Showing posts with label Stuffs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stuffs. Show all posts
Sunday, April 17, 2016
6 Creative Ways to Add More Eggs to Your Diet
Hearing a fellow fitness professional prescribe breakfasts of egg white omelets to a client is like hearing nails on a chalkboard to me. Half of the protein inside an egg is inside the yolk, and egg yolks contain many beneficial nutrients as well, including B vitamins such as choline. One whole egg contains about 6 grams of protein and approximately 70 calories, which make eggs a healthy and low-calorie, high protein food choice.
Eggs have some serious bragging rights when it comes to nutrition, and I might even dare call them a superfood.
The best thing about eggs is that they are incredibly versatile. You can eat them at any time of the day, not just for breakfast.
Here are six creative ways to add more eggs into your diet:
1. Add a hard boiled egg to any green salad with veggies to make a complete meal.2. Add soft boiled eggs to a bowl of quinoa for a protein-packed new twist on lunch or brunch.
3. Go Mediterranean and design a plate with hummus, olives, pita, and eggs cooked "over easy."
4. Make a healthy high protein party appetizer for your dinner guests to enjoy instead of filling up on chips and other carbs with empty calories. Try this spicy deviled egg recipe for a home run!
5. Crack an egg into a chicken noodle soup, and stir it around until it cooks evenly. For vegetarians and pescatarians, I make a yummy non-chicken soup with peas, noodles, veggie stock, and eggs.
6. Add a poached egg to a pasta dish to increase its protein value. Italian restaurants will often add egg on top of a creamy Carbonara pasta dish, but I like to make healthier versions subtracting the cream and adding veggies and an egg on top.
5 MOST OVERRATED EXERCISES
Some exercises become so common that few people take the time to question their validity. Perhaps they began as specialty exercises intended for use in specific contexts -- by patients in rehab, for example, or by advanced bodybuilders who need the most challenging variations of certain movements. Some trainers noticed the exercises worked for those specific trainees in those specific situations and started pushing the workouts toward the middle, to be used by everyone. Over time, the exercises become a bit too popular, and they end up vastly overrated.
But keep in mind that "overrated" does not mean "bad." It simply means there are better choices than those that are currently popular.
The Ab Plank and Side Plank
The plank makes sense in yoga, where you hold the plank pose for a few seconds then transition into another pose. It makes sense in rehab, too, where the goal is to build awareness of optimal body alignment in a static position.
And when trainers began to use it for entry-level clients, it seemed like a great idea. After all, people who exercise should be able to hold a plank -- with their body weight resting on their forearms and toes, in the classic pushup position -- for at least 30 seconds.
The reason this exercise is overrated, though, is because trainers too often recommend the beginner version without ever showing progressions to more advanced and useful exercises. Once you have an awareness of what it feels like to have a properly aligned torso, and once you have a base of core stability, you need to move on to exercises that challenge your stability dynamically. That's where it counts. Maintaining alignment when you're moving is the difference between getting hurt and staying in the game.
Two examples of how to progress planks and side planks from static to dynamic exercises are the pushup and the walking lunge.
If you can hold a pushup position for 30 seconds, you may as well progress from that to sets of 15 pushups, using a 1010 tempo. It's still 30 seconds in the plank position, but now you've added a dynamic challenge.
Once you can manage this, do 15 pushups with one foot off the floor, at the same tempo. Then switch feet, and do 15 more.
When these variations are easy to accomplish, do 15 pushups, at the same tempo, lifting one hand off the floor after each rep. Then switch hands, and do 15 more.
And once these are no longer challenging, start T-roll pushups, such as those featured in the Resources section. T-roll pushups cover your front plank, side plank and rotary control -- all in one exercise. Plus they build dynamic control, which always has more athletic carryover than static variations.
The side plank is more challenging than the front plank, and fewer people can hold it for 30 seconds on each side right off the bat. But once you get to the point where that's easy, the same principle applies: You need to learn to use that lateral stability during dynamic movement.
One excellent exercise is the walking lunge with an unbalanced load. If you can do walking lunges with 35-lb. dumbbells in each hand, try them with a 70-lb. dumbbell in one hand.
It takes tremendous lateral stability to keep yourself upright when all the challenge is coming from one direction. And as a bonus, you'll work your entire lower body as well as your core -- and the gripping muscles in your hands and forearms aren't just along for the ride.
The plank makes sense in yoga, where you hold the plank pose for a few seconds then transition into another pose. It makes sense in rehab, too, where the goal is to build awareness of optimal body alignment in a static position.
And when trainers began to use it for entry-level clients, it seemed like a great idea. After all, people who exercise should be able to hold a plank -- with their body weight resting on their forearms and toes, in the classic pushup position -- for at least 30 seconds.
The reason this exercise is overrated, though, is because trainers too often recommend the beginner version without ever showing progressions to more advanced and useful exercises. Once you have an awareness of what it feels like to have a properly aligned torso, and once you have a base of core stability, you need to move on to exercises that challenge your stability dynamically. That's where it counts. Maintaining alignment when you're moving is the difference between getting hurt and staying in the game.
Two examples of how to progress planks and side planks from static to dynamic exercises are the pushup and the walking lunge.
If you can hold a pushup position for 30 seconds, you may as well progress from that to sets of 15 pushups, using a 1010 tempo. It's still 30 seconds in the plank position, but now you've added a dynamic challenge.
Once you can manage this, do 15 pushups with one foot off the floor, at the same tempo. Then switch feet, and do 15 more.
When these variations are easy to accomplish, do 15 pushups, at the same tempo, lifting one hand off the floor after each rep. Then switch hands, and do 15 more.
And once these are no longer challenging, start T-roll pushups, such as those featured in the Resources section. T-roll pushups cover your front plank, side plank and rotary control -- all in one exercise. Plus they build dynamic control, which always has more athletic carryover than static variations.
The side plank is more challenging than the front plank, and fewer people can hold it for 30 seconds on each side right off the bat. But once you get to the point where that's easy, the same principle applies: You need to learn to use that lateral stability during dynamic movement.
One excellent exercise is the walking lunge with an unbalanced load. If you can do walking lunges with 35-lb. dumbbells in each hand, try them with a 70-lb. dumbbell in one hand.
It takes tremendous lateral stability to keep yourself upright when all the challenge is coming from one direction. And as a bonus, you'll work your entire lower body as well as your core -- and the gripping muscles in your hands and forearms aren't just along for the ride.
Hanging Knee Raise
In some cases, intermediate and advanced lifters get stuck doing beginner exercises, but the hanging knee raise is an example of the opposite situation: an advanced exercise that's become popular with intermediates.The hanging knee raise is a great choice if your abs are strong enough to tilt your pelvis upward from that position. In other words, you don't want to just raise your legs in the air. While that's a good way to work your hip flexors, it's not working your abs through a full range of motion. For that, you need to be able to lift your legs and tilt your pelvis upward.
It's extremely hard to do, which is why very few people you see hanging from elbow straps and lifting their legs in the air are able to complete the exercise. You could say the same thing for the knee raise from the captain's chair, which may be an even worse choice because it encourages you to stop the movement before completing it with the pelvic tilt.
First, try to perform the hardest version of the reverse crunch exercise. If you can't do this, you've got no business doing hanging leg raises, because you certainly aren't doing them well.
Lie on your back, holding a broomstick, or something else that's straight, solid and light, directly up over your chin. Your feet are off the floor with your knees bent at about a 90-degree angle. Roll your hips up and pull your knees to your chest without lifting your head off the floor or moving the bar from the starting position.
If you're strong enough to do that, you're probably strong enough to try hanging knee raises. If you aren't, do reverse crunches on the floor -- or on a decline bench with your head higher than your hips -- and focus on building the strength to do that pelvic tilt.
In some cases, intermediate and advanced lifters get stuck doing beginner exercises, but the hanging knee raise is an example of the opposite situation: an advanced exercise that's become popular with intermediates.
The hanging knee raise is a great choice if your abs are strong enough to tilt your pelvis upward from that position. In other words, you don't want to just raise your legs in the air. While that's a good way to work your hip flexors, it's not working your abs through a full range of motion. For that, you need to be able to lift your legs and tilt your pelvis upward.
It's extremely hard to do, which is why very few people you see hanging from elbow straps and lifting their legs in the air are able to complete the exercise. You could say the same thing for the knee raise from the captain's chair, which may be an even worse choice because it encourages you to stop the movement before completing it with the pelvic tilt.
First, try to perform the hardest version of the reverse crunch exercise. If you can't do this, you've got no business doing hanging leg raises, because you certainly aren't doing them well.
Lie on your back, holding a broomstick, or something else that's straight, solid and light, directly up over your chin. Your feet are off the floor with your knees bent at about a 90-degree angle. Roll your hips up and pull your knees to your chest without lifting your head off the floor or moving the bar from the starting position.
If you're strong enough to do that, you're probably strong enough to try hanging knee raises. If you aren't, do reverse crunches on the floor -- or on a decline bench with your head higher than your hips -- and focus on building the strength to do that pelvic tilt.
Close-Grip Seated Cable Row
It's clear why lifters like to do close-grip rows using the triangle attachment: They can use more weight and the contraction feels more intense throughout their shoulder girdle. That's because the shoulders are more internally rotated, which involves chest and shoulder muscles along with the lats. When you do the exercise, it will feel like you're using more muscle -- because you are. You're also putting your elbow flexors into a stronger position, thanks to the neutral grip.But because you leave off the final 2 to 3 inches of your full range of motion on a rowing exercise, you're not getting a complete contraction of your lats and traps.
If you'd like a better alternative, try a slightly wider, neutral-grip row if your gym has that attachment. If not, simply use those PVC-style handles that are attached to straps. What you may sacrifice in load with either of these grip options, you'll make up for with the greater range of motion -- and perhaps greater involvement of your middle traps and rhomboids in conjunction with your lats.
It's clear why lifters like to do close-grip rows using the triangle attachment: They can use more weight and the contraction feels more intense throughout their shoulder girdle. That's because the shoulders are more internally rotated, which involves chest and shoulder muscles along with the lats. When you do the exercise, it will feel like you're using more muscle -- because you are. You're also putting your elbow flexors into a stronger position, thanks to the neutral grip.
But because you leave off the final 2 to 3 inches of your full range of motion on a rowing exercise, you're not getting a complete contraction of your lats and traps.
If you'd like a better alternative, try a slightly wider, neutral-grip row if your gym has that attachment. If not, simply use those PVC-style handles that are attached to straps. What you may sacrifice in load with either of these grip options, you'll make up for with the greater range of motion -- and perhaps greater involvement of your middle traps and rhomboids in conjunction with your lats.
The Leg Press
Some bodybuilding coaches offer passionate defenses of the leg press, arguing that it's a good choice for some lifters in some situations. And this is indeed true. But the reverse is also true: It's a poor choice for most lifters in most situations. That's because when you do the leg press, you become a part of a machine that resembles a huge accordion -- with you in the middle. That is absolutely the wrong position to be in when handling a heavy weight. The higher you place your feet on the platform, the more hip flexion you create. And the greater the hip flexion, the faster you lose the natural lordotic curve of your lower back. Just as you wouldn't do a deadlift with a rounded back, neither would you want to push a heavy weight on the leg press from that position.If you feel that back squats don't hit your quads hard enough, try front squats. When those grow boring, try split squats. These options are much safer on your back and have more functional carryover to real-life and sporting actions.
Some bodybuilding coaches offer passionate defenses of the leg press, arguing that it's a good choice for some lifters in some situations. And this is indeed true. But the reverse is also true: It's a poor choice for most lifters in most situations. That's because when you do the leg press, you become a part of a machine that resembles a huge accordion -- with you in the middle. That is absolutely the wrong position to be in when handling a heavy weight. The higher you place your feet on the platform, the more hip flexion you create. And the greater the hip flexion, the faster you lose the natural lordotic curve of your lower back. Just as you wouldn't do a deadlift with a rounded back, neither would you want to push a heavy weight on the leg press from that position.
If you feel that back squats don't hit your quads hard enough, try front squats. When those grow boring, try split squats. These options are much safer on your back and have more functional carryover to real-life and sporting actions.
Tire Flips
There's no doubt about it: Tire flips are one of the coolest-looking exercises you can possibly do. It's also one of the most dangerous moves and a perfect example of a contest-specific exercise created for advanced-strength athletes that just got too popular.Florida-based personal trainer Rob Simonelli agrees. "Tire flips are best used for folks who'll have to flip tires in some sort of strength competition," he said.
Furthermore, hardly anyone has the hip mobility to do it right. Just about everyone, including Strongman competitors, goes into lumbar kyphosis -- a rounded lower back -- when they bend down to grip the tire.
World-famous, Boston-based strength coach Mike Boyle said, "Most people don't have bad backs. They've got bad hip mobility, which causes their bad back."
When it's used as a training exercise, the goal is to work the posterior-chain muscles, like the lower back and the hamstrings. That's something you can accomplish very well with deadlifts.
The only real benefit to doing tire flips is the fact they're often done outside, where other people can see you doing these stunningly badass exercises. But "because it's badass" isn't necessarily a good reason to do it.
Always try to keep in mind that the reason you're exercising in the first place is to improve -- your health, your strength, your body or your attitude. So focus on exercises that help you advance toward this objective, and skip those that don't.
There's no doubt about it: Tire flips are one of the coolest-looking exercises you can possibly do. It's also one of the most dangerous moves and a perfect example of a contest-specific exercise created for advanced-strength athletes that just got too popular.
Florida-based personal trainer Rob Simonelli agrees. "Tire flips are best used for folks who'll have to flip tires in some sort of strength competition," he said.
Furthermore, hardly anyone has the hip mobility to do it right. Just about everyone, including Strongman competitors, goes into lumbar kyphosis -- a rounded lower back -- when they bend down to grip the tire.
World-famous, Boston-based strength coach Mike Boyle said, "Most people don't have bad backs. They've got bad hip mobility, which causes their bad back."
When it's used as a training exercise, the goal is to work the posterior-chain muscles, like the lower back and the hamstrings. That's something you can accomplish very well with deadlifts.
The only real benefit to doing tire flips is the fact they're often done outside, where other people can see you doing these stunningly badass exercises. But "because it's badass" isn't necessarily a good reason to do it.
Always try to keep in mind that the reason you're exercising in the first place is to improve -- your health, your strength, your body or your attitude. So focus on exercises that help you advance toward this objective, and skip those that don't.
10 Health benefits of COFFEE!
If you rely on coffee to get through the day, or just to get it started, you might be lacking sleep or something in your diet. Nobody, after all, is ever going to mistake coffee for health food.
But like wine, chocolate and popcorn, coffee has joined the ranks of unlikely foods with health benefits. An increasing body of research has found that drinking coffee—even four or more cups per day in some instances—provides health benefits. And a 13-year study of 402,260 AARP members conducted by the National Cancer Institute, which was published May 17 in the "New England Journal of Medicine," concluded that devoted coffee drinkers were associated with a reduced risk of early death by up to 16 percent.
“This is perhaps the most compelling because the study was so large,” says Robert Davis, at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and author of “Coffee is Good for You: From Vitamin C and Organic Foods to Low-Carb and Detox Diets, The Truth About Diet and Nutrition Claims.” He noted that the study was observational, so it doesn’t prove cause and it effect.
Though drinking coffee excessively can increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol and foster a dependence on caffeine, here are ten areas where coffee consumption just might be beneficial – if you limit the cream and sugar.
1. Gallstone Prevention
Harvard researchers in 2002 found that women who drank at least four cups of coffee a day were at a 25 percent lower risk of gallstones. An earlier study found similar results for men.2. Depression Prevention
Women who drank two to three cups of daily coffee were 15 percent less likely to develop depression, and those drinking four cups were 20 percent less likely, according to a 2011 report in the "Archives of Internal Medicine."3. Memory Improvement
Coffee can help with both long- and short-term memory. In a 2005 study presented at the Radiological Society of North America, researchers found that consuming two cups of caffeinated coffee improved short-term memory and reaction times.Interestingly, a 2007 study found that women -- but not men -- who were 65 or older who drank more than three cups of coffee each day performed better on memory tests and were less likely to show memory decline than those who drank just one cup a day.
Although researchers have known for some time that coffee can decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at the University of South Florida in 2011 found that a distinctive interaction between caffeine and coffee might be why. They recommend drinking four to five cups daily, starting in middle age, to increase GCSF, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, which is decreased in Alzheimer’s patients and improves memory in mice.
4. Less Risk for Diabetes
Studies suggest that coffee drinkers are less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, with those putting away four or more cups daily 50 percent less likely. A January 2012 report in the 'Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry" might explain why. It attributes the effect to compounds in coffee that block hIAPP, a polypeptide that can result in abnormal protein fibers, which are found in people with Type 2.5. Decreases Cancer Risk
Coffee consumption has been associated with decreased risk of breast, endometrial, prostate and liver cancers, and those linked with obesity, estrogen and insulin. A 2008 Swedish study found that drinking at least two to three cups a day reduced the risk or delayed the onset of breast cancer.A 2011 study in "Breast Cancer Research" found that drinking five or more cups could translate into a 20 percent less chance of developing estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer. And, citing research on coffee’s effect on diabetes, researches also found that drinking more than four cups a day was linked with a 25 percent reduced risk for endometrial cancer.
But it’s not just the women who luck out. A recent study out of the Harvard School of Public Health found that both regular and decaf coffee resulted in reduced risk of prostate cancer.
6. Metabolism Boost
Coffee might help you maintain -- or even lose -- weight. A study as far back as 1980 found that the caffeine found in coffee stimulates the metabolism, but that only “normal,” rather than obese, subjects experienced greater oxidation of fat.A 2006 study confirmed that the metabolism-boosting benefits of coffee were greater -- and lasted longer -- in lean women. More recently, researchers discovered that ground green coffee beans taken as a supplement seemed to promote weight loss -- an average of 17 pounds in obese adults during a 22-week period. Researchers didn’t think it was the caffeine; rather, they credited the chlorogenic acid, which might reduce glucose absorption.
7. Lower Risk for Parkinson’s Disease
The "Journal of the American Medical Association" in 2000 found that the caffeine intake associated with coffee translated into a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s. A 2010 study found that drinking two to three cups of coffee daily can mean up to a 25 percent less chance of developing the disease.8. Antioxidative Properties
Harvard researcher Edward Giovannucci, in research published in "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention," noted that coffee has more antioxidants than most vegetables and fruits. In fact, a 2005 study found that coffee is the No. 1 source for antioxidants in the American diet. That’s a reflection of the volume of coffee consumed in this country, and how much is making it into the bloodstream is unclear.9. Performance-Enhancing Benefits
Coffee -- and the caffeine in it -- has been shown in multiple studies to increase both endurance and short-term performance. A 2008 study concluded that the benefit of caffeine before exercise occurs during endurance events, stop-and-go events and long-term high-intensity activity. It also can help athletes perform better during strength training -- even when sleep-deprived -- if taken one hour before exercise at the rate of 4 mg for every kg of body weight.10. Gout Prevention
A 2007 study of men older than 40 linked long-term coffee consumption with a lower risk of gout, an inflammatory condition caused by elevated levels of uric acid. Decaf and regular both had an effect, and those drinking six cups a day experienced as much as a 60 percent lower risk of gout.Saturday, April 16, 2016
10 Sites to Track Viral Web Trends
So you want to know what the latest viral trend on the web is and where it’s happening? And you want it quickly, right? Well, look no further. We’ve got the top ten best websitesand social networks to follow that pick up on the latest trends on the web.
Whether it’s a new Internet meme, celebrity gossip, breaking news or a video that got a million views overnight, you can probably get the juiciest and most up to date information on it by checking out the following sites.
1. BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed has experienced incredible growth over the past little while. As of April 2012, it’s ranked as the third most influential blog of all time on Technorati. The site is actually a viral news aggregator that uses technology to detect viral content around the web and then presents the best and most interesting content in list or blog post form. BuzzFeed features some of the most shared articles the web has ever seen. More »
2. Twitter
For real-time news, Twitter is a priceless web resource. Even if you don’t follow any users that tweet viral content, you can take a look at the Trending Topics (TTs) that are displayed on the right side of your stream, which display keywords that are currently being tweeted the most. AfterRebecca Black’s “Friday” music videowent viral in 2011, her name was a Trending Topic on Twitter for over a week.More »
3. What The Trend
To take it a step further, you can use WhatTheTrend.com to find out what and why things are trending on Twitter. This site that acts as a leaderboard for Twitter trends is known as “The front page of the real-time web™.” Real people from around the web contribute to the trending topics and provide explanations as to why they’re trending. More »
4. The Viral Video Chart
If videos are more your thing, then theViral Video Chart is where you need to go to look at the most up to date top charts for trending videos. This websites ranks videos according to statistics of how much they’re shared on places like Facebook and Twitter. It’s a great resource to use if you don’t want to spend all your time shuffling through videos on the front page of YouTube to find the best ones. More »
5. Reddit
Many things that go viral can actually be traced back to initially being shared onReddit. The most popular content gets pushed up to the front page of categories by users that upvote them. A lot of Internet memes originate from Reddit before spreading like wildfire across the web. If you want to be one of the first to get in on the latest thing to go viral before it actually does, Reddit is the community you need to join. More »
6. The Huffington Post
Of course, as the number one news blogon the web, the Huffington Post is always right on top of quickly pushing out the latest news and trends in any topic imaginable. If you’re a fan of reading articles and want to follow several topics, the Huffington Post is a news resource that’s pretty difficult to ignore because of its massive web presence. More »
7. What’s Trending
This is a fun little blog inspired by a web show hosted by Shira Lazar. Check out what’s trending now, stuff that’s trending in real-time, predictions for content that’s on the rise and everything else that’s currently hot on the web. The blog is updated several times a day and Shira’s live show airs on Wednesdays at 10am EST. More »
8. Mashable
If it’s mostly just tech, web culture andsocial media stuff you’re interested, Mashable does a pretty good job at putting out some interesting articles within a relatively timely manner of time. After the Huffington Post and before BuzzFeed, Mashable is the second most influential blog of all time on Technorati. More »
9. TMZ
Maybe it’s just celeb and Hollywoodgossip you’re interested in. For that, TMZ.com is the go-to resource for the fastest, juiciest news. They’ve got everything to keep you entertained for hours, including reporting stories, photos and videos. Need to get the latest on a hot celebrity? TMZ is probably where you should start looking first. More »
10. NewsWhip
Now this is a pretty cool site if you're really into news stories. NewsWhip brings you everything that's trending, right here and right now from major news mediums across web. Similar to BuzzFeed, NewsWhip tracks stories that are spreading fast on social media sites from over 5,000 English-speaking news sites. A great site to use if you want news from all over the web. More »Friday, April 15, 2016
Microsoft presents: 10 free top-rated games
You can't go wrong with these tried and true favorites brought to you by Microsoft. Whether you like to shuffle or deal, figure it out or spell it out, find pairs or just lose yourself in a puzzle, you'll discover a favorite in this list.
Microsoft Solitaire Collection
Microsoft Solitaire Collection
Check out the new look and feel of Microsoft Solitaire Collection on Windows 10! Solitaire remains the most played computer game of all time, and for good reason. Simple rules and straightforward gameplay make it easy to pick up for everyone. Solitaire has been part of Windows for more than 25 years, and the Microsoft Solitaire Collection makes it the best experience to date with five different card games in one: klondike, Spider, FreeCell, TriPeaks, Pyramid, and daily challenges.
Microsoft Mahjong
Microsoft Mahjong
Enjoy gorgeous graphics and relaxing sounds with multiple themes to choose from. Complete puzzles at four levels of difficulty, perfect for mahjong beginners and experts alike. With the dynamic Undo system, you have the option of rewinding to fix mistakes.
Microsoft Jigsaw
Microsoft Jigsaw
Introducing the all new Microsoft Jigsaw - the perfect fit for your Windows device! Play hundreds of puzzles in three exciting game modes: Classic Jigsaw, Jigsaw Jam, and Daily Challenges. Intuitive controls make Microsoft Jigsaw great on your mouse & keyboard and excellent on a touchscreen.
Microsoft Sudoku
Microsoft Sudoku
Microsoft Sudoku is the classic game you love, with a modern look and feel and exciting new features. With five difficulty levels, fresh daily challenges, achievements and leaderboards, Microsoft Sudoku provides hundreds of brain training puzzles for players of all ages.
Microsoft Bingo
Microsoft Bingo
Travel the globe as you play your way through a variety of exotic locales and extraordinary settings. From Parisian cafés to the silvery waves of the Great Barrier Reef, Microsoft Bingo lets you see the sights as you fill your card. Earn Flight Points to level up and unlock exciting new locations to visit. Play in each location to collect an array of souvenirs, earning you special awards as you complete your souvenir collections.
Microsoft Jackpot
Microsoft Jackpot
Microsoft Jackpot captures the full experience of modern video slots with uniquely-themed slot machines, awesome bonus games and features, and huge jackpots! Adventure through the jungle in search of a secret temple where great riches await, explore the depths of the ocean to hunt down a sunken treasure, track down an international jewel thief in a high stakes card game. These are a few of the slot machine experiences included in Microsoft Jackpot.
Alphajax
Alphajax
Take turns using your tiles to create words on the board, attempting to score the highest points. Play cross-platform with users on both Windows and Windows Phone. Create games with players from around the world, or call out for a game to your friends.
Shuffle Party
Shuffle Party
Featuring Bowling, the standard bowling game played on a shuffleboard table; League Bowling, where players bowl in weekly tournaments against other Xbox Live users; Challenge Mode, get the best score possible while faced with obstacles such as bumpers, ramps, gates, and portals; Shuffleboard, the classic table game - try to get as close to the score zones without falling off the table; and Pass & Play, a two-player version of shuffleboard where you and a friend take turns by passing the device.
Taptiles
Taptiles
Find pairs of tiles to complete puzzles in this exciting matching game with a unique twist! When you can’t find a match, just rotate the 3D puzzle to view the other side! Taptiles includes three game modes, countless puzzles, and daily challenges.
Microsoft Minesweeper
Microsoft Minesweeper
Play the logic game you know and love, now with updated graphics and sound. Play with a touchscreen or with a mouse and keyboard to mark the locations of all the mines without uncovering any of them! Start with an Easy puzzle and work your way up to Expert.
7 Apps You Didn't Know You Needed
Where to start? We know the feeling. The Windows Store has so many great apps, it can be hard to know where to begin and what you need. That's where we come in. Below you'll find 7 highly-rated apps that you may not have discovered yet.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy
Khan Academy allows you to learn almost anything for free. Our Windows app is the best way to view Khan Academy’s complete library of over 6000 videos on your Windows device. We cover a massive number of topics, including K-12 math, science topics such as biology, chemistry, and physics, and even the humanities with tutorials on finance and history.
Aerize Optimizer
Aerize Optimizer
Get peak performance from with this advanced memory cleaner and performance optimizer. Built with proven and tested optimization techniques from the most effective and best selling system optimizer, Aerize Optimizer will ensure optimum device performance.
Duolingo
Duolingo
Learn Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Irish, Dutch, Danish, and English. Totally fun and 100% free.
PicsArt
PicsArt
Creativity is more than just a photo filter—PicsArt provides you with everything you need to make amazing photo edits, artistic camera shoots, photo collages, create digital drawings, and communicate with other creatives who have joined our mission to beautify the world. 250 million people have already downloaded this free app for powerful image editing and photo montages, using hundreds of tools and effects that you can find only in professional photo editing programs. PicsArt inspires you to create beautiful images anytime, anywhere. Transform your photos into works of art and let the world discover them!
Seven - 7 Minute Workout Challenge
Seven - 7 Minute Workout Challenge
No workout equipment & just minutes a day. Fun achievements and rewards to keep you motivated. Based on the 7-minute workout featured in NY Times Magazine. Using nothing more than a chair, a wall, and your own body weight, the 7-minute workout is based on scientific studies to provide the maximum benefit of working out regularly in the shortest time possible.
WiFi Analyzer
WiFi Analyzer
WiFi Analyzer can help you to identify Wi-Fi problems, find the best channel or the best place for your router/access-point by turning your PC/laptop, tablet or mobile device into an analyzer for your wireless network.
Sticky Notes 8
Sticky Notes 8
With Sticky Notes 8 you can write notes and view them quickly on smartphones, tablets and PCs. You can pin notes like tiles on the Start screen, search notes, and add images.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
6 intense modern war games
War games aren't for everybody, but those who love them are guaranteed to find epic entertainment below. Are you ready for the battlefield?
Call of Duty: Heroes
Call of Duty: Heroes
Experience the excitement of Call of Duty like never before. Command an army of legendary heroes, elite soldiers, and devastating drones straight from the Call of Duty franchise in this 3D combat strategy game.
Modern Combat 5: Blackout
Modern Combat 5: Blackout
Create a squad, add your friends and test your individual and team skills against other squads! Is single player your thing? Then step into a world on the brink of anarchy and shoot your way out of one dire situation after another to expose a lunatic who’s trying to tear the world to shreds.
World of Tanks Blitz
World of Tanks Blitz
Drawing inspiration from the hugely popular World of Tanks, World of Tanks Blitz introduces crossplatform tank combat. With an impressive roster of over 200 massive tanks, stunning graphics and intuitive touch-screen controls, World of Tanks Blitz makes it easy to jump into short, action-packed 7-vs-7 tank battles no matter where you are.
Sniper Fury
Sniper Fury
The time for diplomacy is gone. We are calling for the best sniper in the world to join us as we take aim at evil, wherever it hides. Try over 130 missions with unbelievable 3D graphics and top-secret weapons.
Tiny Troopers
Tiny Troopers
Size doesn't matter for these miniature men of war. Take control of a platoon of crack soldiers and deploy in a variety or war zones as you battle through the epic campaign.
World at Arms
World at Arms
In this free-to-play all-out modern-war strategy game, you will battle across the globe, in the sea's depths, on the ground and in the air, following a deep solo campaign and fighting in an exciting multiplayer mode.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
10 Things In Your Kitchen You’re Cleaning Wrong
#10 You’re ignoring your reusable bags
#9 If you have to think long and hard about the last time (if ever) you cleaned your water filter… you’re doing it wrong
#8 You’re cleaning your cutting boards with soap and water
#7 You’re air-drying your cast iron pan
#6 You’re putting all your glassware in the dishwasher
#5 You’re using your all-purpose cleaner on stainless steel
#4 You’re organizing your spoons in the dishwasher
#3 You’re not cleaning your dishwasher door
#2 You think coffee makers magically clean themselves
#1 You’re forgetting garbage disposals
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