Healthy Living: Drinking Water Helps You Lose Weight

Water is the lifeblood of our bodies so it is natural we should consume enough water to ensure that the 60% of us that is liquid is adequately supplied. Water apparently has additional benefits that not only encourage the interactivity of our chemistry but also helps us lose weight. Don’t jeopardize your fitness plans by ignoring the simple no hassle activity of drinking water. 

A study mentioned on CNN shows that water can help people lose weight (1).  In the study, 48 obese men and women drank two 8 oz. of water before each of their three meals along with a low calorie diet. Half drank the water before their meals and the other half didn’t. At the conclusion of the study (3 months) the group that drank the water lost 15.5 pounds when compared to 11 pounds in the control group. 

We know that 4.5 pounds isn’t that much but even a pound a month for a person in the normal range of weight adds up to 12 pounds a year. Any extra pounds are more than you would have lost if you didn’t drink more water. If you are interested in fitness it is just a few extra pounds you didn’t have to work for. 

Drinking water also encourages the chemical compounds in your body to interact in the way they were designed (2). Before soda pop, alcoholic drinks, smoothies, and chocolate milk was the idea of plane old water. All other types of drinks require the body to clean out or use up the compounds. 

Drinking water is a habit that becomes easier the more times you do it. Most people don’t drink enough water and are chronically dehydrated. That dehydration constricts your blood vessels and the movement of nutrients within your body. You also can’t filter the pollutants out of your system as fast as you can when you are hydrated. Get into the habit and carrying a reusable water bottle around; especially around eating time.  

Del Mar International Dressage Horse Show

The Del Mar International Dressage Horse Show brought beautiful horses and exceptionally trained talent.  Various levels of skill were judged based upon the ability of the horse and rider to successfully complete required movements at appropriate levels. Participants conducted flying leads, tort in place, prirourettes at canter, and elevated trots among others to win their positions.  

Judges looked for the ability of the horse and rider to work as a single unit. As the rider and horse bond with each other through practice they begin to understand the subtle cues they give each other. Well-seasoned horses have the ability to pick up on their rider’s intentions through body language even though the use of reins and verbal commands are still given. 

Equestrian shows have been around for hundreds of years and are part of cavalry’s military heritage. When the soldier and horse work in unison they have higher rates of survival on the battlefield. The ability to move together in unison, and at varying angles, and gaits requires extensive amounts of repetitive training. The movements in modern dressage shows maintain their historical glory. 

The type of people who frequent equestrian shows do so based upon interest in competition and group affiliation (Daniels & Norman, 2005). They are less likely to be motivated by escape or self-esteem needs. Those who attend the circuit on a regular basis become part of a group within the  equestrian lifestyles that they lead. 

You may familiar  with watching your traditional sports but you can always consider attending a dressage show. You can see a piece of history and the fined detailed training these riders have displayed. It can be difficult to train an athlete and training a horse requires a lot of patience and practice.

Del Mar international Dressage Horse Show

Sept. 16-18,

Del Mar Fairgrounds

http://www.equestrianconcepts.com/

http://www.equestrianconcepts.com/InterDresPL2014.pdf

Daniels, M. & Norman, W. (2005). Motivations of equestrian tourists: an analysis of the colonial cup races. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 10 (3).

E-Marketing Effectiveness and Small Business Management

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Small business owners sometimes wonder whether e-marketing can have a significant impact on their sales. Business is about positive return on activities and e-marketing is one tool some small businesses don’t yet understand.  A study by Eid & El-Gohary (2013) discusses how there is still a lack of systematic empirical evidence regarding online marketing but by analyzing budgets, tools, pre-sales activities, and after-sales activities, performance and effectiveness of marketing in 114 small businesses they can get a better perspective of e-marketing activities. 

Small business maintain similar characteristics that puts them within the same broad category. Small business are independently owned, managed by the owners, financially connected to the owners, and most of the important decisions are made by the owners. The use of decision e-marketing is not that familiar among many small business owners and they will need a personal investment of time, effort and resources to make it work. 

When small businesses are successful in their e-marketing practices they can find an increase in profits, market share, brand equity and productivity. Their business moves to a higher level of customer attraction and retention that helps them grow their opportunities both personally and financially.  Marketing costs can be reduced for businesses that successfully find a mix that works for them. 

It was found that the EM budget, pre-sales marketing and after-sales marketing explain 71.4% of e-marketing performance 76.3% of marketing effectiveness. E-Marketing can have an impact on successful sales generation. There is a net positive result of marketing and sales returns in the virtual world. The use of specific skills didn’t seem to be as important as engaging in the overall process of online marketing. Companies that begin move, study, explore and implement online marketing campaigns regularly find their bottom lines improving. 

To people who have run their mom and pop shops for years advertising in their local newspapers, building displays, and attracting customers with sales the transition to online can be difficult. They need not give up what works in traditional approaches to enhance those messages with online components. It wouldn’t be recommended anyway. Marketing is about finding what works and seeing how the different methods of marketing mix together to create effectiveness. 

Eid, R. & El-Gohary, H. (2013). The impact of e-marketing use on small business enterprises’ marketing success. Service Industries Journal, 33 (1).