Volleyball Practice and Mental Strategy: Overcoming Life's Obstacles

When I got back from Italy in 1998 I dedicated all my time to giving and helping family and friends. This was because I felt I owed them since I spent so much time away from home pursuing every professional volleyball opportunity that was offered to me.

At the beginning of the summer of 2006 I went to get an MRI on BOTH of my knees. What an experience. Pretty interesting.

You are laid on a cold slab and slowly rolled into this huge round incubator tube like apparatus. You are given ear plugs because it makes alot of noise while you are inside. Before I even got the results of my MRI...my doctor sent me a referral to an Orthopedic Surgeon. At this point I KNEW I had my work cut out for me. The results on my Left knee were as follows: 1. a tear of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus, 2. patellar chondromalacia (how can I have this if I cant pronounce it!), 3. a small Baker's cyst 4. a Focal subchondral sclerosis in the anterior aspect of the lateral femoral condyle (what! english please) and 5. Joint effusion

The report also included some additional details as follows: Large joint effusion is noted, there is a tear of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus while my medial meniscus is intact. Geez, something is intact! Apparently the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments are intact but patella chondromalacia is seen. Otherwise, patella and patellar extensor mechanism are intact but additionally, there is a focal subchondral degenerative change noted in the anterior aspect of the lateral femoral condyle. No seriously that sounds so impressive!

The results for my right knee were even more fun: Let's start with 1. Severe degenerative changes, 2. Anterior Cruciate ligament tear (really, I never knew!), 3. Body of the lateral meniscus tear, 4. Loose body posterior to the lateral femoral condyle ( I think there is something floating around in there somewhere.), 5. Joint effusion

Of course this wasn't all, there were additional details: Sagittal, coronal and axial images demonstrate severe degenerative changes involving both medial and lateral compartments of the knee with extensive osteophyte formation and chondrmalacia as well as subchondral sclerosis. (Okay what the...?)The sagittal images demonstrate a COMPLETE anterior cruciate ligament TEAR. (Wow, seriously I never knew..). There is also a focal tear in the body of the lateral meniscus. The medial meniscus is intact. (Oh thank God!) Patellofemoral degenerative changes and patellar chondromalacia are seen. A loose body (again) is noted immediately posterior to the lateral femoral condyle. (In other words there's a piece of bone or something floating around in my other knee!) This report ended with the following. Thank you for referring this patient to us! (funny. very funny.)

So when I first opened the envelope and read the results I just started laughing. I couldnt stop laughing. Because two days before I did my leg workout in the gym which consisted of 140 lunges. That's 10 in one direction 10 in the opposite direction 7 times...no breaks. Followed by Squats. I did my usual 2 hour leg workout which also included Clean Pulls, Good Mornings, two different Leg Curl Exercises, Toe Raises and Cardio on the elliptical Machine.

I'm not exactly sure what I was laughing at. I didnt even know what to think or where to begin... I've always practiced and pushed myself very hard. I've never really babied myself. Basically I thought that if I could walk then I could run. And if I couldnt run then I could ride a bike. I ALWAYS found a way to overcome the obstacle. So I think I may have been laughing at everything I had done in these past 17 years.

Nothing ever stopped me...and that was funny.

I knew that I had my only volleyball knee injury incident a long time ago. Major League Volleyball was the first Women's Professional Indoor Volleyball League in the United States. I was the first round draft pick chosen by one of the greatest volleyball player's ever... Mary Jo Peppler to play for the New York Liberties. While playing in Dallas I went up to spike and when I came down and my toes barely touched the floor I felt something wasn't right so I just let my body fall instead of just trying to land on my two feet. As a result I tore one third of my ACL. If I tried to land on my feet I would've completely torn my ACL then.

I was given two possibilities. Either I could have reconstructive surgery OR I could basically live in the gym for the rest of my life. I chose to live in the gym after a period of rehabilitation and the dreaded KNEE brace. So I knew that I was going to have to weight train for the rest of my life to keep strong the muscles surrounding the ACL -the back of the knee, my calf, my thighs and my butt muscles all would need to stay strong in order to compensate for the weak two-thirds of the ACL I still had. That was 17 years ago!

Somewhere between THEN and now I completely TORE my Anterior Cruciate Ligament...and didnt even know it! Life is hilarious!

I forgot to mention that due to my ACL injury I missed the last three Major League Volleyball games of the season. But because of the work ethic I adopted and applied BEFORE my injury I was still named to the First Team All Pro Team as well as named Best Left Side Outside Hitter for the first Major League Volleyabll season.

If there was a lesson that I could pass on I'd say When you get a chance to practice and work hard...Do it as if you will never have another chance to do it again. Give 110% to each rep, to each set...make each one count becasue you never know what the outcome will be and you never know if you will be given a chance to do it again.

April Chapple is a former International Indoor and Beach Volleyball Professional. After many years of playing with and against Olympic and World Champions in Europe and the U.S. April has created, owns and publishes VolleyballVoices and April's Beach Volleyball Blog the first virtual volleyball mentoring communities where all female volleyball players come to write their stories. To learn more from and about players who play-visit http://www.volleyballvoices.com and http://www.aprilsbeachvolleyballblog.com, today.

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Spring Break I Gotta Take

Spring break I must take!
Pretty, beautiful flowers
Break forth everywhere!
Warm weather filling the air
About thoughts of work
I don't particularly care
As for me, I've got to
Vacate and get out of here!
I'm not interested in beer
Drinking alcoholic beverages
Though for some that's popular
Florida beaches filled with bikinis
Young college girls drink martinis
Guys dance and shout all night
Participating in crazy contests
This is Florida's Octoberfest
Fun in the sun and lots of sex
The accompanying pleasantries
Unexpected pregnancies
Drunk driving fatalities
Kids hugging their toilets
Hung over in the morning
Senseless substance abusing.
Yet not everyone always does it
Exactly and particularly this way
Others go on a mission trip & pray
Purpose to help others in dire need
Like hurricane victims along the Gulf
Impoverished people in Latin America
Giving of yourself can be rejuvenating
Deeply soul searching and invigorating
Rich kids hop planes and go to Paris
Tour the scenic sights of lovely Europe
Cruise the breathtaking Mediterranean
If you're on a budget, hit the Caribbean
Carnival Cruise Lines for a nonstop party
Mexico and parts of Arizona are favorites
For those kids living out in the wild west
Some say this is Spring Break at its best
Nevertheless many students happily rest
Ready to rid their minds of book overload
Get out of the four walls of the classroom
Catch a ballgame, enjoy life, just chill out
This is what Spring Break is all about!
Yet the tradition and holiday began
Long ago, when spiritual minds did know
That Jesus who was crucified rose again
Christ the Savior, the world's best Friend
He promised to help us and come again
Fill us with His Holy Spirit to live abundantly
Conquering the cross and grave triumphantly
He did generously purchase for you and me
Freedom from guilt, shame,and gross sin
Even those you might unexpectedly let in
So this Spring Break give thought to God
The Father up above who deeply does love
Humanity for whom He sent His Son Jesus
Repent and ask for His tender forgiveness
Invite the miraculous Spirit to live big in you
To reveal the power of the resurrection too!
Make Jesus your Friend the whole way through
He is merciful and mighty, but most importantly
He's not all about condemning and critiquing you
Jesus deeply loves and happily celebrates you!
Created in God's image to be in the fun family
This family of faith is welcoming you right now
Simply pray to God, no need to kneel or bow
Just open your mouth and ask Jesus to save
Your precious soul and send the Spirit He gave
To fill you to overflowing and make you whole
Restoring everything the devil from you stole
The innocence, the purity, the divine power
Humbly pray and ask God for it this hour.

Paul Davis is a life purpose and love coach (professional & relational), worldwide minister, change master, and FL real estate agent.

Paul is the author of several books including Breakthrough for a Broken Heart; Adultery: 101 Reasons Not to Cheat; Are You Ready for True Love; Stop Lusting & Start Living; Waves of God; Supernatural Fire; Poems that Propel the Planet; and God vs. Religion.

Paul's compassion for people & passion to travel has taken him to over 50 countries of the world where he has had a tremendous impact. Paul has served in many war-torn, impoverished and tsunami stricken regions of the earth. His Dream-Maker Inc. is building dreams, breaking limitations & reviving nations.

Paul's Breakthrough Seminars inspire, revive, awaken, impregnate with purpose, impart the fire of desire, catapult people into a new level of self-awareness, facilitate destiny discovery and dream fulfillment.

Contact Paul to minister, speak at your event or for life coaching:

RevivingNations@yahoo.com, 407-284-1705.

http://www.DreamMakerMinistries.com

http://www.CreativeCommunications.TV

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My Holiday Shopping Is Done Use My Tips for a StressFree Holiday

Yes, once again I?ve crossed off every last person on my Christmas shopping list before Halloween. Mom, Dad, Grandma, brother Steve, brother Jason, kids, nieces, nephews, even bus drivers, schoolteachers and the mailman. I?ve stockpiled hostess gifts, stocking suffers and a few random presents for those surprise exchanges that pop up every holiday. Everything?s already wrapped and tagged. Come December, I?ll be relaxing in a hot bath with a good book while the rest of the world scrambles to amass ratchet sets, bezel set diamond studs and the latest Tickle Me Elmo.

Why not join me? Besides the smug satisfaction you?ll enjoy from getting your holiday shopping out of the way early, you?ll get to actually appreciate the parties, the cookie baking, the egg nog, the mistletoe?even the relatives?without guilt.

So how?d I do it already? With a little advanced planning. You can get your Christmas shopping done early too, if you follow my lead. Here are my secrets:

Nine Christmas shopping tips (Hanukkah shopping tips too) to make the holidays easier:

Make a list. A little advanced planning goes a long way. Just like you do when you go to the grocery store, make a list. This way you?ll stay focused and finish the task fast. Before you shop, write down who you need to buy for, what you plan to spend and any ideas you have in mind based on individual tastes, hobbies, etc. Think: Did they mention a great book they want to read? A piece of jewelry they particularly admire? A movie they want to see? An item of clothing they like? A tool they had to have? A play that looked interesting? If you?re stumped, look for gift finders online. Many popular web sites have special holiday gift collections broken down by gender, age, tastes, price, etc. If you want to give something truly memorable, think back to the truly memorable gifts you?ve received. My favorites have been a basket full of little things I love, like books, lotions, bath stuff, etc.; a subscription to the New York Times daily crossword puzzle online; a three-course dinner prepared with all my favorite foods, and a gorgeous black baroque pearl bracelet. Think back to gifts you?ve given that have been a hit. What were they? Who enjoyed them?

Shop online. This is the best tip of all. Once I got a computer, holiday shopping was no longer a chore I dreaded. It actually became a breeze. Doing your Christmas shopping online saves time, money (with gas prices being what they are) and legwork. Best of all you don?t even have to get out of your pajamas. I can breeze through my entire list in under an hour, I have most everything within a week, and it?s delivered right to my door. And don?t worry about security: Shopping online is safer than shopping in stores. Far more credit card numbers are stolen in your presence by waiters, clerks, etc. than are stolen by hackers and phishers.

Narrow your list of sites. Over the years I?ve narrowed down my holiday shopping web sites to a few great e-tailers I use over and over. Some let me save my information in a password protected format so I just log in and shop. Once my shopping cart is full, I don?t have to retype my name and address, or the addresses I ship to. One caveat: Don?t store credit card data. Even though it?s probably not going to happen, hackers can and do steal your information. Best to retype your credit card number each time to be on the safe side.

The best news about site loyalty is that many sites offer incentives to repeat buyers. One 20% coupon can go a long way toward shaving your holiday gift budget!

Use e-tailers that have something for most everyone. I have one online jewelry store I shop at over and over because they have something for most everyone on my list. Last year I shopped for all the women on my Christmas shopping list in one 20-minute sitting. I got a trendy gemstone ring for my niece; a classic pearl necklace for my goddaughter, an inexpensive but high-quality pearl bracelet for my sons? teachers, a pearl pendant for my friend and a pearl jewelry set for my mother. Shopping in one place made it easy to manage my task. I printed my receipt at the end and had a great reference for what I bought and what I still needed to buy.

Search for sites that offer free shipping. Pretty self-explanatory. Shipping can add a lot of hidden and surprising costs to your holiday budget. There are plenty of sties that offer free shipping regularly, and still more that use free shipping to entice holiday shoppers. Search for free shipping coupons on Google or at great coupon sites like couponcabin.com. Sometimes you?ll find a money-saving code that wasn?t obvious on the site.

Search for sites that offer free gifts. This is my favorite tip. Free gifts with certain dollar amounts purchased can save you big bucks. For example, the site I work for offers free pearl stud earrings with purchases over $150. Buy a few presents and you?ve earned a high quality, free gift to give to someone else on your list or save for yourself.

Always check return policies. Generous return policies are a must for early holiday shoppers. This tip is especially important if you?re buying a gift in October that your recipient might want to return or exchange in January. You don?t want them to get burned if they only have 30 days to return an item. Look for 90 day return policies at least, and make a note of sites that don?t appear to have helpful customer service or easily accessible contact information. You don?t want to spend your money at sites that make it difficult for you to contact them after the sale.

Click the gift wrapping option. E-tailers that don?t gift-wrap get crossed off my list. Why? Gift-wrapping is time-consuming and expensive. Christmas wrapping paper is about three bucks or more a roll; bows can be a dollar each, and you?ve got tags and tape, not to mention the time involved to crease perfectly wrinkle-free corners or get the wrapping on that oblong-shaped doll just right. Plus, like me, your might not be very good at it. At $3-$5 per gift, which is what the sites I shop at typically charge, it pays to have items gift-wrapped. Shopping online saves you money on gas, why not put that toward wrapping? Just make sure to have gifts tagged if you?ve ordered multiple gifts for multiple people or you?ll have a lot of unwrapping and rewrapping to do.

For last minute stuff, such as miscellaneous stocking stuffers and office grab bag gifts, I grab items at places where I already shop regularly, like the grocery store. Poke around and you can find great books, gift cards, beer, candy, mugs, even office supplies, art supplies, puzzles and flowers. Another great idea is a magazine subscription. (With a monthly subscription, your gift will keep on giving 12 times a year.) Hey, you have to grocery shop regularly anyway. Why not grab what you need there rather than make a special trip? Then you can do like I do and not make one extra trip or spend more than an hour on your holiday shopping, including the gift wrapping.

Ready to take back the holidays from the retailers and celebrate what these special days are really about? I find it far more satisfying to celebrate my spirituality and spend time with family and friends rather than waste my valuable time at some overcrowded mall with crabby, stressed out shoppers. Why not join me this holiday?

A graduate of the Gemological Institute of America?s Graduate Pearls program, Amy Drescher is a fashion and lifestyle writer and accessories buyer for http://www.moonriverpearls.com. She welcomes your questions. Reach her at adrescher@moonriverpearls.com.

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Free Colored Contact Lenses

With all the hype about using colored contact lenses to alter eye color, many people are looking for free colored contact lenses to assist them in making the right choices when choosing colored contact lenses. Fortunately, some companies do offer free trial pair colored contact lenses that are worn once and then disposed of. But you'll have to search for these offers as the supplies are limited and the promotions don't last very long.

Before you begin your research you should read the following advice so that you'll know what to expect when trying free colored contact lenses.

Can I try my friend's colored contact lenses on?

Never share contact lenses with anyone. Harmful bacteria can be transferred from eye to eye and result in eye infections, corneal ulcers, scarring of eye tissue and in severe cases, loss of eyesight. Just as you'd never share your toothbrush, never share contact lenses.

Do I have to have a prescription for free trial pair colored contact lenses?

You'll need a prescription from you doctor before you can order colored contact lenses. Even if you're buying them for cosmetic purposes and don't need vision correction, you'll still need to see your eye care provider.

Your eye care provider will make sure you are a good candidate for colored contact lenses and ensure that you are properly fitted for them. Proper fitting of a colored contact lens is essential to eye health and improper fitting can lead to a permanent loss of vision.

Your doctor can also provide you with tips in the care and cleaning of contact lenses as well as hygiene practices that can minimize your risk of eye injury.

Will companies send a set of free colored contact lenses to me to sample?

Obviously, it would be good if you can first try out different colors contact lenses to find one that match your skin and hair color. Some companies offer promotional offers in which they will send you a set of free colored contact lenses for a one time use so that you can compare their product to others. You'll be asked for a prescription from your doctor and your mailing address. In return you'll receive a free trial pair and coupons towards the purchase of additional pairs.

A few companies will offer you a free sample of a different color with your already paid order for color contact lenses so that you can experiment with other colors and designs. These companies require the purchase of at least one set before they will send you a free sample.

In general, the free colored contact lenses have limited colors to choose from. Typically all free sample offers are for cosmetic use only and do not offer vision correction. Moreover, some of these free trial pair colored contact lenses carry a 'DEMO' mark at the side of the lenses. Even though the free colored contact lenses have these limitations, but it is still a good and low cost option to help you to determine the colored contact lenses you want.

Where can I find free colored contact lenses to samples?

If you're interested in trying colored contact lenses, you should see your eye care provider. He or she will be able to direct you to a company that may offer free samples.

The internet is a great source of information for those searching for free colored contact lenses and there are plenty of free trial pair colored contact lenses sample available. You can compare companies, prices, styles and colors of contact lenses from the comfort of your own home so that you will be able to make informed decisions and assess your needs in a colored contact lens.

In general, all you need to pay is just a small amount of service charge (in the range of $5.99) for shipping and handling cost.Till end of 2004, CIBA Vision is offering a free wardrobe called 'Freshlook Fashion Color Collection' that comes in three pairs of colored contact lenses for customer who purchase four or more boxes of Freshlook colors contact lenses or Focus Softcolors.

About the author:

Andrew Loh is the owner of Colored Contact Lenses Guide a web site that provide informational guide to colored contact lenses.


Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 2Jesse Cannone, CFT, CPRS and Steve Hefferon, CMTWelcome to article number 2 in our series Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts. In this article we are going to talk about how bodybuilders tend to create massive muscle imbalances and what you can do to not be one of them.

If you missed the first article, you can read it by clicking on the link below.

Heres a breakdown of the articles to look for:

1. Article 1 - Choosing The WRONG Exercises (http://www.losethebackpain.com/bodybuildingbackpain.html)
2. Article 2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results
3. Article 3 - Targeted Stretching
4. Article 4 - Targeted Exercises
5. Article 5 - Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

Article 2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results

Bodybuilders are a stubborn bunch almost as bad as runners! And they tend to follow the HERD doing whatever exercises and routines the pros are doing...

Now, if your goal is to be as big as possible and you are not at all concerned with your health and fitness, dont even bother this article this article is for bodybuilders who ARE concerned about their health and want to be big, strong, powerful, and agile if thats you, read on

The reason so many bodybuilders suffer from so many different injuries is because there are several things the pros dont tell you

First off, the articles that you see in all the muscle mags arent even written by the pros and the workout routines they recommend are always extreme and often not even used by the pro who supposedly wrote because their main goal is to sell magazines not give you the real deal on bodybuilding.

If you are serious about bodybuilding and want to achieve your true peak, you need to stay injury free and thats just about impossible if you train they way most bodybuilders do.

There are several key strategies that you can use right now to not only eliminate any aches, pains and injuries you currently have, but also keep from creating more muscle imbalances in the future. For a more detailed article on muscle imbalances go to http://www.losethebackpain.com/achesandpainsarticle.html

Strategy 1 - Target the Weaklings!

No, we dont mean the exercises you think your weak at, or even the muscles you think are underdeveloped what we mean is the muscles that are weak in relation to the opposing muscle group.

For example, in the first article we talked about why the Leg Extension is not a great exercise and why its responsible for so many cases of knee, hip, and back pain and the reason is, most people, especially bodybuilders, are already over developed and stronger in the quadriceps and usually have a significant imbalance between the quadriceps and hamstrings.

Another reason bodybuilders tend to develop so many severe muscle imbalances is because they emphasize the front of the body more than the back a great example of this is what we call The T-shirt Muscle Workout and it usually consists of dozens of sets of chest and biceps

you know what we mean in just one workout you do flat bench, incline, decline, pec deck, dumbbell fly, cable cross overs and then for biceps youve got barbell curls, dumbbell curls, preacher curls, cable curls, machine curls, and the list goes on

So instead of emphasizing the muscles that are already strong, why not really hit those weak and under worked muscles like: neck, upper back, shoulder rotators, hamstrings, glutes, hip rotators, lower abs, and shins.

These areas tend to be weak, tight, out of balance with their opposing muscles, prone to muscle strains and pulls and most importantly, these imbalances lead to major injuries and conditions like back pain, knee pain, rotator cuff tears, tendonitis and others.

All of these conditions are caused by muscle imbalances and will NOT go away unless you work towards correcting the imbalances and the only way to know for sure which imbalances are causing your pain or injury is to do a series of physical assessments like the ones covered in our Lose the Back Pain Video.

Strategy 2 - Experiment!

Heres a personal challenge for you: Replace at least 1 of your normal weekly workouts with something totally different like combat martial arts, kettle bell training, functional training, or even strongman style exercises.

For example, instead of doing your super heavy, 3 inch partial rep leg presses, try a single leg squat and if thats easy, try adding weight! Or instead dozens of sets of shoulder presses and lateral raises, see if you can do 1 handstand push-up.

Those are just a few examples do yourself a favor and experiment with other types of exercises. You can find hundreds of different types of training styles by taking classes, reading books, watching videos, surfing the web, hire a personal trainer, etc.

We arent asking you to give up your traditional workouts but just cross-train a bit so you not only work towards a balanced body but also towards a stronger, more powerful and usable strength. Again, what good is muscle if you cant use it!

Strategy 3 - Switch It Up!

Another great way to minimize the number of missed workouts due to injuries is to vary the exercises that you do for each muscle group. For example, if you always do barbell squats try rotating in other exercises like single-leg leg presses, trap-bar dead-lifts, d-bell squats, etc.

Conclusion

Remember, the key to eliminating injuries and preventing future ones is to identify what areas you need to target. In the next two articles well be discussing in detail, how to address various injuries like back, hip, knee, and shoulder pain with targeted exercises and stretches. In the meantime, be sure to read thru all of our detailed Articles and if you have questions, please post them in our Discussion Forum.


About the author:

Article by Jesse Cannone, CFT, CPRS, CSPN and Steve Hefferon, CMT, CPRS of http://www.losethebackpain.comIf youve got back pain or sciatic pain, youve gotta check out their video.

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How to Buy Jewelry for DUMMIES!

You?re a husband with an upcoming anniversary. Your girlfriend?s birthday is next week. Its Christmas time and you want to know the best way to express your feelings. What do all these people have in common? They?re DUMMIES!

With this simple guide, you can find the perfect gift for that someone without waiting till the last minute.

* Do you know their birth month? If so, you can?t go wrong with birthstone jewelry. Not only she will be delighted with this beautiful gift but, you can also surprise her with the knowledge of its value.

January ? Garnet (deep red)

Garnet is a highly protective stone. It?s also useful in enhancing bodily strength and endurance. It is given as a gem on the 2nd & 6th wedding anniversaries.

February ? Amethyst (pale lilac to dark purple)

Amethyst helps to calm fears, reduces stress, and dispels doubts and negativity. The gemstone symbolizes peace and tranquility. Some sources suggest it is used to stabilize mental disorders. Amethyst is suggested as a gem to give on the 4th, 6th and 17th wedding anniversaries.

March ? Aquamarine (all shades of light blue)

Aquamarines enhance the utilization of psychic powers and make the mind more alert. Excellent for cleansing and purifying. It is said to make one youthful. Aquamarine is suggested as a gem to give on the 16th and 19th wedding anniversaries.

April - Diamond (mostly colorless, but colored variations do exist)

Perfection, innocence, courage and everlasting love ? there is no better symbol for these qualities than a sparkling diamond.

May ? Emerald (dark green)

Emeralds give the wearer psychic powers. They are thought to improve both eyesight and fertility. They are also worn to enhance love and contentment. It is suggested as an anniversary gift for the 20th and 35th anniversaries and as an alternate stone for the 55th wedding anniversary.

June ? pearl (mostly white, but colored variations exist)

Pearls have symbolized modesty, chastity, power, and courage. It is believed to possess life-restoring powers.

July ? Ruby (bright red)

Rubies are believed to make the wearer wise, to help with love, and help protect against all sorts of misfortunes.

August ? Peridot (lime green)

Peridots Guard against illusions, enchantments, and nightmares. Peridot also calms nervousness and banishes negative emotions. Peridot may be given as a gem on the 16th wedding anniversary.

September ? Sapphire (all colors, but most popular is cornflower blue)

Sapphires help to predict the future. The gem is associated with peace and happiness. It has a power of spiritual enlightenment. Sapphire is given as a gem for the 5th, 23rd and 45th wedding anniversaries.

October ? Opal (all colors, but most treasured is a black opal)

Opal is a stone of hope, love & romance. The gem is a symbol of innocence and purity. Aids inner beauty, faithfulness, and eyesight and helps recall past lives. It is also the birth stone for the Zodiac sign of Libra.

November ? Citrine (yellow to gold to orange brown shades)

Citrines are emblems of truth, happiness, wisdom and friendship. These provide protection against snake venom and evil thoughts. It promotes creativity, helps personal clarity and eliminates self-destructive tendencies. It is the accepted gem for the 13th and 17th wedding anniversary.

December ? Blue Topaz (pale blue)

Blue topaz symbolizes strength, intelligence, fidelity, success and good future. It is the suggested anniversary gemstone for the 4th, 19th or 23rd year of marriage.

* If not, you can always follow the motto ?sweet and simple.?

Plain Gold Jewelry ? No more worries about picking the right gemstones! All you have to know is her preference of gold color. They come in many fashionable designs and can be accessorized with any outfit. They make a perfect gift for any occasion.

Pearls Around the Neck ? Behind diamonds, pearls are a woman?s best friend. Any jewelry collection is incomplete without a pearl necklace. Pricy, yet elegant, a pearl necklace makes a great gift for those memorable moments in life. But have no fear, if you?re concerned about staying within a budget or looking for a simple everyday gift, pearl pendants are an excellent choice.

Drops ? The hottest trend in jewelry right now! From drop earrings to a simple drop pendant, it?s a perfect combination of class and style. With an array of gemstones to choose from, you?re sure to find the color that best suits that special someone.

* If all else fails, you can never go wrong with diamonds.

We?ll spare you all the clich?s, but a gift of diamond jewelry will forever remind her of your true feelings (or simply get you out of her doghouse). A girl will fancy any piece of diamond jewelry, but here are a few that will complete any jewelry collection: A pair of diamond stud earrings don't have to be given as tokens of romantic affection. It's perfectly appropriate to buy them for your mother on Mother's Day. You know how to bedazzle your woman at anytime? Present her a diamond solitaire pendant that your grandma liked too? they will always be in fashion. You want to convey your feelings in a more meaningful way? The sparkle of a diamond solitaire ring would speak of your love for her.

With different sizes, clarities & cuts, you?re sure to find the gift that best fits her as well as your budget. You?ll even have enough left to pamper her with a box of chocolates and some flowers.

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Induction Destruction: The Perils Of Diving Into Strict Diets Headfirst

Every so often you read a sad story in the newspaper about someone who dove headfirst into a river or lake, without checking to see how deep the water was beforehand. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a shallow 18 inches and the consequence of this miscalculated plunge was a broken neck and a wheelchair.

http://tka2006.burnthefat.hop.clickbank.net

This reminds me of the way most people impatiently dive into strict, extreme, or unbalanced crash diets, without thinking about the long term consequences, invariably crippling any chance they had for keeping the fat off in the long run.

One thing that almost all mainstream popular diets have in common is an induction phase (or the equivalent). This is often done under the scientific-sounding auspices of making the metabolic switch from carb burner to fat burner.

Another common way that popular diets begin is with a liquid fast or internal cleansing phase. This is often suggested as necessary for clearing out all the gunk that has accumulated on your insides which (says them), is the reason you feel like lah and can't lose any weight.

Larrian Gillespie, the About.com guide to low carb diets, made a keen observation in a recent article. Writing about the Induction plan on programs such as the Atkins diet, she noted:

Frankly, the only thing I object to is the induction plan concept...for ANY diet. It's a cheap trick approach to weight management, since we as Americans are fixated on quick fixes or we toss a plan and go onto the next marketing promise.

Not only do I agree - I would take it a step further. I believe that this radical beginning phase actually increases the chances of failure in the long term.

Gillespie continues with advice about what to do if you choose a low carb approach such as Atkins...

This (induction) approach will trigger a rebound weight gain. Don't overdo the induction phase. Better yet, go directly to stage 2 of the plan and begin there. There is nothing more irritating to a physician than having a patient come in with health problems as a direct result of following some crazy diet, like eating ONLY cabbage, or only grapefruit.

Induction is simply a politically correct way to say you have to crash diet and starve yourself in the beginning. Look at the forums and message boards: They're filled with posts from people about to start these programs, dreading the initial phase and wondering if they'll be able to hack it (and with people telling war stories about how they survived it ...or tried it and failed).

Induction has nothing to do with science, health or permanent fat loss. It has everything to do with marketing and instant gratification. Dieters flock to the gurus that promise 12 to 15 pounds of weight loss in the first two weeks, while sneering at the idea of losing a paltry 2 pounds of fat per week. Give me results now is the mindset, with no thought given to body composition, health or long-term consequences. What sells more books: Quickly Lose 8-10 pounds in the first week or lose 8-10 pounds of fat per month and never gain it back? Unfortunately, it is usually the former.

Over the past decade and a half I have almost always used the opposite approach with my clients - and that is, never dive into diets - instead, ease into a new way of life, one habit at a time, if necessary.

My clients are introduced to words such as habits, balance, lifestyle and patience. I sit them down, look them in the eye and ask, Do you want to lose weight quickly and gain it back or do you want to lose fat slowly and keep it off forever and never have to diet again?

When confronted face to face, the answer is always the latter (but often begrudgingly so). The patience pays off, and those who are wise enough to listen enjoy the fruits of lifelong health, leanness and fitness, never having to endure the repeated yo-yo losses and gains so many people suffer for an entire lifetime.

Consider these concepts: Do NOT crash diet only to relapse to your old, unhealthy ways. Do not even put yourself in emergency situations where you feel pressured to lose weight quickly. Build a foundation and master the fundamentals first, then nit pick, sweat the small stuff and try advanced techniques later.

Once you've mastered the basics, then you can slowly make your plan stricter - if necessary - based on your results. You can reduce or eliminate cheat days, and tighten up your food choices.

Yes, carbs can be s-l-o-w-l-y reduced to find that optimal level for your body type where fat loss really kicks in. Calorie levels can dropped, more cardio added, rest between sets decreased, and training intensity increased.

On and on your regimen can be gradually ightened up and compliance increased until the desired results are achieved. Then, it's a gradual, comfortable transition to maintenance phase, which is never far away from the fat loss phase.

Contrast this sensible, healthy, lifestyle approach, (which most people view not only as slow, but flat out ackwards), with the crash diet or induction approach:

The new dieter STARTS from day one with the strictest, most extreme version of the diet. It's often very unbalanced with entire food groups removed, or it emphasizes only one food or food type. Sometimes, the restrictions are so tight, you even have to limit the amount of vegetables you eat! Is that CRAZY or WHAT????

The weight comes flying off... SUCCESS! Or so it appears...until all the weight has returned 6-12 months later along with the rest of the 95% of dieters who fail because they insisted on following the herd and hopping on the latest quick fix bandwagon.

No two people are exactly alike and no single nutrition program is right for everyone. For example, some people really do thrive on reduced carbohydrate diets. But one thing that's true for 100% of people 100% of the time is that starvation and crash dieting are a one-way ticket to eventual weight regain and metabolic destruction.

What should you do instead? Ease into it. Stick your toes in the water first. Isolate bad habits and replace them with good ones - one or two at a time - for life. Psychologists say it only takes 21 days to form a new good habit, and habits, not diets, are the key to long-term fat loss success. Any nutrition program not built squarely on a strong foundation of nutritional fundamentals and good long-term habits is an accident waiting to happen.
http://tka2006.burnthefat.hop.clickbank.net

About the Author

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder and author of the #1 best selling e-book, Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle, which teaches you how to burn fat without drugs or supplements using the little-known secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and turbo-charge your metabolism by visiting: http://tka2006.burnthefat.hop.clickbank.net. To get Tom's free fitness newsletter, visit:

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Sexy Jeans For Oversized Women

More oversized women experience the difficulty of fitting their way into the glamorous world of fashion and beauty. The reason? Most superficial societies highly favor slimmer figures and slender curves when it comes to details of a perfect female body. Of course, one size doesn't fit all and although it is ideal, size zero is not synonymous to being sexy. Yes, regular exercise and rigid diet help women to look thinner and sexier. Yet, while training and exercise can be conducive to good health, not everybody has the discipline it takes. In that case, women can use proper clothing to conceal their bulges and other imperfections. The latest trend is to wear sexy womens jeans. The good news is, even oversized women can now have the confidence and comfort in jeans and apparels that complement and suit their form and shape.

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About the Author:

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