In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Research has shown that people attempting to lose weight do so with more long-term success when they record their actions in a journal. It allows them to have a sense of accountability and control over their bodies. You can write in your journal before you take any physical steps to lose weight. Why do you want to lose weight? How will you combat defeatist thinking when things become difficult? How will you avoid making excuses? Record what meals and snacks you have and at what times of the day you have them. This will help you see what kind of eating patterns you maintain on a daily basis. Did you try a new recipe that you really enjoyed? Did you find a healthy snack that you can bring with you to work? Take note of it here. Make note of any exercise that you perform during the day. Be specific. If you went to the gym, note which machines you used (such as the rowing machine or the elliptical) and for how long you used them. Note, too, how you feel after you exercise. If you're thinking about skipping the gym, go back through your journal and let these comments remind you how much better you feel after a workout. Discuss your fears, anxieties and celebrations in the journal, too. Be honest with yourself about the struggles you might face as you lose weight. Make it a part of your nighttime ritual. You should block a regular time in the evening to think back on your day and enter this information into your journal. Don't police yourself. The journal should just be a log of your daily life there is no wrong or right way to fill it out. Don't feel ashamed if you had pizza on Friday night. Record everything honestly and without shame. Perhaps your overall goal is to lose 50 pounds or to get into a certain jeans size. But having large or unrealistic goals can often derail your broader efforts. Instead, focus on small, easily achievable goals to start your weight loss plan. If you set a very small goal, such as eating a side salad with your lunch, it can be harder to make an excuse to get out of it than if you set a large, unrealistic goal, like only eating salad for lunch all week. For example, if you drink soda on a regular basis, try to eliminate it from your diet three days a week instead of completely banishing it from your diet. If you gradually wean yourself off of it, you will have more success than if you attempt to quit it outright. If you are new to exercise, try to gradually move more each day. You can plan to walk around the block after getting home from work or simply take the stairs at your office instead of using the elevator. Revisit these goals regularly. If you have met your goal, then set a new short-term goal and work toward achieving it. Tell your friends and family about your plans and ask for their support and encouragement. If you have any friends who want to lose weight, ask if they want to team up so you can hold each other accountable. Allow your support network to encourage you when you feel down and to celebrate your achievements. One study found that those who signed up for a weight loss program with a friend were more successful in keeping the weight off. If you plan to undergo a sustained diet or exercise routine, you should always consult with your doctor about this first. There might also be a chance that your reasons for weight gain are tied to other medical conditions. Some of these might include: Underactive thyroid: An underactive thyroid means that your body may not produce enough thyroid hormone to effectively burn stored fat. Hormonal changes: Different stages in life may produce a shift in hormones, which can lead to weight gain. Examples include menopause, pregnancy and puberty. In some cases, a course of hormone replacement therapy might be prescribed in order to ease the patient's symptoms. Chronic stress: If you're in a constant state of stress and anxiety, your body may produce a chemical called cortisol. In these cases, your doctor might recommend methods for lowering your cortisol production in addition to a nutrition and exercise plan. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): More than 5 million women in the U.S. suffer from PCOS, which is a result of a hormonal imbalance. Symptoms include irregular menstrual bleeding, acne, weight gain and difficulty getting pregnant. Your doctor might prescribe a course of oral contraceptives or Metformin to control your symptoms. Cushing's syndrome: People who have Cushing's syndrome have adrenal glands that produce too much cortisol, which causes your body to store excess fat. History of eating disorders: Eating disorders can have a major effect on your metabolism, which may lead to difficulty losing weight. Other conditions: Your doctor may identify other relevant medical conditions that are contributing to your weight gain.
Summary: Keep a weight loss journal. Set small, achievable goals. Establish a support system. Talk to your doctor.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: When you first start playing, you'll want to play against bots first. This will help you learn how to play the game and get comfortable with the controls, so that when you play with your friends you won't be a terrible teammate. Click on "Play Dota" at the bottom right, then choose "Practice With Bots", where you will be able to select the difficulty and team. Always play against bots first. The strangers you get paired against will not be...welcoming if you suck. Another way to play against bots is to join a Co-op bot match. With this type of game you will play with strangers or your team (if you become part of a team) against bots. When you've got a good idea of how to play the game, you can play against and with your friends. Nothing build friendships like killing your friends and insulting their moms. Create a lobby from the play menu and either password protect it to only play with your friends or leave it open to play against a few friends and a few strangers. If you enjoy having your playing aptitude, gender, and sexual preference mocked or simply enjoy making strangers look like idiots by thoroughly beating them, play a match or play a team match (if you have a team). Choose your game mode. Sometimes you might want to change your game mode. This is possible for any matchmaking game, as well as lobby games. Game modes affect how you can choose the heroes that you, your teammates, and the opposing team play with. "All Pick" is wide open. "Single Draft" gives players a choice of three heroes based on attribute. "Captain's Mode" (the standard format for championship games) allows team captains to choose heroes in turn for their players from a nearly unlimited pool. "Random Draft" gives players a 22 hero pool to choose from and turns are taken in choosing heroes. "Least Played" removes your 40 most-played characters from the pool. "Limited Heroes" is limited to the easiest to play heroes. "All Random" is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Adjust settings. Don't forget to make sure the settings are correct when you go to join a match. The settings can help get you matched with the right people and make sure your connection is strong, combating rage-inducing lag. Remember: Lag kills. Friends don't let friends lag. The most important setting to pay attention to is region or server location. You want to play against people and with people that are close to you if you know your connection is slow. This will help ease lag issues.
Summary:
Fight against bots. Fight against friends. Fight against strangers.