Magic Soup Recipes for Weight Lose

When you want to lose your weight then magic soup recipe for weight loses helps you in this manner. Soup is the combination of low calories vegetable recipes which helps you to burn body fats. Beside weight lose it will gives you great taste and healthy nutrition. If you become fed up with daily exercises or have short time then magic soup recipes are best choice for you.

Here are some soup recipes:

Cabbage bean soup:

• Chicken broth
• Tomato juice 2 cup
• Onion 1
• Garlic 2 cloves
• Mushrooms 1 pack
• Carrots 3
• Zucchini 1
• Squash 1
• Beans 2 cup
• Cabbage in cut form 3 to 4 cup
• Salt and pepper

In a big pan pour a little oil add garlic, onion, carrot and mushrooms and cook for about 5 min. now in a container mix these with all other cut vegetables and spices. Cook for 3 to 4 hours in low fire so that all become a homogeneous cooked mixture. Now serve it and enjoy the taste.

Carrot coriander soup:

• Carrots 4 to 5
• Onion 1
• Olive oil 1 table spoon
• Fish sauce 1 table spoon
• 2 cup chicken in cubes shape
• Ginger and garlic 1 table spoon
• Ground coriander 1 table spoon
• Fresh coriander ½ bunch

Add olive oil in a pan and soften the onion by cooking it for 5 min. now add ground coriander and cook till aroma comes out. Now add garlic and ginger and cook for 2 min. then add carrots cut in small size, fish sauce and chicken add some water and cook for 20 to 30 min till ingredients become soft in medium fire. Now blend all to make smooth and enjoy it.

For using this soup you must keep in mind some points:

• Use soup as your lunch and dinner and avoid taking heavy calories food.
• If feel hungry can eat snack or brown bread
• Drink a lot of water
• Do exercise at least 30 min per day

Home made soup is always preferable in order to give you best result. It gives you fantastic taste and aroma. Avoid using ready made soup as it contain artificial flavors and spices which does not gives you any benefit rather it can cause stomach problems and extra weight gain n your body. The best way of eating vegetable in healthy way is making them soup.  These soups give you and your family not only a healthy fat free diet also a great deal to celebrate your meal.

30 Ways to Use Coconut Oil, the World’s Best Cruelty-Free Cure-All

There are hundreds of ways to incorporate coconut oil into your daily cruelty-free routine. Love the smell of coconut? Try unrefined oil for a light fragrance, or use refined oil when you prefer no scent. Here are our top 30 ways to use coconut oil:

1. Toothpaste (for animals and humans): Combine equal parts baking soda and coconut oil. Add stevia to sweeten and/or an essential oil for flavor.

2. Hair conditioner: You can leave the oil on your hair as an overnight conditioner or make a defrizzing conditioning spray.

3. Skin moisturizer: Whip coconut oil, a couple of drops of vitamin E oil, and an essential oil together for a quick DIY skin lotion.

4. Face/body scrub:

1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/4 cup sea salt
1/4 cup organic sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Couple of drops essential oil (if you want it to be scented)

• Combine the ingredients and apply to skin.

5. Shaving cream: You can use coconut oil instead of shaving cream or as aftershave lotion (check out number 3!).

6. Lip Balm: Scoop a dollop of coconut oil into a small container, and you’ve got a portable, cruelty-free lip balm.

7. Coffee creamer: The key to using coconut oil as coffee creamer is blending it instead of stirring it.

8. Frying Oil: Oil up that pan with coconut oil to make any dish healthier.

9. Deodorant: You can use coconut oil by itself as a deodorant, or follow this recipe:

3 Tbsp. coconut oil
6 Tbsp. baking soda
Couple of drops essential oil

•  Combine the ingredients and apply under arms.

10. Furniture polish: Yep, it makes wood look shinier.

11. Cold sore soother: This truly miraculous oil kills bacteria and helps rejuvenate cells, thus helping pesky cold sores heal.

12. Mosquito bite soother: The same properties described in number 11 help heal mosquito bites, too.

13. Paw and skin treatment for cats or dogs: If your animal’s paws are cracking or he or she has dry skin or a hot spot, try applying coconut oil to the affected body parts.

14. Dog or cat food supplement: Add coconut oil to your dog or cat food to help make coats shiny and skin more hydrated.

15. Makeup remover: Apply coconut oil with a cotton pad to your eyes and face at the end of the day.

16. Chocolate Fruit Pops: You can make these with bananas, kiwis, or any other fruit!

3 bananas or 6 kiwis
12 popsicle or lollipop sticks
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup coconut oil

• Quarter the bananas or halve the kiwis.
• Puncture each piece of fruit with a stick, place in a freezer container, and freeze.
• Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a saucepan or microwave oven.
• Dip the frozen fruit into the chocolate mixture.
• Place each piece of chocolate-covered fruit in the freezer container and refreeze.

Makes 12 servings

17. Chocolate-Dunked Coconut Delights!

18. Pan greaser: Use coconut oil instead of questionable hydrogenated substances.

19. Baby lotion: Want to keep your baby’s skin soft and smelling sweet? Apply to skin as needed.

20. Lubricant: Yep, that’s right. Just be sure not to use coconut oil with latex condoms. Try polyurethane ones instead.

21. Yeast infection treatment (for animals and humans): Coconut oil contains caprylic acid, which is excellent for combating yeast infections both internally and on the skin and in the ears. You can mix the oil with food or apply it topically. For dogs, the dose is 1 tsp. per 10 lbs.bodyweight per day.

22. Butter for baking: Use coconut oil as a substitute for butter or margarine.

23: Butter for popcorn: Same idea as number 22! You can pop the corn using coconut oil, and also use it as a topping—it melts wonderfully. Then add salt for savory popcorn or cinnamon and sugar for a sweet snack.

24: Sunburn soother: Use instead of aloe to relieve sunburned skin.

25. Salad dressing: Try making your next salad dressing with coconut oil instead of olive oil.

26. DIY shampoo (for animals and humans): 

1 cup pure liquid castile soap
1 cup water
1.5 Tbsp. coconut oil
5 drops your favorite essential oil (Try peppermint oil.)

• Combine ingredients and apply to hair, as usual.

27. Moisturizing face mask: Once a week, cover your face with oil before bedtime (and sleep with a towel on your pillow!).

28. Makeup brush cleaner: The oil helps cut through the dirt on the brushes.

1 tsp. coconut oil
1 cup warm water

• Combine the ingredients.
• Soak the brushes in the mixture overnight.

29. Shoe polish: Yep! Make that vegan leather shine by softly rubbing a dollop of coconut oil into it with a washcloth.

30. Cuticle oil: Soften your hands during a manicure with this cruelty-free moisturizer.

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Tips For Maintaining That Great Skin Of Yours!

You skin’s condition can have a great impact on the type of first impression you make. As the body’s largest organ, it deserves special attention. So, it is vital to care for your skin well if you want to stay looking young and fresh. Follow the simple tips in this article to boost your skin health for years to come.

You don’t want to try to shave your skin when it’s dry. Don’t shave without lathering products like a shaving cream or something similar. Shaving tends to cause more irritation and redness to the surface of your skin. After you shave, use lotion on your skin. You can reduce the inflammation and irritation.

A great way to have healthy, glowing skin is to exfoliate. This will remove all of the dead skin and allow new skin to surface. Exfoliation allows you to unclog your pores, which should help you prevent acne.

A lemon juice wash can be helpful if you have large pores and oily, acne-prone skin. Weekly washing with a lemon-based skin wash can help minimize pores and eliminate excess oil.

 

 

Baking Soda

Baking soda is great for skin care purposes. Combine baking soda and water to make a paste and apply it to pimples or on dry areas of skin. A mixture of baking soda and warm water will even remove buildup on the scalp left from shampoos, conditioners and styling products.

If your skin is oily, it is still important to use a moisturizer. You should moisturize after washing your fave and prior to putting on makeup. Moisturizer helps balance the oil production of your skin. If you suffer from oily skin and use a stronger cleanser, your skin actually produces even more oil as a means of compensation.

Your diet helps all aspects of your body, including your skin. For clear skin, try to ensure that your body is getting all the vitamins and nutrients it needs. This is especially true when it comes to helping your digestion, which is linked to skin quality. One way to improve your digestion is by incorporating proper amounts of fiber in your diet. Your tummy and your skin will both be happier with a higher fiber diet.

Whether heading out for the day, or just to and from work, your skin needs to be protected from UV rays. Put on sunscreen a half hour before going out. Also, make sure you sunscreen offers broad-based UVB blocking. It is in your best interest to choose products that offer the highest sun protection factor, or SPF. Doing so will prevent painful sunburns and the premature aging of your skin.

Warm water is really the best temperature to use when washing your face. Using water that is too cold will prevent your pores from opening. If the water is too hot, it will discolor your skin. Warm water is great because it opens your pores and allows you to get a nice clean face.

 

Damaged Skin

People who have sun damage to the face can do several things to reduce the appearance of aging. These options may include procedures such as dermabrasion, chemical peels or laser abrasion. You can do this as a standalone treatment or combine it with other treatments. Other methods to combat sun-damaged skin are the nonsurgical facials using vitamin C and alpha hydroxyl acids to improve the appearance of damaged skin.

It’s so important to protect your skin, even when you’re wearing makeup, so make an effort to add sunscreen to the mix. A lot of foundations already have a sunscreen in them. When you find yourself in this situation, you can add a separate sunscreen directly to your foundation. Just add a couple drops of plain sunscreen to your foundation bottle and mix.

As you can see, there are many things you can do to take care of your skin. Take the steps mentioned in this article to keep your skin looking and feeling healthy. By following these tips, you will be able to put your best face (arms and legs) forward, for years to come.

4 Great Superfoods for Weight Loss!

You must have heard of those so-called "superfoods" for weight loss by now. Nutritionally-packed ingredients (normally fresh fruit and vegetables) that can boost the nutrient intake for your body, and bring with them a whole host of health benefits, one of which just so happens to be weight loss.
Are you intrigued? We bet you are! Take a look at some of this information that we have unearthed...

1 - Black Beans

These understated beans contain an astonishing amount of protein; almost as much as 15 grams per cup. There's no bad stuff either - no saturated fat for example, making it a perfect substitute for meat in foods like chilli con carne, and other mince-meat based dishes. Plus, that one cup only contains about 200 calories - less than what the same amount of meat would probably have.

Just adding beans to your diet won't help you to lose weight. The trick is to substitute one of the "bad" foods for the black beans in a bid to help you ingest fewer calories as well as increasing the amount of iron and antioxidants which means not only will these beans help you to lose weight, but you'll also be fighting back against the risks of certain conditions like heart disease and certain type of cancer.

2 - Oats

Another of the great superfood for weight loss, oats are perfect for someone who is feeling a little sluggish and this could be because they are holding onto too much waste product in their bowels. Did you know that you could be carrying upwards of ten pounds worth of actual junk in your body, and by eating more fibre, you are giving your digestive system a little helping hand, giving you more opportunity to lose weight than just exercise and changes to your diet alone. What's the point in making all those change if you aren't going to get rid of the excess waste first? You don't need to resort to drastic measures like colonic irrigation; there are foods (especially those high in fibre) that will help things along quite nicely.

Oats are the perfect way to start your day because not only will they help your digestive system, they contain a healthy starch called Resistant Starch which helps to burn off the fat content but speeding up the metabolism. There's a reason people have been eating oats for years!

3 - Avocados

A lot of people shy away from things like avocado because of the high fat content but the thing you need to know about this humble superfood is that it contains lots of HEALTHY fats; not the unhealthy stuff. Monounsaturated fats, for example, have been shown in studies to actually suppress hunger pangs, and there's lots of protein and fibre in there too so you're killing a whole bunch of birds with just one stone.

Plus it's super easy to whack a bit of avocado in a smoothie and even if you're not that keen on the taste, you won't know it's there.

4 - Salmon

Aside from being completely delicious, salmon is one of the greatest superfoods for weight loss that you can get your hands on. The lean source of protein that salmon offers you is the kinda that makes you full after you eat it, and keep you feeling that full feeling for longer. This means that you are less likely to snack throughout the day because you're not experiencing those hunger pangs, plus a recent study showed that dieters that ate more salmon had faster and bigger weight loss.

There are quite a few superfoods for weight loss; more so than many people initially think. Blueberries are great for their anti-aging properties as well as being very low in calories, and broccoli (both cooked and raw) is perfect for the cancer-busting qualities plus being low in calories and high in fibre. There's also brown rice, pears and even wine... in moderation, of course!

Is it about time that you re-evaluated your diet? Think about it - all the exercise in the world won't make that much of a difference if you're still ingesting more calories than you burn off!

The Joy Of Eating

Going beyond pleasure

When my wife and I decided to have a vegetarian wedding, the reactions to this decision were quite interesting. As an answer to our announcement, we experienced the full range of human emotions - everything from complete disapproval all the way to joyful congratulations about what a great idea this would be. By now, I think I can understand every position, including complete disapproval.

Especially in a country like Germany where the consumption of meat is a deeply engrained habit, it is understandable that not everyone would agree with such a decision. Maybe some guests felt as if someone (me) was restricting their freedom of choice.

Until a year ago, I was still consuming meat myself. Now that I changed this aspect of my life, I don't consider myself to be a better person neither did I stop respecting people who eat meat. The important aspect about my decision to stop eating the flesh of other sentient beings is that it did not arise from the belief in a certain kind of ideology or religion. Rather, it was a result of turning my attention inwards, having a closer look at what's happening in my own mind. Holding still for a while led to a simple but deep reflection on the suffering which is created through the way we eat.

What surprises me, is that the majority of discussions I have with others about diet, are led from the viewpoint of "What's best for me?" I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with asking this question, as taking good care of our health is important. But can we really reduce health to physical health? What about our mental and emotional health? Can it really be best for us, if through the way we eat, we directly support an industry which greatly contributes to the suffering and inequality (not only for animals) in our global society? If we are convinced that meat is good for us, did we honestly come to this conclusion or did we simply not really think about the consequences of our actions?

How comes we are kind and loving to some animals, like our pets - and on the other hand we support unimaginable cruelty to others? At present, we live in a society which considers it to be normal to kill another living being who experiences fear and pain just as much as we do. However, it is possible that our grandchildren will compare the slaughtering of animals in modern factory farming to the holocaust in the Third Reich. If you find this comparison exaggerated, consider looking at the issue from the victim's perspective. In the dairy industry, it is a common practice to take away the baby calves from their mothers right after birth. They are seen as a kind of waste product and are only needed so the mother cow keeps producing milk. The animal rights activist Gary Yourofsky describes the crying of a mother cow during this procedure, as one of the worst screams he has ever witnessed.

As long as there are slaughter houses, there will always be battlefields.
- Leo Tolstoy

Part of our vegetarian wedding was the idea of donating some of the money we received to raise awareness for animal suffering. A few weeks after our celebration, we went to the animal sanctuary Tierhof am Hardtbach and handed over the results of our fundraising. Thank you again to everyone who supported our idea! A feeling of being connected came up as I saw Karin (the owner of the sanctuary) and her helpers wholeheartedly taking care of the rescued animals. These animals are probably treated by humans with respect and compassion for the first time in their lives. Luisa is the name of the pig on the image of this article and she made a lasting impression on me. As we approached her, the fear in her eyes was quite obvious to see. I ask Karin whether she's always that fearful and her answer is delivered with a rather dry undertone: "Only with humans."

Now, whenever the desire for the taste of meat comes up, it dies off with the awareness of the suffering which is created through the production and consumption of meat. Of course, this takes practice and changing a diet is no small thing, neither does it happen overnight - but step by step there will be lasting change if we keep making a conscious effort. If we really want to make a change, there are great resources available about how to eat healthy without relying on the exploitation of animals (and humans). A few sources of information, which I find helpful are the ProVegan Foundation by Dr. med. Henrich, the simple but delicious vegan recipes by Attila Hildmann or the information provided by the already mentioned Gary Yourofsky. I'm sure, there's much more out there.

Although I sometimes have to use these words due to a lack of alternative, labels like "vegetarian" or "vegan" don't mean much to me. I don't like thinking in these categories as they often lead to fruitless discussions. To me, eating consciously simply means freedom - the freedom of not being driven by the desire for a taste adventure, but rather by the intention to contribute to the well-being of other living beings. It's not about "getting it right" immediately, but rather about walking in the right direction. It's a process and I fail at times - but I don't stop making an effort. Having a wholesome intention can be a powerful source of inspiration. Eating more consciously contributes both to my physical as well as my emotional health. Going beyond pleasure, we can feel joy when we eat in such a way that compassion is nourished in our hearts.

May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that reduces the suffering of living beings, stops contributing to climate change, and heals and preserves our precious planet.
- Thich Nhat Hanh, Contemplations Before Eating

Through curiosity and investigation into the nature of our direct experience as a human being, we can find a deeper meaning of freedom. Real freedom doesn't need a complex philosophy to be discovered and it is directly accessible to anyone who honestly aspires to reveal it. The key to this kind of understanding is our awareness. The decision for a conscious life is a decision for a free life.

http://www.freedom-and-awareness.com

Optimise Your Body Type

Our "body type" not only describes the way we look, it also tells us about hormonal traits, the system in our bodies that constricts blood vessels, raises blood pressure and accelerates heart rate as well as lets us know how each of us react to the food we eat.

Features of our body structure are linked to differences in our metabolism. Once you identify your body type, you can then fine-tune what you eat to maximize your physique and your ideal health objectives. Where your body stores fat is directly related to what you put on your plate. A diet that is comprised of particular foods earmarked for your body type will help you maintain an ideal weight and optimal health.

There are three basic body types: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. People are usually a mixture of these body type characteristics. It is rare that someone is a perfect match to only one of the three body type categories and years of exercise and a healthy diet can outwardly alter one's appearance.

Most people will find that their body type falls within one of these three categories.

Ectomorph

This is your typical "skinny guy." They have a slim build, small ankles and wrists with lean muscle tone. Ectomorph's usually have small, narrow shoulders with sinewy muscles on long thin arms and legs.

Long distance runners, basketball players and fashion models tend to have this body type. Now you might think that this sounds great but ectomorphs can have body concerns too. They can lack curves, look lanky, can spend hours working out on a regular basis, and might not see any change, which is exasperating.

Typical traits of an ectomorph:

• Long
• Skinny
• Small "delicate" frame and bone structure
• Flat chest
• Small narrow shoulders
• Thin
• Lean muscle mass
• Finds it hard to gain weight
• Fast metabolism

It is very difficult for Ectomorphs to build a muscular physique or gain any weight. With their fast metabolism, calories are burned up quickly and easily. They require a huge number of calories to gain weight and their diet should include dietary supplements. When exercising at the gym they should concentrate on the big muscle groups, such as thighs and "glutes" in a short yet intense routine.
Ectomorphs should eat before bed to prevent muscle catabolism during the night.

Recommendations

Diet

• Don't skip meals & eat often - every hour and a half - at least six meals a day
• Eat up to 2g of protein daily per kg of body weight

Your diet should be comprised of:

40% Protein
40% Carbohydrates
20% Fat

Legumes
Whole grain breads
Avocado

Protein shakes
Pasta
Olive Oil

Nuts
Brown rice
Coconut Oil

Salmon   

Potatoes
 
Nuts

Dried Fruits

Exercise

Focus on strength training large muscle groups. Things like dead lifts, squats, leg press and bench press work multiple groups. Increase your weights and lower the repetitions. Decrease cardio. Have a protein shake before or after your work out.

Mesomorph

A mesomorph has a large bone structure, large muscles broad shoulders, bold look and a naturally athletic physique. Mesomorphs are the best body type for bodybuilding. They find it quite easy to gain and lose weight. They are naturally strong which makes it easier for them to build muscle. They are naturally fit, however if there is any slacking with diet or workouts then they will gain weight.

Their large appetite can lead to large portions sizes and overeating.

Typical traits on a Mesomorph:

• Athletic
• Muscular
• Fit
• Generally hard body
• Well defined muscles
• Rectangular shaped body
• Strong
• Gains muscle easily
• Gains fat more easily than ectomorphs

Football players and fitness models tend to have this body type. Even though mesomorphs seem to have the ideal body type and respond best to weight training, those with this body type there are traits they have to control. They can gain muscle very easily and can lose or gain fat quickly, too. Their weight tends to fluctuate if they aren't careful. They can bulk up too much with working out, look stalky, gain fat if are not paying attention to their ideal diet and can look thick because of their underlying muscle.Since mesomorphs can gain fat more easily than ectomorphs, they have to watch their calorie intake. A balance of weight training and cardio is optimal for mesomorphs.

Recommendations

Diet

• Watch portion sizes
• Eat balanced meals
• Stop eating when 75% full to avoid overeating

Your diet should be comprised of:

40% Complex Carbohydrates
30 - 40% Lean Protein
20 - 30% Fat

Dried Fruits
Fish
Avocado

Oatmeal
Chicken
Olive Oil

Potatoes

Flax Oil

Yams

Nuts

Exercise

Focus on distance cardio, jogging, speed walking or use the elliptical at a moderate intensity to avoid bulking up. Avoid cardio activities that work the large muscle groups (sprinting and spin classes). Practice pilates or yoga.

Endomorph

The endomorph is a solid and yet soft body type. Endomorphs find it very easy to gain fat. They generally have thick arms and legs on a shorter build. Because they have strong muscles, especially in the upper legs, Endomorphs are strong in leg exercises such as the squat.

Typical traits of an Endomorph:

• Pear shaped
• Soft and round body
• Muscles not well defined
• Gains muscle and fat very easily
• Has hard time losing fat
• Round physique
• Slow metabolism
• "Stocky" build
• Generally short

This body type puts on fat easily and has difficulty losing it. Because of the natural layers of fat on this body type, their musculature is not well defined. This pear shaped body type tends to store their fat in the lower body, buttocks, hips and thighs. Women with this body have curvy, voluptuous shapes.When it comes to working out endomorphs gain weight easily and unluckily much of this weight tends to be fat not muscle. A combination of cardio and weight training will help to minimise fat gain. If a high protein diet is maintained, they can usually avoid the need for supplements.

Recommendations
 
Diet

• Watch portion sizes
• Avoid starch (breads, pasta, white rice) and sugar (desserts)
• Stop eating when 75% full to avoid overeating

Your diet should be comprised of:

40% Complex Carbohydrates
40% Lean Protein
20% Fat

Fruits
Fish
Avocado

Vegetables
Chicken Breasts
Olive Oil

Grains, Beans, Pulses
Low Fat Yogurt
Flax Oil

Oatmeal

Nuts

Brown Rice

Sweet Potatoes

Exercise

You need to get moving! High intensity circuit training and heavy weight training is required in order to boost metabolism and burn calories and fat. Hit the treadmill or elliptical bike for an intense workout instead of walking, pilates or yoga.

Work out the upper body with weights. This will help to balance the lower body's pear shape and realise a striking hourglass figure when combined with the right diet.

Which body type are you?

No matter which body type or combination of body types you are, if you follow the kind of exercises that best enhance your physique and eat the foods specific for your body type you will discover your optimal healthy you.

-By Kathryn Broome

"If you look good, you feel good."

Everyone has heard this quote at least one time in their life, and no matter how simple or irrelevant that it may seem, I've found that it is absolutely true.

Three of my grandparents died of cancer and my father and grandmother have had cancer scares and both currently have diabetes and blood pressure issues, so it's clear that bad health issues runs in my family. Because of having to deal with watching this happen to my family members ever since a young age, I've made it a goal of mine to live as healthy of a lifestyle as I can.

When I was younger (before my dad was diagnosed with diabetes), my parents weren't too worried about us eating healthy or exercising, so I was used to having soda or candy around the house at all times. Once my dad was diagnosed with diabetes and had to greatly reduce his sugar intake, I decided that I would do the same.

I was used to being able to drink soda or eat food with a lot of sugar in it whenever I pleased, so stopping was extremely difficult at first. I started out small, (I'd go a day without it, then a week without it and so on) but eventually it became a lot easier. I've cut soda and candy completely out of my diet, (although I still have a sweet tea addiction and can't say no to chocolate) and recently I've been working on cutting out fast food and most processed food.

After cutting these out of my diet, I started seeing incredible results in my health and in the way that I looked. I decided to start running to lose more weight, which I greatly enjoyed and still enjoy, but my love for fitness really started once I signed up for a weightlifting class during my senior year of high school.

"No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable." - Socrates

Since my senior year of high school, about four years ago, I haven't gone more than two days in a row without running or going to the gym, and when you combine that with eating healthy I'm becoming more and more confident with how I look and how I feel. "If you look good, you feel good."

My purpose for writing this article isn't to brag about my accomplishments. My purpose for writing this article is to try and urge everyone else to change the things in their life that they don't like about themselves. It would've been very easy for me to accept the fact that bad health was in my genetics, but I chose to change that about myself.

Even if getting healthy isn't important to you, this lesson can be applied to everything in life. If you want something, then go after it. When people say you can't do it, that's when you do everything you can to show them otherwise. As Kobe Bryant and Ray Lewis have said throughout their careers: "Use it as fuel to the fire."

You don't have to hit the game-winning shot during your first game, just start by hitting a free throw.

You don't have to change anything about yourself that you don't like right now, but why not start today?

- Deion Sanders