Only a man can understand the state of mind of a groom on his wedding day. People may think that brides have more worries on the day, but very few know that even men wait for this special day with bated breath. Unlike women, they are not good at expressing their emotions.

Are you the groom-to-be? Are you looking forward for the big event to arrive? Is the thought of commitment making your blood run cold?

Check out these basic pointers on how grooms can get rid of anxiety on their wedding day.

Prepare for the day

There is a saying, “Practice makes a man perfect”. This applies to your wedding day as well. Fear of taking center-stage and facing the crowd might be making you feel like a cat on a hot brick. Stage phobia adds to the nervousness.

The best way to get rid of this is to practice your part well. Rehearse the entire ceremony with your lady multiple times. You can make the auspicious day even more special with your perfection. Learn the lines of your speech by heart.

Share your anxiety with your married friends

Ladies can share their feelings with their mother, sisters, and friends. However, men are not comfortable with sharing their state of mind with others.

In this case, close friends can prove to be your savior. Talk to your besties who are already married. They can give you valuable advice and put you at ease.

At the same time, you need to stay away from negative people. There will be guys in your circle of friends who will end up confusing you even more. Keep your distance from them, and choose the right person to confide in.

Be a part of the arrangements

An empty mind is the devil’s workshop. This is the time when the rest of your family members are busy, but you have a lot of free time. This is when the groom starts thinking too much.

The best way to keep your distance from negative thoughts is to keep yourself busy. Volunteer for some of the preparations like communicating with your groomsmen and ushers. You’ll be doing your bride a favor by taking some of the pressure off her.

Spend some time with the girl

There is nothing better than sharing your insecurities and concerns with the woman to whom you are getting married. You are in the same situation, after all.

Moreover, she has got all the right to know what you are thinking about as it is your future together at stake. It is the big day for both of you. So, begin the new chapter of your life with any sort of confusion. Be very honest about your feelings with your partner.

Exercise and meditate

Hitting the gym or spending some quiet time with yourself is the best way to calm yourself. Meditation is a holistic and scientific method that can help you deal with your bout of nerves and anxiety. Regular meditation will also help you center yourself when you are out of equilibrium.

See Also: How to Meditate When All The Other Techniques Don’t Work

Spend some quiet time a day before

Every married man can attest that the night before the wedding is the toughest one. In case your turbulent mind is not letting you sleep, take a small walk in the garden and listen to your favorite music. Relax and wear some airy clothing before going to bed. This will help you sleep.

Bachelorhood is fun, but there is nothing like the true companionship that marriage brings. Giving up your freedom and independence is what bothers men a lot. However, married life has got its own charms. Once you have made up your mind for the lifelong commitment, there is no looking back. Just keep the above points in mind and enjoy the special day with your soulmate.

The post Tips for Grooms: How To Beat Nerves On Your Wedding Day appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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With the fluctuating currency market and uncertain climate, more holidaymakers are choosing to ‘staycation’ – taking a holiday in their home country. This can be a fantastic thing to do, after all, there are amazing places to visit and fun things to do all across the UK that are often forgotten about.

But how about taking your staycation one step further and actually taking a holiday in your home town? Take a week to get to know the surrounding area like a tourist would and you might find some amazing gems hidden close to home. It could even lead to some fun new activities for you when you return to normal life.

Here’s the best way to take a true staycation and see another side to the place you live.

Check into a hotel

If you want to feel like a tourist, you should do what tourists need to do and the first step is to check into a hotel. Of course you might be able to enjoy your staycation from your own home but a hotel gives you a week of freedom from making your bed, cleaning and completing household chores – the stuff we take for granted on holiday.

Choose a small boutique hotel rather than a chain where possible, and remember to take any recommendations from staff on things to do.

Pick up a tourist guide

It’s likely that you’ll be able to pick up a tourist guide to your city – if there’s a tourist information office or something similar, they’ll probably be giving away free guides. Otherwise, buy a guide book or get articles online.

It’s almost guaranteed that you’ll find plenty of fun things to do that you had never really considered doing before. And don’t dismiss things outright; if they are popular but you have never done them, it’s worth giving them a try.

Try restaurants and bars you’ve never visited

Eating out is a must on your staycation; this is a holiday after all. You might be tempted to head out to all of your favourite restaurants, and there’s nothing wrong with doing this for a couple of nights. But save most of your meals for places that you’ve never experienced before.

It’s even worth going a little further afield to find brilliant restaurants and bars nearby. Scour sites like TripAdvisor to find some of the most popular places that you haven’t tried yet.

Visit a museum

When people go abroad they always search out the local museums to have a look round – but how often do you do this is on your home town? Well, when you’re on staycation, it’s the perfect time to do it.

Find a list of local museums and art galleries. You might be surprised by just how many there are that are close to you. Take the time to visit a couple during your staycation to sample the arts culture in your local community.

Watch a sports team

Another popular activity when on holiday is to go and watch a local sports team. So now is the perfect time to do the same thing in your home town.

Find out what sports teams play near you. There’s likely to be a hugely diversity of everything from lower league football, basketball, roller derby, polo and more. See which teams are currently playing and see if you can’t get along to a game. Once again, it’s a good idea to choose a sport you wouldn’t usually watch.

Enjoy a spa day

You don’t have to go to Sweden to get a Swedish massage. There are plenty of places where you can relax and enjoy a spa day. Check whether the hotel you’re checking into has a spa. If not, you can always find a local spa where you’ll find a huge variety of treatment options.

Take a class

Another great idea is to take a class in something. Whether it’s drawing, baking, photography or wine tasting, it’s fun to learn something new while you are on holiday. If you can, try to choose something that brings together local elements. This can be a brilliant way to gain a new perspective on the place that you live.

See Also: 4 Smart Ways to Travel The World For Free 

The post The True Staycation: How to Holiday in your Home Town appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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We’ve all been there: we went through a lot of stress and sleepless nights because of our newborn and so we chose to comfort ourselves with a big bucket of ice-cream. Hectic schedules and taking care of our children can often make us feel like nobody understands our troubles or we simply don’t feel like talking about it.

When you experience a burn-out of any kind, it’s easy to form a habit of binge-eating in front of a TV. And then you fall into a vicious circle and feel terribly guilty after the third bag of chips.

Poor nutrition causes feelings of fatigue, depression, and nervousness. Overeating is a direct consequence of an unbalanced emotional state or a long-term unhealthy behavior. Most frequently, our bodies try to cope with constant changes in blood sugar levels and hormonal imbalance, making it harder for a person to be productive, focused, and lose weight.

What are you hungry for? Read on to find out what causes overeating and how to deal with it.

Stress is taking its toll

High stress levels are the most frequent reason for emotional overeating as we use food to cope with anxiety. Researchers from Harvard explained the connection between increased levels of cortisol and disbalance of insulin levels – and food cravings most people experience after going through a stressful period.

When we experience short-term stress, we’re likely to lose our appetites. But when we’re exposed to it on a daily basis, overeating becomes a system for coping. Low blood sugar caused by rigorous diets, skipping meals, or poor nutrition is the reason why your body craves high-fat and sugary foods.

See Also: 9 Ways We Can Reduce Our Stress Level 

Physical activity puts you back on track

When we feel low or depressed, it’s most probably due to a drop in serotonin levels. This is caused by lack of sleep or when we exhaust ourselves with great amounts of work, without leisure time or activities that bring us pleasure.

Instead of reaching for comfort food for a quick fix, try committing to some sort of physical activity. Exercising releases serotonin which is responsible for maintaining an optimal sleeping cycle, regulating mood and appetite. It is also a great way to handle stress, promote good mental health, and make that “feel good“ feeling stick for a while.

Try yoga and meditation as they will increase your metabolism, help you tranquilize and relax, and become more aware of your body and its needs. Jogging and cycling are also great options, as well as power walking. Consider using a body tracker app to measure real progress and motivate yourself, as scales won’t reflect your success. Muscles weigh more than fat so you might be seeing higher numbers on the scale when in fact – you are stronger and fitter than before.  

Don’t eat your emotions

Over a longer period of time, overeating can shut off the hormone that signals when we’re full which is a certain path to obesity, a recent study has shown. By repeatedly consuming excess calories, our body becomes overwhelmed and so cells stop producing uroguanylin, responsible for telling us we’re full.

This can be regulated with a workout regime and mindful eating. By shifting your perspective gradually, you can start perceiving food as precious fuel for your body – not a way to cope with negative emotions.

Focus on your calorie intake and keep a food journal to control your portions. Analyze the reasons you feel the need to overeat.

Is it triggered by some emotionally heavy situation you’ve recently experienced? Do you feel the lack of love from your closest ones? By mapping out your problems, you can focus on handling them more effectively instead of using food as a substitute.  

Understand your body’s needs

Your cravings are indicators of the nutritional deficiency your body is experiencing. Whether you feel like eating something sweet and creamy, or extremely salty – you’re most likely to reach out to simple carbs (i.e. plain sugar) as they penetrate your blood stream almost immediately, giving you a nice sugar rush or feeling of fullness.

However, there are healthier alternatives. If you’re craving chocolate, your body lacks magnesium. A healthy alternative to milk chocolate is raw cacao, fruits, nuts, or seeds. If you feel like eating bread or pasta, you need nitrogen which can also be found in high protein foods (e.g. fatty fish, meat, or beans). If you crave for salty foods, you need chloride and silicon which are best consumed with goat milk, nuts, and cashews.

When you consume too much sugar, your body gets addicted to it. Don’t cut off all the sugar at once but do it gradually: your body will go through withdrawal and it will be exhausting. Drink lemon water to get rid of toxins and increase your liquid intake.

See Also: 7 Healthy Foods That Will Fill You Up and Prevent Overeating

With effort and devotion, you can beat food cravings and ensure a healthier lifestyle for yourself. Your body is a temple so treat it with respect.

The post What Are You Hungry For? The Real Causes Of Overeating appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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