Today’s post comes to us all the way from Italy. My good friend Oscar Del Ben is a personal development blogger who writes about really cool lifestyle topics such as productivity and business, and he’s also a martial arts fan. I asked him to share some of his thoughts with us on alternative activities to achieving a healthy lifestyle – hence the topic of martial arts.

[Nothing like a side-kick-to-the-chops to get someone's attention]

Oscar is usually very quick to point out his lack of English writing skills because it’s not his native language but rest assured I think he has a very good handle on it and does a fine job expressing his points of view. You can find his blog at FreestyleMind.com and

Still can’t seem to trim your waist line? You could be sabotaging your weight loss success. Here are 3 reasons you’re not losing the weight you deserve too!

1. Instant Gratification

We all want to lose 10 pounds in 10 minutes but there are not shortcuts on this journey. People need to let go of the temptation to want to find the latest ‘quick’ way to reach their goals. Remember the old story about The Tortoise and The Hare? Well the moral of the story is slow and steady wins the race and so it is with your fat loss goals. Make it a lifestyle and not a flavor of the month.

2. Going to Extremes

No carbs, no sugar, no protein! It’s all desperation that inevitably leads to nowhere or worse… frustration. Doing multiple drastic changes all at once like eliminating sodas, fast food joints, and joining a gym can be a huge

Physical activity is an important part of a living a healthy lifestyle. There are numerous health benefits, (ie. reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke) however, there is also an increased risk of injury that can affect your participation. Consider these ways to best prevent and to avoid unnecessary injuries:

1. Examine the condition and fit of your exercise equipment:

Running in a worn out or badly fitting pair of shoes, cycling with a damaged helmet or playing ice hockey with uncomfortable skates can lead to injuries. Make sure your equipment fits you properly or ask a professional to assist you when purchasing your equipment.

2. Warm-up and cool-down:

“Warming-up” is any activity that gets your muscles ready for your main physical activity or sport. Do a low-intensity activity (ie. walking, jogging) until your body feels warm and you break into a light sweat (usually