The feeling of setting a big and powerful goal to lose body fat, build muscle or any other goal for that matter is pure utopia.

You feel the rush of excitement flowing through your veins like some sort of illicit drug, you feel unstoppable and start to think about what it will be like when you do reach your goal – the feelings, the adoration from people, the attention, the benefits.

After the initial excitement dampens down and reality sets in – you realize you need a plan.

"Okay", you admit "I will create a plan". So you purchase a weight loss program, buy some DVDs or decide to make up your own. The options are endless but you know you need something to get started with.

The first few times you workout you enjoy it, put in the intensity and love it.

After those first few times though it starts getting a bit colder in the mornings, work gets a bit harder, your body aches and cries out for a massage, you start to crave for chocolate bars and donuts.

What happens to the excitement and wild enthusiasm that was there at the start?

1. Create Goals That Turn Your Blood Into Pure Adrenaline

Your goal itself should be a powerful motivator, if you have a goal to lose 10lb, that is a great start, but by having a goal that also extends beyond that and to one day have a body like Bruce Lee or Kim Kardashian – now that is a goal that will keep you motivated.

What I like to do (and have for some time) is to have posters of a guy who is a freakin bad ass and who have a great body, my role models have been Tony Jaa from the best martial arts films in some time, The Protector & Ong Bak, plus Bruce Lee & Brad Pitt (especially in Fight Club.

Create a goal that is bigger than wanting to lose 10lb if you are 100lb over weight. Instead of saying things like "Well, I'll never be a really skinny girl or guy, I am just bigger boned and have a larger body than other skinnier guys/gals.

B.S

Sure you may never be a supermodel, but you can always look like one.

Everybody has the potential to look better than they currently do, and for most of us, a LOT better.

Create those big goals, but have small milestones such as losing 10lb as a stepping stone to the big goal.

2. Feel Like A Complete Jackass If You Don't Achieve It

Nobody likes to feel like an idiot, yet so many times we hear people talkin' turkey about how they are going to shift to the beach, find a new job, start working out, save for a house, quit smoking… Whatever. Talk is cheap.

If you have someone who you respect and would hate to let down (such as an annoyingly persistent friend), they will help to hold you accountable to your goal as often as you like.

We all know that we go through certain periods of motivation, and sometimes extremely low levels of motivation, the urban acronym for this feeling is CBF. To combat this you are going to be accountable to this annoying person whoever it may be such as a mentor, friend, work mate, gym buddy, or somebody who is also wanting an annoying person to help them achieve their goals.

Meet up at some stage every week to discuss what key milestones you have achieved.

This leads to the last step,

3. Ink It

If you wrote down all of the time in a day into 15 minute slots and spent 5 seconds every 15 minutes to write what you did in that time, you would be blown away how much time you just waste doing idle things such as Facebook stalking, surfing the web, Stumbling, youTubing, talking to people you don't really like, doing non-essential housework and errands and other time thieves.

By purchasing a diary and making good use of it, you can at least put down what you did toward your goal for the day, even something as simple as going for a 20 minute walk and not drinking any soda is something to be proud of at the start. As time goes on things like soda will conjure up images of decaying teeth, rotting mouth, bad breath, bums, smelly disgusting looking people and you will not even think twice before shaking up any soda you see and spraying it on the consumer.

By inking your progress you can slowly build up your efforts, because if you only walked for 20 minutes twice a week forever, how do you expect to have big muscles and scare elderly people when they discover you are not a statue of a Greek God and you are in fact merely human?

I hope if nothing else I have given you a couple of good ideas to help you toward your goal, because when it comes to losing body fat and getting in great shape – showing up and doing the work is 90% of it. It is all in your head, so you better make that head a good one that takes action.

Johnny Palmer teaches the best way to lose belly fat and has reviewed the best weight loss programs there is. He shows you exactly how to get abs and practices what he preaches.

It shouldn't be tough to accept that arguments are a part of life. We all get into arguments with friends, family, bosses (especially!), strangers and so on and so forth. But most people who are able to see both sides of the story, understand that it is only when the situation is resolved with a WIN-WIN result in mind, that is when the whole blessing in disguise is actually noticed when it comes to having an argument in the first place.

Often times, people are either too aggressive or passive, and this means that the aggressor almost always wins while the passive types always get stamped on. But when there is a battle amongst equals, that is a different story altogether… and stubbornness in terms of "It's my way or the highway" takes center stage. Yes, the adults who've never grown and display serious anger management issues.

And this is where conflict mediation becomes an imperative skill to imbibe regardless of whether this is about resolving personal or professional relationships, as this can lead to choices that can leave one regretting for the rest of their lives.

Resolving Conflict

While psychology has different ways of dealing with people who are obviously frustrated and need to stand for what they think is right, the simplest way to deal with this is by listening with empathy. Trust me, this is something that people who are upset tend to do none of, and this why the situation escalation to a point of no return.

If you notice how psychologists deal with their patients, they allow the other person to talk which helps them to vent their feelings thus giving way to reason  where they can now think things through sensibly and chart a course of action that will be suitable for all involved.

Now place yourself as the person who is in conflict with the other, and now listen to what they're saying before letting your emotions take control. (It's a little tough to do this when the other person abuses you, but you have to try.)

You can show the other person that you are listening by repeating keywords or keyphrases during their monologue.

Keep your cool and understand that the other person is not angry with you but perhaps with the situation that they find themselves in. And so when you remain quiet, when they're raving and ranting, it only goes to show who's in control of themselves. While this can give you the upper hand, it's dangerous to actually retort immediately… which will not help either person.

If you think that this isn't working with the person you are trying to reach a resolution with, take a break or just distance yourself from the person until they cool down.

In getting back later to the conversation later, you will find that the results will be exactly what you both hoped for, as history has been known to have conflicts resolved in such a way that both sides are able to coexist peacefully.

In Closing

Just remember that staying cool is not the perfect time to take advantage of the other person (as some people do) but it is to help the other person understand that you're willing to settle for a solution that suits both parties.

It was only recently that archaeologists found a Jewish temple that had the twelve astrological signs on the floor of the synagogue in an area that has been cordoned off for excavation for a long time in Israel now. And as disturbing as this might sound to Christians around the world, facts are facts!

And this one is pretty undeniable with the evidence that has been found off late!

Astrology: A hoax or an esoteric study with a rich cultural history?

For centuries now, people think that astrology is a religion but nothing can be further from the truth. However, for most folks who are more than interested in just reading the horoscopes in the newspaper every morning, we know that reading the stars is anything but a joke. And if you don't believe me, ask the Three Wise men who quite literally followed a star (while interpreting the fact that it would lead them to where Jesus lay)!

Carl Jung, in his study of astrology and other occult studies, understood that if this fell into the hands of those who did not how to use it well, this would result in disaster for a study that has its origins in almost every great culture of the past.

So, what are these 12 signs and what is all this jazz about the moods that are often related to each sign? And what is an astrology chart all about?

The Astrological Sign and Mood

Almost everyone at some point of time in their lives comes across astrology and the ever-popular sun sign, but the truth is that this study doesn't just end there. And you'll understand it when you draw up an astrological chart, and once it's done… you'll begin to see how cyclic life truly is (and rather predictable to a certain degree), if you only take the time!

But for now, we'll stick to the signs and the moods associated with them, and the best way to understand this is to understand the Earth, Water, Fire and Air break up of these signs.

Earth – Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo

Air – Aquarius, Gemini, Libra

Water – Scorpio, Pisces, Cancer

Fire – Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

The reason for this breakup has a lot to do with how one expresses their emotions, and unbeknown to most Western folk, your astrology chart contains an important element known as the moon sign, which explains how one responds to situation that can evoke destructive or constructive emotions.

Vedic astrology emphasizes that the moon sign is far more important since it is an indicator of our emotions, and the truth is that most of our choices (not decisions) in life are determined by our emotions.

So, if you have a fire sign for your moon sign, then you can be sure that your moods will be most likely fiery ranging from anger to rage with a greater degree of impatience and impulsiveness as opposed to any other group of signs.

When one has both an air or an earth sign for their moon sign, these folks are not necessarily the 'emotional' types but intend to either ignore their feeling for the sake of practicality or just intellectualize them.

But when it comes to the water signs as your moon, being emotional is pretty much a part of your daily routine.

And the words that you use in response/ reaction to a particular situation will pretty much give your moon sign away if one is able to look 'beneath the surface'.

In Closing

And whether or not religion seeks to undermine astrology, the truth is that there's much more beneath the surface, and it bodes well that one understands this study for themselves before making a careless (and know-it-all) judgment!

If you just wanted to be like other average men, you probably wouldn't be reading this website.

In fact, your loathing and/or fear of mediocrity, combined with your ambition to be faster, stronger, and smarter than mere mortals, are all part of what keep you reading men's magazines and websites like this one.

Be that all as it may, however, the possibility still exists that you may be — dare I say it — average. Or — even worse! — less than average.

The only way to truly find out is to put yourself to the test. The following is a list of traits, compiled from a variety of data sources (including the U.S. Census Bureau), that list some known averages for average men:

age: 34 years old, weight: 175lbs and height: 5'9 1/2. Let’s see how you measure up!

The Average Guy Can…

• Do 27 push-ups in one minute
• Run 1.5 miles in 12:51
• Complete 36 sit-ups in one minute
• Bench Press 158 pounds one time
• Throw a football 50 yards

The Average Guy Also…

• Has sex 1.5 times per week (79 times per year) and lasts 14 minutes
• Has an erect penis length between 5.5 and 6.2 inches
• Enjoys a total of 12.4 sex partners in his lifetime
• Earns around $36,100 per year
• Is married with two children and has $3,100 in the bank
• Has a 13-inch flexed bicep

The Average Guy Consumes…

• 3.3 cups of coffee a day
• 1.2 alcoholic drinks a day
• 26 pounds of beef per year
• 16 pounds of cheese per year
• 19 pizza pies per year

Whereabouts on the Average Men scale did you end up falling? My guess is that you're probably above-average on most, if not all, of the above referenced listings, because, on average, men who read fitness websites and magazines are more fit than men who do not.

Every once in a while, we all feel a little down in the dumps. Relationships, bills, deadlines, and more can overwhelm even the most confident and grounded individuals.

So, what do you do when you come down with a case of the blues?

If you want to know how to be happy and get the quick "pick-me-up" you need during those cloudy times, try using these 10 mood-boosting moves:

1. Ginger and Broccoli – Research shows that this combination can temporarily relieve depression. Order up some ginger chicken and broccoli from your favorite Chinese restaurant, but watch out for those high-sodium sauces and sides.
2. Sugary Sour – Sure, sugar is sweet, but the same isn't necessarily true for those who eat it. Simple carbs and processed foods have been shown to increase rates of anxiety and depression. Cut out the sweets, and you'll start looking slimmer and healthier too, which can only improve your mood.
3. Road Trip – It doesn't have to be quite as wild and crazy as the same-named movie, but get out there and enjoy a weekend road trip with a friend or significant other.
4. Ditch It – Go through your most cluttered rooms and closet and get rid of all your "crap." If you really think about some of the things you have collecting dust or the truckloads of clothes you will never wear again, you will be amazed at how much you can toss. You don't have to trash it. Try having a yard sale or listing on eBay. Either way, your life and mind will feel re-energized and clutter free.
5. Smile – That's right, it may seem like the simplest advice of all, but just smile. It's hard to feel sad with a big grin pasted on your face, even when it's forced. In fact, studies have proven that the act of smiling can instantly trigger "feel-good" hormones in your body.
6. Move to the Groove – Exercise can truly be a full-body workout, from your brain to your toes. Besides the obvious and significant benefits to your physical health, going for a run or lifting weights can take your mind off things and help you relax.
7. If you still can't escape the rain clouds, try these four other how to be happy tips…

If you've tried all of these and still can't turn that frown upside down, then it may be time to look for professional help. The right doctor can help identify the root of the problem and recommend lifestyle changes to get things back on track, rather than just writing you off as another hopelessly depressed patient and prescribing a bottle of pills.

What are some of your personal how to be happy tips?

Monday is Blog Carnivals Day. A Blog Carnival is basically a collection of articles or blog posts, all relating to a similar subject, that are gathered together for your viewing pleasure. You can quickly and conveniently see a list of Article Titles and click on the ones that interest you to read the full post. Blog carnivals are a great way to see a wide variety of ideas and opinions on a similar subject. To see a list of all previous posts in the Blog Carnivals category, click here.

Want to see your article or blog post featured in the FitBuff.com Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival? Click here to submit yours now.

Brain Power

• Shaheen Lakhan presents Metrosexuality: A Personality Disorder? posted at GNIF Brain Blogger.
• Bill Urell presents How Many Of These 10 Crazy Making Ideas Affect You? posted at Addiction Recovery Basics.

Exercise

• Conan Stevens presents 7 Foot Muscleman Photos July 2007 posted at Tall Actor Website.
• Christopher Warden presents "The Tipping Point" to Healthy Living posted at Integral Concepts of Personal Training.

Nutrition

• Jo presents 12 tips to eat out without blowing it posted at myweightlossforlife.com.
• Ross presents Here is my single biggest #1 tip – cut out sugar! posted at Energise Blog: Natural Health & Alkaline Diet.

Stress

• Chris presents How to get a Social Life posted at How to have more social success.
• Samir presents How Balanced is My Life? posted at Develop & Grow.

Be sure to tune in every Monday for the next Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival, and if you want to submit your own article for inclusion, click here before midnight (eastern time) on Sunday.

Monday is Blog Carnivals Day (see the FAQ for a detailed breakdown of FitBuff.com's posting schedule). A Blog Carnival is basically a collection of articles or blog posts, all relating to a similar subject, that are gathered together for your viewing pleasure. You can quickly and conveniently see a list of Article Titles and click on the ones that interest you to read the full post. Blog carnivals are a great way to see a wide variety of ideas and opinions on a similar subject. To see a list of all previous posts in the Blog Carnivals category, click here.

Want to see your article or blog post featured in the FitBuff.com Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival? Click here to submit yours now.

WOW! We received a record 30+ submissions this week, and all but a few made the cut. Thank you to the regular authors who continue to submit great articles, as well as the newcomers who bring even more wealth and knowledge to the Carnival every week!

Brain Power

• Shaheen Lakhan presents Working Out Your Brain posted at GNIF Brain Blogger.
• Michael Scanlon presents Five foods for your brain posted at Brain Health.
• Karen Halls presents Alcoholism Disease – Is there a Biological and Physiological Basis to Alcoholism? posted at Addiction Recovery Blog.
• Mark30 presents Brain Health posted at Business Opportunity.
• Arin Vahanian presents Stick to your purpose – and improve the world too! posted at Super State.
• GP presents Lessons in Mental Management posted at Fish Creek House – INNside Innkeeping.

Exercise

• Leorita Seneres-Velasquez presents Are you Obese? posted at Diet Matters.
• John presents Fitness Tips posted at Muscular-Fitness.
• Riversider presents Richard Runs for the Ribble posted at Save The Ribble.
• bobbarama presents A real gym-dandy experience posted at bobbarama.com.
• Shaheen Lakhan presents Yoga increases GABA levels in brain posted at GNIF Brain Blogger.
• Ruby presents How to Lose Weight and Keep it Off posted at Advice and Rants.
• Aparna presents Kapalabhati Pranayam posted at Beauty & Personality Grooming.
• Tupelo Kenyon presents 5 Tibetan Rites – Easy Yoga for Busy People posted at Tupelo Kenyon.
• Jason Cockfield presents Higher Endeavors – The 90% Rule posted at Higher Endeavors.

Grooming

• Tracee Sioux presents "Clean" Bikini Line posted at Blog Fabulous.

Nutrition

• John presents How to Keep Your Body Regular posted at Universe Of Success.
• Ant presents Diet Myths Debunked posted at The Beef Jerky Blog.
• Clara Myers presents Sea Herbs and Vegetables posted at Mind Mart.
• Amanda Herrington presents Super Weightloss Supplement: Slim Down By Filling Up With Psyllium posted at healthsundae.com — your daily scoop of health, fitness, and nutrition.
• Emma Honey presents healthandfitnessfactorfiction.com » Blog Archive » This Week's Top Five – 13/11/06 posted at healthandfitnessfactorfiction.com.

Stress

• Paul Evans presents How To Relieve Stress posted at love-my-phobia.

Work

• John presents Attracting People for Business posted at Attracting People.com.
• Roger Haeske presents How A Fool Idea Doubled My Productivity posted at Raw Food Diet, Bodyweight Fitness and Peak Performance Living.
• GP presents On My High horse in a Field of Dreams posted at Fish Creek House – INNside Innkeeping.
• Mike Harmon presents Article Syndication- The Sky is The Limit So Explore and Aim for the Sky posted at Basic Accounting.
• Cade Krueger presents 3 Questions To Make Your Business Enjoyable And Durable posted at Write To Right Your Business Opportunity.

Be sure to tune in every Monday for the next Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival, and if you want to submit your own article for inclusion, click here before midnight (eastern time) on Sunday.

According to a recent study of nearly 250,000 males between 18 and 19 years old, the first-born had an average IQ score 2.3 points higher than their younger siblings. Doesn't sound like much, right? But, those 2.3 points increase a child's chances of getting into an Ivy League school by 30 percent. The results also proved that IQ is, at least in part, determined by social birth order and not by genetics, putting an end to a nearly 70 year old debate.

But, don't start resenting your older brother just yet. While the 2.3 points are fairly significant, they only reflect the educational potential of an individual. So, even if you weren't the first to arrive on the scene in your family, you are still entirely capable of being more successful than all of your siblings combined. It's all about how you use what you've got.

There are several theories as to why first-born children usually have higher IQ's. One, they are usually given undivided attention during their early developmental years. As additional children are born, the attention of the parents is spread more thinly across the entire family.

Another possible explanation, parents usually spend more money on the oldest sibling, simply because that child is the first one to require the extra expenses. For example, the oldest child would most likely be the first to want to take a class of some kind, get involved in sports, go to college, etc.

The theory that one of the researchers thinks is most accurate is called "niche partitioning". Basically, the oldest child is given the most authority and responsibility, therefore the parents tend to see him as a surrogate parent to the younger siblings. This higher ranking then drives the later-born children to find their "niche" in the family.

Because older children already occupy the "disciplined and wise" niche, younger children have to find other roles to play. "So, younger siblings look for other things to be good at," said Frank J. Sulloway, a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, Institute of Personality and Social Research. "It may be that that extra 2.3 points in IQ reflects an investment of time to get that, and the later-born is investing that time in something else and is getting 2.3 extra points in something else," he added.

Given that each child is finding his or her own niche, the difference in IQ is nothing for parents to worry about, Sulloway said.

Monday is Blog Carnivals Day (see the FAQ for a detailed breakdown of FitBuff.com's posting schedule). A Blog Carnival is basically a collection of articles or blog posts, all relating to a similar subject, that are gathered together for your viewing pleasure. You can quickly and conveniently see a list of Article Titles and click on the ones that interest you to read the full post. Blog carnivals are a great way to see a wide variety of ideas and opinions on a similar subject. To see a list of all previous posts in the Blog Carnivals category, click here.

Want to see your article or blog post featured in the FitBuff.com Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival? Click here to submit yours now.

Brain Power

• Anne-Marie presents An Interview with Nordine Zouareg, author of Mind Over Body: The Key to Lasting Weight Loss Is All in Your Head posted at A Mama's Rant.
• Kendra presents Escaping ?Uterine Rupture? Fears posted at vbacadventure.com.
• Caroline Latham presents Pattern Recognition Brain Teaser – The Empty Triangle posted at SharpBrains.
• Meredith Mathews presents T spheres posted at Lemonade Stand.
• Silicon Valley Blogger presents Cheap Ways To Learn And Feed Your Brain posted at The Digerati Life.

Exercise

• therapydoc presents Alcohol and Your Therapy Doc posted at Everyone Needs Therapy.
• Midnight Raider presents Weightlifting On Any Budget posted at Refrigerator Raid.
• Lynda Lippin presents Pilates & Reiki In Paradise Blog: Supreme Pilates®–Be Very Afraid! posted at Pilates & Reiki In Paradise Blog.
• baiguai presents Getting Off the Couch posted at Kung Fu Artistry.
• Anmol Mehta presents Core Abdominal Power Yoga Exercises posted at Mastery of Meditation, Enlightenment & Kundalini Yoga.
• Shane Magee presents Warming up before running or doing exercise. posted at Sri Chinmoy Races Blog.
• April Kerr presents Improve your Immune System with Exercise posted at Natural Health Remedies.

Family

• Tracee Sioux presents Second Generation Mean Girl posted at So Sioux Me.

Grooming

• Tracee Sioux presents Pur Perfection for Pregnancy Mask posted at Blog Fabulous.

Nutrition

• Dean Carlson presents The 3 P's of a Healthy Diet posted at New Hampshire Fitness Personal Trainer NH.

Be sure to tune in every Monday for the next Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival, and if you want to submit your own article for inclusion, click here before midnight (eastern time) on Sunday.

1. Over 50% of people who start an exercise program GIVE UP within the first 12 months.
2. The average man exercises 115 days per year. Sound impressive? It's not — that's only about TWO days per week.
3. 71% of men admit that they should exercise more.
4. A whopping 96% of men admit to skipping a workout on more than one occasion when it conflicted with some other activity (i.e. watching a game).
5. 69% of men consider themselves to be physically fit.
6. ^^^ 13% of men actually ARE physically fit.
7. How many people buy exercise equipment only to later use it as a clothes hanger? Nearly half at 45%.
8. How much money would the average 40+ male save each year in medical expenses with regular exercise? $949
9. What part of your body is she checking out at the beach? 35% of women say Abs with Chest right behind at 30%
10. 100% of active, healthy people are more active and healthier than their non-active, unhealthy friends ;)

What tips and/or tricks do you use to keep yourself motivated?