Ten Weight Loss Hacks
Losing weight is not just a matter of eating the right foods and getting enough exercise, it is also a matter of developing the mental side of it because unless you get yourself into the right frame of mind your weight loss efforts are doomed to fail. Here are ten weight-loss hacks.
1. Develop a healthy living mindset
Weight management is more a healthy living mind-set rather than a weight-loss one. Get into healthy living habits try not to focus on how much weight you are losing. Focus instead on getting enough exercise and eating the right foods. Healthy living also means living well and looking after your mental well-being. Unless you are in the right head-space you will not be in the right frame of mind to make the right choices as far as what you eat.
2. Decide to be happy despite your current circumstances
Some people make a decision that they are not going to be happy until they lose x amount of weight or for some other reason. In other words they need a license in order to be happy. The catch-22 situation is that a low self-esteem will undermine your weight-controlling efforts. Being happy is your responsibility and yours alone. It is up to you to find your own calling in life and being the person you were meant to be will go a long way towards achieving happiness and once you achieve that it will be easier to achieve your ideal weight.
3. Be yourself
There is no one else like you so be the best at being you rather than an imitation of someone else. It is better to polish the personal unique gifts and talents you have rather than be envious of others who are gifted in other areas. You are not meant to hide the talents you have or keep them to yourself but rather share them with others so that they may benefit from them. As far as weight-loss goes, it is futile to try and achieve a model-like figure when you have a different body-type.
4. Don’t compare yourself with others.
Run your own race and let others run their races. People who have a low self-esteem tend to make unfavourable comparisons with others. It is true that people tend to date their self-esteem. They are attracted to people who have the same issues as they have. Just accept who you are and if others do not like who you are then that is their problem, not yours. Just do your best!
5. Take no notice of the infomercials
Advertisers will use all the tricks in the book to appeal to your desires. That includes making you feel guilty about who you are. Honestly, you can understand why some women’s self-esteem suffers when you see some of the ads. There is usually a disclaimer in the ad saying “results are not typical.” Understand that for every person who appears in those testimonials there are countless others who were unsuccessful despite all their efforts. The success stories you read of are often exaggerated.
6. Ignore the before and after ads
Take no notice of the before and after adverts. The only before and after photos you should concern yourself with are your own. An unflattering photo is always used for the before photo.You do not know what goes on in order to produce such a flattering image in the after photo.
7. Make small changes daily
Make gradual changes to your diet in order for your body to become accustomed to a different routine whether that is changes to your diet or a new fitness regime. Develop good habits by taking bite-sized changes. It will all take time but it is better than trying to achieve too much in a short time then losing heart and giving up. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was anything else worth achieving so be patient.
8. Don’t lose heart
It may be frustrating when you are not making much progress. Don’t lose heart, just keep to your healthy living plan and you will at least be satisfied that you are doing the right thing. Focus on your hobbies and this will keep your mind off worries. Enjoy living your life despite your circumstances.
9. Take up new hobbies and sports
This is essential for your well-being because unless you are in the right head-space your efforts to control your weight will be in vain. Have you heard of the saying “comfort eating?” Sport enables you to connect with others and helps to build up your network of friends and acquaintances. Getting involved in some kind of sport is an activity that will certainly help you to control your weight and help maintain your mental stability. There are a number of sports you can take up and it does not matter how unfit you are. Even walking around the block is better than not exercising. The key is to get into the habit of exercising. Your capacity to do more exercise will increase as your fitness increases.
10. Understand there are no magic formulas
There is no magic formula for obtaining the body you want. There is no easy solution or short-cut method for reducing your weight. It takes effort and sacrifice and you have to decide whether it is all worth it. There is an ideal weight for all body types. Therefore you need to establish what is the ideal body type for your weight.
What Are The Most Common Uses for Aluminum in North America
Aluminum is one of Earth’s most abundant metals. Few come close to its performance. The popularity of aluminum comes down to its many benefits – lighter than steel without losing any strength, corrosion-resistant, durable, ductile, malleable, conductive, and odourless.
See the Most Common Uses for Aluminum in North America
Another large part of why dozens of America’s top industries use aluminum in their products is because it’s environmentally friendly, 100% recyclable, and doesn’t lose any of its strength in recycling. The most common uses of aluminum come down to 4 of our biggest industries.
Electrical.
Aluminum has 63 percent of the electrical conductivity of copper, something which makes it perfect for long-distance power lines in addition to its lightweight. Aluminum can form wire significantly easier than copper. Its corrosion resistance also adds some weather and climate protection. Aluminum is used in a wide variety of electrical products and designs, from motors to appliances, power systems, television antennas, satellite dishes, and some LED bulbs.
Consumer goods.
Aluminum is most frequently seen by the general population in consumer goods. Smartphones, laptops, tablets, and flat-screen TVs are all made with aluminum, which has high functionality as well as being high-tech looking, sleek, and sophisticated. Aluminum’s also a big material for Apple products, like iPhones. It’s used in the furniture like tables, chairs, lamps, and home décor, as well as pots and frying pans. Most iconically, aluminum is seen in soda beverage packaging having been used since 1967 by brands Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
Construction.
Construction makes use of aluminum because the material requires virtually no maintenance in large part because of its corrosion resistance. Thermally efficient, construction aluminum keeps buildings cool in summer and warm in winter. It can be cut, curved, and welded with ease, allowing architects to design whichever shape they please and create some truly inspiring buildings. Aluminum’s greatest application in construction, used in 1931, is the Empire State Building in New York City. Today, aluminum is used in almost all major commercial building constructions in one way or another.
Transportation.
Transportation aluminum has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, allowing vehicles to move easier and providing better fuel efficiency. With transportation aluminum, its alloys mix in with other metals. The automotive industry, some experts have said, will increase aluminum use in a car by 60 percent within the next five years. Cutting down on friction resistance, high-speed rail and subway systems worldwide also use aluminum. Lastly, it’s used in airplane and aerospace manufacturing as well as for the reasons mentioned.
Is that it?
There’s no other metal or material that has the adaptability and eco-friendliness that aluminum does. Plastic may come close however it does not carry the same environmental sustainability rating as aluminum does. Looking around, you’ll find aluminum is used alongside stainless steel, alloy steel, galvanized steel, brass, bronze, and copper to make some of the most well-known products. It can be cut in so many different ways and its benefits are so varied.
Aluminum could very well be the ultimate construction material of the twenty-first century, as it’s used in almost everything we use and which is around us. For the sake of our transportation, consumer goods, construction, and electrical, the world wouldn’t be what it is today without aluminum.
Is Aluminum Easy or Difficult To Weld?
Welding aluminum requires specific techniques, shielding gasses, specifications, and pre-weld and post-weld processing compared to other materials. Thankfully through the correct application, aluminum can be welded with ease as long as one ensures they are using the recommended method.
Aluminum can be difficult to weld for various reasons. Alloys such as 6061 experience solidification cracking when welded without a filler metal, for example. Alloys like a 6061 used with a 6061 filler metal can result in weld failure, highlighting the need to select the right filler metal.
Another challenge with aluminum is feeding. When a mechanical wire feeding process is used, additional special drive systems will be needed to ensure the aluminum does not buckle and tangle.
There are also other things to weigh when it comes to how to weld aluminum. Aluminum has greater thermal conductivity than steel which means full penetration may not occur in welding until the weld has progressed far enough from the start, otherwise known as a ‘cold open’. Aluminum is susceptible to crater cracking also requiring craters to be filled in so that failure doesn’t occur at the tail end of a weld.
There are 4 types of welding used for aluminum. There’s GTAW/TIG, GMAW/MIG, laser beam & electron beam welding, and resistance welding.
GTAW/TIG
Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), sometimes referred to as ‘tungsten inert gas welding, is the most popular welding process used with aluminum. GTAW is a recommended choice for aluminum as it does not require mechanical wire feeding. In its place, filler material is fed by the welder with his hand. GTAW welding on aluminum is also known as very clean with prevents unintended contamination.
GMAW/MIG
Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), otherwise referred to as ‘metal inert gas’ welding has higher deposition rates and faster travel speeds than GTAW. The drawback is that it does use a mechanical wire feeding system, requiring a push-pull gun or spool gun. It’s key with GMAW aluminum welding not to use 100% CO2 or 75% Argon/25% CO2 shielding gas. Although these gases are excellent for steel, aluminum cannot handle reactivity.
Laser beam and electron beam
Beam welding can handle aluminum, in many cases. The power density of beam welding processes is high, which thankfully means cold starts aren’t usually a concern. With laser welding, material light reflectivity can be something to weigh. Shielding gas optimization is also recommended to eliminate the risk of porosity.
However, in electron beam welding, you don’t encounter the same issues as the process does not use light as an energy medium.
Resistance welding
Resistance welding is the least likely method of welding aluminum as difficulties can arise in the electrical and thermal conductivity of the material. Parameter development time can be significant and special resistance welding equipment may be required to overcome these challenges.
Processes not recommended for welding
For welding aluminum, other than the aforementioned 4 processes, it is rare for other welding processes to be recommended. Stick welding, flux cored arc welding, and submerged arc welding are not effective ways of treating aluminum. Oftentimes, these methods create large amounts of porosity which is not preferred.
The type of welding used on aluminum matters a lot. Welding aluminum with the wrong specifications can easily result in failure. Any welder working with aluminum always wants to ensure best practices are being followed.