Diet-friendly Kitchen

How to make your kitchen diet-friendly? Here are some tips:

Keep all junk foods out of sight if you are the only one in your family on a diet. Instead of unhealthy foods (which will tempt you to have), keep only healthy food to help you stick to a diet, in sight.


Stick on your refrigerator door, some inspirational magnets that will encourage you to stick to your diet and remind you why eating healthy will be beneficial. Sticking dietary schedule also will be a good idea to keep you on track.


Always use small plate and eat in smaller portions. When you put less food on your plate, your brain begins to feel fuller faster.


Never watch TV while having your food. If you do, your attention is not on your plate and you end up eating more than you actually require. It is better to have a separate dining area where you can eat your meals.


Spices like cinnamon, black pepper and ginger not only add flavour to your food, but are also great for those on a diet. Ensure that your kitchen is always well-stocked with seasoning and spices.


Always keep your kitchen clean so that cooking becomes a delight. It is better to clean up after every use and make sure it stays that way always.

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How to say 'No'?

Most women & men habitually say 'Yes' as they risk being termed selfish, if they do not. It is not about being inconsiderate or egotistic when you have to turn down somebody's request. It is about having a balanced approach. It may seem a bit strange and difficult to say 'no' if you are a compulsive 'yes-sayer'.

But consider the power of saying 'No', it can save you time and energy for things that you really care about. It can keep you away from people to take advantage of you. It gives you mental strength and lets you enjoy your life more.

Anybody can restrain from saying 'yes' immediately. Making on the spot decisions can put you in a fix. You can always tell a person that you will let them know after you have had time to think about it.


Consider the time commitment carefully. Most of us miscalculate the time it really takes to do a task. If you are asked to complete a task within 2 hours, check your schedule. If it looks tight, say you can take it up whenever time permits.


Be firm and do not feel sorry. And do not say 'yes' simply because you are capable. You will be presented with several opportunities to express your skills. Consider your time availability, family commitments and other responsibilities before you accept any request.


Set your priorities. Before you accept a request, take time to consider if you are really willing to spend the time and energy on this new commitment. Re-evaluate your priorities when you have too much to handle. Create healthy boundaries that will help you maintain self-respect and enjoy relationships.


Be very clear while turning someone down. Some people are extremely persistent and do not get the message unless you are really firm with them.

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How to Tackle & Manage Tricky Conversations?

In personal or professional life, learning to navigate through difficult conversations is a must-have skill for everybody. Here are some useful tips to manage tricky conversations:-

Before getting in to any conversation, introspect on what you really want and what kind of behavior will help you accomplish it. And anticipate and prepare for the other person's reaction so that you have your answer ready.


The imbalance between what one wants to say and what one ends up saying can be rectified the moment a person becomes conscious of the tone of the conversation, and makes an effort to be patient and tolerant of the partner's view, even if she / he thinks it is flawed.


Meaningful conversations can happen only when people are able to engage in a healthy dialogue. Crucial conversations require focus on emotions and the ability to manage differences of opinion. We should always remember that other person is as passionate about his or her point of view. If you want your views to be respected, extend the same courtesy. Another technique to tackle the tricky conversations is to politely agree or disagree.


Different people respond differently to similar situations as our emotions are triggered by the way we process information in our minds. But if emotions take place in your conversation, you have three choices: (i) Continue the conversation (ii) To be silent & (iii) Burst out with anger. Keeping these options in view, you can opt for a solution-oriented dialogue or avoid the conversation.


Conversation is not about winning or blaming. It is about sharing and learning. The main conversations blocks are internal assumptions, possible lack of skills, inability to handle the actions or behaviour of others and too much focus on what one wants. To have a smooth conversation, never indulge in unhealthy gossip.

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How to be Safe & Secured 'Online'?

In an increasingly online world now, safety and security have become more critical than ever as stories about hackers stealing passwords, credit card information or personal information keep breaking. Here are some important tips for you to be 'Safe & Secured' Online:-

Always use long passwords for your email accounts and online payment gateways. The recommended minimum is eight alpha-numeric characters. Though some services have character limits for passwords, you can still opt for maximum 14 to 25 alpha-numeric characters.


Use both upper and lower cases for every password with special characters (like &% etc.) also.


Avoid words that are in dictionaries as there are programs that can crack passwords by going through databases of known words.


Character substitution is also one of the best ways while choosing the passwords like using 'Zero' in stead of the letter 'O' and a '$' sign for the alphabet 'S'.


Do not use easy to guess names like your name, your company name, your date of birth, your hometown. Even pets and relatives names should be avoided.


Never re-use passwords on other accounts unless you use the same user ID and passwords for sites that do not link to credit card or other personal information.


Apart from above, use a good basic anti-virus software for your laptop / system to prevent virus and to be safe and secured online.

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Boosting Brain with Exercises

We all know that physical exercises will definitely keep us physically fit. But it also keeps you mentally fit and boost your brain. How? Explained here:

Physical exercises improve our cognitive function and enable us, think more efficiently and effectively.


People who undertake physical exercise are 25% more productive than those who do not. To excel also professionally, do physical exercises on daily basis.


Cardiovascular exercises signal the brain to release the key hormones of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These hormones reduce stress, elevate your mood and make you feel happier.


Finding difficult in remembering anything? You can improve your memory power by 20% if you do physical exercises for 30 minutes a day.


Cardio exercise session floods the brain with chemicals which will help you think more effectively and even improve your decision-making skills.

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