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Give The Gift Of Exercise!

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If you’re stuck for a present for your other half and you know they have a latent interest in getting fit, then why not help them with a gift that will encourage them? Loads of people know they should be getting fit but it’s hard to find the motivation and break the back of it. The first step is often the scariest, but with your help and encouragement they may just be able to do it. And in a few years’ time when they are running marathons without breaking sweat they will thank you so much for getting behind them!

If your partner has a birthday coming up or you are looking for a Christmas gift for them, there are several things that you could get them which would be nothing short of life-changing. We’ll give you some hints here:

An Exercise Machine

Exercise machines don’t come cheap and it’s hard for anybody to justify buying one for themselves. But if it’s given as a gift it’s another matter! If you have a lower budget you could always look at some second hand options. Anybody wanting to get into fitness would be thrilled to receive a treadmill, a cross trainer, a rowing machine or an exercise bike. That way they can get back into fitness in the comfort of their own home!

Gym Membership

If the person that you love would love to go to the gym, why not look into buying them membership at their local one? Choose one that you know they’ll love (gyms with swimming pools are always a hit) and then go along to reception to ask about their joining details. You will usually have to pay a joining fee as well as a monthly subscription but sometimes the gym will waive the joining fee so it’s always worth a haggle. If there are any coins left in the coffers you could buy a really funky gym bag to present the membership card in! Your other half will be delighted that you put so much thought into their present. The downside may be that they’ll love working out so much you may never see them!

A Workout Suit

Perhaps your loved one is always talking about going for a run but never quite getting round to it?! With brand new exercise clothes they just may make the extra effort! Nobody wants to go running in a baggy old pair of jogging bottoms and an ill-fitting t-shirt. Then there are the shoes – it’s important to have good quality trainers to run in, in order to absorb the impact. If they don’t have the right shoes they won’t be going anywhere. Pick out an outfit that they will love, but if you’re not sure about sizes you could always take them along for the shopping trip.

Giving your partner the gift of exercise is a really great way of showing them you care. Perhaps you could both get into exercise together to really help each other along? You’ll be the fittest couple on your block!

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Today’s featured writer, Jenny Wadlow, is a cardio trainer. In her opinion, Horizon elliptical brings the best out of cardio training. She gives great tips on fitness and workout through her blogs. You can follow her on twitter@JennyWadlow.

How To Avoid Losing Your Sentimental Jewellery

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I used to wear a ring that was very sentimental to me. It was the wedding ring of a relative who passed away and by wearing that ring I felt as though that person was with me wherever I went. Then one day, while swimming on holiday in Bulgaria, the ring slipped off my finger and disappeared into the sea to get quickly buried by lots of sand.

I was distraught, so I spent the next several hours swimming around desperately trying to find it while my friends looked on in concern. After a while I came running out past them only to buy myself a snorkel at the nearby shop and then head back in. Of course it was all in vein and the ring was lost. I was so distressed, I actually found myself having dreams about the ring for weeks to come and I know I’m not alone in that experience. Countless times I’ve seen friends desperately searching for their wedding rings, saying how their partners are going to kill them and how they wouldn’t be able to forgive themselves if anything happened to it. This is a highly common situation for people to find themselves in fact and the cruel irony is that the jewellery you love the most is probably the jewellery you are most likely to lose. Why? Because if you wear it that often, then obviously you give yourself more opportunity to lose those items. Here then, we will look at some of the best ways you can avoid this from happening… Make Sure it Fits

The first thing to do, is to make sure that your jewellery fits you properly and that it’s not loose or easily able to slip around. If you wear a ring for instance that is too large then you will risk allowing it to slip easily off of your finger and this can happen easily if you lose a lot of weight and forget to have the ring resized (common with wedding bands). To avoid this problem ensure the ring fits when you first get it, then get it resized whenever your fingers get bigger or slimmer. Know When to Take it Off

There are certain events where it’s not a good idea to wear a ring or chain. If you enjoy rock climbing for instance, then wearing jewellery can risk getting you injured and potentially cause that item to get lost. Likewise if you’re going swimming – as I learned – then your jewellery can easily slip off and get lost. To avoid this situation, make sure that you get into the habit of taking your items off before engaging in physical activities or heading somewhere that they could get lost. If you take your jewellery off often while you’re out, then make sure that you have a pouch or zip in your wallet where you can store them easily. Choose Subtle Items While you will have to take off any item of jewellery from time to time, some items are undoubtedly more of a hindrance than others and will need to be taken off more frequently – so it’s useful to try and pick items that you can wear more often and that will be less likely to catch on things. When choosing wedding rings, make sure that you avoid large stones or other things that will make them more hazardous. Sometimes, simple is best. At the end of the day though, sometimes sentimental jewellery like this is going to go missing. The really important thing is not to beat yourself up about it – and to cherish the memories even without that item. If you lose a wedding ring, then you should have photos that you can look back on and you should also be able to remember the music of the wedding band, the taste of the wedding cake and the interactions with people you had on that day. You can always buy yourself a new ring and just choose to assign those memories to it; a piece of jewellery only represents those memories – it isn’t inseparable from them. .

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Ricky White is a musician and a blogger. Ricky likes to write wedding planning and fashion related articles.

Need to smile

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I’m not having the best week. Scratch that … I don’t think I’m having the best year and it’s only just begun. My Crohn’s is acting up and well .. my life just kind of sucks right now. It really does. I have to make a LOT of changes and soon.

What I need right now is some cheering up. This picture, just like the captions within in makes me smile and I need that. Hopefully it makes you smile too!

Funny dog

Shopping in New York: Find the Best Stores

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From the massive department stores lining Fifth Avenue, to the small boutiques and independent shops dotting the East Village, New York is a veritable shopping mecca for fashionistas and everyday consumers alike. With all of the hustle and bustle and constant excitement, however, it can be somewhat challenging to narrow down the very best stores in the city. Fortunately, with a bit of luck and research beforehand, any visitor to New York can make certain they don’t miss a beat during their holiday.

Department Stores

For years, New York’s shopping experience has been influenced by the large department stores, such as Macy’s and Bloomingdales. These iconic stores still sell some of the best merchandise in the city. Not only is it fun to browse through the wares on display, but experiencing the atmosphere of these stores themselves is an adventure in its own right.

For those looking to drop a fair bit of money on their shopping adventure, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman are both popular destinations. These stores sell apparel and accessories from some of the world’s most sought after designers. From Chanel to Gucci, Prada to Stella McCartney, it is easy to find luxury clothing in these fabulous shops.

Independent Stores

While it may be fun to socialise with the wealthy shoppers of New York, the city is also home to plenty of independent boutiques with their own unique vibes. One of the great things about New York is that there is something for everyone. For those looking the casual hipster feel, head to Hollander & Lexer in Williamsburg. This popular shop mixes jewellery and vintage accessories with modern apparel that is comfortable and easy to wear.

On the Lower East Side, EVA is a popular destination for those looking to sport cutting-edge designs. Looks fresh from the runway populate the shelves and racks in this boutique. EVA often showcases foreign designers and up-and-coming stylists’ picks, making it easy to score on great outfits at an affordable cost.

Ask Around

Regardless of where one heads in New York, it is easy to find fantastic shopping destinations on nearly every corner. One simple tip for finding more fabulous shops is to simply ask salespeople for their advice. If a boutique or shop really stands out in terms of its apparel and overall style, there is a good chance staff members will have an idea of what other business options are located in the immediate area.

New York shopping is a must for all visitors to the city and whether you visit the smaller boutiques or the larger department stores you will be sure to be able to shop until you drop!

Ursula Jones writes on a number of subjects including shopping in New York. You can find the best stores in New York by using the online shopping guide from Shopikon






How to Budget for Your Wedding

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Planning for a wedding can be an incredibly stressful and difficult process and is something that requires a huge amount of time and organization. Many couples will get engaged at least a year before getting married and the reason for this is often that it simply takes that long for a wedding to come together.

Getting started as soon as possible then is an important way to make sure that you start to make the whole thing seem a little more doable, and step one is to come up with a budget – an amount of money that you think you will realistically be spending. While this doesn’t have to be exact, coming up with a figure based on how much cash you have at your disposal and how much you expect everything to cost can help you to then decide things like the number of guests you’ll invite, the number of ushers and bridesmaids you’re going to have and the kind of venue you’ll pick.

So to get you started and set you on your way, let’s take a look at the requirements for a wedding and the other things that will affect your budget.

What Your Budget Has to Cover

The first thing to do when budgeting for your wedding is to look at the various costs you need to expect so that you can then start to assign rough amounts to each to come up with a ball-park figure. It’s easy to forget elements, so for your convenience here is a near-comprehensive list of elements you need to keep in mind…

Venue (Ceremony)

Venue (Reception)

Suit for the Groom

Wedding Dress

Hair, Makeup, Shoes and Accessories for Bride

Ushers’ Suits

Bridesmaids’ Dresse

Catering (Including drink)

Music (String quartet, DJ etc.)

Transport

Flowers

Stationery (Invitations, place names etc.)

Wedding Photography/Wedding Cinematography

Think about how much you want to spend on each of these things and then remember that there will be other elements you will need to spend money on that don’t directly pertain to the day itself – for instance you will need to pay for a hen do and stag party and of course your honeymoon all of which might be quite expensive.

When you start to look how much you want to spend on each you will come up with a rough figure that may be higher than you hoped or within your budget. Your next job is to decide whether you can afford this and whether you want to spend that much. Look into combined savings and what proportion you want to spend on a wedding, and then the bride’s parents if they will be contributing. It may feel rude to ask, but the sooner you know for sure the sooner you’ll be able to come up with a suitable budget.

If you find your costs exceed your budget then it comes time to start finding ways of reducing these without compromising on your big day. This might mean using friends to help with things like the flowers, it might mean reducing your number of visitors, or just reducing your number of ushers.

Martha Taylor tries real hard to sneak in a little time from her busy schedule to write blogs. She likes blogging and sharing her experiences with the readers.

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