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February 12, 2020

ST. PAULS There probably werent a lot of shouts of jubilation in the St. Pauls locker room Tuesday night. Just sighs of relief.

Nonetheless, whatever positive displays of emotion came from the Bulldogs were warranted they had defeated Whiteville 64-56 in a key Three Rivers Conference boys basketball contest.

Those sighs of relief came after the Wolfpack made a furious comeback attempt over the last quarter and a half, closing from a 20-point deficit to as close as two.

Theyre a good team and I knew they werent just going to bow down. We just had to withstand the run, St. Pauls coach Corey Thompson said. Thats kind of been our season, so I told our guys were built for it, this was not uncharted territory for us, so we just had to play through it and weather the storm.

The win moves the Bulldogs into a loss-column tie for first in the TRC with Whiteville and West Columbus. The Wolfpack and Vikings, at 12-3 in the league, are a half-game ahead of St. Pauls. If St. Pauls wins out, they would win the No. 1 seed in the league tournament by virtue of a head-to-head tiebreaker; the Bulldogs make up Fridays postponement on Wednesday at West Bladen before playing at Red Springs Friday to close the regular season.

Weve got to win out, but most importantly we play tomorrow night against West Bladen, and its kind of eerie because its a similar situation to South Columbus, where we cant just overlook those guys and think its going to be a cakewalk and look ahead to Friday night, Thompson said. But that South Columbus game humbled us and taught us a whole lot.

St. Pauls (17-5, 11-3 TRC) jumped out to a 13-6 lead after the first quarter and led 29-14 at halftime over Whiteville (13-6, 12-3 TRC), who came into the game as the solo conference leaders. Emonta Smith scored six points in the first quarter and Joshua Henderson had six in the second to lead the Bulldog charge.

The Bulldogs scored eight of the first 11 points of the second half to extend their lead to its largest point at 37-17 midway through the second quarter. Thats when Whiteville began its run, closing to a 43-31 deficit by the end of the third.

The Wolfpack continued their run into the fourth, starting the period with a 16-6 stretch over five-plus minutes to pull to their closest second-half deficit at 49-47 with 2:43 to go. Wendell Smith was key in the Whiteville run, scoring eight of his 10 points in the fourth.

Anthony Campbell hit a basket to give St. Pauls some breathing room at 51-47, starting a pattern for the duration of the game: every time Whiteville got within a possession, the Bulldogs had an answer. These included a Zarron Glover made free throw and a Jeyvian Tatum putback when Glover missed the second shot, two Emonta Smith free throws and a Tatum layup off a Whiteville turnover that gave St. Pauls a 61-56 lead with 36 seconds left. From there, two Erickson Emanuel free throws made it a three-possession lead, while Whiteville missed three field-goal attempts in the final half-minute.

We knew how many points we were up, and we knew that team wasnt going to give up, they were going to fight to the buzzer, because thats a good team, said Emonta Smith, one of six seniors honored as part of Senior Night before the game. We just kept fighting to the end, and making our free throws at the last possessions of the game.

Emonta Smith scored 14 points to lead the Bulldogs, who had a balanced offensive attack, with nine players scoring and eight scoring four or more points. Caleb Henderson scored nine points and Anthony Campbell and Emanuel each scoring eight.

Ive always talked to our guys about the depth that we have, and its hard to play a team that has multiple scorers or guys that any given night can produce, Thompson said. Thats kind of been our M.O. this year you cant pinpoint on one guy, because any given night anybody can get going. I think thats a sign of a really good team, and a deep team, and Im so glad were starting to click at the right time.

John Baldwin scored 12 points and McFadden had 11 for Whiteville.

Top dogs: St. Pauls girls clinch TRC title

The St. Pauls girls basketball team had to wait four extra days for an opportunity to clinch the TRC regular-season title after Fridays game against West Bladen was postponed.

But the clincher became that much more special Tuesday night, as the Bulldogs could celebrate a conference championship as they also celebrated Senior Night and the Bulldogs took care of business on the floor allowing them to do just that.

St. Pauls beat the Wolfpack 62-35, sealed its first regular-season conference title since 1998.

Its emotional right now, St. Pauls coach Mike Moses said. Just knowing we came from the bottom of this conference, the laughing stocks of the conference, the laughing stocks of the county, and in a two-year span, just to turn it around and win the conference is crazy.

It means a lot, Iyania Evans said. We set this goal at the beginning of the summer when we were outside running, and the fact that we accomplished it, Im very happy.

After the Bulldogs won just three games in the 2016-17 season, the team has improved in each season under Moses, building to this years titlists who are currently undefeated (21-0, 14-0 TRC).

Seniors Taniya Redmon, Mackenzie Ransom, Marckia Galbreath, Larkan Maynor and Destiny Maynor, usually reserves for the Bulldogs, started. Iyania Evans, the teams sixth senior and the only one who is normally a starter did not start; Moses said she did so voluntarily to let the other seniors start in their final regular-season home game. Evans played her first three seasons at Fayetteville Christian before coming back to her hometown school at St. Pauls for her senior year.

Its very cool; Im very happy that I came back and got to be a part of this, Evans said. I dont want to feel like how the seniors (previous years) felt, losing on their senior night, and Im happy that (the other seniors) got to win on their senior night.

The Bulldogs faced a 12-6 deficit early in the second quarter after Whiteville (13-8, 10-5 TRC) opened the period on a 6-0 run, but answered with a 20-3 run to take a 26-15 lead with 1:29 left in the half, ultimately leading 26-16 at the break.

We just had to settle down. We just had to get going, and were going to get everybodys best shot initially, Moses said. What Ive been telling the girls the last month and a half is how you counter that. Take the punches, then throw a couple jabs, then after that the adrenaline dies down.

St. Pauls continued to stretch its lead the rest of the way, using a 20-7 third-quarter advantage to take a 46-23 lead to the fourth, and led by as many as 32 in the fourth.

Jakieya Thompson led St. Pauls with 19 points and had five steals and five assists. T.J. Eichelberger and Evans both had double-doubles; Eichelberger had 13 points and 10 rebounds and Evans had 12 points with 15 rebounds.

Trinity Smith scored 10 points to lead Whiteville.

Chris Stiles | The RobesonianSt. Pauls Iyania Evans, left, looks to put up a shot as Whitevilles Mataya Carmichael, right, during Tuesdays game in St. Pauls

Chris Stiles | The RobesonianSt. Pauls girls basketball coach Mike Moses, center, celebrates with the Bulldogs team after clinching the Three Rivers Conference regular-season championship on Tuesday by beating Whiteville.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian St. Pauls Anthony Campbell, 2, drives inside past Whievilles Ty Moss, 11, and Ervin Moore, 20, during Tuesdays game in St. Pauls.

St. Pauls tops Whiteville in key TRC duel; girls clinch title

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Local Roundup: Purnell Swett girls rebound in win over Hoke - The Robesonian

Remember school sports day? Your feelings on this event, a chance to perform in front of students, teachers and parents, were probably dependent on your athletic prowess. Perhaps its different in this everyone wins a prize era, but when I was a kid success meant cheers from your peers, while failure led to jeers and tears.

Essentially, the PCOTY track day is MOTORs version of school sports; some cars relish the opportunity to strut their stuff, others just want the whole ordeal to be over.

No prizes for guessing which category the Genesis G70 falls into. Hot-lapping The Bends West Circuit wasnt in its design brief and its quickly apparent that this quasi-luxury mid-sizer prefers a gentler pace, its 1:40.7sec lap time earning it the wooden spoon. It doesnt do much wrong; its just not at all designed for this type of driving.

There are no complaints about the engine, the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 singing a sweet song and motivating the G70 to north of 220km/h down the long main straight. Its difficult not to draw comparisons with the Kia Stinger, for while the two arent direct rivals they share mechanicals and the resemblance is clear behind the wheel.

The Genesis is the better operator, but so it should be given its $20K premium. Like the Stinger, the G70s eight-speed auto doesnt have a manual mode per se, but flick the paddles and it wont revert to automatic down the next straight like the Kia. It steers accurately enough and the balance is relatively benign up to, say, eight-tenths, at which point the rear end begins to slip. Time this with the arrival of turbo boost and the result is a lurid slide, which finds favour with the photographers.

Like the Stinger, the G70s brakes and tyres are badly underdone; this much power deserves Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S rubber (the current Michelins lack that crucial S) and it takes only two laps for the brake pedal to hit the floor. Its all very well to say a car isnt designed for circuit use, but all a track really does is simulate consecutive hard stops (three in the course of a lap in the case of the West Circuit) and the Genesis isnt up to it.

Happily, the Mercedes-AMG A35 is. It might only undercut the Genesis by a solitary second (1:39.7) but its much more comfortable on track. With just 225kW/400Nm to play with, there are no prizes for guessing that the A35 isnt the quickest thing in a straight line, its 208.62km/h V-max almost 40km/h less than that recorded by its GT63 S sibling, which basically uses two A35 engines and then some.

Outright grunt aside, however, the A35 is a fun little package. Gentle front-end push is its default behaviour, but the new Haldex system reacts quickly enough to prevent power understeer rearing its ugly head and a quick flick with the steering under brakes swings the tail wide. It could use more engine the funs over by 6000rpm and a quicker gearbox but then thats what the A45 is for. As it stands, the A35 is a nice, sensible semi-hot hatch.

Sensible isnt a word to describe the Renault Megane Trophy-R I mean, just look at it. It has stickers, bright red wheels and a massive slab of plastic where the rear seats should be. Its built for the track and is the current Nrburgring front-wheel drive record holder albeit with the carbon wheels and brakes that will only adorn one car in Australia which only makes the fact that its a bit underwhelming at The Bend even more disappointing.

Make no mistake, its very good quick, grippy and accurate but it gives its speed quite easily so youre left craving more. Once up to temperature, the trick tyres offer so much grip that most throttle adjustability is eradicated and while theres enjoyment to be found in the Meganes precision, I cant help feeling a Honda Civic Type R on these tyres would be more enjoyable again. And probably quicker.

Nevertheless, the Trophy-R is an improvement on thestandard Megane RS280sampled at this venue 12 months ago, but enough to justify that $75K price tag?

While were asking questions: what to make of the Stelvio Q? Like the Megane Trophy-R, this high-riding Alfa set a lap record around the Ring, though its 7min51.7sec SUV benchmark 11.6sec slower than the Megane has since been beaten by the Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S.

At The Bend the places are reversed, the Stelvio besting the Renault by 1.7sec, but its a deeply strange experience. It feels a bit like those celebrity sporting matches featuring recently-retired players; the skills are still evident but the athleticism has clearly suffered. All the Stelvios component parts are great the engine is super strong, the gearbox nicely responsive, the brakes hold up well and theres certainly adequate grip but theyre installed in a bodyshell that feels well out of its depth.

Softening the dampers helps. Set to full stiff the suspension feels to be constantly fighting a losing battle against its mass; pressing the bumpy road button allows the weight shift to be used as an advantage by adjusting the Stelvios attitude its probably not any quicker but it is more fun.

Sadly, despite being off in Race mode the ESP will step in if it feels the situation is getting out of hand and the all-wheel drive system can be frustratingly inconsistent, at times allowing plenty of power oversteer, at others focusing on total traction.

No such dramas with the Toyota Supra; simply stick it in Sport, turn the electronics off (if youre comfortable enough, otherwise the Traction mode is very good) and drive the wheels off it. The brakes could be better and the steering is unnecessarily weighty in Sport, but otherwise theres very little to complain about. Its a surprisingly sharp sports car, with strong lateral grip and an unwillingness to relinquish it.

The suspension is quite soft and initially the body movement can feel a little odd, but quickly you learn to trust the car to settle and dig deep into its reserves. Burrow down far enough and youll find the rear end will edge wide under brakes and 500Nm of turbocharged torque will hold it there for as long as you wish. Yes, as youd hope for a Japanese sports car (yeah, yeah, BMW blah blah) the new Supra drifts like a champion.

As does the Lexus RC F Track Edition. With a 351kW/530Nm 5.0-litre V8 turning the rear tyres that mightnt come as a surprise, but what does is the extra effervescence the Track Edition displays compared to the standard RC F. Its enhancements primarily shed weight, but whether its the diet, the extra grip of the Pilot Super Sport tyres or the result of more subtle tweaks, the front end bites with newfound enthusiasm.

The steering is still pretty mute, but at least you now have confidence itll stick when committing to a turn. And commit you can, safe in the knowledge you dont have a million turbocharged newton metres to manage on corner exit. The RC Fs V8 is a perfect illustration of enough power, the outputs nicely matched to what the chassis can cope with.

Other cars may be faster though a 1:34.7sec isnt too shabby but the appeal of being able to drive the Lexus lap after lap, its circuit-spec brakes and tyres showing little sign of stress, shouldnt be underestimated, especially with that rev-happy atmo V8 singing beyond 7000rpm.

Despite the weight loss, you can still feel the Track Editions girth in direction changes and it seems to find bumps no other car notices on The Bends seemingly super-smooth surface, bouncing up and down through the Turn 10 kink in a unique manner.

Now were getting serious. Theres no other way to say it, the Camaro ZL1 is a beast. Its an all-out assault on the senses as you peer out of the pillbox-style windows, your ears bombarded by V8 bellow and supercharger whine, your head spinning in concert with the rear wheels as each attempts to deal with the effects of 477kW/881Nm.

The experience is made more intense by the super short gearing, each ratio used for a mere nanosecond before the next one is required; this makes selecting the appropriate gear for each corner a challenge, particularly as the mighty 6.2-litre supercharged V8 has a torque band as wide as the massive 305mm rear Goodyears.

Ah, yes. Tyres. Youre probably aware that the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3s fitted to the ZL1 in the US didnt pass the ADRs for road use, but are available as a $1000 Track Pack so given were on a track we decided to use them, as it seems reasonable to assume most owners would do likewise. Unsurprisingly, they love The Bend, but the ZL1 itself rejects any notion that American cars cant do corners.

To be frank, it handles brilliantly for such a big machine. The super-heavy steering is weird, though you get used it, but it controls a front end that can be placed with precision, while as long as you dont ask for every kilowatt at once, traction is incredibly strong. Theres fantastic balance, too, with real adjustability using the throttle and brakes. As I said, the ZL1 is a beast.

The Lotus couldnt be more different, which makes the fact it and the ZL1 are so similar in pace all the more remarkable. Remember the school sports day analogy? Well, if the Genesis is the nerdy kid that wants to stay home, the Exige Sport 410 is the athletics team captain whos been training for weeks. Its built to lap all day and will do so with a noise like an endurance racer at full noise. Morley, Robbo and our tame racer Michael Almond are unashamed fans, but Im not convinced.

Driving the Exige is an absolute event; virtually every other car feels doughy and full of rubber after the lightweight Brit and you know that everything it does is the work of you and you alone. Trouble is, if youre going to be an out-and-out track car, either be blindingly fast, utterly brilliant at the limit or, preferably, both.

The Exige is quick (1:33.7) but only a second ahead of the far porkier Lexus and while its great fun up to nine-tenths, right at the limit, just when you hope it would come alive, it becomes quite sensitive to pitch and a bit spooky. For most people, a Cayman will be faster and more fun.

Speaking of Porsche, its really dropped the ball with the new 992 911. Just kidding, its utterly brilliant.

The widened front track makes it easier to drive quickly than ever, the engine delivers its substantial power in a beautifully linear fashion, the steering chats away to you constantly, the brakes shrug off the demands of track work, its rewarding to chase a lap time in yet if you want to hoon about like an idiot its more than happy to oblige. Its sublime, its feedback providing reassurance to the less experienced and its malleability and speed a challenge to sports car veterans. But, with a 1:30.6, its not quickest.

No, this year that honour goes to a 2025kg luxury sedan-coupe-hatchback-thing. The AMG GT63 S is an incredible triumph of engineering and technology over physics, besting Stuttgarts sports car by over a second (1:29.5). Obviously, having 470kW/900Nm helps, the monster Merc hitting 245.81km/h at the end of the straight, but its in the bends that the GT63 really warps your mind.

How can a car this big turn in with such alacrity? And resist understeer like it hasnt heard of the term? Huge Cup 2 tyres do their part, as does the clever all-wheel steer system, but credit also has to go to AMGs 4MATIC+ system.

If, by some miracle, youve steamed into a corner hard enough to push the front tyres wide, adding throttle actually corrects the problem, presumably by overdriving the outside rear to right the ship. If youre really silly with the throttle itll slide into oversteer, but in general you simply teleport to the next corner on the back of that insane 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. Unless you select Drift Mode, that is, which specialises in turning Michelins into fluffy white clouds. So, with the races run and won, its the beefy posh kid thats going home with the ribbons. Bet you didnt see that coming!

Pick of the 2020's onPerformance Car of the Year 2020

Carrera Cup Pro racer Michael Almond gets the honour of becoming PCOTY 2020's professional helmsman. So we set him off in each of our finalists to get a laptime around The Bend's West Circuit and get his two cents on each of them.

I had to look and check I wasnt in the AMG GT3 car I raced. This thing is wild. Sounds awesome. For such a big car it feels nimble. Brakes are amazing but they faded hard after a lap. Power delivery is easy to control... the engine is unbelievable.

I wouldve thought itd be a little bit quicker, but it felt like there was a little bit of understeer. It wouldve been nice to have a grippier tyre. Gearbox is amazing. Plenty of grunt, you can barely tell its turbo. Comfortable, chuckable, solid.

Fantastic car. Gearbox is very direct and solid. Its nimble, theres a lot of front-end grip no matter where you are. Brakes are strong and you can brake deep because its light. Could do with a little more power. A little dancey at speed, but thats exciting!

I had it in race mode but on the in-lap I turned traction off... I reckon I couldve gone quicker without it. Its a bit cautious. But its got so much grunt, it pulls hard in a straight line. Itd be hard work to control with a manual. It doesnt feel overly heavy.

I really like this. Very linear power, and slow corners you need to shift down to second. Its easy to manage the throttle and balance mid-corner. Really strong, direct brakes. Its quite stable, and neither understeery or tail-happy. Steering was a bit light.

A lot of grunt with low-end torque around 3000-3500rpm. On some corners you can leave this in third and it pulls out strong. Brakes are well-balanced... the car was very stable under brakes. I was never worried about the rear coming out either. Good car!

You forget youre in an SUV. Its nimble with lots of grunt. Gearbox is awesome, downshifts are precise. Stable through high-speed turns, and can be balanced on throttle. Brakes are amazing for such a big car. Biggest weakness is the front end push.

Its a cool-sounding car with big slabs of low range torque, but doesnt understeer or torque steer. It has plenty of front-end. The tacho has a confusing redline... it took me two laps to realise I was short-shifting. It didnt seem to make a massive difference.

Quite a punchy car, throttle response is really good and the power is very linear. Pulls all the way to redline. Gearbox is really intuitive left in sport auto, never missed a gear. Brakes are really strong. It rotates nicely on slow corners, but too fast and it pushes.

Its got a lot of power, particularly on slow corners in low gears... you can light the rears up nicely. It feels heavy and has a lot of roll. Brakes were fantastic but definitely faded. Initial turn-in is a little vague but once youre towards the apex theres more front-end there.

The Bend West Circuit, 20C, dry.Driver: Michael AlmondOfficial timing supplier:www.vboxaustralia.com.au

The Bends West Circuit - PCOTY's ideal playgroundIt's tempting to look down on The Bends West Circuit. It is, after all, the shortest and simplest of the many configurations available, but that doesnt make it easy. Its a great circuit for testing road cars as the surface isnt abrasive, there arent too many big stops, theres a nice variety in corner speeds heading left and right and even a bit of undulation thrown in for good measure. A fast car will top 250km/h down the long main straight while the super-quick Turn Five kink is probably the most exciting corner on the circuit.

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Performance Car of the Year 2020: Track Testing - WhichCar

Provided by Eat This, Not That! meat in slow cooker

We're all guilty of stocking our freezers with different meats to get us through the crisp months before grilling season returns. Our busy schedules and hectic lifestyles nowadays make quick, easy at-home dinners with little cleanup sound quite appealing, which is why many have turned to slow cookers to put delicious meals on the table fast.

Since the convenient electrical kitchen appliance is ideal for making soups, stews, and other comfort foods while you're at work or doing other things around the house, it's no surprise that people are curious to find out exactly how they can cook meat in a slow cooker since this time of year prompts more indoor cooking. We specifically checked in with Chef Melissa Knific of HelloFresh, who educated us on whether or not cooking frozen meat in a slow cooker is safe and ideal, while also suggesting the best types of meats to cook in one.

Here's everything to know about cooking frozen meat in a slow cooker. And to make sure you're taking every precaution in the kitchen, check out these 12 Common Food Safety Mistakes You're Probably Making Every Day.

The answer to this question as a whole is no, but since the point of a slow cooker is to cook food over a longer period of time, it's no surprise that many think putting a frozen piece of meat in one would both defrost and cook it successfully. But Knific advises against it.

"I wouldn't recommend putting meat into the slow cooker frozen," she says. "It will certainly affect the timing and is also unsafe because meat won't come to the correct temperature quickly enough. Meat should be properly thawed."

The USDA's slow cooker cooking and food safety guidelines mimic Knific's suggestions by saying to thaw all ingredients prior. "Always thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker," the document says. "Choose to make foods with a high moisture content such as chili, soup, stew, or spaghetti sauce. If using a commercially frozen slow cooker meal, prepare according to manufacturer's instructions."

There is even a reminder on the document reiterating to "always thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker," so you know it's serious.

Read more: Here's How to Defrost Chicken Safely So You Don't Get Sick

Since we've established the fact that cooking frozen meat in a slow cooker isn't ideal, it's important to know the best ways to thaw meat before setting it in the pot and leaving it cooking for hours. According to the USDA, "perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter or in hot water and must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. There are safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave."

Knific agrees that the best and safest way to thaw meat is in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.

"It is not considered safe to thaw at room temperature because bacteria and such can grow and make you ill," the chef says. The USDA says that "as soon as raw or cooked meat, poultry, or egg products begin to thaw and become warmer than 40F, bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply."

To avoid bacteria potentially growing on the meat, Knific says to "take the meat out the freezer a day or two in advance to make sure it fully thaws." To prevent any leakage all over other food in the refrigerator, "you can place it on a rimmed baking sheet or in a bowl," she says.

RELATED:These are the easy, at-home recipes that help you lose weight.

Now that we know fresh pieces of meat are better than frozen when it comes to a slow cooker, it's equally as important to understand which type of meats make for the best-tasting meal.

"The best meats for the slow cooker are tougher, fattier cuts. The long cook time allows tougher cuts to become tender, and the fattiness keeps the meat from drying out," Knific says, adding that you can cut off excess fat if you desire to avoid extra grease. "I like beef chuck, beef brisket, short ribs, pork shoulder, lamb shanks, and chicken thighs."

One of the best things about a slow cooker is how it's designed to be a hands-off cooking experience. That said, there's no need to put too much time into prepping the meat either.

"Marinating or searing isn't necessaryit will only increase your active cook time," she says. "Just make sure there is enough seasoningsalt and spiceson the meat when it goes into the slow cooker, as well as at least one cup of liquid to ensure the meat stays moist."

And if you're looking for more healthy slow cooker meals to whip up, here are 42 Slow Cooker Recipes for Weight Loss.

In addition to preventing bacteria, one of the biggest benefits of using fresh meat over frozen in a slow cooker is the fact that it cuts the cooking time almost in half. However, a slow cooker could still take up to eight hours for that perfectly shredded and tender meat result, so just try to be patient like you were in the defrosting process.

"Even if you're tempted, don't remove the lid!" Knific says. "It releases moisture and slows cooking time."

Now, ready to take on making meat the safe way in your slow cooker? And to avoid any more mishaps, be sure to check out 15 Mistakes You're Making With Your Slow Cooker.

RELATED VIDEO: The Secret Use for Your Slow Cooker We've All Totally Missed (via Southern Living)

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Can You Put Frozen Meat in a Slow Cooker? Here's What an Expert Says - msnNOW

Stainless steels can be found in all areas of modern society. They are manufactured into plates, sheets, wires, tubing, and bars to be designed into every possible type of equipment and material.

It can be challenging to ensure that the correct grade is deployed for the desired purpose.With over100 individual grades of stainless steel available, all of which look similar,how can one be sure that the right grade is used for the intended purpose?

Quality Control (QC) and Positive Material Identification (PMI) instruments have become essential pieces of equipment for robust material verification programs.

These tools assist in verifying that the appropriate grade of stainless steel is used in the right place at the right time. Using an incorrect grade can have results that are as basic as monetary loss, or as damaging as the loss of life.

Explosions in chemical and petrochemical plants are strong reminders of the risks of utilizing the wrong alloys. The majority of industries work to confirm the quality of products by analyzing the raw materials employed throughout the system of production.

The Mill Test Report (MTR) is one material verification method among others that can be used to verify goods.

In some examples, the MTR can be incorrect or untrustworthy as a result of confusion in the labeling process. It is best practice to carry out a second validation of the MTR to approve goods.

Any issues can be caught early at the forefront of inspection by utilizing elemental analysis. This avoids the expensive issue of finding out that goods have been produced out of specification after value has been added to them during the fabricationprocess. In many circumstances, the resulting goods must be completely disposed of.

Figure 1.The Niton Apollo in use, validating a Mill Test Report (MTR) prior to fabrication.

Material verification is not only used for planned inspections. QC managers and supervisors have to verify that the right materials are utilized throughout the process of production.

Best practice requires elemental analysis often for regulatory compliance. Testing may follow the part, assembly, or equipment right through to afinal validation before shipping.

An incoming inspection is commonly carried out again once the goods have been received by the customer. Inspections continue along the path to the final use. Inspections can ensue right up to the installation stage, particularly in critical processes.

In installations made before the emergence of the inspection process (such as thirty-year-old refineries), an operating refinery may be shut down so that in-process materials can be tested, which may not have had sufficient testing when first installed.

Both OES (optical emission spectroscopy) and XRF (x-ray fluorescence) have been used in the past to perform the elementalvalidation of materials.

When testing was first established, the extensive instrumentation needed to verify materialswas only found in laboratories. In-process and in-field testing are now possible with the miniaturization of laboratory technologies.

Carbon (C) is a significant alloying element that is introduced to stainless steel to enhance its strength and hardness. The analysis of carbon has been difficult to date. The most commonly used material verification technique, handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF), is unable to identify carbon content.

While Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) can identify carbon, it is only supplied in bulky, large carts, which makes it challenging to use in awkward field surroundings (such as tight spaces, ditches, catwalks, ladders, and more).

Carbon content can vary between 0.005% to 1.2% according to the grade of stainless steel. A high carbon content is not sought after in particular kinds of stainless steel, specifically in welding because of the risk of carbide precipitation.

Due to these reasons, the identification of carbon is crucial for thorough verification of grade and to ensure risk-free operation for the long term.

There is a new tool available to professionals performing material analysis. The Thermo Scientific Niton Apollo handheld LIBS analyzer uses Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) to perform material inspection during the fabrication process.

With a weight of only 6.4 lbs. (2.9 kg.), the Niton Apollo is designed to analyze carbon content in a portable, convenient form factor. In many cases, the requirement for large Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) carts is removed.

Showcasing a powerful laser and a high purity argon purge, the Niton Apollo can verify MTRs, remove the dangers related to the welding of incompatible alloys, and can even discriminate between similar alloy grades.

Configured to offer high-quality results, the Niton Apollo can quantify low carbon levels in L grade stainless steel of an estimated 100 to 300 ppm (parts per million).

For example, this sensitivity allows the Niton Apollo to distinguish the amount of carbon in 304L with ~300 ppm or ~0.03% carbon, from the ~0.06% level in a 304 grade.

Alternative examples of the requirement to test for carbon are 316 vs. 316L or 316H, and 317 vs. 317L. To date, low levels of carbon in stainless steel while in the field have only been quantifiable by large, bulky OES analyzers until recently.

The Niton Apollo handheld LIBS analyzer can be utilized to establish the concentration of carbon for quality control (QC) in the fabrication industry. Its handheld form factor allows users to safely and conveniently carry out material verification directly in the field with laboratory-quality results and accuracy.

The main advantage of this forward-thinking design comes from its optimized repeatability, long-term stability, and accuracy. Thus making the Niton Apollo an essential tool for stainless steel material verification.

Produced from materials originally authored by Jim Pasmore from Thermo Fisher Scientific.

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Thermo Fisher Scientific Handheld Elemental & Radiation Detection.

For more information on this source, please visit Thermo Fisher Scientific Handheld Elemental & Radiation Detection.

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Using the Niton Apollo Handheld LIBS Analyzer for Stainless Steel Testing - AZoM

He's battled against the most extreme conditions on the planet and endured the hardest tackles against the giants of world rugby, but when we speak, Richard Parks is grappling his toddler son Fred and is as besotted a dad as anyone could imagine.

Its wonderful, magical, is his description of fatherhood. Last night I was putting him to bed and drying him after his bathtime and he looked me in the eyes and he just went, Dadas home now, and honestly, I had to get him out quickly before I started filling up.

The obvious question after such a moving statement is how he can possibly keep putting his life in danger as an adventurer to the worlds most inhospitable environments.

He goes on to answer that in depth and is honest in responding to those who question the point of his endeavours and their environmental impact as the world worries about climate change.

We also talk about whether hes going to attempt another solo mission to the South Pole after some of the worst weather in recent years scuppered his attempt to break the world record on the expedition hes just returned from.

This feat saw him break his own British record for skiing coast to pole in Antarctica, solo, unsupported and unassisted, but (to use another un), his unstoppable spirit would make anyone doubt the 42-year-old will be content to leave it there.

Not that his spirits have always been so high, and on the latest expedition he admits he cried just about every day and was constantly battling the bad voice in my head.

This most recent race to the South Pole was the latest of his extreme adventures which started with his pioneering 737 challenge.

His first death-defying expedition or, to be more accurate, series of expeditions, began in 2011, 19 months after a sporting career which had included playing at flanker for Wales and the Barbarians was cut short by a rugby-induced shoulder injury.

His award-winning autobiography Beyond The Horizon charts how hed come to the verge of suicide as he struggled with the end of his playing days.

It was during his grandmothers funeral of all places that the answer for what he should do next came to him, when he heard the vicar say: The horizon is only the limit of our sight.

Within a fortnight hed had those words tattooed on his arm and was developing his world-first challenge to stand on the seven highest summits of the world and the North and South Poles within the same calendar year.

His initial aim with 737 had been to raise 1m for the cancer charity Marie Curie, although the campaign missed that target with a donation of a still very creditable amount of more than 320,000.

On 12 July 2011, he conquered the final part of the 737 challenge, reaching the summit of Russias Mount Elbrus.

Along the way, hed brushed with death after slipping into a deep crevasse in Alaska where he was forced to perch on a ledge for an hour and a half in a dark, icy cavern. Eventually, another group of climbers came along and were able to help rescue him.

Its a measure of the dramatic impact of everything he endured during the 737 challenge that a three-part BBC Wales documentary is still being watched by TV viewers around the world.

The series sees him threatened with losing a big toe to frostbite and battling knee problems. He admits the frostbite was painful and talks about how staff and students at Cardiff Metropolitan University have been helping him overcome the legacy of that injury for his most recent expedition.

Its not something I see as a badge of honour, far from it, he says of the frostbite. It is one of the risks in performing in some of the worlds most hostile environments.

The lasting effect of that particular injury is the impaired circulation in my toe, so my toe gets colder quicker than any other part of my body so my choice of footwear, that was a factor in the design of the orthotic that the podiatry students made.

It was really important that we kept the volume of the boot so that it didnt lose any of its insulation properties. Im able to manage that pretty safely now and its always a consideration, its more susceptible to cold now, but it didnt impact the expedition.

Theres no lasting damage, either, from the medical complications he encountered on a scientific expedition to Everest in 2016, when his blood became dangerously thickened because of the extreme altitude.

The complications that contributed to the decision to abort the Everest expedition were directly related to altitudes and extreme altitude, he explains. Although altitude is a factor in Antarctica, 3,000m is a significant altitude, Ive recovered.

Hes careful not to overstate the physical, mental and emotional toll such mammoth undertakings would have on anyone, but concedes the effort is brutal and to succeed he has to adopt a blend of defiance and humility.

"Theres a huge amount of psychological strain, emotional strain, obviously the physical strain of skiing 16 to 19 hours a day, close to threshold and its relentless.

There was also the sheer will needed to carry on in an increasingly barren Antarctic landscape.

Up to 20 days. I was skiing in whiteouts, good weather, wind chill of minus-45, whatever the conditions and thats demanding, he says.

The first part of the expedition you ski past the Ellsworth mountains and there are features on the horizons, but once youre past the halfway point, there really is nothing and that really challenges all of your focus internally.

Every hour of every day I wrestled the bad voice in my head to quit, or to stop, or to just pitch the tent or, you know, just slow down or, certainly when I when I thought of my family back here in Wales, I would say, I cried every day.

He and his family decided he wasnt going to speak to them at all during the expedition, although they were able to follow his progress.

His only human contact was a brief daily safety call with the Antarctic company supporting his expedition.

As an aside, this companys website advertises the Hercules Inlet to South Pole ski challenge as a guided expedition for $72,875 (56,130) and over 58 days. Unsurprisingly, its described as extremely strenuous.

Richards endeavours naturally went way beyond that and I ask him whether leaving behind his fiance Jo and their almost two-year-old son Fred has made him rethink such a dangerous way of making a living.

Ive reflected on this," he says. Jo and I had the philosophy that in order to be the best parents we had to be the best versions of ourselves and the best version of ourselves in my opinion is an authentic self.

I found a purpose or pathway in life that enables me to use my unique skills to add value to this world and I kind of mean my athleticism as a professional athlete, my business and commercial skills to design and develop the projects.

Im really proud about the social footprint that all of my projects have left behind, particularly this project in Antarctica.

In some ways becoming a dad has not changed anything, but in some ways its changed everything. I know that sounds a bit of clich, but Ive always been always prided myself on my kind of meticulous and sometimes maniacal preparation and training and conditioning and certainly in the past its what kept me safe and successful.

That hasnt changed. This might sound crazy, Ive always been risk averse with a high-risk appetite. I know that sounds crazy and its quite business-y, but thats how I see myself.

But, what Fred has changed is the why, the legacy and making it count and I guess seeing the world, or having an empathy for what the world will be like in 10, 15, 20 years when when Freds growing up, Freds really challenged me to develop projects which add value.

I push him on this, how exactly he does feel he adds value? Hes aware there are those who question the point of his expeditions as well as the impact of flying around the world to some of the most fragile environments.

Ill be really straight, he replies. Ive got a fantastic team around me and Im a smart guy and Im fully aware of the consequences and the trade-off in living the life that I lead, and I dont necessarily mean in direct response to that type of comment.

I mean the price for my family, the financial price of these types of expeditions. Ill be honest, 99.99% of the interactions I have are incredibly positive and supportive and really humbling.

I see the world that young people are inheriting from us and I think the mindset and skills associated with adventure, understanding and mitigating risk, with high aspirations, the confidence and the courage to be able to set ambitious goals, the skills to thrive in an unpredictable, dynamic and volatile world, all of these skills are skills that are the foundations of my performance in these types of environments.

Sharing that, sharing the project, the development, the highs and the lows in real time with young people to help them to develop those skills to thrive in the dynamic world that theyre inheriting, its something I feel very passionate about.

Hes particularly proud that of the involvement of the Cardiff Met students who were given the task of designing and manufacturing various parts of his equipment and he says the benefits went far beyond the items they produced.

Some students signed NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) because the project started two-and-half years ago and even that was a real step for young people, to have an honest conversation about what stays in this room stays in this room and not being able to share on social media, he says.

One of the most widely-reported aspects of this latest expedition was how the worsening weather conditions not only put a stop to Richards world record hopes, but the extra days meant hed have to stretch his food beyond carefully-planned rations hed developed with the students.

He knew from previous expeditions hed be burning 10,000 calories a day and had planned a daily ration of 7,200 calories for this trip.

Pictures from the end of the expedition show the weight loss which came from that energy deficit.

Having mentally dealt with the disappointment of missing out on the world record, he was determined to still achieve the British one.

It was really important to me from an integrity point of view that I reached the South Pole in the way that I had planned, solo, unsupported and unassisted, and I knew if I was to take a food supply, that would invalidate any opportunity to break my own British record, he says.

Then it was just a logistical kind of decision. I pitched the tent and got all the food I had now and laid it out inside my tent its not a very big tent and worked through the calories, what I had, the distance I had left, how I could spread that out evenly.

Along with working out his food allowance, hed also calculated out hed need to go all-in for the last push to the Pole, skiing in seven-and-half-hour blocks with an hours sleep, repeating that around the clock.

That enabled me to to spread the calories out and and to reach the Pole and it worked to perfection because I arrived at the Pole with one energy bar left, he says.

He explains how hed consume three dehydrated meals in each 24-hour period of non-stop sunlight, with most of his calories coming from snacks.

This is where the work the students did changed the game a little bit, the majority of my calories came from nutritionally-balanced snacks throughout the day, so I was consuming 400 calories every hour and 10 minutes through either a ball or a bar or some sort of solid food and 150 calories through a liquid supplement.

These were entirely designed and manufactured by the students and they were nutritionally balanced to make sure that I had the right fats, proteins, sugars, all in line with what specifically suits me so I am incredibly proud of what they did and the work we did together.

They were instrumental in the records that we broke out there.

His ambassadorial roles are deeply important to him as well, among them promoting tourism with Visit Wales.

Theres a number of ways that we can celebrate, promote and be an ambassador for our country, he says. In a small way, carrying my Welsh flag and my Union flag is something I take really seriously.

In a community that is largely dominated by Scandinavian countries to be not just a Brit, but to be a mixed-race Welshman who has skied the most solo, unsupported miles in Antarctic history, thats something Im hugely proud of and Im putting Wales in the history books.

He says hes also conscious of his carbon footprint and is working on ways to lessen that in future.

He's excited about the start of this year's Six Nations and hell go to at least one of the games. But, thats something he couldnt have faced in the past when his rugby-playing career ended prematurely in 2009 from that shoulder injury while with Newport Gwent Dragons.

Its been a journey, he admits. Ive been retired 11 years now and I would say for the first three or four years [it was] still incredibly difficult to watch a game.

Having developed my own, unique niche in this world, Im in a different place now.

I ask if theres any part of him which would still relish the opportunity to run out onto a rugby pitch.

I will always miss the changing room, thats something any rugby player or team sports person will share my feelings on, he replies.

The changing room is a truly, truly special place before and after games, but, no, as far as actually running out onto the pitch or the day-to-day life as a professional rugby player, Im grateful for mine, but Im in a very different place now and I love what I do now.

So, what comes next? How strong is his urge to make another attempt at the world record to the South Pole?

He says hes not even allowing himself to think about that for now.

Of course, it is possible that I could go back, whether its for this record or for a different objective. Its a decision that involves a lot of people and a lot of factors, he replies.

It was a really difficult decision to commit to go back this year. Financially, its a lot of money and there are other considerations, the price on my family, the price on me, the price you pay to train, to sacrifice time with friends and family, the environmental concerns and its not something I take lightly.

I love Antarctica, its a real privilege to be there and if the right project came up with the right factors, of course Id consider it.

I would never say never.

Read the rest here:
Richard Parks takes on his critics and talks about fatherhood in an in-depth interview - Wales Online

As a cyclist, the question that inevitably comes up in casual conversation is What bicycle should I buy?

My counter question is What are you going to use it for?

Some people will want a bike for sport, some for fitness, some want to lose weight, some for getting around the city, some want adventure, some want to go up and down mountains, some want to be speed demons on the road, and some just want to get from one place to the other.

My first bicycle, like a lot of other cyclists, was a BMX. As a kid who knew nothing about bikes, this was sufficient for going around the neighborhood. However, as I started to want to go further and faster, and I had a little more money to spend, I outgrew that bike and stopped biking in favor of other hobbies.

Fast forward 30years and I find myselfbuying a bike out of peer pressure. The people I used to play badminton stopped hitting shuttlecocks and started riding bikes. As I learned then, there are primarily three types of bikes available at your local friendly bike shop: the mountain bike, the road bike, and folding bikes.

The first bicycle I ever bought with my own money was a mountain bike or MTB. For adults, it is a safe entry into the world of cycling. Its relatively thick tires will safely roll over but the deepest pothole and the upright sitting position is pretty friendly. I still ride that bicycle and have logged over 6,000 kilometers on that bike doing crazy rides like the 200km Audax Subic-Masinloc and Manila to Angeles.

Miles Saavedra, a 46-year old Sales Manager whose part of my High School Alumni cycling group, like me, bought a mountain bike. He says that he chose an MTB over road bike as it is flexible on different terrains during rides. You can use it for both paved roads as well as for mountainous trails. I also feel safer riding a bike with wider tires.

Mountain bikers move on to use their bikes on trails, communing with nature or careen down mountains at insane speeds.

When you say bicycles, a road bike is what a lot of people picture in their heads thanks to events like the Tour De France. Curved handlebars provide a number of positions and skinny tires provide less resistance on concrete. However, the riding position and skinny tires might be a little intimidating to newbies. The ride can berough because of the tires have to be inflated to very high pressures. You will feel every bump and pothole on the road.

Doc Andro Umali, a doctor working at one of Manilas busier hospitals, uses a road bike to commute from BGC to Pasig every day.

In his words, Road bikes are faster in terms of geometry, gearing, and handling. It's trickier to maneuver at times and the ride geometry makes stop go traffic a bit harder to manage. But it's faster especially on open roads, the handle bars make it easier to squeeze through traffic. Downside are the narrow tires so extra care is needed.

If youre planning to compete in road races or triathlons, then a solid foundation in pedaling these lithe speed machines is a must.

On the more practical side, Ive written about my love for foldies in an earlier bike commuting article. Its compact size and short handle bars make it agile around traffic. Their downside is their relatively smaller wheels. Because of these, they are a little slower and if youre not careful.

NericaJoy Sim, 26, an ERP implementation consultant is a hardcore folding bike rider. If there was a poster child for women bike commuters, she would be one of the people whod come to mind. I prefer foldies simply because of convenience," she says. "I can bring it anywhere with me without the hassle of parking it outside. Also, in case of emergencies, I can just chuck in the trunk of my Grab car or a bus.

However, Sim has tortured her folding bike like very few others using ingenious ways to fasten cargo of all shapes and sizes. And besides that, regularly brings her foldie up to the mountains of Sierra Madre and has ridden the 200km, 300km, 400km, AND 600km Audax around Northern Luzon.

These are just the basic types of bikes as there are further sub-classifications and combinations of mountain bikes, road bikes, and foldies. The key thing about buying a bike to is to try one first.

For a first-time buyer, Id really recommend patronizing your local bike shop. The prices online might be cheaper, but nothing beats personally scouting around, getting on actual bikes, and riding them for a bit to check it out comfort and fun factor. Bike shops will often have mechanics, too, wholl gladly help make basic adjustments and maintain your prized steed.

Lastly, set aside a couple of thousand pesos for safety gear and accessories. Do not scrimp on a helmet and if youre planning to ride on the city roads, headlights and tail lights are an absolute necessity. Sunglasses may seem like a cosmetic accessory but after riding around, Im grateful for having protection against dust and nasty stuff like small stones that could have caused major eye injury. Sunscreen, arm and leg protectors for skin protection are also recommended.

After that, I wish you the best of luck avoiding the dreaded cyclists disease known as upgraditis.Its the state of mind where you see your bike as a bottomless pit you throw money into to make your bike lighter, faster, or just look cooler. You have been warned.

In the end, the worst bicycle you can get is the one that you will never use. The one thats forgotten in some deep dark corner of your house rusting its way to the scrap heap. The bicycles that are dirty, well-worn, and have seen kilometers upon kilometers of riding are the stuff memories are made of.

See you on the road.

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Buying your first bike as an adult? Here are your three main options - ABS-CBN News

After a long and for the New York Mets specifically, rather bizarre winter, things are back to normal: pitchers and catchers are officially reporting for duty in Port St. Lucie on Monday. With that likely comes a number of feel-good stories about players looking to turn things around. Or, there are those who have reported to camp in the best shape of their professional baseball life.

Those story lines wont be limited to just the Mets, of course there will be many of those stories being told all over Florida and Arizona in advance of Opening Day next month. Reliever Jeurys Familia is firmly in the best shape of my life camp since hes spent the offseason shedding a ton of weight (30 pounds, to be exact).

Familia completely transforming his body over the last few months was the best remedy to put a horrific 2019 campaign in the rearview mirror. Expected to be a crucial cog with Edwin Diaz at the backend of ballgames, the right-hander was worth -0.2 fWAR thanks in part to a 5.70 ERA and 15.3% walk rate. With both him and Diaz having a bounce-back performance on their respective minds for 2020 to go along with the signing of Dellin Betances, that spurred Familia to say the Mets have baseballs best bullpen heading into this season.

Of course, one of his statements begin with the usual If everybody is healthy, which we all know is a big if each year for New York. If manager Luis Rojas relief corps is going to make good on Familias statement and offseason projections, the 30-year-old has to get himself back into form.

Losing all that weight gives us an idea of how serious Familia is about bouncing back, but thats far from the most important development when talking about the progress hes made this offseason. Its this quote from general manager Brodie Van Wagenen that caught my eye, which was captured by theNew York Post and mentioned again on Sunday by MMOs Rob Piersall:

Jeurys has been a man on a mission this offseason. He has worked with our health and performance department to improve in every aspect of his preparation. In addition to losing weight, he has spent time with [pitching coach] Jeremy Hefner to better understand his mechanics and his approach. He has been throwing off the mound at Citi Field since before the holidays.

Getting trimmer as Familia has is a worthy exercise that will hopefully boost his on-field performance, but it wouldnt have meant nearly as much if he hadnt paired that with working on his mechanics and committing it all to muscle memory with Hefner at the same time. When a player loses a significant amount of weight, there are a lot of physiological changes that happen with their rhythm, balance, and just general feel for what theyre doing. Familia mentioned such himself when talking about the extra weight he carried during 2019 negatively impacted him (also viathe New York Post):

Ive never had a year like that. Gaining weight affected my delivery to the plate and messed up my rhythm, which is why I started training to take the weight off this offseason.

This time around, Familia made sure the mechanics of his motion evolved as the pounds melted off. That could be key toward a turnaround in 2020, and either way, its clear Hefner has already been putting in a lot of work with certain members of this pitching staff to set them up for success.

What will be most crucial with these improved mechanics will be the performance of Familias four-seam fastball and sinker, two of his three most-used pitches last season. His slider (the second-most used pitch) was easily the best of his arsenal that offering produced a 51 opponent wRC+ to go along with a 6.5% walk rate and 40.3% strikeout rate.

His four-seamer and sinker, though? Both struggled considerably. The right-handers four-seamer generated a 21.1% strikeout and walk rate, while opposing hitters posted a 216 wRC+. His sinker wasnt much better: hitters finished with a lower 151 wRC+, but it was accompanied by an 18.3% walk rate and 14.5% strikeout rate.

Upon peeking at his career pitch split numbers, its not as if these two pitches have been utterly dominant, but theyve been much better than what they were this past year (opponent wRC+ marks of 118 and 95, respectively). A better overall performance from these two offerings will likely lead to even better numbers for his slider (29 opponent wRC+ with a 4.8% walk rate and 47.0% strikeout rate for his career).

Despite the rough season-long numbers for his four-seamer and sinker, there was some improvement between the first and second half of 2019. While the value of these pitches were bunched together under his fastball, FanGraphs tabbed the per-100-pitch value of this area as going from -1.23 prior to the All-Star break to -0.88 following the midsummer classic. Nothing huge, but its at least progress.

While its easy to get in the gym and be on a nutrition plan that yields terrific physical results, any professional athlete needs to pair that with the repetition of whatever their athletic endeavor is to truly make a difference moving forward. Two of the Mets most crucial bullpen hurlers Familia and Diaz have seemingly paid a lot of attention to that this winter.

Now they just have to stay healthy and actually perform up to expectation in the coming months.

See the article here:
Familia's Weight Loss Won't Be What Leads to His Success - metsmerizedonline.com

The reality of being a celebrity is people look up to you but thats not always positive. Adele recently shocked fans by debuting her dramatic weight loss and followers flocked to the comments section of her Instagram, complimenting the 31-year-old songstress on her slimmed-down physique. And they had an important question for her: How did Adele manage to drop so much weight so quickly?

A-listers often promote less than healthy lifestyles, especially iftheyre preparing for a movie role or going on tour. But Adele has always beensuch a shining example of body positivity and proving that women can be beautifulat any size.

The British singer/songwriter still looks exceptional. But healthexperts worry her fans might try to follow the same restrictive, possibly dangerousdiet regimen Adele used to shed pounds.

Adele isnt theonly famous name to hop on the Sirtfood Diet bandwagon. Apparently, Catherine,the Duchess of Cambridges sister Pippa Middleton is also a fan.

The Sirtfood Diet focuses on incorporating low-calorie foods and green juices in specific combinations. Users report significant weight loss because the regimen is incredibly restrictive and limits users calorie intake to 1,000 calories in the beginning and 1,500 calories on the last day. Sirtfood comes from the incorporation of foods high in sirtuin activators, which are believed to increase your metabolism and burn fat.

The vastlyreduced caloric intake is the main issue health experts have with the diet.And because its so restrictive, its not a practical long-term weight losssolution. In other words, if Adele starts eating a more typical 2,000 calorieper day diet again, she could easily gain back all the weight she lost.

For the first week of the Sirtfood Diet, followers stick to drinking three green smoothies per day with just one small meal. Though Adele lost a huge amount of weight following the plan, once she returns to normal eating that weight can come back.

With restrictions like that, its easy to see how the singer lost a considerable amount of weight. However, nutritionists caution that following these types of diets can be dangerous for your body. Famed personal trainer Alice Liveing called out Adeles trainer on Instagram, calling her methods shady.

For the record, no credible trainerwould agree to their client eating only 1,000 [calories] a day, Clean EatingAlice wrote. She went on to accuse Adeles trainer Camila of using her celebrityclients to gain notoriety.

Besides just the eating plan, Adele alsoincorporated a newworkout regimen which included a combination of cardio, circuit training, andPilates.

Besides the Instagram caption, I usedto cry but now I sweat, Adele hasnt been too candid about her dramatic weightloss or the impact its had on her life. The Grammy-award winner split from herhusband Simon Konecki in April 2019 and finalized her divorce in September.

Its clear that Adele is on a journey ofself-discovery as a single mother with a total lifestyle overhaul. But fans hopeshes not overdoing it with an overly restrictive diet that may not be veryhealthy.

Read more here:
Adele Lost Weight Following the Trendy Sirtfood Diet, But Experts Say It Could Be Dangerous - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Getty / PeopleImages If You Want to Lose Weight, Try Strength Training at Least 3 Times a Week -Here's Why

There are a lot of things to consider when you're working out, especially if your goal is weight loss. There isn't one perfect exercise, workout, or diet that will guarantee weight loss, but generally speaking, experts have found that incorporating strength training and cardio into your workout routine (along with implementing a nutritional plan tailored to your needs) can help.

"For weight loss, you need 250 minutes [per week], or more, of physical activity in at least the moderate-intensity category in order to show appreciable weight loss," Heather Milton, MS, RCEP, CSCS, an exercise physiologist clinical specialist at NYU Langone's Sports Performance Center, told POPSUGAR. We'd be remiss if we didn't state that factors such as the amount of sleep you get, your genetics, and other variables, like stress, also play a critical role in weight loss.

If you're going from sedentary to physically active, "You're going to see changes, especially if you pair it with diet," Heather explained. As your body acclimates to exercise, the goal is to increase the amount of time you're physically active to a minimum of 250 or 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (for example, walking at a brisk pace, hiking, biking, dancing, aerobics, and weight training) per week, Heather continued. You may be tempted to hit the gym for long durations of time, but Heather advises against trying to reach this time goal in one or two sessions. Instead, she recommends splitting it up throughout the week.

It's often assumed that doing more aerobic exercise, such as running, can help with weight loss. And although cardio can help you lose weight, Heather said, "There's more literature coming out for weight loss, especially if you pair it with diet, that if you can consistently do three days per week of resistance training, whole-body resistance training, that can have a very good effect for helping to lose weight because you're improving your metabolism at the same time you're burning fat." Resistance training is beneficial because it allows you to preserve your muscle mass while you're losing fat, which means your metabolism isn't affected, Heather explained.

Video: 7 incredible results you'll get from walking 30 minutes a day (Courtesy: Prevention)

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It may take some trial and error to figure out a workout plan that works for you, and we recommend easing yourself into a fitness routine, especially if you're a beginner, then advancing the intensity and frequency as you begin to feel more comfortable with training. If you're looking for a more individualized plan, we suggest working with experts such as personal trainers, exercise physiologists, and registered dietitians to develop a program that's best for your lifestyle and goals.

Slideshow: The 50 all-time best exercises for weight loss (Courtesy: The Active Times)

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If You Want to Lose Weight, Try Strength Training at Least 3 Times a Week - Here's Why - msnNOW

If youve entered that new decade deciding that you will be losing weight and making some actual effort to be healthier, then chances are you overindulged a bit during the Christmas season. But no need to feel bad at all, the most wonderful time of the year, after all, comes only once a year, and we get how easy it is to be carried away by the festivities.

But before you click away and look for the latest health fad to follow, here are some of the most common health myths concerning weight loss and weight management that you may not be aware of. Read on.

All sugar is bad for you

Youve probably heard (or read) countless health experts telling you to avoid sugar because all of it is bad for you. However, before you try to eliminate it, know that sugar is naturally found in fruits and vegetables, as well as plain milk and other dairy products. And while its easy to go overboard with sugar, controlling your intake of it is still good and recommended.

Lemon water helps with weight loss

While drinking lemon water is healthy in itself, youve probably heard that it can also help you lose weight. Turns out, this is true in a sense, given that you start drinking it instead of sweet and carbonated beverages. So it can be effective, though it needs a bit of effort on your part too. In any case, you still get hydrated and get the added benefit of vitamin C.

Natural sweeteners are not sugars

Hate to break it to you, but it is. This is because sugar is found naturally in whole foods, such as honey, maple syrup and even fruit juices. As such, exercising moderation is still recommended.

All fats are bad for you

We dont blame you, fats sound evil. However, this is wrong since there are lot of healthy fats that can benefit your health. The key, however, is to find out which ones are good for you. As such, make sure to replace the saturated fats in your diet with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, which can be found in olive oil, avocados, nuts and fish.

Lemon-infused water is a better energy booster than caffeine-packed coffee. Pixabay

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Drinking Lemon Water For Weight Loss And Other Myths Debunked - Medical Daily