Over the long term, a low-carb diet works mesos just as well as a low-fat diet at taking off the pounds — and it might be better for your heart, new research suggests.
Both diets improved cholesterol in a two-year study that included intensive group counseling. But those on the low-carbohydrate diet got a bigger boost in their so-called good cholesterol, nearly twice as much as those on low-fat.
In previous studies, low-carb diets have done better at weight loss at six months, but longer-term results have been mixed. And there's been a suggestion of better cholesterol from low-carb eating.
The latest test is one of the longest to compare the approaches. At the end of two years, average weight loss was the same for both — about 15 pounds or 7 percent.
The key difference was in HDL, or good cholesterol: a 23 percent increase from low-carb dieting compared to a 12 percent improvement from low-fat, said Gary Foster, director of Temple University's Center for wow gold Obesity Research and Education, who led the federally funded study.
He said the low-carb boost is the kind one might get from medicines that improve HDL.
"For a diet, that's pretty impressive," Foster said.
The findings, published in Tuesday's Annals of Internal Medicine, are based on a study of 307 adults, two-thirds of them women. Participants were obese but didn't have cholesterol problems or diabetes.
Half followed a low-carb diet modeled after the Atkins' plan and half went on a low-calorie, low-fat diet. All attended group sessions to help them change bad eating habits, get more active and stick to their diets.
The volunteers had periodic checks of their weight, blood, bone density and body composition. After two years, there was no major differences between diet groups, except in good cholesterol. Why the low-carb diet had a bigger effect on good cholesterol isn't known, the researchers said.
As low-carb plans became popular, experts feared the diet would drive up the risk of heart disease because it allows more fat. The latest results suggest those concerns are unfounded, Foster said. In the low-carb group, there was an early rise in "bad" cholesterol, the kind that builds up in arteries. But after two years, both groups ended up with similar improvements to bad cholesterol.
The study's strengths include its size, length and its multiple locations — Denver, Philadelphia and St. Louis, said Dr. William Yancy, of buy wow gold the Durham VA Medical Center in North Carolina.
"These are results we should have a lot of confidence in," said Yancy, who has done similar diet research but was not involved in the study.
Foster, the study leader, said dieters should be less concerned about which diet to use, and focus on finding the support or technique — like writing down what they eat — that keeps them on track.
"It doesn't make a difference for weight loss how you get there," he said.
With the current obesity epidemic, more than one way is needed to attack the problem, Yancy said.
"Both of these are options. These cheap wow gold diets work," he said.
2010年8月4日星期三
2010年8月3日星期二
Can Surfing the Internet Help You Lose Weight?
The Web, it sometimes mesos seems,is a siren specter that lures us into sitting around like some speciesof houseplant while our trunk grows abnormally wide. Its abundantenticements keep us from doing what we know we should, like, say,making any movement whatsoever or consuming foods that do not comepackaged in styrofoam.
But according to new research, the Internet can also be something else: a place for helping people keep weight off.
The new study, conducted over a two-and-a-half-year period, found thatthe more often people logged on to a website, the more likely they wereto maintain weight loss. Of course, it wasn't just any old website, butone that investigators at the Kaiser Permanente Center for HealthResearch (KPCHR) had designed specifically to help people keep thepounds off.
What made the website work, the authors of the study believe, was itsmixture of accountability and sociability. Users were asked log in oncea week to enter their weight and the amount of exercise they'd done. Ifthey didn't log in regularly, they got a little nudge by e-mail, thenan automated phone call. Once on the site, users could chat with otherparticipants of the study in a kind of mini-Facebook setting.
The site was designed to mimic as much as possible what it's like to be in a weight-loss wow goldprogram that offers personal counseling and group meetings. It wasn'tquite as effective as human-to-human interaction, but it was betterthan nothing at all. "While personal counseling may be the Cadillacversion, it's not practical for everyone," says Kristine Funk, leadauthor of the study, published in the Journal of Medical InternetResearch.
The study began with 1,600 overweight or obese participants, about 350of whom lost enough weight — an average 19 lb. — during the first sixmonths to stay in the trial for the Web-based maintenance phase. By theend of that two-and-a-half-year portion of the study, the users who hadlogged on the most regularly — at least once a month for 28 months —had kept off the most weight, an average of 9 lbs. People who used thewebsite the least kept off only 3 lb. on average. "The consistencypiece is definitely very important for keeping weight gain at bay,"says Funk.
None of this is particularly surprising to Nancy Makin, who lost morethan a quarter of ton after her sister bought her a computer for herbirthday in 2003. Afraid to go out, because of the stares her 703 lb.frame attracted, she went online buy wow gold and found she could easily make friends with people who couldn't see her.
"The people on the Internet didn't know they were supposed to rejectme," says Makin, who now weighs about 170 lbs. "And that fed me and Iwas allowed to let my spirit come out. I replaced a very poor tool forjudging myself with a very fulfilling activity."
Once she found a community online, Makin says began to lose weight, notbecause she was less hungry, but because she had an activity besideseating that made her feel good. And because she felt better aboutherself. "I had 20 emails in my inbox each morning," she says.
The original KPCHR site is no longer live, but Funk notes there areplenty of others that do almost the same thing. "What you want to lookfor is a site that has a few key components: a recording feature tokeep track of weight, a feedback mechanism and support resources fromeither experts or other high quality information," she advises.
Makin, whose memoir, 703, came out earlier this year, says that whileaccountability is important for those who are merely overweight,community may be more important for people who are morbidly obese likeshe was. "The key is to find contentment and value in yourself byreaching out and doing something not for you, and the weight will comeoff as a side effect," she says.
And if you have a website where you can talk about it, so much cheap wow gold the better.
But according to new research, the Internet can also be something else: a place for helping people keep weight off.
The new study, conducted over a two-and-a-half-year period, found thatthe more often people logged on to a website, the more likely they wereto maintain weight loss. Of course, it wasn't just any old website, butone that investigators at the Kaiser Permanente Center for HealthResearch (KPCHR) had designed specifically to help people keep thepounds off.
What made the website work, the authors of the study believe, was itsmixture of accountability and sociability. Users were asked log in oncea week to enter their weight and the amount of exercise they'd done. Ifthey didn't log in regularly, they got a little nudge by e-mail, thenan automated phone call. Once on the site, users could chat with otherparticipants of the study in a kind of mini-Facebook setting.
The site was designed to mimic as much as possible what it's like to be in a weight-loss wow goldprogram that offers personal counseling and group meetings. It wasn'tquite as effective as human-to-human interaction, but it was betterthan nothing at all. "While personal counseling may be the Cadillacversion, it's not practical for everyone," says Kristine Funk, leadauthor of the study, published in the Journal of Medical InternetResearch.
The study began with 1,600 overweight or obese participants, about 350of whom lost enough weight — an average 19 lb. — during the first sixmonths to stay in the trial for the Web-based maintenance phase. By theend of that two-and-a-half-year portion of the study, the users who hadlogged on the most regularly — at least once a month for 28 months —had kept off the most weight, an average of 9 lbs. People who used thewebsite the least kept off only 3 lb. on average. "The consistencypiece is definitely very important for keeping weight gain at bay,"says Funk.
None of this is particularly surprising to Nancy Makin, who lost morethan a quarter of ton after her sister bought her a computer for herbirthday in 2003. Afraid to go out, because of the stares her 703 lb.frame attracted, she went online buy wow gold and found she could easily make friends with people who couldn't see her.
"The people on the Internet didn't know they were supposed to rejectme," says Makin, who now weighs about 170 lbs. "And that fed me and Iwas allowed to let my spirit come out. I replaced a very poor tool forjudging myself with a very fulfilling activity."
Once she found a community online, Makin says began to lose weight, notbecause she was less hungry, but because she had an activity besideseating that made her feel good. And because she felt better aboutherself. "I had 20 emails in my inbox each morning," she says.
The original KPCHR site is no longer live, but Funk notes there areplenty of others that do almost the same thing. "What you want to lookfor is a site that has a few key components: a recording feature tokeep track of weight, a feedback mechanism and support resources fromeither experts or other high quality information," she advises.
Makin, whose memoir, 703, came out earlier this year, says that whileaccountability is important for those who are merely overweight,community may be more important for people who are morbidly obese likeshe was. "The key is to find contentment and value in yourself byreaching out and doing something not for you, and the weight will comeoff as a side effect," she says.
And if you have a website where you can talk about it, so much cheap wow gold the better.
2010年8月2日星期一
DiCaprio leads worldwide box office
Leonardo DiCaprio's dreams thriller "Inception" ruled the mesos North American box office for a third weekend on Sunday, and also overtook "Toy Story 3" to claim top honors internationally.
"Inception" fended off three middling newcomers, led by the Steve Carell comedy "Dinner for Schmucks," to sell $27.5 million worth of tickets across the United States and Canada during the three days beginning on Friday.
Its domestic total rose to $193.3 million, said its distributor Warner Bros., which remained confident that it would finish up around the $300 million mark.
Internationally, "Inception" pulled in $53.7 million from 51 markets, taking its foreign total to $170 million. It opened at No. 1 in Germany ($7.1 million), and retained its crown in France and Australia.
"Dinner for Schmucks" opened to $23.3 million in North America, in line with expectations but down from the $25 million start for Carell's previous live-action movie "Date Night" in April.
The opening was "solid," said Don Harris, executive VP for distribution at Viacom Inc-owned distributor Paramount Pictures, which partnered wow gold on the $63 million project with closely held producers DreamWorks and Spyglass Entertainment.
"Schmucks," which garnered mixed reviews, stars Carell as a buffoon invited to a party for oddballs hosted by wealthy businessmen who lampoon their idiocy. Paul Rudd co-stars, and Jay Roach of "Austin Powers" fame directs.
The film was marketed at men but women liked it better, Harris said. He hoped the film would follow a similar trajectory as the Adam Sandler hit "Grown Ups," which has earned $150.7 million to date.
"CATS & DOGS" ROADKILL
Honors for the biggest bomb went to the costly Warner Bros. 3D family sequel "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," which opened at No. 5 with just $12.5 million. The Time Warner Inc unit had hoped it would earn more than $20 million.
"We probably failed to create the same level of interest that we had in the original," said Dan Fellman, the studio's president of domestic distribution.
The 2001 original, "Cats & Dogs," opened to $22 million in 2001. The sequel had the benefit of premium pricing for 3D engagements as well as higher ticket prices overall.
The project, carrying a reported $85 million budget, was a joint-venture with Australian buy wow gold media firm Village Roadshow Ltd.
Also new was Universal Pictures' Zac Efron psychological melodrama "Charlie St. Cloud," which opened at No. 6 with $12.1 million, at the lower end of expectations. The "High School Musical" heartthrob was last in theaters with "17 Again," which opened to $23 million in April 2009.
The film, which cost a relatively cheap $44 million to make, played almost exclusively to Efron's core audience of young women. The General Electric Co unit said it expected strong midweek grosses. Efron's bereaved title character sees his dead younger brother.
Columbia Pictures' Angelina Jolie thriller "Salt," which opened at No. 2 last weekend, slipped one place with $19.3 million, taking its total to $70.8 million.
The film is tracking far behind her previous action films "Wanted" and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," but the Sony Corp unit expects to make most of its money internationally. Its early foreign total rose to $32.8 million, bolstered by No. 1 openings this past weekend in South Korea ($6.5 million) and Russia ($5.5 million).
Universal's hit cartoon "Despicable Me," also featuring Carell, was off one to No. 4 with $15.4 million; its total rose to $190.3 million after four weekends. The early foreign total stands at $29.2 million.
Internationally, Walt Disney Co's "Toy Story 3" slipped to No. 2 with $39.1 million from 48 countries, for a total of $434.6 million. The Pixar cartoon led Britain for a second weekend, and Japan for a fourth, tallying about $61 million in each market. In North America, it fell two cheap wow gold places to No. 7, with earnings to date of $390 million.
"Inception" fended off three middling newcomers, led by the Steve Carell comedy "Dinner for Schmucks," to sell $27.5 million worth of tickets across the United States and Canada during the three days beginning on Friday.
Its domestic total rose to $193.3 million, said its distributor Warner Bros., which remained confident that it would finish up around the $300 million mark.
Internationally, "Inception" pulled in $53.7 million from 51 markets, taking its foreign total to $170 million. It opened at No. 1 in Germany ($7.1 million), and retained its crown in France and Australia.
"Dinner for Schmucks" opened to $23.3 million in North America, in line with expectations but down from the $25 million start for Carell's previous live-action movie "Date Night" in April.
The opening was "solid," said Don Harris, executive VP for distribution at Viacom Inc-owned distributor Paramount Pictures, which partnered wow gold on the $63 million project with closely held producers DreamWorks and Spyglass Entertainment.
"Schmucks," which garnered mixed reviews, stars Carell as a buffoon invited to a party for oddballs hosted by wealthy businessmen who lampoon their idiocy. Paul Rudd co-stars, and Jay Roach of "Austin Powers" fame directs.
The film was marketed at men but women liked it better, Harris said. He hoped the film would follow a similar trajectory as the Adam Sandler hit "Grown Ups," which has earned $150.7 million to date.
"CATS & DOGS" ROADKILL
Honors for the biggest bomb went to the costly Warner Bros. 3D family sequel "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," which opened at No. 5 with just $12.5 million. The Time Warner Inc unit had hoped it would earn more than $20 million.
"We probably failed to create the same level of interest that we had in the original," said Dan Fellman, the studio's president of domestic distribution.
The 2001 original, "Cats & Dogs," opened to $22 million in 2001. The sequel had the benefit of premium pricing for 3D engagements as well as higher ticket prices overall.
The project, carrying a reported $85 million budget, was a joint-venture with Australian buy wow gold media firm Village Roadshow Ltd.
Also new was Universal Pictures' Zac Efron psychological melodrama "Charlie St. Cloud," which opened at No. 6 with $12.1 million, at the lower end of expectations. The "High School Musical" heartthrob was last in theaters with "17 Again," which opened to $23 million in April 2009.
The film, which cost a relatively cheap $44 million to make, played almost exclusively to Efron's core audience of young women. The General Electric Co unit said it expected strong midweek grosses. Efron's bereaved title character sees his dead younger brother.
Columbia Pictures' Angelina Jolie thriller "Salt," which opened at No. 2 last weekend, slipped one place with $19.3 million, taking its total to $70.8 million.
The film is tracking far behind her previous action films "Wanted" and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," but the Sony Corp unit expects to make most of its money internationally. Its early foreign total rose to $32.8 million, bolstered by No. 1 openings this past weekend in South Korea ($6.5 million) and Russia ($5.5 million).
Universal's hit cartoon "Despicable Me," also featuring Carell, was off one to No. 4 with $15.4 million; its total rose to $190.3 million after four weekends. The early foreign total stands at $29.2 million.
Internationally, Walt Disney Co's "Toy Story 3" slipped to No. 2 with $39.1 million from 48 countries, for a total of $434.6 million. The Pixar cartoon led Britain for a second weekend, and Japan for a fourth, tallying about $61 million in each market. In North America, it fell two cheap wow gold places to No. 7, with earnings to date of $390 million.
2010年8月1日星期日
6 Ways to Get Soft Skin and Shiny Hair
If your workout routine has you showering more than once a day, wow gold protect against dry skin and hair with these moisture-boosting tricks.
Happy, Healthy Hair
In the morning: Use a sulfate-free shampoo to avoid drying your locks,says James Corbett, a salon owner in New York City. (One we like:Burt's Bees Super Shiny Grapefruit & Sugar Beet Shampoo, $8,burtsbees.com.) Once a week, wash with a shampoo made with sodiumlaureth, which should be listed among the first ingredients on thebottle. "It will remove product buildup without stripping moisture,"Corbett says.
Post-workout: Put on a shower cap and wash from the neck down only."Every time you shampoo, the lathering action of your fingersstimulates your scalp's oil glands into overdrive, leading to slickstrands later on," Corbett says. In two or three weeks, your scalp willnaturally adjust to fewer washes. After your shower, sprinkle a dryshampoo onto your scalp and brush it through your hair to sop up greaseand sweat from roots to ends.
A Glowing Complexion
In the morning: Adjust the water temperature to lukewarm before washingyour face. The reason for this is season-specific: "Your face mesos ismore sensitive than your body during winter because it's constantlyexposed to cold air and wind," says David Leffell, MD, chief ofdermatologic surgery at Yale School of Medicine. Use a nonsoap cleanserand focus on the T-zone, the oiliest part of your face.
Post-workout: To keep skin hydrated and acne-free, tote a soap made foryour complexion to the gym. "Many women lather their face withlocker-room body soap, which is usually too harsh," says Elissa Lunder,MD, a dermatologist in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and a FITNESS advisoryboard member. She suggests a noncomedogenic oil-based cleanser, whichgently removes sweat without clogging pores.
Soft Skin
In the morning: It takes eight hours for skin to naturally replenishthe moisture it loses from a shower, according to new research by Dove.And your arms, chest, back, and torso can be left drier than your lowerhalf because hot water hits the skin there first, Dr. Lunder explains.Use warm water instead (plus a body scrub to lift dead skin) and callit quits after 10 minutes, she says.
Post-workout: After buy wow gold yoursecond shower of the day, gently pat -- don't rub -- your skin with atowel. Then reach for a hydrating mist of essential oils, such asorange and geranium. "The dampness of the mist allows skin to betterabsorb a moisturizer," says Jessica Clark, head aesthetician at EquinoxSpas in New York City. (Try Aveda Chakra Balancing Body Mist, $30,aveda.com.) Apply all over, then lotion up.
Silky Legs
In the morning: Many women shave their legs with regular bar soap. Butsoap plus the calcium in hard water, found in 89 percent of U.S. homes,forms a gummy coating and makes skin drier than soap alone, accordingto Dove research. Use a body wash made with sodium lauroyl isethionate,a soap alternative. (A good one: Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash withNutriumMoisture, $5.84, drugstores.)
Post-workout: Shave every day, but not after every shower. "A razorremoves the protective top layers of your skin, along with hair," saysHoward Sobel, MD, a dermatologist at Beth Israel Medical Center in NewYork City. When you do de-fuzz, choose a four-blade razor -- it offersthe closest shave, allowing you to use a gentle hand, which preservesnatural moisture -- and opt for a cheap wow gold hydrating shaving cream, not gel.
Happy, Healthy Hair
In the morning: Use a sulfate-free shampoo to avoid drying your locks,says James Corbett, a salon owner in New York City. (One we like:Burt's Bees Super Shiny Grapefruit & Sugar Beet Shampoo, $8,burtsbees.com.) Once a week, wash with a shampoo made with sodiumlaureth, which should be listed among the first ingredients on thebottle. "It will remove product buildup without stripping moisture,"Corbett says.
Post-workout: Put on a shower cap and wash from the neck down only."Every time you shampoo, the lathering action of your fingersstimulates your scalp's oil glands into overdrive, leading to slickstrands later on," Corbett says. In two or three weeks, your scalp willnaturally adjust to fewer washes. After your shower, sprinkle a dryshampoo onto your scalp and brush it through your hair to sop up greaseand sweat from roots to ends.
A Glowing Complexion
In the morning: Adjust the water temperature to lukewarm before washingyour face. The reason for this is season-specific: "Your face mesos ismore sensitive than your body during winter because it's constantlyexposed to cold air and wind," says David Leffell, MD, chief ofdermatologic surgery at Yale School of Medicine. Use a nonsoap cleanserand focus on the T-zone, the oiliest part of your face.
Post-workout: To keep skin hydrated and acne-free, tote a soap made foryour complexion to the gym. "Many women lather their face withlocker-room body soap, which is usually too harsh," says Elissa Lunder,MD, a dermatologist in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and a FITNESS advisoryboard member. She suggests a noncomedogenic oil-based cleanser, whichgently removes sweat without clogging pores.
Soft Skin
In the morning: It takes eight hours for skin to naturally replenishthe moisture it loses from a shower, according to new research by Dove.And your arms, chest, back, and torso can be left drier than your lowerhalf because hot water hits the skin there first, Dr. Lunder explains.Use warm water instead (plus a body scrub to lift dead skin) and callit quits after 10 minutes, she says.
Post-workout: After buy wow gold yoursecond shower of the day, gently pat -- don't rub -- your skin with atowel. Then reach for a hydrating mist of essential oils, such asorange and geranium. "The dampness of the mist allows skin to betterabsorb a moisturizer," says Jessica Clark, head aesthetician at EquinoxSpas in New York City. (Try Aveda Chakra Balancing Body Mist, $30,aveda.com.) Apply all over, then lotion up.
Silky Legs
In the morning: Many women shave their legs with regular bar soap. Butsoap plus the calcium in hard water, found in 89 percent of U.S. homes,forms a gummy coating and makes skin drier than soap alone, accordingto Dove research. Use a body wash made with sodium lauroyl isethionate,a soap alternative. (A good one: Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash withNutriumMoisture, $5.84, drugstores.)
Post-workout: Shave every day, but not after every shower. "A razorremoves the protective top layers of your skin, along with hair," saysHoward Sobel, MD, a dermatologist at Beth Israel Medical Center in NewYork City. When you do de-fuzz, choose a four-blade razor -- it offersthe closest shave, allowing you to use a gentle hand, which preservesnatural moisture -- and opt for a cheap wow gold hydrating shaving cream, not gel.
2010年7月30日星期五
14 Things That Make Us Believe in Someone
Trust is an interesting concept. By the time you mesos get to work in the morning, you may have chosen to trust or not trust a dozen people. When you turn on the weather channel, you are choosing to trust the meteorologist. When you leave your jewelry on your dressing table, you do so because you trust the cleaning person who will come in the afternoon. When you count your change at the deli, you are choosing to not trust the cashier. Even spending money requires trusting that the otherwise worthless rectangle of green material in your hand has value.
Trust is what keeps our society functioning. Evolutionarily speaking, we must trust to survive. But it can be a slippery thing. What makes us trust people? And more curiously, what makes us trust some people but not others?
According to the “experts”—sociologists, psychologists, economists, political scientists—trust is based on expectation. To the degree you believe you can expect a certain response from someone, you trust him. To the degree you believe he will reciprocate at some point in the future in some (often undefined) way, you trust him. Of course, past experience—with the person in question or with others—will affect that confidence, but in the here and now, certain behaviors and visual cues can also influence if and how much you trust someone:
1. Familiarity. The more contact you have with someone, the more information you collect about him or her. The more information you have, the more confident you can be in your expectations.
2. Resemblance. If someone looks, dresses, or acts like you, you’re more likely to believe his or her actions and reactions will be similar to your own. A 2002 study at a Canadian university showed that people are more likely to trust someone whose facial features resemble theirs.
3. Consistency. The more someone behaves with consistency, the better you’re able to establish patterns and form expectations.
4. Punctuality. If someone is regularly on time, it not only signals consistency, but also general conscientiousness toward wow gold other people.
5. Flexibility. Social-exchange theorists have found that people are more likely to trust someone who does not try to explicitly negotiate or force a binding agreement. (Think of the last car salesman you encountered.)
6. Discretion. The ability to keep a secret and exercise tact will always inspire trust.
7. Transparency. The flip side of discretion is transparency. We want someone to keep our secrets, but not her own. Self-disclosure builds trust.
8. Competence. In the workplace, nothing inspires trust more than getting the job done right.
9. Engagement. Trust is based on an understood reciprocity. If someone does not even appear to invest in you, he likely doesn’t have much to lose in betraying you.
10. Face Time. Part of engaging is an effort to make “face time.” A recent study showed that people in the workplace are more likely to trust team members with whom they buy wow gold interact in person more than those they work with via email or videoconference.
11. Facial hair. Another recent study in the Journal of Marketing Communications found that consumers trust pitchmen with beards more than those without. There are limits, however, to the beard-trustworthiness theory. Graphic designer Matt McInerney was only halfway kidding when he made a graphic spectrum of “The Trustworthiness of Beards.”
12. Eye contact (but not too much). This is perhaps the biggest behavioral indicator of trustworthiness. But the quality of the eye contact, observes psychologist Elaine Ducharme, also matters. Is it steely or warm? Too much eye contact can be unnerving.
13. Handshake (not too firm, not too soft). Any businessperson can tell you the importance of a firm handshake in building confidence. However, like eye contact, there is a middle ground. Too firm suggests aggression; too soft suggests passivity.
14. Posture. No one trusts a slouch. A straight back projects an image of strength and confidence.
Of course, while these behaviors and visual cues might inspire trust, they don’t guarantee trustworthiness. As Ducharme wryly reminds, cheap wow gold many psychopaths maintain excellent eye contact.
Trust is what keeps our society functioning. Evolutionarily speaking, we must trust to survive. But it can be a slippery thing. What makes us trust people? And more curiously, what makes us trust some people but not others?
According to the “experts”—sociologists, psychologists, economists, political scientists—trust is based on expectation. To the degree you believe you can expect a certain response from someone, you trust him. To the degree you believe he will reciprocate at some point in the future in some (often undefined) way, you trust him. Of course, past experience—with the person in question or with others—will affect that confidence, but in the here and now, certain behaviors and visual cues can also influence if and how much you trust someone:
1. Familiarity. The more contact you have with someone, the more information you collect about him or her. The more information you have, the more confident you can be in your expectations.
2. Resemblance. If someone looks, dresses, or acts like you, you’re more likely to believe his or her actions and reactions will be similar to your own. A 2002 study at a Canadian university showed that people are more likely to trust someone whose facial features resemble theirs.
3. Consistency. The more someone behaves with consistency, the better you’re able to establish patterns and form expectations.
4. Punctuality. If someone is regularly on time, it not only signals consistency, but also general conscientiousness toward wow gold other people.
5. Flexibility. Social-exchange theorists have found that people are more likely to trust someone who does not try to explicitly negotiate or force a binding agreement. (Think of the last car salesman you encountered.)
6. Discretion. The ability to keep a secret and exercise tact will always inspire trust.
7. Transparency. The flip side of discretion is transparency. We want someone to keep our secrets, but not her own. Self-disclosure builds trust.
8. Competence. In the workplace, nothing inspires trust more than getting the job done right.
9. Engagement. Trust is based on an understood reciprocity. If someone does not even appear to invest in you, he likely doesn’t have much to lose in betraying you.
10. Face Time. Part of engaging is an effort to make “face time.” A recent study showed that people in the workplace are more likely to trust team members with whom they buy wow gold interact in person more than those they work with via email or videoconference.
11. Facial hair. Another recent study in the Journal of Marketing Communications found that consumers trust pitchmen with beards more than those without. There are limits, however, to the beard-trustworthiness theory. Graphic designer Matt McInerney was only halfway kidding when he made a graphic spectrum of “The Trustworthiness of Beards.”
12. Eye contact (but not too much). This is perhaps the biggest behavioral indicator of trustworthiness. But the quality of the eye contact, observes psychologist Elaine Ducharme, also matters. Is it steely or warm? Too much eye contact can be unnerving.
13. Handshake (not too firm, not too soft). Any businessperson can tell you the importance of a firm handshake in building confidence. However, like eye contact, there is a middle ground. Too firm suggests aggression; too soft suggests passivity.
14. Posture. No one trusts a slouch. A straight back projects an image of strength and confidence.
Of course, while these behaviors and visual cues might inspire trust, they don’t guarantee trustworthiness. As Ducharme wryly reminds, cheap wow gold many psychopaths maintain excellent eye contact.
2010年7月28日星期三
Turning it on in the kitchen
I never knew I was fashionablemesos. Notuntil I got an e-mail telling me I was.
It said, "Are you aware of the term 'zhunan'? You have become one ofthe most fashionable men in China. Your wife must be very pleased."
Well, Ellen's always very pleased, but I was none the wiser, so I asked for an explanation.
"Oh, it refers to men who love cooking, because 'zhu' is a universalword in Cantonese for cooking and 'nan' means man. Most of these zhunanare born in the 1980s, who are passionate about cooking and uploadingpictures, recipes, discoveries of good restaurants and having theirblogs or some cooking BBS. There's a new slogan among young girls: Ifone has to marry, then one must marry a zhunan!"
When I told Ellen that I'd been called a zhunan, she was tickled pink.
I've always been interested in food, ever since I was young. There wasalways something to discover, news things to eat, and new places to eatthem at.
Growing up in 70s Australia, food was just beginning to change from theold English style of "meat and three veg". Lots of different peoplewere coming into Australia, bringing with them their own cookingstyles, and wow gold newingredients.
Chinese-style cooking was one of the first big experiments for myfamily. My dad bought a huge wok, and we picked through the shiny newcookbooks, looking for things to try. Looking back now, the recipesthemselves were terribly Westernized, but it was a start. I was hookedon learning about food.
As I got older, the 80s and fusion cuisine took over. Suddenly it waseasy to get ingredients that had previously been impossible. Hundredsof glossy cookbooks began to appear, and I started to make trips intoChinatown, by Adelaide Central Market, to buy things to make my cookingmore exciting, more authentic.
The more I learned, the more I wanted to travel to these exotic placesthat I only knew from the recipes. My culinary desires were onlyfurther heightened by my opportunities to interview celebrity chefsabout their new books, or just by talking to visitors at events such as"Tasting Australia".
Finally, my big chance came, and I landed a teaching job in China. Ithought that I would be able to just wander slowly around, and eat allthe things I'd only read about.
Unfortunately, to do that, you need to be able to read and speakChinese - something that I can't do. So I was back to cooking formyself, but now I had buy wowgold access to the freshest, most authentic ingredients I couldhave imagined.
As time passed, I began to pick up new techniques and preparationideas, just by watching my neighbors working on their balcony kitchens.I scrimped and saved, and bought some new knives and tools to make mylife easier. After I met Ellen, I bought an oven, so I could make thefresh bread and cakes that she so enjoys.
My Chinese neighbor, Miranda, is especially envious of my skills. Shethinks that Ellen's incredibly lucky to have me as a fiance, as her NewZealand born husband doesn't know one end of a wooden spoon fromanother.
I don't know if I really fit the description of a zhunan, as I don'tmaintain a blog to showcase my exploits - and I hope Ellen's not justmarrying me for my cooking skills alone.
But it's true that I am incredibly passionate about cheap wow gold my cooking.
It said, "Are you aware of the term 'zhunan'? You have become one ofthe most fashionable men in China. Your wife must be very pleased."
Well, Ellen's always very pleased, but I was none the wiser, so I asked for an explanation.
"Oh, it refers to men who love cooking, because 'zhu' is a universalword in Cantonese for cooking and 'nan' means man. Most of these zhunanare born in the 1980s, who are passionate about cooking and uploadingpictures, recipes, discoveries of good restaurants and having theirblogs or some cooking BBS. There's a new slogan among young girls: Ifone has to marry, then one must marry a zhunan!"
When I told Ellen that I'd been called a zhunan, she was tickled pink.
I've always been interested in food, ever since I was young. There wasalways something to discover, news things to eat, and new places to eatthem at.
Growing up in 70s Australia, food was just beginning to change from theold English style of "meat and three veg". Lots of different peoplewere coming into Australia, bringing with them their own cookingstyles, and wow gold newingredients.
Chinese-style cooking was one of the first big experiments for myfamily. My dad bought a huge wok, and we picked through the shiny newcookbooks, looking for things to try. Looking back now, the recipesthemselves were terribly Westernized, but it was a start. I was hookedon learning about food.
As I got older, the 80s and fusion cuisine took over. Suddenly it waseasy to get ingredients that had previously been impossible. Hundredsof glossy cookbooks began to appear, and I started to make trips intoChinatown, by Adelaide Central Market, to buy things to make my cookingmore exciting, more authentic.
The more I learned, the more I wanted to travel to these exotic placesthat I only knew from the recipes. My culinary desires were onlyfurther heightened by my opportunities to interview celebrity chefsabout their new books, or just by talking to visitors at events such as"Tasting Australia".
Finally, my big chance came, and I landed a teaching job in China. Ithought that I would be able to just wander slowly around, and eat allthe things I'd only read about.
Unfortunately, to do that, you need to be able to read and speakChinese - something that I can't do. So I was back to cooking formyself, but now I had buy wowgold access to the freshest, most authentic ingredients I couldhave imagined.
As time passed, I began to pick up new techniques and preparationideas, just by watching my neighbors working on their balcony kitchens.I scrimped and saved, and bought some new knives and tools to make mylife easier. After I met Ellen, I bought an oven, so I could make thefresh bread and cakes that she so enjoys.
My Chinese neighbor, Miranda, is especially envious of my skills. Shethinks that Ellen's incredibly lucky to have me as a fiance, as her NewZealand born husband doesn't know one end of a wooden spoon fromanother.
I don't know if I really fit the description of a zhunan, as I don'tmaintain a blog to showcase my exploits - and I hope Ellen's not justmarrying me for my cooking skills alone.
But it's true that I am incredibly passionate about cheap wow gold my cooking.
2010年7月27日星期二
Find Your Happy Place: Banning Negativity from Your Life
Negativity doesn’t always present itself in an obvious mesos way. There are three sources from which it usually breeds: 1) your relationships, 2) yourself, and 3) your environment. Whether you’re receiving it from one or all sources, here are some things to do to reduce it in your life:
Relationships
Minimize toxic relationships. These often go hand-in-hand with negativity. If an individual makes you feel bad about yourself, what you do, or how you are, then that person is toxic. Toxic people often make others feel badly in order to feel better about themselves. If you can’t completely remove them from your life, minimize the time you spend with them and work on cultivating healthier, happier relationships.
Set clear boundaries. If an individual crosses a line or goes too far with her commentary, then let her know that although you care for her, the negativity isn’t welcome. Explain to her that if she can’t be positive or respectful, then you can’t be around her.
Find positive people. The more you surround yourself with positive, high-energy people, the less room you have for those who are negative. Focus on building friendships that make you feel special, build your confidence, and empower you to be the best you can be.
Your Inner Self
Stop focusing on the “what ifs”. Fear and anxiety impair our ability to move forward and achieve the things that will bring happiness into our lives. As a result, focus on what you want to do and wow gold imagine yourself doing it. Push out fear and instead, feel the positive feelings and happiness you know you’ll get from doing the things you want to do.
Meditate. This can be in traditional formats such as yoga or deep breathing or just carving in some alone time by yourself. Spend some time on a daily basis clearing your mind, ridding it of negative thoughts, and refocusing it on those that are positive.
Do what you love. Enjoying the things you love allows you to feel positive, happy, and joyful. When we do things that feel good and that bring us happiness, we disengage with negativity.
Think positively. Although I’m not that well-versed in the law of attraction, there is a lot of truth to being the master of your own buy wow gold destiny. “Positive thoughts beget positive results.”
Environment
Love what you do and where you do it. Although the recession may be making it difficult to be too picky in this area, if we work with people who are negative, it can be draining. Further, low company morale can have a tremendously negative impact on your overall outlook. If this is the case, look for a new job and seek out a company that is known for having a healthy, positive culture.
Love where you live. Our neighborhood can have a big impact on our outlook. Whether something distasteful has happened in your community or you just don’t get positive vibes from your neighbors, it may be time to move.
Get involved. Get involved in your local community. Do some charity work. Get involved with a non-profit. Be a big brother or sister. Getting involved in philanthropic programs makes a positive impact on the world around you, ultimately making you feel positive about yourself and about life.
Don’t let negativity bring you down. Make it a thing of the past and cheap wow gold see how positive life can be!
Relationships
Minimize toxic relationships. These often go hand-in-hand with negativity. If an individual makes you feel bad about yourself, what you do, or how you are, then that person is toxic. Toxic people often make others feel badly in order to feel better about themselves. If you can’t completely remove them from your life, minimize the time you spend with them and work on cultivating healthier, happier relationships.
Set clear boundaries. If an individual crosses a line or goes too far with her commentary, then let her know that although you care for her, the negativity isn’t welcome. Explain to her that if she can’t be positive or respectful, then you can’t be around her.
Find positive people. The more you surround yourself with positive, high-energy people, the less room you have for those who are negative. Focus on building friendships that make you feel special, build your confidence, and empower you to be the best you can be.
Your Inner Self
Stop focusing on the “what ifs”. Fear and anxiety impair our ability to move forward and achieve the things that will bring happiness into our lives. As a result, focus on what you want to do and wow gold imagine yourself doing it. Push out fear and instead, feel the positive feelings and happiness you know you’ll get from doing the things you want to do.
Meditate. This can be in traditional formats such as yoga or deep breathing or just carving in some alone time by yourself. Spend some time on a daily basis clearing your mind, ridding it of negative thoughts, and refocusing it on those that are positive.
Do what you love. Enjoying the things you love allows you to feel positive, happy, and joyful. When we do things that feel good and that bring us happiness, we disengage with negativity.
Think positively. Although I’m not that well-versed in the law of attraction, there is a lot of truth to being the master of your own buy wow gold destiny. “Positive thoughts beget positive results.”
Environment
Love what you do and where you do it. Although the recession may be making it difficult to be too picky in this area, if we work with people who are negative, it can be draining. Further, low company morale can have a tremendously negative impact on your overall outlook. If this is the case, look for a new job and seek out a company that is known for having a healthy, positive culture.
Love where you live. Our neighborhood can have a big impact on our outlook. Whether something distasteful has happened in your community or you just don’t get positive vibes from your neighbors, it may be time to move.
Get involved. Get involved in your local community. Do some charity work. Get involved with a non-profit. Be a big brother or sister. Getting involved in philanthropic programs makes a positive impact on the world around you, ultimately making you feel positive about yourself and about life.
Don’t let negativity bring you down. Make it a thing of the past and cheap wow gold see how positive life can be!
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