Obscure Journey

5 Reasons Why Men And Women Lose Weight Differently

Publié le 31 Janvier 2015 par Charly Cross

Catégories : #beauty, #life experience, #tips, #tricks, #Uncategorized

Everyone wants to look and feel good regardless of their gender, with people often being rated based on their attractiveness level. Having a body that is on a slim side looks attractive and is also deemed healthier, and the number of those who want a slimmer body seems to be on the rise. This brings a new problem into the spotlight: men and women lose weight in a different way and at a different rate. Let’s have a look at 5 reasons why losing weight is different for women than it is for men.

A different approach to losing weight based on gender

Numerous women are visually attracted by a male who is muscular and lean, while most men fantasize about a slender woman, with an hourglass figure. These ideals make men and women use different routines when it comes to losing weight. A male will spend many hours in the gym lifting weights while women generally prefer the cardio machines. In addition to that, more women choose to hit the nearest eatery right after working out, as a reward for their efforts. This action defeats the purpose of the exercise routine, and causes the entire weight loss process to become difficult. It has been observed that men are more prone to stick to a regular workout regime without distractions, thus adding to its effectiveness.

Men have a more competitive mindset compared to women

Men's competitive nature exerts a certain degree of influence on how the 2 genders view fitness. Males typically look at a workout to reach their goal: improving health and endurance levels. At the same time, the gym can be seen a place for friendly competition. Women, however, view exercising as more of a chore and not a healthy hobby. At the end of the day, feeling pressured to keep up a workout routine can decrease its benefits by a great deal. Women adopting a more competitive way of thinking have noticed faster results when it comes to losing weight.

Men and women approach hunger and food differently

Men usually eat only they feel hungry, while often times women use comfort food as an emotional crutch to relieve boredom, stress, or work related anxiety. Females are known to be emotional eaters while men prefer dealing with their feelings in a different and maybe more pro-active way. The way both genders deal with hunger and food in general is also dictated by the different hormones their bodies produce. Men release more leptin, also known as the "satiety hormone". Women's bodies release more of a “I’m hungry” hormone called ghrelin. Furthermore, men and women have different types of comfort foods: men prefer “mom’s cooking” while women mostly enjoy foods that give a quick pick-me-up such as cookies and chips.

Different percentages of muscle and fat compared to total body weight

Healthy and fit men are genetically designed to have a higher percentage of muscle compared to body fat. As an opposite, a female body is built with more fat and a softer appearance. Muscle growth is influenced by the higher levels of testosterone in a male’s body. Muscles need increased energy to work properly, and this is one of the reasons why men burn more calories at any given time. When comparing people of both genders with similar proportions, specialists noted that women have much lower metabolic needs. This translates into burning fewer calories for basic functions like breathing, brain activity, and even walking.

Hormonal fluctuation

Women are affected by monthly hormonal fluctuations, while men have a constant level of hormones released into their system. This is an aspect that influences everything related to the body’s well being. These hormonal changes also play a significant role in how much women eat compared to men. Women are genetically programmed to keep up a certain weight for a regular and healthy flow of reproductive hormones, and a significant drop has negative effects in the long run. Harsh dieting is linked to loss of fertility in women due to the body not being able to release enough reproductive hormones.

While these are a few guidelines worth taking into account, each person is different and a weight loss program should be chosen on an individual basis. If you pay attention to your body, you have much higher chances of achieving your fitness goal.

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12 Ways To Improve Your Happiness Level

Publié le 29 Janvier 2015 par Charly Cross

Catégories : #advice, #life lesson, #tips, #tricks, #Uncategorized

Focusing on today and the present moment is essential if you want to look back on the positive experiences in your life. There are a few key tips which you should pay attention to in order to seize the moment.

Pursue your hobbies and make new ones

Most people lead extremely busy lives where work comes first. However, take the time to rejuvenate your spirit and pursue the things you are really into. So, if you have a passion for music, sign up for those piano lessons you always postponed, or buy a guitar and start practicing. Unleashing your creative spirit will help you take advantage of every moment and improve your life.

I made this and I didn't want to use any name...

Get personal

Each of us has a different life path and personal journey. You can make today worthwhile by paying attention to your feelings and do something for yourself. It doesn't matter if this is a project you never had time for or simply starting a journal. By doing this, you will learn more about yourself and keep grounded in the present moment. When revisiting what you wrote, you may uncover a lot of meaningful things you never knew about yourself.

Take a challenge

Not everyone is competitive and sometimes the only one you should compete against is yourself. You don't need to push yourself up to the point of exhaustion, rather just learn how to give it your best in every situation. A lot of people go throughout the day without truly attempting to improve, regardless if it’s work or a fun hobby. Sometimes we need to know the areas which need working on and just take it from there. At the end of the day, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and every day will be something to remember.

Let go of past patterns

A well known Zen proverb says “Let Go Or Be Dragged.” We all have various things and events in our past that keep us stuck and thus disabling us from fully enjoying the present. Take a look at your past and try to distinguish anything to which you might still be holding on although its usefulness has run its course long ago. It doesn’t matter if this is a past relationship you couldn't get over, or a missed career opportunity: our past experience make us who we are today. Let go of negative experiences and focus more on what you can do today.

Practice meditation

Depending on your set of personal beliefs you may find meditation to be a quite pleasant experience and something to benefit from. For example, mindfulness meditation teaches us how to accept the present moment for what it is and live in the now. You don't have to spend hours on end in a meditative state, and 15 minutes every morning are just as effective. Try to find something that works for you and keep up with it: it will help you both in present difficult times, but in the future as well.

Just be yourself

Instead of being a people pleaser and follow what everyone else says, find your own path in life and meaning. We are all individuals with needs, dreams, and desires. Don't compare yourself to others and how they live their life, and choose to become your own person. There will always be others who achieved more, but you should rather focus on what you can do with what you have. Becoming a “better you” will bring you the much needed peace of mind and help you seize the day.

Give yourself credit

Make sure to give yourself a much deserved pat on the back whenever you accomplished something you are proud of. Don't put yourself down for what you perceive to be small failures, and find a way to reward yourself when you feel you did something good. After all you are the one you have to answer to at the end of the day.

Find meaning in simplicity

At times the most simple things in life are also the most rewarding. Even a 10 minute walk in the park can refresh your mind when you feel tired and burnt out. If you can, walk to work instead of driving and find the time in your day to fully enjoy a meal. All these things may seem small, but together they will add up and provide you with several health benefits.

Take up volunteering

Giving back to the less fortunate is important and you can do that by engaging in a volunteering program. This will give you a sense of doing something good for yourself but especially for other people, and will add a dose of positivity to your life. You don't have to go far out of your comfort zone, and sometimes just volunteering at the soup kitchen a couple of time a week is enough to make a difference.

Fostering an animal in need is also helpful. This kitty only needed a forever home and she found it.

Work on your social skills

Having a wide social circle enriches our life and helps us see things from a fresh perspective. Relating to other people's life experiences is an essential part of self growth and you can achieve that by making new friends whenever possible. Keep an open eye for opportunities to meet new people and you will soon notice the benefits this brings.

Have fun and enjoy the moment

Laughter is good for the soul so don't miss out on the chance of engaging in any fun and lighthearted activities. Reconnect with your inner child and you will see how humor can change your life. You can watch a comedy show that makes you laugh, or perhaps listen to your friend's jokes. Either way, your mood will improve and problems may not appear as important. Don't take life too seriously and keep a positive mindset.

this is how i generally have fun

Learn about the power of forgiveness

Keeping grudges causes bitterness, while forgiving others makes you a stronger and better individual. Try to acknowledge everyone is doing the best they know how, and don't be afraid to sincerely apologize to someone you have wronged in the past. You may just reconnect with them and learn from each other's past mistakes.

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My experience as a first time dog owner

Publié le 3 Janvier 2015 par Charly Cross

Catégories : #animals, #dogs, #life experience, #life lesson, #pets

Last year around this date I went to the store to buy some stuff. On my way there I saw with ugly puppy that seemed lost as I saw no brothers nor his mother around. It was cold, and he was hungry. Needless to say I felt so bad for the little thing and I wanted to do something for him. I went home with the shopping bag, but then I somehow went back and took him home with me.

While going home, he started kissing me, and I too a better look at him only to see he's not actually that ugly. Reaching home, the first thing I did was to check his gender, which to my surprise was 'female.' So I had a female puppy dog to care for. however my house was already populated by 2 demon cats, and only one of them saw a dog before. These 2 cats were not too happy to see the new comer.

Kali on her first night with us

I didn't plan on keeping her with me forever, and well, in the end this wasn't the case. It doesn't mean I didn't get attached to her, because I did. I named her Kali, after the Hindu Goddess. If you're curious, this Wiki page has more information about the Goddess.

The first things I did, was introducing Kali to some food and water, and boy was she both thirsty and hungry! Poor thing. Of course, the only food I had was some cat food, but for the time being it was more than enough and ok. The next day I would go to the pet store to buy some puppy food. The 2nd thing I did was to give her a bath because she wasn't the cleanest puppy ever.

I gave her a thick scarf I spend a whole year knitting, for myself. Yea, you read that right. However it wasn't something I could easily wear, so it seemed something that would keep Kali warm enough as her fur was so short.

Of course, when time was right, I went to the vet to give her the required shots. We couldn't go out anyways because she was too tiny and it was too cold and snowy outside. After some 4 months, I had her spayed. It seems that there is a new law that requires all pet owners to spay or neuter their dogs if they don't have a breeding license. Not knowing Kali's breed, or her parents, this was out of the question. Also I didn't want more puppies to deal with. People here want mostly pure breed dogs, and who can blame them?

Kali grew up a medium-sized dog that would eat literally anything you'd put on her plate, healthy, and very energetic. She didn't mind the leash nor the collar around her neck, not even the firs time I put them on her. How lucky is that?

Yes, this is the same, dog, her face changed a bit. at about 5 months old.

To take this picture, I had to tie her leash to the heater, or she wouldn't stay still. She was that energetic and excited, haha. Based on the angle, her ears looked quite big compared to the rest of her. Everyone would comment on he ears.

Her favorite activity was going out on a walk. Because she was a very energetic dog, we had to take rather long walks, so she would get tired.

What she disliked the most was seeing people sitting around without doing anything. This included random workers we would see during our walks. They were wearing uniforms, and she seemed smart enough to realize they were supposed to work. Seeing them just sitting, even if they were eating, she would bark at them. I had to explain to her they needed to rest a bit so she wouldn't bark anymore. It almost always worked, and every time I thought of this behavior as funny.

Walking Kali everyday was a good thing for me. I managed to go out, breathe some "fresh" air.. Living downtown, on a high traffic street takes away from the freshness of the air, after all. It was still better than staying indoors. It also made me feel more cheerful and not awkward about being out. Despite her medium size, Kali was a strong dog, so I always had to have a good grip on her leash. This made my arms stronger, while tiring me some. I sure didn't need to stop by the gym thanks to her.

Kali did like to cause trouble. Or it was her need for attention. As a highly energetic dog, she need a lot of workout and attention. I'm not an active person, but I was more active while caring for this dog. After 8 months, I realized that our living conditions weren't what Kali really needed. At the time I also had a lot of work to do [for my job] and I slowly realized I don't have time to go out with her as much as I used to. As much as it hurt me, it was time Kali found a more suitable home.

One month later, we found a family [friends of friends of relatives] who owned a house with a yard, they had a teen daughter, and were more experienced in raising dogs. Going there for a visit seemed fortunate. They loved her and Kali seemed to go along well with everyone else. She never minded meeting new dogs or people, and the environment seemed 1000 times better than what I could offer her. I knew she was going to be fine, and I get news from time to time that she's happy. This is all I wish for her.

Would I do this all over again? Surely not. I sure miss Kali and I do want another dog. However now this is not possible. If I ever decide to get a new puppy, I would make sure to find one with an energy level that matches mine and hopefully, a small breed dog.

Have a nice new year, and don't fall for just any stray puppy or cat you see on the streets.

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