Online Business Plan – Lesson 1 for Online Business Entrepreneurs

Starting up an online business is very easy to do: all you need is a domain name, hosting, a webdesign or a WordPress blog, an autoresponder and some cash for advertising.The topic or niche you choose depends on your passion that you would like to share with the world. As soon as you chose your niche for your online business, you need to decide which one of the many available business models – and there are as many models around as Internet & Affiliate Marketers you would like to use.This initial challenge will keep you busy for quite some time – I even dare to say that your first 6 to 9 months will belong to this first phase of your online business plan. And you have to consider this learning phase in your plan.The next phase will be to focus on creating good and valuable content. Content is everything you leave on the Internet. It ranges from blog posts to tweets, shares, articles and products. During your second phase you should endeavor to find your own little spot within your chosen niche. Just imagine that you should develop yourself into the Go-To-Guy (or Girl) for 1 particular question within your topic.The third phase will actually be already part of running your online business. So your Business Plan for your online adventure is divided into 3 parts:
Choose niche and initial set up plus learning the rules of Internet Marketing
Create good and valuable content and share it around
find your final place within your Niche and establish yourself as the Go-To-Person.
In contrast to Business Plans for brick-and-mortar businesses, the plan for your online business is slightly different. You don’t have to define your 5 year strategy, don’t define your business processes and all the human-, technical- and product development resources you will need.You could define all this right from the start but I dare say that this procedure would be a complete overkill for your online business idea and robbed you right away of your motivation that you will need for your first 6 to 9 months.Instead of writing a ‘commonly known’ business plan for your online business, choose to focus on planning your marketing campaigns: Return on Investments and Break-Even Calculations are your focal points of interest while running your Online Business.Planning your Online Journey this way allows you to stay flexible to different ways of doing business online, but creates a stable management tool to secure your financial success.

What Is a Fashion Trend and Fashion Cycle?

How does something become a fashion trend? What is the fashion cycle? If you want to find answers to these questions, you are on the right page. When a specific look, colour, or item rises in popularity, it turns into a fashion trend. And then there are some factors that may influence a trend. Some of these factors include textile manufacturers, designer shows, fashion designers, and celebrity outfits. Let’s find out more.What Is the Fashion Cycle?Fashion refers to a natural cycle that introduces a fashion trend. Initially, it continues to rise in popularity and then declines in popularity. Finally, it gets rejected by the masses. Let’s get a deeper insight into the five stages of the fashion cycle.IntroductionIn this stage, a new style makes its way into the world of fashion. For example, this introduction may be done during a fashion week. Alternatively, a well-known figure may put on a specific outfit during an event. Sometimes, it is the collective effort of a manufacturer or marketing agency. Also, this type of outfit can be purchased from a few retailers or designers. The price of these outfits is quite high.RiseThis stage is also called the “acceptance stage”. Generally, when something rises in popularity in the world of fashion, it receives the trend label. This is when a lot of trendsetters and leaders try on these outfits. These influencers may be from social media platforms. At this point, the consumer demand for these products continues to rise. And then more retailers and online stores make these outfits available for the general public.PeakAt this stage, the popularity of the outfit reaches new Heights. You may find a lot of common people welcoming the trend. The majority of retailers will also welcome this trend. At this point, this popular outfit will be made at a mass level. And there will be a wide range of price tags.DeclineAt this stage, the market becomes over-saturated. This is when the intense popularity of this trend starts annoying the customers. And this is the point when the popularity of the outfit continues to decline.ObsolescenceDuring this stage, the outfit is considered out of fashion or outdated. However, this does not mean that the rejected item cannot get back into the fashion cycle once again. As a matter of fact, the fashion cycle refers to a constant repetition state.Let’s take an example. The lifestyle of jeans rose in popularity in the 1940s. However, this trend continued to decline and then went up in popularity again in the 1990s.So, this was an introduction to the fashion trend and the fashion cycle. If you want to get into the fashion industry, we suggest that you keep the fashion cycle in mind. Apart from this, you may want to stay tuned to industry news as well.

Tips to Make Home Improvements Affordable

If you are like many homeowners, your house is among the most significant investments that you own. In addition to being your largest asset, it is the place where you live, entertain and more. By keeping your home well-maintained and making improvements as needed, you can easily maintain or improve its value while also enjoying increased pride of ownership. However, many home improvement projects can be costly, and you may be looking for a way to make improvements to your home more affordable. By following a few key tips, you can enjoy the benefits associated with improving your home without paying more than necessary for those improvements.Affordable Materials and Equipment
One of the key factors that contributes to the cost of home improvements pertains to the materials and equipment needed for the project. Many homeowners commonly head down to a local home improvement store to buy the items needed for their projects. While these stores are a convenient source for materials and equipment, they may not be the most affordable source. You can consider looking for used equipment in local online classified listings. In some cities, you may find wholesale materials and supplies stores that offer a great selection of steeply discounted materials. If you must shop at local home improvement stores, be sure to look for sales, coupons and special offers that can save you money.The Cost of Labor
The other main factor associated with home improvements is the cost of labor. Some homeowners have a real knack for completing home improvement projects. Others, however, may require several attempts at a task before completing it right, and this can result in wasted supplies and materials. If you lack the skills and experience necessary to do the job or are not comfortable with the processes involved, it is best to utilize the services of a contractor. Some specialized contractors will charge you a higher rate than other contractors who may have an equal ability to perform the tasks you need completed. A professional handyman, for example may be a jack-of-all-trades, and he may perform services at a lower rate than a contractor who offers only a specialized skill.Making home improvements is a necessity if you want to keep your home in great condition and improve its value more significantly over time. By keeping the costs of your improvements low, you can enjoy a greater return on your home improvement project. These tips can help you to save money on your projects for years to come.

What Does Google Instant Mean to Your Business?

Will Google Instant Effect Your Small Business Marketing?Typical web surfers take over 9 seconds to type their search terms into the Google search bar. Apparently, Google thought this staggering amount of time was unacceptable, and so on Wednesday, they quietly launched Google Instant, an new search feature designed to save searchers anywhere from 2 to 5 second per search.According to Google, “Instant is a new search enhancement that shows results as you type.” Google’s thinking is that people can read faster than they can type, and Instant allows surfers to scan the results which change instantly as they refine their search terms.In Google’s own words:”The most obvious change is that you get to the right content much faster than before because you don’t have to finish typing your full search term, or even press “search.” Another shift is that seeing results as you type helps you formulate a better search term by providing instant feedback. You can now adapt your search on the fly until the results match exactly what you want. In time, we may wonder how search ever worked in any other way.”*** What Does Google Instant Mean For Web Surfers?Web surfers will surely enjoy the ability to search quicker. Instant will predict a user’s search phrase and start to show results before he has even finished typing. Google says, “Even when you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, predictions help guide your search. The top prediction is shown in grey text directly in the search box, so you can stop typing as soon as you see what you need.”And to speed things up even more, the results appear immediately; the user won’t even have to hit the Search button. No more typing, then clicking, then scrolling, then retyping, clicking and scrolling all over again.*** What Does Google Instant Mean for Small Business Marketing?While Google claims that Instant “does not impact the ranking of search results,” the way people search will very likely change. Google’s Ben Gomes believes the new interface will result in more search queries, and this means more organic ranking opportunities for websites that are content-rich.Google Instant is starting to roll-out to users on Google domains in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Russia who use the following browsers: Chrome v5/6, Firefox v3, Safari v5 for Mac and Internet Explorer v8. Additional domains, languages, and a mobile version will be rolled out over the next several months.With Google Instant, the search queries are automatically refined as the searcher enters his keywords. This most likely means that users will spend more time searching for longtail keywords, since the longtail suggestions will be made on-the-fly, eliminating the need for the “search, refine, search, refine” syndrome we’ve seen in the past.Google Instant also makes it more important than ever to rank in the top 5 search results. With Instant, users won’t need to scroll the results or browse to the next page. They can simply scan the visible results – generally the top three to five – and if they don’t see what they’re looking for, they can instantly refine their search term and get a new set of results.What I don’t know, and Google hasn’t quite said, is where these predictions come from. Are they coming from a user’s past search behavior? From the most popular search queries of the day? From the ad network PPC phrases? It seems that the Google Instant predictions will manipulate searchers into searching phrases they had never really considered, so it would be nice to know how these predictions are made.*** What Do You Need to Do Now?First, we can see that longtail keywords are more important than ever. If you haven’t done your keyword research, now is the time! And the best way to integrate longtail keywords on a consistent basis? With a blog. If you don’t have a blog at your website, you should definitely consider adding one.And of course, the typical SEO process still applies: generate great content, integrate your keywords, build up incoming links, participate in social media, etc.Google Instant aims at providing a more personalized search experience. As web surfers’ behaviors begin to change, it is up to us as webmasters to adapt.

An Inside Look at the Importance of a Smile in Sales

If you’re in sales, then you’ve probably heard all sorts of advice, from “don’t oversell” to “focus on solving problems.” However, one of the best pieces of advice that many forget is to smile! After all, your smile is one of the first features people notice about you, and it plays an essential role in the first impression you make. Keep reading to learn all about the importance of a smile in sales (as well as how cosmetic dentistry can help!).

Smile: Your Sale Depends on It!

Knowing your product and knowing your audience are key in sales. However, you don’t get far if your client doesn’t trust you or believe you. That’s why it’s so important to make a good first impression! Here are a few ways a smile can help:

• Smiling is more powerful than you might think – One study found that smiling has the same effect on our brain as $25,000 in cash!

• Smiling communicates your state of mind – Smiling is a non-verbal cue that you are happy to be where you are, that you are confident in your product, and that you are ready and willing to help.

• Smiling creates a ripple effect of positivity – Have you ever seen a friend yawn and done the same? Or seen someone take a sip of water and immediately realized you’re thirsty? Thanks to the mirroring neurons in our brains, we naturally mimic the behavior of those around us.

But What If You Don’t Like Your Smile?

If you don’t like your smile, don’t worry – that’s where cosmetic dentistry comes in. Whether you’re struggling with misaligned, misshapen, cracked, or otherwise imperfect teeth, your smile goals aren’t out of reach. The first step? Scheduling an appointment with a skilled cosmetic dentist. For both my father and myself, providing high-quality, personalized, and judgment-free dentistry is a passion. There’s truly nothing better than seeing someone walk out of our office with a dazzling, confident smile! So, don’t wait to make your dream smile a reality – it could make all of the difference when it comes to your personal and professional life!

Where to buy beautiful rugs, floor mats and more.

Where to buy beautiful rugs, floor mats and more. Including unique t-shirts, dresses, bags and artworks. All in one website with free shipping worldwide!

QueenNoble.com is the exclusive online art gallery and home décor online store where items were designed by artist QueenNoble Dr. Elle Ramirez. You can get all your home decorating needs in one place without worrying the shipping fee. You can collect all her original art pieces and open editions from your comfort zone in just few clicks. All original artworks will be shipped straight from the country of exhibition with free shipping worldwide. Home décor on QueenNoble is not your usual home decoration items. Every items were designed by QueenNoble Dr. Elle Ramirez exclusively made from handmade paintings turned to manipulated photos to make stunning designs for every home décor items such as the rugs, lamps, wall decors and more. Of course the original artworks of QueenNoble are all available to every collectors who collect only original artworks. The prints are premium quality, framed and ready to hang for everyone’s convenience. Rugs, lamps, pillows and others are designed by QueenNoble, and then manufactured by partnered companies in Europe and in The United States.

The artist And Designer QueenNoble

Dr. Elle Ramirez also known as QueenNoble is an American international fine arts artist, designer, sculptor, photographer and an author. Dr. Ramirez creates rare textured and embossed abstract artworks from wall sculptures to embossed paintings. Her career began from year 2006 up to this present day. (See Wikipedia.)

QueenNoble is known for her textured and embossed abstract artworks mimicking planets, natural stones and rocks, abstract engraved portraits, several monochromatic and vivid concepts.

“Live Minimal” is one of QueenNoble’s art books released year 2021. (See Google Scholar Books)

QueenNoble is also an author of several mental health books like “Quarantine: The Challenges During Quarantine and How to Keep Our Sanity”. QueenNoble is also the author of the Novel called, “The Cart Season 1”. (See more on Amazon)

One Of A Kind Products You Can Buy On QueenNoble

One of a kind luxury collectibles with certificate. Unique items designed and curated by QueenNoble Dr. Elle Ramirez are now available on the official website. One collectible is to one collector or owner. Collectibles can be a wallet, bag, a piece of art, a furniture, a dress or a shirt and more. A first come first served basis. Handmade with love and attention. Own something that no one has in the entire world. Only on QueenNoble. What will you get on the top of that? You will receive a certificate of authenticity upon receiving your item. Free shipping worldwide. Free repair and replacement in case of a major manufacture error. Most items are handmade and are genuine leather so slight imperfections are visible which are the signs of most genuine leathers in the market. Varieties of items and vast selections although items are very quick to be sold.

Who does not want a one of a kind item? It is really disliked to run to someone with the same exact dress in an occasion or a business meeting! Now on QueenNoble not only original hand-painted artworks are available now you get to wear an art yourself anywhere and anytime. Display a furniture or a décor and be asked by a friend or a colleague, “Where can I buy one?” and of course the answer is “You can’t buy that in the market.” Because It is only one!

What happens after you buy a one of a kind on QueenNoble? The price increases yearly for 10 years. What an investment for yourself or a luxurious lifetime gift for a special someone!

From the author’s words:

If you are a collector and a shopper, QueenNoble is definitely where to go specially if you are looking for unique designer’s décor such as rugs, comforters, bags, wall art etc. A lot of selections to choose from. The designs are contemporary and modern. In one look you know where the products are from since you can only find them on queennoble.com. The processes are also very convenient and shipping is fast worldwide.

I bought a one of a kind bag. When I received it it came with an envelope consisting the certificate. The leather bag is stunning. Fast shipping and free delivery. They also offer free repair in case there is a manufacturer error for free.

Note also that if you are a merchant you can sign up on their trading program. There is a 15-30% commission. Less work for you all you do is share the url of the product and your designated coupon code which you’ll receive when you sign up and you get paid everytime someone uses your coupon code. Sound interesting right? Copy code, share url and code on your social media and earn as you go.

QueenNoble is also on Saatchiart, Artmajeur, Singulart Galleries. On QueenNoble’s original artworks, all artworks with certificate of authenticity will be shipped straight to the collector from the current exhibited country and also free shipping worldwide.

What are anti-ligature blinds?

Anti-ligature blinds are becoming increasingly popular in a range of different settings. The way these blinds differ from traditional blinds is that they are designed to prevent suicide by hanging.

Initially, uptake for this type of blind was largely restricted to high-risk environments such as psychiatric hospitals and prisons, where suicide is common. In mental health environments and detention centres, suicide via hanging is common and preventative measures must be implemented. A huge range of objects could be used to create a ligature point, meaning anti-ligature systems are highly important.

Over the years, anti-ligature blinds have been supplied to hospitals, schools, student accommodation and even hotels.

How do they work?

There are a range of different systems on the market, but the most reliable could well be the magnetic anti-ligature system. YewdaleKestrel® products utilise load release magnets which separate when a downward force is exerted on the product. This means that the product falls to the ground safely and prevents suicide via hanging.

The magnetic systems used in Yewdale’s products are highly reliable because magnets don’t lose their strength for hundreds of years, guaranteeing a lifetime of lifesaving functionality.

Anti-ligature blinds usually have a magnetic connection point above the blind’s barrel. The blind is easy to reconnect to the magnetic bracket after it has fallen to the floor.

If you are considering an anti-ligature blind, Yewdale is a highly recommended company. Based in the UK, Yewdale produce a wide range of anti-ligature products, commercial blinds, and healthcare products including hospital cubicle tracks and medical curtains.

Yewdale produce other anti-ligature products too including a soft, lightweight en-suite door and other accessories such as soap dispensers, toilet roll holder, shelves and artwork. You can see the full range on the website using the link below.

10 Unsafe Symptoms of Cell Phones Usage on Teens

10 Unsafe Symptoms of Cell Phones Usage on Teens

Over and wrong utilization of PDAs can harm mental as well as actual health. Parents might consider giving their teens cell phones for security motivations. Be that as it may, the conceivable abuse and opposite symptoms of cell phones on young people are not obscure. While it effectively is mindful of your kid’s whereabouts, taking into account its antagonistic consequences for teens is significant. As indicated by a review led by the Seat Exploration Center, around 785 of all youngsters between ages 12 and 17 have cell phones (1). It is a typical sight these days to see a gathering of youngsters standing together yet having no discussion and being engaged with themselves. Teens utilize their cell phones to call their folks and do other great and awful things. Around one of every four teens approach the web, definitely more than grown-ups. Look at the post to know whether cells are great for teenagers, the adverse consequences of PDAs, and tips on the safe use of cell phones.

Impacts Of Cell Phones On Youngsters

There is no question that a cell phone is a convenient device. It facilitates correspondence with partners, companions, and family members. However, every innovation that gives such advantages comes with a bunch of adverse consequences. The effect of cell phones on youth and society is tremendous. This region requires consideration when you are giving your high schooler a phone. This is the way PDAs influence, teens.

Teen tendonitis (TTT)
Abundance generation of messages can prompt High schooler Tendonitis (TTT). It causes torment in the hands, back, and neck because of the unfortunate stance. As per a five-year partner study, extreme phone use is known to bring about outer muscle problems, for example, tendonitis and first carpometacarpal joint pain in the lower arm and thumb.

Stress
Having a mobile phone will entice your high schooler to go the entire day talking or messaging as opposed to doing useful things. Studies have demonstrated that youngsters who invest a lot of their energy in their cells are more inclined to pressure, uneasiness, and melancholy. Research has additionally tracked down that extreme utilization of cell phones might bring about an expanded gamble of emotional well-being issues.

Sleep misfortune
Most teenagers keep their phones close by while resting to answer messages and calls and stay reachable nonstop. This might prompt rest interference and disturbance. Investigations have discovered that young people who use cell phones after the lights out experience expanded sluggishness. Additionally, undergrads who use phones after the beginning of rest are accounted for to be alert an extra 46 minutes out of every week.

Mishaps
Adolescents will quite often go to calls and text while driving, which is demonstrated to be risky. As indicated by the Places for Infectious prevention and Counteraction (CDC), adolescents are bound to be diverted more than drivers of some other age. Thus, utilizing a mobile phone while driving ought to be a severe no.

Uneasiness
Depending on messaging as an essential method of correspondence can increment uneasiness in youngsters. Messaging is right away satisfying, yet it likewise creates tension. The moment answered by a companion can give pleasure and euphoria. However, if there should be an occurrence of deferred reaction or no reaction, this equivalent joy can transform into disillusionment. Likewise, mobile phone habit can transform into a fixation to promptly take a look at messages and answer. It might likewise increment tension by making a deception that they had gotten a message in any event, when there was no message, making them regularly look at their telephones (3).

Hazard of malignant growth
Despite the fact that there’s no obvious proof of the connection between wireless use and disease, there are a few measurably huge relationships in certain individuals. Information gathered from five European nations have shown an expanded gamble of acoustic neuroma in people who utilized a cell for at least ten years.

Despite the fact that there is no unmistakable examination supporting the gamble of malignant growth and cell utilization, it is said to have a wide scope of well-being impacts.

Cyberbullying
As indicated by a review led on 13-18-year-olds by Cox Interchanges, 15% of kids had been cyberbullied on the web, 10% had been cyberbullied by cell, and 5% had cyberbullied someone else through a phone.

As indicated by a review, cyberbullying makes young people miserable and reluctant to go to class. This study has likewise observed that youngsters who are cyberbullied have a higher gamble of psychosomatic issues, for example, incessant migraines, issues nodding off, a higher pace of tension, and depression.

Cyberbullying is considerably more challenging to recognize than actual harassment as it will in general be more imperceptible. Additionally, the culprits can take cover behind the obscurity presented by the web.

Bogus distinction
The most recent advancements in cells have made it simple for youngsters to get any data. The majority of the things projected via online entertainment and the Web may not be exact, yet teens who are innocent (at their age) could view them in a serious way and get impacted. This could lead them to live in a dreamland and foster bogus renown. Some may likewise turn to wrongdoings to satisfy their dreams.

Heftiness
Steady utilization of phones may likewise cause weight in young people. As indicated by a review led by Harvard T.H Chan School of General Wellbeing, youngsters who spend more hours daily on phones are bound to become stout. The concentrate further says that youngsters who spend over five hours daily before screens are 43% bound to get less rest or exercise, bringing about weight

Vision issues
Expanded utilization of mobile phones is said to cause vision issues in young people. According to a review led by 30 clinical understudies, 83% of them were found to have wireless vision conditions. The side effects incorporate pressure, redness, consuming sensation, obscured vision, and dry eyes.

Over-the-top use of mobile phones outperforms their value and makes new issues for young people. While you may not prevent your teen from utilizing a mobile phone, it is feasible to restrict the use by laying out some guidelines.

Prior to giving wireless to your youngster, ensure they know about the focuses underneath.

Tips On Safe Use Of Cells For Youngsters

Cells are staying put, basically not at any point in the near future. Along these lines, you want to show your adolescents about cell phone security and how to dependably utilize it. They additionally need to have concurred limits for cell phone use. Here are far to stay away from the antagonistic impacts of cellphones on youngsters:

Complete weight loss strategy

For those who want to lose weight

Research on the causes of obesity, knowledge about weight loss, and various diets for weight loss are updated every year. However, with the update of knowledge and the release of diet pills one after another, the obesity rate continues to rise every year, and there is no sign of wanting to decline. I used to be very, very fat, and I am also a person who is prone to obesity.

So I understand the voices of fat people, I really want to lose weight, but I tried many ways to lose weight at that time without success.

I have tried the common boiled meals on the market, eating less and moving more, but it was not until I tried other diets that I managed to lose weight. After I lost weight, I began to study the essence and method of losing weight, and wrote him in this weight loss strategy article, hoping to help you.

A few key myths about losing weight

The weight loss myth of eating less and moving more

The phrase “eat less and move more” is actually true, but most people do it wrong. Many people think that they should eat less of everything, so they limit their calories to a very low level, and it feels a bit like eating an ultra-low-calorie fairy meal. Then, for the hyperactive part, the first thing that everyone thinks of is aerobic exercise such as running, cycling, etc., but in fact, this is a very short-term and easy way to regain weight, mainly because eating too little is an easy way to lose weight. The reason for the loss of muscle mass, coupled with the fact that aerobic training is not helpful for muscle mass growth, causes the metabolism to drop too much.

Maybe you can lose 5 kilograms in this way, but if your metabolism declines, you will easily regain the weight. And it’s all the fat that gets back up, not the muscle you lose that makes you look fatter than before. This is what we call the yo-yo effect, lose weight, get fat back, get fatter than before, lose weight, get back on Fat, get fatter than before.

Stop taking diet pills and meal replacements

At this time, you may start to seek other ways, eat weight loss meal replacements, taking diet pills, and so on. But believe me, most diet pills will inevitably hurt the body, especially the gastrointestinal tract. You may actually lose weight in the moment, but when your gastrointestinal tract is damaged, you will be fatter than before.

The key to understanding how to lose weight

You must have thought, why some people will not gain weight no matter what they eat, while some people will gain a kilogram the next day after eating a little bread? What is the cause of obesity? This is not a simple answer that can be solved!

You can see the link to the picture below, mainly talking about the influencing factors of obesity, which are very, very complicated.

Image source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/296290/obesity-map-full-hi-res.pdf

In the middle of this picture is the heat balance

So we can know that calorie balance is very important

But this article doesn’t keep preaching that calorie balance is the key to losing weight like other sites

If you don’t know what calorie balance is, you can probably imagine that our body has calorie consumption (exercise, thermogenesis, basal metabolism), and calorie intake (eating).

When calorie consumption exceeds calorie intake, the weight will drop, so the truth of weight loss is to eat less and move more, very simple. In the short term, it is really possible to simply achieve weight loss by eating less and moving more, but simplicity is not simple, because the operation of the body is very complicated. Many people think that they can control their calorie consumption, that they can achieve a lot of calorie expenditure by running all the time, and that eating fairy meals (low-calorie meals) can reduce calorie intake and then easily lose it.

However, according to research, 90% of people who use calorie control, eat less and move more to lose weight will fail or regain the weight.

Because eating less and moving more for too long, metabolism will easily drop, hormones will easily become imbalanced, and muscle mass will easily be lost. Even if you lose 10 kilograms, you will easily regain weight.

When losing weight, the body is like a factory

For me, the key to long-term weight loss and maintaining good posture is the environment in the body, such as hormones, the level of inflammation in the body, and the gastrointestinal system.

Think of the body as a factory

-Your hormones are the managers and workers of factory operations

-Inflamed condition is how good factory machinery and hardware are

-Calorie intake is wages for factories as well as fuel

If the manager of this factory is an idiot, or if the hardware in your factory is completely rotten, then no matter how it works, it will create a pile of waste. Just as our hormones are already out of balance and the level of inflammation in the body is very high, no matter how much you eat, if you don’t solve the existing problems, it will easily accumulate into fat. It may be easier to understand with a few examples.

Hormones vs Weight Loss

This study looked at the effects of sleep and weight loss

Research source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20921542

Both groups of humans were calorie-restricted, but one group slept 5.5 hours a night and the other 8.5 hours. Both groups lost weight, but the group that slept less lost 55 percent less body fat and 65 percent more muscle mass than the group that slept more. It is equivalent to losing weight, but most of the loss is muscle mass, which reduces metabolism and makes it easy to regain weight later.

There is such a big difference mainly because poor sleep has a negative impact. The imbalance of the secretion of these things will easily increase fat and reduce muscle.

This next study looks at the effect of insulin sensitivity on body composition!

Research source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19471290

Basically, many chronic metabolic diseases, obesity, and poor muscle-building effects are closely related to low insulin sensitivity. Insulin is an anti-catabolic hormone whose main function is to store nutrients in cells. For example, after heavy training, our muscles will be more sensitive to insulin, and the nutrients we eat will be more easily absorbed into the muscles. When insulin sensitivity is low, the nutrients we eat are more likely to be stored as fat rather than absorbed into muscles.

We can simply say that the nutrients in the food eaten by people who are insulin insensitive are more likely to be stored as fat, and the relative fat mass will be much higher than the muscle mass.

To put it simply, the key to losing weight is actually to improve hormones, improve inflammation in the body, and add an appropriate calorie deficit. It is not difficult to achieve a calorie deficit. What is more difficult is how to choose the type of food that suits your body to improve hormones and achieve a long-term good body.

If you only pursue short-term weight loss and rely on a lot of calorie deficits to achieve the effect of weight loss, and then the hormones are still the same after the loss, then I can guarantee that you will gain weight very easily.

With so many ways to eat on the internet, which diet should I try?

When talking about losing weight in Taiwan 30 years ago, everyone would definitely want to use boiled meals

When it came to losing weight five years ago, everyone might think of using a low-sugar diet. When it came to losing weight in the past two or three years, everyone might directly think of the ketogenic diet.

I lost 30kg in 3 months on a low-sugar diet myself for the first time, so I used to believe that a low-sugar diet was the best way to lose weight

But after my long-term understanding of weight loss-related research, genetic cognition, and observation of students, there is no diet that is most suitable for everyone! Although it is said that high-carbohydrate foods will most stimulate insulin secretion, which in turn promotes the storage of nutrients into fat, some people are naturally good at metabolizing carbohydrates, so they can still be healthy and strong after eating high-carbohydrate throughout their lives.

For example, this study compared the responses of people with high and low insulin sensitivity to high- and low-carb diets.

Research source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/oby.2005.79

The study concluded:

-For people with high insulin sensitivity, eating high-carb and low-fat to lose weight is very helpful

-However, people who are insulin insensitive use a high-carb low-fat diet to lose fat, but the weight loss effect is not so good.

But on the contrary, studies have also shown that people with low insulin sensitivity have a very good weight loss effect on a low-carb high-fat diet, which shows that improving insulin is very important for weight loss, and it also shows that people with insulin insensitivity are more suitable

Lose weight with a high-carb diet.

So if you have been obese for a long time, you know that you eat carbohydrates easily, or you know that you have diabetes in your family and want to lose fat, then I would suggest that you can start by reducing carbohydrates, which is what we call low carb diet!

The Negative Impact of E-Levy on Mobile Banking.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Mobile Banking is a service provided by a bank or other financial institution that allows its customers to conduct financial transactions remotely using a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet.

Electronic Transaction Levy or “E-Levy” is a tax applied on transactions made on electronic or digital platforms.

ADVANTAGES OF MOBILE BANKING

Mobile banking offers numerous benefits such as ease of transaction, convenience, time-saving, managing your finances, and budgeting. Some advantages of Mobile Banking in remote areas include:

Financial Inclusion — mobile banking offers convenient and easy banking services to people in remote areas. Thus, it allows banking on the go and offers all benefits of a banking system to rural areas without the presence of a financial institution.

Accessing the bank 24/7 — Mobile banking provides ubiquitous banking services without the need to visit the bank to have access to services. This offers time to benefit and ease of transacting at a distance.

Cost-benefit — Mobile banking saves the banks the cost of building physical infrastructures (branches) and maintaining branches and staff. Also, reduced costs on the customer side since the burden of visiting the bank for services is eliminated.

Improving resilience in the face of poverty — Mobile money acts as both a savings vehicle and a means of transferring funds during times of economic or environmental shocks.

Strengthening the formal economy — For many micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), opening a mobile money account can facilitate access to formal financial services. Mobile money is well placed to address the issue of informality that blights many developing economies and hampers domestic resource mobilization efforts. Mobile Money enables ease of transacting, thus increasing business profits for MSMEs.

Facilitating economic growth — Mobile money has been shown to contribute to economic growth by increasing both productivity and per capita incomes

DISADVANTAGES OF E-LEVY ON MOBILE BANKING

The design of mobile money taxation policy appears to be the antithesis of a well-designed tax system. The disadvantages include:

Inequity — Mobile money taxes as currently structured to create inequity in the tax system. As the tax is mostly borne by the poor and users of the services are subject to additional taxation (unlike bank or cash transactions), the principles of both horizontal and vertical equity in the tax system are contravened.

Uncertainty -. Uncertainty and lack of transparency over taxation systems can have a direct impact on the operations of the tax authority, increasing enforcement costs, as well as discouraging investment.

Inconvenience — The administration of mobile money transaction taxes creates an inconvenience for MMPs who must calculate and collect the tax on the revenue authority’s behalf. There is an additional inconvenience for users of the service for whom remote digital transactions become more expensive or out of reach if they revert back to cash.

Inefficiency — Badly designed mobile money taxes have been shown to have a distortionary impact on demand for mobile money services. This in turn has had negative impacts on overall tax takes, as well as impacting the attainment of national economic and development goals.

EFFECT OF MOBILE BANKING — CASE STUDIES

The decision to impose taxes on mobile bank transactions will trigger so many problems.

Ghana — According to The Fourth Estate Ghana; Although the government projects a 24% decline in transactions when the levy is finally implemented, preliminary findings published by the bank of Ghana indicate the value of mobile money transactions had dropped by 3.2 billion in December 2021, less than 2 months after the proposal to introduce E-levy.

Uganda — An e-levy of 1% introduced in 2018 has led to an overall drop in the person-to-person transaction by more than 50%, and a 24% drop in industry transactions within the same year the tax was introduced according to a report by Global system for mobile communication (GSMA).

Congo — An e-levy of 1% was introduced in 2019. The government had to reverse the tax on cash outs only due to negative results of the levy on Mobile money users such as a decline in mobile money agents (unemployment) and high-value withdrawals by people.

Other countries include Benin (5%) and Cameroun (0.2%). In all these countries, the e-levy has imposed a negative effect on the economy and people. If we want to ensure the financial inclusion of people in rural areas, we need to ensure that we encourage mobile banking by withdrawing the e-levy tax.

Reference:

https://thefourthestategh.com/2022/03/16/e-levy-this-is-what-happened-when-other-african-countries-passed-it/

Purohit, S., & Arora, R. (2021). The benefits and challenges of mobile banking at the Bottom of the pyramid. Journal of Contemporary Issues in Business and Government Vol, 27(1).

Charles G. Kpan, Jr. is an Information Technologist with over 5 years of experience in the provision of Information Technology Services and an emphasis on Web Development and Visual Branding. He’s the managing Director of CYGEC IT SOLUTIONS INC. and holds a bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology from Blue Crest University, Liberia.