Are you one of the thousands upon thousands of people who are 60, 80, or 100 pounds overweight, and have tried diet after diet only to discover they didn’t work?Have you stuck to a diet and lost 10 or 20 pounds only to find that once the diet ended, you gained all your weight back and more?If so, you are definitely not alone. In fact, if you are one of the people who medical experts refer to as obese, chances are that a traditional diet isn’t going to work for you, and certainly the latest ‘fad’ diet isn’t going to work.By focusing on changing your eating habits to include more nutritional and healthy foods, rather than on weight loss and calorie counting, will help you to lose much more weight that any so called “Diet”The Problem With DietsThe main problem with diets is that they are designed for quick short term weight loss. This means that by their very nature they radically cut calories, and in doing so cut many of the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to maintain good health.While this may have little effect on those looking to only lose 5 or 10 pounds, for anyone who tries dieting long-term, they experience unrelenting hunger pangs, food cravings, and even begin to feel weak and more unhealthy than ever before. In addition, many of these diets end up robbing you of energy and make you feel depressed.And all of this leads to quitting the diet, possibly gaining even more weight back, while feeling that you have failed once again.Don’t Focus On Weight Loss Focus On Eating HealthyRather than focusing on weight loss, start focusing on eating more nutritional and healthy foods. By shifting your focus you are improving your overall health, while ‘shedding’ those pounds for good. Eating more nutritionally isn’t a diet, it is a lifestyle change that not only helps you lose weight, but makes you feel and look better from the inside out.Start By Learning All You Can About NutritionMost of us think that we know all about good nutrition, but in fact we really know little at all. For example, most people believe that low fat food is better for you than their fattier counterparts. Why? Because this is what we have been told.However, low fat food is often worse for you than the full fat versions. Take a look at the label on whole milk, or cheese, and then compare the low fat versions of these products.The low fat version may contain less fat, but they are extremely high in sodium that not only adds water weight, but causes a variety of health problems as well – and the processed low fat food products are notorious for replacing some of the fat with high fructose corn syrup so they can be called ‘low fat’ and ‘sugar free’.Additionally, you also need to learn how to prepare foods so they keep more of their nutritional value. Fresh raw fruits and vegetables are more healthy than cooked, and micro-waving robs almost all foods of their nutrients. Once you have learned more about nutrition, you can then also look for foods that are considered to be fat burning or anti-inflammatory, as well as nutritional.Why You Lose Weight With Nutritionally Sound FoodsOne of the reasons you lose weight when eating nutritionally sound foods is because many of these foods are naturally lower in calories. This means that you can actually eat more actual food and still consume less calories.And this is especially the case when comparing to foods like pasta, bread, cereal, and other high calorie processed foods that are often full of sugar – none of these are nutrient rich and healthy, and you can’t lose weight with ‘nutritionally empty’ foods.When you eat nutrient dense foods, you are also giving your body what it needs to function properly. This results in feeling more sated, so you are less hungry and have fewer cravings for your problem foods. And all of this results in eating less.Eating foods that are high in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can help you feel better overall. When you feel healthier you have more natural energy – which makes it easy for you to increase your activity levels, which helps to burn off even more calories that results in more weight loss. And the beat goes on!Best of all you,can begin making small changes in your diet to include more nutritional foods, and then add more and more of these foods as you go along. This will give your body time to adjust to your new way of eating, while allowing you to change your diet in a manner that doesn’t send your body into shock and starvation mode.And whatever you do, don’t try to lose weight by fasting or eating ridiculously low amounts of calories. Each small healthy change you make, will result in more weight loss, and you can consistently meet your weight loss goals in a way that is healthy and will enable you to keep the weight off.
Business Loans In Canada: Financing Solutions Via Alternative Finance & Traditional Funding
Business loans and finance for a business just may have gotten good again? The pursuit of credit and funding of cash flow solutions for your business often seems like an eternal challenge, even in the best of times, let alone any industry or economic crisis. Let’s dig in.
Since the 2008 financial crisis there’s been a lot of change in finance options from lenders for corporate loans. Canadian business owners and financial managers have excess from everything from peer-to-peer company loans, varied alternative finance solutions, as well of course as the traditional financing offered by Canadian chartered banks.
Those online business loans referenced above are popular and arose out of the merchant cash advance programs in the United States. Loans are based on a percentage of your annual sales, typically in the 15-20% range. The loans are certainly expensive but are viewed as easy to obtain by many small businesses, including retailers who sell on a cash or credit card basis.
Depending on your firm’s circumstances and your ability to truly understand the different choices available to firms searching for SME COMMERCIAL FINANCE options. Those small to medium sized companies ( the definition of ‘ small business ‘ certainly varies as to what is small – often defined as businesses with less than 500 employees! )
How then do we create our road map for external financing techniques and solutions? A simpler way to look at it is to categorize these different financing options under:
Debt / Loans
Asset Based Financing
Alternative Hybrid type solutions
Many top experts maintain that the alternative financing solutions currently available to your firm, in fact are on par with Canadian chartered bank financing when it comes to a full spectrum of funding. The alternative lender is typically a private commercial finance company with a niche in one of the various asset finance areas
If there is one significant trend that’s ‘ sticking ‘it’s Asset Based Finance. The ability of firms to obtain funding via assets such as accounts receivable, inventory and fixed assets with no major emphasis on balance sheet structure and profits and cash flow ( those three elements drive bank financing approval in no small measure ) is the key to success in ABL ( Asset Based Lending ).
Factoring, aka ‘ Receivable Finance ‘ is the other huge driver in trade finance in Canada. In some cases, it’s the only way for firms to be able to sell and finance clients in other geographies/countries.
The rise of ‘ online finance ‘ also can’t be diminished. Whether it’s accessing ‘ crowdfunding’ or sourcing working capital term loans, the technological pace continues at what seems a feverish pace. One only has to read a business daily such as the Globe & Mail or Financial Post to understand the challenge of small business accessing business capital.
Business owners/financial mgrs often find their company at a ‘ turning point ‘ in their history – that time when financing is needed or opportunities and risks can’t be taken. While putting or getting new equity in the business is often impossible, the reality is that the majority of businesses with SME commercial finance needs aren’t, shall we say, ‘ suited’ to this type of funding and capital raising. Business loan interest rates vary with non-traditional financing but offer more flexibility and ease of access to capital.
We’re also the first to remind clients that they should not forget govt solutions in business capital. Two of the best programs are the GovernmentSmall Business Loan Canada (maximum availability = $ 1,000,000.00) as well as the SR&ED program which allows business owners to recapture R&D capital costs. Sred credits can also be financed once they are filed.
Those latter two finance alternatives are often very well suited to business start up loans. We should not forget that asset finance, often called ‘ ABL ‘ by those Bay Street guys, can even be used as a loan to buy a business.
If you’re looking to get the right balance of liquidity and risk coupled with the flexibility to grow your business seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor with a track record of business finance success who can assist you with your funding needs.
Red Flags When Buying Online Health Insurance
In the past, without the Internet, everything is done via the telephone or person-to-person meeting. If you need to buy an accessory for your car, you will have to drive to the car accessories store and make the purchase. If you are hungry you need to go to the restaurant or fast food chain to order and get your food. If you need to meet with a client overseas, you will have to book a flight to go to that country.That was in the past. Today, many thanks to the Internet, everything is done online. For anything you need, an online store is offering and you don’t have to get up from your chair to do that. All it takes is a click of the button on your computer screen. Even buying health insurance plan for yourself or your family can be done online. The information available online is enormous and there are hundreds of that offer online health insurance. But buying health insurance cannot be compared to other products offered online; it is a serious matter and as such it requires providing some personal information through the website to facilitate the processing of your request for quote or application.While buying online health insurance can be convenient and fast, there are some things you need to watch out for. You should be able to detect red-flag signs before you get to the stage of finally making the purchase. Check the list below:1. Be doubtful about the reputation of any website that does not post their physical address and contact details. With such information posted on their site, you can physically inspect the office or address instead of just calling the phone. Sites that don’t provide these details should be avoided.2. All selling agents – whether online or offline will be required by law to employ registered insurance agents to sell these services in whichever manner. If an insurer’s agent declines to give their full details, it’s a warning bell. With their full details you will be able to check with the licensing department if he or she is indeed a licensed agent.3. Any website should be able to provide you with full details on the coverage and what are not covered by the plan that you are planning to buy. If the insurer cannot provide you with such details, end the transaction.4. Reputable online insurance providers will enforce strict confidentiality with respect to any personal information or detail you are providing them relevant to your application. It is important that you read their privacy policy to see their procedures and protocols upon receipt of the confidential information. Any website that does not have the icon (lock symbol) or other indicators of security on their webpage should be avoided. They should place high priority on the security of information passed to them.5. You should receive the original insurance policy and not just the printed form even if you have purchased an online health insurance. The Internet is just a tool used for the initial sales transactions. All the legal documents that need to be signed should be original and carries the insurer’s company seal with the company’s authorized signature. Be sure to check all the documents carefully to make sure they are legitimate documents from the insurer.It may be daunting and a little intimidating when you shop for health insurance online but it’s the easiest and fastest way for you to collect the information, assistance and selection you need. You just need to be observant and extra careful when dealing with just the screen of your desktop.