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You've seen them; maybe even used them: weights you carry with you when you are exercising, jogging or even walking. I've used some myself that strapped around my ankles others strap around your arm. They are weights designed to increase your heart rate during aerobic exercise to burn the fat. And boy do they work!

These weights you carry in your hands each weigh one pound and work very effectively at getting your heart rate up-the key to weight loss in aerobic exercise. But wait-there's more!

They are called Hot Walkers by MACE brand. Each has a little surprise in them. They carry a canister of pepper spray for self defense. Pepper spray uses Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) which comes from cayenne pepper spray. Defensive pepper sprays are measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) a common measure of a products hotness. A jalapeno pepper has an SHU of 5000, a habanero pepper 300,000 and a typical defensive pepper spray will be in the 2 million SHU range.

A short burst in the face of an attacker from a mace spray canister causes shortness of breathe, temporary blindness from the eyes actually closing, choking and coughing. Not to mention the pain. The natural reaction from a victim of a pepper spray squirt is to rub the spray, which just makes it worse, and now his hands are burning.

Predators look for targets walking or jogging alone in the early morning or early evening hours. Walkers and joggers are often focused on other things when out doing their thing and thus make themselves easy targets. MACE Hot Walkers with pepper spray can be a great equalizer.

Find out how you can get a MACE Hot Walker at the link below. It may help you defend yourself in an assault situation.

Jack Krohn is the #1 author of Home Security Articles in the country according to EzineArticles. He owns SECURITY SOLUTIONS a one stop resource that provides solutions and answers for all your self defense and home security problems.

Look at our selection of self defense/ home security products and GET A HOT WALKER or a PEPPERGEL.

LEARN HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY

Carbohydrates - found in grains, breads, pasta, and sugar, as well as vegetables, fruit, tofu, beans, and dairy - provide the body with the most efficient fuel for energy production and brain activity. They're nutritionally essential, a principle currently downplayed by the "low-carb craze".

What is important to understand is that not all carbohydrates have the same "fuel efficiency". Many carbohydrates - termed "refined" or "simple" - cause blood sugar highs and lows which can result in a period of high energy followed by a period of extremely low energy, often leaving the person craving more of the simple quick release carbs.

Examples of these "refined" carbs are regular pasta, white bread, snack foods and baked goods. The weight loss plans that advocate eating less or none of these foods are on the right track, except they tend to throw out the GOOD carbs as well. We'll call these "slow carbs", and here's why:

After you eat them, the carbohydrates in foods are broken down and released as sugar units (glucose) into your bloodstream. "Slow carbs" are foods that release glucose at a slower rate.

Typically, these foods are "whole foods"; that is, they contain the fibre and minerals that are often removed in making their refined, "quick-release" counterparts. (Such is the difference between whole wheat bread and white bread.)

Choosing "slow carbs" over refined carbs helps keep your blood sugar balanced (positively affecting your hunger level, mood and mental concentration, among other things). Fibre also promotes regularity and helps maintain healthy blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Examples of "slow carbs" are whole grain breads and crackers, potatoes with their skin, beans & legumes, brown rice, oats, and whole grain pasta.

Here are five tips for creating a "slow carb" habit:

1. Whole Foods - Eat as close to natural as possible. Vegetables, fruits, beans and lentils are whole foods that contain all of their original nutrients (fibre, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates for energy).

2. Grains & Breads - When it comes to grain products such as breads, crackers, cereals, and pasta, choose "darker", whole grain varieties. This can be done in restaurants as well as the grocery store.

3. Snacking - Fruit is an excellent snack. Consuming the whole fruit provides the slow-release carbs and will sustain your energy for longer, as opposed to fruit juice, which provides the body with a quick release of fruit sugar into the bloodstream. Another great snack to try is sliced red peppers with hummus (made from chickpeas).

4. Take the time (you're worth it!) - Seeing as some of the slow-carb options take longer to cook (e.g., brown rice versus white rice), make them ahead of time, and make extra to freeze for future meals. Brown rice is very versatile; try it in soups, casseroles, stuffed vegetables, or for breakfast (warmed) with cinnamon, raisins, chopped nuts or ground flaxseed.

5. Read labels - "Whole wheat" (or other "whole" grain) should appear before any other flour in the ingredient list. White flour can be disguised as "wheat flour", enriched flour", "unbleached flour", or "grain flour", to name a few.

Working at substituting "slow carb" foods into your lifestyle will ensure that you have ample energy, proper nutrition, and that you maintain a healthy weight. Of course it's also essential that you find some ways to be active and that you limit high fat and high calorie snack foods as best you can.

(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.

Susan Baker, B.Sc.,RHN, RNCP is a registered nutritional consultant who supports individuals on their path to optimal healing through nutrition consultations, with a special interest in digestion and food sensitivities.

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, is the author of The Everyday Self-Care Workbook. To receive one of her free monthly newsletters, subscribe at http://www.genuinecoaching.com/newsletter.html

You talk everyday. Even to yourself.

Every conversation you have plays a part in whether you end up having an uplifting day or a challenging one.

From the first 'hello' until the time you say 'goodnight' you live in conversations.

Those conversations shape our entire lives.

Conversations begin and end friendships, determine whether your business or job thrives or dies and if your relationships flourish or become damaged beyond repair.

How many of us know someone who was told as a child that they would never amount to anything, that they were stupid, fat, ugly, or conversely, brilliant and beautiful?

How many people lived up to what they were told? Did you?

Words are powerful. Yet we take them for granted.

What impact have your words had in the past 24 hours? Did they build someone up or tear someone down?

Communication is everything.

TIP: Spend today actively listening. Pay close attention to EVERY word you hear or speak. Employ what author Robert Mayer calls the '75/25 Partnering Secret': Listen 75% more than you speak.

Sound hard? Understandably, for some of us that process will feel like we're being muzzled.

Try it anyway.

If at this point you're saying, 'I thought the whole point of this thing was being a powerful communicator.' What's more powerful than being 100% present in every conversation?

You're not fully present if you're not paying attention.

Your conversations aren't as rich if you're not fully listening.

The other person is not respected if your answers are combinations of grunts, 'uh huhs' and occasional 'mm-hms' while you're multitasking.

To become a powerful communicator, you must become a powerful listener. You must understand that our lives are lived in conversations. Conversations are two-part interactions: talking AND listening.

Hold a one-day experiment: really focus on the content of your conversations. Are you making idle chitchat? Are you teaching? Are you gossiping? Are you being abusive?

Listen to yourself. Hear what other people hear when you open your mouth. Take an inventory of your communication.

When you do that, an amazing thing happens...you begin to understand why people respond to you the way they do. You begin to understand why people seek you out or talk to you only when absolutely necessary.

You begin to get very clear on how you show up in your conversations.

How much do you use the word 'I'? How much of your conversation is about you? How often do you listen to what's important to the person?

People simply want to be heard. We want to know that someone cares about what we think and feel and do.

Ironically, we tend to regard people who listen intently as great 'conversationalists'.

TIP: Powerful communication begins with powerful and purposeful listening. It involves paying attention instead of hurrying to make your point. It means hesitating when you can easily 'one up' a story you're told. It means occasionally allowing the other person to have the spotlight.

Powerful communication means not saying the first thing that comes up when someone makes you angry. It means understanding that you're writing a chapter in another person's life.

Today, really listen to your communication. And at the end of the day, ask yourself if your conversations helped create a better place to live.

About the Author

Annetta Wilson is a business strategist specializing in media training and presentation skills coaching. A talent coach for CNN, she has also coached for Walt Disney World. She makes it easier for high-profile individuals and teams to communicate more powerfully. Annetta is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years experience in the broadcast industry, a Certified Trainer and a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst.

Visit her Web site at http://www.YourCoachForSuccess.com

Veranda decking is a composite decking material that has a reversible finish. It has a combed finish on one side of the decking and a wood grain finish on the other. Although it is called veranda decking, you can use this decking to build a gazebo or any kind of patio or deck. The prices are comparable with other types of composite decking and you have three colors to choose from gray, cedar and redwood. In addition to buying veranda decking, you can also purchase the railing you need for your deck in the same color and material.

Check with Home Depot for veranda composite decking prices. At the present time, this is the only store that sells this type of composite decking. Veranda decking comes in three different lengths 8, 10 and 12 feet. You can also buy the screws you need in the same color as the veranda composite decking you choose for your deck. This decking material is the perfect one to choose for a deck that will see a lot of traffic and different climate conditions. It will not diminish in appearance with a lot of people walking on it, dragging pation furniture over it or through the elements of weather.

The thing that you will notice with veranda decking is that the color will lighten over time. This is not the result of a defect in the veranda composite decking but it is a natural occurrence due to exposure to sunlight. The decking has to have time to weather and this usually takes two to three months. After this length of time, you wont notice any further fading or lightening of the color of your composite decking material.

Veranda decking has to go through a mellowing period. If you buy the decking at reduced veranda composite decking prices, you should not worry that the reason for the lower prices was that there was something wrong with the material. During the first two or three months, you may notice tan or greenish hues coming through the veranda composite decking, no matter what color you choose. There will also be slight color variations in the pieces because of the components of the composite decking wood fibers and recycled plastic. Although there is a warranty with the veranda brand of composite decking, color variation is not included in this warranty.

When you buy veranda decking, you should buy all the material you need to complete your deck at the same time. In fact, experts with installing veranda composite decking recommend that you buy extra because of the color variation that you may encounter. The extra pieces will allow you to ensure that your deck is all the same shade of the color you choose. If you do run out of veranda decking before the project is completed, you may have difficulty getting the exact color to match because runs of the manufacturing of this product can produce slight differences in the colors.

To find out more about Decking visit Peter's Website The Decking Guide and find out about Composite Decking and more, including Wood Decking, IPE Decking, Trex Decking and Pool Decking.

Lawn and garden beauty is the crowning glory of all dedicated American homeowners. Without a tidy garden and well cut lawn a home can look sadly neglected. It doesn't matter how fine the house is, to complete the picture there must be a well tended lawn and garden. Today's garden enthusiast never had it so good, as there is such an enormous amount of lawn and garden products available. The lawn and garden novice will have no trouble in finding all the information he or she needs from any of the nursery centers.

Information is easily found on lawn planting, what type of seeds to sew in what areas, and what type of lawn fertilizer to use and how often. The same goes for establishing the garden, what types of plants grow best in your area, and where they should be planted are easily answered by staff at your local garden center.

Once you have some idea of these basics you are able to move on to the exciting part of designing your own lawn and garden areas. With water shortage problems becoming more common, its very prudent to buy water-wise. There are many plants that not only need minimal watering; they also look stunning in any place around your home. Of course, having a water tank incorporated in your house plumbing, can save you gray water for plants watering.

It is important when planning your lawn and garden to give yourself plenty of time for it to evolve. Looking through magazines featuring lawns and gardens will provide a wealth of information and will help you decide what style you like. Your lawn and gardens can be set out in formal, natural, English cottage, oriental or really whatever you would like to adopt. It even helps to sketch a layout of your proposed lawn and garden, and then you can make changes often as new ideas come to you.

As you plan and design your garden always consider the line. Curved lines shape informal garden beds and lawns, whereas straight lines tend to evoke a sense of order that is more formal for your lawn and garden area. Curving lines throughout the lawn and garden area will take the eye on an intriguing journey that pleases. If successful, even your new patio landscaping will look great.

Once your lawn and garden area is established depending on the type of lawn and garden you have planted, then you hopefully should have relatively easy maintenance. Of course with lawns and gardens there is always the lawns to be cut and the garden to be pruned, fertilized, and watered. These lawn and garden tasks can all be made easy today with irrigation systems installed, and if you are not into cutting the lawn on a Saturday morning, then there are plenty of businesses that offer lawn mowing and garden trimming services.

It is after all such a small price to pay to be able to spend time relaxing on your lawn, admiring your garden, and enjoying the rewards that mother nature has bestowed on you. And dont forget, the benefits of eating your own vegetables that you can grow organically, and harvest when absolutely fresh. Relax, have fun, and smell roses on your own patch!

Lawn and garden grow in Sam Ness' mind insanely. His website Lawn-and-Garden.org is there to help you fall in love with gardening.

Dining room furniture is a rare and occasional purchase for most of us. The investment required in the buying decision is also fairly big, especially if you are going for authentic and exclusive furniture made of expensive wood and hand carvings. Having made the investment thus, it is all the more important to take proper care and devote some time for its maintenance. Believe me, well maintained furniture speaks volumes about your attitude and your persona. It is also a great way to avoid paying a huge amount in repairing it, which may well be required if damage occurs due to persistent use.

Perhaps one of the best ways to protect your expensive and exclusive furniture is by ordering a dining table pad. A table pad refers to a protective top cover on your table that covers and saves its surface. You can place a table pad under a table cloth or simply place it directly over table top. The choice is yours, and options are plentiful.

As you start using your dining table, the chances of stains, scratches, burns, water marks and a general diminish in its texture increase. While good dining tables are designed to protect themselves from minor things, a major spill over of food items, drinks or heat may permanently damage the surface of your table. Having spent a fortune on buying such a fine table, buying a pad for it is perhaps the next best decision you should make. Mind you, nothing pinches more than refurbishing or repairing your newly purchased table and a table pad helps you avoid exactly that.

Dining pads come in standard as well customized forms. You can order one based on the dimensions of your table and also choose from a variety of options available. You can have a velvety soft pad which can be easily folded or a hard cardboard based pad, which is comparatively more effective. The hard board usually folds on the hinges for easy storage. The top cover may also be leatherette, cushioning velvet, vinyl, cotton or water proofed weave. The range and options are simply too many and depend upon your choice, price range and table color. You have to decide whether you want a full table pad to cover the entire tabletop from suffering damage or smaller, single plate table pads, which can be placed at each position of the dining room chairs. This prevents accidental spilling over of food items, water marks etc. directly over your dining table. A good option to consider as it also adds to the overall ambience. Just make sure that it goes well with the color and texture of your table and room.

Investment in a table pad is a small price to pay if you consider the great benefits it will have over a period of time. No longer will you need to worry about serving your friends and well wishers over your exquisite table. Invite them over weekends and have a lively and carefree party. Enjoy the dishes and leave the worry to your table pad, doing its job efficiently and silently.

The author is an expert in home improvement techniques. It is important to maintain your dining set with the help of a table pad and table cloth. Your dining room furniture should reflect your personal style. Buy Amish made furniture for that regal look.