Latest Fitness Articles

Life After Weight Loss - Abdominoplasty ("Tummy Tuck")

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:34:50 -0700

Abdominoplasty, commonly referred to as a "Tummy Tuck," is a cosmetic surgery procedure used to tighten overly stretched muscles and excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdominal areas in an effort to achieve a smoother, flatter appearance. Abdominoplasty Procedure After a significant amount of weight loss, the abdomen has difficulty returning to its original shape. Once the abdominal tissues have been stretched beyond capacity, it is likely that the tissues will not tighten even after rigorous exercise and dieting. In this case, a tummy tuck may be an effective solution in the treatment of loose skin and fat. DIFFERENT PROCEDURES There are several techniques for this type of surgery that the surgeon will choose from depending on the patient's condition. FULL TUMMY TUCK: Most full tummy tuck surgeries are performed under general anesthesia. Two surgical incisions will be made. The first one will be made across the lower abdomen above the pubic area and a second one around the patient's belly button. After strengthening abdominal muscles and removing excess skin a new belly button will be created. Once the surgery is over, all the incisions will be closed and covered with surgical gauze to protect from possible infections. Full Tummy Tuck Surgery PARTIAL TUMMY TUCK: This surgery is a less invasive procedure, performed normally on an outpatient basis in order to treat loose abdominal tissue below the belly button. The procedure normally requires partial anesthesia. In some cases where additional fat deposits need to be removed, the doctor will recommend doing the abdominoplasty in conjunction with a liposuction, which is a type of cosmetic surgery operation that removes fat from different parts of the body. The surgical improvement will depend on the magnitude of the tummy tuck. Factors such as patient's skin tone, body build and healing ability will contribute to quicker surgical healing process. Depending on the type of procedure and the patient's pre-op conditions, the surgery can require about 2 to 5 hours. Unless the treatment is minimal, the patient will need to be monitored by qualified personnel and therefore an overnight stay at the hospital may be required. RECOVERY Abdominoplasty Before and After Recovery periods may vary. It can take between one to four weeks for a patient to feel completely back to normal, although those who are in better physical condition will experience faster recovery times. Wearing a supporting abdominal binder can help minimize swelling and bruising and support the repaired tissues. Doctors recommend that a light exercise program be taken following the tummy tuck procedure to avoid developing blood clots, reduce swelling and enhance skin tone. It is important to ask your surgeon before starting any heavy exercise program. Full recovery can take up to six months while patients may have to wait up to a year for the fading of scars. It is advisable to avoid nicotine for a month prior to surgery and during the recovery period. COST On average, a tummy tuck can cost between $4,000 to $20,000 in the U.S. depending on the extent of the surgery, the pre-op and post-operative care required, hospital fees, anesthesia, medications and surgeon's experience.

Top 5 Weight Loss Programs

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:34:26 -0700

Seeking professional support or joining commercial weight loss programs has proven to help people lose weight and ultimately stick to long term lifestyle changes including healthier eating and exercise habits. Things to consider when choosing a weight loss program Safety: The meal plan should include the recommended daily intake (RDAs) for vitamins, minerals and protein. It should be lower on calories and fat intake but not on nutrients essential for your body. Your doctor will be able to provide information on the appropriate amount of calories you should be consuming in order to be losing weight at a healthy rate Gradual weight loss: The program should be directed towards steady, slow weight loss unless otherwise advised by your doctor. A normal weight loss would be about 1 or 2 pounds a week Other considerations: The program should include professional assistance from nutritionists, doctors and sometimes mental health professionals. Weight loss goals should be set by both the client and the health professionals and should include flexible meal options and exercise suitable to the client's health conditions. Top 5 Weight Loss Programs 1. Weight Watchers: Weight Watchers has been a successful program since 1960. Although there have been changes to the program throughout the years, it has always focused on the dieter's lifestyle as a whole. Weight Watchers provides professional and member support online and through in person meetings. Its aim is to "teach (individuals) how to eat right, achieve long-term weight management and a healthy lifestyle." Weight Watchers "Momentum" is the newest version of the program. It combines the "point" system of tracking food intake with a focus on filling foods that are low in energy but high in satiety. The innovative point system to help dieters choose foods wisely without having to feel like their ever "dieting" combined with group support are what makes Weight Watchers one of the most successful weight loss programs today. 2. The Atkins Diet: The program is a low-carbohydrate diet created by the late Dr. Robert Atkins. The diet is based on the idea that when you eat too many carbohydrates (carbs), your body burns some of those carbs for energy and stores the excess as fat. Eating carbs produces insulin, which leads to increased weight gain and hunger. By replacing carbs with protein and vegetables, the dieter will use stored fat for energy instead of burning glucose from carbs" 3. The South Beach Diet: This program was created by Dr. Agatston and is based on a high-protein, low carbohydrate, and fat-controlled diet. The program is based on the idea that there are "right" carbs and fats. When a person eats bad carbs and fats, he or she feels hungrier, causing them to eat more, which causes weight gain. The program is divided into three different phases. In Phase 1, the dieter eats normal portion sizes but all carbs are restricted. This is the strictest phase in the program and lasts for approximately two weeks. It emphasizes lean meats, such as chicken, turkey, and fish. Low-glycemic vegetables are allowed in addition to low-fat cheese, nuts and eggs. In Phase 2, some of the "banned" foods are slowly re-introduced while weight loss continues to approximately 1-2 pounds per week. The dieter remains in Phase 2 until the desired amount of weight is lost. Phase 3 is the "maintenance" phase of the program and should be followed for life. If the dieter's weight returns, he or she returns to Phase 1. 4. The Pritikin Principle ("Calorie Density Solution"): The program is based on a low-fat diet, mainly focused on vegetables, fruits and grains and only 10% of fat consumption. The program promotes eating low-calorie dense foods six to seven times a day in order to reduce hunger and accelerate the metabolism to lose excess body fat. The program is based on the belief that the higher the caloric density of any given food, the more likely it is to cause weight gain because the dieter will need to consume more calories to feel full than if he or she choose foods with a lower caloric density. Exercising on a daily basis for at least half an hour is recommended for achieving better results and a healthy lifestyle. 5. NutriSystem Advanced: The program is based on a low glycemic index, low fat, high-fiber, and high-protein diet. It provides pre-packaged foods available to order online that come in microwavable pouches and exact portion sizes, so the dieter doesn't have to worry about cooking and controlling portions. The meals are low in sodium, saturated and trans-fats, and they contain omega 3 and soluble fiber to promote heart health and satiation. Apart from the pre-portioned meals, the program encourages people to modify their lifestyle such as incorporating exercise on a daily basis to achieve long-lasting weight loss. It is important to consult with your doctor prior to starting any weight loss program.

Health Care Proposals

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:48:39 -0700

Health insurance causes mixed feelings in the majority of Americans. While it can literally save a life during serious injury or illness, it can also be a source of extreme stress and frustration when certain treatments aren't covered or co-payments are unaffordable. The problem has reached epic proportions over the past few decades as spending on health care has spiraled out of control. Many Americans pay hefty premiums each month while many others can't afford the premiums at all and simply choose not to purchase health care. These uninsured and underinsured citizens place a burden on the system as they use hospital emergency rooms for routine care. As various plans for reform surface in the House and Senate, many Americans have expressed concerns about how their current health care will be affected and whether their benefits will be reduced. One group of people that is watching the health care debate closely is senior citizens who rely on Medicare. President Obama has proposed extensive reforms to the current Medicare system with the goal of reducing wasteful spending. His plan would eliminate subsidies for insurance companies who participate in the Medicare Advantage program, which could result in increased premiums for those participating as well as elimination of certain benefits offered by the Advantage program that are not offered through traditional Medicare. Other ideas that have been proposed include a tax increase for wealthy Americans and higher premiums for seniors making more than $170,000 each year who participate in Medicare. Many seniors have expressed concern that the attempts to reduce Medicare spending could result in decreased benefits, changes in doctors, or certain treatments being denied. While the White House hopes to reach its goal of eliminating wasteful spending without resorting to such measures, critics question how millions of baby boomers coming into the program over the next few years can be covered at the current level of benefits while reducing spending at the same time. Another closely watched aspect of the new plan is the proposed public health care option. While lawmakers tout the public option as a way to encourage insurance companies to offer lower and more competitive prices while making sure consumers can obtain affordable health care, critics argue that a government funded system would put many private insurers out of business altogether. An alternative idea suggests state specific health care co-ops which would receive initial government funding, but would thereafter need to be self-supporting. As Americans watch to see where the chips will fall in the health care debate, they should also begin taking action now to find more affordable health care coverage. Employer based systems often provide good coverage at a reasonable cost for individuals, but those without coverage through their place of work should look at various options such as individual coverage, family coverage, and health savings accounts to determine which plan will best meet their needs. Once a plan has been chosen, shopping around is the best way to get the most affordable coverage with the most benefits. Congress hopes to lessen the burden of health care costs for everyone across the board, but individuals can't wait for the government to solve their health care problems if they hope to see improvement in the near future. As debate proceeds in Washington, Americans should take ownership of their insurance needs by frequently shopping around for the best coverage in order to make sure their families are adequately provided for in the event of illness or injury.

Colon cleanser supplements

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:45:08 -0700

Colon cleanser supplements have been helping people in getting relieve from constipation, tiredness, and problems with skin as well as bloating. It further gives benefits like weight loss and improving energy. The toxins that gets accumulated in our body causes several discomfort like bloating, tiredness, indigestion, sleeplessness, restlessness and irritation, occasional stomach pain and constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis as well as colon cancer and many more. There are various types of chemicals and toxins that a human body is exposed to everyday. There are toxins present in every thing around us like food we eat, water that we consume, the air that we breathe, and also the medicines that we take. Moreover, the consumption of processed food has increased like never before. The sugar intake has also gone up several times with our modern food habits. On top of all these, our body also gets several types of sedatives and stimulants that we take for different reasons. Colon cleansing supplements are used in order to keep our internal system free from chemicals and toxins. The popularity of colon cleansing products are increasing day by day mainly because these products help in getting an improved health and also give an easy and fast solution to shed off the extra pounds. Some of the advantages of colon cleansers are: Improved level of energy; Drastic reduction of weight More clean and clear skin Vitamins or minerals are absorbed more efficiently in the body; Improvement in concentration level; and A general feeling of good health The fact is unknown to many people that a colon cleanser can make us lose as much as 30 pounds. When the colon contains huge quantity of waste material, then it is not always possible for the body to keep the colon clean in a natural way. And this is the time when a colon cleanser is needed to which can effectively remove all the toxins from the colon. Now the question is how anyone would know when is the right time to taken colon cleanser supplement? That can be easily understood if a person experiences any one or more of these symptoms: Problem in digesting food; Bloating, flatulence and gas; Mood swings and irritation; Dysgeusia or metallic taste in mouth; Feeling of tiredness with lower energy level; Foul smelling stool and bad breath; Skin problems; Bulging belly; Constipation; and Increased craving for food. Many people do not know much about the benefits of colon cleansing supplements and are more worried about the safety of the process of cleaning. Colon cleansing process can be of two types. There are various products available which can help in cleansing the colon. Apart from these products, there is another way in which water is flushed into the large intestine and all the toxins and waste matter are taken away from the body. Many people stay away from cleansing their colon thinking about the pain involved in the process of cleaning. Some fear from the insertion of tube or water in the body that is a part of the colon cleanser treatment. Then there is a fear of getting infected from harmful viruses and bacteria while undergoing colon cleanser process. With improved techniques and modernized colon cleanser equipments the fear of catching infection does not hold ground anymore. Then there are natural processes that can be used as colon cleanser. A diet which is rich in vegetables and fruits, with plenty of fiber can be a natural colon cleanser. One can also opt for products and colon cleansing supplements that are totally free from side effects.

Bariatric Yoga - Maintaining Your Lost Weight

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:05:05 -0700

Bariatric yoga is a program that includes the teachings of Hatha yoga with modifications for individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery and are working on their fitness and flexibility in order to connect with their new bodies. The practice combines medical therapy with physical exercise. By balancing the body and mind and improving the overall state of health, this technique becomes a sustainable way to maintain weight loss that can be used by patients before and after bariatric procedures. This practice combines concentration with meditation and physical exercise, creating a feeling of optimal inner health by balancing the energy within the body. It promotes strength, flexibility, exercise, conscious eating and emotional well-being, helping manage emotional and medical problems that lead individuals to become obese. Routine Instructions STEP 1: WARM UP Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hands placed at your side. While taking a deep breath through your nose raise your harms over head. Exhale through your mouth while you lower your arms and bend your back to touch your toes. Repeat slowly 5 times. STEP 2: BUILD MUSCLE AND INCREASE HEART RATE TO ACHIEVE WEIGHT LOSS Go to plank position and hold it for 8 counts. Repeat alternating 8 times with step 3. STEP 3: CHALLENGE YOUR UPPER ARMS With your attention on your breathing, come from the plank position to down facing dog. Alternate each pose 8 times for 8 counts each. STEP 4: STRETCHING From down facing dog position, bring your right leg up and through your arms. Toes aligned with your fingers. Hold this position for 8 counts. STEP 5: WARRIOR POSE Come up to warrior pose, right leg in 90 degrees and left leg stretched. Your arms should be fully extended and your palms facing the floor. Hold this position for a count of 8. STEP 6: CHAIR POSE Stand up straight and bring your feet together. Sit back in a chair pose with your arms extended following your ear line. Hold this pose for 8 counts. STEP 7: REPETITION Repeat steps 1-6 without pausing and focusing on breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. STEP 8: COOL DOWN Relax and try to meditate. Lie on your back or sit in a comfortable position, try to clear your mind or focus on your breathing for at least 5 minutes. Relaxation is an important part of the practice. By achieving it, practitioners have been able to avoid stress-related snacking, follow a healthy diet and feel more vital and rejuvenated. Bariatric yoga is especially beneficial for morbidly obese people who struggle with diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, coronary artery disease, sleep apnea and other co-morbidities that make it challenging to exercise. It has helped people achieve healthier lifestyles not only by losing weight but by improving other medical conditions including lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels in diabetics, as well as improving conditions in people with rheumatoid arthritis. By building strength and improving bio-mechanical movement patterns, many patients have experienced improvement in chronic muscle tension, posture, and self image. Yoga and meditation balance the practitioner's body and mind and help to achieve physical and emotional strength to be able to make some life long changes that has been proven to lead to a healthier lifestyle. Bariatric yoga is a multi-disciplinary approach that promotes physical, mental and emotional well-being. Practitioners will build strength, flexibility and confidence.

How to Gain Muscle

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:28:41 -0700

There are two different practices; weight lifting and body building. Bodybuilding is about equilibrium, muscle mass and size whereas weight lifting is all about getting bigger and enhancing your strength. Of course both these have similarities in the end result. The ultimate result is you become bigger. It can take a long time to build muscle and starting with a pro bodybuilder is not likely to take you anywhere. It's better to cover the essentials first, and then proceed slowly. To gain muscle; you need to intake high calorie diet. This may sound too easy, but you'll have to consider that the force needed to stem a growth in muscle mass will have to come from a high calorie food intake. These calories should be taken from the right kind of food. Some food products will make you put on fat while only a few selected products facilitate in gaining lean muscle. Principle 40/40/20 comes into play here. What does the 40/40/20 principle advise? According to the principle, 40% of calorie intake should constitute proteins, 40% should constitute carbohydrates and the remaining 20% calorie intake should come from fats. For example, you require 3000 calories a day. Proteins rich foods like fish, meat and eggs should make 1200 calories of your food, another 1200 calories should come from carb rich food like rice, pasta and potatoes and the residual 600 calories should come from fatty foods like butter. The right posture and proper form of exercise play a main role in the success of your work out. You have to put proper stress on the muscle that you want to develop better. It's very crucial to learn the right way of doing all exercises though it may take a little time. Even the bar workout wont bring desired results if your posture is incorrect. If the pressure is not used in the right place, growth cannot take place and there are odds of injuries. To gain lean muscle mass you have to work out properly whereas heavyweight workouts can only turn you into a muscleman. Remember to alter the stress levels placed on your muscles at regular breaks. To do this, you just have to add more weights. Very easy isn't it? But very easy to forget too! It's very effective if, for instance you do 8 reps on a 100 kg bench press, and then follow it with 9 reps on the next level. Else, you can average and do 8 reps on a 102.5 kgs. If you just do 6 reps with 102.5 kgs, its more than enough.We have to be forward thinking with weight training. To stimulate maximum muscle development, what should be the 6 - 12 rep range? When you're not competent to do more than 6 reps, you're just adding strength, not weight. The power lifters build lean muscle mass which makes them stronger rather than making them big. When you do more than 12 reps, you increase the tolerance power of muscles. Rather than doing 20 reps with barbell, it advisable to do10 heavy weight reps. Just use this plan: if you're not able to do more than 6 reps with a particular weight, reduce the weight and enhance frequency. Alternatively, increase the weight, if you can do more than 12 reps.

Eight Simple Ways To Use Promotional Products Online

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 06:58:49 -0700

This is Promote Your Company's Website
the first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think of how they should use promotional products. But some people overlook this as an option. Every item you choose to promote your business you should include your web site address on it.

Find Promotional Items That Fit Your Niche

With the increased competition on the Internet, it can be difficult to differentiate your company from your competition. One thing Internet marketers are failing to utilize correctly is promotional products.
Promotional products are every day items that are printed with your company logo, slogan, web site address, or any other message you want to promote. The first thing that comes to most people’s minds are printed t-shirts… but there are many other items you can use to make your company stand out from the crowd.
The following are eight simple ways you can use promotional products on the Internet.
You can always find certain items that will compliment your type of business - items that you know your customers will use often.
For Example: If you sell bicycles, it would be a good idea to include a free water bottle that has your logo on it. If you have an online drug store, you could give away pill organizers with your site’s name and web address printed on them.
Free Contests and Drawings
A great way to get more people to sign up for your newsletter is to hold monthly, weekly, or daily contest drawings. The winner of the drawing would receive a promotional product with your URL on it. Since everyone loves to win stuff, more people would be willing to give you their email address. And if you make the product something that relates to your business, the people who sign up are more likely to be targeted.
Motivate Customer to Buy More
You can use promotional products to entice your customers to buy more products than they normally would have. How? By bundling multiple products along with a promotional item. For example, instead of your customer buying one e-book, you also offer them a package deal of two e-books and a free promotional item.
The promotional product can even be something related to the products you’re bundling it with. If you’re selling weight loss information, why not use a “step counter as a bonus? If you’re selling cookbooks, offer an apron. There are hundreds of products that you can put your logo on… find one that compliments your products!
Reward Your Best Affiliates
Consider thanking your top affiliates by giving them a promotional product. This shows them that you truly appreciate the fact that they promote your products. You can send gifts to your affiliate partners when they reach a certain goal, or you can give gifts to your top affiliates during the holidays. By rewarding your affiliates, you build a stronger relationship with them. They will thank you by continuing to promote your business.
Thank Your Loyal Customers
Just like thanking your top affiliates, you should also consider thanking loyal customers. You can express gratitude to customers that repeatedly by your products, customers who buy your high-ticket items, or both! Promotional items remind your clients that the relationship you share with them is important to you.
Create a Competitive Advantage
Because of increased competition, it's getting tougher than ever to compete online. You can use promotional items as a way to show your customers that you are different than your competitors. Instead of appearing as “just another company”, you can demonstrate that you are unique. When someone receives a promotional item from you they are more likely to remember you over your competition.
Promote a New Product
If you are launching a new product, you can capture your audience attention and publicize it by using promotional items. At the very least, you should send a promotional item to your top customers when a new product comes out. You might also want to consider sending items to your top affiliates too if you have a new product they can promote for you.
My goal is to get you to think of new ways to use promotional products. I hope you will implement some of the ideas I have laid out here and also brain storm different ways to use them. If used correctly, these little trinkets can help you say ahead of your competitors!
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Medical informations: Introduction & Importance

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:14:07 -0700

The medical industry is growing extremely. As it grows, increases the demand of medical services. Medical services are very much required to run the medical practice smoothly. Medical coding is one of highly required services among the other services. Without this, doctors can't get reimbursement from insurance companies.
Medical coding is a process of assigning standardized code to the patient's diagnostic and procedural information. This coding is used to generate accurate billing for insurance companies or government organizations. This medical coding process requires great attention to each and every detail to ensure accuracy. Because it is related to thousands of dollars, coding is highly synchronized and strongly controlled activity.
Certified medical coder is doing such type of coding very swiftly with more accuracy. They help the healthcare practitioner for health record documentation. They play vital role in healthcare information system.
Here are some points that show importance of medical coding.
Universal Acceptance: Medical coding is required because it contains so much information about medical procedures and medications on which the rates can be decided. Coding is now universal standardized and required to claim for reimbursement.
Accurate Billing: Wrong coding leads you to the wrong medical billing that will result into wrong charged amount. So it is very important that professional coder will do the coding. They will offer you accurate coding and on that basis biller generates accurate bill.
Quick Reimbursement: Quick reimbursement is the need for every medical practitioner to maintain the good financial condition. Without accurate and prompt coding, no practitioner gets the reimbursement. This situation increases the financial disabilities. At the end, only debt remains. To avoid such situation, you can hire a good coding company/coder who manages your coding requirement and deliver the accurate and prompt result.
That's how important medical coding is. It is base and most important step for every medical practitioner to get the reimbursement from insurance company or government organization.

Develop Your Own Info Products - Quick and Easy!

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:48:49 -0700

A Simple Technique for Creating Killer Information Products
Information publishing business is one of the most lucrative businesses you can be in. Especially if you consider the amount of effort, investment and time you actually need to put in to be successful, compared to nearly all other *conventional* businesses.
Learn how to create and market your OWN info-products and the profits can be nothing short of spectacular! And you don't have to knock yourself out in this business. Because developing products is SIMPLE!
And to prove it here’s a great technique that I think perfectly illustrates just how simple this *business* can be. Let me tell you how I did it just minutes after getting an email from someone telling me how they had ZERO ideas for developing their own info-products...
Okay, firstly I log onto www.google.com. Then I type in "top keywords".
This brings up several options on the first page. The second one down catches my attention. It's cleverly called: www.top-keywords.com - great domain name!
The home page of this site gives me three options: * Top 200 Keywords - Last 60 days. * Top 300 Keywords - 24 hour period. * Top 200 Keyword Trends - Comparison chart of the 200 most searched keywords over the last 12 months.
I click on the first link which brings up a list of the top 200 key word searches done in the last 60-days. Here's a list of the top 20:
No's/Count/Keyword ******************* 1 170855 travel 2 132592 hotels 3 122629 jokes 4 119472 people search 5 115414 health 6 114510 autos 7 111784 google 8 108489 ebay 9 89701 yahoo 10 75757 lyrics 11 73904 Weight Loss 12 67207 hotmail 13 62248 april fools 14 58851 dictionary 15 58242 yahoo.com 16 57044 mapquest 17 56865 song lyrics 18 56251 baby names 19 54222 hotmail.com 20 52283 games
I ignored the second link (searches done in the last 24-hours) as I wanted a more accurate reading. I also checked out No.3, the top keyword trends over the last 12-months. And guess what I found? Amazingly it was VERY similar to the searches done in the last 60 days (check it out for yourself).
Now then, looking at this list above - what do you see? I don't know about you, but all I see is Daffy Duck style $$dollar signs$$! Or more to the point OPPORTUNITY.
You see, here in stone-cold black and white is exactly what people are looking for.
We now know what people want. And just incase you don't know what the basic *rule* of product development is, then here it is again:
*Find Out What People Want And Give It To Them*
I'll be hammering that one home pretty often in my ezine.
Let's take one example from the list above and see if we can create a product for it. Hmmmm, let me see. Something *apparantly* difficult. How about 'baby names' (No.18)?
Difficult, huh?
Well, 56,251 searches have been done by people looking for some ideas for their soon-to-be family addition. And this number is a decentish size market to try.
Now, how difficult do you think it would be to create a simple e-book on baby names? Look, you go to your local library and get every book you can on the subject. You go to other sites and you compile the biggest, baddest list of baby names you possibly can. Arrange it in some kind of logical order (girls, boys, alphabetical, etc). And to make it a bit more interesting and unique, how about adding a short history behind the name? Or the true meaning of the name? I.e. Neil = Champion (apparently!). etc, etc.
You type the whole thing up on your PC (copying and pasting as much as possible - they can't copyright baby names!).
And if you're unsure where to start with this then: ************************************************************ "Learn How to write and publish your own OUTRAGEOUSLY Profitable eBook in as little as 7 days... even if you can't write, can't type, and failed high school English class!" http://hop.clickbank.net/?mkpublicat/7dayebook ************************************************************
Then you convert it into a PDF document. DON'T spend several hundred dollars on the Adobe PDF Distiller. Simply use an excellent program such as 'The 5-minute PDF Creator' (Click here)-> http://www.howtocorp.com/sales.php?offer=mkpublicat&pid=16
Then you set up a one-page website to sell the thing by digital download. If you can't do this yourself you go to Elance.com and get someone to bid on this job.
Then you set a price (see what similar items sell for, but $17 is a good price to start with). Open up an account with Clickbank to handle and process all your orders online, by clicking here: http://www.clickbank.com/overview.html?mkpublicat
Then you go to a pay-per-click search engine like overture.com and bid on the words "baby names", "baby's names", etc.
And voila! There you have it. A bona fide digital product that you know people want. Written all by your lonesome, that you now have the rights to. A product that will make you money tick-tock like clock work 24/7. You'll easily recoup your (small) costs with just a few sales.
Then you immediately start looking for our 'back end' products to make even more money off this list of customers. How about finding out when the baby will be born? Then having reminders set up so that you can email them and congratulate them... and then of course offer your new book called "Little-Known Secrets of Healthy Babies" or whatever.
That's just one idea. Take a closer look at the list above. See ‘April Fools’ and ‘Jokes’ both on the top 20 list? Now does that give you any ideas? Could you produce a simple e-book full of practical jokes and April fools ideas? You could start the book with the history of April Fools, give a few of the greatest ever April Fools jokes. Then start listing some great step-by-step wind-ups! I’d certainly enjoy writing a book like that (and testing each one out as I went along!) I’m not joking here (no pun intended) you could write this book in one day and have the whole thing making money by the end of the week.
What about 'health' and 'weight loss'(No.5 & No.11)? Huge, HUGE markets all begging to be milked!
Oh and one other thing before I leave you. Do you notice what ISN'T on this list (or even the top 200)? 'business opportunities', 'biz opps', 'make money' or whatever you want to call it. Now that's a crowded market - everyone trying to teach everyone else how to make money. Now before you say anything, I know I'm a culprit too. But I also have my fingers in a few other lucrative pies outside of this market - which I'll tell you about some other time. But isn't that food for thought?
I hope you think seriously about this idea

Eight Great Ways to Fill a Workshop in a Bum Economy

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:48:44 -0700

Yes, you can fill a workshop when spending is down and buyers are wary. If your topic is clear, your marketing materials well-done, your product solid and your title catchy, success shouldn’t be tough. The fact is that people are as hungry as ever for the inspiration and stimulus a workshop provides, even when they’re nervous about money. And even though most bum economies recover over time, you may find the following tricks helpful enough to keep using even in good times!

1. Tailor the workshop to the economy. In other words, acknowledge the problem. So if your workshop is about helping women over 50 live their dreams, change it to Living Your Dreams Over 50 … Even When the Economy is Down. Or make it about finding your dreams after being laid off, or managing fear while pursuing your dreams in a poor economy. Your fundamental message doesn’t have to change … you just dress it up in slightly different clothing.

2. Use unconventional marketing methods. Advertising and flyers may not be the most effective way to enroll a workshop in lean times. For one thing, affordable ads are not usually big enough to effectively describe a workshop, unless it’s very targeted and easy to ‘get’, i.e. quitting smoking, or stress-reduction. If you’re teaching motivational or inspirational work, consider using an affiliate program, viral email marketing, distributing articles through targeted ezines, working your personal network, or making yourself available as a guest on local TV or radio talk shows. Best of all is a combination of all of the above.

3. Make your niche one with a pipeline. Be careful not to pick a tiny niche market that is hard to access. Instead, a good rule of thumb is to look for a niche market with marketing channels already in place. For instance, one successful workshop leader I know targets retirees on the RV-Camping circuit. Many US campgrounds offer classes and other stimulating perks to visitors, and since RV’ers often stay for several nights or even weeks, this makes a workshop a likely hit. She simply has to talk to management, and they put her workshop in place for her. Participants magically show! Hospitals with neighborhood ‘wellness’ programs, bookstores with evening events, and community center Teen programs are also good venues.

4. Pitch a co-operative venture with another business. One fun way to reach your niche is to approach another business’s clientele. For instance, if you’re offering stress-reduction workshops, arrange a tie in with the local health club or weight loss group. Look for businesses that attract people who would logically be drawn to your product as well. Then approach that business and offer something great. You can sell them your workshop at a reduced rate (a special offer just for their members, which they can use as a perk.) Or you could hold a workshop on their premises at your usual fee, and pay them a percentage of the gate. Or you could simply offer to exchange advertising plugs for each other’s business’s. (This works well if you communicate with your clients via an email newsletter or direct mail.)

5. Offer a FREE mini-workshop. In tough times, people need more convincing to buy. So offer a free sample of your workshop (a forty minute talk, say) at a local venue such as a public library or church coffee hour. Give participants time to ask questions, and have lots of handouts available about your bigger, more elaborate (paid) workshop to be held a few weeks later. And be sure to make the occasional reference to it in your free talk. Finally, make your free talk compelling and packed with good stuff. It can be a very general overview or ‘taste’ of your more fleshed out paid workshop. (You don’t have to give away all your goodies, of course, but don’t be afraid to share a few key pieces.) Wary buyers cannot resist excellence.

6. Lower the price. Not always the most fun option, but one that works – especially if you have a themed sale, such as Wipe Out the Winter Blahs Special or a Kick Off the New Year With a Bang. If possible, try to position your price reduction as a limited time gift for your clients … one that ties in with a particular need or time of year. This lets them know you are, in fact, thinking of them and their best interests.

7. Offer bonuses. We all love something free, so come up with some highly desirable bonuses that are just irresistible. These can be free reports that get downloaded automatically, or sent with registration info. Or it could be a tangible product, such as a book, a mug,

8. Enroll a friend for a discount. Or if you don’t want to offer a discount, encourage clients to bring a friend who can act as an on-going supporter with the work of the workshop. (And, of course, they can provide the same to their friend.) Such support is actually one of the best ways to get your material to ‘stick’, so your client’s get more on-going value from the workshop, so this plan is a real win-win. Consider tailoring the workshop to pairs such as mothers and daughters, work buddies (great for stress reduction!), married couples, fathers and sons, or best friends. If you pitch it to couples, you could market it to resorts as part of a Second Honeymoon or Mom-Daughter Getaway package weekend.

If you’re interested in leading your own workshops, but don’t know quite where to start, check out my How Much Joy Can You Stand? Facilitator’s Home Study Course. You’ll learn how to create, book, fill and lead your own workshop. Details and a FREE sample are at http://www.howmuchjoy.com angfacil.html