How to Gain Weight and Build More Muscle !

For many thin guys around the world, gaining weight without using illegal steroids has been a challenge. For thousands of lean young men, the dream is to gain weight, but no matter how much they eat they remain thin. Some people are naturally thin; that means their genetic makeup is in such a way that the body burns more calories than others. The very basic method of weight gain is to eat more calories than your body burns off. By providing the body with more calories, this balance can be altered and body mass can be increased. Weight training is of great importance in this context, which enables the body to absorb more nutrients from the food by increasing the level of certain hormones and increasing the muscle mass.

There are many incorrect beliefs and theories bout building muscle. The type of food to be eaten is an important factor which decides the type of weight gained, whether it is muscle mass or mere accumulation of fat. Some types of calories are not equal to others for gaining muscle; because most processed junk food contains empty, totally nutritionless calories. These foods promote accelerated fat storage, and do not provide the body with the correct nutrients essential for gaining muscle. High quality protein, which the body breaks down into amino acids, should be the centerpiece of all your meals. Intense exercise increases demand for amino acids, which support muscle repair and growth.

Another factor is the selection of the right type of weight training. Resistance exercises will help with muscle growth. Whereas aerobic exercises can result in the reduction of weight. For maximum muscle gain, the focus of your workouts should consist of free weight exercises, rather than machines or bodyweight exercises. To get a very effective workout, you must stimulate as many muscle fibers as possible, and machines do not do this. The main reason for this is a lack of stabilizer and synergist muscle development. Stabilizer and synergist muscles are supporting muscles that assist the main muscle in performing a complex lift.

The results of weight training can vary from person to person, and will usually depend on your consistency and commitment to your program. You should have the patience and motivation for building a powerful body with a consistent diet and exercise schedule.

Exercise Guidelines for building muscle

Weight training involves the use of equipment that enables variable resistance. This resistance can come in the form of free weights like barbells and dumbbells, machines that use cables or pulleys to help you lift the weight, and bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or dips. The more stabilizers and synergists you work, the more muscle fibers stimulated. The exercises that work the large muscle groups are called compound (or multi-joint) movements that involve the simultaneous stimulation of many muscle groups. These compound exercises should be the foundation of any weight training program because they stimulate the most amount of muscle in the least amount of time. Multi-jointed free weight exercises like the bench press require many stabilizer and synergistic muscle assistance to complete the lift.

Free weight exercises like the dumbbell press or squat put a very large amount of stress on supporting muscle groups. You will get fatigued faster and not be able to lift as much weight as you did on the machine. But you will gain more muscle, become stronger very quickly and have a true gauge of your strength.

If you use machines in your program, they should be used to work isolated areas and only after all multi-jointed exercises have been completed. Beginners should begin with a limited combination of machine exercises, bodyweight exercises and multi-jointed free weight exercises. Before increasing the weight levels, they should work on becoming familiar with the proper form and execution of each.

The following are some proven basic exercises to encourage muscle and strength gain unlike any other exercises.

Bench Presses - works the chest, shoulders, triceps

Overhead Presses - shoulders, triceps

Pull-ups/Barbell Rows - back, bicep

Squats - legs, lower back

Dead lifts - legs, back, shoulders

Bar Dips -shoulders, chest, arms

To build mass, you must weight train with heavy weights. To consider a weight heavy, you should only be able to do a maximum of 4-8 reps before your muscles temporarily fail. A weight is considered 'light' if you can do more than 15 reps before muscle fatigue sets in. Heavy weights stimulate more muscle fibers than lighter weights which result in more muscle growth. Heavy weight training puts a huge strain on your body, so adequate rest and recuperation after your workouts is essential.

Eating guidelines for building muscle

A high protein diet is an inevitable part of any weight training programme, importantly, protein derived from animal sources. Proteins you need to be concerned with are those found in whey, casein (cottage cheese), eggs, beef, poultry, and fish. Soy protein, tofu and bean curd are some alternatives. Eating the right amount of foods consistently will force your body to grow beyond what you may think possible. The diet also should contain an adequate amount of carbohydrates (potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, oatmeal, cream of wheat, cream of rice, rice, beans, bread, pasta, all cereals) and fat. Green leafy vegetables and fruits also should be included.

When you train with weights, you should eat a minimum of 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. You also must have protein at every meal. To enable your body to actually assimilate and use the all the calories you will ingest, you have to reduce your meal size and increase your meal frequency. Splitting your calories into smaller, more frequent portions will enable food absorption and utilization of nutrients.

During the past 20 years there have been great developments in the scientific understanding of the role of nutrition in health and physical performance. Studies shown that adequate dietary carbohydrate should be ingested (55-60% of total energy intake) so that training intensity can be maintained. Excess dietary saturated fat can exacerbate coronary artery disease; however, low-fat diets result in a reduction in circulating testosterone. So the balance between protein, carbohydrate and fat should be maintained.

So the focus on weight gain programmes must be on two components, lifting heavy weights, which will stimulate the largest amount of muscle fibers. Your body responds to this stimulus by increasing your muscle mass and secondly eat more calories than your body is used to. When you overload your system with plenty of protein and fats, your body has no other choice but to gain weight.

A Mass Gaining program is incomplete without the timely measurements to monitor your progress. Without it, you won't know how exactly your body is responding to your diet and training routine. Just looking in the mirror and guessing is not acceptable. If you want to start getting great results, you must develop the habit of accurately tracking your progress. This also provides the motivation to continue with the weight gain schedule and for the further progression. So even though you have a very thin body type, and haven't been able to gain weight no matter what you try, you will definitely succeed with a well planned weight gain programme.

Best Fat Burning Strength Exercises

This is the best calorie burning exercises that you can use to get the most out of your workouts in the shortest amount of time. All of this exercises will help you lose abdominal fat because they work A LOT of muscle.

PUSH UPS - are an exercise that will work your chest while the rest of your body

stays straight. Push ups can get your upper body very strong. If you aren't used to doing push ups you can always do them from your knees at first. Doing a lot of push ups will challenge anyone and will help you develop some nice definition in the upper body.

SQUATS - are great because they work your whole lower body. Squats are just like standing up from a chair except. You can do them slow with weight to build muscle or fast and quick to get your heart rate up. Squats make your lower body strong and will burn lots of calories.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS - are an exercise that will work your whole body and especially your core. Mountain climbers can be very challenging if you do them fast because this really burns a lot of calories which results with being able to burn abdominal fat more efficiently. They start with getting in the push up position and alternate brining each knee to your midsection with a sort of "running" motion.

PLANKS - are an exercise that will certainly make your core muscles work hard. Doing planks consists of facing the ground while in a horizontal position and supporting all your weight with your toes and your forearms. You lift your hips a few inches off the ground and keep the glutes and abs tight.

DUMBBELL PUSH PRESSES - combined squats and overhead dumbbell presses into one exercise. You squat down and then push the dumbbells overhead when as your squat upward. If you do 25 straight reps you will really feel all the muscles in your body working hard. This is a great example of combining strength training and cardiovascular training into one exercise.

LUNGES - will really work your whole lower body. Lunges are essentially like squats except that you take a big step forward while lowering and raising your torso from the ground. Remember to keep your abdominal muscle tight the whole time to keep the core muscles working hard. Lunges will make your legs very strong and will burn a lot of calories. If you have never done lunges before then you might feel a little leg soreness the next day - which is a good thing!

Performing the above exercises in a "circuit" format is a great way to put together a workout that will burn lots of calories, get your stronger, and lose stomach fat. This type of workout will also increase your resting metabolism so that you are still burning calories after you are finished exercising. You can achieve great gains in strength, more lean muscle mass, and better cardiovascular conditioning by using exercises like the ones in this article!

If you focus on doing total body workouts and doing cardiovascular training, you can maximize the amount of calories you can burn off with exercise. This is how you burn abdominal fat with exercise. Notice that we are not talking about doing any crunches or sit ups. These exercises do not burn many calories and they are not a very efficient use of your time in the gym

. Use these exercises with a smart diet and you can burn abdominal fat faster than you ever thought possible.

DO NOT train on an empty stomach

One of the great arguments in fitness and nutrition that may never get settled is whether or not to do cardio on an empty stomach. "Fasted cardio", say its proponents, will allow you to burn more fat than if you eat beforehand.

Let's look at the pros and cons of this approach.

Glycogen is the stored carbohydrate that your body uses as its preferred fuel source during exercise. The fasted cardio crowd says that because glycogen is somewhat depleted in the morning after the night's fast, your body will burn a greater percentage of fat during training as its next resort.

Now a smart nutritionist will tell you that your body can store glycogen for 12 to 16 hours before it absolutely must be replenished by a meal. If it isn't, your body will turn to MUSCLE to break down for glucose (quick energy). This isn't negotiable. With trace levels of glycogen in your system, your body CAN'T burn fat. It has to use muscle. When you burn up muscle, you're basically inviting your body to store more fat, not to mention look and feel weaker and flabbier. Sucks, doesn't it?

Most of us have some sort of meal within two hours before we go to bed and we rarely sleep for more than 8 hours, so if you get up and start training 10 or so hours after your last meal, your glycogen will be low, but it won't be gone. So it could be argued that you'll have just enough glycogen left to allow your body to burn fat, but low enough levels that you'll burn more fat than normal to compensate for it.

Now the question becomes what kind of cardio you're doing. The fasted cardio believers usually say to keep it to a light jog or elliptical session for around 45 minutes. When your body exercises at a low intensity, it does use more fat than carbohydrate. However, because the work is easier, you're not burning as many calories. It's pretty clear that you couldn't run sprints or do some other high-intensity exercise as the lack of glycogen in your system wouldn't allow for it. You'd feel tired and you wouldn't be able to train hard. Worse, you'd force your body to harvest muscle that much sooner.

With all this said, I recommend that you DO NOT train on an empty stomach. Yes, many bodybuilders do it, and they're huge. But they're also bodybuilders, and thanks to good genetics, a high level of muscle mass, and - sometimes - steroids, muscle burning isn't as big a problem for them. If in fact you do burn more fat on an empty stomach, and let's say you avoid burning up any muscle for fuel, it's still not going to get you the best results in the least time. Scores of studies and a ton of evidence as presented by the world's best trainers shows that brief, intense workouts are best for making drastic and lasting changes to your body--building muscle and burning fat.

You'll be able to burn more calories in a session if you train after a solid meal, and you'll support muscle mass, which burns calories all day long just by sitting on your body. So if you want to lose fat and get a lean, ripped look, I would recommend the following.

Perform strength training three days a week and cardio three days a week. The time of day isn't important, as long as the cardio does not directly precede the strength training. Let the cardio be interval training. For example, sit on an exercise bike and pedal hard for 10 seconds, and then easy for 20-30 seconds. Repeat that for 15-20 minutes. You can also sprint, jump rope, do circuits of body-weight exercises... it doesn't really matter. Just adhere to the idea that you have to train hard for short bursts, and then go easy a little while to recover.

Eat a carbohydrate-dense meal about an hour before every workout, such as oatmeal or a whole-grain cereal, and have a protein and carb meal soon afterward, such as chicken and rice.

Some things to avoid during pregnancy

When you're pregnant, what you don't put into your body (or expose your body to) is almost as important as what you do.

Here are some things to avoid :

Alcohol

Although it may seem harmless to have a glass of wine at dinner or a mug of beer out with friends, no one has determined what's a "safe amount" of alcohol to consume during pregnancy. One of the most common known causes of mental and physical birth defects, alcohol can cause severe abnormalities in a developing fetus.

Alcohol is easily passed along to the baby, who is less equipped to eliminate alcohol than the mother. That means an unborn baby tends to develop a high concentration of alcohol, which stays in the baby's system for longer periods than it would in the mother's. And moderate alcohol intake, as well as periodic binge drinking, can damage a baby's developing nervous system.

If you had a drink or two before you even knew you were pregnant (as many women do), don't worry too much about it. But your best bet is to not drink any alcohol at all for the rest of your pregnancy.

Recreational Drugs
Pregnant women who use drugs may be placing their unborn babies at risk for premature birth, poor growth, birth defects, and behavior and learning problems. And their babies could also be born addicted to those drugs themselves.

If you're pregnant and using drugs, a health clinic such as Planned Parenthood can recommend health care providers, at little or no cost, who can help you quit your habit and have a healthier pregnancy.

If you've used any drugs at any time during your pregnancy, it's important to inform your health care provider. Even if you've quit, your unborn child could still be at risk for health problems.

Nicotine

You wouldn't light a cigarette, put it in your baby's mouth, and encourage your little one to puff away. As ridiculous as this scenario seems, pregnant women who continue to smoke are allowing their fetus to smoke, too. The smoking mother passes nicotine and carbon monoxide to her growing baby.

The risks of smoking to the fetus include:

• stillbirth
• prematurity
• low birth weight
• sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
  
• asthma and other respiratory problems

If you smoke, having a baby may be the motivation you need to quit. Talk to your health care provider about options for stopping your smoking habit.

Caffeine

High caffeine consumption has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, so it's probably wise to limit or even avoid caffeine altogether if you can.

If you're having a hard time cutting out coffee cold turkey, here's how you can start:

• Cut your consumption down to one or two cups a day.
• Gradually reduce the amount by combining decaffeinated coffee with regular coffee.
• Eventually try to cut out the regular coffee altogether.

And remember that caffeine is not limited to coffee. Many teas, colas, and other soft drinks contain caffeine. Try switching to decaffeinated products (which may still have some caffeine, but in much smaller amounts) or caffeine-free alternatives.

If you're wondering whether chocolate, which also contains caffeine, is a concern, the good news is that you can have it in moderation. Whereas the average chocolate bar has anywhere from 5 to 30 milligrams of caffeine, there's 95 to 135 milligrams in a cup of brewed coffee. So, small amounts of chocolate are fine.

Certain Foods

Although you need to eat plenty of healthy foods during pregnancy, you also need to avoid food-borne illnesses, such as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis, which can be life-threatening to an unborn baby and may cause birth defects or miscarriage.

Foods you'll want to steer clear of include:

• soft, unpasteurized cheeses (often advertised as "fresh") such as feta, goat, Brie, Camembert, and blue cheese
  
• unpasteurized milk, juices, and apple cider
  
• raw eggs or foods containing raw eggs, including mousse, tiramisu, raw cookie dough, homemade ice cream, and Caesar dressing (although some store-bought brands of the dressing may not contain raw eggs)
  
• raw or undercooked meats, fish (sushi), or shellfish
  
• processed meats such as hot dogs and deli meats (unless they are reheated until steaming)

Also, although fish and shellfish can be an extremely healthy part of your pregnancy diet (they contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and are high in protein and low in saturated fat), you should avoid eating:

• shark
• swordfish
• king mackerel
• tilefish
• tuna steak
  

These types of fish may contain high levels of mercury, which can cause damage to the developing brain of a fetus. When you choose seafood, limit the total amount to about 12 ounces per week — that's about two meals. Also, if you eat canned tuna, limit consumption to no more than 6 ounces per week. Also, check any local advisories before consuming recreationally caught fish.

Changing the Litter Box

Pregnancy is the prime time to get out of cleaning kitty's litter box. Why? Because toxoplasmosis can be spread through soiled cat litter boxes and can cause serious problems, including prematurity, poor growth, and severe eye and brain damage. A pregnant woman who becomes infected often has no symptoms but can still pass the infection on to her developing baby.

Over the Counter and Prescriptions Medications

Even common over-the-counter medications that are generally safe may be considered off-limits during pregnancy because of their potential effects on the baby. And certain prescription medications may also cause harm to the developing fetus.

To make sure you don't take anything that could be harmful to your baby:

• Ask your health care provider which medicines — both over-the-counter and prescription — are safe to take during pregnancy.
  
• Talk to your health care provider about any prescription drugs you're taking.
  
• Let all of your health care providers know that you're pregnant so that they'll keep that in mind when recommending or prescribing any medications.
  
• Also remember to discuss natural remedies, supplements, and vitamins.

If you were prescribed a medication before you became pregnant for an illness, disease, or condition you still have, consult with your health care provider, who can help you weigh potential benefits and risks of continuing your prescription.

If you become sick (e.g., with a cold) or have symptoms that are causing you discomfort or pain (like a headache or backache), talk to your health care provider about medications you can take and alternative ways to help you feel better without medication.

Healthy pregnancy

Staying healthy during pregnancy depends on the mother. Key to protecting the health of your child is to get regular prenatal care. If you think you're pregnant, call your health care provider to schedule an appointment. You should schedule your first examination as soon as you think that you are pregnant.

At this first visit, your health care provider likely do a pregnancy test, and will figure out how many weeks pregnant you are based on a physical examination and the date of your last period. He or she will also use this information to predict your delivery date (however, an ultrasound performed sometime during your pregnancy will help to verify that date).
If you're healthy and there are no complicating risk factors, most health care providers will want to see you:

• every 4 weeks until the 28th week of pregnancy
• then every 2 weeks until 36 weeks
• then once a week until delivery

Throughout your pregnancy, your health care provider will check your weight and blood pressure while also checking the growth and development of your baby (by doing things like feeling your abdomen, listening for the fetal heartbeat starting during the second trimester, and measuring your belly). During the span of your pregnancy, you'll also have prenatal test, including blood, urine, and cervical tests, and probably at least one ultrasound.

If you still need to choose a health care provider to counsel and treat you during your pregnancy, there are several options:

• obstetricians/gynecologists (also known as OB/GYNs — doctors who specialize in pregnancy and childbirth, as well as women's health care)
  
• family practitioners (doctors who provide a range of services for patients of all ages — in some cases, this includes obstetrical care)
  
• certified nurse-midwives (advanced practice nurses specializing in women's health care needs, including prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care for uncomplicated pregnancies; there are also other kinds of midwives, but you should look for one with formal training who's been certified in the field)

Any of these is a good choice if you're healthy and there's no reason to anticipate complications with your pregnancy and delivery. However, nurse-midwives do need to have a doctor available for the delivery in case an unexpected problem arises or a cesarean section (C-section) has to be performed.

Nutrition and Supplements

Now that you're eating for two (or more!), this is not the time to cut calories or go on a diet. In fact, it's just the opposite — you need about 300 extra calories a day, especially later in your pregnancy when your baby grows quickly. If you're very thin, very active, or carrying multiples, you'll need even more. But if you're overweight, your health care provider may advise that you consume fewer extra calories.

Healthy eating is always important, but especially when you're pregnant. So, make sure your calories come from nutritious foods that will contribute to your baby's growth and development.

Try to maintain a well-balanced diet that incorporates the dietary guidelines including:

• lean meats
• fruits
• vegetables
• whole-grain breads
• low-fat dairy product

By eating a healthy, balanced diet you're more likely to get the nutrients you need. But you will need more of the essential nutrients (especially calcium, iron, and folic acid) than you did before you became pregnant. Your health care provider will prescribe prenatal vitamins to be sure both you and your growing baby are getting enough.

But taking prenatal vitamins doesn't mean you can eat a diet that's lacking in nutrients. It's important to remember that you still need to eat well while pregnant. Prenatal vitamins are meant to supplement your diet not be your only source of much-needed nutrients.

Calcium

Most women 19 and older — including those who are pregnant — don't often get the daily 1,000 mg of calcium that's recommended. Because your growing baby's calcium demands are high, you should increase your calcium consumption to prevent a loss of calcium from your own bones. Your doctor will also likely prescribe prenatal vitamins for you, which may contain some extra calcium.

Good sources of calcium include:

• low-fat dairy products including milk, pasteurized cheese, and yogurt
• calcium-fortified products, including orange juice, soy milk, and cereals
• dark green vegetables including spinach, kale, and broccoli
• tofu
• dried beans
• almonds

Iron

Pregnant women need about 30 mg of iron every day. Why? Because iron is needed to make hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of red blood cells. Red blood cells circulate throughout the body to deliver oxygen to all its cells.

Without enough iron, the body can't make enough red blood cells and the body's tissues and organs won't get the oxygen they need to function well. So it's especially important for pregnant women to get enough iron in their daily diets — for themselves and their growing babies.

Although the nutrient can be found in various kinds of foods, iron from meat sources is more easily absorbed by the body than iron found in plant foods. Iron-rich foods include:

• red meat
• dark poultry
• salmon
• eggs
• tofu
• enriched grains
• dried beans and peas
• dried fruits
• dark leafy green vegetables
• blackstrap molasses
• iron-fortified breakfast cereals

Folate (Folic Acid)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all women of childbearing age — and especially those who are planning a pregnancy — get about 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) of folic acid supplements every day. That can be from a multivitamin or folic acid supplement in addition to the folic acid found in food.

So, why is folic acid so important? Studies have shown that taking folic acid supplements 1 month prior to and throughout the first 3 months of pregnancy decrease the risk of neural tube defects by up to 70%.

The neural tube — formed during the several weeks of the pregnancy, possibly before a woman even knows she's pregnant — goes on to become the baby's developing brain and spinal cord. When the neural tube doesn't form properly, the result is a neural tube defect such as spina bifida.

Again, your health care provider can prescribe a prenatal vitamin that contains the right amount of folic acid. Some pregnancy health care providers even recommend taking an additional folic acid supplement, especially if a woman has previously had a child with a neural tube defect.

If you're buying an over-the-counter supplement, keep in mind that most multivitamins contain folic acid, but not all of them have enough folic acid to meet the nutritional needs of a pregnant woman. So, be sure to check labels carefully before choosing one and check with your health care provider.

Fluids

It's also important to drink plenty of fluids, especially water, during pregnancy. A woman's blood volume increases dramatically during pregnancy, and drinking enough water each day can help prevent common problems such as dehydration and constipation.

Exercises

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes (that's 2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week if you're not already highly active or doing vigorous-intensity activity. If you are very active or did intense aerobic activities before becoming pregnant, you may be able to keep up your workouts, as long as your doctor says it's safe. Before beginning — or continuing — any exercise regimen talk to your doctor first.

Exercising during pregnancy has been shown to be extremely beneficial. Regular exercise can help:

• prevent excess weight gain
• reduce pregnancy related problems, like back pain, swelling, and constipation
• improve sleep
• increase energy
• improve outlook
• prepare for labor
• lessen recovery time

Low-impact, moderate-intensity exercise activities (such as walking and swimming) are great choices. You can also opt for yoga or Pilates classes, DVDs, or videos that are tailored for pregnancy. These are both low-impact and work on strength, flexibility, and relaxation.

But you should limit high-impact aerobics and avoid certain sports and activities that pose a risk of falling or abdominal injury. Typical limitations include contact sports, downhill skiing, and horseback riding.

It's also important to be aware of how your body changes. During pregnancy, your body produces a hormone known as relaxin, which is believed to help prepare the pubic area and the cervix for the birth. The relaxin loosens the ligaments in your body, making you less stable and more prone to injury.

So, it's easy to overstretch or strain yourself, especially the joints in your pelvis, lower back, and knees. In addition, your center of gravity shifts as your pregnancy progresses, so you may feel off-balance and at risk of falling. Keep these in mind when you choose an activity and don't overdo it.

Whatever type of exercise you choose, make sure to take frequent breaks and remember to drink plenty of fluids. And use common sense — slow down or stop if you get short of breath or feel uncomfortable. If you have any questions about doing a certain sport or activity during your pregnancy, talk to your health care provider for specific guidelines.

Sleep

It's important to get enough sleep during your pregnancy. Your body is working hard to accommodate a new life, so you'll probably feel more tired than usual. And as your baby gets bigger, it will be harder to find a comfortable position when you're trying to sleep.

Lying on your side with your knees bent is likely to be the most comfortable position as your pregnancy progresses. It also makes your heart's job easier because it keeps the baby's weight from applying pressure to the large blood vessels that carry blood to and from your heart and your feet and legs. Lying on your side can also help prevent or reduce varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and swelling in your legs.

Some doctors specifically recommend that pregnant women sleep on the left side. Because one of those big blood vessels is on the right side of your abdomen, lying on your left side helps keep the uterus off of it. Lying on your left side optimizes blood flow to the placenta and, therefore, your baby.

Ask what your health care provider recommends. In most cases, lying on either side should do the trick and help take some pressure off your back. To create a more comfortable resting position either way, prop pillows between your legs, behind your back, and underneath your belly.

The habits that make prematurely-aging skin

Many of the external causes of aging skin are determined by the health and lifestyle decisions you make every day. Making unhealthy choices can cause prematurely aging skin, and this makes you look older, faster.

An important part of any anti-aging skin care program is to know what you may be doing that is harming your skin and speeding up your skin's aging process.

Cigarette smoke
Whether you smoke, or you spend time with a smoker, cigarette smoke is damaging -- and aging -- to your skin. Research has shown that exposure to cigarette smoke significantly increases skin wrinkles and dryness. This is partly due to the behavior of smoking, and also because cigarette smoke depletes your body of vitamin C, which is a key ingredient for keeping skin plump and moist.
Some researchers believe that exposure to cigarette smoke (whether you smoke or not) is as damaging to aging skin as exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Sun exposure
Sun exposure is very aging to skin. Unprotected skin that is exposed to the sun becomes more mottled in appearance. Freckles can turn into brown sun spots, the skin takes on a dry, leathery appearance, and wrinkles and sagging increase. The risk of skin cancer is significantly increased by sun exposure.
The good news is that sun damage is avoidable, and if you start now, you can improve the condition of sun damaged skin.

• See your health care provider to assess the amount of sun damage you may have, and to rule out possible skin cancers. He or she may be able to prescribe medication that can help to reduce existing sun damage.
• If you want to avoid aging skin but don’t want to avoid the sun, make sure you use sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Choose sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher, and use it all year-round, even on cloudy days. Clouds do not protect you from ultraviolet ray exposure.

Lack of exercise
Living a sedentary life contributes to aging skin, because exercise helps to tone your muscles and get your blood flowing. Exercise should be an important part of every anti-aging skin care program. Researchers have also discovered that sedentary older adults are at higher risk for dementia.
In addition to the physical benefits of exercise, the benefits of a regular exercise program will show on your face. Having a bright smile and lots of energy will help you look and feel younger, at any age.

Exposure to cold weather
Cold winds and low temperatures contribute to aging skin by making skin dry, so if you venture out in the cold be sure to use a good moisturizer.
It’s important to use moisturizer indoors too, as heated rooms can be very drying to skin. Consider using a humidifier to help keep your skin more comfortable and reduce the aging skin effects of heated rooms.

Alcohol use
Alcohol contributes to aging skin by dilating small blood vessels in the skin and increasing blood flow near the skin's surface. Over time, these blood vessels can become permanently damaged, creating a flushed appearance and broken vessels on the skin’s surface.

Stress
Maybe you’ve heard this expression: “Don’t frown, your face could stay that way.” Stress and worry cause frowning, and over time the muscles in the face actually conform to that movement.
To help reduce aging skin due to stress, be aware of your stress level and try to vary your facial expressions during the day. A good anti-aging skin care program should include meditation, yoga, gentle exercise or other relaxation techniques. Keeping stress in check -- and frown lines and aging skin wrinkles to a minimum -- will help you look and feel younger.

Lack of sleep
Too little sleep makes you look and feel tired. One of the first places lack up sleep shows up is on the face, with dark circles and bags under the eyes, and sagging skin. Lack of sleep is also a major factor in memory loss and symptoms of depression that include low interest in daily activities and negative thinking.
Research has shown that most adults function best with 8-9 hours of sleep each night. Reduce caffeine during the day (with none in the evening), avoid eating at least 2 hours before bedtime, and maintain a sleep routine that includes going to bed at the same time each night.

How to make natural facial masks

Here is several natural aids have been found useful in promoting healthy and beautiful skin.

Lime Juice

Lime juice is an important natural aid for healthy skin.

1. To cure pimples

Squeeze lime into a bowl. Add a glass of boiled whole milk and a teaspoon of glycerin to it. Stir well and let it stay for half an hour. Apply this mixture on the face, hands and feet before going to bed at night. This treatment every night will help you to look young and beautiful. It will also help cure pimples.

2. For very oily skin

Squeeze lemon juice in a bowl of iced water. Splash this over the face, massage for five minutes and then wash off with water.

3. To improve a dull and greasy complexion

Mix half teaspoon of lime juice with one teaspoon of cucumber juice and a few drops of rose water. Apply on the face and neck and leave on for 15 minutes. Remove with water.

4. To improve a dry and rough skin

Take an egg yolk and mix in a few drops of lime and olive oil. Spread on the face and leave it till the skin feels dry. Wash off with ordinary water and splash on cold water.

5. To relieve tired eyes

Take four tablespoons each of lime juice and iced water. Saturate cotton pads in this water and place over your closed eyelids for 10 minutes.

6. To remove freckles

Blanch and grind two almonds. Mix it with white of an egg to which half teaspoon of lime juice has been added. Spread on the face and leave it on till the skin feels dry. Then, wash off first with warm water and then with cold water.

Peach Treatment

The skin of the peach is useful in improving the complexion.

Gently massage the inside of peach peelings on the face every night for a few minutes. Don't rub off the moisture afterwards. This will cleanse the skin thoroughly and free the pores. It also has an astringent action and tightens the muscle of the face slightly, thus preventing sagging tissues.

Honey

Combine 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of honey. Smooth over your face and rinse after 15 minutes. Honey is popular in facial treatments for dry skin.

Strawberry

Mix 1 cup of over-ripe strawberries and 1/4 cup of cornstarch to make a drawing facial mask for deep-cleaning the skin. Leave on for 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly

Orange Tonic

Blanch and grind a couple of almonds to a paste and mix in two tablespoons of milk and one tablespoon each of carrot and orange juice. Apply thickly on face and neck and leave on for half an hour. Removes scars and blemishes from the face and makes it soft and smooth.

Watermelon Juice

The juice of water-melon is useful in the removal of blemishes on the skin.

Prepare a lotion by grating and squeezing the juice of a small slice of water-melon. Apply this lotion over the face and neck for fifteen minutes. Wash with hot water. Follow this by a splash of cold water.

Tomato

Tomato, used externally, is good for getting a good complexion.

Apply the pulp of a tomato liberally on the face. Leave this for an hour. Then wash off with warm water. Repeat this daily. You will have a good complexion. It will also remove ugly-looking pimples in a short time.

Cucumber

Grate or blend a cucumber. Apply this over the face, eyes and neck for 15 to 20 minutes. It is a great tonic for the facial skin. Regular use of cucumber prevents pimples, blackheads, wrinkles, and dryness of the face.

Almonds

Make a paste of almonds with mild cream and fresh rosebud paste. Apply it daily over the face. This softens and bleaches the skin and nourishes it with the choicest skin-food. Regular application of this mixture prevents the early appearance of wrinkles, blackheads, dryness of the skin, pimples. It also keeps the face refreshed.

To improve rough and dry complexion

Take a teaspoon of almond oil and mix it with half a teaspoon each of milk cream and lime juice. Apply every night before going to bed both on the face and on the neck.

Yogurt

Yogurt is a very important natural beauty aid.

Apply yogurt on the face every morning. Wash it off after a few minutes with cold water. This will keep the complexion smooth, healthy and fresh. A mixture of yogurt and lemon juice is ideal for softening hands.

A paste of lentil and yogurt, applied as a mask, cleanses the skin and gives it a glow. Let it dry. When dried, remove it with fingertips and wash off with water.
Honey, olive oil and a mixture of turmeric and sandalwood paste are all very effective in rejuvenating dry , parched skin.

Apple Tonic

Mix one tablespoon of apple juice with one-fourth teaspoon of lime juice. Leave on for 20 minutes. Makes excellent tonic for combating oily skin.

Amaranth Juice Treatment

The juice of amaranth, applied over the face with a pinch of turmeric powder, bleaches the skin, prevents it from drying and wrinkling, cures pimples and makes one look fresh.

Add to this mixture milk and lime juice. Massage the mixture delicately over the face and neck for half an hour. Wash it off with lukewarm water. Do this every night before going to bed. This is an effective skin tonic that increases and retains its beauty.

Mint Juice

Application of fresh mint juice over the face every night, cures pimples and prevents dryness of the skin. The juice can also be applied over eczema and contact dermatitis with beneficial results.

Cabbage Mask

Grind a couple of cabbage leaves and extract juice. Dissolve one-fourth teaspoon of yeast in it and stir in one teaspoon of honey. Mix well and apply thickly over face and neck. Keep it for 15 minutes. Remove with cotton-wool soaked in water. This mask will counteract any tendency towards wrinkles and dryness and give your skin a flower-like bloom.

Tangerine Juice Treatment

The use of orange or tangerine juice has also been found valuable for a glowing complexion.

Dip your fingers in fresh tangerine or orange juice. Apply it liberally over your face, chin, neck, and forehead. Make a paste from the powdered sun dried pips of unripe oranges. Use this paste on the pimples and acne at bed time.

Cleansing Lotion

To one-fourth teaspoon of lime juice stir in one teaspoon each of milk and cucumber juice. Apply on the face and neck and wash off after 14 minutes. This lotion cleanses and purifies the pores of the skin.

Anti-wrinkle cream

Mix a teaspoon of olive oil with an egg. Smoothen the face and neck with it. Let it remain till the skin gets dry.

To Remove The Cream:

Add a teaspoon of soda bicarbonate to hot water. Stir. Dip a piece of cotton-wool to this mixture and use it to remove the cream.

Natural Beauty Mask

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of gram flour

1/4 teaspoon orange peel powder

1 tablespoon beaten yogurt

1 teaspoon olive oil

Mix the ingredients well and apply the paste to your face and neck. Let it remain till the skin starts feeling a little dry and then rub your face with your hands till it glows.

Wash your face first with warm water and then with cold water. This will remove all the embarrassing blemishes from the skin and make the skin soft and smooth.

To improve a dark and dull complexion

Ingredients

1 teaspoon of gram flour

pinch of turmeric powder

few drops of lime juice

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon milk

Mix the ingredients together. Apply the mixture to your skin. Leave it on for half an hour. Wash off with water.

Tips for your healthy skin

SLEEPING BEAUTY

I don’t care what else you do to your skin, if you are sleep deprived your skin will look sallow, dull, tired, and saggy; with your puffy eyes, you will resemble a frog prince or princess. And of course, your energy level will be less than desirable. Your skin, which is prone to damage during the day, is repaired as you sleep. Some people require as much as eight to nine hours sleep every night, others can make do with just five.
Remember, there is so substitute for sleep if you want great skin.
Sleep is the best-kept skin care secret.

YOU MUST DRINK A LOT OF WATER
What goes in must go out, and water helps move everything along. Impurities not disposed of in a timely manner via the internal organs of elimination (such as the kidneys, liver, lungs, and large intestine) will find an alternate exit, namely your skin, sometimes referred to as the “third kidney.” Pimples and rashes may develop as your body tries to unload its wastes through your skin. Consciously make an effort to have at least eight to 12 glasses daily will help cleanse your body of toxins and keep your colon functioning as it should. Water also keeps your skin hydrated and moisturized, so drink up!


DO SOME EXERCISE

Try to exercise outside, to help oxygenate your cells with fresh air and facilitate waste removal through your skin. Exercises such as walking, biking, in-line skating, and weight lifting improve cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance, which translates into increased energy and a rosy complexion. If you live in a city, try to find a green space—a park or a greenway—in which to exercise. If city streets, with their attendant pollution, are your only outdoor option, exercising in a gym may be a better alternative.

FOODS FOR YOUR HEALTHY SKIN
Most people do not consciously realize that what they eat affects the health of their skin and eat the wrong things which cause all these problems. They get skin care products that never work because the root problem is still present. Diet is probably one of the more common causes of skin problems, so eat well and you may even be able to dump your skin-care products in the bin forever.

Eating foods rich in anti-oxidants is one of the keys in having great skin. This slows down cell-damage and as you may have already heard a million times, fights free radicals. Berries such as cranberries and blueberries are one of the richest sources of bio flavonoids, antioxidants that destroy free radicals which destroy tissue and reinforce the cells that make up blood vessel walls, increasing blood circulation and giving you those beautiful rosy cheeks. Bright colors on vegetables and fruits signify richness in antioxidants, so eat more of these as well. They include plums, apricots, strawberries, spinach, broccoli and other leafy vegetables.

Chicken, fish and other seafood are also great foods that will benefit the skin. These are good sources of high-quality, low fat protein which helps make your skin more elastic and toned. An additional advantage of eating these is stronger, shinier hair. Also, try to avoid red meats as these will cause less desirable effects on the skin. You have to eat about 60 grams of these a day for a difference in your skin.

Foods with Omega-3 fatty acids are also great for the skin. You can get these as daily supplements, or you could find them in fatty fish like Salmon, Cod and other foods including ground flaxseeds, walnuts, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and cabbage.

Vitamin E rich foods will help to prevent dry skin and also helps in the repair and reduction of scars and stretch marks. These foods include hazelnuts, almonds, broccoli, spinach, mango, kiwi, peanuts and sunflower seeds.

Poultry, red meat, fish, bananas, peanut butter and eggs are a rich source of Vitamin B. Eat foods with a low glycaemic Index as they are absorbed very slowly by the body and not cause a sudden rush in blood sugar level. When the blood sugar level increases too rapidly, the pancreas will produce excess insulin that will cause cell-damaging chemicals which cause inflammation. This causes premature aging, among other illnesses such as cancer.

THE THINGS YOU MUST AVOID

Avoid your sugar

This may hurt, but try to avoid sugar as much as possible. Sugar has been known to weaken the collagen fibres of the skin and also cause them to lose their elasticity. Brown discolouration marks and age spots are caused by this, and no wonder even the middle-aged people nowadays have skin that look decades older. Sugar is hard to avoid, especially now where it is used in many of our processed foods that we don’t even realise contain this sweet substance. Soft drinks and alcohol are one of the most notorious for having plenty of sugar and should be avoided as much as possible.

Control your carbohydrate intake. Eating too much of carbohydrates will cause a hike in your blood-sugar level. Bread, corn, white rice, peas, pasta, potatoes and all refined pastries are high GI carbohydrate foods which you should avoid.

Cut back on caffeine

Caffeine makes it very unlikely that the skin cells will ever pick up enough water, even if you drink a gallon of water a day.

Avoid cigarette smoke

Cigarette smoke exposes you to damaging free radicals that will accelerate the aging process by damaging the microcapillaries in the skin.

Say good-bye to stress

Stress and tension accelerate the formation of lines around your eyes and can even produce abnormal skin conditions like eczema (where the skin gets dry and itchy; it can even result in broken skin and bleeding).

The way to have a healthy and beautiful skin

YOUR SKIN PORTRAYS YOUR HEALTH AND HOLDS THE KEY TO YOUR OVERALL BEAUTY

Your skin, especially the skin on your face, is probably one of the last things you want looking terrible with pimple scars, acne and an oily appearance.

The skin is the organ that determines most of our appearance and how good we look, so taking care of it to make sure it is always at its most pristine state is vital for a great image. No one likes acne-infested faces or skin with age spots. They simply look unpleasant and sometimes leave the impression of contagiousness, which leaves people afraid of even going near you.

It's never too late to start caring for your skin; of course the earlier you start the better. 'Prevention is better than cure'. A good cleansing routine is important for looking after the skin externally, but a balanced nutritious diet, plenty of water and another factors is a combined effort to have a beautiful skin.

CARING FOR YOUR SKIN

The skin naturally produces sebum (oil), sweat and grease naturally build up on the skin and can block pores and follicles and lead to infection. But that's not all, on top of that we love to layer on the make-up, 'cosmetics here we come', which can also cause congestion and irritation, especially if not removed properly. Not to mention all the pollutants in the air, especially if you work in a city. Dust and dirt in the air land on your skin and build up a healthy layer throughout the day and rubbing or touching our faces with grubby mitts just adds to all the congestion. As you can imagine by the end of the day there is quite a collection of yuk built up on our skin and consequently blackheads and spots can fester…

Cleanse your skin twice daily using a mild, natural, inexpensive cleanser designed for your skin type. Add a couple of drops essential oil of rose, spearmint, or orange to your cleanser to boost its cleaning effect and aromatic quality. Cleansing your skin is especially important before going to bed, because your body excretes toxins through your skin as you sleep. If facial pores are clogged with makeup and dirt, breakouts can occur. If you perspire a lot in your line of work or exercise heavily, then rinse off and massage your body with a coarse cloth or loofah before retiring to remove salt and dead-skin buildup. Your skin needs to breathe while you sleep !

This is 4 steps to keep your skin look young and healthy :

CLEANSING
There are lots of different products on the market for cleansing the skin. I would generally recommend a cleaning milk, lotion or cream. They should state on the packaging which skin type they are most suitable for, but generally, if it says it's a lotion, its for combination or greasy skin; if it says its a cream, its for dry or mature skin; and milk tends to be for dry skin prone to sensitivity or sensitive skin.

TONING

Toners not only balance the skins natural pH, they are recommended to remove all traces of cleanser and grease. They cool the skin, creating a tightening effect and closing the pores, so reducing the flow of sebum and sweat onto the skins surface (so great for oily skins).

EXFOLIATING

Exfoliating encourages cell regeneration - so brilliant for mature skin - and with no dead skin cells and grease to block its absorption, means moisturisers can be soaked up more easily into the skin. As with all products, there are lots of different types of exfoliants; on the face make sure you use a facial exfoliator (they are more gentle)! The granules in them are either chemical or vegetable origin. I don't think that is terribly relevant, it's a matter of personal preference, which you go for. I'd recommend exfoliating once to twice a week, concentrating on areas like the nose and forehead where you get the most congestion.

MOISTURISING

It is important to moisturise even if you have an oily skin. When the skin is exposed to cold, less sebum is produced; this means the skin has reduced protection, allowing moisture to evaporate. The loss of moisture from your skin is affected by the water content in the air around you (humidity). In hot dry weather humidity is low - the amount of water in the air around you is low - so the air, as such, absorbs the water out of your skin. In mild conditions humidity is high - there's plenty of water in the air - so water loss from your skin will be low. With central heating we create a humidity similar to that in a desert environment - it is very drying on your skin. In very hot weather your skin sweats and you loose lots of moisture through this perspiration. Extremes of weather or alternating hot and cold, for example going into a heated building in the winter or going into an air conditioned office in a hot summer can lead to broken capillaries. All of these damaging effects caused by the climate can be reduced by using moisturisers and facial oils - these spread a protective layer of oil on the skin, pushing nourishment and moisture into the skin while reducing evaporation of water from the skin. In a building with central heating humidifiers can be used to moisten the air.
Moisturisers also plump out fine lines, and provide a protective barrier between your skin and cosmetics and pollutants. They often contain additional ingredients and nutrients, the most common being vitamin E. A lot of moisturisers these days also sensibly contain some UV filter to protect against the age-accelerating effects of sunlight. They protect, soften and nourish the skin and are, I would say, the most important part of your skin care routine. I often suggest my clients use a moisturiser and a facial oil, especially if they have a dehydrated skin or are concerned about aging.

strategies to avoid breast cancer

1. Limit alcohol

A strong link exists between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. The type of alcohol consumed — wine, beer or mixed drinks — seems to make no difference. To help protect against breast cancer, limit alcohol to less than one drink a day or avoid alcohol completely.

2. Eat fruit

You can't go wrong with this – almost all dietary advice comes down to the single instruction to eat more fruit and veg. Diet is thought to be a key factor in one in four cancer deaths – and animal fat in the diet is the suspect ingredient in breast cancer. The Japanese, who eat a diet of fish, rice and vegetables that is extremely low in animal fat, also have low rates of breast cancer.

A high-fat diet increases the levels of the female hormone estrogen in the blood, which encourages the growth of cancer cells. In populations with a high-fat diet, women tend to start their periods earlier and reach menopause later so they are exposed to high levels of estrogen for longer, increasing their risk of breast cancer.

Studies into what effect eating fruit and vegetables has on breast cancer have produced mixed results. One study found that, when combined with taking exercise, the results were dramatic. Published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology last June, it showed that women who ate their five portions a day and walked briskly for at least 30 minutes halved their risk of breast cancer.

3. Walk

It is enjoyable, simple and requires no equipment. Walking is good for all aspects of physical and mental health – and cancer is no exception. Brisk walking (or other exercise) for 30 minutes a day, five times a week, is all that's needed. Currently only one in four women manages this. If all women did, Cancer Research UK estimates it would prevent 1,400 cases a year.

Three large studies in Italy and the US showed that inactivity caused 11 per cent of cases of breast cancer. Exercise works best before the menopause, but it is effective afterwards, too. It is thought to alter estrogen metabolism, resulting in a weaker version being made.

4. Avoid HRT

Hormone replacement therapy is seen as the principal avoidable risk for breast cancer. At the height of its popularity, in 2002, an estimated two million women were taking HRT in the UK, and millions more worldwide. Tens of thousands of women will have developed breast cancer, ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer (of the lining of the womb) as a result. Overall, women currently taking HRT are 63 per cent more likely to develop these three cancers than those who are not. Earlier hopes that these risks would be counterbalanced by a reduction in heart disease have not been borne out. Gynecologists recommend that women who wish to use it to ease the symptoms of the menopause do so for as short a time as possible.

5. Get screened

Women diagnosed with breast cancer at the earliest possible stage have a nine in 10 chance of a successful recovery. This is the rationale for screening – to detect a tumour by mammography when it is still too small to feel. Women aged 50 to 70 are invited for screening every three years – shortly to be extended to ages 47 to 73. It is estimated that the scheme saves 1,400 lives a years in England – one life for every 500 women screened.

However, there is a downside in the shape of false alarms. Screening picks up abnormalities in the breast that look like cancer but turn out not to be. Several thousand women each year suffer the anxiety and discomfort of being recalled for further tests and undergoing biopsies of the breast to check for cancer – before being given the all-clear. Screening is now more accurate, since two views of the breast are taken, reducing the chances of cancers being missed.

6. Give birth

Having children, especially before the age of 30, helps protect against breast cancer. It is down to those hormones, again. Over the last century, economic progress has led to delayed childbirth and smaller families as women with their own careers have sought to balance the demands of work and home. But researchers estimate that delaying childbearing increases the risk of breast cancer by 3 per cent for each year of delay.

7. Breast-feed

Breast-feeding protects against breast cancer, as well as being best for the baby. But smaller families and the rise in the number of working mothers has meant the time spent breast-feeding has reduced. Breast-feeding for six months reduces the risk, experts say. Yet many women never get that far. In England, 77 per cent of mothers start breast-feeding but more than a third switch to bottle-feeding in the first six weeks.

8. Lose weight

Obesity increases the risk of breast cancer – but only after the menopause. A large European study called Epic found post menopausal women who were obese had a 31 per cent higher risk of breast cancer than women with a healthy weight. Reducing obesity could save 1,800 cases of breast cancer a year.

Obesity increases the risk of other cancers including those of the bowel, womb, kidney and esophagus. Overall it is estimated that 5 per cent of cancers in women and 3 per cent in men are due to being obese or overweight. In the UK, 12,000 people might avoid getting cancer each year if they maintained a healthy body weight.

9. Sleep Safely

Shut out all light: Sleeping in a dark room aids production of neurotransmitter serotonin, which is crucial in making melatonin.

Get nine hours' sleep: A Finnish study found that women who slept nine hours were one-third as likely to get breast cancer as those who slept seven-eight.

Get a red light bulb: Place a red light bulb in one fixture. If you get up in the night, only use this one.

Get outside in the morning: Just 10-15 minutes of morning light will send a strong time-keeping signal to the brain's clock, leaving it less likely to be confused.

10. Live somewhere clean

It has long been claimed that exposure to pollutants used in the manufacture of products from plastics to cosmetics has an "endocrine disrupting" effect. The chemicals are said to mimic the action of oestrogen and have been blamed for feminised fish and frogs and declining sperm counts in men. A report from the World Wide Fund for Nature last year claimed their role in breast cancer had been neglected. It pointed out that less than half of new breast cancer cases can be explained by genetic and lifestyle factors and chemicals in the environment could be the missing link. Other studies have contradicted this suggestion and experts point out that compared with the natural levels of oestrogen in a woman's blood, the level of the chemicals is too small to have significant impact.