive. In Goldminer, a grizzled old prospector tries to fish chunks of gold and diamonds from the ground with the help of his trusty winch. The early levels are especially easy, which can lull you into a sense of false confidence. And by the time you lose after 5-10 minutes or so, you'll find yourself determined to do better next time — which usually starts as quickly as you can hit the replay button.

Four Second Fury
Nintendo's WarioWare series was chock full of goofy, fun games that took just seconds to play. This Flash-based equivalent is the perfect diversion for the mid-day blahs. It's fast-paced enough to let you shake off the 3pm drowsiness, but won't devour hours from your day.

Papa's Taco Mia!

Ever dream of running a taco stand? Us neither, though we've definitely dreamt of this well-made time-management game after hours spent playing it. Using a wealth of ingredients, you'll build tacos to order, cooking up meat, chopping up veggies and trying your best to deliver the deliciousness on time. Good luck with that.

Lemonade Stand
Economic simulators sound boring, but this game, which challenges you to make a profit selling lemonade over a 30-day period, is actually more engaging than you think. Who knew determining ad budgets and projecting demand could be such fun?

N
Another Flash classic; you'll control a gold-hoarding, stick-figure Ninja who has to collect cash and avoid everything from mines to lasers to heat-seeking missiles all within 90 seconds. It turned out to be quite a hit as a downloadable console game, but you can play it for free during your work break.

Tower of Doom
This is a twist on the tower defense genre, only this time, you're in the tower you're hoping to defend. As villagers and armies attack, you'll build new levels onto your tower, raising it higher in the air and making it more deadly.

Source: Click Here

7 Ways to Increase Your Child's Success in School

Academic success impacts our children for the rest of their lives: it influences their self-esteem, college selections, job attainment, financial success, and even their choice of spouses. 

It’s no wonder we go great lengths to give our kids an academic edge. But the good news is that parents can give their kids the edge they need without the help of elite preschools, expensive tutors, or pricey evaluations.

Here are seven surprisingly simple solutions that every parent should have in their toolbox that are proven to boost children’s school success (and we often overlook).

1.  Make sure your kids are getting enough ZZZ’s. A lack of sleep can have a serious impact on children’s abilities to learn and perform at school. So set a bedtime routine and keep to it every single night. Flashing images affect REM, so be sure to turn off the computer and television at least thirty minutes prior to bedtime. Take away the cell phones during nighttime hours—62% of kids admit they use it after the lights go out and their parents are clueless. Watch out for caffeinated sleep stealers like cold medications, chocolate, or energy-drinks.

2.  Applaud their efforts the right way. Columbia University researchers found that how we praise our kids’ schoolwork can actually enhance or impede their achievement. So instead of encouraging your child to bring home straight A’s, put the emphasis on how hard she is working. This will encourage her to persist and it will help to sustain her motivation. The findings are that kids who are praised for their persistence are more likely to blame any failure they have on not trying hard enough, rather than on a lack of ability (a belief which can discourage kids very easily). Above all, keep in mind that the grade is not what motivates top students to succeed- it’s their drive for learning.

  3.  Respect their learning style. If your son insists on plugging into his iPod when he studies, or if your daughter swears that flash cards are the only way she can learn her spelling words- listen up! While you may prefer a quiet room with no distractions when it comes to getting work done, that doesn’t mean it’s the best way for your kids to concentrate and get down to business. Harvard researcher, Howard Gardner’s work shows there are eight kinds of intelligences-or ways kids learn best-which include: musical, spatial, logical-mathematical, linguistic, bodily, intrapersonal, interpersonal and naturalist. The trick is to pay attention to your kids so you can identify which type they are and tap into that to help them be more successful.

4. Pay attention to their peers. The truth of the matter is that peer pressure can have both positive and negative consequences on a child’s education. If your child chooses friends who believe that education is important, chances are she will adopt those attitudes and put more emphasis into hitting the books harder and focusing more in class. On the flip side, if your child is best buddies with a kid who stays distracted during class, doesn’t turn in homework assignments, and rarely studies before a big test, chances are she will fall in line with their bad habits. Need proof? An Ohio State University study found that kids are more likely to have friends with future college plans if they have a warm, positive relationship with their parents. So cultivate that kind of parenting style and you’ll help your child make the right friendship decisions!”

5. Make family meals a must. A recent study by Columbia University showed that kids whose families eat regular, relaxed meals together are not only less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol and develop eating disorders-they are also more likely to achieve higher grades. Family dinners do not have to consist of gourmet, five-course meals. Serve simple, healthy meals, turn off the television and unplug the phone, and enjoy each other’s company. And if everyone in your family is on a different schedule and can’t make it to dinner- don’t worry! Consider instating an evening family snack time where everyone can review their day with each other before bedtime. The trick is to find what works best for you family and turn it into a routine.

6. Squelch the stress…at home. Research shows that the conflict kids face at home spills over into their school life and impedes their learning. In fact, family-induced stress can affect kids’ learning and behavior for up to two days following an incident. Take a vow of ‘yellibacy.’ Make your home a stress-free zone. Find ways to de-stress with your kids. Take longs walks, read together, do yoga, or have a family movie night. Be a model to them on how to disagree without it ending in a screaming match- and never engage with a screamer. Teach your kids that it’s okay for them to walk away from an argument until they are calm enough to return. Once you learn how to tune into your child’s stress signs, you’ll be able to recognize when he’s on overload so that you can intervene and help him to decompress before something comes to blows.

7.  Tailor expectations to your child’s abilities. All parents want the very best for their kids. It’s only natural! As a parent, you should consider your learning aspirations for your child like a rubber band: gently stretch but don’t snap. Every child is different, and while it's okay to encourage them to try hard and achieve their best, it’s also important to remember that ‘the best’ is different for every child. Just because your kid isn’t composing his own symphonies or writing his memoirs by age 10, it doesn’t mean that he won’t still do great things with his life. Always remember this one commandment: ‘Tailor thy parenting only to thy child’. You and your children will be happier and healthier for it.

If you want to boost your kid’s academic performance and see lasting results, it will take a few things from you: consistency, dedication, and patience. Those things are always better parenting tools than anything money can buy. And remember that no two kids are the same, even if they come from the same household. If you pay attention to the individual needs of each child and do what’s right for your child and for you, you’ll see the payoff in their attitudes and their report cards in no time.

Source : Click Here

7 Ways to Increase Your Child's Success in School

Academic success impacts our children for the rest of their lives: it influences their self-esteem, college selections, job attainment, financial success, and even their choice of spouses. 

It’s no wonder we go great lengths to give our kids an academic edge. But the good news is that parents can give their kids the edge they need without the help of elite preschools, expensive tutors, or pricey evaluations.

Here are seven surprisingly simple solutions that every parent should have in their toolbox that are proven to boost children’s school success (and we often overlook).

1.  Make sure your kids are getting enough ZZZ’s. A lack of sleep can have a serious impact on children’s abilities to learn and perform at school. So set a bedtime routine and keep to it every single night. Flashing images affect REM, so be sure to turn off the computer and television at least thirty minutes prior to bedtime. Take away the cell phones during nighttime hours—62% of kids admit they use it after the lights go out and their parents are clueless. Watch out for caffeinated sleep stealers like cold medications, chocolate, or energy-drinks.

2.  Applaud their efforts the right way. Columbia University researchers found that how we praise our kids’ schoolwork can actually enhance or impede their achievement. So instead of encouraging your child to bring home straight A’s, put the emphasis on how hard she is working. This will encourage her to persist and it will help to sustain her motivation. The findings are that kids who are praised for their persistence are more likely to blame any failure they have on not trying hard enough, rather than on a lack of ability (a belief which can discourage kids very easily). Above all, keep in mind that the grade is not what motivates top students to succeed- it’s their drive for learning.

  3.  Respect their learning style. If your son insists on plugging into his iPod when he studies, or if your daughter swears that flash cards are the only way she can learn her spelling words- listen up! While you may prefer a quiet room with no distractions when it comes to getting work done, that doesn’t mean it’s the best way for your kids to concentrate and get down to business. Harvard researcher, Howard Gardner’s work shows there are eight kinds of intelligences-or ways kids learn best-which include: musical, spatial, logical-mathematical, linguistic, bodily, intrapersonal, interpersonal and naturalist. The trick is to pay attention to your kids so you can identify which type they are and tap into that to help them be more successful.

4. Pay attention to their peers. The truth of the matter is that peer pressure can have both positive and negative consequences on a child’s education. If your child chooses friends who believe that education is important, chances are she will adopt those attitudes and put more emphasis into hitting the books harder and focusing more in class. On the flip side, if your child is best buddies with a kid who stays distracted during class, doesn’t turn in homework assignments, and rarely studies before a big test, chances are she will fall in line with their bad habits. Need proof? An Ohio State University study found that kids are more likely to have friends with future college plans if they have a warm, positive relationship with their parents. So cultivate that kind of parenting style and you’ll help your child make the right friendship decisions!”

5. Make family meals a must. A recent study by Columbia University showed that kids whose families eat regular, relaxed meals together are not only less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol and develop eating disorders-they are also more likely to achieve higher grades. Family dinners do not have to consist of gourmet, five-course meals. Serve simple, healthy meals, turn off the television and unplug the phone, and enjoy each other’s company. And if everyone in your family is on a different schedule and can’t make it to dinner- don’t worry! Consider instating an evening family snack time where everyone can review their day with each other before bedtime. The trick is to find what works best for you family and turn it into a routine.

6. Squelch the stress…at home. Research shows that the conflict kids face at home spills over into their school life and impedes their learning. In fact, family-induced stress can affect kids’ learning and behavior for up to two days following an incident. Take a vow of ‘yellibacy.’ Make your home a stress-free zone. Find ways to de-stress with your kids. Take longs walks, read together, do yoga, or have a family movie night. Be a model to them on how to disagree without it ending in a screaming match- and never engage with a screamer. Teach your kids that it’s okay for them to walk away from an argument until they are calm enough to return. Once you learn how to tune into your child’s stress signs, you’ll be able to recognize when he’s on overload so that you can intervene and help him to decompress before something comes to blows.

7.  Tailor expectations to your child’s abilities. All parents want the very best for their kids. It’s only natural! As a parent, you should consider your learning aspirations for your child like a rubber band: gently stretch but don’t snap. Every child is different, and while it's okay to encourage them to try hard and achieve their best, it’s also important to remember that ‘the best’ is different for every child. Just because your kid isn’t composing his own symphonies or writing his memoirs by age 10, it doesn’t mean that he won’t still do great things with his life. Always remember this one commandment: ‘Tailor thy parenting only to thy child’. You and your children will be happier and healthier for it.

If you want to boost your kid’s academic performance and see lasting results, it will take a few things from you: consistency, dedication, and patience. Those things are always better parenting tools than anything money can buy. And remember that no two kids are the same, even if they come from the same household. If you pay attention to the individual needs of each child and do what’s right for your child and for you, you’ll see the payoff in their attitudes and their report cards in no time.

Source : Click Here

10 Amazing Tips To Stay Beautiful Face

Most beauty products are useful to hydrate and nourish the skin is made from materials found in nature.

Therefore, why not take from the source only if you want to get healthy skin as desired?

Here are 10 easy ways to get healthy skin with natural ingredients

1. Tap the face with a cloth soaked in warm water to open pores. Then apply honey on face and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water, then pat your face with a cloth soaked in cold water

2. Make a mask with a raw egg yolk. Apply egg yolk on face and neck, leave on for 30 minutes, rinse with cold water.

3. You can also create a mask with egg white. Apply egg white on the face and let sit until dry egg white in the face, then you warm.

4. For an easier way, you can use grapes. Simply cut a grape in half, then rub the meat on the face. After flattening, rinse with cold water.

5. Mashed bananas are too ripe until smooth, then apply to all faces. Let stand for 15 to 30 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

6. Yogurt without feeling can also be used to refresh and moisturize the face. Apply yogurt on the face and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing with cold water.

7. If you have chapped lips, apply olive oil before bed. Let sit overnight and get your lips more moist the next day.

8. Mash avocado and apply on face. Let stand for 10 minutes, then rinse with cold water. Avocado is good for health and skin rejuvenation.

9. Prepare the milk in a container, then a little dip a cotton bud or cotton and apply on face. Let your face until you feel the skin become firmer and wash with warm water. Feel the skin becomes softer.

10. Use baking soda to remove dead skin by mixing with your daily cleanser.

Source : Click Here

10 Amazing Tips To Stay Beautiful Face

Most beauty products are useful to hydrate and nourish the skin is made from materials found in nature.

Therefore, why not take from the source only if you want to get healthy skin as desired?

Here are 10 easy ways to get healthy skin with natural ingredients

1. Tap the face with a cloth soaked in warm water to open pores. Then apply honey on face and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water, then pat your face with a cloth soaked in cold water

2. Make a mask with a raw egg yolk. Apply egg yolk on face and neck, leave on for 30 minutes, rinse with cold water.

3. You can also create a mask with egg white. Apply egg white on the face and let sit until dry egg white in the face, then you warm.

4. For an easier way, you can use grapes. Simply cut a grape in half, then rub the meat on the face. After flattening, rinse with cold water.

5. Mashed bananas are too ripe until smooth, then apply to all faces. Let stand for 15 to 30 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

6. Yogurt without feeling can also be used to refresh and moisturize the face. Apply yogurt on the face and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing with cold water.

7. If you have chapped lips, apply olive oil before bed. Let sit overnight and get your lips more moist the next day.

8. Mash avocado and apply on face. Let stand for 10 minutes, then rinse with cold water. Avocado is good for health and skin rejuvenation.

9. Prepare the milk in a container, then a little dip a cotton bud or cotton and apply on face. Let your face until you feel the skin become firmer and wash with warm water. Feel the skin becomes softer.

10. Use baking soda to remove dead skin by mixing with your daily cleanser.

Source : Click Here

Six Secrets Tips Scrape Stomach Fat

For those of you who want to scrape the deposits of fat around the abdomen, following six secrets may help. 

This tip is a wise move there without having to perform liposuction.

This tip is a tip-off from the book The Flat Belly Diet, written and Cynthia Sass Liz Vaccariello. They are the editor of health magazine Prevention.

1. Eat by eating four meals each worth 400 calories each day.

2. Never let your stomach empty more than four hours.

3. Enter the type of foods that contain monounsaturated mono-unsaturated (MUFA) in your menu. Examples of foods that contain MUFA is nuts (including peanuts, cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts, nutmeg and pistachios) avocado, olive and other vegetable fat, peanut oil, olive oil and canola oil.

4. When under stress, your body produces the hormone cortisol, which will trigger the accumulation of fat in the abdomen. Therefore, learn to control stress so that your stomach successful downsizing program.

5. Establish and maintain your existence in a support group (support group) is strong. Find a friend as much as possible to discuss and share information. You can also find online support groups.

6. Get used to record and remember what you have to eat and how many in number

Source : Click Here

Six Secrets Tips Scrape Stomach Fat

For those of you who want to scrape the deposits of fat around the abdomen, following six secrets may help. 

This tip is a wise move there without having to perform liposuction.

This tip is a tip-off from the book The Flat Belly Diet, written and Cynthia Sass Liz Vaccariello. They are the editor of health magazine Prevention.

1. Eat by eating four meals each worth 400 calories each day.

2. Never let your stomach empty more than four hours.

3. Enter the type of foods that contain monounsaturated mono-unsaturated (MUFA) in your menu. Examples of foods that contain MUFA is nuts (including peanuts, cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts, nutmeg and pistachios) avocado, olive and other vegetable fat, peanut oil, olive oil and canola oil.

4. When under stress, your body produces the hormone cortisol, which will trigger the accumulation of fat in the abdomen. Therefore, learn to control stress so that your stomach successful downsizing program.

5. Establish and maintain your existence in a support group (support group) is strong. Find a friend as much as possible to discuss and share information. You can also find online support groups.

6. Get used to record and remember what you have to eat and how many in number

Source : Click Here

Easier Ways To Lose Weight

With all the weighing, measuring, and calorie totaling, dropping a few pounds can seem as mind-bending as high school calculus.

But it doesn't have to be. "Of course calories count," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, "but there are plenty of ways to cut them without a math Ph.D." In fact, some simple lifestyle changes are often more effective for weight-loss success than obsessive number crunching. Follow these four strategies and the only figure you'll be thinking about is the smokin' one in the mirror.

Instead of  Counting Calories. . .

Try Joining a Club.  Here's why: Keeping a running total is a little like guessing how many jelly beans are in a Mason jar. According to a 2006 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Americans--even those who are at a healthy weight-­-consistently lowball the number of calories in large fast-food meals by up to 38 percent.

For portion control without the decimal points, sign up for a delivery service like DeliciouslyYours (ediets.com) or Health Management Resources (hmrprogram.com). They deliver meals in just-right sizes to your doorstep each week. And the foods they consist of are usually high in fiber and protein, so you won't feel deprived, says Anne Fletcher, R.D., author of Thin for Life.

Another, er, plus: The smaller portions train you to recognize proper serving sizes, so you'll make smarter choices when the prepackaged food  is out of reach. You can enroll in a meal-delivery service for $12 to $20 a day; there are good options in the freezer aisle too, says Elisa Zied, R.D., author of So What Can I Eat?!Look for frozen meals that have less than 500 calories and have at least four grams of fiber, no more than 15 grams of fat (fewer than three grams saturated and no trans fat), and fewer than 700 milligrams of sodium.

Instead of Eating By Food Ratios . . .  

Try Eye-balling Labels.  Here's why: If diets like the Zone, Atkins, or South Beach didn't work for you, it may not be because you couldn't give up bagels. It could be because you're too damn busy to bother updating percentages and ratios at every meal. If you don't have Rain Man keeping tabs on your meals, try this instead: Take 15 seconds to scan food labels for key ingredients. According to a 2007 report by the USDA Economic Research Service, we spend an average of 30 percent of our annual grocery bill on foods such as muffins, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, crackers, ice cream, candy, soda, and doughnuts--foods whose ingredients lists have sugar at or near the top. It's a pretty big duh that sweeteners jack up calories, but they also take your blood sugar on a roller-coaster ride that lands you right back at the fridge. We call it the theory of "calories in, calories in."

End the snacking madness by making natural, whole foods the bulk of your diet. That includes fruits, veggies, and lean meats such as chicken, turkey, flank steak, pork chops, and fish, plus these foods that burn fat. And when stocking up on packaged foods, choose ones "that list whole foods, such as whole-wheat flour, oats, peanuts, and real fruit, in the first line of ingredients," Zied says. That's your clue that a food is lower in calories and higher in fiber and protein than one with a lot of high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, molasses, or even honey.

Instead of 30 minutes on the Treadmill . . .

Try Pumping Up to Scale Down.  Here's why: According to a recent review by a Duke University medical research­er, treadmill displays inflate the number of calories you burn by 10 to 15 percent. The study also found that 20 percent of us reward ourselves after exercise by eating as many calories as we worked off--and that we're less inclined to get physical after a strenuous workout for two to six hours. That's when we'll veg out on the couch instead of do housework.

A more efficient way to counteract dessert is to pump iron.  Though cardio torches more calories minute-for-minute than lifting, weight training keeps your internal furnace going long after you put down the dumbbells. A study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that after six months of lifting weights three days a week, subjects increased their resting metabolic rate (that's the number of calories you burn just sitting on your butt) by 7 percent. To squeeze the most out of every curl and squat, speed it up: Another study in the same ­journal found that lifting quickly (for example, during a squat, lowering for two seconds, then coming up as fast as you can) fries calories 11 percent faster than lifting slowly. Researchers think the explosive movements create more calorie-melting muscle contractions.

Instead of Measuring Each Bite . . .

Try Enjoying Each Bite.  Here's why:   Being a slave to your kitchen scale won't make the one in your bathroom budge faster. A 2007 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition confirmed that it is possible to eat more and slim down.  The study compared weight loss in two groups of obese women. All of them were told to eat a reduced-fat diet, but one group was also instructed to consume a lot of water-rich foods, like soups, fruits, and vegetables. That group ate 25 percent more food by volume but lost more weight (an average of 17.5 pounds versus 14). How? They were eating fewer calories, but were still satisfied, thanks to the foods' high water content. "Physical activity was the same in both groups, so if the people in one group lost more, they had to have eaten fewer calories," says lead study author Barbara Rolls, Ph.D.

Instead of measuring your meals, try a more measured approach to eating. It takes your brain 12 to 15 minutes to receive the signal that your stomach is at max capacity, so wait for it. If you pause between bites, chances are you'll get that signal before you've scarfed down seconds. Don't have that kind of self-control? Choose foods that are impossible to bolt down: produce you have to peel, nuts in the shell, and spicy foods.

Source: Click Here