Tips on Fitness and Pregnancy

What are the main expectations of mothers?

Weight control and to avoid weight gains greater than 13-14 pounds;

Avoidance of back problems;

Fortification of the abdomen;

Increased resistance and resilience;

Achievement of relaxation and energy (a good feeling about their body and head);

Prevention of varicose veins and cramps by improving the circulation;

Prevention of pain by improving the posture;

Strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles for an easier delivery;

Breathing and concentration exercises to relieve stress and tension;

More control over their bodies and their emotions.

Women can also train at home, which is a very good solution when they cannot move very easily anymore!

What other benefits do pregnant women have?

All women want a training program tailored to their demands and needs especially at this time. They need their questions and wishes to be heard. An individualized home training program can relax them and eliminate some of the concerns related to their pregnancy and the use of birthing balls.

The weather conditions and transportation are not a problem anymore. Thus, they save time and money. Also, they do not feel the extra pounds they gain during pregnancy.

What simple exercises can you do at home on weekends? Do they vary depending on the stage of pregnancy?

Starting to train from the first quarter would be the best way to prevent low back pain, stiffness and poor posture but this is not always easy because most women experience nausea. The first quarter is the most important because this is the time when the baby practically “forms”. Then, the 2nd quarter is an ideal time to do physical activity because the hormones are a little more stable and the woman is more euphoric yet exhausted by the weight of the baby. Finally, the belly gets bigger in the 3rd quarter. More than ever, it is imperative to do the exercises in a ventilated and quiet room for better oxygenation! The woman must warm up and rest between the exercises. Moreover, she should listen to her body because it might get tired very quickly when exercise balls are used.

Some exercises to do at home

Straighten the spine and the pelvic area. Sit on the floor, feet up and parallel, spine straight and inhale and let your belly expand. Exhale by tightening the pelvic area (as if you had the urge to urinate or experienced bowel movement) for 3 seconds and then relax it for 5 seconds. Repeat this exercise for 1 to 5 minutes once a day.
Tone the thighs, buttocks and perineum. Keep the feet slightly apart and parallel, the shoulders down, the neck stretched and keep a soft ball or cushion between your knees. Contract your gluteal muscles and then lower your back. Repeat this exercise by contracting the pelvic area and squeezing the ball.

Relieve the perineum. Keep a pillow under your head, slightly raise the pelvis and place a rolled towel under your buttocks so that the perineum is facing up. Close your eyes and enjoy this moment of relaxation.
You can also use a large Swiss ball for the relaxation exercises. Keep your legs on the ball.

When is the best time to get back to sports after childbirth? You can get birthing balls instead and use them as exercise balls.

You should resume your sporting activity after about 2.5 months. You should make no effort after a vaginal delivery or a caesarean section. You must resume your sporting activity intelligently. Pilates helps the body to recover gradually.
Important: Do the tests and start the pelvic muscle training 6-8 weeks after childbirth before resuming your physical activity to avoid complications and urinary incontinence.

Advice: You may continue your sporting activity until your postnatal leave if everything goes well during your pregnancy! This could actually do you a lot of good and limit your weight gain.

The delivery is a great sporting event so you had better be prepared especially when you deliver your first baby! However, the result is a delight!

Aqua-gym/Swimming

You can do water aerobics and take yoga classes and you will feel a lot better. These activities are not expensive and they are very easy to practice. You should take up these sports towards the end of your pregnancy. Wear a bathing cap and shoes when you go to the basin in order not to slip. You may be exposed to mycoses, so you should take all the precautions you can.

What sports did you practice during your pregnancy? What activities/places would you recommend?

The Kitchen in a House and on Camping

Anyone who rents a house in order to spend the time with young people should fall back on the same kitchen equipment as the one they have at home. Everything should be available from a small spoon to a large saucepan. At home, you are used to having everything within reach. However, the situation is different when you have to bring your own kitchen utensils. Then starts the great planning. The better equipped the kitchen, the better you can cook and the more food options you have. Most kitchens are equipped with an electric or gas stove.

First of all, in order to enjoy cooking you need cups, plates in different sizes, small bowls for salads or dessert as well as egg cups, egg spoons, spoons, forks and knives. You also need some salad servers, salad bowls, but also measuring cups and mixing bowls in different sizes. Butter dishes, cutting boards, meat and bread knives, spatulas, whisks and screens in different sizes are also useful. Then, there is the coffee maker or the coffee pot with coffee filters and the teapot with a strainer. You may also need a lemon squeezer, depending on how you do your cooking. Plastic boxes and bulk containers are also very important in a kitchen.
In the kitchen, you need to read the how to grill book in order for you to know how to grill vegetables.

You also need pots and pans in different sizes and maybe even an egg cooker in order to cook properly. Even a toaster can be useful at times. You should also have a separate bulk box for flour and sugar. Salt and pepper can be stored in jars or pepper mills. Other spices are usually available in corresponding recipients. Thus, they can be dosed properly.

The more intense and attentive you are when it comes to the kitchen equipment, the better you can cook. In addition to this, you will feel safer if you are prepared. You should always make sure that nobody gets injured in your kitchen. Check the cooking utensils to see if they are safe. This includes the sharpness of the blades of knives and so on. People should be safe in your kitchen whether they are there to help you with the cooking or not. Therefore, it is important that you check every little tool in the kitchen. Not only knives can cause injuries, but also cracked glasses or plates with broken corners.

You need to be careful in the kitchen and know how to grill vegetables safely. The how to grill book can help a lot.

Transport and storage boxes

The transport and storage of food are important kitchen-related matters. Food must be stored properly and hygienically and cooled if necessary. Protection against pests and mice must also be considered. Therefore, comprehensive and well-lockable storage chests are also needed.

Make sure that the food is packaged clearly and thereby also close at hand. The foods that require refrigeration require special attention.

You must keep everything in mind from Tupperware for butter, sausage and cheese, plastic stacking boxes with lids for bread, vegetables and used packs to large metal shipping boxes for cans and other foods. It is important that the respective transport containers are trimmed properly before the food is transported in them.
Water and airtight containers are needed if the food needs to be cooled in water or buried before being consumed.

Refrigeration may be required for longer trips (or frozen plastic water bottles) to ensure cooling during transportation.

Material list

For camping:
A large pot (30-50 liters)

2 large horde pots (10 liters)

2 small pots (1-5 liters)

1 large pan

Gas bottles

1-2 large gas cooker(s)

2 small gas stoves (tripod)

3-4 manifold pressure regulator

A lighter

2-3 table sets

1 bail

2-3 ladles

Crates

Brushes

Cleaning products

Sponges

Measuring cups

Funnel

Water tanks/canisters

Can openers

Garbage bags

Aluminum foil

A whisk

A knife

Plastic bowls

Tupperware

Scourer

Kitchen towels

A dressing case

Burn ointment

Patches
Materials needed on trips:
1 pan for 10 people (a 5-liter pot)

1 small pot

2-3 small camping gas stoves and replacement cartridges

A can opener

A lighter

A small sponge

2 Tupperware boxes

A sharp knife

What is available?

The kitchen equipment must always be checked. You should take a look around the kitchen in the leisure house to see if you need to bring any kitchen utensils or if you need any cooking facilities. It is annoying to plan a menu and not be able to cook it because of a lack of equipment.

Check whether the gas stoves and the utensils are in order when you go hiking or camping. Make replacements if necessary.

The Purpose of a Dog Health Insurance

Animal health insurance - 75 percent of dogs and 88 percent of cat lovers have never been closer to the subject of animal health insurance. This is the finding of a study conducted by the market research firm GfK in 2011.


There is still much unmet demand, which can be covered with new products. This is the conclusion of the insurer. There are some providers such as Agila that have specialized in dog health insurance. In the end, most dog owners wonder what the purpose of this type of insurance is.

Costs with health insurance

Here is a concrete example: a not so common stomach-turning surgery on a Golden Retriever is estimated at 2000 EUR. Then, detoxification after rat poison ingestion costs about 540 EUR. Also, dogs often suffer injuries after colliding with motorists. Chronic diseases are also quite costly. A simple calculation shows that a full dog insurance policy with 20 percent equity participation starts at 27 EUR a month for dogs and 15 EUR a month for cats. The costs may reach 42 EUR, depending on the breed, age and coverage areas.


According to the same study, every seventh dog had already undergone surgery. This is an impressive number, but there is no way to assess the type of operation and its costs. The study also pointed out also that the vet fees had increased by twelve percent as compared to the previous year.


The long-term costs associated with petting cannot be overestimated. Here is a quick example: there may be an accident - the dog is hit by a car and needs surgery. Medical treatment may also be necessary. Any unforeseen accident can turn into an exceptional financial burden. Sometimes, pets with no health insurance may need to find a way to afford medical interventions in the short term. Therefore, pet owners must be prepared all the time. Meanwhile, there are online credit markets which offer private loans for people who need funds for their dogs. While these are extreme cases, every dog owner should think of their own health and try to do the same for their dog.

The City of Sin Will Soon Arrive in Europe

The situation in Las Vegas is far from rosy at the moment. The number of players has decreased considerably and the Chinese gambling Mecca Macau has outrun the heart of gambling in Nevada already.

Vegas is expected to have to face another competitor called Europe in the next years. In concrete terms, the Euro Vegas Casino at the border between Hungary and Austria promises to have a significant say. Of course, it will not cover the wide range of opportunities as Las Vegas casinos, but it will still have a consistent and attractive offer. You can play with the best online casino and fruit machines available.

This unique entertainment center will cover an area of 335 hectares. There will be this huge "event center" with a surface of 5,000 square meters, more than 630 hotel rooms, a huge spa center, restaurants and bars and a number of gambling venues. One of them will house 3,000 machines and 200 tables.

This mega project costs almost five billion Euros. The choice of the location of this rip-off casino could not be more inspired. It will be located at the crossroads of the railway road and the highway and has a separate exit. The project also includes a railway station, which will be built in the next few years.

The location of this casino is the best as Bratislava is 35 kilometers away, Vienna is 77 km away and Budapest is 171 km away. There are also two international airports nearby.

The project spokesman suggested that this company would become the Eldorado of Central Europe. It will have the best online casino and fruit machines for the players.

Whether its success will be as impressive as hoped for is still an open question. The construction of this mammoth project started last spring. The Austrian businessman Assamer had the stroke of genius to acquire this outstanding area. However, he did not know what to do with this gigantic area at first.

The plan to build a casino and compete with Las Vegas only came later. The entertainment center is inspired from "Hard Rock", which can be found in almost every major city in Europe. This is where "Hard Rock" cafes are inspired from. The same businessman would like to build a hotel, a casino and a nightclub next year.

Four separate casinos and poker rooms will be built in the coming years, as well as a large-scale open air arena, which will be used for concerts. So Euro Vegas will most definitely be a successful entertainment center and a popular destination for weekend trips and short breaks.

Families are attracted with this project. According to the spokesman, they can stay there the entire weekend, go to shows and play when the children are no longer up. The planners and leaders of the company reveal their plans and provide information for the curious on their website.

Buying Guide on Projectors

This article offers you a selection of projectors and a discussion on the selection criteria. Only five products have managed to impress specialized websites with limited space, so this article only takes into consideration the best offers.

DLP versus LCD

Today, both technologies hold the upper hand and compete against each other. Each camp has its ardent defenders. DLP supporters pledge for "deep black", "more intense colors" and "better color fastness over time", while supporters of the LCD technology respond with "the no rainbow effect", "more color thus better degradation" and "finer overall appearance".

Here is the bottom line: Choose the DLP technology if you are sensitive to the rainbow effect. If you are not, choose between the two types of technology according to your tastes. No current technology can satisfy all customers.
Your TV is too small and you want to enter the world of real home theater? Welcome to this buyer's guide dedicated to video projectors. You can compare a number of products and then choose the one that meets your needs.

Before you make that comparison, here are some techniques that will help you if you are a beginner in this domain. If you already know all the jargon, you can skip directly to the selection of models.

What are 100 Hz and 200 Hz projectors? Are there perfectly smooth projectors?

This is a complex topic, but the main idea is the following: Contrary to many misconceptions, the 100 Hz projector has nothing to do with the fluidity of the film. The confusion stems from the fact that the 100 Hz projector also thins the films. The 100 Hz projector limits the ghosting effect when fast movements are performed. On the other hand, the afterglow is imperceptible with 200 Hz projectors. The persistence of the headlamps has always been minimal in this case.

So do not mistake the 100 Hz and 200 Hz projectors for Motionflow (Sony), HDNM (HD Natural Motion Philips), Movie Plus (Samsung) or TruMotion (LG), which are systems that eliminate all defects by calculating the intermediate images from the original film. These systems are essential for those who are allergic to the slightest twitches. There is often a repellent video effect, but this effect can always be removed. Those who want to achieve the greatest performance should purchase a projector with such a function. Finally, 120 Hz (or more) is necessary but not sufficient to watch TV in 3D mode.

 What is 3D?

Accessible to individuals ever since 2009, 3D allows one to watch movies in relief, as its name suggests. Those who missed the launch of this phenomenon at the end of 2009 can look into the success of the film AVATAR 3D.

Summary - Everything you need to know about 3D

Only few projectors are compatible with the 3D mode. They are required to operate at a frequency of at least 100 Hz to be compatible with the 3D mode. Beware though! Not all projectors operating at 100 Hz or more are automatically compatible with the 3D mode. Also keep in mind that 3D is still increasing in popularity and there are also few Blu-ray offers, so to speak. The Blu-ray format must also be compatible with the 3D mode. As for TV shows, some satellite channels announce the arrival of 3D programs for this year.

Finally, remember that you must wear special glasses to watch TV in 3D mode. Therefore, you will need to buy a pair of such glasses if you want to try this experience.

HD Ready Definition versus Full HD

An HD ready video projector displays at least 720 lines, while a full HD projector displays at least 1,080 lines. 1,080 lines is precisely the definition used by the HDTV and Blu-ray. Therefore, you should opt for this type of projector to enjoy the quality of HD!

1,080 line projectors are recommended, especially since they are very affordable now. The models with a definition of 720 lines tend to disappear gradually.

Should you believe what the manufacturers say?

You can simply ignore the contrast figures announced by manufacturers. They are calculated as to maximize the contrast but they are far from the ideal conditions in which you should watch a movie. For example, the contrast of a projector of 80,000:1 falls to about 500 to 1000:1 once all the settings have been made. Rely on your own measurements instead because it is safer.