Q: To get better at MMA, you'll need to become proficient in basic strikes and grappling techniques. The basic punches include hooks, jabs, straights, and uppercuts. You'll also want to learn basic push and roundhouse kicks. In grappling, you'll want to learn the different positions and how to do basic moves like armbars, triangle chokes, and the rear naked choke. Practice mastering these basic techniques before advancing to more elaborate techniques. Going to class regularly will keep your skills sharp and can keep you in shape. Try not to take too much time off in between classes when you're starting off. Go to at least three classes per week and then pace yourself to see how many classes you feel comfortable going to each week. While being sore is natural, you don't want to overdo it. When you get physically fatigued, overly sore, or injured, take time off from training and let your body recover. If you don't let your body recover from training, you can become weaker and less focused. Fatigue, weakness, decreased performance, and constant muscle soreness are signs of overtraining. Sparring is the portion of your training when you get to test your technique on a fellow classmate. Don't be scared to exchange punches and kicks with your classmate. When sparring, go in with an end goal in mind, like scoring a flush roundhouse kick or working to improve your distance making with your jab. Work on perfecting the basics on a moving target, and remember to pace yourself. The goal of sparring is to perfect your technique, not to hurt your opponent. It's good manners to shake your opponent's hand before and after sparring. Sparring partners will often try to match your intensity, so expect to get what you give. Rolling is when you practice your grappling techniques on a classmate without incorporating strikes. Grappling and wrestling can be grueling, and it takes a lot of endurance, so take your time and pace yourself. Practice getting out of tough situations, gaining superior positioning, and trying various submissions. Even though training and practicing technique is essential, it's also important that you work to improve your strength and endurance. Squats, deadlifts, and bench presses combined with regular sprinting, jump rope, and stretching will make you stronger, quicker, and more flexible. Designate one or two days a week in your training to work on your strength and conditioning along with your technique training. Make sure to check with the local governing body for fighting sports in your state before you sign up to compete so that you're aware of all rules and regulations. Typically when you're ready to fight, your gym or trainer will help you register for an organized competition. Talk to them and make a decision on which kind of competition or fight you want to compete in. Keep track of the things you're eating by writing down the different meals that you have throughout the day and counting your calorie and nutrient intake. You'll want to hydrate yourself and maintain a diet that's high in protein and carbohydrates. If you're training heavily, try to maintain a diet of 1 gram (0.035oz) of carbs and protein per pound that you weigh. Your diet should also contain plenty of omega-3 fats and traditional vitamins and minerals.
A: Get the basics down first. Go to class regularly. Don't overtrain. Spar with your classmates. Roll with your classmates. Work on your strength and conditioning. Sign up for amateur competitions. Maintain a healthy diet.

Q: Sometimes jealousy can be a sign of a larger issue in your relationship. Ask yourself whether your husband wants you to spend less time with your friends just so that he can keep an eye on you and keep you away from your support network. Does he check up on you all the time? Does he try to limit your access to your family as well? These may be signs of attempts to control you and can be signs of an abusive spouse. If he continues to act in the same controlling manner, let him know that you are unwilling to tolerate the behavior. If it becomes necessary, you might need to tell him that you are considering leaving because you don't feel safe and appreciated in the relationship. Excessive control is a marker of abuse in a relationship -- no one should have to tolerate it. Only he can stop being jealous and controlling. If he refuses to stop his behavior, leaving is often the only choice. It might spur him to get help and attempt to deal with his problem. If he does not deal with the problem, realize that you might need to leave him for good.
A: Consider whether your husband's jealousy is about control. Talk to your husband about your concerns. Prepare to leave if he won't change.

Q: Every cookie dough recipe is a little different, so you should carefully review the specific recipe before proceeding. That said, most cookie dough recipes share the same basic ingredients in various proportions. Use the following guidelines to prepare cookie dough if you have a list of ingredients but lost the instructions that go with it. Most cookie dough recipes use some type of fat, sugar, eggs, and flour. Salt and baking powder are not used as consistently but do appear in many cookie dough recipes as leavening agents. Butter is the most common fat used, but shortening is also used frequently. Butter creates crisper, thinner cookies, while shortening creates soft, cake-like cookies. Vanilla extract also appears in most cookie dough recipes. Note that ready-to-eat or safe-to-eat cookies doughs don't contain eggs. For best results, cut the cold butter into pieces and allow it to sit out at room temperature up to 30 minutes. The butter should be soft enough for you to leave an indentation with your thumb. Do not let the butter melt, though. Softened butter and margarine are easier to combine with other ingredients. If running short on time, you can microwave the cold butter for 10-second intervals until softened. If using margarine instead of butter, make sure that the margarine contains 80 percent vegetable oil or more. If your recipe calls for both butter and shortening, you should cream them together with an electric mixer until smooth. Even if your recipe only contains one or the other, you should still consider beating the fat with an electric mixture until smooth. Doing so removes any lumps and allows the fat to mix into the dough more effectively. Use an electric mixer to beat in the sugar, salt, and baking powder or baking soda. These ingredients should be completely combined with the fat. Cream these ingredients until the consistency and color both become lighter. This process creates air bubbles in the dough, thereby creating lighter cookies. Do not overbeat the dough, though, especially at this stage. Use an electric mixer to beat the eggs in one at a time on medium speed. Add the vanilla extract simultaneously or immediately after. Beat until you remove all streaks of egg or extract. Consider leaving the eggs out at room temperature for 30 minutes before use. This makes it easier for the eggs to incorporate air in the batter, which creates lighter cookies. Use an electric mixer to beat in as much flour as possible, adding it slowly to the dough. When the mixer begins to strain, switch to a wooden spoon and stir the remaining flour into the dough that way. Stand mixers can usually take the strain, so you may not need to do any stirring if using one. Hand-held mixers are less durable, though, and should be swapped out toward the end to prevent the mixer from burning out completely. Any chocolate chips, nuts, or similar ingredients should be stirred in after the flour. Saving instructions and baking instructions vary, so it is best to find instructions that are specific to your recipe. Generally, you can wrap your dough tightly in plastic wrap and save it in the refrigerator for a week. Many cookie recipes bake around 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) for 8 to 15 minutes.
A:
Review the ingredients. Soften the butter. Beat the butter and shortening together. Add the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually add the flour. Save or bake as directed.