What is “healthy eating?”

Healthy eating is a way of balancing the food you eat to keep your body strong, energized, and well nourished. When you eat well, you are taking good care of your body.

• Aiming for regular meals (usually 3 meals per day in the morning, afternoon, and evening) and healthy snacks (when you are hungry or need extra energy)
• Eating foods from all of the food groups (grains, fruits, vegetables, proteins, and dairy) each day to meet your nutritional needs
• Balancing nutrient-rich foods with small amounts of other foods, such as sweets or fast foods
• Eating when hungry and stopping when full

Healthy eating is a great way to:

• Have energy all day long
• Get the vitamins and minerals your body needs
• Stay strong for sports or other activities
• Reach your maximum height (if you are still growing)
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Prevent unhealthy eating habits, like skipping meals and feeling overly hungry at the next meal

Tips for Healthy Eating

1. Don’t skip meals – plan meals and snacks ahead of time.
   • Believe it or not, eating 3 meals with healthy snacks in between is the best way to maintain your energy and a healthy weight. You are more likely to choose foods that are not as healthy when you skip meals and are overly hungry.
   • Eat breakfast. Skipping breakfast can lead to over-eating later in the day.
   • Eating away from home? Don’t leave yourself stranded—take foods with you or know where you can go to buy something healthy and satisfying.
2. Learn about simple, healthy ways to prepare foods.
   • Try healthier ways to cook foods such as grilling, stir-frying, microwaving, baking, and boiling instead of deep frying.
   • Try fresh or dried herbs (basil, oregano, parsley) and spices (lemon pepper, chili powder, garlic powder) to flavor your food instead of adding less healthy toppings such as butter, margarine, or gravy.
   • Trim the skin and fat off of your meat—you’ll still get plenty of flavors and it’s more nutritious.
3. Sugar – avoid getting too much.
   • Sugary drinks are a big source of empty energy. This means that they contain a lot of energy (in the form of calories) that your body may not need, and they don’t contain a lot of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, protein, or even fiber). Try diet sodas, sugar-free drink mixes, water, and flavored waters instead of regular drinks or juice. Even “natural” unsweetened juices contain a lot of energy you may not need. Don’t go overboard—if you are going to drink regular soda or juice, try to limit the amount you drink to 4-8 ounces, one time per day.
   • Lots of sugar is also found in foods such as cakes, cookies, and candies. Whole grain or wheat desserts may contain less sugar. It’s okay to enjoy these foods once in a while as long as they don’t replace healthier foods.
4. Solid fat – avoid getting too much
   • Foods with solid fats such as butter, cream, hydrogenated oils, or partially hydrogenated oils contain saturated and possibly trans fats. This can be a big source of empty energy, without many nutrients. Try lean proteins such as beans, fish, and poultry, or heart healthy oils such as olive or canola oil instead.
   • As with sugar, solid fats can be found in desserts too. Choosing desserts made with fruit purees or olive oil instead of butter and cream can be healthier options; however, it is okay to enjoy these foods once in a while, as long as they don’t replace healthier foods.
5. Be mindful when eating
   • Slow down when you eat. Try to relax and pace yourself so that your meals last at least 20 minutes, since it takes 20 minutes for you to feel full.
   • Listen to your body. Eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full will help your body balance its energy needs and stay comfortable. Ask yourself: Am I eating because I’m hungry? Or am I stressed, angry, sad, or bored?
   • Try naturally fiber rich foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits so you feel comfortably full.
6. Avoid “diet thinking.”
• There are no good foods or bad foods. All foods can be part of healthy eating, when eaten in moderation.
• You do not need to buy low carb, gluten-free, fat-free, or diet foods (unless told specifically by your medical provider to do so). These foods are not necessarily lower in calories—they usually have lots of other added ingredients to replace the carbs or fat.
• YOU are more important than your weight or body size—believe it! Your health and happiness can be hurt by drastic weight loss plans. If you have not yet reached your adult height, rapid weight loss could interfere with your growth. Instead of trying extreme approaches, focus on making small lifestyle changes that you can stick with for life. This approach will leave you feeling healthier and happier in the long run.
7. source:http://youngwomenshealth.org/2012/08/09/healthy-eating/

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Diet Tips For Teens part1

It is a fact well known to parents that teens, unsurprisingly difficult about a great many things, are also typically surly and uncooperative when it comes to eating well. For their part, adolescents often tell the researchers who study their nutrition habits that they simply aren't set up with the tools for healthy eating: time, access and money.

About 80 percent of teens don't eat a nutritionally sound diet, according to a study released this week in the journal Circulation, using NHANES data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"In focus groups we have done with teens, time comes up as their biggest issue in terms of eating better. They say that they know what they should eat (from health classes, etc.) but that their schedules don't allow them to eat that way," says Jamie Stang, Ph.D., MPH, RD, editor of the Guidelines for Adolescent Nutrition Services. "Many of them report participating in school activities after school, plus holding jobs in the evening and on weekends. They then come home and work on homework until early in the morning hours, then get a few hours of sleep and go back to school."

With that kind of tight schedule, vending machines, corner stores and fast food drive-thrus are more accessible and easier on finances made up of allowance money and part-time after-school wages.

Because teens make up a unique population -- one who often fends for itself without necessarily having the resources to do so properly -- it requires a unique set of diet advice. So we asked nutritionists who specialize in adolescent medicine to tell us: How can teens make the changes they need to eat right

Just as long as you eat breakfast. Teens are less likely to eat breakfast than adults are, and studies show that doing so can improve the short-term memory and moodof adolescent students.

"Breakfast doesn't have to be cereal or eggs (traditional foods)," says Stang. "Students can eat whatever they have quick access to, such as leftover vegetable pizza, whole grain toast with peanut butter, a sandwich or even a whole grain granola-type bar. If students have this with a glass of milk, they get a pretty good dose of calcium, protein, fiber and other nutrients."

Coffee is okay, says Stang, but coffee drinks -- those sweet confections with whipped cream and syrup on top -- should be consumed in moderation, since they can pack hundreds of empty calories.

2. Keep Snacks In Your Locker

Often, there's not enough time for a healthy lunch during the school day, so teens can keep healthful snacks that don't need to be refrigerated in their lockers as a way to stay full and hold strong against the allure of the vending machine.

"If students don't have time for lunch at school, they can keep items such as low-fat, whole grain granola bars, dried fruit, trail mix, whole grain crackers with peanut butter or cheese, or nuts in their locker to eat between meals," says Stang.

3. Sandwiches For Dinner

Many teens don't have dinner with their families and are left to fend for themselves in the kitchen, meaning they need quick, easy and healthful meals. That's where sandwiches come in. "Sandwiches are usually a good choice if they use whole grain bread and vegetables (easy on the mayo)," explains Stang.

4. Raid The Fridge For Bite Sized Fruits And Veggies (And Parents: Put It There!)

"Parents should keep fruit and cut vegetables or salad mix in an obvious place in the home or refrigerator to encourage teens to use these foods," Stang says.

Heather I. Mangieri, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN agrees. "When it comes to teens, it is often the parents that I have to talk to as well," she says. "The younger population is less motivated by their health, unfortunately."

In other words, teens will eat the healthy food if it is easily available to them, but might not have the motivation (and time and resources) to put calories there in the first place.

5. Don't Worry About Changes In Appetite

During adolescence, teens' appetites can vary greatly. This depends on growth spurts and hormonal changes, among other reasons (the start of soccer season, for example).

"Physical development doesn’t happen on steady trajectory and their hunger patterns will tend to mirror the uneven growth spurts," according to a curriculum put together by the Center for Adolescent Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

6. Don't Overdo It

Still, calorie needs for teens are not dramatically different than for children -- regardless of growth spurts. Overeating is still a big concern for teens.

"Logically, caloric needs are higher in adolescents than in children," according to the Johns Hopkins working paper. "However, they may not be as high as you think."

source:http://youngwomenshealth.org/2012/08/09/healthy-eating/

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"You need to eat your breakfast," "that's enough soda," "please lose the junk food and eat some real food."

If you're a typical teenager with parents who always nag you about what you eat, how you eat, when you eat or don't eat, and the amount of junk food you consume, these comments will sound familiar to you. Give your parents a break, they are just doing their job. They want you to eat properly so you'll develop, be healthy, and keep your moods balanced. 

Your body needs certain nutrients to feel well as you go through each day. The most important meal is breakfast, even though it's probably the most difficult for many teenagers. Breakfast is even more important if you aren't eating lunch on a regular basis, and are waiting until after school or until dinner to eat.

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Your body needs a daily supply of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats to get the fuel it needs for energy and optimum health.

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Protein is a primary component of our muscles, hair, nails, skin, eyes, and internal organs, especially the heart and brain. Protein is needed for growth, for healthy red blood cells, and much more. Protein foods include eggs, cheese, soy products (soymilk, tofu, miso, tempeh), fish, beans, nuts, seeds, chicken, turkey, beef, and pork. If you are interested in following more of a vegetarian diet, choose soy products, beans, and nuts to satisfy your protein needs.

Carbohydrates are our main source of energy and play an important role in the functioning of our nervous system, muscles, and internal organs. Carbohydrate foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. The foods you should eat in limited amounts are ones that contain sugar, such as packaged cookies, cakes, soda-these sugars are called simple carbohydrates; they have a negative effect on your blood sugar levels and your moods as well.

Fats are a form of energy reserve and insulation in your body, and can be burned to make energy when you don't get enough from your diet. Fats transport nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, and K through your body and fatty tissue protects your vital organs from trauma and temperature change.

Simply put, there are "good" fats and "bad" fats. The "bad" fats are called saturated fats and are found in animal products, meats, and dairy foods; they should be eaten in limited amounts. These fats solidify at room temperature. Hydrogenated fats, sometimes called "transfatty acids" are also bad fats that are known to lead to heart disease and cancer. These hydrogenated fats are used in many packaged baked goods and margarines.

The "good" fats include the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Deficiencies of Omega-3 fatty acids are linked to decreased learning ability, ADHD, depression, and dyslexia. These fats need to be obtained from your food. Good sources of the Omega-3's are flax oil, ground flaxseed, cold water fish like salmon and fresh tuna, canola oil, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds. Other "good" fats to include in your diet are found in olive oil, avocados, and grapeseed oil.

Here are some ideas for healthy, quick and easy meals:

Breakfast

• Soy shake-combine a cup of vanilla, chocolate, or plain soymilk (or use cow's milk if you prefer) in a blender with ½ banana, 2 ice cubes and blend. Add 1 scoop of soy or whey protein powder-Spirutein is one brand of soy protein powder that comes in a variety of flavors. (Optional: add 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed). If you start your day off by drinking this shake, you should notice an improvement in how you feel and function throughout the day.
  
• Whole grain toast or bagel with peanut butter-the peanut butter should give you the protein you need to sustain your energy throughout the morning. c. Eggs-fried, scrambled, poached, or hard-boiled with whole grain toast; 1 or 2 eggs will provide you with a great protein source to begin your day and the whole grain toast gives you the carbohydrates for energy.
  
• Oatmeal with chopped nuts and raisins, a sliced banana, or strawberries. For extra protein, add a scoop of peanut butter to the oatmeal.
  
• Calcium fortified orange juice-drink this before your breakfast or along with it to get the added calcium and vitamin C.
  
• Fresh fruit-it's great to start your day with fresh fruit whenever possible-an orange, pear, strawberries, banana, watermelon, peaches, blueberries-combine your favorite fruit with a container of yogurt and add some granola for a delicious breakfast.
  
  Lunch
• Egg salad sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce and tomato
• Veggie burger with all of the toppings that you would add to a regular hamburger
• Tuna salad sandwich on whole grain bread or roll
• Salad bar with a colorful variety of vegetables and chick peas or red kidney beans
• Wrap with turkey, chicken, tofu, or cheese and vegetables
• Vegetarian chili with tortilla chips
• Tacos with lettuce, tomato, onions, and cheese
• Black bean soup, lentil soup, vegetable soup
• Veggie pizza or pizza with any of your favorite toppings
  
  Dinner
• Pasta with pesto sauce, tomato sauce, or with vegetables
• Stir fry vegetables with tofu, shrimp, or chicken
• Caesar salad with grilled shrimp or chicken
• Broiled salmon with vegetables
• Baked potato with vegetable topping or chili topping
• Ravioli with meatballs and sauce
• Chicken fajitas with guacamole and salsa
  
  Your dinner choices are unlimited, and will depend on whether you or your parents are preparing your meal. Your goal in the beginning should be to eat a good breakfast and at least one other healthy meal each day. That meal should contain a good source of protein, fresh vegetables, and whole grains (e.g. brown rice, barley, millet, whole wheat, oats).
  
  Make an effort to eat foods that don't come prepackaged or prepared. Read the nutrition labels on the packaged foods you do eat so you can learn more about the food's sodium and fat content, as well as the many ingredients that are contained in the packaged foods. If you can't pronounce the ingredients on the label, chances are the food is not your best choice nutritionally.
  
  Along with choosing and eating more healthy foods, begin to exercise each day for at least 10 to 15 minutes, unless you already have a physically active lifestyle. Before school, jump rope for a few minutes before leaving the house to get your blood moving, you'll feel better and it will improve your ability to concentrate during the day. After school, jump and dance on an exercise trampoline while listening to music. This is a great way to get the blood circulating to your brain so you can better focus on your homework assignments. (You can purchase an exercise trampoline for about $20 at a large discount department store.)
  
  Whatever physical activity appeals to you, make it part of your daily routine. It will lift your spirits and improve your moods. Combine the exercise with healthy, fresh foods and you'll be surprised at how much better and more energetic you'll feel. And when you do start to age like your parents, your body will be thankful that you nurtured and cared for it so well

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8 Benefits To Working Out In The Morning

Not a morning trainer? Too bad for you. Here are 8 reasons why those who work out in the a.m. have a big advantage.
Awhile back, a study came out that said your testosterone levels were higher in the morning—as if you needed a study to tell you that. Afterward, I heard and read a lot of talk about how the morning was therefore the best time to work out.1

Yet it's not that simple, because of this little thing called "life." The fact of the matter is that for most of us, the time we choose to work out corresponds with the time we have available, which explains why most gyms are typically packed after the work hours.

But perhaps we can give you a compelling reason—in fact, eight great reasons—to wake up a little earlier to hit the gym rather than save it for later in your day. Withhold judgment about how you're not a morning person until you fully absorb all the advantages of morning training.

1 IT'S EASIER TO FOLLOW HIGH-VOLUME TRAINING SYSTEMS

Trying to do a triset or a giant set is all but impossible in a packed gym. This guy over here wants to work in. That girl over there wants to steal your dumbbells. Others cast an evil eye your way for hogging so much equipment. They would have a point—if the gym was crowded.

But it's not, because you were ready to rise and grind before everyone else. Yep, it's much easier to complete these types of training programs when the facility is less crowded. That just happens to be in the morning.

2 YOUR HORMONES ARE WORKING TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

As mentioned, in the early morning hours, crucial hormones (i.e., testosterone) that help build muscle mass are elevated in the body. By exercising in the morning, you're taking advantage of these naturally circulating hormones as they're peaking, rather than later in the day when they're lower.

3 IT LEAVES TIMES FOR OTHER PRIORITIES

I may make a living from the gym, but it's still not my number one priority. Nothing is more important than family. Clearly there's a trade-off between the amount of time you spend in the gym and the amount of time you can spend at home. Which is why slicing off a small segment, like you can in the morning, is usually better than in the evening, when you have to fight rush hour, navigate a crowded gym environment, get home to shower, and allot whatever's left for your family. The math simply works better if you get your workout done in the morning.

4 YOU'LL BE MORE FOCUSED WHEN YOU REACH THE OFFICE OR SCHOOL

A bout of exercise increases your focus on the next activity, because your body is aroused. What follows a morning workout? For most people, it's the office or school. Hence, one of the advantages of working out in the morning is that you're more alert during those later hours.


WHAT FOLLOWS A MORNING WORKOUT? FOR MOST PEOPLE, IT'S THE OFFICE OR SCHOOL. HENCE, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF WORKING OUT IN THE MORNING IS THAT YOU'RE MORE ALERT DURING THOSE LATER HOURS.
If you have trouble with early morning energy, a cup of joe or a pre-workout like Grenade's .50 Caliber will help you boost focus, energy, strength, and endurance—not just in the gym but for many hours afterward.

5 YOU'LL BE LESS LIKELY TO SKIP YOUR WORKOUT

It may take a cup of coffee to get your morning going, but once you're up, there are few distractions on your way to the gym. But later in the day, any number of distractions can sabotage your workout: less motivation, fatigue, the gang is going out for some drinks, a sick child, an overdue report for work or school.

If you've already completed your workout, you can simply roll with whatever obstacles come up later in the evening without feeling bad that you missed another day. You're far more likely to be consistent with your training if you get it done early in the day rather than waiting for later.

6 YOUR METABOLIC RATE WILL RECEIVE A QUICK BOOST

Without a doubt, exercise can boost your metabolic rate. The degree depends on your current fitness level and the kind of activity you choose. All other things being equal, working out in the morning will help to boost your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories for the rest of the day. This phenomenon is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC.



To get the greatest post-workout metabolic kick, do cardio activities like high-intensity interval training or bodybuilding-type resistance training with multijoint exercises. Adding in a thermogenic product such as Grenade Thermo Detonator will give your morning workout added metabolic and fat-burning power.

7 YOU WON'T HAVE AS MANY DISTRACTIONS

Chances are pretty good that you train with a number of friends, which makes socializing pretty easy. Don't get me wrong—there's nothing wrong with that. But it's easy for a short gabfest to turn a productive workout into one where you barely break a sweat. If you're serious about getting results and not wasting your time, you'll want to spend your gym time with minimal distractions.

You can bet that people who get up in the wee hours are more serious about their workouts. From my personal experience, the chances of someone distracting your workout is much less likely in the morning.

8 YOUR MOOD WILL IMPROVE

You're probably familiar with the notion that some workouts release endorphins, feel-good hormones that are increased following exercise of sufficient intensity and duration.2 But you don't have to do hours of cardio to feel good about yourself; heck, you've just completed your workout for the day.



Nothing feels better than having a good workout under your belt, especially if you're prone to blowing them off at night. Which is why there's no better way to get your day started. You can boost your mood and sense of accomplishment by just be setting your alarm clock for a little earlier.

source:http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/8-benefits-to-working-out-in-the-morning.html

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Best Quit-Smoking Tips Ever

No. 1: Know Why You Want to Quit

So you want to quit smoking, but do you know why? "Because it's bad for you" isn't good enough. To get motivated, you need a powerful, personal reason to quit. Maybe you want to protect your family from secondhand smoke. Maybe the thought of lung cancer frightens you. Or maybe you'’d like to look and feel younger. Choose a reason that is strong enough to outweigh the urge to light up.

No. 2: Don't Go Cold Turkey

It may be tempting to toss your cigarettes and declare you've quit, plain and simple. But going cold turkey isn't easy to do. About 95% of people who try to stop smoking without therapy or medication end up relapsing. The reason is that nicotine is addictive. The brain becomes used to having nicotine and craves it. In its absence, the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal occur.

No. 3: Try Nicotine-Replacement Therapy

When you stop smoking, nicotine withdrawal may make you feel frustrated, depressed, restless, or irritable. The craving for "just one drag" may be overwhelming. Combination nicotine-replacement therapy can help reduce these feelings. Studies suggest combining nicotine gum, lozenges, and patches can help double your chances of quitting successfully when used with an intensive behavioral program. But using these products while smoking is generally not recommended

No. 4: Ask About Prescription Pills

To ease nicotine withdrawal without using products that contain nicotine, ask your doctor about prescription medications. There are pills that help reduce cravings by affecting chemicals in the brain. They may also make smoking less satisfying if you do pick up a cigarette. Other drugs can help reduce troubling withdrawal symptoms, such as depression or inability to concentrate. All of these medications should be labeled with disclaimers or warnings about taking them and may advice you to talk to your doctor

No. 5: Don't Go It Alone

Tell your friends, family, and co-workers that you're trying to quit. Their encouragement could make the difference. You may also want to join a support group or talk to a counselor. Help is also available online, by text messages or through apps. Behavioral therapy is a type of counseling that helps you identify and stick to quit-smoking strategies. Combine behavioral therapy with nicotine replacement products and/or medication to boost your odds of success.

No. 6: Manage Stress

One reason people smoke is that the nicotine helps them relax. Once you quit, you’ll need another way to cope with stress. Try getting regular massages, listening to relaxing music, or learning yoga or tai chi. If possible, avoid stressful situations during the first few weeks after you stop smoking

No. 8: Clean House

Once you've smoked your last cigarette, toss all of your ashtrays and lighters. Wash any clothes that smell like smoke and clean your carpets, draperies, and upholstery. Use air fresheners to help rid your home of that familiar scent. You don't want to see or smell anything that reminds you of smoking.

No. 9: Try and Try Again

It's very common to have a relapse. Many smokers try several times before giving up cigarettes for good. Examine the emotions and circumstances that lead to your relapse. Use it as an opportunity to reaffirm your commitment to quitting. Once you've made the decision to try again, set a "quit date" within the next month.

No. 10: Get Moving

Physical activity can help reduce nicotine cravings and ease some withdrawal symptoms. When you want to reach for a cigarette, put on your inline skates or jogging shoes instead. Even mild exercise is helpful, such as walking the dog or pulling weeds in the garden. The extra calories you burn will also ward off weight gain as you quit smoking

No. 11: Eat Fruits and Veggies

Don't try to diet while giving up cigarettes -- too much deprivation is bound to backfire. Instead, focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. A Duke University study suggests these foods make cigarettes taste terrible. This gives you a leg up in fighting your cravings while providing disease-fighting nutrients

No. 12: Choose Your Reward

In addition to the tremendous health benefits, one of the perks of giving up cigarettes is all the money you will save. Reward yourself by spending part of it on something fun.

No. 13: Do It for Your Health

There's more than the monetary reward to consider. Smoking cessation has immediate health benefits. It lowers your blood pressure and reduces your pulse after only 20 minutes. Within a day,  the carbon monoxide level in your blood returns to normal. Within two weeks to three months, your risk of a heart attack decreases and your lungs begin to function better. Long-term benefits include a reduced risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and other cancers.

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10 self-help tips to stop smoking

If you want to stop smoking, you can make small changes to your lifestyle that may help you resist the temptation to light up.

Think positive

You might have given up before, but tell yourself that you’re really going to do it this time.
Make a plan to quit smoking
Make a promise, set a date and stick to it. Don’t be put off by a wedding, party or other time when you’d normally smoke.

Change your diet

Is your after-dinner cigarette your favourite? A US study revealed that some foods, including meat, make cigarettes more satisfying. Others, including cheese, fruit and vegetables, make cigarettes taste terrible. So swap your usual steak or burger for a veggie pizza instead.

Change your drink

The same study looked at drinks. Fizzy drinks, alcohol, cola, tea and coffee all make cigarettes taste better. So when you’re out, drink more water and juice. Some people find that simply changing their drink (for example, switching from wine to a vodka and tomato juice), affects their need to reach for a cigarette.

Identify when you crave cigarettes

A craving can last five minutes. Before you give up, make a list of five-minute strategies. For example, you could leave the party for a minute, dance or go to the bar. And think about this: the combination of smoking and drinking raises your risk of mouth cancer by 38 times.

Get some quitting support

If friends or family members want to give up too, suggest to them that you give up together. Also, there are your local NHS stop smoking services and the NHS Smoking Helpline, available on 0300 123 1044 (open Monday to Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday to Sunday 11am-4pm).

Get moving

A review of scientific studies has proved that exercise (even a five-minute walk or stretch) cuts cravings and may help your brain to produce anti-craving chemicals.

Make non-smoking friends

When you’re at a party, stick with the non-smokers. "When you look at the smokers, don’t envy them," says Louise, 52, an ex-smoker. "Think of what they’re doing as a bit strange – lighting a small white tube and breathing in smoke."

Keep your hands and mouth busy

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can make you twice as likely to succeed. As well as patches, there are tiny tablets, lozenges, gum and a nasal spray. If you like holding a cigarette, use an inhalator. Try putting your drink in the hand that usually holds a cigarette, or drink from a straw to keep your mouth busy.

Make a list of reasons to quit

Keep reminding yourself why you gave up. Make a list of the reasons and read it when you need support. Ex-smoker Chris, 28, says: "I used to take a picture of my baby daughter with me when I went out. If I was tempted, I’d look at that."
source:http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/smoking/Pages/Motivateyourself.aspx

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The Effects of Smoking on the Body

Tobacco smoke is enormously harmful to your health. There’s no safe way to smoke. Replacing your cigarette with a cigar, pipe, or hookah won’t help you avoid the health risks associated with tobacco products.
Cigarettes contain about 600 ingredients. When they burn, they generate more than 7,000 chemicals, according to the American Lung Association. Many of those chemicals are poisonous and at least 69 of them can cause cancer. Many of the same ingredients are found in cigars and in tobacco used in pipes and hookahs. According to the National Cancer Institute, cigars have a higher level of carcinogens, toxins, and tar than cigarettes.

When using a hookah pipe, you’re likely to inhale more smoke than you would from a cigarette. Hookah smoke has many toxic compounds and exposes you to more carbon monoxide than cigarettes do. Hookahs also produce more secondhand smoke.
In the United States, the mortality rate for smokers is three times that of people who never smoked, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s one of the leading causes of preventable death.

Central Nervous System


One of the ingredients in tobacco is a mood-altering drug called nicotine. Nicotine reaches your brain in mere seconds. It’s a central nervous system stimulant, so it makes you feel more energized for a little while. As that effect subsides, you feel tired and crave more. Nicotine is habit forming.
Smoking increases risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, and poor eyesight. It can also weaken your sense of taste and sense of smell, so food may become less enjoyable.
Your body has a stress hormone called corticosterone, which lowers the effects of nicotine. If you’re under a lot of stress, you’ll need more nicotine to get the same effect.
Physical withdrawal from smoking can impair your cognitive functioning and make you feel anxious, irritated, and depressed. Withdrawal can also cause headaches and sleep problems.

Respiratory System

When you inhale smoke, you’re taking in substances that can damage your lungs. Over time, your lungs lose their ability to filter harmful chemicals. Coughing can’t clear out the toxins sufficiently, so these toxins get trapped in the lungs. Smokers have a higher risk of respiratory infections, colds, and flu.
In a condition called emphysema, the air sacs in your lungs are destroyed. In chronic bronchitis, the lining of the tubes of the lungs becomes inflamed. Over time, smokers are at increased risk of developing these forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Long-term smokers are also at increased risk of lung cancer.
Withdrawal from tobacco products can cause temporary congestion and respiratory pain as your lungs begin to clear out.
Children whose parents smoke are more prone to coughing, wheezing, and asthma attacks than children whose parents don’t. They also tend to have more ear infections. Children of smokers have higher rates of pneumonia and bronchitis.

Cardiovascular System

Smoking damages your entire cardiovascular system. When nicotine hits your body, it gives your blood sugar a boost. After a short time, you’re left feeling tired and craving more. Nicotine causes blood vessels to tighten, which restricts the flow of blood (peripheral artery disease). Smoking lowers good cholesterol levels and raises blood pressure, which can result in stretching of the arteries and a buildup of bad cholesterol (atherosclerosis). Smoking raises the risk of forming blood clots.
Blood clots and weakened blood vessels in the brain increase a smoker’s risk of stroke. Smokers who have heart bypass surgery are at increased risk of recurrent coronary heart disease. In the long term, smokers are at greater risk of blood cancer (leukemia).
There’s a risk to nonsmokers, too. Breathing secondhand smoke has an immediate effect on the

cardiovascular system.

 Exposure to secondhand smoke increases your risk of stroke, heart attack, and coronary heart disease.
Skin, Hair, and Nails (Integumentary System)
Some of the more obvious signs of smoking involve the skin. The substances in tobacco smoke actually change the structure of your skin. Smoking causes skin discoloration, wrinkles, and premature aging. Your fingernails and the skin on your fingers may have yellow staining from holding cigarettes. Smokers usually develop yellow or brown stains on their teeth. Hair holds on to the smell of tobacco long after you put your cigarette out. It even clings to nonsmokers.



Digestive System


Smokers are at great risk of developing oral problems. Tobacco use can cause gum inflammation (gingivitis) or infection (periodontitis). These problems can lead to tooth decay, tooth loss, and bad breath.
Smoking also increases risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx, and esophagus. Smokers have higher rates of kidney cancer and pancreatic cancer. Even cigar smokers who don’t inhale are at increased risk of mouth cancer.
Smoking also has an effect on insulin, making it more likely that you’ll develop insulin resistance. That puts you at increased risk of type 2 diabetes. When it comes to diabetes, smokers tend to develop complications at a faster rate than nonsmokers.
Smoking also depresses appetite, so you may not be getting all the nutrients your body needs. Withdrawal from tobacco products can cause nausea.



Sexuality and Reproductive System


Restricted blood flow can affect a man’s ability to get an erection. Both men and women who smoke may have difficulty achieving orgasm and are at higher risk of infertility. Women who smoke may experience menopause at an earlier age than nonsmoking women. Smoking increases a woman’s risk of cervical cancer.
Smokers experience more complications of pregnancy, including miscarriage, problems with the placenta, and premature delivery.
Pregnant mothers who are exposed to secondhand smoke are also more likely to have a baby with low birth weight. Babies born to mothers who smoke while pregnant are at greater risk of low birth weight, birth defects, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Newborns who breathe secondhand smoke suffer more ear infections and asthma attacks.

source:http://www.healthline.com/health/smoking/effects-on-body

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