Start by determining what meals you are going to prepare at home for the week. Make sure you cover breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as snacks. Draw up a grocery list and then go shopping for food at the beginning of the week so you have ingredients on hand to make meals. Look up healthy recipes online or in a cookbook so you can integrate them into your meals. Opt for cooking at home most days of the week so you can have healthy, nutrient rich meals. When you do eat out, opt for the healthy items on the menu. Try to follow the same diet you cook at home when you dine out. Make sure your meals are high in fresh fruits and vegetables as well as whole-wheat grains. Opt for healthy sources of protein like chicken, fish, and tofu. Add herbs and spices to your meals to give them flavor without adding calories. Control your portions so you do not eat more than your body needs. Use smaller plates or bowls for your meals and have a little at a time so you can eat until you feel full or satisfied. Prepare vegetables or fruits first and then add protein or grains to the pot so your meals are balanced. Avoid eating out of large containers, bags, or bowls, as this can increase your portion sizes. Take small bites of your food and chew it slowly so you can savor your food. Opt for healthy snacks like nuts, granola, or sliced fruits and vegetables. Pack healthy snacks in your bag so you can have them when you are on the go. Make sure you snack between meals so you do not become too hungry and eat too much at meal time. Foods that are prepackaged or processed are usually low in nutrients and high in empty calories. Limit your intake of fast food to once a month so you maintain a healthy diet. Avoid unhealthy snacks like chips, cookies, cake, or fried foods. Do not keep them in the house or in your bag so you are not tempted to eat them. Stop eating foods that are high in trans fat, like donuts, cakes, frozen pizzas, and fast foods. Try to eat less than 2.3 grams (2,300 mg) of sodium every day. Eating too much sodium can cause you to retain fluids and gain weight. Water won't have all the calories that sodas and juices have, and it will keep you hydrated. Drinking water every day with your meals can also make you more full so you don't consume as many calories.

Summary: Create a weekly meal plan and cook at home as much as you can. Load up on fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains. Have small portion sizes at each meal. Go for healthy snacks between meals. Avoid foods high in fat, sugar, and salt. Drink water instead of sugary sodas and juices.

Since the cyanuric acid needs to be balanced with the other chemicals in your pool, it's important to check this balance every week. For example, you might find that while cyanuric acid levels are fine, your chlorine level is off. If your outdoor pool doesn't have a cover and there's a lot of rainfall, the cyanuric acid may become diluted and ineffective. Remember to check the cyanuric acid levels if the pool's water becomes diluted. You can test the cyanuric acid levels as often as you like. If you believe the balance of your pool is off, test the cyanuric acid levels again even if it hasn't been a week since the last test. Buy strips that are chemically formulated to detect cyanuric acid. Keep in mind that many basic kits only test for chlorine and pH levels so you may need to buy a more advanced kit. To use a strip, dip it in the water for about 30 seconds and compare the color on the strip to the color on the chart that came with the strips. This will tell you the cyanuric acid level in the water. Purchase test strips online or from your local pool supply store. Some kits will come with a small container for gathering a water sample. Add the powdered solution and swirl the container so the water dissolves the solution. Wait 1 to 3 minutes and fill a sample cell with some untested pool water. Once the time is up, fill another sample cell with some of the tested pool water. You'll now be able to compare the results to an untested sample. Use the chart that came with the test kit to determine the cyanuric acid level in your pool. If you don't want to test the water yourself, fill a container with water and take it to your local pool supply store where they can test it for you. You'll need to gather about 2 tablespoons (30ml). The cyanuric acid in your pool should be between 30 and 50 ppm, although some find it more effective closer to 80 ppm. Keep in mind that the higher your cyanuric acid levels, the weaker your chlorine becomes. The World Health Organization recommends that cyanuric acid levels don't exceed 100 ppm.

Summary: Plan on testing the water at least once a week. Retest the water after it's been diluted. Use test strips. Consider using a liquid turbidity test kit. Determine if you need to add cyanuric acid to your pool.

Purchase an adhesive spray online or at an arts and crafts store. Lay the acoustic panels on the floor, bumpy side down. Spray the back of the panels in a back and forth motion, but leave the edges of the foam unsprayed to make it easier to cut later. If you have foam panels that came with adhesive on the back, you can skip this step. You can purchase adhesive spray online or at an arts and crafts store. Gluing cardboard to the back of the foam will make it easier for the Command strips to stick to the panels. Press and hold the foam against the cardboard for 30 seconds. Using cardboard will make your acoustic foam reusable and will prevent damage to your wall. Leave the foam in a well-ventilated area for 1 or 2 hours, then check to make sure the foam is dry. The foam should remain firm on the cardboard and shouldn't shift around when you touch it. You can put the foam in front of a window or fan to quicken the drying process. Do not cut into the foam itself. Position your scissors and cut along the inside edge cardboard. It's okay if the foam overlaps the cardboard. No cardboard should be visible when looking at the bumpy side of the foam panels. Command strips are small rectangles that have an easily removable adhesive. Remove the paper tab on the Command strips and place 1 in each corner on the backside of the foam panel. Press against the Command strip for 10 seconds to make sure it stays attached to the cardboard. The Command strip should be stuck to the cardboard, not to the foam. Remove the other paper tab to reveal the adhesive, then carefully line up your acoustic foam panel in the corner of the area that you drew before. Press the back side of the foam against the wall and hold it for 30 seconds. This should secure it in place. Continue repeating the steps to apply a row of acoustic foam on your wall. Continue adding more pieces of the foam until you fill up the desired space. Once all the pieces have been installed, use an eraser to remove the pencil marks that you created. Alternate the direction of the pattern on the acoustic panels for maximum effectiveness and visual appeal.
Summary: Spray the backside of the foam pieces with adhesive spray. Press the foam against a piece of cardboard, adhesive side down. Let the glue dry. Cut off the excess cardboard around the foam. Put Command strips on the backside of the panels. Press the acoustic foam against the wall. Finish installing the remaining panels.