Whenever you're trying to lose weight or reduce your body fat, it's a good idea to start a journal.  You can include a variety of information, but this log will help you see and measure your success.  Start a journal prior to making any changes.  You might make notes about what you plan to change, your timeline and any other ideas or thoughts you have. Think about keeping track of your foods and beverages.  Logging what you eat has been shown to help people stay on track.  It will also allow you to see any slip ups or help you determine if what you're eating is affecting your success.  Also keep track of any measurements you take like your weight. When you're trying to lose weight and reduce your overall body fat, it's important to monitor your progress.  One way to check in is by weighing yourself weekly.  Studies have shown that weekly weigh-ins help people stay on track and on target.  You're more likely to be successful long-term if you continue to self monitor and check-in with your weight.  Ideally, weigh yourself about one to two times a week.  It might be harder to see accurate progress if you're weighing yourself daily due to normal fluctuations in body weight. For the most accurate measure of your progress, weigh yourself on the same day of the week, at the same time and in the same clothes. First thing in the morning, before eating or drinking, before dressing, but after using the restroom is best. As you continue to lose weight and reduce your overall body fat, you'll notice that it's not only the scale that's changing.  If you're losing body fat, you should also notice the size and shape of your body also changes.  Prior to starting your diet and exercise program, take a variety of measurements.  These will help you see where you're losing the most fat. Typical places to measure and track are:  waist, hips, bust, thighs and upper arms.  Keep these measurements in a journal. Every month, re-measure yourself to help you track your progress. If your weight is staying the same, but your measurements are smaller and you have been working out, you are likely gaining muscle and losing fat, which is a healthy improvement. If you're able, get your body fat percentage tested and evaluated.  This is the percentage of your body that is made up from fat.  As you continue to diet and exercise, this percentage should decrease over time.  Many gyms offer body fat percentage as a free service to their members.  Ask a staff member or trainer at your local gym for more information. You may also ask your doctor or physician if they have the equipment in office to evaluate your body fat percentage. There are devices you can purchase for home use, but these typically take a lot of experience and practice using.  Your margin of error will most likely be much larger compared to a health or fitness professional doing the tests for you.

Summary: Start a journal or log. Get on the scale weekly. Take your measurements. Get a body fat percentage test.


The oils and sweat on your skin can attack the varnish of your violin and leave marks. The less skin contact you make with your violin, the longer it will last in terms of great sound and appearance. Practice lifting and holding your violin as little as possible until it becomes second nature to not grab and touch your violin all over its body. Though people often forget about this step, your violin will not stay clean if its storage case is not clean. Empty and vacuum out your case once a week or once you start seeing flakes of dust, dirt, and rosin. This step has the added benefit of preventing dust mites that may eat your violin’s bow hair. If you start to notice cracks or other changes in your violin, it’s time to take your instrument into a reputable violin maker or music store.

Summary: Limit the places you touch with your hands. Clean your case. Know when it’s time for a professional tune-up.


The longer the stick is, the better: you want to allow your cat to scratch and lunge at the toy without scratching your hand or arm.  Do not poke your cat with the stick. This could cause serious injury to your pet. For this reason, you may want to attach something soft and blunt to the end of the stick, like cotton balls or a cut-open ping pong ball. These can either be attached directly to the end of the stick, or to the soft cotton or ping pong ball cap affixed to the stick. Cats tend to like feathered toys because they resemble birds, a natural prey animal for cats. Glue is the strongest adhesive, but if your cat chews off any excess glue it could cause serious illness. For this reason, you may want to tape the feather to the stick. You can pull the feather stick across the floor, dangle it in the air, or see what your cat will come up with on its own.

Summary: Find a long stick. Attach a small cluster of feathers to the stick. Wiggle the toy around.


If necessary, bundle your meat with twine to maintain its shape during roasting. This is most commonly needed for whole birds. Either ask your butcher to truss your meat for you, or buy butcher’s twine, which is safe to use with food products and available at grocery and cookware stores, as well as online. Use square knots or slip knots to tie a separate length of twine into a knot every inch along the entire length of the meat. Prevent the outside surface of your roast from drying out while the interior finishes cooking. Collect the juices and drippings that have pooled at the bottom of the pan, using a basting brush, bulb, or spoon. Pour the liquid over the meat the top of the meat to rehydrate its exterior. Repeat every 15 to 30 minutes. If frozen or refrigerated, allow your meat to defrost to room temperature before beginning. Season it as desired and give its surface time to dry. Line a skillet with just enough cooking oil to cover its surface and preheat it over medium-high heat until the first signs of smoke appear. Place the meat into the skillet. Let each side of it to sear until it has browned to a crust. Avoid moving the meat repeatedly or unnecessarily. Line your roasting tray with a light amount of cooking oil to prevent your vegetables from sticking. Then add your favorite veggies to the tray. Spray them lightly with cooking oil. Place your meat on top of them. Check your veggies periodically during the roast to make sure they aren’t sticking or burning to the pan. Moisten them with the meat’s drippings or add just enough water to the pan to slick its surface. Place your meat in an oven roasting bag to trap heat for quicker roasting times. First, pour roughly a tablespoon of flour inside, twist the opening shut, and give the bag a few shakes so the flour lines all of the inside. Insert the meat and seal the bag with a twist-tie. Poke a few holes in the bag so steam can vent as the meat roasts. Only use bags that are specifically designed for roasting. Do not use any plastic bags that haven’t been approved by the FDA.
Summary: Truss your meat. Baste your roast. Sear the meat before roasting. Add vegetables. Use an oven bag. Finished.