Fat Loss 4 Idiots Opinion

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Make Your Weight Training Routines Count

By Emmanuel Palmer

I know you've heard it before and have said it once or twice with tears in your eyes, 'No Pain, No Gain'. It is the courageous cry of those yet to see the peaks of Mt. Body Beautiful. It is true that you will experience pain, at times almost rendering you immovable from your bed; however, pay close attention that it is pain caused only by muscle soreness. In your zeal to put checks in your list on how to build muscles, be mindful of some factors listed below to help keep your body free from injury and unnecessary pain.

It is understandable that beginners especially would like nothing more than to spend many hours in the gym working up a good sweat expecting to see faster results. The fact is, over training is probably one of the first things you need to take care to avoid. Your immune system suffers and the tendency to injure oneself is greater in over training. Moreover, you will get burnt out quicker. Take a few days or even a week off periodically to give your body the rest it needs.

For those aiming to gain a significant amount of body mass to get that bodybuilder's physique, many 'How to Build Muscles' guide will discourage you from practicing cardiovascular workouts. You will need to gain more weight than lose them in burning, but do not take away aerobic exercises from your weight training routines. Cardiovascular training helps in your arteries' elasticity and improves your cholesterol levels. Build your muscles and your heart's health as well.

Take extra precautions in your stay in the gym. When you finish using a machine, ensure that the weight plates, pulleys and cables are locked or safely tucked away. Also bring the dumbbells you've used back to their appropriate racks. Watch your head when you pass by certain equipments, especially those with extended bars attached to them. Wear suitable attire and footwear; and give the other trainers space when they are performing their exercise programs.

Always keep the correct position and form as you execute your drills. A lot of people make the mistake of rushing through the last few reps just so they can complete the given set but doing so may potentially put your body in an injury with serious consequences. Study and know the right way of performing the assigned exercises, starting with the lesser weight and gradually increasing it. If a joint or tendon feels particularly over extended, do not force the movement. Stop and ask your instructor on the best way of doing the task.

Finally, eat right. If you have the right diet not only will your energy up to par for your workouts, your muscle development will benefit from it as well. Whether you are planning to trim down or bulk up, get your calories from protein and carbohydrate rich food. Meals should ideally have fish, chicken, whole wheat grains, etc. Drink plenty of fluids particularly in days that you workout.

Pay attention to the seemingly insignificant details and watch yourself overtake your hardcore fitness colleague even in his best weight training routines. The secret-rest, eat and exercise well, it does not get any better that that. - 17269

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The Best Foods To Eat For Burning Fat

By Heron Gablub

This is really simple but powerful nutrition recommendations for fat burning. Doing so will give you way more energy and a better fit looking body, even boost your fitness level to its maximum. All you need to do for successful fat burning is to eat natural whole foods, It is that simple. The Turbulence Training for fat loss e-book will teach you everything about nutrition from left to right, bottom up.

You need to avoid processed foods. Process foods are anything in a bag or a box. So you must cut out donuts, muffins, pre packaged cereals, white bread, pasta, chips, cookies, crackers, etc.

You need to get yourself on a timed schedule for simpler eating so you can get rid of your bad habit addiction on processed foods that you are used to eating. Focus on vegetable, fruits, nuts, healthy fats and lean proteins. It will be tough to break your habit on eating processed foods but it is necessary. Through your journey as you begin eating natural whole foods you will realize and appreciate the taste of real food.

You don't have to stop eating meat to lose fat and build muscle, you got to go with healthy meats. It's not bad to eat beef, chicken and fish. Fish contains essential fatty acids that we need and cant go without.

I'm pretty sure you have heard about the importance of healthy fats that our bodies need. We need to eat fish and nuts, it wont make us fat. It will actually make us healthier and help control your appetite from the healthy fats they provide and the unique quality protein they also give us.

All you got to do is focus on foods that have not been processed and you will start seeing extreme changes in your body and doing so will give you so much more energy in a couple of days. Throw away all processed foods you may have and stock up on natural whole foods, you wont feel tired anymore.

I believe that nutrition is a huge important factor during fat loss and in health. Without good nutrition your body can not perform to its fullest. If you are consuming processed foods, disgusting trans fat or to many calories your body wont be able to do its best during your workouts. No matter what you are doing, your nutrition can either kill or heal you. Now choose wisely and put changing your diet into consideration. It really is hard to believe, the right choices are actually the simple choices, think about it.

I know people who have switched to natural, whole foods and they have almost felt changes overnight in their bodies and a major increase in mental energy. So stick with the simple healthy nutrition options to approach fat burning. - 17269

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How Bovine Colostrum is Created

By Dr. Anthony Kleinsmith

The formation of colostrum in the pregnant cow is initiated about 3-4 weeks before parturition when a limited amount of fluid containing small amounts of growth factors and other transforming substances is released into the developing mammary tissue. The process is regulated by a series of other hormones, one of the most important being progesterone, which attaches to special receptors on the cells lining the mammary gland and prevents them from secreting any fluid into the gland during most of pregnancy. About two weeks before birth, these substances influence the appearance of specific receptors on the surface of the cells lining the mammary gland that will facilitate the transfer of materials from the mother's blood into the gland, including the immunoglobulins (antibodies) necessary to convey passive immunity to the calf after birth and various hormones and growth promoters required to induce and support development of the newborn calf.

About 2 days before birth, the hormonal balance begins to shift, initiating the production of copious secretions and switching on the ability of cells in the mammary tissue to synthesize various substances, including lactose. At birth, when the placenta is eliminated, progesterone levels fall dramatically in the mother and its inhibitory control of the secretions is removed. Simultaneously, a protein-based substance develops in the cells lining the mammary gland that essentially blocks any further transfer of substances from the mother's blood into the gland. The composition of the fluid in the mammary gland at birth is that of true colostrum and reflects the functional changes that have occurred in the gland up to that time; it a) has a high protein concentration, most of which is IgG; b) contains the highest concentration of growth promoters, other hormones and additional metabolically active substances; c) is low in lactose content; and d) is rich in milk fat.

After birth, one of the most influential factors on the composition of subsequent secretions is physical removal of the fluid from the mammary gland. The removal of even small quantities of fluid triggers the production of copious amounts of secretion from the cells in the mammary gland. Since the transfer of biologically-active substances from the mother's blood is blocked, replacement fluid will contain primarily substances synthesized by cells in the mammary gland and, thus, will be of a different composition than the fluid originally contained in the mammary gland at birth. The fluid expressed at this time is known as transitional milk. This is further complicated by the fact that the basic composition of the colostrum changes after birth due to maternal reabsorption and does so rapidly beginning at six hours, as can be seen from the table below.10 Thus, the highest quality bovine colostrum, containing the maximum concentration of biologically active substances, is collected in a single milking during the first six hours after parturition.

While the colostrum in the mother cow are changing quickly after the birth of the calf, the baby calf is undergoing a number of changes in its body. Within the first six hours of life, the calf's stomach lining does not produce any acid and there are a limited number of enzymes which break down proteins that are ingested.

Therefore, these conditions work in favor of having the biologically active substances in complete colostrum pass through the calf's stomachs into the upper portion of the small intestine without being broken down. During the first 6-8 hours of life, an area in the upper duodenum has specialized sites where the biologically active substances can be absorbed and transported directly into the calf's bloodstream. After this period, the stomach begins to acidify, enzymes appear and the specialized absorption area in the small intestine changes dramatically so that most of the biologically active substances in colostrum are no longer absorbed. This process is aided by the fact that calves are born with a well-developed system of lymphoid tissue under their tongue and at the back of their throat that persists throughout their entire life. Many biologically active substances are absorbed through these tissues when the calf suckles its mother or a nursing bottle. - 17269

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The Amazon Acai Fruit Story

By Dr. Jerimiah Crossderd

For centuries, the Amazon rain forest has been believed to have a plethora of medicines within plants and herbs that could cure most ailments known today.

Scientific evidence has made this legend fact; Buried deep within the South American rain forest, a berry like no other has been revered as Amazonian treasure for hundreds of years. The Acai fruit offers an answer to the stories of old.

The Acai fruit (pronounced Ah-sigh-ee) has been cultivated by the indigenous people of the Amazon rain forest for centuries. It has proven to be a panacea for everything from the common cold to diabetes. New scientific discoveries even link this tiny berry to curing cancer.

The legend of the acai fruit has been spoken of for centuries amongst the indeginous people of the Amazon. Once upon a time there was a prosperous tribe that faced certain death due to an intense famine that had swept the region. Desperate for a solution, the tribal leader made a decree that all firstborn children were to be sacrificed.

Unbeknown at the time to Itaki, declaration would even infiltrate his own family. He discovered that his own daughter, Laca, was about to give birth, so she to would have to sacrifice her firstborn child.

The daughter became so depressed that she refused any food or drink and locked herself in the room. After several days and nights of no food, the daughter became delusional and began to hear her baby's cry. She ran out of the room and began to make her way to a palm tree where she thought she saw her child

The next morning, the tribe descended to this palm tree and discovered the dead body of the tribal chiefs daughter. As they looked up at the palm tree, they noticed clumps of blue berries, which later became known as acai berries.

This single berry not only saved the tribe from hunger, but was instrumental in this tribe's economic growth. The people of Belem -- the state in Brazil where the Acai fruit is harvested -- are said to be the descendants of this same tribe.

This tiny Acai fruit is still proven to be one of the largest economic exports for this tiny city in Brazil. - 17269

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4 Things You Shouldn't Be Doing When Cutting Calories To Get Toned Arms

By Katherine Crawford M.S.

There is no way around this, if you want toned arms ASAP, you have to eliminate some calories from your diet. But be careful, because if you eliminate too much there will be unfavorable consequences

Do you know of any women going on extremely low calorie diets??? Unfortunately, this has become the norm and places a huge toll on the female body.

If you want toned arms, never cut calories by more than 20%. That's the limit. Anything above and beyond that will shut down your arm-fat-burning hormones.

It's also important to note that a reduction in calories doesn't have to translate into a reduction in energy. You can actually end up with more energy than before if you do things the right way. So here are 4 things you should not do when eliminating calories to tone up your arms:

1. Using supplements to substitute regular food. Very few supplements actually work. The regulation of dietary supplements in our country is broken, seriously. Moreover, regular food will always leave you more satisfied than a supplement. And it's healthier!

2. Eating once a day. This is probably the worst way to eliminate calories from your diet. It's a surefire way to shut down the arm-fat burning process in your body. Instead, eat with a very high frequency. This becomes extremely important when cutting calories for toned arms.

3. Not lifting weights. It takes a lot of calories to keep muscle. So the first thing your body will do when you restrict calories is burn muscle. How do you stop this? By lifting weights.

4. Not eating balanced meals all the time. Does this sound like an echo from the past? That's because we've become so obsessed with super foods and magic pills, that we've forgotten about the importance of eating balanced meals. Having balanced meals is the best thing you can do to accelerate the burning of arm fat. And make sure you have lots and lots of vegetables. They will mechanically slow down the digestion of whatever you are eating.

If only we could eat everything under the sun and get toned arms at the same time. Unfortunately, the reality is that we have to control what we eat in order to optimize arm fat loss. The good news is that it doesn't have to be painful or ultra-restrictive. And if you follow my above tips it will be that much easier! - 17269

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Can Learning Belly Dancing Really Help Me Prevent Bruising?

By Carolyn Cooper

Do you like the idea of staying young, looking great and just incidentally beating your easy bruising as well? As we get older, we are much more prone to bruising and to retaining those bruises for much longer than we are used to. The problem is that our bodies do not heal as quickly and in as many different ways as they once did because, they have become much more fragile as we age. The good thing is that there are definitely solutions for this issue, and one of the ones that you might not have heard of is belly dancing.

Belly dancing is practiced in many different forms, with styles that are practiced just by men and others practiced just by women. There are also several different philosophies practiced with this dancing as well. Generally everyone agrees that the practice of the dance can be lovely while providing you with physical benefits. Most people don't know that the practicing of this form of dance can prove very useful when you are attempting to overcome your tendency to bruise easily.

First, remember that belly dancing, even though it appears to be wonderfully slow and sensuous, it actually takes a lot of strength and concentration. Of course, there are also belly dance styles which are very aerobic. What this means is that when you are willing to really work on belly dancing, you are going to be able to increase your cardiovascular health, and this in turn will help you get rid of your tendency for easy bruising.

Improving your cardiovascular health will make you considerably more resistant to bruising easily. As your cardiovascular function improves, the tiny blood vessels located just beneath your skin will be much more resistant to rupturing when you bump the edge of a cabinet or counter, ending the level of bruising that you have noticed in the recent past.

Also be aware that one of the major lessons that people learn from belly dancing is how to be graceful. You will enhance your muscle control, and therefore you will greatly reduce your likelihood of stumbling or tripping, which eliminates the causes for bruising from occurring.

Once you have decided to take up belly dancing, remember that you need to consider what goals you are going to set. Are you planning to become a performer, or are you just looking for the physical fitness? As a performer will you dance with others or as a soloist? From the variety of dance troupes available, you will find a multitude of opportunities for you to evaluate.

Egyptian cabaret is a lovely type of belly dancing that is wonderfully glamorous, while American Tribal Style has great ties to body acceptance, personal styles and group dances. Folkloric dance can teach you traditional dances from Iran, Egypt, Syria or Iraq, while there are also dances that are taught based on the props that are used.

Consider what type of belly dancing will be best for you and remember how it may help you overcome your easy bruising. Don't rule out the benefits an all natural, unique, daily supplement program like Bruises Be Banned which offers to help you to reduce bruising or prevent bruising altogether. - 17269

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Hot Tips For Weight Loss

By Terrence Cortez

If you would like to lose weight fast, then you are not alone. There are many individuals that are just like you who are looking to lose weight quickly. Women seem to have the most complaints as they wish to lose weight in their thighs, buttocks and hips. If you are a woman, then we are sure you understand this. You don't want to be deprived from your favorite foods, do you? Many of those diets call for eliminating all of those favorite foods from your life for months on end and turning to something bland. If you would like to keep your favorite foods in your life and lose weight at the same time, then pay close attention as we have six tips that we would like to give you.

For those of you that do not have much time for exercising, but you are still interested in shedding those pounds, then pay close attention to what we are about to tell you below:

Tip number one - Have you ever thought of those lose weight diet pills? Those diet pills seem to be very popular in today's world, but you should pay close attention to what you are using. Many pills out there have not been approved by the FDA and we do not recommend you taking anything that has not been approved by the FDA. Also, we recommend you taking something that has acai berry in it as acai berry is a great weight loss berry.

Tip number two - You may not like water, but you could lose weight when you drinking it. Both the Chinese and Japanese believe that water fills you up and cleans you out. There is no denying that water is good for you and it quenches your thirst, so drink plenty of it.

The third tip - You should cut those portions in half. If you do not eat as many calories, then it is not going to take much exercise to burn them off. Most of those "diet how to lose weight quickly" ads involve you not consuming much calories. In fact, many of them call for one thousand three hundred calories each day. Fix your plate the way you would in normal circumstances, but only eat half of that. Believe it or not, this is very easy and it is going to surprise you. Eat slowly and you will discover that you didn't even need such a big plate in the first place.

The fourth tip - When you eat slowly and take time to chew your food, you will give your stomach a chance to fill full. Many individuals eat quickly without giving their stomach the chance to fill full and that is what leads to over eating. If you use this method, then you could sheds pounds without even changing that diet.

The fifth tip - Do you know all of those sodas you have been drinking each day? Right now, we are telling you that you should eliminate them out of your life. You see, those sodas are no good for you. They are packed full of sugars and calories. When you drink sodas, you will have to work even harder to get rid of those calories. Instead of drinking those fizzy drinks, you should take tip number two into consideration and drink a lot of water each day.

The sixth tip - This last tip involves you getting your normal eight hours of sleep. When you get your normal amount of sleep, you will feel a lot better during the day time and have a lot more energy. Besides, when you're sleeping, you will not be eating and you will be burning calories.

As you see, these six tips are very easy to use. Many of them, you may already do and for the rest of them, it will not require changing your lifestyle very much.

By utilizing these six tips into your everyday life, you will be making sure you have weight loss success in no time. - 17269

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Resveratrol: Is It For You?

By Jane Soreau

The Oprah Winfrey Show is widely recognized as a source of expert advice on health and anti-aging. Not long ago, Dr. Mehmet Oz, an American heart surgeon of Turkish origin and an expert on the latest anti-aging techniques, made a guest appearance on the show. Dr. Oz presented some of his findings concerning resveratrol-a newly identified antioxidant and a possible catalyst for fighting, reducing, and even reversing the effects of growing older.

Fight Toxins, Fight Aging

Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances that protect the body from oxidants-toxins that damage the tissues of the body, causing the visually evident wrinkles on the skin, as well as the less obvious damage to the body's internal systems. Antioxidants help to defend the body, particularly its organs, brain cells, and the nervous system. Moreover, they help to remove the oxidants and even repair damage caused by the aging process.

Resveratrol: Antioxidant par excellence

Among antioxidants, resveratrol is one of the (if not the most) powerful found by our scientists and doctors. As a catalyst, resveratrol sends out a kind of "call to action" to one of the protectors of our immune systems: "Sirtuins." Sirtuins are durable genes that assist in stopping cellular decay, allowing other cells to rejuvenate themselves. An aging individual who ingests resveratrol regularly-in large enough doses of course-will therefore notice that he or she has more energy, reduced fatigue, and a healthier appearance, complete with softened wrinkles and lines.

Hence there are a multitude of benefits generated by ingesting resveratrol on a regular basis. Resveratrol has been found to both fight against, and protect the body from, cancer. It can also protect the body if it is exposed to certain types of radiation and, of course, assist in weight loss.

Nevertheless, we have only begun to skim the surface of the possibilities that resveratrol has to offer! The pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has funded analyses of the antioxidant with close to a billion dollars, and there are no signs to indicate that we have come close to comprehending all resveratrol's beneficial aspects.

A Naturally Occurring Substance

Identified in 1963 as "ko-jo-kon," resveratrol has been used for a long time as a homeopathic remedy-derived from Japanese Knotweed-in Asia. While Japanese Knotwood would seem to be a rather obscure source of resveratrol, you might actually have some growing in your backyard! Knotwood has been identified as an invasive, virtually invincible weed in more than thirteen states. Its hardiness derives directly from the resveratrol it contains. Thus Knotwood is used by some in cooking, as a substitute for rhubarb, while companies have begun manufacturing supplements from it.

Peanuts, believe it or not, are an important resource for resveratrol. Think about that the next time you're at a bar, and snack away! Indeed, long-believed to be a danger due to its high fat content, the peanut has been redeemed through studies which exhibit that people who eat peanuts daily are healthier than those who do not. Eating fatty peanuts actually reduces the amount of fat in your body, and it does so by means of nothing other than resveratrol.

Do you drink red wine? If so, then you are drinking resveratrol. Back in 1992 scientists discovered that grapevines contained copious amounts of resveratrol. Thus drinking red wine is a heart-healthy choice for many of us. Even so, it's important-given all the benefits that resveratrol has to offer us-to remember that a single dose of a resveratrol supplement contains the equivalent of almost one thousand bottles of red wine! - 17269

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What Are Some Ways To Get Rid Of Warts On Hands?

By Deborah Valley

Are you searching the internet for treatment for warts so that you can get them off your body? Well chances are if you are reading this article then you are searching for information on how to get rid of your warts.

Warts are a growing problem in our society and it seems that more and more people are affected; the good news is that if you know what to do you can begin taking necessary steps to get rid of them. Most people who suffer from this problem do not know the proper procedure for getting rid of their warts on hands permanently.

We wanted to share some tips and advice with you on how to get rid of your warts so that you can notice how quickly your self confidence will rise.

Warts Freeze: Many people have heard that freezing any type of warts will get rid of it from their body. This is one of the procedures that is still widely used among doctors and clinics. They use liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart and cause it to fall off. Many people will notice some success; however it is extremely slow and can be very painful.

Duct Tape For Removing Wart: Duct tape has been widely used for getting rid warts. You will want to place a piece of tape directly on top of the wart to prevent it from breathing.

Knife: This method is only used when people become frustrated because everything else that they have tried just seems to be unsuccessful. Of course I do not believe that this method should be used as warts can be extremely contagious and this can cause them to spread to other parts of your body.

Be sure to stop by our site below and find other valuable tips and information on how to get rid rid of your warts naturally. - 17269

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Gain Muscle Or Lose Fat, What Do I Have To Do?

By Ricardo d Argence

Gain muscle or lose fat? Maybe you have never thought how important is to know when to stop losing fat. Or how does it affect in your way to get ripped. Keep reading and you will discover the best way to achieve success.

There's a lot of scrawny guys who wants to lose fat, but they don't realize that they should focus on gaining muscle instead. You'll never look huge and ripped if you don't give your body what it needs and if you don't exercise in the right way.

I will explain how to use it later. I will just tell you, for one more time, that in this way you will know what you have to do, if you must focus in gain muscle or if you have to lose some fat. So, here you have my famous "gain muscle or lose fat" chart, it is the result of my experience in working with athletes and dozens of men in the gym trying to lose fat and gain muscle : 5'6" - 140 pounds. 5'7" - 145 pounds. 5'8" - 150 pounds. 5'9" - 155 pounds. 5'10 - 160 pounds.

So, this is how it works. If you are 5'7" - 145 pounds, there's no need for you to lose weight. If you do that, what you will get is a skinny, anorexic look. And I'm sure you don't want to look like that, so, what you have to do is to begin your gaining muscle program. For every inch taller, add 5 pounds. For every inch shorter, substract 5 pounds.

So, we know now what is really your need. If the conclusion is that you must focus on gaining muscle...then just do it. It will make your body look great, I'm sure that in a couple of months you'll be watching your abs as you have never had before in your life. You are maybe thinking: Hey, I don't want that much to look like those big, huge guys in the gym! Don't worry, it will not happen with the previous chart, you'll have to train (and eat) in a different way to look like them.

Do you want to know how to use Turbulence Training to gain muscle and lose fat? Simply stick to the weight training workouts only. Avoid the hard interval cardio for at least 4 weeks as you gain muscle, and eat extra calories right after your workout (as well as having a bigger breakfast than normal). These two changes will allow you to gain muscle and lose fat. - 17269

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Great Tips On Building Muscle Mass

By Emmanuel Palmer

Have you always wanted to look like Superman? The key to achieving that is by building muscle mass. Don't think only a gifted few can only achieve that physique. If you are determined, patient and have a strong sense of discipline, you can build chest muscles as big and muscular as how you want it to be.

If you're planning to get massive, you need to increase the food you are taking each day. Your goal should be at around 3,000 to 6,000 calories a day. This seems like a lot but really, the first step to a bulky and muscular physique is to gain enough weight so you have something to work with when you hit the gym. Get your calories from healthy sources and that means loading up on lean meat, chicken and fish.

If you are on your way to building muscle mass, your calorie ratio should be as follows: 50% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 20% fat. Keep in mind that a gram of fat is equivalent to nine calories while a gram of both protein and carbohydrates are equivalent to four calories.

So you got your nutritional strategy checked, now let's get on to another important aspect which is your chest workout program. Always start with a light warm up of around 10 minutes and a thorough stretching. This increases the body's over all temperature which makes your day's session more conducive for training. Observe how wide swimmers chests are, this is because they utilize this muscle often. Include swimming into your program.

Here is a program you can use to bulk up your chest: Begin with the bench press using 40 lbs (3 sets, 12 reps); dumbbell flyes using 10 lbs (3 sets, 12 reps); dumbbell pullovers using 20 lbs (3 sets, 12 reps). In a few weeks, you will be ready to add the following: incline bench press using 30 lbs (3 sets, 12 reps); and decline bench press using 20 lbs (3 sets, 12 reps). As you progress, monitor the development of your strength because you will soon be lifting higher weights, even if the reps are lowered.

As with all effective training programs, vary the weights and drills every 2 to 3 weeks to challenge your body to perform its best. Train the target muscles using different positions like the flat, incline and decline angles. Flyes especially give a good workout to your pecs so make sure you always include this in your routine.

Take notice that you do not under train certain areas even if your main goal is to build chest muscles. You haven't seen a professional bodybuilder walking around in skinny legs now have you? Set aside a couple of days concentrating on working out your other muscle groups.

That's about it; focus on building muscle mass, have a balanced diet and do the right exercises in the correct form. It won't be long before you get that strong and muscular chest you've been working hard for. There's one last thing you will need to do, enjoy! Physical training really is one of the most gratifying experiences you can have-not only will you get a great physique; you will also gain a healthy and fulfilling life anybody would be lucky to have. - 17269

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Acne Does Not Equal Zits

By Frank Williams

There are several different kinds of acne, depending on how or why the acne started. Some of the kinds of acne are: acne conglobata (chronic boils); acne fulminans (an extreme form of conglobata); acne cosmetica (caused by cosmetics); acne keloidalis nuchae (from shaving); acne medicamentosa (caused by starting or stopping a medication); acne rosacea (redness on the face); baby acne; hormonal acne; cloracne and the common variety, acne vulgaris (also known as 'puberty spots'). In this article, we will take a closer look at acne vulgaris.

Acne vulgaris could be (defined|described as: 'an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots or zits' (see article on "Acne" in Wikipedia).

Acne is most common in white Western teens, although it is to be found in every country in the world, so there may be a genetic predisposition to it. It is possible that it could be an exceptional reaction to quite normal levels of testosterone. For most sufferers, outbreaks of acne last only until the age of twenty or so, probably only a few years or at the most ten. For other people, however, it can be a life-long affliction. It most often appears on the face, upper-chest, upper-arms and back. However, an occasional spot is not the same as acne.

Acne vulgaris manifests itself in different many ways, including: whiteheads, caused by pores which are completely blocked, trapping sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white spot on the top; blackheads, resulting from pores which are only partially blocked, allowing some of the trapped sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to slowly drain to the surface (the black colour is not caused by dirt, but is a reaction of the skin's own pigment, called melanin, with the oxygen in the air); papules, which are inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head and pustules, which are similar to whiteheads, but are inflamed, and look like red circles with a white or yellow centre.

Whiteheads do not usually last for a long time; blackheads do last a long time and pustules are what people usually refer to as spots or zits. Severe acne vulgaris is characterized by nodules and cysts. A 'nodule' is a rather larger and much more painful sort of pustule and can often last for months. Nodules are large, hard bumps just under the skin. They often result in scarring and should never for any reason be squeezed, since this could make them last for months longer.

A 'cyst' can appear similar to a nodule, but it is full of pus and has been described as having a diameter of at least 5mm and, again, can leave scars and cause pain. Squeezing an acne cyst can cause a more severe infection and more acute inflammation which may last quite a lot longer than if it had not been squeezed. Dermatologists have ways of lessening the swelling and preventing scarring with both nodules and cysts. It is just not true that acne sufferers are not meticulous about washing.

Indeed, it is a little-known fact that, excessive washing can irritate acne. There are many, many fake 'cures' in the shops and many, many old wives' tales. However, any honest dermatologist would advise you that there is no sure-fire cure for acne and that the sufferer should follow a religious regimen of cleaning until the acne eventually 'goes away' of its own accord. - 17269

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