Mo'Nique's Amazing Weight Loss Journey

Mo'Nique’s Oscar-winning performance in 2009’s “Precious” made her a household name in Hollywood, and now she’s using her star power to inspire her fans to lose weight. The  45 year old comedienne spent her career embracing her big girl status, often saying bigger is better, but when her health became a factor, Mo'Nique made the decision to lose the weight. She's not done yet! She wants to get down to180 lbs and I know she will do it. Since her talk show ended she is taking time off to get herself in total shape. and is now encouraging weight loss for those that want to do it and may be facing health challenges too.  She stated that she would like to live long enough to see her twin boys become adults and get married.

 

I have seen many negative comments about her weight loss, and I tell you...I'm on her side! She is not saying that it is right for everyone, but she had to do this for herself and she's feeling good about it.  All I can say is "Go Monique!"

 

I'd like to hear your comments. What is your take on it? 

 

8 Ways Bloggers Make Money

The most important thing to remember is that it takes time and sustained effort to make money blogging. There are no fast, easy secrets to earning a living as a blogger!
Like any small business, you have to work hard on your blogs. Successful bloggers are entrepreneurs who know that “get rich quick” schemes will fail every time.

Most bloggers experiment until they find what works for them

Don’t just blindly copy the “Quips and Tips” blog style, the “Problogger” style, or Steve Pavlina’s blog style. It’s not only irritating to the original blogger, it doesn’t work! Successful bloggers – like all successful entrepreneurs – have two jobs: 1) To learn as much as they can about earning an online income; 2) To try different things until they find what works for their blog.
For instance, I find the most common ways bloggers earn money extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive. I tried them all: blog carnivals, posting comments on forums, commenting on other blogs, participating in link exchanges, and writing guest posts. But, these activities work for some bloggers — and all bloggers have to learn what works for them.

All bloggers remember the concept of “compound interest”

Resources for Writers

75 Ways to Make Money Blogging
How I earn $3,500/month from my Quips and Tips blogs.

How Write an eBook in 7 Days
Write, publish, and sell your writing.

How to Fire Up (or Just Fire!) the Muse
Practical tips on staying motivated from freelancers, journalists, and novelists.

Plant seeds now; they’ll yield acorns and trees later! Some of my most popular blog posts – and highest sources of income – are articles I wrote a couple years ago. Making money blogging is a labor of love for the first two or three years. It helps if you have another source of income or a wealthy spouse to pick up the financial slack. I worked part-time as a freelance writer while creating my “Quips and Tips” blog series, and took the full-time plunge about a year ago. Like any small business or seedling, a blog needs time and energy.
Nurture your blog from the ground up, and you’ll make money blogging.

Most bloggers entertain, educate, or somehow edify their readers

Find a topic or niche that interests you, learn about it, and share what you learn in a unique, creative way. Solve problems, using your writer’s voice! Build your own blog with a theme and content you can’t wait to wake up to every morning! And keep reminding yourself that earning an income online – like anything worthwhile – is a long-term process.

All bloggers incorporate ads or products that fill readers’ needs

On Quips and Tips for Couples Coping With Infertility, I advertise all manner ‘o things about getting pregnant and coping with fertility issues. Most bloggers make money by closely aligning their advertisements with their blog content, because readers are more likely to clicky-clicky on ads that solve their problems and meet their needs.

Many bloggers pay attention to readers’ search terms

My readers often find Quips and Tips for Successful Writers by searching for “freelance writing tips”, “feature article ideas”, “make money blogging tips”, and “magazine writing tips.” Knowing how people find my blog helps me choose the ads that both meet their needs and increase my online income. I also feature books, books, and more books because I love books! Plus, I like being an Amazon affiliate.
For Amazon-specific advertising tips, read 5 Tips for Advertising Amazon Products.

Most bloggers earn money by exploring affiliate advertising networks

The best way to earn an income online is to experiment with different affiliate advertising networks. I’ve tried Commission Junction, LinkShare, AdBrite, Chikita, Google Affiliate Network, Kontera, ClickBank, and more — I list them all in 75 Ways to Make Money Blogging. Don’t just copy what works for other bloggers! Take time to figure out what the best ads are for your blog.

Many bloggers occasionally change ad placement on their blogs

The Google Adsense gurus say the most profitable ads are within the blog post and “above the fold.” Does that work for your blog? Try it and see! I don’t advertise above the fold because I think it’s too much — it’s bad enough that I have ads smack in the middle of my posts. To earn an income online, find a balance between making your ads obvious but not too distracting or annoying. Experiment with ad placement — try ads at the end of your blog posts, along the sides, and in the footer.

Many bloggers make money by play with types and sizes of ads

There are so many ads to choose from! Banner ads, product images, text ads, in-text link ads, pixel/favicon ads, contextual links, eBook ads, exit ads, lions and tigers and bears, oh my. Incorporate the ad types and sizes that you dislike the least, let them run for a couple of months, and see if you make money. Remember that you may need over 1,000 page views a day before you make $100 or even $50 a day with your blog, depending on your niche and products.
If you want to make money blogging but have trouble coming up with ideas, read Mommy Bloggers – 10 Ways to Find Topics to Write About. It’s not just for mommy blogs — Prerna’s ideas work for all types of bloggers.
But, bloggers can’t make money without traffic! If you need to attract more readers, read How to Increase Blog Traffic.
I welcome your thoughts on how bloggers make money below…

Do you have trouble showing love and affection?

The question of the day is "Do you have trouble showing love and affection?" Who has the most problems with this and why? Men or women?  I have encountered this with both sexes.

There are men that do not want to comment simply because they are afraid of showing love and affection.  That is being too committed for them. And, I have seen women that are married and afraid to show feelings,but in the marriage for the safety and being kept by a man.  Is it fair in either one of these situations?  I don't think so.  They need to find a way to work out the issues that they have.  Find out what is behind it and learn to give of themselves and enjoy life!  Love is beautiful and makes everyone feel good. What do you think or what experiences have you had that other post readers can help you with.  All advice is welcome....Have a great day....

Florida Law Gives Citizens A License To Kill

By now everyone is familiar with the Travon Martin case. It has been an unspeakable case of cold blooded murder. Unfortunately, George Zimmerman, the man accused of killing Martin, may get off because a Florida law that gives him protection.
The law in question has come to be known as the “Stand Your Ground Law.” The law states:

A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.”

What this means is that anyone who shoots or kills another person can claim it was self defense and essentially get away with murder.

This ridiculous law was passed in 2005 with much support from the National Rifle Association and the Republican Party, and since then the number of “self defense” homicides in the state of Florida have tripled.

Despite a preponderance of the evidence, George Zimmerman has not been arrested for the murder of Travon Martin simply because he claimed he shot martin in self defense. He has not even been charged with a crime.

Any objective view of the evidence; the 911 calls, eye witness reports and the testimony of Martin’s girlfriend will reveal that this was certainly not a case of self defense. No one in their right mind could believe that a 28 year old man with a gun could be in fear for his life from a 17 year old teenager with a pack of Skittles and a can of ice tea. But George Zimmerman could get away with murder because of this law.

This law gives Florida citizens a license to kill. All they have to do is claim that they killed in self defense. Who is going to contradict them? Their victims are dead.
It is frightening to think that anyone can be murdered by a person who holds racist views and there can be no legal recourse. Anyone listening to the 911 call from George Zimmerman can clearly hear his racial profile of Travon Martin.

Think about this; after George Zimmerman murdered Travon Martin, he stood there and waited for the police to show up. When they did, all Zimmerman had to do was tell the police that martin attacked him and that he shot Travon in “self defense.” And the police let him go.

While Travon Martin’s family was mourning their loss, George Zimmerman was sleeping soundly in his bed thanks to this Florida law. Despite all the attention and national outrage, Zimmerman has not been arrested for the murder of Travon Martin. He is hiding behind the Stand Your Ground law. It’s all legal.


Until this law is repealed, we can expect even more minorities to be killed without their murders being brought to justice.  - The world Weekly

I don't see the force with force when Zimmerman was clearly an adult that out weighed Trevon and he had a gun!

The key to losing: exercise or diet?

Weight loss q&a by Suzanne Schlosberg

It's difficult for me to concentrate on calorie cutting and my workout program at the same time. Which is more important for weight loss? ... and more of your questions answered here.

Q I find it hard to stick with a diet while I'm trying to maintain my exercise program. Which one should I focus on more for weight loss: exercise or diet?

A "Exercise is less important than diet for losing weight, but once the weight is off, exercise becomes almost essential for keeping it off," says Robert H. Eckel, M.D., chairman of the American Heart Association's Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism Council and professor of medicine at the University of Colorado's Health Sciences Center in Denver.

Dietary changes tend to have more of an impact on weight loss because it's relatively easy to reduce calories through improvements to your diet, while it takes a lot of exercise to burn off an equal number of calories. For instance, you could cut 230 calories a day--enough to lose 2 pounds in a month--simply by skipping that afternoon candy bar; to burn 230 calories through exercise, you'd have to run or walk two miles, which could take up to 40 minutes. "That doesn't mean you can't lose a little weight by exercise alone," Eckel says. "But the caloric value of exercise is modest. You have to exercise a lot to make up for that malt over the weekend."

But don't use this as a reason to give up on exercise. Among people who lose weight without working out, the vast majority regain the pounds. However, research shows that 95 percent of those who succeed in keeping the weight off exercise almost daily. Rather than making drastic changes to both your eating and your exercise habits, make more modest improvements to both.

Q The more I promise myself I'm going to diet, the worse I eat. I find myself going to McDonald's for a McFlurry frozen dessert every day. How can I stick to my diet and stop thinking about junk food and ice cream all the time?

A "When foods are put on the forbidden list, you start to crave them," says Atlanta nutritionist Kathleen Zelman, R.D., a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Rather than deprive yourself of the foods that you love, Zelman suggests, "give in to your cravings, but in a controlled manner."

For instance, allow yourself to buy a McFlurry once a week and savor every bite. "Don't eat it standing up or in your car," Zelman says. "Sit down and really enjoy it instead of just wolfing it down." You may want to bring some home to put in the freezer and scoop out a small portion each night. Simply knowing the dessert is available to you might be enough to keep you from thinking about it all the time, Zelman suggests. The cravings and obsession will wane.

Another strategy is to satisfy your craving for sweet, cold, creamy foods with a lower-calorie alternative to a McFlurry (about 600 calories for 12 ounces). For instance, Haagen-Dazs chocolate sorbet contains 120 calories per 1/2 cup serving (which at 4 ounces is a more sensible serving size for a frozen treat).

Q My girlfriend is smart and beautiful, but her obsessive dieting is starting to worry me. She is 5-foot-5 and wants to weigh 110 pounds (currently she weighs 115). She never eats more than 1,000 calories a day and runs for at least 40 minutes. After her workouts, she says things like "I feel like I am going to faint," but still she won't eat anything. What can I do to help her?

A "Tell her gently but firmly that you're very concerned and that you believe her behavior is heading in the direction of an eating disorder," says William Davis, Ph.D., director of research for The Renfrew Center Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia that designs programs to advance the awareness of eating disorders. If she dismisses your concerns--a reaction that is likely, Davis says-remain supportive and let her know that you plan to bring up the issue again.

Urge her to see a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. If she won't agree to that, try getting her to a registered dietitian. "To people with eating disorders, nutritionists tend to be less threatening than therapists," Davis says. A nutritionist can explain to her that drastically cutting calories will actually backfire; when you eat fewer calories than your body needs to maintain itself, your body thinks it's being starved and your metabolism slows down.

Although many people with disordered eating tend to ignore the health risks of anorexia and bulimia--everything from flaky skin to life-threatening organ damage--you still might tell her that you fear what may happen to her down the line. Perhaps a more effective strategy, Davis says, is to take pictures of your girlfriend from the neck down, in hopes that she will see that her body is not, in fact, fat. If she's looking at an image of her body without her face, Davis explains, she's more likely to see it realistically.

Getting through to people with disordered eating can be an uphill battle, Davis says, "but that doesn't mean it can't be done." Some people defiantly refuse to get help, while others are just waiting for someone to care enough to take an interest. If all else fails, "you may even want to arrange an intervention with people she trusts, like girlfriends who know about her obsession with weight," Davis adds. "You then can tell her, 'Look, it's time to do something about this.'

Advice for Building Healthy and Exciting Love Relationships

A strong, healthy relationship can be one of the best supports in your life. Good relationships improve your life in all aspects, strengthening your health, your mind and your connections with others as well. However, it can also be one of the greatest drains if the relationship is not working. Relationships are an investment. The more you put in, the more you get back. Love and relationships take work, commitment, and a willingness to adapt and change through life as a team. Learn about ways to keep a healthy relationship strong, or work on repairing trust and love for a relationship on the rocks.

How to strengthen your relationship and make love last

Everyone’s relationship is unique, and people come together for many different reasons. But there are some things that good relationships have in common. Knowing the basic principles of healthy relationships helps keep them meaningful, fulfilling and exciting in both happy times and sad:

What makes a healthy love relationship?

•Staying involved with each other. Some relationships get stuck in peaceful coexistence, but without truly relating to each other and working together. While it may seem stable on the surface, lack of involvement and communication increases distance. When you need to talk about something important, the connection and understanding may no longer be there.

•Getting through conflict. Some couples talk things out quietly, while others may raise their voices and passionately disagree. The key in a strong relationship, through, is not to be fearful of conflict. You need to be safe to express things that bother you without fear of retaliation, and be able to resolve conflict without humiliation, degradation or insisting on being right.

•Keeping outside relationships and interests alive. No one person can meet all of our needs, and expecting too much from someone can put a lot of unhealthy pressure on a relationship. Having friends and outside interests not only strengthens your social network, but brings new insights and stimulation to the relationship, too.

•Communicating. Honest, direct communication is a key part of any relationship. When both people feel comfortable expressing their needs, fears and desires, trust and bonds are strengthened. Critical to communication are nonverbal cues—body language like eye contact, leaning forward or away, or touching someone’s arm.

Keep phsical intimacy alive

Be sensitive to what your partner likes. While touch is a key part of a healthy relationship, it’s important to take some time to find out what your partner really likes. Unwanted touching or inappropriate overtures can make the other person tense up and retreat—exactly what you don’t want.

Spend quality time together

Simple ways to connect as a couple and rekindle love

•Commit to spending quality time together on a regular basis. Even during very busy and stressful times, a few minutes of really sharing and connecting can help keep bonds strong.

•Find something that you enjoy doing together, whether it is a shared hobby, dance class, daily walk, or sitting over a cup of coffee in the morning.

•Try something new together. Doing new things together can be a fun way to connect and keep things interesting. It can be as simple as trying a new restaurant or going on a day trip to a place you’ve never been before.

Never stop communication

If you’ve known each other for a while, you may assume that your partner has a pretty good idea of what you are thinking and what you need. However, your partner is not a mind-reader. While your partner may have some idea, it is much healthier to express your needs directly to avoid any confusion. Your partner may sense something, but it might not be what you need. What’s more, people change, and what you needed and wanted five years ago, for example, may be very different now. Getting in the habit of expressing your needs helps you weather difficult times, which otherwise may lead to increasing resentment, misunderstanding and anger.

Healthy relationships are built on give and take

If you approach your partner with the attitude that things have to be your way or else, it will be difficult to reach a compromise. Sometimes this attitude comes from not having your needs met while younger, or it could be years of accumulated resentment in the relationship reaching a boiling point. It’s alright to have strong convictions about something, but your partner deserves to be heard as well. You are more likely to get your needs met if you respect what your partner needs, and compromise when you can.

Conflict is inevitable in any relationship, but to keep a relationship strong, both people need to feel they’ve been heard. The goal is not to win but to resolve the conflict with respect and love.

•Make sure you are fighting fair.

•Don’t attack someone directly but use “I” statements to communicate how you feel.

•Don’t drag old arguments into the mix.

•Keep the focus on the issue at hand, and respect the other person.

Expect ups and downs

It’s also important to recognize that there are ups and downs in every relationship. You won’t always be on the same page. Sometimes one partner may be struggling with an issue that stresses them, such as the death of a close family member. Other events, like job loss or severe health problems, can affect both partners and make it difficult to relate to each other. You might have different ideas of managing finances or raising children. Different people cope with stress differently, and misunderstanding can rapidly turn to frustration and anger.

•Don’t take out your problems on your partner. Life stresses can make us short tempered. If you are coping with a lot of stress, it might seem easier to vent with your partner, and even feel safer to snap at him or her. Fighting like this might initially feel like a release, but it slowly poisons your relationship. Find other ways to vent your anger and frustration.

•Some problems are bigger than both of you. Trying to force a solution can cause even more problems. Every person works through problems and issues in his or her own way. Remember that you’re a team. Continuing to move forward together can get you through the rough spots.

•Be open to change. Change is inevitable in life, and it will happen whether you go with it or fight it. Flexibility is essential to adapt to the change that is always taking place in any relationship, and it allows you to grow together through both the good times and the bad.

helpguide.org

Quick Weight Loss Tips - Food Factors

When it comes to finding quick weight loss diet tips that work, selecting your foods for your diet can be a real balancing act. You have to lose some of what you’ve grown accustomed to and add some items that may be new to you. Here’s some quick weight loss tips that experts recommend to promote weight loss.

Quick Weight Loss Tips #1 – Reduce fat.

With regard to fat, the research is clear: Diets too high in fat promote overweight and obesity. You should strive to consume no more than 25 percent of your calories from fat – and that fat should the “non-saturated” type.

Quick Weight Loss Tips # 2 – Don’t be so sweet.

Numerous studies have linked table sugar to increased calorie consumption. While sugar doesn’t do as much dietary damage as fat, you’ll find that when you eat sweets, you simply want to eat more… of everything. Not only that, but sugar also makes your body excrete chromium, and chromium is a mineral that helps your body build calorie-burning lean tissue – so you want to keep your chromium levels up.

Quick Weight Loss Tips #3 – Drink up.

“If people want to keep their nutrients in balance, they need to drink plenty of plain, unflavored water every day,” says Judy Dodd, R.D., past president of the American Dietetic Association. Water not only acts as a solvent for many vitamins and minerals but also is responsible for carrying nutrients into and wastes out of cells, so the body functions properly. As a rule of thumb, you should drink a half-ounce of water for every pound of body weight daily, unless you’re very active, in which case you should increase your water intake to two-thirds of an ounce per pound of body weight daily. So if you weigh 100 pounds, you should drink 50 ounces of water a day as a minimum

Quick Weight Loss Tips #4 – Fill up on fiber.

You can curb your hunger by increasing your intake of dietary fiber, which is filling, so you feel full but eat less. For these diet tips, experts recommend eating more fruits, vegetables and wholegrain cereals.

Quick Weight Loss Tips #5 – Get treatment for food allergies.

Some researchers believe that being overweight is the result of people craving foods that they are allergic to. For these people, weight loss is extremely difficult until they figure out what those trigger foods are and eliminate them from their diets.

“There are specific food allergies that trigger uncontrollable craving and bingeing,” says Joseph D. Beasley, M.D., director of Comprehensive Medical Care in Amityville, New York. “It’s a common problem in overeaters.”

If you suspect that food allergies might be part of your problem, ask your doctor to help you identify the offending items. Your doctor may recommend that you see an allergy specialist.

Quick Weight Loss Tips#6 - Get fit

Last, but not least...but MOST IMPORTANT! Exercise, Exercise, Exercise. Start out slow and work your way up. Join a gym or buy weights or other equipment for your home. Bike riding and taking long walks are great. Get fit.