GROWING UP SMART

Stretching Exercises for Young Women (3 of 13)

2012-01-30T06:43:00.000-05:00

Biceps Stretch
1. Lift your arms to shoulder height at your sides.
2. Rotate your wrists so your palms face behind you.
3. Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.

Stretching makes your muscles and joints flexible, preventing injuries, and stopping your muscles from cramping. Flexibility also allows you to move your muscles through their full range of motion. That helps you jump higher, reach further, and run faster.

Exercise Program Tips (Fitness Fact #8)

2012-01-23T07:39:00.000-05:00

Here are some tips from The Boy's Fitness Guide on how to start exercising and how to keep your exercise program going:

Decide on your exercise goals. What do you want to achieve? For example, if you want to improve your endurance, emphasize aerobic exercises. If you want to tone your body, emphasize resistance exercises. Make your goals reasonable and realistic.

Develop an exercise plan based on your goals. Be sure your plan includes warm-up and stretching (flexibility), aerobic (endurance), and resistance (strength) exercises. To excel in any one requires work in all three.

Set up a regular exercise schedule and stick to it. You are more likely to continue exercising when you have a schedule to follow.

Begin slowly and progress little by little. If you’re just starting a program, start with easy exercises. Gradually work up to more advanced exercises.

Keep track of your progress by writing it down.

Get a friend to exercise with you.

Consider working with a coach or trainer to motivate you and provide instruction.

Try to exercise three to four days a week for about 30 to 45 minutes each time. It’s important to allow your body time to recover between workouts. Don’t overdo it.

Stretching Exercises for Young Women (2 of 13)

2012-01-16T07:37:00.000-05:00

Chest Stretch
1. Clasp your hands behind your head.
2. Keep your elbows straight.
3. Rotate your shoulders backward, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
4. Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.
(For a greater challenge, look up while doing the stretch.)

Stretching makes your muscles and joints flexible, preventing injuries, and stopping your muscles from cramping. Flexibility also allows you to move your muscles through their full range of motion. That helps you jump higher, reach further, and run faster.

Jealousy (Bad Habit #38)

2012-01-09T07:50:00.000-05:00

Jealous, from the Low Latin zelosus, “full of zeal,” is to feel or show envy of someone or their achievements and advantages. You can be protective or vigilant of rights and possessions, as in “Nicky is jealous of his father’s authority.” Or you may feel or show suspicion of someone’s unfaithfulness in a relationship, as in “Kerry is a very jealous girlfriend.”

Jealousy is a common emotion. Everyone experiences it to some degree at one time or another. That’s why there are so many songs, books, movies, and poems about jealousy. There are even paintings of jealous lovers.

Jealousy is the strongest emotion. It’s more potent than anger, lasting many times longer before losing its passion and intensity. Almost always, jealousy outlasts the attachment on which it’s based. As Francois De La Rochefoucauld observed, “Jealousy is always born with love, but does not always die with it."

As an emotion, jealousy combines the negative thoughts and feelings of fear, suspicion, insecurity, anger, distrust, uncertainty, sadness, and loneliness. That’s a caustic mix, any one part of which can make for a very tortured and unhappy life.

Even as undesirable as it is, jealousy is difficult to avoid. It seems there’s always something to be jealous about. From your friend’s awesome video game collection to your girlfriend’s flirting ways, it creeps into your life. If not checked, jealousy ruins relationships and it makes you look weak and insecure.

So how can you get a grip on jealousy? The best way is to figure out why you feel jealous in the first place. It’s likely because you feel something is being threatened or taken from you. You’re jealous of your girlfriend because you want reassurance she’ll still be with you tomorrow. You don’t want to lose her because you’re not confident enough to be self-sufficient.

Even though they feel jealousy, some people turn it off before it becomes destructive. How do they do it? They accept themselves as they are, the good and the bad. And they involve themselves in healthy, solid relationships with everyone in their lives. Doing these things builds self-confidence.

But, building self-confidence isn’t always easy. It most often comes with age and the experience of having made good decisions along the way. Confidence in you is the key to keeping jealousy at arm’s length. Put your life in perspective by knowing that you have things others don’t, and they have things you don’t. It’s just the way it is.

Being Jealous Dos and Don’ts
· Think it through.
· Get control.
· Move on.
· Don’t look back.

Stretching Exercises for Young Women (1 of 13)

2012-01-02T08:36:00.000-05:00

Upper Back Stretch

1. Intertwine your fingers with your palms turned away from you.
2. Reach out, rolling your shoulders forward and extending your arms as far as possible.
3. Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.

Stretching makes your muscles and joints more flexible, preventing injuries, and stopping your muscles from cramping. Fexibility also allows you to move your muscles through their full range of motion. That helps you jump higher, reach further, and run faster.

Overeating (Bad Habit #21)

2011-12-26T09:07:00.001-05:00

You can eat in, eat out, eat crow, eat dirt, eat humble pie, and eat your words. You can eat dust, eat your heart out, and be eaten up inside. You can also be eaten out of house and home. That’s a lot of eating. No wonder America has an obesity problem.

Let’s start with your stomach. It is, after all, the first stop for everything you eat. Your stomach is a muscular, elastic, pear-shaped bag, lying crosswise in your abdominal cavity just beneath your diaphragm. It changes size and shape depending on the position of your body and the amount of food that’s in it. Adults’ stomachs are about 12 inches long and 6 inches wide at their widest point. A fully loaded adult stomach holds about 2 to 3 pints of food and drink.

Now that it’s on the table, let’s talk about food. We’re bombarded from morning until night with choices over what and how much we eat. Everywhere you turn there are candy bars, chips, cookies, sugar cereals, and prepared meals with loads of sugar, fat, and salt. There are also fruits and vegetables available, but how often do you see them in the checkout lane at the grocery or in a vending machine?

These days there are chain restaurants specializing in everything from hamburgers to pizza to Tex-Mex. Look at the following chart. Consider the details of what you’re eating. Aside from the big dose of sugar, fat, and salt, would this one meal even fit into a 2 to 3 pint stomach all at once?

Food	Fat/ % Daily	Sodium/ % Daily	Calories/ % Daily
Chips and Hot Sauce	36 gm 55%	2590mg 108%	480 24%
Bleu Cheese Bacon Burger	71gm 109%	2070mg 86%	1090 55%
Homestyle Fries	26gm 40%	250mg 10%	430 22%
Large Classic Coca-Cola	0	5mg <0.1%	214 11%
Choc Chip Cookie Cake	64gm 98%	680mg 28%	1240 62%
TOTALS	197gm 302%	5595mg 124%	3454 173%

Pediatrician and academician David A. Kessler, M. D., believes that eating sugar, fat, and salt makes us eat more sugar, fat, and salt.[i] He observes that the food and restaurant industries dish out great-tasting, big-serving, bad-for-us food, not just because the food is profitable, but also because we demand it. According to Kessler, we demand it because we’re hooked on it; in other words, it’s a habit.

Eating Dos and Don’ts
· Think about what you put in your mouth.
· Don’t eat more calories than you burn.
· Change the way you think, and it will change the way you eat.
· Break the sugar-fat-salt cycle one food at a time.

[i] Kessler,David A. The End of Overeating: Controlling the Insatiable American Appetite.Macmillan, 2009.

Resistance Exercises (19 of 19)

2011-12-19T06:32:00.000-05:00

Calf Raise

Stand with your feet slightly apart.
Rise up onto your toes. Keep your back straight.
Slowly return to the starting position.

(Hold dumbbells at your side for a greater challenge. Or stand on a step and let your heels drop below the level of your toes for a greater range of motion.)

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Being Late (Bad Habit #36)

2011-12-12T09:13:00.000-05:00

Late, from the Old English laet, “slow, tardy,” means something taking place or done after theexpected, proper, or usual time. Certain people are so dependably andpredictably behind schedule, it’s said that when the time comes, they’ll belate to their own funeral.

Funerals aside, being late is generallylooked down on. Take a dentist appointment, for example. Think of it as anunwritten contract, a promise that you’ll both meet at 2 p.m. to have yourteeth cleaned. But, there are too many people asking too much of you, too manythings pulling you in too many directions, and too many promises to keep. Theseare the excuses you’ll hear from people who are late.

Every late arrival sends a message to the people waitingthat they’re less important than you and what you were doing. In their minds,you had a choice to make, and you chose another person or activity. Do itenough and your relationship with those people will suffer. Being late sends asignal that you aren’t dependable and not to be trusted.

Being on time takes planning and effort. If you have thereputation for always being late, here are a few dos and don’ts to help get youback on track.

Being Late Dos and Don’ts

Don’t over-commit. Prioritize your commitmentsif you have more than can be done in the time available. Say “no” to things atthe bottom of the list. Not even superman can be two places at one time.
Count backwards. If your dentist appointment isat 2 p.m. and it will take 30 minutes to get there, add 10 minutes for goodmeasure, and leave at 1:20 p.m., not a minute later.
Know how to leave. If you’re with another personwhen the time to leave comes, make a graceful exit. Just say, “I’m sorry, Ihate to cut you off, but I have an appointment and I need to get going.” Mostpeople will respect you for sticking to the schedule.
Overestimate. Assume everything takes longerthan you think. It does, after all. Being a little early is better than beinglate. You will be calm, collected, and ready to go.
Stay in touch. If you did everything rightand you’re still going to be late, call the other person and let them know. Ithappens.

Losing Your Temper (Bad Habit #23)

2011-12-05T08:38:00.000-05:00

Temper, from the Latin temperare, means a person’s state of mind in terms of being angry or calm. You can keep your temper or lose your temper. You can have a short temper or a fit of temper. It’s up to you. Here’s what we mean.

The stimulus: Parker, a guy in your neighborhood, says something insulting about you. Your response: You react angrily, threatening to “punch him out.” Checkmate. You lose.

“He made me mad,” you tell your friend. Well, that’s not how it works. Parker didn’t make you mad. You decided to get mad. Think about it. In the time between Parker’s comment (the stimulus) and your threat (the response), you chose to get angry and threaten him.

How you act—and react—is always your choice. No one makes the decision for you. One option is to put your emotions on autopilot and react without thinking. That’s what happened when you had that knee-jerk response to Parker’s comment.

People operate either emotionally or rationally. Emotional-based people rely on their feelings to make decisions. They blame their behavior on other people or circumstances and conditions outside their control. “I’m in a bad mood today because it’s raining,” they say.

Logic-based people depend on facts to make decisions. They take responsibility for their actions, making conscious decisions based on their values, rather than their feelings. The fact that it’s raining doesn’t affect their mood.

Taking responsibility for your moods—including anger—seems impossible. You want to yell at the person who left his gym locker open and on which you hit your head. But will that really help? No. Losing your temper rarely solves the problem.

The next time you feel yourself getting hot under the collar, try these ways to keep your cool.

Pause. Resist knee-jerk reactions.
Think. Don’t jump to conclusions.
Understand. Put the problem in perspective.
Respond. Focus on the problem, not the person.

Losing Your Temper Dos and Don’ts

Take responsibility for your moods.
Don’t make a habit of losing your temper.
Remember Aristotle’s words, “Anyone can get angry; that's all too easy. But the challenge is to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way.”

Resistance Exercises (18 of 19)

2011-11-28T08:04:00.000-05:00

Side-Lying Leg Lift

Lie on your side with your legs one on top of the other.
Raise your top leg as high as you can. Keep your leg straight and your hips stacked.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Switch sides after each set.

(Use ankle weights for a greater challenge.)

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Being a Know-It-All (Bad Habit #26)

2011-11-21T06:07:00.000-05:00

You can know yourway around, know a thing or two, know the ropes, and know your stuff. A know-it-all,though, is someone who puts on airs over his self-importance, especially aperson whose instructive-type conversational style is meant to show off hissuperior knowledge.

Famous know-it-alls include God, Hypocrites,Julius Caesar, and Mr. Know-It-All, aka Bullwinkle J. Moose. Deities,philosophers, and cartoon characters aside, know-it-alls are easily iden-tifiableby what they say. If you hear, “I told you, but you didn’t listen," or“Yeah, I already knew that,” you’re probably talking with one.

These run-of-the-mill, garden-variety know-it-alls,sometimes referred to as smart alecs, know everything about everything at alltimes -- or sothey would have you believe. They’re typically thought of as bombastic,opinionated, and bad listeners. Know-it-alls can pontificate ad infinitum onany subject. It drives some people crazy.

To be fair, know-it-alls sometimes have lots to offer,and, like most people, they’re generally competent. But, they can’t stand to becontradicted or corrected. A know-it-all lacks the humility to say, "I don’tknow enough about that to have an opinion," or "You may be right.”

As communicators, know-it-alls are good at giving andbad at receiving. They don’t take input well. Their rambling treatises have theeffect of putting people down. By implication, if they know everything, youknow nothing. Or at least that’s how it can make you feel.

For a little fun the next time you’re suffering at thehands of a know-it-all, ask them this question and see if they know the answer:According to the Heisenberg IndeterminacyPrinciple of quantum mechanics, what two properties of a system cannot besimultaneously determined with arbitrarily small uncertainties? The answer, of course, is position and momentum. Okay, we admit that’s ajuvenile way of dealing with know-it-alls. Instead, consider these dos anddon’ts.

Know-It-All Dos and Don’ts

Always have the facts when talking with a know-it-all.
Assumptions, estimates, and hunches don't carryany weight with them.
Be specific when asking questions of a know-it-all,lest they go off on a frustrating, counterproductive tangent.
Avoid directly challenging a know-it-all’s factsor interpretation of the facts. Best to just listen and move on -- orsimply excuse yourself and leave.
Remember that know-it-alls don’t know everythingand that you can contribute, too.
Look yourself in the mirror. If you’re aknow-it-all, fess up, and change.

George Muresan Talks About Fitness

2011-11-14T07:24:00.000-05:00

George Muresan is making the rounds talking about his books, The Boy's Fitness Guide and The Girl's Fitness Guide.

During his appearance on Our Place - a popular Fairfax, Virginia TV show for kids - George talks about exercise and eating right using examples from his NBA experience.

Joining George on Our Place were co-authors "Nik" Rares Morar and Frank Hawkins.

How to Say "No" to a Girl (Boy's Guide to Girls Fact #10)

2011-11-07T07:12:00.000-05:00

Tess sits next to you in Language Arts. You can tell she likes you in a girlfriend-boyfriend way. But, you don’t feel the same about her. The all-school spring dance is coming up and you know she’s going to ask you. You’re nervous. You don’t know how to say “no” without hurting her feelings. It’s the same feeling you got when Katie asked you to the movies last year. Why does all this boy-girl stuff have to be so difficult?

Saying “no” is hard to do. But, if that’s how you feel, you need to say so. If Tess asks you to the dance, you don’t want to lead her on by saying “yes.” That wouldn’t be fair - to either you or her. Especially when it’s Francesca you really want to go with.

Here are a few pointers to make turning down an invitation a little easier and go a little smoother. Remember, it’s not only what you say, but also how you say it.

Be honest and straightforward. “No thanks. I’m flattered you asked me, but I don’t want to” is better than “Well, uh, I don’t know. Maybe, but I don’t think so right now. Sorry.” Don’t leave her confused by sending mixed signals. And don’t say, “We can still be friends” if you don’t mean it.

Bepolite. Everyone deserves to betreated with respect. It takes a lot of guts to tell someone how you feel. Giveher your attention, look her in the eyes, and use polite words: “It’s very niceof you to ask me, but I have other plans for the dance.”

Be firm. If she doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer and keepshanging around and you don’t want the attention, use stronger language to getyour point across. Try something like this: “I don’t want to hurt yourfeelings, but I’m not interested. I have to go now, and I would like you toleave me alone.”

Bediscreet. Don’t make it a big dealthat she asked you out and you said “no way.” There’s no need to talk about itwith anyone. You wouldn’t want the fact that someone turned you down spread allover school, would you? Remember, the next time you may be on the receivingend.

Resistance Exercises (17 of 19)

2011-10-31T08:46:00.000-04:00

Leg Extension

Sit on a chair or weight bench high enough so your feet don't touch the floor.
Raise your legs so they're almost fully extended.
Slowly return to the starting position.

(Use ankle weights for a greater challenge.)

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Toning Your Body and Building Muscles (Girl's Fitness Fact #9)

2011-10-24T08:50:00.000-04:00

All young women want to look and feel their best. To achieve that goal, many work on toning their bodies and building muscle mass. But when's the right time to start working out to build muscles? The Girl's Fitness Guide has the answer.

When you reach puberty, your body starts making the hormones that build muscles. Until then, exercise only tones your body. If you want to build muscle mass, wait until after puberty. In the meantime, eat healthy foods and stay active. That will keep you strong and ready to start building muscle mass when your body is ready.

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Saying No to Everything (Bad Habit #37)

2011-10-17T06:12:00.000-04:00

Some people won’ttake no for an answer. Sometimes thenoes have it. At other times, there’s notwo ways about it. Evolved from Shinto rites, No is the name of a traditional 14th century Japanese all-malemasked drama. And No is thedesignation for chemical element Nobelium. Here, however, we are talking about“no,” meaning to give a negative response. It’s the answer you’ll get if youask someone on the street for a million dollars.

How often and for what reasons do you say, “No?”I say “no” all the time, probably 20 times a day. Even as I write this, myfirst reaction is, “There’s no way I say ‘no’ that much!” But, I think I justmight.

People say “no” not just to things that deserve it, but alsoto new ideas and possibilities. For some it’s a first reaction, a knee-jerkresponse without thinking—you know, a habit. Saying “no” stifles your chance toexperience new things, make unexpected discoveries, learn, and grow.

Every day holds opportunities to try a new food or go toa movie you wouldn’t usually see. In doing these simple things, you beginlearning how to say “yes.” And saying “yes” more often will allow you to see whatlife has to offer and, in the process, discover more about yourself.

Of course, it’s impossible to say, “yes,” to everything.There are lots of times that saying “no” is the right answer. Like when thestore clerk offers you a two-for-one deal on DVDs you’ll never watch, thewaiter wants you to have dessert even though you’re not hungry, or a personcomes to your door and wants you to buy magazines you’ll never read.

Sometimes it’s not easy knowing when to say “yes” andwhen to say “no.” It takes practice and understanding to strike the rightbalance. Here are some dos and don’ts for those of us always leaning toward“no.”

Saying No Dos and Don’ts

Think before you say “NO!”
Look for opportunities to say “yes.”
Always say “no” when it’s deserved.

Check out your bad habits here!

Resistance Exercises (16 of 19)

2011-10-10T07:43:00.000-04:00

Leg Lift

Lie on your back with your arms by your side, palms down.
Bring your right leg up as high as possible.
Keep your leg straight and your back flat on the floor.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Alternate sides to finish the set.

(Bend your knees to make the exercise less difficult.)

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Resistance Exercises (15 of 19)

2011-10-03T09:13:00.000-04:00

Crunch

Lie on your back with your legs bent.
Clasp your hands behind your head.
Lift your chest toward your knees until your shoulders come off the floor.
Slowly return to the starting position.

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Passing Gas (Bad Habit #3)

2011-09-26T07:10:00.000-04:00

Farting is the act ofreleasing gas from your anus, otherwise known as the hole in your butt. Theformal word for fart is flatulence:from Latin flatus, “blowing.” Farts also are calledgassers, stinkers, air biscuits, bombers, barking spiders, rotten eggs, and wetones. You can pass gas, break wind, blast, poof, rip one, let one fly, and cutthe cheese. As Juliet said to Romeo, “What's in a name? That which we call arose by any other name would smell as sweet."

Everyone farts. The only requirement is that you havegas in your digestive tract, that is, your esophagus, stomach, small intestine,or large intestine. Fart gas comes from air that you swallow and from thenormal breakdown of foodstuff by bacteria in your large intestine.

Burping is the way you get rid of most of theair that you swallow while eating and drinking. Any gas that remains after that big after-dinner burpmoves on to your small intestine, where it is partially absorbed. Then, whatlittle is left travels into your large intestine destined for release throughyour anus.

In the end, it’s bacteria in your intestinesthat get credit for causing most of the gas that makes you fart. It all happensin your large intestine (or colon) as bacteria work to digest sugars andstarches that haven’t already been digested in your small intestine. Thosebacteria produce hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and sometimes methane as they digestfood.

The bacteria also make small amounts of hydrogen sulfideand mercaptans, both of which contain sulfur. That’s what gives gas its smell.The more sulfur-rich food you eat, the more sulfides and mercaptans your bodymakes, the worse your farts smell. Cauliflower, corn, bell peppers, cabbage,milk, bread, eggs, and raisins make for really foul smelling farts. Beans makeyou fart a lot, but bean farts usually aren’t that smelly.

Here are some facts to impress your friends. Use themwisely and only at the appropriate time; in other words, not during dinner orin front of polite company.

The average person farts 14 times a day.
Vibrations of your anal opening make fart noise, notthe flapping of your butt cheeks.
The smelliest farts, euphemistically referred to asSBDs (silent-but-deadly), are usually warmer and quieter than regular farts.
Girls fart just as much as guys, although guys takemore pride in fart-related accomplishments than do girls.
Eating stimulates peristalsis, a series of smoothmuscle contractions that pushes foodstuffs through your intestines and towardyour anus. That’s why you fart and poop right after a meal.
Holding a fart won’t make it go away. Sooner or laterit’s going to happen.
People fart in their sleep.
Farts are flammable because they contain hydrogen(spelled H-i-n-d-e-n-b-u-r-g) and methane. Be careful.

Farting at an inopportune moment can be embarrassing.When this happens, there are many different strategies to deal with thesituation. You can, of course, fess up to your indiscretion. Or if you suspectpeople may not know it’s you that farted, you can act oblivious and glanceknowingly at the person next to you. Or you can try alternative strategies todisguise your deed, like coughing or moving your chair so that people mightthink they misheard the fart.

Farting Dos and Don’ts

Try to fart only when you’re alone.
Don’t fart at the dinner table or in enclosedspaces, like elevators.
Say, “Excuse me!” if you fart by accident andeveryone knows it was you.
Don’t fart in front of girls, unless you knowthem very well.
Enjoy your farts. They are here to stay.

Biting Your Nails (Bad Habit #44)

2011-09-19T08:29:00.000-04:00

Nail biting is the habit of chewing on one’s fingernails or toenails while nervous, anxious, or bored. Fingernail biting is quite common. Toenail biting, however, is not something you see every day, as it requires a contortionist-like ability possessed by only a few people.

Nails are the horn-like covering on the upper surface of the tip of your fingers and toes and those of other humans and primates. Think of fingernails and toenails as our version of claws, hooves, and talons, all made of keratin protein like that in your skin and hair.

Nails are handy. You can scratch an itch, rip open an orange, untie a knot, and pick your nose if you want. To test the usefulness of your fingernails, cover the ends of your fingers with tape and then try to take a nut from its shell, remove cat hair from your sweater, or pick up a dime. The results will give you new appreciation for that translucent hard covering on the ends of your fingers.

Now back to biting. As a result of what you touch, there are loads of germs crammed up under your fingernails. When you bite them, the germs go directly into your mouth. The idea is that germs make you sick, and it’s best to avoid getting them inside you.

Having been taught as children that it’s a bad habit, generations of parents have simultaneously pestered and begged their children to stop biting their fingernails. The irony is that lots of adults, many of them parents themselves, regularly chomp their own nails right down to the quick.

Have you been thinking about stopping? Ask your friends for assistance. Since you probably don’t even know when you’re chewing your nails, the most helpful thing your friends can do is to bring it to your attention. If this realization and the accompanying peer pressure don’t do the trick, you might want to buy a special colorless nail polish that makes your nails taste really awful. Then, there’s always hypnosis.

Now, to satisfy your hunger for more information, here are some interesting facts to chew on.

A Few Nail Biting Facts

The name for chronic nail biting is onychophagia.

Some people consider fingernail biting as the grown-up equivalent of sucking your thumb.

Guitar players sometimes grow long nails and use them as guitar picks.

According to Freud, nail biting is a symptom of oral fixation.

Some people say that chewing off pieces of your nails and the surrounding skin is akin to self-cannibalism.

Lee Redmond, who definitely does not bite her nails, holds the world record for the longest fingernails. Her longest single nail is on her right thumb and measures 2 feet 11 inches.

Belching (Bad Habit #2)

2011-09-12T06:54:00.000-04:00

Belch, from the Old English “belcettan,” is what’scalled an onomatopoeic word; that is, it reproduces a natural sound, like fizz.Belching, also known as burping,eructation, and ructus, is the return of air from either your esophagus orstomach through your mouth. Vibration of your upper esophageal sphincterproduces the sound (you know the one) as air passes through it. In the way of belching basics, just know that air in = belches out.

Like everyone, you have two one-way valves, or sphincters, which open and close to let food and drink (and air) move down your throat, through your esophagus, and into your stomach. When you swallow, yourupper sphincter opens to let food and drink (and air) enter your esophagus. Asthe food and drink (and air—see a pattern here?) reach the bottom of youresophagus, your lower sphincter opens and allows it to pass into your stomach.

While all belches sound similar, each has a distinctpersonality. Bombshell belches, forexample, come from your stomach. They are spontaneous and involuntary. Bomb-shellshappen when they happen, and they smell like whatever it was that you last ate.This can be a problem if you’re seated at the dinner table or meeting yourgirlfriend’s father for the first time.

Backfirebelches are when you deliberately force air you swallowed while eating anddrinking back out by contracting your abdominal muscles and relaxing your upperesophageal sphincter.

Then there’s our personal favorite, the Barrage. It’s executed just like thebackfire except that you intentionally swallow a gulp of air and immediatelyforce it back up. This mother-of-all belches gives you the ability to belch atwill. With practice, you can control the belch’s duration, acoustic range, andvolume.

According to people who are interested in these things,the loudest belch ever recorded (so far) was 107.1 decibels (dB). Paul Hunnfrom the United Kingdom achieved this record of epic proportions in London onSeptember 24, 2008. And just so you’ll know, Mr. Hunn produced about the samenoise level with his belch, as does a power mower at a distance of 3 feet.

In most English-speaking countries, belching out loud isconsidered impolite. There are other places, though, where belching signals thehost that you’re finished with your meal, and a good strong belch is consideredan accolade for the cook. With these differences in mind, here are a few dosand don’ts for our little corner of the world.

Belching Dos and Don’ts

Belch quietly and cover your mouth when there’ssufficient warning of what’s coming. Keep your lips closed if you can, andquietly release the air through your nose or mouth.
Say, “Excuse me!” no matter whether your burp isquiet or loud, a surprise or planned.
Don’t drink carbonated beverages like sodas fromcans, bottles, or through a straw. (Unless you want to belch, that is!)

Resistance Exercises (14 of 19)

2011-09-05T08:38:00.000-04:00

Shoulder Shrug

Stand with your arms by your side, palms facing your body.
Lift your shoulders up toward the back of your head.
Keep your arms straight, knees slightly bent, and chest up.
Slowly return to the starting position.

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Resistance Exercises (13 of 19)

2011-08-29T06:46:00.000-04:00

Front Dumbbell Raise

Stand with your arms hanging in front of you, palms facing your body.
Keeping your elbow straight, raise your right arm in front of you until it reaches just above shoulder level.
Lower your right arm while raising your left arm. Keep your back straight.
Slowly return to the starting position after the set.

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Resistance Exercises (12 of 19)

2011-08-22T07:16:00.000-04:00

Triceps Extension

Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor or bench.
Raise your right arm toward the ceiling, supporting your arm just below the elbow with your left hand.
Bend your right elbow, bringing the weight toward your shoulder.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Switch sides after each set.

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Resistance Exercises (11 of 19)

2011-08-15T11:44:00.000-04:00

Biceps Curl

Begin with the weights at your sides, palms facing in, and arms straight.
Curl the weight up by bending your elbow, rotating your forearm until it is vertical and your palm faces your shoulder.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Alternate sides* to finish the set.

*Another option is to lift the weights at the same time. Be sure to keep your back straight when using this technique.

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Resistance Exercises (10 of 19)

2011-08-08T08:13:00.000-04:00

Plank

Lie face down resting on your forearms, hands clasped.
Push off the floor, raising up onto your toes and resting on your elbows.
Keep your back straight. Don't hold your breath.
Hold the position as long as you can.

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Resistance Exercises (9 of 19)

2011-07-25T07:39:00.000-04:00

Step-Up*

Step up with your right leg. Then step up with your left leg.
Step down with your right leg, then your left leg.
Repeat, starting with your left leg this time.

(Hold light weights for more of a challenge.)

*Knee-high steps work more of your quadriceps. Higher steps work more of your gluteals.

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Resistance Exercises (8 of 19)

2011-07-18T06:11:00.000-04:00

Squat

Stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width apart.
Lower your body, bending through the hips, knees, and ankles until your knees are bent 90 degrees. Keep your back straight.
Return to the starting position.

(Hold dumbbells at your side for a greater challenge.)

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

How's Your Relationship Going? (Boy's Guide to Girls Fact #24)

2011-07-11T07:08:00.000-04:00

Take the quiz to find out how the whole girl-guy thing is going for you. Keep track of your answers as you go.

1. You’re absolutely, positively in love with your girlfriend and don’t want to be with anyone but her.

ME or NOT ME

2. You can’t get a date. You figure there must be something wrong with you.

ME or NOT ME

3. Your girlfriend asked you to go with her to a party this weekend. She knows you and your Dad are scheduled to leave Friday for a camping trip, but she wants you to go with her anyway. You say okay because she’s more important than anything else in your life.

ME or NOT ME

4. The only girls interested in you are the ones no one else wants to go out with. You don’t think you’re handsome enough to go out with a pretty girl.

ME or NOT ME

5. You were out with your friends and ran into that new girl from school. She was flirting with you and asked you to a dance in her old neighborhood. You figured your girlfriend wouldn’t find out so you said okay.

ME or NOT ME

Now the answers:
Read on if you answered “ME” to any of the questions.

1. Look around. You can probably count on one hand the number of steady couples who’ve been together more than a month. The point is that girlfriends will come and go in your life. Good friends - guys and girls - will always be there for you. Don’t be a guy who gets a girlfriend and his friends never hear from him again - until they break up, that is. Find time for your new girlfriend and your old friends.

2. First off, there’s nothing wrong with you. Don’t judge yourself by the number of girls that are interested in you. What’s important is that you be you: a nice guy with real character. So be patient. If they haven’t yet, the girls will notice you soon enough. Guaranteed.

3. Think about it. It’s not fair for your girlfriend to demand that you give up the camping trip with your Dad so you can attend a party with her. If something really important and unexpected had come up, like a funeral, then that would be different. But, a last-minute party? The camping trip was planned weeks ago, and she’s known about it from the beginning. It’s hard to keep your self-respect when you allow yourself to be manipulated. Instead, take a stand. When all is said and done, your girlfriend will respect you more for being true to yourself than for going to the party with her.

4. First things first. You’re being too hard on yourself. Who’s handsome and who’s not depends on who’s doing the looking. Guys look different because different looks appeal to different girls. Think about how boring it would be if we all looked the same. How you act and feel inside is what makes you appealing to girls. Don’t buy in to the Hollywood movie version of who’s handsome and who’s not. Or for that matter, which girl is pretty and which is not.

5. Trust is what makes relationships work. And to have trust, you have to be honest. If you’ve been thinking about breaking up with your girlfriend, this isn’t the way to do it. Be honest with her first, and then go out with the new girl. If you plan on staying with your girlfriend and you’re going out with the new girl just for fun, you need to grow up. It sounds like you’re not ready to have a steady girlfriend.

Resistance Exercises (7 of 19)

2011-07-05T07:06:00.000-04:00

Lunge

Stand with your feet about 12 inches apart.
Step about 2 to 3 feet forward with your right leg.
Lower your body until your left knee is 3 to 4 inches from the floor and your right knee is over your ankle. Keep your back straight.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat, leading with your left leg this time.

(Hold dumbbells at your side for a greater challenge.)

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Resistance Exercises (6 of 19)

2011-06-27T08:10:00.000-04:00

Back Extension

Lie face down with your legs together and straight, and your arms stretched out in front, palms on the floor.
Raise your head and shoulders off the mat as high as possible. Do not tense your shoulder muscles.
Slowly return to the starting position.

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Resistance Exercises (5 of 19)

2011-06-20T07:37:00.000-04:00

Bent-Over Dumbbell Row

Hold the weight in your right hand with your arm hanging straight down. Keep your back straight and parallel to the weight bench by looking up.
Keeping your elbow in, pull the weight up until your upper arm is aligned with your back and parallel to the weight bench.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Switch sides after each set.

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Is It Time to Break Up?

2011-06-13T07:02:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you and your girlfriend get along and sometimes you don't. Take the quiz and see how savvy you are when it comes to making a decision about when to hang in there and when to call it quits. Keep track of your answers as you go.

1. Your girlfriend is a great person and you’veknown her a long time, but there’s someone else you’re starting to like. Youdon’t want to hurt your girlfriend’s feelings. Do you hang in there or call it quits?

2. Every time you and your girlfriend plan to meetsomewhere, she’s always late. She always has a good reason and says she’ssorry, but it’s driving you crazy. Do you hang in there or call it quits?

3. You can’t reach your girlfriend on her cellphone. This has been going on for a while. When you ask, she won’t tell youwhere she’s been. Do you hang in there or call it quits?

4. You guys have been a “couple” since 7^thgrade, but she’s been hard to talk to this week. Do you hang in there or call it quits?

5. You started going out with her because she actsand dresses differently than other girls you know. Now you realize you don’thave much in common with her and the differences are beginning to bother you. Do you hang in there or call it quits?

The best answer to 2 and 4 is Hang in There. Don’t throw away a goodrelationship because of a small or temporary problem. Fix the problem instead.

The best answer to 1, 3, and 5 is Call it Quits. There’s no reason tostick with a girl who treats you badly. Period. And there’s no reason to stickwith a girl you don’t have feelings for. Calling it quits isn’t easy. But, thehurt will end and you both will get on with finding the right person. Be honestwith her - and yourself.

Resistance Exercises (4 of 19)

2011-06-06T08:16:00.000-04:00

Push-Up

Lie face down on the floor with your hands under your shoulders and your legs straight.
Straighten your arms and raise yourself to the starting position. Keep your back and legs straight.
Lower yourself until your body is parallel to the floor. Don't touch the floor.

(Support your body weight on your knees to make the exercise less challenging. For more of a challenge, elevate your feet.)

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Resistance Exercises (3 of 19)

2011-05-30T08:24:00.000-04:00

Chin-Up

Grip the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart using an underhand hold (palms facing inward). Your feet should not touch the floor.
Raise your body until your chin clears the bar.
Slowly return to the starting position.

(Pull-ups are the same except with an overhand hold.)

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Resistance Exercises (2 of 19)

2011-05-23T05:58:00.000-04:00

Dip

Place your hands on the dip bars with your arms straight. Your feet should not touch the floor.
Lower your body by bending your elbows until your arms are bent at a 90 degree angle.
Keep your elbows next to your body.
Slowly return to the starting position.

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength. (If you don't have dip bars, support yourself between two chairs with your heels resting on the floor in front of you.)

Helping Your Kids Learn about Personal Finance

2011-05-16T08:33:00.000-04:00

Guest Contributor, Ally Tobias

You get an allowance from your parents and make a bit of money on your own, maybe by babysitting or mowing lawns. Do you spend every penny you make as soon as you get it? If you don’t already know about personal finance - how to manage money and use it wisely - now's a great time to find out it's not that hard. Here are some good strategies that will help you learn financial responsibility.

Start Young!

The first thing to know is that pretty much everything costs money. Food, clothes, must-have video games, even keeping your room warm in winter and cool in summer costs money. I bet at some time or another, your Mom or Dad said to you, "Money doesn't grow on trees." What they mean is that they have to get up and go to work everyday to make the money your family needs to pay the bills and make sure you have what you need.

A big part of being successful with money has to do with making the right choices. Do you want three small games, or the bigger, nicer one? Do you want one small toy right away, or are you willing to wait for few days more and get two? Are you hungry and want that restaurant meal right now, or would you rather save the money for that game you want and eat at home later? The concept of weighing your alternatives, budgeting, and saving can be learned when you’re quite young!

Honesty! Honestly!
Let's say you tell your parents you're going to put half your allowance money in the bank. On the way over to make a deposit, you see a shirt at Abercrombie you really want and you spend your entire allowance on it. What you did was called "impulse buying." But, that's not what you said you were going to do! Be honest with yourself and keep your promise to your parents. Work on resisting your impulse to buy - buy - buy. Use your head to make the decision, not your emotions.

Know the Value of Money by Knowing the Value of Work

A great way to learn the value of money is to have some extra chores around the house for which your parents will pay you. You probably already have some regular things you do, like make your bed, help with the dishes, and take out the trash. Sit down with your Mom and Dad and see if they'll agree to some other special chores, things they would normally do, but that you'd like to take responsibility for - things like keeping the deck clean, trimming bushes, watering the plants, or shoveling snow. Talk with them about getting paid for that extra work around the house. Start off slow and see how it goes.

Working at home for your parents will give you great experience when it's time to branch out and work for other people. Part-time and summer jobs are great ways to earn extra money to do and have the things you want. Just don't forget to save part of it! You could start a neighborhood lawn-mowing business or take a babysitting job, for example. Working makes you feel good about yourself and appreciate the value of the money you earn.

Get In the Habit of Saving

Whether you get your money from an allowance or a part-time job, some of it should go into a savings account. Your parents can help you set one up and explain how it works. It's fun going to the bank, making a deposit, and watching your savings grow and grow and grow!

Just like your parents, there will be times you may need some of the money you've saved. Just make sure you really need it for something important, not just the latest must-have gadget. This bring us to...

Drawing up a Budget

A personal budget helps you prioritize what you spend money on and when you spend it. Remember impulse buying? A personal budget can help you get that under control. If you're on your own, the basics you need first are food, shelter, and clothing. These should be always put ahead of fun items, like eating out and a new cell phone. As you get used to saving for basics, you can start calculating how much you can set aside in your savings and how much you have for the fun items. Try it and you'll see how helpful a good personal budget can be.

Establishing Credit

When you get older, most people get a credit or debit card. Credit cards use money that's borrowed from the bank. The important thing to remember with credit cards is to pay off the balance every month. Letting credit card balances go unpaid month-to-month adds up quickly, getting you into a downward cycle that's very hard to get out of. Getting to the point that you can't make the payments will ruin your credit rating, making it hard or impossible to buy a car or other big-ticket item later on.

Debit cards, on the other hand, take the money directly out of your bank account. It can get you in trouble fast, too; that is, if you don't watch the details and stick to your budget.

By now you see that being responsible with your money isn't rocket science, just common sense. Take some time and learn the basics - the good money habits that will step you off on the right foot when it comes to having a secure productive future.

Ally Tobias is part of the team that manages Australian Credit Cards, a blog about personal finance tips for teens and young adults. Follow ACC on Twitter. Before joining ACC, Ally was a Media Planner with McCann Worldgroup Philippines, Inc., with award-winning executions, including the Levi's 501 "Live Unbuttoned" global campaign.

Peeing in the Shower (Bad Habit #5)

2011-05-09T06:17:00.000-04:00

Peeing, urinating, whizzing, or otherwise emptying your bladder onto the shower floor (or wall) is something 90% of people have done according to Mister Poll. If it’s any consolation, most people who admit peeing in the shower also say they don’t do it every time they shower. We don’t know about you, but that tidbit of information makes us feel a little better.

So, you ask, why do people get into the shower knowing they have to pee? Chances are they don’t have the urge until after they’re in the shower. All that flowing and splashing water triggers a programmed response in most people telling them to urinate. Remember that p-i-s-s, p-i-s-s, p-i-s-s sound your mom made to persuade you to pee when you were little? Same idea.

What are the pros and cons of peeing in the shower? Supporters argue it conserves water by saving on toilet flushes. They say it saves time when you’re in a hurry. Some even say that urinating on your feet cures Athlete’s Foot. (This isn’t true, by the way.) On the other side of the argument, detractors say peeing in the shower is a nasty, unsanitary, indolent act.

It turns out that urine from healthy kidneys is sterile in that it normally does not contain bacteria. Your urine can become infected with bacteria, though, if you have a urinary tract infection or if it picks up bacteria from your skin on the way out.

To pee or not to pee: that is the question. Whichever your persuasion, here are a few dos and don’ts to consider when you find yourself faced with the decision.

Peeing in the Shower Dos and Don’ts

Aim for the drain if you can’t refrain.
Don’t play with your pee: for example, trying to write your name on a steamed-up glass door.
Wear flip-flops in communal showers. Chances are very good that someone is peeing in it.
Establish a schedule if you want to stop the habit: go to the bathroom and then take your shower. It’s not hard to stop once you give it a little thought.

Resistance Exercises (1 of 19)

2011-05-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

Bench Press with Dumbbells

Begin with your arms out to your side and bent at 90 degrees. Your palms should be facing your feet and your wrists straight.
Push the weights up until your elbows are almost straight. Don't lock your elbows or bow your back.
Slowly return to the starting position.

Resistance exercise tones your body and builds muscular strength.

Smoking (Bad Habit #33)

2011-04-25T06:04:00.000-04:00

You can blow smoke, go up in smoke, and trick people with smoke and mirrors. You can smoke like a chimney and die for a smoke, both literally and figuratively. And don’t forget that where there’s smoke there’s fire. Of course, here we’re talking about smoking, an intransitive verb meaning to inhale and exhale the smoke of tobacco.

Do people still smoke? You bet they do! According to the America Lung Association, almost 6,000 people under 18 years of age start smoking every day—more than two million young people every year.

It wasn’t too long ago that anyone could buy cigarettes and smoke anywhere they wanted to—even in hospitals. There were advertisements for cigarettes every which way you turned. Nowadays, smoking is banned in almost all public places, and cigarette companies aren’t allowed to advertise except in a few magazines.

Why? Because tobacco contains chemicals, like nicotine and cyanide, that are poisonous. These days, almost everyone knows that the poison chemicals in tobacco cause cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. They know that every cigarette you smoke shortens your life by 5 to 20 minutes. And they know that buying cigarettes costs thousands of dollars a year, enough money to buy a car.

And if that’s not bad enough, nicotine is also highly addictive. Your body and mind get used to the nicotine, and you need it just to feel normal. Being addicted means you can’t stop smoking cigarettes. And you can’t stop buying the very cigarettes that will shorten your life with each one you smoke. Where’s the sense in that?

All the bad consequences of smoking probably seem far off in the future, but they’re not. In addition to the long-term problems caused by those poison chemicals, there are also problems you’ll have right away. Here are just a few of them:

Bad skin. Smoking restricts blood vessels preventing oxygen and nutrients from getting to your skin—which is why smokers look pale and unhealthy.

Bad teeth and breath. Cigarettes make your teeth yellow and give you halitosis, otherwise called bad breath.

Smelly clothes and hair. The smell of cigarette smoke stinks up your clothes, hair, and everything it touches.

Impaired performance. People who smoke can’t compete because of rapid heartbeat, decreased circulation, and shortness of breath.

More sickness. Smokers get more colds, flu, bronchitis, and pneumonia than nonsmokers. And if you have asthma, it will make it worse.

If you don’t smoke, you’ll be in better health, have more money in your pocket, and live longer. That sounds like a good deal.

Smoking Dos and Don’ts

· If you smoke, quit. Here are 13 Best Quit-Smoking Tips Ever from WebMD.

· If you don’t smoke, don’t start.

· Don’t substitute filtered or low-tar cigarettes for regular cigarettes. They are not better for you.

Consider This: Chewing tobacco, snuff, and smokeless tobacco are just as bad for your body as smoking.

Peeing on the Bathroom Floor (Bad Habit #7)

2011-04-18T07:56:00.000-04:00

Okay guys, your penis (we’ll call him Little Johnny for now) extends out from your body, and he’s flexible. You would think his physical attributes make urinating with pinpoint precision possible. But, who among us can legibly write his name in a snow bank or in the sand, let alone hit the pot every time we pee? Alas, no one.

Some people believe Little Johnny has a mind of his own; that no matter where you aim, Little Johnny goes wherever he wants. The cold hard fact is that if you stand while urinating, there’s a better than 50-50 chance you’ll pee on the toilet seat, the floor, or your feet. Here are the reasons why planning and preparation won’t improve the odds.

If Little Johnny’s owner is distracted while urinating, it’s anyone’s guess where the pee will end up. It is imperative to keep your concentration at all times.
If Little Johnny is the victim of practical jokers who slap his owner on the back (or butt) while urinating, the aim can go disastrously awry.
If Little Johnny has been lying twisted in your underwear the opening where urine exits can be temporarily deformed causing a very unpredictable aim.
If Little Johnny is lucky enough to hit the target, toilet water mixed with urine (and everything else that goes into the toilet) can splash everywhere.

You and Little Johnny can find yourselves with a pee problem on your hands for any of these or a myriad of other reasons. Obviously, accident-free peeing isn’t as easy as some people would have you believe. Here’s a cookbook approach to help improve the chances you’ll have a successful trip to the men’s room.

9-Step Pee Program

Raise the lid and seat. Females using the toilet after you appreciate this gesture.
Stand as close as you can without touching the bowl. If someone before you has urinated on the floor don’t stand in the puddle. Particularly if you are barefoot or have a hole in your shoe.
Aim to minimize splashing. To confirm the sweet spot, check it while wearing shorts. This is especially important for urinals. You will know immediately if you have it correct.
Pee. Take your time. It’s not a race.
Squeeze and shake the final drops from Little Johnny. If you shake him more than three times, you’re playing with him.
Put Little Johnny away.
Use toilet paper to wipe up your handiwork. Move quickly lest the urine soak through the paper to your hand.
Lower the seat and lid and then flush. Flushing with the lid up sprays microscopic water particles and other particulates (very small particles) into the air and onto you. Use your imagination as to what might be mixed in toilet water. (When using a urinal, flush, stand back, and hope for the best.)
Wash up. No exceptions.

Consider This: The only sure-fire way to avoid peeing pitfalls is to sit while doing the deed. If you go down this path, don’t forget to check the seat first.

Stretching Exercises (13 of 13)

2011-04-11T08:20:00.000-04:00

Outer Thigh Stretch

Sit on the floor with your left leg straight out in front of you.
Cross your right foot over and place it on the outside of your left knee.
With your right hand on the floor behind you, bring your left elbow across your body and place it on the outside of your right thigh.
Twist your body as you look over your right shoulder.
Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.
Repeat on the other side.

Stretching makes your muscles and joints flexible, preventing injuries, and stopping your muscles from cramping. Flexibility also allows you to move your muscles through their full range of motion. That helps you jump higher, reach further, and run faster.

What Your Body Needs for a Great Workout (Fitness Fact #8)

2011-04-04T10:57:00.000-04:00

Before You Exercise
Researchers have found that eating high-carbohydrate foods 1 to 4 hours before exercising provides plenty of blood glucose for your working muscles. Your body breaks down foods like bananas, bagels, and fruit juice to give you the energy you need for a good workout.

While You Exercise
Perspiration (sweat) drains your body of fluids. The harder you exercise and the warmer it is, the more you sweat. And the more you sweat, the more important it is to replace the fluids you’ve lost. Drink plenty of fluids while you work out—at least half a cup for every 20 minutes of exercise.

After You Exercise
If you exercise hard and non-stop for more than 90 minutes, you should replace the electrolytes and carbohydrates your body lost through perspiration. There are special “sports” drinks that will do the job, or you can make a homemade sports drink by mixing 2 to 4 teaspoons of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and some flavoring (like a teaspoon of lemon juice) in 8 ounces of water.

Snacks are also a great way to refuel after a workout. Choose snacks from different food groups—a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, or some dry cereal.

10 Frightening Facts About Child Obesity

2011-03-28T06:27:00.000-04:00

Guest Contributor, Corrine Smith

There’s really no questioning it: childhood obesity is a problem. Many have labeled it as an epidemic. In the past, the term “obesity” has only been associated with adults, but this idea has changed, as cases of child obesity are increasing every day. Studies show that childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years —The Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that obesity among children from the ages of 6 to 11 years has increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.8% in 2008, and that obesity among adolescents from the ages of 12 to 19 years increased from 5% in 1980 to 18.1% in 2008 (and these statistics are now 3 years old). More often than not, obesity is the result of a flawed lifestyle, where the number of calories consumed far outweighs the number of calories expended. Although genetics can be a factor, it is more and more common now for children to be obese or overweight because of environmental and behavioral factors. With nearly 25 million children affected by it today, the bottom line is that obesity is a threat to our children. These 10 frightening facts illuminate just how dangerous and costly childhood obesity is.

Only 2% of kids in the U.S. eat healthy: Based on diet specifications established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), only 2% of children in the United States have a healthy diet. It can be easy to dismiss statistics when so many numbers are thrown at you at once. Don’t be fooled. This means that 98% of American children eat unhealthy meals every day. This is a staggering number. In a survey of American high school seniors, only 3 out of every 10 report eating vegetables “nearly” every day. Of the vegetables consumed in the United States, one-fourth are in the form of french fries or potato chips. We hate to say it, but vegetables fried in grease hardly count as your daily dose of vegetables (even though they taste oh so good). Vegetables aside, soft-drink consumption has increased 300% in the last 20 years. 300%! To give us all a little perspective, one 16 ounce serving of regular Coke has 194 calories and 54 grams of sugar. That’s bad.
Fast food consumption is rising: One of the primary contributing factors to obesity in both adults and children is fast food consumption. We all know that fast food is bad for us and yet we continue to eat it. Fast food can be easier and even cheaper when time and money are both scarce. However, the more fast food children consume, the further we get from remedying the epidemic of child obesity. In a survey of high school students, the average teenager in the United States eats fast food twice a week. Eating fast food at a young age develops the habit of eating fast food as an adult. Studies show that low income families are more likely to eat fast food than higher income families. Even more alarming, a study done of 200 neighborhoods reported that there were three times as many supermarkets in wealthy neighborhoods as there were in poor neighborhoods, leaving fast food restaurants as the most convenient option for many low income families.
About 25% of kids don’t do any physical activity: When we think of being a kid, we think of running and playing tag or going t-ball practice. In movies and television shows little kids seem to be constantly running around and playing. Our idealized conception of childhood as a time of playful activity is what makes the following statistic so shocking: one in every four children does not participate in any free-time physical activity. What?! This means that one-fourth of all children under the age of 10 are not running and playing tag or hide-and-seek. No chasing each other on the playground? No climbing trees or jumping rope? More and more kids are spending their free time doing stationary activities. Furthermore, the importance of activity for children is going unnoticed as physical education classes are cut because of lowering school budgets. 92% of elementary schools do not have daily P.E. classes year-round and less than a quarter of high school students take a P.E. class once a day.
Kids spend up to 5 hours daily watching TV: To further the problem, in addition to physical education classes being cut, children are spending more time pursuing sedentary activities. According to The Clinton Foundation, a typical American youth spends approximately 4 to 5 hours a day watching TV, using the computer or playing video games. It’s no real surprise that television watching is closely correlated to childhood obesity. After all, there is no way a child can burn the calories he or she consumed that day if nearly all of their leisure time is spent sitting in front of a television. Several studies indicate that television viewing should be regarded as an important contributing factor to childhood obesity. Among kids ages 12 to 17, the prevalence of obesity increased by 2% for each hour of television viewed, even after considering variables such as prior weight, race, and socio-economic status.
Obese children make poor students: There is growing evidence indicating that children who eat well and lead an active lifestyle perform better academically. It’s not hard to believe that a healthy body makes a healthy mind. As discussed by the organization Action for Healthy Kids, a recent study of 5,000 children established a relationship between diet quality and academic performance. The lower the quality of diet, the lower a person performs academically. Research shows that regular physical activity aids in cognitive and academic development in kids between the ages of 7 and 11. Furthermore, overweight children miss 4 times more school than a child of normal weight does. So, on top of the fact that poor diet and low activity levels make it more difficult to perform cognitive functions, obese children are also missing valuable time in the classroom because of their obesity. If kids aren’t in school and performing to the best of their ability, then they can’t learn and flourish.
The risk for heart disease jumps:Cardiovascular Disease technically refers to any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. However, generally the term is used to refer to atherosclerosis, which is a condition that develops when plaque builds up in the walls of the arteries. This buildup inhibits blood flow, potentially causing heart attack or stroke. Now you’re thinking, “wait, weren’t we talking about child obesity here?” Most people consider stroke and heart attack adult concerns. However, in a population-based sample of children ages 5 to 17, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High levels of cholesterol and high blood pressure are two of the main risk factors for the development of heart disease. Most obese children have high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, or both. The primary way to manage cardiovascular disease is with diet and lifestyle intervention.
Half of diabetic children are overweight: Type-2 Diabetes is also termed “adult onset diabetes” because originally, only adults were afflicted with it. This, however, is quickly changing. There is an alarming increase in the number of children and adolescents developing Type-2 Diabetes throughout the world due to being overweight. According toThe American Diabetes Association, 45% of children diagnosed with diabetes have Type-2 Diabetes due to being obese or overweight. Moreover, between the years 2005 and 2008, the number of children with Type-2 Diabetes doubled in America (if this rate continues that number will have doubled again this year in 2011). In some countries, type-2 diabetes has become the most common form of disease in children and in North America at least one in every 100 youth has been diagnosed with some form of diabetes.
Sleep apnea is a growing threat: As defined by the Mayo Clinic, sleep apnea is a condition where one’s breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night. A study preformedin 2009 suggests that sleep apnea is the most severe problem faced by obese children. There are two types of sleep apnea: central sleep apnea, which occurs when the brain doesn’t send the proper signals, and obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when throat muscles relax too much and the airway collapses. Obese children are at a greater risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea because their tonsils are so large that it can interfere with the ability of the chest and abdomen to fully expand during breathing. Sleep apnea is associated with decreased quality of life. Sufferers may also experience behavioral, neurocognitive, cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, and psychiatric complications.
Health care costs are triple what they are for healthier children: The cost of obesity for both the national health care system and the individual has sky rocketed in the past few years as obesity quickly becomes an epidemic. In an examination of the cost of obesity for Americans, researchers report that Americans spend 9% of their total medical costs on obesity-related illnesses and that the national cost of obesity is approximately $45 billion per year. Moreover, children treated for obesity are roughly three times more expensive for the health care system than children of normal weight. To put this statistic into perspective, this means that children who are being treated for obesity and obesity related illnesses spend more on health care than smokers. The indirect cost of obesity, including missed work and future earnings losses, has been estimated at %56 billion dollars per year. As if the cost of your health and happiness weren’t enough, obesity also costs your bank account and the national health system a huge amount of money.
Obese children will live shorter lives than their parents: Perhaps the most frightening facts concerned with childhood obesity are the projections being made about an obese child’s life expectancy. We know that heart disease and type-2 diabetes shorten a person’s lifespan, but what happens when we talk about children under the age of 10 with these “adult” conditions? A study performed in 2005 projected that if obesity among children continues to increase, the current generation of children will live shorter lives than their parents. Let’s hear this just one more time: if childhood obesity trends continue, children born now may die before their parents. This is an utterly terrifying thought. This projection means that obesity is not only more expensive, but also, more dangerous to a person’s health than smoking cigarettes. With obese youth being 80% more likely to become overweight or obese adults and, therefore, more at risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancer, and osteoarthritis, it’s not too difficult to see that shorter lifespan could become a problem. Childhood obesity is a dire issue. These 10 facts underscore the necessity for a healthy diet and active lifestyle at all ages, but especially for children.

What NOT to Do When You Go Out

2011-03-21T07:57:00.000-04:00

We asked around to find the things that drive girls crazy on a date. Here are the top ten complaints:

Talking about previous girlfriends
Texting
Swearing
Lying
Trying too hard to impress her
Taking phone calls in the middle of a conversation
Ignoring her when you’re with a group of people
Showing off
Awkward silences
Playing mind games

And here are the things girls said they liked the best:

Opening doors
Complimenting her on how she looks
Listening to what she has to say
Being nice to her friends
Treating her with respect

Which will you do the next time your out on a date?

Stretching Exercises (12 of 13)

2011-03-14T06:09:00.000-04:00

Inner Thigh Stretch

Sit with the soles of your feet flat against each other.
Hold your ankles, with your elbows gently pressing your knees toward the floor.
Lean forward, lowering your chest toward your feet until you feel your inner thighs stretch.
Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.

Your Eyes: What to Look For (Body Fact #4)

2011-03-07T08:48:00.000-05:00

Most kids don’t know they have a problem with their eyes until they have trouble reading a book or they can’t see the board in school. If things look blurry or if your eyes bother you in any way, tell your parents so they can take you to see an eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist). If either of your parents needed glasses when they were young, chances are you will, too.

Lots of kids have their vision screened by a school nurse or family doctor. Screening is a great way to find out if you need a more thorough exam by an eye doctor. A complete eye exam takes about 30 minutes. During the exam, the doctor will check your eyes to find out how well you see. He’ll also check for eye diseases that cause blindness, like glaucoma.

The eye doctor will also have you read an eye chart and he’ll look inside your eye using a bright light and a high-powered lens. He may even use special drops to dilate (widen) the pupils of your eyes so he can check the health of your optic nerve. Or, he may give you what’s called the “air puff” test to measure the fluid pressure inside your eye. The important thing to remember about eye exams is that they’re easy and they don’t hurt at all.

If it turns out you need glasses, don’t sweat it. It’s a lot easier to read the board at school or hit a baseball when you can see it! Choose glasses that seem to match your personality. There are all kinds of styles—from plain to fancy. You may even have the choice to wear contact lenses. Just remember that they require special care and cleaning. Talk to your eye doctor about whether contact lenses or glasses are better for you.

Here’s one last bit of advice: protect your eyes. When you’re outside in the bright sun, wear sunglasses with UVA/UVB protection. Too much light can give you headaches, damage your eyes, and cause vision problems when you get older (like cataracts). And don’t forget to wear eye protection when playing a sport that could injure your eyes—like racquetball or paint ball.

So there you have it. Taking care of your eyes isn’t that hard, but it is important. See you around!

Stretching Exercises (11 of 13)

2011-02-28T07:37:00.000-05:00

Hamstrings Stretch

Sit on the floor with your feet together and legs straight.
Grab your ankles and lean forward, trying to touch your forehead to the tops of your legs.
Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.

Stretching Exercises (10 of 13)

2011-02-21T09:52:00.000-05:00

Calf Stretch

1. Lean against a wall with your hands.

2. Bend your right knee.

3. Move your left foot back, keeping your leg straight, while pressing your heel toward the floor.

4. Move your hips forward until you feel tension in your left calf muscle.

5. Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.

6. Repeat on the other side.

Stretching Exercises (9 of 13)

2011-02-15T07:39:00.001-05:00

Quadriceps Stretch

Keeping your back straight, grab the top of your left foot with your left hand.
Pull your heel toward your butt.
Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.
Repeat on the other side.

(For a greater challenge, balance on one foot without holding on to anything for support.)

Cold Sores versus Fever Blisters (Body Fact #3)

2011-02-07T10:48:00.000-05:00

Cold sores (also called fever blisters) are small, painful, fluid-filled blisters that show up one at a time or in little bunches. They usually occur on your lips and they last 7 to 10 days. Just to let you know, you don't need to have a cold to get a cold sore. And you don’t need a fever to have a fever blister!

Cold sores are very common and very contagious. Once you catch the virus that causes them, it stays in your body waiting around for another time to come out and cause more sores. Cold sores usually come back in the same place as previous ones.

Cold sores generally clear up without treatment in a week or so. But you may want to speed up the healing process by trying some of the cold-sore medicines at the drugstore. There are many different products that dry up and heal cold sores. Some work better than others, so try them until you find the one that works best for you. If you get a lot of cold sores, your parents may take you to see your family doctor. He or she can give you a special cream that will speed the healing even faster and reduce the pain.

While you’re waiting for the cold sore to go away, remember to wash your hands regularly and don’t pick at it. You don’t want to spread the virus to other parts of your body, like your eyes or groin.

Stretching Exercises (8 of 13)

2011-01-31T08:21:00.000-05:00

Back Stretch

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent.
Put your hands on your thighs.
Gently arch your back, rolling your shoulders and leaning forward slightly.
Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.

Acne versus Pimples (Body Fact #2)

2011-01-22T11:44:00.000-05:00

What do whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, and cysts all have in common? They're all types of acne. Your skin's pores sometimes get clogged up with oil, dead skin cells, and germs (bacteria). When a pore clogs up, closes, and bulges out from the skin, it's called a whitehead. When a pore clogs up but stays open, the top surface usually gets dark and you have a blackhead. At other times, the walls of the pore break, allowing oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria to get under your skin. The causes a small red infected bump called a pimple. When a pore clogs up and the infection goes deeper and fills with puss, it's called a cyst.

That's a lot to remember! But don't worry. Just remember that if either of your parents had acne, chances are very good that you will, too. Don't feel alone. Almost everyone has acne of some kind by the time they become an adult. The good news is that most acne goes away about the time you turn 20 years old. Still, it's not easy to look at yourself in the mirror and see a big fat pimple on your nose!

Here are some things you can do to keep acne breakouts to a minimum.
1. Wash your face twice a day with soap and warm water.
2. Don't scrub your face. Wash gently, using your fingertips instead of a washcloth.
3. If you wear sunscreen on your face, make sure it's labeled "nonacnegenic" or "noncomedogenic."
4. Wash your face after you've been exercising and sweating a lot.
5. Don't touch, squeeze, or pop pimples. The oil and dirt from your hands will just make things worse.
6. Try some of the acne lotions and creams from your drugstore to see if they help. The ones that contain benzyl peroxide (kills bacteria) are usually the best.
7. If your acne is more serious, a family doctor or dermatologist (skin doctor) can prescribe stronger creams and lotions.

George Muresan Talks About Kid's Fitness

2011-01-17T08:53:00.000-05:00

George Muresan is making the rounds talking about his book, The Boy's Fitness Guide. During his December 2010 appearance on Our Place - a popular Fairfax, Virginia TV show for kids - George talks about exercise and eating right using examples from his NBA experience. Joining George on Our Place were co-authors "Nik" Rares Morar and Frank Hawkins.

Stretching Exercises (7 of 13)

2011-01-10T08:06:00.000-05:00

Side Stretch

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Place your right hand behind your back and your left arm overhead.
Reach up with your left hand and lean to the right.
Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.
Repeat on the other side.

What To Do When You Go Out

2011-01-03T06:23:00.000-05:00

There are lots of ways to “go out” with girls. To start, probably the best way is with a group of girls and guys. Groups are good because they take some of the pressure off and give everyone a chance to get comfortable with each other.

It won’t be long, though, before you want to go out with just one girl. When that time comes, there are lots of things you and your girlfriend can do to have fun.
1. Go ice-skating.
2. Play miniature golf.
3. Get a bunch of friends together and go bowling.
4. Go for a hike or a walk around your neighborhood.
5. Invite her to meet you at the rec center to go swimming.
6. Go see that new movie everyone’s talking about.
7. Ask her to the beach with your family for the day.
8. Grab a buddy and meet her and her friends at the pool.
9. Get a pizza together after school.
10. Sit on a park bench and talk.

One last thought: it’s not so much where you are or what you’re doing, but who you’re with. What matters most is that you like being around each other.

Stretching Exercises (6 of 13)

2010-12-20T08:25:00.000-05:00

Neck Stretch
1. Begin with your head in its normal upright position.
2. Gently tilt your head sideways, first to the right, then left, front, and back.
3. Hold the stretch in each direction 10 to 15 seconds.

Stretching makes your muscles and joints flexible, preventing injuries, and stopping your muscles from cramping. Flexibility also allows you to move your muscles through their full range of motion. That helps you jump higher, reach further, and run faster.

Stretching Exercises (5 of 13)

2010-12-14T08:10:00.000-05:00

Shoulder Stretch
1. Cross your right arm over your chest.
2. With your left hand, gently pull your right elbow toward your left shoulder. Keep your right arm straight.
3. Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.
4. Repeat on the other side.

Stretching makes your muscles and joints flexible, preventing injuries, and stopping your muscles from cramping. Flexibility also allows you to move your muscles through their full range of motion. That helps you jump higher, reach further, and run faster.

Sick Teens Have Fewer Friends - New Study Shows

2010-12-08T14:30:00.000-05:00

New research from a U.S. Government-funded study shows that teens who have health problems have fewer friends than other teens and often believe their friendships are stronger than they actually are.

U.S. researchers examined the responses of 2,060 teens who took part in a 1994-1996 survey that asked them about their health and their school friends. About two-thirds of the teens rated their health as "excellent" or "very good." The rest of the teens who said their health was either "good," "fair" or "poor" had such conditions as asthma, obesity, deafness or blindness.

According to lead author Steven Haas, a sociologist at Arizona State University, these teens "don't perceive themselves as having fewer friends. If you ask them to list [their friends], they list the same number of friends as the healthy kids do."

"But, if you ask the other kids who they're friends with, they're much less likely to nominate the sick kids as their friends," Haas said in a Center for Advancing Health news release. The findings show that less-healthy teens "tend to overstate how strong some of their friendships are," Haas added. The study also found that the sickest teens were 20 percent more likely to have no one at school list them as a friend.

It's not known which comes first - isolation or poor health. But it's clear that "being sick doesn't make you fun to be around," Haas noted. "It can be taxing on your friends and they have to do a lot of emotional support and try to make you feel better." Hass added, "Health is both a cause and a consequence of how many friends you have and how many people you have to support you."

The study is published in the December issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

Stretching Exercises (4 of 13)

2010-12-06T08:40:00.000-05:00

Triceps Stretch
1. Start with your arms overhead.
2. Grab your left elbow with your right hand.
3. Slowly pull your elbow toward the back of your head.
4. Hold the stretch 10 to 15 seconds.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Stretching makes your muscles and joints flexible, preventing injuries, and stopping your muscles from cramping. Flexibility also allows you to move your muscles through their full range of motion. That helps you jump higher, reach further, and run faster.

Stretching Exercises (3 of 13)

2010-11-29T10:06:00.000-05:00

Biceps Stretch
1. Lift your arms to shoulder height at your sides.
2. Rotate your wrists so your palms face behind you.
3. Hold the stretch 10 to15 seconds.

Stretching makes your muscles and joints flexible, preventing injuries, and stopping your muscles from cramping. Flexibility also allows you to move your muscles through their full range of motion. That helps you jump higher, reach further, and run faster.

Puberty in Boys

2010-11-21T07:45:00.000-05:00

My best friend grew a mustache when he was 13. How did that happen? It’s all about puberty, of course.

As adults, we know puberty is part of growing up. Our children, however, still have to face the physical and emotional changes it brings. And whether they admit it or not, every child has questions about the process at some point. That’s where parents come in.

Puberty isn’t as tough if your kids understand a few basics. To kick things off, here's a short article for that young man in your house. For more information, we recommend getting your child one of the many great specialty books about growing up that are available these days. Good luck!

Puberty is the name for the time when your body begins to develop and change. Growing up to be an adult means that a lot of big changes are on the way. It also means taking responsibility for the care and health of your body.

The big changes will probably start when you’re 10 to 15 years old. But that’s not true for everyone. You could get started earlier or even a little later. Don’t worry if your best friend looks older and more grown-up. You’ll catch them. Puberty starts and finishes on its own schedule—not yours.

Once puberty does begin, your body will seem to have a mind of its own. Your body will change and at times you’ll grow so fast your shirtsleeves and pant legs will always be too short. Some young men can grow 4 or more inches in a year and suddenly stop. But, wait! Even after you think you’re done, you could still grow a little more.

You probably wonder what you’ll look like after all the changes are over. Heredity is what determines the shape of your nose, how big your feet are, and how tall you’ll be. If your mom and dad are tall and thin, then you’ll probably be tall and thin, too. But, nothing is for sure. You just have to wait and see.

Liking a Girl (Boy's Guide to Girls Fact #3)

2010-11-15T09:30:00.000-05:00

You probably have friends that just happen to be girls. You like hanging out with them because they’re easy to talk to and they like the same things you do. There may come a time, though, when you find that your feelings for one of them are beginning to change. H-m-m-m, is she a friend or a “girlfriend?” All of a sudden, you may not be so sure.

What is it about a particular girl that makes you like her? Does she tell funny jokes—have a nice smile—flirt with you—kick a mean soccer ball? Is she smart—pretty—outgoing—have long blond hair? The combinations are almost endless. Fact is, though, certain combinations appeal to you more than others. What do you like best?

Stretching Exercises (2 of 13)

2010-11-08T09:12:00.000-05:00

Stretching Exercises (1 of 13)

2010-11-01T09:48:00.000-04:00

Upper Back Stretch

Beware of Nuts on Halloween

2010-10-25T08:39:00.000-04:00

According to The National Women's Health Information Center, for most kids, Halloween parties and trick-or-treating can be both fun and frightening, but for children with nut allergies, the day can be dangerous, too.

Nut allergies "can be a life-or-death situation," says Dr. Sean Cahill, an associate professor of pediatrics at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. "Though having a nut allergy is serious, kids should still be able to have fun. The key is education. Make sure your child knows what he or she can eat," Cahill adds. He offered the following suggestions for keeping children safe at Halloween parties:

Before the party, let the host know about your child's allergy and what specific foods must be avoided.
Offer to help wipe down surfaces. Along with ingestion, touching surfaces exposed to nuts, not inhaling nut particles, is what causes allergic reactions. Pans, dishes and serving utensils should be thoroughly cleaned if previously used on dishes prepared with nuts.
Bring your own treats to the party if you're not sure about the safety of what's being served. If a label says a food has been made on the same machine as products with nuts, don't buy it. If a label says a food has been made in the same plant as products with nuts, it's likely safe.

Cahill also offered trick-or-treat safety tips:

If you have a young child, take nut-free candy to neighbors before Halloween and then take your child to those houses on the big night.
When your child returns home from trick-or-treating, immediately remove all treats with nuts or those that could cause a reaction. If in doubt, get rid of the candy.
If you or anyone else eats a product with nuts, brush your teeth and wash your hands before hugging or kissing a child with a nut allergy.

And a final warning from Cahill, "A peanut allergy is not limited to peanuts. Some people with a peanut allergy are allergic to other types of nuts and seeds, and nut allergies are often seen in kids with other food allergies, like eggs, or in kids with asthma and eczema."

More information:
The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has more about food allergies.

Nutrition for Girls (Girl's Fitness Fact #8)

2010-10-18T08:42:00.000-04:00

Food is fuel for your body just as gasoline is fuel for a car. How quickly a car uses gasoline depends on how far and how fast it’s driven. In just the same way, how quickly you use food energy depends on what physical activities you do and how long you do them.

Calories give your body energy. But if you eat more calories than your body needs, the leftover calories are converted to fat. And too much fat leads to health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Food energy is measured in calories. When you hear that a food or drink contains 100 calories, it’s a way of telling you how much energy it will give you. A cup of shredded lettuce, for example, has less than 10 calories. A cup of peanuts has over 850 calories.

How many calories you need depends on your age, body size, and how physically active you are. The best way to make sure you are not getting too many or too few calories is to check your weight from time to time. If you’re staying within your ideal weight range (Body Mass Index), you’re probably consuming the right amount of calories.

Here are the guidelines for the average number of calories your body needs each day. Remember that these numbers are averages.

7-10 years old: 1,750 calories per day

11–14 years old: 1,850 calories per day

15–18 years old: 2,100 calories per day

Going Steady Quiz

2010-10-11T07:43:00.000-04:00

You and your friends have started hanging out with a particular group of girls. You eat together everyday in the lunchroom and meet up whenever you can, like at an evening varsity basketball game or to just hang out and talk on the weekend. Some of the guys and girls are starting to pair off. Others are just having a good time being part of the group. Either way, you like how it feels to be with a bunch of girls. You still like being with just the guys, but the girls make you feel really great in a different sort of way.

Just last week, Charlotte and your best friend, Ethan, decided to go together. Should you do it, too? Ethan says it no big deal to date one girl exclusively, but you’re not so sure. Your instinct is right to give it some thought. See what others, like your parents, have to say. Listen to what your gut tells you. Make sure that if you’re going to have a steady girlfriend, it’s for the right reason.

Which of these are the best reasons to go with just one girl?

Going Stead Quiz

1. Everyone else is doing it.
2. She’s a football cheerleader.
3. You feel really great when you’re around her.
4. Your best friend says you should.
5. She’s the only girl who said “yes.”
6. You want to make another girl jealous.
7. She’s smart, nice, and fun to hang out with.
8. It’s what young men your age do.
9. You don’t want to be left out of the dating scene.
10. She’s the best girl you can get.

Answers:
Good reasons: 3 and 7
Bad reasons: all the rest

How To Kiss a Girl (Boy's Guide to Girls Fact #31)

2010-10-04T08:59:00.000-04:00

To hear other guys talk, everyone has kissed a girl but you. Well, don’t believe it. Guys like to talk - boast is more like it - especially about their experience with girls. Don’t let what other guys have or haven’t done affect you. Fact is, the guys who brag most are usually the least experienced. Talking is one thing; doing is another.

Kissing and other touching between a girl and a guy happens when the timing is right. Just because your best friend kissed a girl last week doesn’t mean you have to rush out and do the same this week. Romance is not a race. Affection between a girl and a guy is most exciting and fun when they know and like each other.

With that in mind, here are a few dos and don’ts to guide you.

Kiss a girl because you like her and she likes you, too.
Don’t force yourself on a girl. If she wants to kiss you, you’ll know by how she acts and what she says.
Make it private. With the exception of weddings, public shows of affection should generally be limited to quick kisses, hugs, and handholding. A kiss is for two people, not a crowd. Be discreet.
Don’t play the sympathy card to get a kiss. “It’s been so long since anyone kissed me,” sounds rather pathetic and weak. It’s not a good foundation on which to build a relationship.
Don’t play the guilt card to get a kiss. “If you like me, you'll kiss me,” is manipulative and pitiful sounding. Best avoid this approach, too.
Get out there and meet girls. You'll know when the time is right for that first kiss.
Oh, and don't be too concerned about the mechanics of kissing. It's more important to be relaxed and have fun. Remember, practice makes perfect!

How Much Sleep Do Kids Need? (Kid's Body Fact #19)

2010-09-27T09:43:00.000-04:00

My kids have so much homework and so many extracurricular activities they hardly have time to sleep. It’s a time management issue to be sure. And if your house is like mine, sleep is the commodity that always gets short-changed.

People don’t generally give sleep much thought. Up too late last night? Have a cup of coffee or an energy drink. But those solutions don’t work for your kids. What to do? There’s only one answer: find the time for your children to get the sleep they need. With that in mind, here’s an article about sleep written just for kids. It probably wouldn’t hurt you to read it, too!

Everyone sleeps. It’s how your body recharges itself so you’ll be ready to get up tomorrow feeling rested, healthy, and strong. Most kids between the ages of 8 and 12 need about 10 hours of sleep every night. The older you get, the less sleep you need. If you’re between 13 and 17 you’ll need about 9 hours. And, if you’re 18 or older, 8 hours should do it.

But, between after-school activities, homework, and everything else going on, it’s hard to find time to get the sleep your body needs. Try hard, though, because sleep is very important to your health. You need sleep so you can be your best at school, at sports, and in life.

Every once in a while, you may find that you can’t fall asleep. There’s usually a good reason. It could be a test at school you’re worried about, or something someone said that hurt or angered you. As you lie in bed you may keep thinking about it over and over in your head. And guess what happens? You can’t go to sleep. Think the problem through and talk to someone about it. Even if the problem can’t be solved, just talking it out will help you relax and get some sleep.

It’s also possible you’re too hot, too cold, too hungry, or too crowded in bed to fall asleep. Turn on a fan if you’re hot. Put socks on if you’re cold. Eat a light snack if you’re hungry. And make sure your bed isn’t jammed with so much stuff there’s no room for you. If none of that works, try this technique to fall asleep: First, start with your toes and concentrate on completely relaxing them. When your toes are relaxed, do the same for your feet. Then, one at a time, do your ankles, legs, hands, and arms. Before you know it, you’ll be sound asleep.

Here are some more tips to sleep by. They always work!
1. Play hard and eat right during the day.
2. After dinner, limit foods and drinks that contain caffeine, like chocolate and sodas.
3. Don’t watch scary TV shows or play action video games close to bedtime because they can make it hard to sleep.
4. Organize yourself and take the pressure off the next morning by packing your lunch, laying out your clothes, collecting your homework, and getting your backpack ready.
5. Go to bed around the same time every night; this helps your body get on a schedule.
6. Floss, brush, and take a warm shower every night; this tells your body it’s time for bed.
7. Tune out the noise when it’s time to fall asleep. Turn off your MP3 player, computer, and TV.
8. Get comfortable in bed.
9. Relax. Think about things that make you happy.

Mistakes To Avoid with Girls (Boy's Guide to Girls Fact #32)

2010-09-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

Francesca knows you’re interested. She and her friends came by Mickey D’s Tuesday after school to say “hi.” Since then, though, the two of you haven’t gotten together. You’ve asked, but it just doesn’t happen for one reason or another.

This is when you want to play it smart and avoid the every-day mistakes guys make when things aren’t going just right.

Monday: Don’t be too aggressive. Most girls don’t like it. Back off and give her some space.

Tuesday: Don’t try to make her like you. You’re in charge of your feelings, but you’re not in charge of hers.

Wednesday: Don’t bad mouth other guys to make you look good. In the end, it just makes you look bad.

Thursday: Don’t show off to impress her. It will draw attention to you - but not the kind you want.

Friday: Don’t try to make her feel sorry for you. Girls don’t want a guy who looks desperate and emotionally weak.

May the Best Man Win (Boy's Guide to Girls Fact #30)

2010-09-09T10:58:00.000-04:00

Who runs fastest, throws farthest, jumps highest? For sure, guys are very competitive, especially when it comes to romance. Here are some common situations you may run into and how to handle them.

Situation 1

You wonder what it would be like to go out with different girls, including your best friend’s steady girlfriend. You might even have a crush on her. That’s understandable if she’s the first girl you’ve talked to and spent time with.

No matter how experienced or inexperienced you are there’s not always a clear line between being friends with a girl and having romantic feelings for her. Even so, you need to remember that this particular girl is off-limits. Make sure nothing you do or say sends any other message. Aside from the fact that her boyfriend is your best buddy, it’s just not the right thing to do. Back off and leave her alone.

Situation 2

You and your best friend both like the same girl. This is a tough situation that requires you both to show some maturity; if your friendship is to survive, that is. Begin by admitting you both have romantic feelings about her. Lots of times, important details that affect friendships go unsaid between guys. Don’t let that happen to you.

In a way, it’s kind of funny, but not too surprising, that you both like her. You guys hang out all the time, think alike, and have the same tastes, so why wouldn’t you go after the same girl? Have a few laughs about it. Let the situation play out. She may choose to go out with you, your friend, or neither of you. No matter what happens, the main idea is to keep a cool head and remember who’s your best friend.

Situation 3

You really like your best friend’s girlfriend and she likes you. They haven’t been getting along and you figure they’ll break up soon. If they do, so be it. Just make sure you’re not the reason it happens. Stepping in before they break up will betray your friend’s trust in you and wreck the friendship.

If and when they do separate - and after she’s had time to get over him - you can go after her with a clear conscience. No matter the timing, though, just remember it may still affect you and your buddy’s friendship.

Situation 4

There’s a guy in your science class that won’t leave your girlfriend alone. It’s clear he’s trying to steal her away from you. Before confronting him, step back and look at how your girlfriend acts when he’s around. If she discourages his advances by ignoring him and telling him “I have a boyfriend,” then you don’t have to worry. Be supportive of her. After all, she can’t help it if he finds her attractive.

If she’s flirting and leading the guy on then you have a decision to make. Your choices are simple: live with it, change it, or leave. If you’re like most guys you won’t put up with her flirting for long, especially if it’s clear she’s looking around for a new boyfriend. You can ask her to change, but it’s not likely to happen if she’s already made up her mind. That leaves you with the last option: go your own way and don’t look back.

A suggestion from Sophie: If a girl runs around on her boyfriend with you, it’s a good bet she’ll do it again - except next time it’ll be you she’s running around on.