I know it’s not easy to reach a fitness goal.  I also know that it’s not easy to start over again when you’ve tried before and couldn’t reach your goal.

The fitness industry is REALLY confusing with all the information put out in the media.  It doesn’t have to be that complicated!

With the right guidance and the right workout method coupled with good nutrition, you really can reach ANY fitness goal you want to!

I believe that Dynamic Plateau Training is that "right" workout method and it’s not complicated!

What is Dynamic Plateau Training?

Dynamic Plateau Training is a flexible fitness method that can be molded so that you can reach ANY personal fitness goal of yours.

It’s not just for weightlifting and it’s not just to break through a plateau.  It doesn’t matter if your aim is to lose weight, gain strength or muscle size, run faster or gain endurance.

You can achieve anything with the DPT method!  All you have to do is mold the method around your goal.

For example:  Ask Bonnie, a woman in Arizona who ran over 6 miles in under an hour on her 60th Birthday using the DPT method!

CLICK HERE for a FREE Video that teaches you the Secret behind the DPT method.

As a FREE bonus for watching the free video, you’ll also receive 7 No Nonsense Fitness Facts that should be the foundation of any fitness program, whether you decide to use Dynamic Plateau Training or not.

Slapping and scratching yet? Get ready, skeeters have returned this year with a vengence – experts are saying that we may be in for the worst mosquito season in five years!

Determined to find ways to to keep these nasty, blood-sucking, itchy, irritating, disease-carrying pests from ruining my family’s summer – I began a search and ended up earning my online mosquito degree.

The following is everything I learned and a whole lot more than I ever cared to know about mosquitoes. Hopefully you’ll find something useful that might help you avoid being eaten alive this summer!

25 Mosquito Facts and Trivia

1. Mosquito fossils date back at least as far as 100 million years ago.
2. More than 3,500 species now inhabit the planet.
3. Mosquitoes live everywhere that’s not permanently frozen.
4. Females, who need blood to produce eggs, are the ones doing ALL the biting.
5. When they bite, they transmit viruses and parasites, making them a prime vector for West Nile virus, encephalitis, Dengue fever, malaria and a host of other diseases.
6. Mosquitoes have poor eyesight but have extremely sensitive thermal receptors on the tip of their antennae to locate blood near the surface of the skin.
7. The average life span of a female mosquito is 3 to 100 days. The male lives 10 to 20 days.
8. One female mosquito may lay 100 to 300 eggs at a time and may average 1,000 to 3,000 offspring during her life span.
9. Mosquito eggs can survive for more than 5 years.
10. All types of mosquitoes need water to complete their life cycle.
11. All mosquitoes goes through 4 separate and distinct stages of development: Egg, Larva, Pupa and Adult.
12. A mosquito develops from egg to adulthood in 4 to 7 days.
13. They don’t like to travel. Most mosquitoes remain within a 1 mile radius of their breeding site. Some, however can fly 20 miles or more.
14. Mosquitoes locate blood-hosts by scent, sight and heat. From 100 feet away (30 meters) mosquitoes can smell your scent, especially the carbon dioxide (CO2) you exhale.
15. There are 100 trillion mosquitoes in the world today, and each one is responsible for about 5 human bites a day
16. When a mosquito bites you, it’s actually injecting its saliva into your skin.
17. Before the female mosquito actually draws your blood, she might probe your skin as many as 20 times, looking for a small blood vessel to nick.
18. It’s the mosquito’s saliva that causes the itching.
19. Mosquitoes are most active between the hours of dusk and dawn.
20. Not all species bite humans; some prefer birds, others prefer horses, and some will even bite frogs and turtles.
21. Mosquitoes don’t whine just to be annoying. The high-pitched sound they make, created by their rapid wing beats (of up to 500 beats per second), helps the males hone in on a mate.
22. A mosquito’s sense of smell is about 10,000 times better than yours and they are able to locate humans because they detect the carbon dioxide given off by us.
23. A mosquito doesn’t actually bite, it stabs – piercing your skin with its long proboscis.
24. A mosquito can drink one-and-a-half times its own weight.
25. Although mosquitoes can carry and spread many dangerous diseases, they cannot transmit AIDS.

11 Ways to Avoid Attracting Mosquitoes:

1. Avoid wearing dark colored clothing. Dark clothes and foliage attract mosquitoes.
2. Avoid eating bananas and other high-potassium foods. Mosquitoes are attracted to the lactic acid your body gives off.
3. Avoid wearing floral or fruity scents and fragrances.
4. Avoid sweating. Mosquitoes are attracted to moist and sweaty armpits.
5. Avoid and eliminate standing water. Dump out all containers, items and objects that collect water to keep mosquitoes from breeding.
6. Avoid and weed-wack tall grass and weeds.
7. Avoid bright lights. Mosquitoes are attracted to incandescent lights. Fluorescent lights are a great alternative.
8. Avoid being outdoors from dusk till dawn – when mosquitoes are most active.
9. Avoid stinky feet. Keep your feet clean and dry. Mosquitoes are attracted to the bacteria found on sweaty, smelly feet.
10. Avoid spazzing-out. If you are in a swarm of mosquitoes, waving your arms around like an idiot actually attracts more mosquitoes.
11. Avoid breathing. Mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide (CO2) you give off when you breathe.

15 Ways to Repel the Suckers!

1. DEET Repellants. Buy and use spray or oil repellents that contain DEET. DEET is a chemical that blocks insects ability to detect the carbon dioxide we exhale. Because the mosquitoes cannot detect the carbon dioxide, they usually can’t detect us. DEET is not recommended for usage with young children, although it has been shown to be relatively safe with adults when used as directed.
2. Eat garlic. Mosquitoes (and vampires) dislike the natural skin secretion caused by garlic. If you don’t mind like smelling like a Pizza Hut bread stick, a daily dose of 1,500 mg of fresh garlic or a 15 mg capsule will do the trick.
3. Take a daily B-Complex or a 100 mg B1 (Thiamin) vitamin. It omits an odor through your skin pores, not detectable to humans, which grosses-out mosquitoes.
4. Attract bats. Some say that one small, brown bat can catch 600 mosquitoes per hour. Build or buy yourself a bat house.
5. Burn herbs. Throw some sage or rosemary on the coals in your grill whenever you’re grilling outside.
6. Mosquito repelling plants. Grow or buy the kinds of plants that mosquitoes don’t like, such as: Citronella Grass, Catnip, Rosemary, Marigolds, Horsemint, Basil, Ageratum, and Agastache Cana. Place the plants in, near and around all the areas you like to be outside, especially by doors and outside sitting areas.
7. Drink tonic water, with or without gin, vodka or other choices of spirits.
8. Burn Citronella candles. Everyone knows this.
9. Vanilla Extract. Dab Vanilla Extract on your pulse points.
10. Skin So Soft by Avon. Works great at repelling mosquitoes and makes your skin soft.
11. Listerine Mouthwash. Mix 50/50 with water or household vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray it on yourself, doorways, tables, chairs, etc…
12. Mosquito repelling wristband. You can buy these wristbands at most Walmarts and drugstores.
13. Essential oils. Spray, spritz or rub yourself with an essential oil (diluted in water or almond or olive oil) known for repelling insects, like: Citronella, Lemongrass, Lavender, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Thyme, Cajeput, Geranium, Red Cedarwood, Mugwort, Clove Flower Buds, Spearmint, Turmeric Root, Black Walnut, Wormwood and Rosemary.
14. Bounce fabric sheets. Hang a fabric softner sheet from your belt or pocket.
15. Vinegar. If you don’t mind smelling like a pickle, rub vinegar on yourself.

15 Ways to Treat Mosquito Bites

Everyone knows that you’re not suppose to scratch your mosquito bites, but no one can help themselves. So, besides washing your bites with soap and water and applying ice to them, you can try applying some of these things to your bites to help with itching and swelling:

1. Cortizone 10. My mother swears by this stuff!
2. Rubbing alcohol.
3. Baking soda and water. Make it into a paste.
4. Calamine lotion.
5. Benedryl anti-itch spray.
6. Hydrocortison cream
7. Topical anesthetics.
8. Toothpaste.
9. Liquid soap (don’t rub off).
10. Aspirin (moisten with water an rub onto bite).
11. Vicks VaporRub.
12. Witch Hazel.
13. Milk.
14. Crushed onion juice.
15. Hot sauce.

If you know of any other mosquito facts, preventions or bite treatments, please share them by posting a comment!

Most of my life, people have always complimented me on the vibrant and youthful looking skin on face. Hmmm… and the men in my life have always complimented me on my body’s soft and smooth skin .

So, until this year I never gave “my skin” a second thought. Then, I looked in the mirror. No, I mean I really looked. I saw the inevitable signs of aging. YiKeS! Has this happened to you? Now I’m really giving “my skin” all kinds of thoughts and am looking for advice, tips and treatment options in order to keep it looking great.

SkinHealthToday.com features the top Skin care experts and gurus from around the world. Committed to empowering women (men too) to have a lifetime of radiant skin and positive self-image, these industry professionals provide hosts of information, articles and resources related to skin care.

What’s better is Skin Health TODAY on World Talk Radio with Celeste Hilling. This fun talk show features industry experts and encourages listeners to interact by joining in the discussions. Catch the free streaming online audio of next week’s hot topic: Hormones & menopause - Live Thursday, March 6 at 12:00p PST at www.WorldTalkRadio.com.

Anyways, if you’re one on the millions of people that love to eat Gulf oysters, BeOysterAware.com wants to inform and educate you on how you can continue to eat these tasty mollusks safely.

For example, although generally healthy people are at low risk, others with weak immune systems, liver disease or diabetes are advised to avoid raw oysters altogether.

Why? Did you know that eating raw or undercooked oysters could cause serious illness or death from Vibrio vulnificus in individuals at-risk? Living mostly in warm seawater, this nasty little bug can infect the bloodstream and cause a severe and life-threatening illness with symptoms of fever, chills, decreased blood pressure and blistering skin lesions.

On the flip side, oysters, due to their high nutritional value, provide some great health benefits. For instance, oysters are a low-calorie protein, high in zinc, vitamin B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids.

Be smart and informed about eating gulf oysters by getting the facts from BeOysterAware.com.

Want to know why the leading causes of death in this country are illness related to smoking and obesity?

I’ll tell ya why… because insurance companies will not cover or pay for preventative prescriptions!

After turning 39 in October, I decided that it was time to start taking better care of myself.  I made up my mind that I was going to try and quit smoking and lose that last 20 of 44 pounds that I’d been trying to lose since last April.

So, last week, after way too long, I went and got a physical.  Afterwards, I ask my doc to prescribe me something to help me lose some weight.  And, while I was at it – and since I decided I wanted to try and quit smoking after 20 years, I asked for one of those new quit smoking prescriptions.

Okay – so my doc gives me a prescription for Xenical (weight loss) and one for Chantix (quit smoking pills) and I feel like I’m on my way to a healthier new me! I skipped all the way out to my car.

I go to the pharmacy to fill these only to have all my new hopes and dreams squashed!  Since I have BlueCross and BlueShield Insurance and my prescription co-pays are $25 for brand-name and $10 for generic, I thought I was looking at having to spend $50 for new prescriptions – right?  WRONG!

Come to find out – which I didn’t know (probably since my son and I are pretty healthy and rarely need medical care or prescriptions) is that my insurance doesn’t cover either of these drugs.

So now, if I want the Xenical I’ll have to pay $239.00 and another $117 for the Chantix — that’s $356!!!  And, by-the-way, each of these is only a 30 day supply.  Being as how that was $306 more than I could afford, I had to leave my prescriptions at the pharmacy.

So there you have it!  What a pisser, huh?

The good news, if I wait — my insurance will cover all care, treatment, hospitalizations and prescriptions caused by my obesity-related heart disease and smoking-related emphysema.

Go figure… what morons!

The good news – help is readily available and in abundance – you just need to know where to start.

Drug Rehab Sunset Malibu is one of California’s top Rehabs.  These folks are most reputable and trusted for providing the best in addiction recovery and drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

Deemed the most prestigious and exclusive drug rehab center in the country, you or your loved one can be assured that you’ll be treated with the utmost respect and dignity.

Committed to your successful recovery, Sunset Malibu knows and understands that each person has different wants and needs.  In other words, these folks don’t treat you like a number.  Instead, you are treated as a unique individual and provided a recovery plan based on such.

There’s nothing easy about crisis intervention, however, since Sunset Malibu offers an exhaustive variety of treatment programs and recovery resources, clients are able to get help in finding the best treatment options for their specific needs.

Need help taking the first step toward recovery and sober living?  If you or someone you know has been thinking about getting some help, at least visit SunsetMalibu.com to view their programs and recovery resources or call 1-800-332-9202  to talk to a caring specialist.

I thought my dad was nuts when he told me that he was going to buy some Chia to sprinkle on his salad.

He said he found the information about the benefits of eating Chia seeds on RealAge.com.

After doing some reading, I found that some of the benefits from eating Chia seeds include:

• Increases Energy Levels
• Improves Cardiovascular Health
• Stabilizes Blood Sugar
• Boosts Brain Power
• Supports Immune Function
• Assists Elimination and Detoxification

So, if you got too many chia pets for Christmas – start eating them.

Anyways, my appointment was yesterday.  I made it through it.

For the past many months I’ve been thinking a lot about quitting smoking.  It’s hard to believe that I’ve been smoking for about 20 years!  Then, after watching Oprah the other day – featuring Dr. Oz – which was all about quitting smoking, things really started to hit home.

So, while I was getting my physical yesterday, I broke down and asked my doc to prescribe me one of those new stop smoking medications to help me quit.

She prescribed me the new Chantix.  I’ve decided that I’m really going to try and quit.  But, since I can’t handle the thought of the stress and pressure from others, I’m not going to tell any of those who are closest to me.  The last thing I need is other people checking up on me!

Asking my doc to prescribe me the stuff was the first step.  Now, filling the prescription is my next step. 

Have you tried to stop smoking with Chantix?

I tried getting whiter teeth at home by using those strips from Walmart.  But, after accidentally falling asleep with those strips in my mouth one night and nearly choking, I realized that the near death experience wasn’t worth it.  Plus, since I’m a guzzling coffee drinker and chain smoker – I’ve decided to leave it to the professionals.

Beverly Hills tooth whitening services performed by Dr. Maddahi offers new advances and technology in tooth whitening that can give you a bright smile in less than two hours!

As one of Los Angeles’ leading cosmetic dentists, Kourosh Maddahi, DDS – has treated over 4,000 patients in his 19 years in practice.  Using cosmetic imaging, he can even show you how white your teeth can get before the actual procedure is done.

Besides teeth whitening, Dr. Maddahi offers the latest in cosmetic dentistry procedures.

Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately  — without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional “pain relievers.”

Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They’ll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in cup  of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore Throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly — even though the product has never been advertised for this use.

Eliminate puffiness under your eyes… All you need is a dab of preparation H, carefully rubbed into the skin, avoiding the eyes. The hemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the swelling instantly.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes… Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a band-aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus… Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection… To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Coca-Cola cure for rust… Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer… If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can’t find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

Smart splinter remover… just pour a drop of Elmers Glue all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt’s tomato paste boil cure… cover the boil with Hunt’s tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters… To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine… a powerful antiseptic.

Heinz vinegar to heal bruises… Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Kills fleas instantly. Dawn dish washing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog’s bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor… Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Eliminate ear mites… All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat’s ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat’s skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Vaseline cure for hair balls….. To prevent troublesome hair balls, apply a dollop of Vaseline petroleum jelly to your cat’s nose. The cat will lick off the jelly, lubricating any hair in its stomach so it can pass easily through the digestive system.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief…. It’s not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

— Author: Unknown