INPUT ARTICLE: Article: One-on-one coaching is a great way to take your singing skills to the next level. You can find a local instructor by searching online or asking your peers for recommendations. In addition, many singers offer virtual, video instruction options. Find a lesson plan that works with your schedule. While this is not required, it helps you learn new skills and get a professional opinion. Having someone else listen to your voice and offer feedback is extremely helpful when developing your skills. Even professional singers, like Celine Dion, have vocal coaches! The best way to improve your singing voice is to sing as much as you can. To do this, set aside a short practice session every day. You can also sing throughout your day to maintain your skills and work on new abilities. Sing your favorite song, or learn the lyrics to a new one. Over time, your voice may become clearer and stronger. If your schedule permits it, sing for 1-3 hours a day! Be sure to take a 30-minute break after each 30-minute singing session to allow your voice to rest. During the break, memorize lyrics, work on your posture, or practice breath control. If you have an important event coming up, don't strain your voice the night before. Instead of a massive practice session, sing for just a few minutes as a warm-up. Start with a "C" note, and sing all of the notes in the scale until you reach "C" in the next octave. Then, do this for the next octave of notes. You can listen to video tutorials or use an app like Sing-Sharp to follow along with the pitch. This helps you practice singing higher and lower notes and develop your range. For best results, practice your scales every day. You can do this as part of your warm-up exercises. This is super important when singing like a professional. To check this, play a song with a steady beat, and sing along with the melody. If you are on key, your voice will easily blend in with the music. If you are off key, your voice will sound harsh and unpleasant. In addition, you can use a digital tuner you help you. When the tuner plays a note, and sing the tone and match it to the best of your ability. The tuner indicates if you are singing too high or too low, and then adjust your pitch as needed. There are also apps, like Sing-scope, that you can use in place of a tuner. If your tone is off, then your singing voice may sound sloppy and unprofessional. You can use a smartphone, computer microphone, or an online song recorder. Sing a song you are very familiar with, and then listen to the song after you record it. Listen for mistakes and places for improvement, and also note what you did well. To use your smartphone, look for the "Microphone" app on your phone to get started. To use your computer, click on the "Start" button and search for "Microphone" on your application list. You can also use sites like https://online-voice-recorder.com/. Singing like a professional starts with taking care of yourself. Always drink 8 glasses of water a day, as your voice sounds best when you are hydrated. Don't smoke cigarettes, and avoid foods that affect your voice, such as milk, alcohol, coffee, and nuts. These are harsh on the throat and can alter your singing voice. In addition, avoid singing when you have a cold or your throat feels scratchy. Let your voice rest, and drink some warm tea with honey.

SUMMARY: Find a singing mentor or instructor to get professional assistance. Sing for several 30-minute sessions a day to practice regularly. Practice your scales and octaves regularly. Use a familiar song or digital tuner to make sure you sing in tune. Record your singing voice with a microphone to track your progress. Maintain a healthy lifestyle to protect your voice.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Look for typos and grammatical errors. Read the story out loud to yourself, listening for awkward sentences and sections. Revise as needed. Cut any superfluous content. If a certain line (or even paragraph) doesn't move the story along in some way, it doesn't need to be there. Be ruthless in your editing. Check to make sure your story still fits into the guidelines. Format it to the contest's specifications. A great way to do that is to join a group of writers and editors for workshopping. Workshopping is just where everyone brings a piece of writing, and each person reads everyone else's, offering critiques and suggestions. Look for a workshopping group in your area; you can try asking at your local library. You can also find groups online. Be sure that if you are posting your story online that it is in a private group, otherwise you may run into copyright issues if you want to publish it elsewhere. Duotrope will help you find journals that run contests. Though they charge a small fee per month, they have a large database of journals. Submittable is used by a large number of journals. If there is an option to submit using this website, do it. This makes it much easier to keep up with where you submitted your short story. Plus, it tells you when your story is in-progress and when it's been rejected or accepted. Entering your work somewhere is a big step. You can always try other contests or literary magazines. Also, don't be afraid to look at the story again and see if it needs to be revised, especially if the judges offer any specific critique.

SUMMARY: Proofread over and over again. Have someone else read it. Use Duotrope and Submittable. Don't be too disappointed if you don't win.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Probiotics are live yeasts and bacteria that are found naturally in your body. Foods containing probiotics help keep your gut healthy and move digested food through your stomach and intestines. A small serving of Greek yogurt is ideal. Make sure it is low in sodium and contains active cultures. You can opt for kefir in place of yogurt. Kefir is a probiotic beverage available in most grocery stores. It may seem counterintuitive, but carbs actually raise the amount of water that your body stores. You can help your body reduce water weight by getting all your carbs from fruits and vegetables that day Eat salads instead of sandwiches. Don't eat breads, pastas, or other refined grain products. Studies suggest that maintaining a low-carb diet just three days a week can help you shed a few pounds and maintain your weight better. You are more likely to burn off calories that are consumed earlier in the day than those consumed later on, so eat the bulk of your daily calorie intake during the morning and early afternoon. Try to cut your meal sizes in half, or at least reduce your portion size for meals eaten later in the day.

SUMMARY:
Eat foods that contain probiotics. Cut out carbohydrates on the day you want to lose weight. Eat less as the day goes on.