Tips for Chapped Lips and Dry Skin

Winter Skin Care Tips

Summer fun gives way to wintry winds and before you realize it you've got dry skin - chapped lips, itchy elbows, or a T-zone crying out for help!
Have no fear, these simple winter skin care tips can help you prevent - and treat - dry, chapped skin. And keep you smiling, all season long.
1: Shorten Those Showers
Long, steamy showers may soothe a weekend warrior's sore muscles, but they're also good at dehydrating you - yes, taking moisture out instead of putting it in. That's because hot water removes the skin's natural oils more quickly than warm or cold water.
The skin care solution? Take shorter showers and baths and use warm water instead of steamy hot. Then, when you're done, pat dry, don't rub.

2: Mild Soaps

Your favorite antibacterial or deodorant soap may be doing you more harm than good, stripping your skin of essential oils. That's why skin care pros recommend sticking with mild soaps, preferably unscented or lightly scented.You may want to go mild with your laundry detergent, too. Designed to remove dirt and oils, residue just may irritate sensitive, chapped skin. Some recommend Dreft or Ivory Snow.
3: Moisturize
A great way to soothe or prevent chapped skin: moisturize. And you don't need expensive elixirs from the cosmetics counter to keep skin dewy.
Petroleum jelly, mineral oil, even hair conditioner can help you trap in moisture as you step from the shower or bath. If your skin is oily you still need to moisturize -- just look for noncomedogenic products, which won't clog your pores. And remember to drink up -- moisturizing from the inside out.
4: Get Sharp About Shaving
Shaving can leave your skin extra irritated, especially when it's already dry. So get sharp about shaving by:
· Use a lubricant when you shave, such as shaving cream.
· Change the blades in your shaver often.
· Shave in the direction that hair grows.
5: Slather on Sunscreen
Up to 80% of the sun's rays can penetrate light clouds, snow, and fog. Over time that exposure can lead to moles, wrinkles, and skin cancers.
So protect your skin: Even on cloudy or overcast days slap on that sunscreen. Reach for a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, with UVA and UVB protection. And don't forget to reapply often.

6: Soothing Chapped Lips
Lips don't have oil glands, so they can dry out especially easily. Give your lips the love they need with these suggestions from the American Academy of Dermatology:
· Don't lick. The cycle of wetting and drying that occurs when you lick your lips quickly causes them to chap.
· Cover up. On cold or windy days protect your kisser behind a scarf.

· Boost moisture. Keep the air in your house moist with a humidifier.

· Lip balm. Sun exposure can make chapped lips even worse, so spread on plenty of lip balm with a sunscreen of SPF 15 or more in it.
These quick skin care tips should help keep your skin happy all winter long. But if you find you still have dry skin, or your skin gets worse, give dermatologist a call

Slim That Waistline

The top area of concern for men and women of all ages is their waist.
You can see many people in gym lining up for belly dancing and crunch classes to shape and tone the waist line.
Shaping and strengthening any part of the body takes time and you have to wait for two to three weeks to see the difference.
The waist line is a challenging area to tone but with special waist exercises, you can see the results.
Men with waist greater than 40 inches and women with waist 35 inches are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
If you think in that way, you can slim the waist and keep it toned.
You can shape and tone the waistline done with balanced diet and waist exercise. If you spend hours working with waist exercise and go out and eat a burger or fries, it will be of no use. You have to shape the waistline with waist exercise as well as food intake to increase the odds of success.
When you think to slim your waist, you have to reduce the fat and that requires waist exercise as well as proper diet to fuel your body and avoid empty calories that lead to more fat.

Maintain a healthy eating plan that includes plenty of vegetables and fresh fruits as well as adequate unsaturated fats and proteins. You have to keep a food journal to watch your meals and what you are eating everyday.
When you are working with waist exercises, you have to avoid too much fiber. As fiber is bulky, it fills stomach faster and can also lead to bloating. Don’t eat too much fiber without plenty of water and fresh fruits to help move it through the system.
Once you are eating healthy, you have to concentrate on waist exercises. There are some cardio exercises which serve as waist exercise for toning. If you have fat around the middle section, you have to lose that fat and then only concentrate on toning and shaping the muscles of the middle.
The activities that promote weight loss are brisk walking, swimming, and interval training. Swimming burns more number of calories because of the way the water supports your body. Swimming is a good exercise as it requires a greater effort to push against it and move forward, requiring greater effort from muscles. You can burn large amount of fat and calories.
Brisk walking is also fine for burning calories. Walk on hill areas and stay away from flat surfaces. You can use a treadmill and adjust the incline. Adjust the incline as if you are working on hilly area throughout the workout to strengthen and tone more than one area. Boost your heart rate and metabolism by including arm movements with your walk.
Interval training also burns calories during workout. Incorporate with brisk walking at the gym or on the street.
Once you burn the fat from middle section, you can have a slim and toned waistline. You can shrink the waistline with waist exercises like toning exercises. Try hula-hoop or take waist exercise classes from gym.
Belly dancing is a good waist exercise which slims the sides and can burn more amounts of calories. But, don’t avoid cardio exercise workouts. You should follow diet and exercise to make your waist slim and trim.

Breast Firming Exercises

Gravity may get the best of you but a few simple exercises done every other day can keep your pectoral muscles firm and toned and your breasts above your belly button. While exercise do not increase the size of your breasts, the use of weights can strengthen the underlying muscles.
Pec Press: Using three- to five-pound weights, lie on your back, with knees bent. With your arms outstretched to each side, slowly bring your arms together, hold for one second and then slowly lower your arms again. Work your way up to three sets of 10 - 12 reps every other day.
Butterfly Press: Using two three to five-pound weights, sit on the edge of a chair with your back straight and arms at your sides. Slowly raise your arms to the side to shoulder level. Hold this position for a count of four, and then slowly return to starting position. Work your way up to three sets of five to seven reps every other day.
Pectoral Push-Ups: Lie face down on the floor and raise up, as if doing conventional push-ups, but keep your forearms and elbows on the floor. Hold for thirty seconds. Repeat five times. Inverted Push Ups: Stand with your legs two to three feet from a wall and your palms on the wall. Slowly lower your chest to the wall by bending your elbows and then slowly push your body back to starting position. Repeat 10-12 times

The Top 5 Diet Mistakes

How many times have you given yourself a pep talk after, for one reason or another, straying too far from your weight-loss routine? Don't worry, the problem is not a lack of willpower or motivation. Maybe there are just a few flaws in your approach. To stop yourself from slipping again, here are some of the most common mistakes and a few good tips for avoiding them.
1. Skipping Breakfast

Running late for work again? Before you bolt out the door on nothing but a cup of coffee, beware that skipping breakfast can be bad news for weight loss. "The problem is that you will feel hungry later when you are busy and have less access to healthy food," warns Dr. Sharon Marks. "So you are more likely to reach for a donut."
Antidote: Keep something on hand that you can eat on the run, such as fruit or yogurt, or fat free cereal bars - our Food & Recipes section has lots of on-the-go options for morning meals.

2. Feasting on Family Favorites

When your kids or husband have a favorite family meal, it's hard to ban it from your menu list. "The problem is that family favorites, such as lasagna, are often high in fat and calories," says Marks.
Antidote: Treat yourself to a smaller serving of the main meal and a large serving of vegetables or salad. "It's also a good idea to try to opt for a lower fat version of the family favorite," says Marks.
3. Social Over-Eating

"Eating whatever you want at a restaurant was okay in the days when people ate out only a few times a year," says nutritionist Rosemary Stanton. But the average person now eats one out of every four meals outside of the home. "In light of this," says Stanton, "you need to have some strategies for coping with eating out. Adopt them religiously so they become habits."

Antidote: Search the menu for meals cooked using low-fat methods, such as grilling or stir-frying, and ask for sauces and dressings on the side, so you can control how much you have.
4. Not Counting Nibbles

A few potato chips while you clean the house. Just a sliver of cake while you cook dinner. "When we snack between meals we often do it standing up or while our attention is focused on something else, such as folding the laundry or reading the paper," warns Marks. "Then you feel that it doesn't really count."
Antidote: Set ground rules, such as "I don't eat in the car or while I'm watching television." And always, always record the POINTS you've consumed in your Journal. Knowing you'll have to write it down will make you think twice about having that one bite.
5. Expecting Too Much Too Soon

After several months of dedication you're down in the dumps - you feel the scale has barely moved. "Expecting too much weight loss too soon is the biggest diet blunder that people make," says Stanton. If it's going to be maintained, then the ideal weekly weight loss should be between 1/2 a pound and two pounds a week. "But most people aim for more than that, then feel like a failure and give up when they don't reach that unrealistically high goal."
Antidote: Make "slow and steady" your diet mantra. Says Stanton: "If you really don't believe that one to two pounds amounts to much weight loss, go empty out two tubs of margarine onto a plate. You'll realize how well you're doing."

Tight Butts Require Lots of Work

Are you happy with your butt? Most of us aren't. They're too small, too big, too saggy, too flabby...this list goes on. The right cardio exercise and weight training activities (like squats and deadlifts) can make a difference in your backside and help you get those buns of steel. Find out the best cardio and strength training exercises for strengthening and firming up your rear.

1) Squats

Squats are one of the best exercises you can do for your hips, butt and thighs. There are many different types of squats, including the Chair Squat pictured here. Stand with feet hip-width apart and squat, keeping back straight, abs in and knees behind your toes. Let your butt lightly touch chair and squeeze butt to stand up. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps and add weights for more intensity.
2) Lunge

This lunge will really challenge you since you will use the standing leg for balance. Stand with left foot resting on a paper plate. Bend the right leg while sliding the left foot back into a lunge position, keeping the right knee behind the toe, torso upright and abs in. Slowly slide left foot back to starting position and repeat 8-12 times. Switch legs and repeat on each leg for 2-3 sets.

3) Hip ExtensionFeel the burn in your hamstrings and glutes with this exercise. On a step or platform, lie facedown with hips on thesets of 8-12 repetitions edge of the step, legs straight with toes resting lightly on the floor. Squeeze the glutes and hamstrings and straighten the legs until they are level with the hips. Hold for 2-3 seconds, and lower letting toes lightly touch the floor. Repeat for 2-3

4) Outer Thigh Leg Lift

Note--there is no true 'outer thigh.' When you work your outer thigh, you're actually working your butt! This exercise can be done standing or lying on your side. While standing, simply lift the leg out to the side, a few feet off the floor. Keep hip, knee and foot in line and foot flexed. Repeat 8-12 times on each leg. For more intensity, add a 1-5 pound ankle weight

5) Deadlift

Deadlifts are great for your hamstrings, butt and lower back, but form is critical! Stand with feet hip-width apart, weight in front of thighs. Keeping back flat and abs in, tip forward from the hips and lower your torso until bar hits mid-shin. Squeeze butt to raise back up. Keep the bar close to your legs through the entire movement--don't bend the knees! Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps.

6) Hiking

Hiking burns tons of calories because you're typically going up steep mountains and maybe even getting into thin air, which requires lots of energy. Also, walking up an incline automatically gets your glutes more involved and, if you're wearing a backpack, you're really getting a workout. Plus, you get to see nature at its best. A 140-lb person burns about 390 calories in about an hour!

7) Biking

Riding a bike is great for your heart and it also targets almost every muscle in your hips, thighs and butt. On a stationary bike, alternate 3 minutes at 70-80 RPM with 2 minutes at 100-110 RPM for a calorie-blasting 30 minute workout. You can also try Spinning at the gym or riding outside. Gear up to really work your glutes! A 140-lb person burns 335 calories in 45 minutes.
8) Running

Running, like walking is accessible, easy to learn, reduces stress, helps in weight loss, and it makes you feel good. Plus, it really works your butt, especially when you add a few hills to your regular running route. Sprints are another option for folks wanting to both burn more calories and tighten up the old tush. A 140-lb person burns 475 calories during a 45 minute jog.

9) Kickboxing

Kickboxing was a hot item back in the day, but it's still a great workout. Controlled kicks work your hips, thighs and butt while complex combinations that include punches will target your abs to make them stronger. A 140-lb woman will burn up to 500 calories with 45 minutes of kickboxing.

10) Walking

Walking is easy: you can do it anywhere, anytime with no special equipment. There's no learning curve and it's something you can incorporate all day long. If you walk up hills, you can really target your glutes and, if you pick up the intensity, you'll burn some of that extra flab off your buns! A 140-lb person burns about 300 calories an hour during a brisk walk.

7 Tips to Increase Metabolism

1. Eat Breakfest: To increase metabolism, always eat breakfast in the morning. Break-fast...break the fast. Don't skip breakfast. If you wait until mid morning or afternoon to eat, your metabolism will run slower. Think of breakfast as adding logs to the fireplace. Your metabolism is the fireplace and logs are the breakfast.

2. More Small Meals: Increase metabolism by eating smaller meals through the day. Eat 4 to 6 six small meals, 2 to 3 hours apart.

3. Eat Energy Fields: Don't depend on herbal products to increase metabolism or energy level. Any metabolic increase will be minimum and herbs are not cheap. Instead, include more energy foods such as whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits.

4. Easy Exercise: Park further away and walk. Use the stairs instead of the elevator when possible. Walk to the post office instead of getting into the car. Take your dog on a daily walk. Do more activities around the house to burn energy instead of wasting money on pills and potions that don't work.

5. Weekly Exercise: Incorporate a walking routine to increase metabolism at least three to four times a week. Walk 30 to 40 minutes each time. This is the best way to increase your metabolism.

6. Don't Starve Yourself: Don't starve yourself when trying to lose weight. This will slow down your metabolism in a hurry. Avoid 5 to 6 hour gaps between meals without eating.

7. Plan Your Meals: Be committed to eating smaller meals at regular intervals. Prepare food in advance and bring it with you. Never eat sporadically and plan each meal. The common mistake is to skip meals and eat too little during the day. This makes you vulnerable for eating junk food later in the day. Eating to lose weight takes planning.

10 Keys To Athletic Success!

So you consider yourself an athlete? What does that mean? How can you be sure that you will be successful as an athlete? Here are 10 things that I consider keys to athletic success.
I have considered myself an athlete since I joined the varsity tennis team in high school. That was about 8 years ago now, and I still consider myself an athlete, but the big difference now is how I define being an athlete. I used to think being an athlete just meant playing a sport competitively and being "athletic." Well now I'm older and wiser, and I know that being an athlete is something that becomes a part of all aspects of your life, and comes to help define who you are as a person.
I have learned a lot over my time as an athlete, from many places including; friends, family, teammates, books, and the internet. There are some ideas that seem to be constants when it comes to athletics, in that they are mentioned by all of the sources I just listed and more.
After I gave this fact more thought, I decided maybe these are the keys to athletic success; By athletic success I don't mean only bodybuilding, I feel these can apply to any athlete in any sport, and many of them can apply to anyone in general.
Here is a list of my top 10, and a short description of each. In no particular order:

1. Mindset:
This in my opinion is the hardest part of being a successful athlete. Without mental discipline you will never be able to reach your goals as an athlete. The fact that there's a whole segment of Bodybuilding.com dedicated to the mind, is really no surprise. Having the correct mindset all begins with deciding for yourself that you are an athlete, and believing in yourself. A lot of people may give you a weird look when you refer to yourself as an athlete, I'm a tall skinny guy, and I've dealt with this for years. It's important to stay focused and not be distracted by negative outside influences. For me one of the best things about being an athlete is surprising people and proving people wrong.

2. Set Goals:
This is a large part of creating the correct mindset, and could have probably been placed as a sub section of that key. However I feel it is important enough to warrant its own section. Goals are very important when it comes to staying motivated, and having a sense of accomplishment. A goal can be something as simple as losing 5 pounds in 1 month, or as detailed as transforming your entire body and changing your life. The important thing to remember is to set realistic goals that are within your ability to achieve. Too often I've seen people set unrealistic goals, and give up frustrated, blaming their failure on a variety of excuses, don't let this happen to you.

3. Weight Training:
Everyone can benefit from weight training, not only athletes. However for athletes, a consistent and focused workout program is absolute necessity. I'm not sure about you, but I feel much better in general when I've been lifting weights consistently. You may have noticed that I mentioned consistency twice already, and I believe that is the most important part of this key. Find a workout that works for you and stick with it. You don't have to be a bodybuilder to lift weights, I'm quite tired of hearing people say: "I don't want to lift weights, because I'll get all scary and too muscular."

4. Diet & Nutrition:
More than anything this is mentioned in all the fitness research I have done. The standard answer seems to be that being fit is really 60% diet and 40% exercise. I'm not really sure if I agree with that since that statement doesn't take the mind into account. I am sure however, that a balanced diet is key when it comes having the energy it takes to be an athlete. Another reoccurring theme when it comes to bodybuilding is adequate protein intake; the universal answer here is 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Personally I highly recommend taking a multivitamin daily as well. Another standard seems to be 4-6 meals a day, instead of the 3 large meals you probably grew up with.

5. Water:
I would hope that this would be obvious; water is pretty important as far as living in general it's second only to oxygen. A large percentage of your body is water, so it should follow by logic that if you plan on building your body, you should be drinking a lot of water. Just how much? Is the next question, the recommendation for a non-athlete is about 64 ounces a day. All of the articles I've read involving water intake seem to use the baseline of 1 - 1.5 gallons a day or 1-3 ounces of water per pound of body weight.
All people can benefit from drinking more water, but for an athlete staying adequately hydrated is essential. Oh yeah, and water means water, this does not include soft drinks, iced tea, etc? you can drink those things as well, as long as you're drinking enough water along with them.

6. Rest:
I'm sure we've all heard the standard answer that the average adult needs 8 hours of sleep a night, to function normally and feel well rested. Well this certainly holds true, but rest is more than simply getting enough sleep every night. Another key to rest, is having adequate rest time between workouts, this is why a lot of people tend to split up their workout over the course of the week, focusing on specific body parts each day. All of my experience and research has said that muscles grow during rest time not while you're in the gym, so by not getting enough rest you'll be cheating yourself out of progress.

7. Cardio:
Cardiovascular training is another one of those things that anyone can benefit from. For an athlete it is important for burning fat, increasing endurance, and improving your overall cardiovascular health. Personally I recommend doing cardio at least two days a week, for 15-30 minutes at a time. The most important thing when it comes to cardio is to pick a time and intensity that fits your needs, and that you are comfortable with. In my experience it's best to start out with a short period of time, say 10 minutes, and add 5 minutes every 2 weeks till you get up to a solid 30 minutes. Unless you're training to run a marathon, a cardio session more than 30 minutes in length isn't really necessary.

8. Track Your Progress:
Tracking your progress is great when it comes to meeting goals and staying motivated. The most common way to track your progress is to keep a log. I find it easiest to make a log based on the goals that you have set, since every athlete has different goals a standard training log may not apply to your situation easily. I find that simplicity is the key when it comes to a log, anything to complicated or time consuming is likely to be abandoned in a short amount of time.

9. Mix Things Up:
The universal term that applies here is cross training. No athlete should only practice and compete solely in their sport. Different sports and exercises work your muscles in different ways, and this is the key to maximizing your progress. When it comes to weight lifting try and change exercises or the order you do them in every four weeks. Muscles have memory and will stop growing if they perform the same movements for an extended period of time. Also be sure and increase the amount of weight you lift on a regular basis. Changing the type of cardio you perform is also a good idea as well. I find that changing your workouts keeps them fresh, and interesting, your worst enemy is getting bored and losing motivation.

10. Never Stop Learning:
Chances are if you're reading this article you spend least some time reading about fitness. However reading articles is really only one way to learn about fitness and athleticism. You can also watch videos or TV, read books, goes to conventions, talk to other athletes, go to sporting events, and visit bulletin boards, while always trying to keep an open mind. There is always more to learn when it comes to anything, and the same is true of athleticism.

Conclusion
There you have it the 10 things that I find most important when it comes to being a successful athlete. There are a lot of other things that are important as well, but these are things that an athlete in any sport should consider and make part of their lifestyle.

12 Quit Smoking Tips

You may feel like you're on a rollercoaster during the first couple of weeks after you quit smoking. You'll have good days and you'll have bad days. Whether you use a quit aid of some sort or go cold turkey, you’re going to feel a certain amount of withdrawal from nicotine. Some people have more trouble with the first week, and others with the second, but the good news is that for most quitters, the worst of physical withdrawal from nicotine is over within the first two weeks of smoking cessation.Physically, your body will be reacting to the absence of not only nicotine, but all of the other chemicals in cigarette smoke that you've been inhaling 20 or more times a day for years. When the supply gets cut off, you can expect to feel the effects of that. Flu-like symptoms are common. The amount of discomfort you'll experience depends in part on how well you take care of yourself during this phase. Follow the tips below to help you minimize the discomforts you'll feel as a result of physcial and mental withdrawal from nicotine.

Quit Smoking Tips for the First Two Weeks

Find some support.Having others who are interested in your success is very important. The Smoking Cessation Forum here at About.com is a thriving, active group of people who can give you the help and encouragement you need. Sign in as a guest to browse and read posts from other quitters, or register(free) to post messages of your own. Add some support to your quit smoking program.

Eat a well-balanced diet.Treats are fine, but be careful not to go overboard with the wrong kinds of food right now. Your body is working hard to expel toxins during the withdrawal process, and that takes energy. Choose foods that will provide you with the high quality fuel you need. Avoid the empty calories of junk food.

Take a multi-vitamin.Smoking depletes our bodies of nutrients. Give yourself a boost with the help of a multi-vitamin. This, combined with good diet will help you minimize the fatigue that can often occur during nicotine withdrawal.

Stock the fridge with healthy snacks.Have small bags of bite size fresh veggies within easy reach. Celery and carrots sticks with low fat ranch dressing for dipping makes a good snack. Fresh fruit, such as pineapple chunks, berries, melon or other fruits in season will satisfy your sweet tooth if they're clean and ready to eat when you're looking for a snack. Good freezer treats include low fat fudgesicles and frozen grapes.

Get out for a walk.A short walk every day – as little as 15 minutes even, can work wonders for you as you withdraw from nicotine. Walking reduces edginess and improves circulation. It also releases endorphins, the "feel good" hormone. So, when the urge to smoke strikes, head out for a walk around the block. You’ll come back refreshed and relaxed.

Get more sleep.Early cessation is tiring. Your body is stressed and so is your mind. Allow more time to sleep if you need it. Don’t worry, the weariness won't last. Your energy will return soon.

Drink water!Water helps you flush residual toxins from smoking out of your body more quickly. It also works well as a craving buster. Drink water before you snack and you'll eat less. Water is an important part of your diet! Keep yourself well-hydrated, and you'll feel better in general. That will in turn help you manage withdrawal symptoms more easily.

Keep some supplies in your car.If you spend a lot of time driving, have some items handy to help you pass the time more comfortably. Drink some of that water we just talked about while you're driving. Keep a bottle or two in the car at all times. Also store a bag of hard candies and lollipops in your glovebox and have some straws or cinnamon sticks availabe to chew on.

Do some deep breathing.Cravings usually hit fast and with force. They're strongest at the start, and fade in intensity within 3 - 5 minutes. Don't panic when you get a craving to smoke. Take a few moments to concentrate on your breathing. Close your eyes if possible and breathe in and out slowly. Let the craving wash over you like a wave while you focus on your breathing. The urge will pass and you’ll be left feeling stronger.

Turn your bathroom into a day spa.Light some candles, and take a long hot bubble bath. Treat yourself to a manicure and pedicure and follow with a facial. Pamper yourself!

Have a cup of tea.Allow yourself a few minutes to relax with a cup of tea and honey. Choose herbal teas rather than those with caffiene. It's an quick and easy way to rejuvenate yourself.

Reward yourself.Come up with a list of small gifts that you can give yourself every day. Take a hot bath. Buy a new candle. Read a fun magazine. Enlist someone else in the family to cook dinner. Small daily rewards will boost your spirits and fortify your resolve to keep the quit.Be patient and kind to yourself during the early days of smoking cessation. The rewards will outweigh the discomforts you're going through. Nicotine withdrawal is a temporary phase. Better days are ahead

10 Things to Avoid When You Quit Smoking

Index: 10 Things to Avoid When You Quit Smoking

1. Impatince
2. Worrying About the Future
3. Negativity
4. Neglecting Yourself
5. Drinking Alcohol
6. Overdoing It
7. Taking Yourself Too Seriously
8. Being Hesitant to Ask for Help
9. Believing That You Can Smoke

"Just One" Cigarette
10.Forgetting Why You Want to Quit

in the First Place

We all want this quit to be the quit -- the one that lasts us a lifetime. We're looking for permanent freedom from nicotine addiction when we stub out the last cigarette, signaling the beginning of smoking cessation -- even though most of us doubt our ability to succeed for the long-term. However, with some education about what to expect when we quit smoking and a few tools to help us along, we can all find the freedom we dream so much of -- a life that no longer includes even the slightest thought of smoking or the smallest twinge of desire for a cigarette.
Misconceptions about the nature of addiction and the process of quitting tobacco can set smokers who are trying to quit up for failure. Build a strong quit program by educating yourself about the process of recovery from nicotine addiction.
Learning about common pitfalls puts you in the best position to avoid them and finally become smoke-free.

Impatience

It is a natural tendency to quit smoking and expect to be over it within a month. That would be nice (very nice!), but it doesn't work that way.

Smoking cessation is a process, not an event.

When we quit smoking, we're letting go of a habit that most of us have carried for many years, if not all of our adult lives. It's only fair to expect that breaking down the old associations that tied us to smoking and replacing them with new, healthier habits will take some time. Sit back, relax, and think of time as one of your best quit buddies. The more of it you put between you and that last cigarette you smoked, the stronger you'll become. Have patience with yourself, and with the process.

Worrying About the Future

Nicotine withdrawal plays mind games with us early on in smoking cessation. We think about smoking all of the time, and we worry that we'll always miss our cigarettes. It's called "junkie thinking," and we all go through a certain amount of it as we recover from nicotine addiction. For the new quitter, it can be paralyzing to think about never lighting another cigarette. Thoughts like this, if left unchecked, can easily lead to a smoking relapse.
If you find yourself feeling panicked about your smoke-free future, pull out of it by focusing your attention only on the day you have in front of you. It takes practice and patience to stay in the here and now, but it can be done, and it is a great way to maintain control over your quit program. It is the truth that today is where your power to affect change in your life is, and always will be. You can't do a thing about what happened yesterday, or about what is yet to come tomorrow, but you sure can control today.
It wasn't until I quit smoking that I learned how to truly be present in my life. It was a valuable tool for my journey through smoking cessation, and I consider it to be a lasting benefit I've carried forward with me out of the recovery process.
We all spend so much time living in the past or the future, while the present moments of today go by unnoticed. The next time your mind wanders ahead or back, consciously pull yourself out of it by narrowing your attention to the moments you're living right now.

Negativity
It's been said that the average person has approximately 66,000 thoughts on any given day, and that two-thirds of them are negative. It will probably come as no surprise that we aim many of those negative thoughts directly at ourselves. Face it, we're almost always our own worst critics.
Start paying attention to your thoughts, and banish those that don't serve your best interests. Be kind to yourself and stop lamenting the things you can't change, such as the years you spent smoking. Look at past quit attempts not as failures, but as experiences you can learn from. Think about all of the positive changes you're creating in your life by quitting tobacco now, and remember to use the value of today to your advantage.

Successful long-term cessation always starts with our thoughts. Keep your eyes on the prize and develop an attitude of gratitude. We have a way of believing what we tell ourselves over and over, so don't feed yourself negatives. Affirm the changes you are working to create in your life, and action will follow more easily.

Neglecting Yourself
Early smoking cessation is a time when you should be taking extra care to make sure all of your physical needs are met. The following list of tips will help you weather nicotine withdrawal more comfortably:

· Eat a well-balanced diet

Your body needs good quality fuel now as it works to flush the toxins from cigarettes out of your system.
· Get more rest

Chances are, nicotine withdrawal will leave you feeling fatigued for a few weeks. If you're tired, don't fight it.

Sleep more if you can.
· Drink water

Water is a great quit aid. It helps you detox more quickly, works well as a craving-buster, and by keeping

yourself hydrated, you'll feel better overall.
· Exercise daily

Exercise benefits both physical and mental health, and it's another good way to manage cravings to smoke.

Walking is a low-impact aerobic workout that is a good choice for those of us leading inactive lives. Be sure to

check in with your doctor before starting a new exercise regimen.
· Take a daily multi-vitamin

Cigarettes deplete our bodies of many nutrients, so give yourself the boost that a good multi-vitamin

provides for the first few months of smoking cessation. It may help you regain your energy more quickly.

Taking care of your body, especially as you move through early cessation, will help you minimize the discomforts of nicotine withdrawal. And remember, while nicotine withdrawal may not be a pain-free experience, it is a temporary phase of recovery that we all have to go through to get through.

Drinking Alcohol
I probably don't need to tell you that alcohol and tobacco go hand-in-hand. New quitters are tender. Putting yourself into a social setting where you're tempted to drink alcohol too soon after quitting can be dangerous. Don't rush it. The time will come when you can have a drink without it triggering the urge to smoke, but don't expect that to be within the first month, or perhaps even the first few months.
We're all a little different in how we move through the process of kicking nicotine addiction, so relax any preconceived notions you might have about how long recovery should take. Instead, focus on your own situation. If there is an engagement coming up that involves alcohol and you feel nervous about that, take it as a signal to proceed with caution. Consider postponing until you're feeling stronger. And if that's not an option, work out a plan ahead of time for how you'll manage the event smoke-free.
It's no exaggeration that you are working hard to save your life by quitting smoking, so give cessation the attention it deserves. Keep your quit program in the top slot of your list of priorities for as long as it takes. You should do whatever you need to do to maintain your smobriety -- period.

Overdoing It
We've talked about taking care not to neglect our physical health while going through nicotine withdrawal, but our emotional well-being is every bit as important. Stress and anger are probably the two biggest smoking triggers we face, and they can build up and threaten our quit programs if we're not careful. Early cessation creates its own tension, and that can be overwhelming when paired with the stresses of daily life -- if you let it.
Don't let yourself get run down to the point of exhaustion, and take time every single day to relieve stress with an activity that you enjoy. Whether it's time alone with a good book, a hot bath, or working on a hobby, think of this as insurance for your quit program, not as time spent selfishly. When you're well-rested and calm, you are much better equipped to meet the daily challenges smoking cessation presents, so spoil yourself a little each day.

Taking Yourself Too Seriously
You will have bad days. Expect and accept that. Such is smoking cessation, and such is life. On those off days, vow to put yourself in "ignore mode." In other words, don't focus on the negative atmosphere of your thoughts. Instead, do what you can to distract and ignore your bad mood. Sometimes the best thing we can do is get out of our own way. Our minds can make small issues big and create drama out of every little thing when our moods are out of whack. When you have a bad day, use it as an excuse to pamper yourself a little. If all else fails, call it a day earlier than usual and go to bed. Nine times out of ten you'll wake up feeling 100% better the next day, and when you do, you'll be grateful to still be smoke-free.

Being Hesitant to Ask for Help
Statistics show that people who quit smoking with a healthy support system in place have a much higher rate of long-term success with smoking cessation. In addition to the support you might receive from friends and family, consider adding some online support to your quit program. The smoking cessation forum here at About.com offers some of the best support the Internet has to offer. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people who know exactly what you are going through is worth its weight in gold.

Believing That You Can Smoke "Just One" Cigarette
When it comes to smoking cessation, there is no such thing as just one cigarette. They travel in packs.
Many a good quit program has been lost to thoughts of being able to control our smoking habits. Don't fall for it. The only way to keep the beast at bay is to keep nicotine out of your system. If you decide to go ahead and smoke just one cigarette, or for just one night, chances are you'll be back to the slavery that nicotine addiction is in short order. You may even find yourself smoking more than you used to.
Just as success with smoking cessation begins in the mind, so does a smoking relapse. Always. If unhealthy thoughts of smoking come up, and you can't shake them, it's time to renew your resolve.
· Rationalizations For Smoking
· There Is No Such Thing As Just One Cigarette

Forgetting Why You Want to Quit in the First Place
You quit smoking for a reason. Probably several. Don't let time and distance from the habit cloud your thinking. Keep your memory green by reviewing your reasons for quitting often. They will never be less true as time goes by, but they can feel less urgent if you're not careful.
Smoking cessation is a journey. Take it one simple day at a time, and you'll find that what started out as a difficult task soon enough becomes an enjoyable challenge.
· I Quit Smoking Because...
· Keeping Your Memory Green

Why Practicing Yoga Is Great For Your Health and Stress Levels

The Sanskrit word Yoga means Union, an entryway to balancing the spiritual, mental and physical aspects of the being. It has the distinction of being the oldest personal development technique known. Practiced for almost 5000 years, the body is gradually conditioned by emphasizing the strengthening of the mind and body, at the same time stimulating the soul - it is both a science and a philosophy.
A Yogi is a male Yoga practitioner and Yogini is a female practitioner. Indian philosophy has six orthodox systems, of which this is one and is considered an applied science of the body and the mind. Comprehending the philosophy of it is a lifetime pursuit and it is just not about squatting in lotus position and chanting.
Practicing Yoga is one of the most effective ways of handling stress and it also effective in treating back problems that result due to postural defects. The main reason this complementary therapy is used with cancer patients is the feeling of wellness it bestows. It is widely suggested that it should be practiced in the morning before you take any food.
This ancient holistic system has many styles to it and some are given below: Raja Yoga: This literally means kingly yoga and is one of the four main paths of yoga. The practice of this yoga is meditation and methods that help in controlling the body, mind, energy and the senses.
The Kundalini Yoga is a non stressful and safe practice which gives instant results. It is based on a set of special exercises or Kriyas. Hatha Yoga: the main components here are postures (asana) and breath control (pranayama).
The Sahaja yoga is based on the experience of self realization that resides within each individual. This is a unique way of meditating. The precision of therapeutic yoga and the foundations of traditional yoga come together in a heated room under the system of Moksha hot yoga.
These days, yoga has enjoyed some really great popularity among kids and adults because it is excellent for everyone both old and young alike. Its growth and popularity as a form of exercise is due to the fact that here nothing is done to you, it is something you do to yourself. It is a great activity during pregnancy, being moderate but allowing for the buildup of flexibility and endurance.
Among soldiers this practice is fast gaining popularity as they can improve their stamina, mental focus and flexibility. This was reported by Fit Yoga as well as the Associated Press. The practice should not only be taken as an exercise but should also be accepted as a method to develop happiness and harmony from within.