Life insurance can play a huge role when it comes to financial planning. Whether you’re a single dad, married, or co-parenting with someone else, you should have the proper information. Here are some tips that can help you, as a dad, take the right path when deciding on life insurance.

The Application Should Be Accurate and Specific

To get life insurance, you’ll have to complete an application where you will disclose your medical history and aspects of your lifestyle. The medical history will have to include all your medical conditions and surgeries you’ve had or are planning to have.

The chances are that your insurance provider will want to know about your lifestyle. This includes if you engage in what is considered to be high-risk activities like sky-diving, participating in Ironman triathlons, and more. Keep in mind that every provider has a different definition of what activities are considered high-risk.

Your life insurance application will need to include any future travel plans and how long you will be traveling since some destinations are risky. Not every country has sufficient coverage by medical professionals, or they may have widespread diseases.

Life Insurance Is a Guaranteed Stream of Income

The point of this insurance is to replace your current income if something were to happen to you. It’s a security blanket for your dependents. The amount that you get depends on your provider and your policy.

There Are Exclusions to Your Policy

You may not be covered under your life insurance policy if you are engaging in high-risk activities or traveling to high-risk areas. Some policies also have a “contestability period” that lasts about two years, where the provider will have the power to look into your death.

When picking a policy, please take into consideration the age of your kids and their needs long-term.

You’ve probably heard of the guy who quits drinking soda and loses 10 pounds in a matter of months. Although results for something so simple may seem too good to be true, small lifestyle changes can help weight loss.

When it comes to losing weight, your approach does not have to be excruciatingly painful to be effective. Let’s go back to the soda example: suppose you drink two sodas per day. Given that one soda contains about 240 calories, switching to water will save you 3,360 calories per week (or, okay, sparkling water). That means that simply giving up soda will cause you to lose nearly a pound or 3,500 calories.

Healthy Habits for Healthy Weight Loss

Even if you don’t drink soda, there are a plethora of simple, everyday habits you can implement to help you lose weight (or continue to maintain the weight you are). Andy Yurechko, R.D., M.S., of Georgia’s Augusta University Medical Center, believes that the most successful dieters avoid fads and instead focus on long-term sustainable practices. Here are the top five of them.

#1. Clear Goal

A clear goal is one that anyone on the planet can measure and comprehend. Write down your goal and keep it somewhere visible as a reminder when you’re about to give up. If you want to lose a specific amount of weight, weigh yourself before you begin. Then, daily, weigh yourself. Daily weigh-ins have been shown in studies to improve weight loss efforts. However, do not live and die by the number. Remember that a scale cannot distinguish between fat and lean body mass—but it can help keep things in check.

#2. Drinking More Water

First and foremost, everyone should drink plenty of water—your body requires it to function properly. And there’s a benefit of doing so for people who want to lose weight. Dr. Brenda Davy and her Virginia Tech University colleagues discovered that giving people 2 cups of water before each meal resulted in a greater fat loss after 12 weeks. The reason is simple: it fills you up so you eat less.

#3. Avoid Processed Carbs and Junk Food

They do nothing for you other than creating an environment conducive to fat gain, including belly fat. If you have trouble controlling certain treats, such as chips, cookies, or peanut butter, keep them out of your home or office cabinets. It’s not a matter of willpower; it’s a matter of being realistic. Instead, stock up on healthy snacks like jerky for your glove compartment or desk drawer so you’re always prepared.

#4. Focus on Fruits & Veggies

Fruits and vegetables are filling, high in fiber, and low in calories. If you’re having trouble incorporating more vegetables into your diet, start each meal with a salad. Salads add bulk to your diet, allowing you to eat fewer calories overall. Alternatively, try this hack to get a day’s worth of healthy greens in just 14 minutes. No need for a smoothie.

#5. Start Weightlifting

Make a workout plan that includes lifting weights. Increase your muscle mass; increase your calorie expenditure. Reduce the amount of time you rest between your training sets. This raises your heart rate, resulting in an increase in calories burned. Use these tips to lift heavy objects carefully.