How To Stay Hydrated During The Summer

That guy looks thirsty. Summer is upon us and we love to get outdoors to enjoy the weather. These range of activities can include everything of hanging out with friends at an outdoor event to visiting the beach. If you are going to go outdoors and enjoy what  the summer has to offer, we have some hydration suggestions that you can use so you can get the most out of your activities without feeling thirsty or worse. Here is what we found.

Water makes up between 45 percent and 75 percent of your weight. For many, especially active folks, maintaining a healthy fluid balance can be difficult. However, keeping your body hydrated is vital for proper functioning.

Staying hydrated not only helps with your alertness, controlling appetite, and improving activity and sport performance, but it also keeps every day symptoms like fatigue, headaches, and dry skin at bay.


First Thing's First: Are You Properly Hydrated?

There are two simple ways to measure your hydration status. One method can be used anytime and the other is useful after performing physical activity. The first way to measure your hydration status is to examine the color of your urine. If you're hydrated, your urine will appear to be a very pale yellow--almost clear (keep in mind the water in the bowl will dilute it some). If your urine is much darker--like the color of apple juice or tea--this means that your body is dehydrated.

The other method is used to determine your sweat rate. To do this, weigh yourself naked before performing any exercise. Once you've finished exercising, weigh yourself naked again (sweat-soaked clothing will give you inaccurate results). For every pound lost, drink 16 fluid ounces to replace it. 

Are You Keeping Hydrated During Exercise?

To maintain proper hydration, it's important to drink before, during, and after exercise. When heavy sweating is expected, drink two to three cups of water two to three hours before exercise. Thirty minutes before exercise, drink five to ten ounces. During activity that causes a lot of sweat loss, drinking every 10 to 20 minutes can be beneficial. Those who sweat less can drink every 20 minutes. After exercise, weigh yourself to determine how much you will need to rehydrate adequately.



Are Sports Drinks Good for Rehydrating?

Water is generally the best drink to rehydrate with. However, sports drinks are appropriate after 60 to 90 minutes of intense activity or heavy sweating. Drinking sports drinks casually (when no exercise has been performed) may lead to weight gain since these drinks typically contain calories.

7 Great Tips to Staying Hydrated

If you're living a busy life, even simple tasks--like staying hydrated--can be difficult. So here are seven easy ways to keep your juices flowing.

1. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of water. Be sure to eat these daily, not only to stay hydrated, but to maintain optimal health.

2. Keep a large water bottle handy to encourage you to drink water wherever and whenever.

3. Have a glass of water before each meal.

4. After each trip to the restroom, drink a glass of water to replenish your fluids.

5. Set reminders on your phone, watch, or email to drink every hour.

6. Track your intake of fluids to make sure you get enough daily.

7. Add a slice of lemon, lime and/or basil to your water to give it some flavor without adding any extra calories.


 These are great ways to stay hydrated. Be sure to keep these tips in mind. Thank you to fitday.com for their useful suggestions. If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting!
Joseph A Jones & The Welllife Team

Hosting An Easter Dinner

 

 

Spring is rapidly approaching. In fact, year after year spring sometimes arrives very fast. We also find our self attending Easter meals each year by our family. Wouldn't it be a good idea to host an Easter dinner?  As Men, it is important to try new activities and further develop our skill set. It is not that hard. Actually, all it takes is being organized. We found a wonderful article from simple.net that shows you how to host this holiday meal.

Ten Simple Ways to Instantly Be a Better Host At Easter

Now, granted these are minor details, but that is the beauty of it – they are all completely doable. Your guests will leave knowing that they have been well cared for by an attentive host.

1. Greet guests. Yes, at the door. No, don’t send your six-year-old while you scramble around the kitchen. Your guests need to feel welcomed.

2. Start with a drink. Or at least offer one. Be it iced tea, Perrier, or a glass of wine, this is a great way to help guests feel at ease.

3. Add a seasonal decoration on the table. Keep it simple: spring flowers, seasonal fruit or vegetables, painted eggs, etc. Don’t over do it.

4. Warm plates. Keep oven at 150°F with your dinner plates inside until ready to serve. Hot plates will keep the food warm longer during the meal.

5. Change the butter dish. Please, guests don’t want to see your toast crumbs and streaks of jam. Keep the dish fresh and clean –and the butter soft.

6. Add ice. If drinks are meant to be chilled, see to it that they are.

7. Light candles. If appropriate. A sit-down evening meal, for example.

8. Assign seating. Verbally is fine, just before the meal begins. Or have the kids color place tags, but just don’t leave your guests to awkwardly place themselves. Telling them where to sit helps them to feel like they were planned for and appreciated.

9. Warm bread or buns. Ten minutes in a warm oven does wonders for the dinner rolls and makes them taste fresh. A nice crust doesn’t hurt either.

10. Keep room temperature comfortable. Dinner can be miserable if the floors are cold or the place is sweltering hot from the kitchen’s heat. Be aware of the room’s temperature (not just your own) and ask guests if they are comfortable.

Menu 1: Easter Brunch

Fruit takes center stage in this comforting breakfast menu, while bold flavors like mint, maple and cinnamon awaken the taste buds. The kids will grab a scone and their smoothie and disappear out into the garden, but grown-ups will linger over the last piece of homemade Easter bread and cups of coffee.

• Citrus Salad with Honey and Mint
• Easter Egg Braid Bread
• Maple Roasted Pear Parfaits
• Cream Scones with Cinnamon Walnut Butter
• Coconut Milk-Raspberry Smoothies

Menu 2: Easter Lunch

Can’t decide between brunch and lunch? This menu straddles the two, keeping things light with a fresh salad, roasted fillet of salmon, and a savory tart. My mother’s recipe for rhubarb cake rounds out the seasonal aspect of the menu.
This menu would also work well for a buffet. The salmon can be served cold and is lovey with a tartar sauce.

• Spring Crudité with Buttermilk-Black Pepper Dip
• Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart (recipe below, pictured above)
• Leek-Stuffed Roasted Salmon
• Spinach Salad with Strawberries & Pecans, Maple-Cocoa Nib Vinaigrette
• Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

Menu 3: Easter Dinner

Here a classic roast chicken is paired with a less-traditional side – baked leeks. An asparagus tart adds another seasonal green, while mashed potatoes and strawberry-rhubarb pie round out the comfort food factor.

• Asparagus Tart
• Lemon & Oregano Roast Chicken
• Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
• Baked Leeks with Yogourt Topping
• Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

This should get you prepared to be a wonderful host for an Easter meal. Thank you to simple.net for their useful instructions. If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting!
Joseph A Jones & The Welllife Team

Valentines Day Gifts For Her

Have you ever done this before? The nervous anticipation of giving the Valentines Day gifts for that special person. Will she like it? Am I getting the right group of gifts? Gentlemen, we know this is a date that we cannot afford to pick the wrong gifts. Knowing the importance of this holiday, we offer some practical suggestions so that you cannot go wrong.

Flowers

Flowers are a natural choice for your lady love on Valentine’s Day, and a pretty safe bet when all else fails. Unlike other gifts, flowers are appropriate, whether you’ve been dating her for one day or one year. And there are no calories involved. Stick to the classics like roses, or, if she’s not a traditionalist, go for something exotic like lilies or orchids. FTD has all your needs covered, and it can deliver to her home or office.

At-Home Spa Goodies

Put together a spa experience by getting her everything she needs to recreate a spa at home. Engage her sense of romance with scented Diptyque candles. Swing by Bath & Body Works and throw in a loofah, body lotion and bubble bath. Arrange it in a basket and, voila! You have a home spa kit. For a luxurious addition, try SugarBath Lychee Cubes. The cubes foam into a froth of soapy bubbles while releasing a citrus-y sweet scent.

Sexy Body Products

Set the mood for love with sexy products that pamper her body and arouse her. Kama Sutra is known for the sheer variety of kits and products that serve as the ultimate in foreplay. Gift sets like the Weekender Kit and Strawberries & Champagne Treasure Trove will get her treasure trove hot and bothered. Or try Lust Dust Body Powder. This delicious lickable powder will make it that much more easy to lick her hot bod.

A Massage

The perfect end to a romantic evening? A sexy rubdown. The Rub Me Massage Bar melts easily into the skin, creating a smooth, creamy base for massage. If you find oils to be too messy, this is perfect. If your massage skills aren’t up to par, give her a real spa massage. The atmosphere will allow her to truly relax, while a professional’s touch will help ease her tension-filled muscles. Look on Yelp or Spafinder for top spas in your area.

These are Valentines Day gifts that are full proof in making it a special day for you both. We would like to thank Askmen.com for these useful suggestions. If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting!
Joseph A Jones & The WellLife Team

 

How To Become More Organized

This is a fitting picture for us.We lead such busy lifes and do not always have time to even organize ourselfs. This lack of organizing then has us forget important tasks and run further behind. To assist us in our organization, we found some useful tips that you can use to take back your life and more importantly schedule.

I must emphasize: these are not my tips, but yours, and when you see the word “I” it refers to the reader writing the tip, not me. Names have been removed to protect the innocent.

1. 3 Most Important Tasks. Writing down and making mental note of my top 3 tasks to get done for the day. Everything else seems to fall into place if I do that.
2. An easy and workable task list, or to do list. While I love all of these handy web 2.0 apps, computer software, very neat gadgets like palms and really cool cell phones, they just don’t work for me. I’m a lazy woman, with an even lazier attitude. I might put a task in Remember the Milk, another task in my palm, one in my Gcal and send another text to my phone. With all of these different ways of doing things, I end up spending much more time trying to organize my to do list, or consolidate it, that I don’t get much actually done.
3. Keep ubiquitous capture device. It might not be the same device for every location (I have a moleskine for work, but use my mobile for inspiration on the fly) but just being able to write stuff down when you think about it is key for me.
4. Choose one tool and stick with it.
5. Do one thing at a time.
6. Do it now.
7. Make use of the word no.
8. Use the recycling bin/trash basket. Organizing unnecessary items is wasted energy. It is amazing how much more in control I feel just by ridding myself of now outdated articles I’d like to read “someday,” or countless meeting notes from which relevant action items have already been extracted.
9. A (good) place for everything, and everything in its place. By finding places that are easy to get to for all the things I use most often, and places that are pretty easy to get to for the things I use less often, I spend less time dreading doing things and more time actually doing things. And the place for things you never use is elsewhere (trash can, place that accepts donations, etc.).
10. Simplify, simplify, simplify!
11. Put it away now. The single, simplest thing I do to stay personally organized is to put whatever tool, item, clothing, bag, hairbrush etc., away immediately after using it. I always know where everything and anything is so I never waste time looking for something. Very efficient. I could tell a stranger where to find anything in my home.
12. Keep a to-do list that syncs with your mobile phone (so you can add stuff as and when you remember it). And make sure every item has a due date.
13. Change. It obsoletes unimportant things. It brings down any method or idea that isn’t timeless. It brings up newer and more important things that you and others can’t resist anymore. Best of all: it’s an organizing tool that operates itself. You simply have to embrace it.
14. Divide material into red, yellow, blue and green plastic file folders. For example, anything that has to be done today (paperwork to be given to a client, bills to be mailed) go in the red folder. Contact material or anything related to customer field support goes in the yellow folder. Your mileage may vary as to how you organize your briefcase, and like me you may also have project-specific manilla file folders as well, but dividing stuff up into just four color coded folders is a huge help.
15. Flylady.net. She helped me realize that I needed to apply GTD principles to my home life and not just work. I had work under control using checklists, projects and next actions. I tried the same system at home and failed. Then about a month ago I discovered flylady.net courtesy I believe one of your blog posts. Wow, what a difference. My house is clean and so is my desk at work. Many if not most of her basic ideas are just like GTD in a slightly different perspective (control journal, baby steps) and also concrete methods for accomplishing next actions (2 minute hot spots, 15 minute timers). Her most useful tip was to put my daily/weekly lists into shiny page protectors in my control journal. I use a dry erase marker and voila no more killing trees or not doing my list because I can’t print it (or want to avoid the hassle). The best thing about this, I am more relaxed, my blood pressure is finally dropping and I feel less stressed.
16. Unapologetically take control of your time and priorities.
17. Sort at the source. My favorite organizational tool is my post office box. I visit it once a week (usually Saturday), stand at the counter in the lobby and sort my mail. I use the P.O.’s trash bin. What comes into my house is only what I need to have. Bills and letters and checks go into my inbox (which by the way is a box with a lid that is wrapped in lovely fabric and has a yellow bow on it so it looks like a present sitting on my desk). Reading material goes on the table by my chaise lounge which is where I do all my reading.
18. A sheet of paper, a calendar and a white board. I’ve found that the easiest way to organize myself, my days and so forth is a good paper calendar, a sheet of paper that I divide into four sections and a medium sized white board. For my paper the top left section is my actual running to do list for today. The top right section is my running grocery list, or list of things I must purchase. The bottom left is for notes such as calls I made, who I spoke to, appointment dates. The bottom right is whatever I need to move to another day. If I’m told to call back on Monday, then I note that on the calendar. As for the white board, the kids can make notes (Can I spend the night at Brian’s on Friday? Grandma called), and I can jot down things as I think of them to be added to tomorrow’s to do list. My calendar, and the white board are in the same location, so I can transfer short notes if need be. I carry my paper task list with me everywhere, so I can make notes at any given moment.
19. Color coding. I’m a visual person, and I find that color-coding my various lists and calendars minimizes the time I have to spend looking at them. This worked especially well when I was in school: I dumped every class syllabus into Outlook, and then color-coded every class period (blue for paper due, yellow for quiz, red for test, etc). It took awhile to set up, sure, but then for the rest of the semester I only had to glance at Outlook to get a very clear idea of what kind of week I was going to have.
20. One binder. I use a binder cleverly labeled “@ 2007″ with the following divisions:
    • @ Today – With my Emergent Task Planner from davidseah.com;
    • @ Week – The remaining days of the week ETP’s as a skeleton;
    • @ Year – All my historical sheets;
    • @ Diet – Which tracks what I have eaten for the day;
    • @ Fitness – Which tracks my workout routine for the day. My binder is with me all the time and it has helped me become a better employee, family member and relationship guy.
21. Write down, execute and tidy up on the way. These are is my organization bible. I’ve been living that way since more than two years and I can say that I’m an organized person.
22. A little whiteboard on my bedroom wall. I have it separated into two sections, a “todo” and a “today”. “Todo” is a list of general things I have to do, like get my car inspected, buy someone a present, etc. Then “today” is what I need to do, obviously, today! Things can be moved back and forth as appropriate. I find having a specific list for today helps push me to get the important things done in a timely manner. I also keep two things permanently on the “today” part, which are meditation and exercise. This seems to help.
23. Note cards. One can write tasks on them — one per card, or in a list (depending on the type of task in question; I do both). When doing one per card, the stack serves as an easy prioritization scheme. But wait, there’s more: They can be arranged on cork boards, shared, annotated, torn up and rearranged. They can be used as placeholders, as mini-white boards and as tokens to model ideas. They are easy to carry around, and to attach to other documents. Further, different colors allow for a visual representation of different kinds of todo’s (as can different annotations). Finally, they are cheap and most importantly of all: easy (much easier than software) to reconfigure as needs and projects change.
24. Never rely on a single point of failure. I’ve seen people pay $1,000 to hear speakers at a conference and only have one pen to take notes. It’s a great feeling when one thing breaks, gets lost, or runs out of power, and you have another one in reserve!
25. Have.. less.. stuff.
26. Delegate. Learn to trust people with critical tasks in all areas of your life. When you learn to effectively delegate tasks you actually find that it is easier to keep the stuff you cannot delegate better organized.
27. You control your life. Whatever electronics or paper you use, make them work for YOU not the other way around. Does Outlook really have to stay checking your email every 5 minutes? Maybe, but I bet you’ll get a whole lot more done if you check it a few times per day. That goes for the Blackberry too! After all, there are so many tools, and one to fit everyone – so use what works, but make it work for you!

These are useful tips to get organized and take control again. We would like to thank zenhabits.net for these practical suggestions.  If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting!
Joseph A Jones & The Welllife Team

Christmas Gift Ideas For Women

Don't you love the expression they make when you get them a gift they like? Yes, Christmas is only a few weeks away. So, it is important that you find them the right gifts. Sometimes, that is easier said than done. Women will not be that direct or hint which can make shopping for them quite confusing and frustrating. So, we did some research and found some gift ideas that she will enjoy.

Williams-Sonoma hot chocolate

Nothing’s cozier than coming in from the cold and sipping some rich hot chocolate. These two flavors will satisfy her taste buds all winter long, and she’ll be more than happy to share the deliciousness with you. Price: $19.50 Buy it here

Kate Spade desktop calendar

Help a girl manage her hectic life with this multipurpose planner. This 12-month calendar lets her map out her personal and professional life, keep track of important contacts and even leaves room for doodling.
Price: $20 Buy it here

Godiva holiday truffle gift box

It’s stereotypical, but so true: Women love chocolate. This Godiva gift set will allow your lady to pick and choose -- dark chocolate, milk chocolate, eggnog, or spicy gingerbread? The choice is hers. Melt her heart with the gift of holiday truffles that melt in her mouth.
Price: $15 Buy it here

Alphabet letter bag

Simple, functional and personalized, this tote will be any girl’s best friend. She might use it as a purse, a gym bag or a briefcase, but she’ll definitely use it. This no-frills tote will be much appreciated and will quickly become an indispensable part of her day-to-day life.
Price: $20
Buy it here

Petits RICHART Intense Chocolates

Each piece of chocolate in this 49-count box has its own individual flavor. To ensure that all the subtleties of that flavor are unmasked, the French chocolatier removes all unnecessary sugar and fat, resulting in a light but defined bite.

Read more: http://www.askmen.com/entertainment/guy_gear_60/91b_25-christmas-gifts-for-her.html#ixzz2Em8Kvc6x

Lauren Ralph Lauren Cut & Sew Leather Back Tech Gloves

A modern take on a timeless gift, Lauren’s gloves combine the winter protection of cashmere, wool and leather with touch-sensitive thumb and index fingertips. The gloves stay on when texting and navigating the touchscreen, keeping fingers warm and limber

Read more: http://www.askmen.com/entertainment/guy_gear_60/91b_25-christmas-gifts-for-her.html#ixzz2Em8ZsG00

Missoni Zigzag Scarf

The Missoni Zigzag Scarf splashes any blouse or jacket with a little Italian flair. The long, robust size of the scarf allows for creativity in styling.

Read more: http://www.askmen.com/entertainment/guy_gear_60/91b_25-christmas-gifts-for-her.html#ixzz2Em8ocIG0

Rocky Mountain Soap Enchanted With Lemongrass Box

 From the pristine backdrop of the Canadian Rockies, Rocky Mountain Soap procures the most natural, soothing ingredients for its handmade soaps and body care products. This gift box showers her from head to toe with the bright aroma of freshly clipped lemongrass.

Read more: http://www.askmen.com/owning-the-holidays-2010/wishlist/91c_25-christmas-gifts-for-her.html#ixzz2Em9GfRhm

Scarlet & Argent Chamber Blanket

Give her a blanket that’s fit for royalty. Scarlet & Agent has been offering luxurious blankets for more than two centuries and even boasts about supplying Queen Elizabeth II. The Chamber Blanket combines satin edging with a 100% lambswool body for a plush, warm feel.

Read more: http://www.askmen.com/owning-the-holidays-2010/wishlist/91c_25-christmas-gifts-for-her.html#ixzz2Em9T6Fnt

L.L. Bean Daybreak Scuffs with Dog Motif

These versatile slippers will reach her heart straight through her feet. A Sherpa fleece sock lining is warm and soft against the skin, while an anti-slip rubber outsole lets the slippers walk right out of the house. When placed together, they create a prancing puppy.

Read more: http://www.askmen.com/owning-the-holidays-2010/wishlist/91d_25-christmas-gifts-for-her.html#ixzz2EmA4xIC1


These are great gift ideas brought to you by askmen.com. Remember, you can use those active links to learn more about the product.  If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting!
Joseph A Jones & The Welllife Team

Five Ways To Stay Healthy During Thanksgiving

That looks like fun. Fall and Thanksgiving time is a great time of year. We have sporting events to watch , hanging out with family and eating lots of great food. However, you want to enjoy the holiday and not curse it later on because of not keeping your health in mind. So, we found five ways that can keep you happy and healthy during the holiday not dreading the aftermath.

1. Drink Lots of Water
There will be tons of drinks around for you to savor on—eggnog, apple cider, sparkling cider, hot chocolate. Although these drinks are not highly caloric, multiple drinks mean multiple servings of sodium which, in combination with traditional Thanksgiving food, isn’t that healthy. Try replacing some of these drinks with good old fashioned H2O. Drinking water speeds up your digestive system and metabolism by flushing out toxins and waste products from your body. You’ll be able to stay hydrated without adding any extra calories.

2. Balance your Indulgences
It’s hard to pass up all the wonderful items on the dinner table, but you’ll have to make some rules to keep yourself from overindulging yourself. So to keep yourself from packing on too many unhealthy pounds, make sure you go for the healthy foods first. Grab vegetables and white meats for your plate before heading for the unhealthy stuff. That way by the time you reach that buttery pie, you’ll be cutting a smaller slice after filling yourself up on healthy greens.

3. Rise and Shine—Start Cooking Early
If you’re going to be in the kitchen this holiday, or if cooking Thanksgiving dinner is usually a family affair, then beware of the temptations. Tasting the stuffing or licking up the batter for pie may seem harmless, but all those extra samplings while you “save your stomach” for dinner are still opportunities to pack on calories. The best thing to do is get an early start on cooking. Start preparing the meal right after you finish breakfast. Cooking on a full stomach will keep you from sampling foods.

4. Press “Pause” on the Seconds
It’s hard to resist having second helpings of Thankgsiving food—it comes once a year right? But it’s important to remember that as good as it may be to have another go around of all the food on the table, those second servings aren’t as benefeical for your health. Timing is important in this situation. Eat slowly to make sure you allow your mind and body enough time to process and digest the food. Then, wait at least 15-20 minutes before you dive in for second helpings. Your stomach needs time to let your brain know that it’s full. If there are leftovers, bust out the Tupperware and save it—don’t feel forced to follow grandma’s old rule about finishing everything on your plate.

5. Walk it Out
It’s so easy to just plop on the couch after a big Thanksgiving meal and turn on the television set. Instead of leaving food to sit in your stomach, go for a walk around your neighborhood or do something active. This doesn’t mean break away from family time and bust out the Denise Richardson workout tapes—a brief walk outside or an active game on the Nintendo Wii is a fun way to start working off calories and get the family involved.

This simple list will assist you in balance so you can fully enjoy your holiday. A big thank you to cluthmagazine.com for these great suggestions. If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting!
Joseph A Jones & The Welllife Team

Men's Guide : How To Dress Up For Halloween

 

 

 

Halloween is only a few weeks away. We want to look good and pick the right costume for our various parties. However, we do not want to be that guy with the cheesy costume or costume that nobody understands. Keeping that problem in mind, we found a useful article from Ask Men. com that can help you make the right decision. This is what they found.

 

1- Never dress in drag

 

Look, no one wants to see what you would look like as a girl; no matter what, it's going to be scary. You're going to look terrifying with your hairy legs sticking out of some ridiculous dress your sister wore to the prom last year.

It's also lazy costuming. Your friends will know you couldn't think of anything more creative, so you just grabbed the first and most ridiculous thing you could think of: a dress. Please. It's been done a hundred times and not once has anyone ever enjoyed it.

Lastly, if, for some horrible reason, you do look good in a dress, well, that's great, but showing it off on Halloween isn't the right time or place.

2- Dress up as a group

 

There's nothing like rolling up to a party five dudes deep looking like you're all part of some crazy Halloween gang. You don't even have to all go as something specific, like a band or group of movie characters, but if you and your friends can agree on a common theme, you could all form like Voltron to make a giant robot of a costume.

That's not to say you and all your friends should dress in the same exact costume, which is totally boring. But in a group, you're going to have a common foundation from which you can concentrate, giving your costume some unique and interesting details. Plus, hit up people in your group for stuff for your costume. Who needs the Halloween store when you have friends?

3- Don’t be afraid to dress subdued

 

No one says you have to go balls-to-the-wall elaborate for Halloween. Sometimes a cool mask or some creative face paint combined with some formal wear more than gets the job done. It can be a good way to stand out when everyone else looks over-the-top crazy. Best of all, costumes like these are totally flexible and can have countless variations.

In fact, a nice suit alone could work perfectly if you're the type of person who'd never be caught dead in one. Defy expectations by doing something unexpected -- that's what Halloween is all about.

4- Don’t get too conceptual

 

Sure, everyone will be talking about each others' costumes on Halloween, but that doesn't mean you want to be stuck all night explaining what you're supposed to be. An abstract costume, or one that's merely undercooked, can lead to a truly frustrating evening. So, unless you know for a fact that you can pull it off, you might not want to go as the SATs or your favorite flavor of Doritos.

5- Be timely

 

It's something hard to judge, but if you're going to go as a real person you have to keep it current. There's no strict set of rules for this, and no time constraints, but chances are if no one in your office or none of your friends are talking about it, then it's not going to make a good costume. So, Steven Slater is totally out, though feel free to go as anyone whose reality show is currently airing new episodes on either MTV or the Discovery Channel, but definitely not Bravo or TLC.

If you have an idea, but aren't quite sure how to pull it off, flip through some tabloids or run a Google image search. But again, make sure you're looking at current pictures. You don't want everyone to know how ill-informed you really are.

6- Plan ahead

 

The absolute worst place to find yourself in, short of having no costume at all, is running around last minute trying to figure out what you want to be. By then, not only have all the good ideas been taken, but even if you do come up with something, you're going to have a hard time getting everything together.

Halloween stores sell out of stuff quickly, so make sure you're stocked up at least four or five days in advance. You really don't want to be standing in the clearance aisle of the drugstore looking through a bin of ill-fitting costumes in open plastic bags.

Also, do yourself a favor and have a dress rehearsal. Make sure your costume fits, and that all the different pieces work where they're supposed to work. For you and your costume, the two scariest words of Halloween are "wardrobe malfunction."

7- Be tasteful

 

There's a big difference between dressing as something scary on Halloween and being shocking. Not everyone is going to appreciate a Brett Favre with fake penis costume. Actually, no one will appreciate that costume. You want people to like your costume, not be terrified of you in it.

This rule applies to making fun of dead celebrities, controversial public figures and cultural stereotypes. Halloween is meant to be fun for everyone, and an easy way to ruin a party is to dress cruelly. You never know who you'll offend, so try to be thoughtful.

8- Don’t overspend

 

Remember, you're probably wearing this costume for about six hours on Halloween, so don't go overboard on buying stuff to wear. You might think you'll impress your friends with a costume you ordered from Japan that arrived in three separate boxes, but what are you going to do with all those extra cyborg attachments come November 1st?
In fact, your friends won't even be impressed; they'll think you're a loser for dropping a ton of dough on something no one will remember in a week. And if you are remembered at all, it won’t be for having a great costume, but for all the money you put into it.

As a rule (and this is true for almost all aspects of life), something you took the time and effort to make yourself will always go over better than something you merely spent a ton of money on.

 

Read more: http://www.askmen.com/money/how_to/22_how_to.html#ixzz291kmPaYo

 

 This is great advice to follow so you can have a more enjoyable Halloween. If you would like to contact us with any questions or feedback, you can reach us by email.

Thank you for visiting!
Joseph A Jones & The Welllife Team