9
Jun, 2016

How to Quit Smoking

Smoking tobacco has got to be one of the most addictive and destructive habits one can obtain. To quit smoking even if you are a teen who’s just started or a lifelong pack smoker it is not an easy task to quit but it can be done with determination, will power and a game plan for the long haul.

To quit smoking is a process, where you should understand the options you have available to help with this process, having the mind set to quit is extremely important and with that a solid game plan. Smoking tobacco is a physical and psychological addiction where the nicotine in cigarettes provides a temporary high and is the main reason for the addiction.

Developing behaviours which associate with smoking over time is also an issue in relation to the addiction from psychological factors, we begin associating things in our daily routine with smoking. Such as having coffee with cigarettes, or alcohol and having a cigarette after every meal becoming rituals in our daily lives.

The addictive value of nicotine on the brain cannot be ignored because nicotine is a feel good high for the brain it becomes important for us to have our daily fix, But if you make and stick to a game plan it should be only a matter of time before you kick the habit. Here are tips on how to kick it.

Going Cold turkey

Almost every person who thinks about quitting thinks that going cold turkey is the best option, well it is to a certain exetent as 90% individuals who go cold turkey end up quitting smoking for longer periods of time. But one has to understand the level of addiction and should ask him/her self if outside help such as medicine is not needed to help with the process because individuals who go cold turkey end up picking up the habit again after a period of time.

Using supplements

There are a lot of options for smokers to get their nicotine fix from elsewhere  such as nicotine gums, vapours and patches but they’re never like the real thing because that’s what they’re supposed to act as, supplements only to give some nicotine to the body to reduce withdrawal symptoms. Where patches and gum’s work for some people but most individuals end up picking up the habit again. New medicines such as Chantix can be beneficial for some and not for others for quitting the habit where majority of people have found Chantix to be helpful and nicotin gum works for others where as the debate for the disadvantages or benefits of E-ciggarettes are still open.

 

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Avoid Triggers

For the initial stages of quitting its best to avoid triggers where you might want to have a cigarette for at least a week, triggers include alcohol and caffeine. It is best to let your family and friends know that you are qutting smoking so they don’t smoke or mention it in front of you and to be respectful of your decision.

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Dealing with Withdrawal

Nicotine Withdrawal can be intense for the first few days, causing bouts of anger and lack of focus. When you have decided to quit it’s best to reduce workload and stress, as withdrawal can cause lack of mental focus and can take up to weeks for the brain to become its normal self. When craving hits its best to distract yourself or go for a walk or run. Exercising is your friend during the process as it helps to flush out the nicotine faster.

7
Jun, 2016

How often should you train?

Everyone who lifts weights to maximize muscle wonder how much should they be training in a week for progress and the best gains. Research and expert bodybuilders suggest training each muscle group twice a week for maximum growth and seeing fast results, so how often should you train?.

Most weightlifters conform to the norm of training one muscle group a week, targeting all the muscle groups for the duration of the week whereas professional bodybuilders train each muscle group twice a week or even more depending on their goals.

According to study review conducted by Journal sports medicine, they covered and studied progress from individuals who trained a muscle group onne, twice and thrice a week finding that training one muscle group twice a week yields the best results because the muscle fibers are stimulated right after the first workouts recovery forcing it to grow and rebuild again in the second training session.

So for instance if you train your biceps on Tuesday it’s best to follow up with the same bicep workout on Friday.

The best part in the review showed that individuals who did 3 sets of bicep exercises twice a week each gained more muscle then individuals who trained for 6 or more sets once a week.

Related Best Biceps workout for Size

The logic does makes sense as scientists argue that the muscle building period for any muscle group is usually 48 hours, so if you don’t stimulate the muscle again after the muscle building period you won’t promote growth faster.

This leaves the muscle in a constant muscle building state, but having a good diet is important aswell.

The science and research towards bodybuilding is constant, try training twice a week and see if it works for you.

Covering all muscle groups twice a week maybe tough also depending on intensity. So having two upper body workouts and two lower body workouts in a week is ideal. Especially a total lower body workout is great for gains and strength.

31
May, 2016

The Benefits of Running

Runners know that the benefits of running outweigh other forms of exercise and how running has changed their lives substantially.
For beginners it may be dreading in some ways but once you get used to it pain and start seeing the benefits, it’s more than likely you won’t give up running and will adopt the running lifestyle.

Beginners should understand that it takes time to become a natural runner, the right amount of rest days and breathing is important at first and not the pace, find the right pair of shoes, music and route and head on out.

Running helps you gain confidence

One of the early benefits of running is the confidence gain, you’ll be surer of yourself because you’ll be confident in your abilities and start being confident with your body image and life in general. Hey running 10k isn’t easy you know?

Mental Health

There is most certainly something known as the runners high and once you start running you’ll experience it too, runners tend to stay happier than their non-running counterparts increasing their focus as well. Runners high is attributed to the endorphin’s released during the activity and can last the rest of the day, well at least the good mood does.

Running keeps your joints strong and stable

The impact on our joints and ligaments during running can either impact them positively or negatively, but don’t worry more than half of the time it stays on the positive side depending on the terrain you are running on, so always consider that. Running helps your joints to stay strong and keep building and maintain the fiber around them.

Running increases lung capacity

This is one of the most important benefits of running, runners have higher lung capacity as running does take those lungs for a run as well, just ask smokers who start running how that feels. Non-smokers tend to run longer then smokers but running can help smokers with better lung capacity as well so don’t let that stop you from running, if you smoke that is.

It Increases your Immune System

Runners eventually get an increased tolerance towards attracting germs and don’t get sick often, but keep in mind over training can sometimes lead to a weaker immune system until the time of recovery so keep that pro and con in mind.

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It Builds Friendships and Healthy Competition 

Runners who run with friends or other runners have the ability to form better friendships through this free of cost and healthy activity and not to mention build healthy competition among health other. Friends who run with each other tend to always increase performance. Hey, it doesn’t feel good to be left behind.

Running Relieves stress and maintains blood pressure

The major benefits of running is the fact that it is the best way to relieve stress, running releases the chemical serotonin in the brain which makes you happier and relaxed. Running increases the amount your heart has to work and the pumping blood helps maintain your blood pressure.

Helps maintain and lose weight

The most important reason why people start running in the first place, well is to lose or maintain their weight. Everyone likes to keep fitting into their favorite pair of jeans. Running takes increasing metabolism to a higher level which results in burning a lot of calories, while it may make you hunger levels increase as well so a little control won’t hurt but I’m sure you’ll get that through running cause it does require discipline and why isn’t this point at the top?.