writing down your major goal.

Make it specific.

Let's say your goal is to get fit. That's pretty vague.

Make it specific by defining what you want to achieve

muscle tone

why you want to get fit, and by when

Make it realistic.

Part of staying motivated is being realistic about what you can achieve within the timeframe you've planned.

Write it down

Research shows that writing down a goal is part of the mental process of committing to it.

Break it down.

You need to pay constant attention so you don't get sidetracked.

Then set specific daily tasks,

Put these on a calendar or planner so you can check them off.

Ask a coach to help you set doable mini-goals

and for tasks to improve your performance

so you'll stay motivated to run farther.

Reaching frequent, smaller goals is something to celebrate.

confidence, courage, and motivation to keep running — or doing whatever it is you're aiming to do.

reward yourself!

There's plenty of science to support muscle confusion's claims, says Matt Heath, a neuroscientist in the school of kinesiology at the University of Western Ontario.

It's about the strategy you employ in order to recruit all the different … motor neurons that ultimately go on to fire off and tell the muscle to contract.

mixing things up does have one benefit that can't be denied, especially when it comes to the often tedious experience of trying to get in shape. “It doesn't get boring,”

Muscle confusion: Hey biceps, you'll never guess what's next

adults need 8 1/4 hours.

How Does Sleep Deprivation Affect the Teen-ager?

Sleep deprivation can impair memory an

inhibit creativity making it difficult for sleep deprived students to learn.

endanger their immune system and make them more suceptible to serious illnesses

Stay away from caffeine

Avoid heavy studying or computer games before bed, they can be arousing. Avoid arguing with your adolescent just before bedtime. Avoid trying to sleep with a computer or TV flickering in the room. Avoid bright light in the evening, but open blinds or turn on lights as soo

Avoid trying to sleep with a computer or TV flickering in the room.

Avoid heavy studying or computer games before bed, they can be arousing.

Note: Sleep experts consider adolescents to be between the ages of 11 and 22.

Studies show that the changes taking place in their bodies requires more sleep and they may be physically challenged to getting up early in the morning.

Vegetable group

unbalanced diet can cause problems with maintenance

Growth and development

balanced diet that is low in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol

Balance your calorie intake with exercise.

Eat 2 cups (4 servings) of fruit

Eat 3 ounces or more of whole-grain products per day.

Avoid trans fatty acids,

Eat something red, purple, orange, yellow, and green each day.

Replace baked goods made with white flour with whole-grain versions.

Limit refined carbohydrates to help lessen volatile blood sugar swings

create radical spikes (and drops) in your blood sugar

Incorporate soluble fiber

have the ability to slow down the absorption of sugar in your blood

lessen blood sugar

Incorporate protein with meals and snacks (whenever possible)

Smart protein choices include poultry, seafood and fish, veal, pork tenderloin, tofu, eggs

help slow the absorption of carbohydrate in the blood

Omega-3 fats

mood lifting and to help possibly alleviate depression.

Folic acid and B12

Foods rich in folate: fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals, lentils, black-eyed peas, soybeans, oatmeal, mustard greens, beets, broccoli, sunflower seeds, wheat germ and oranges.

Foods rich in vitamin B12: shellfish (clams, oysters, crab), wild salmon (fresh or canned), fortified whole-grain breakfast cereal, lean beef, cottage cheese, low-fat yogurt, milk (skim, skim plus, 1% reduced-fat) and eggs.

Vitamin D

Foods rich in vitamin D: fish with bones, fat free and low-fat milk, fortified soy milk and egg yolks

Fresh fruits

Fresh vegetables

If "healthy eating" makes you think about the foods you can't have, try refocusing on all the new foods you can eat—

Calcium-rich foods

A new twist on an old favorite

Some general tips for comfort foods:

Consume them less often.

Eat smaller amounts.

a lower-calorie version.

Making the same healthy eating choices over time can lead to better eating habits.

thinking more positively

focusing on what you can have