3 Tips to Stay Hydrated (Making Water Drinking More Enjoyable)

It is hard for most people to even think about drinking the mandatory 8 to 10 glasses of water per day let alone actually do it. This seems like such a challenge for most people and is actually jotted down as a goal for many clients to drink more water each day. The fact of the matter though is that the body needs these 8 to10 glasses every day to reach proper hydration levels and to function properly. The benefits of staying properly hydrated are too many to count but a few that you will definitely notice and feel are better joint motion (more lubrication), less muscle tightness, higher energy levels, smoother looking skin, and better urinary tract function. The list goes on and on but the benefits I have just named are usually the most commonly strived for. Many everyday ills can be lessened or even cured by increasing water consumption but the hard part is choking down the proper amounts each day.  Those who engage in intense cardio and strength training regimens will need more than the 8 to 10 glasses deemed mandatory due to their bodies need stay even more energized and for proper motor and muscle function. So enough with all the facts lets go over 3 simple ways to make drinking the proper amount of water each day more enjoyable.

Tip 1:  Sugar free drink mixes

Feel free to add a sugar free drink mix to your water in order to add some flavor. It is better to use half of a packet in order to only lightly flavor the water and not over do it.  This strategy actually makes the water taste better and will not cause you to get sick of the over bearing taste of the mix. Green tea mixes are always great for a little extra fat burning effect.

Tip 2: Add some fruit juice

Feel free to add just a hint of your favorite fruit juice to a glass of water in order to flavor it. Obviously this can be easily overdone so please only add a quick splash. The healthier the fruit juice the better of course, and remember to add the splash once the glass of water is already poured. By adding the splash of juice last you will immediately taste it upon your first sip and will be pleasantly surprised.

Tip 3: Squeeze a lemon or lime

A great method is to add a few squeezes of a lemon, a lime, or both to your glass of water in order to give it that extra kick. This is a great strategy when consuming tap water to hide that chlorine taste. The greatest benefits of this method however are the detoxifying benefits of the lemon juice which can aid in liver detoxification (removal of toxins and waste products) and enhance the digestive process.

-Justin Medeiros, NASM-CPT

Are excess carbs turned to fat?

Carbohydrates are the body’s (and the brain’s) preferred fuel source. But what happens if you eat more then you need for fuel?
While the liver is capable of converting carbohydrates to fat – a process called de novo lipogenesis, the physiological fact is its very difficult to convert carbohydrate to fat. However, excessive carbohydrate consumption elevates your insulin levels which shuts down fat metabolism pathways. This makes calories easier to store in fat cells.
Dropping carbs from your diet will change the fuel your body uses, however this “new” fuel will come mostly from gluconeogenic amino acids (protein). That is, you’ll burn a whole lot of muscle in the process.
So what about the role of exercise in carb consumption? Intense exercise is an excellent “tool” you can use to channel carbohydrates to produce an anabolic response within muscle. Consuming most of your daily carbohydrate intake in the hours following a workout will ensure that your carbs go towards muscle recovery and growth.
The bottom line is that a diet high in sugars (carbs) may not necessarily be turned into fat, however, a high carb intake will promote fat gain, simply because this way of eating inhibits fat utilization and encourages energy storage.

-Paul Cribb Ph.D. CSCS

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Visualization

The following may seem like a simple concept but sometimes the simplest little techniques are the most effective. Visualization is an important concept not only in fitness but in everyday life. It is important to visualize yourself a certain way or visualize how you will perform certain activities before you do them, such as weight training and cardio when exercising. You should create a mental image of what you want to look like and become focused on achieving that desired look for example. This will serve as a mental blueprint so to speak, sort of like when an architect designs a building he/she is going to build. You are constructing a new you and a healthier body so why shouldnt you develop a blueprint for that as well? You can even start small if you have a long way to go and change your visual everytime you reach an established visual goal (a milestone). You can even visualize how a certain workout will go beforehand (your intensity level, strength, exercise performance etc.) and strive to bring those mental images to life. I know this technique sounds a little ridiculous but believe me it truly works. You not only become more motivated each time you work out but you now have a mental image of yourself locked in your brain that becomes hard to get out because deep down inside you know it is the way you need to look and feel. Visualize greatness for yourself and you will achieve just that.

-Justin Medeiros NASM-CPT

Post Workout Recovery Tips

Fitness Together workouts can be demanding and often leave you with feelings of soreness, tightness and fatigue. These feelings come with the territory when working hard in the studio to reach your goals and transform your body into a lean and healthy machine. The benefits of the exercise routines you do definitely outweigh temporary soreness and tightness but it is understandable that you may want these post workout feelings to be reduced or even eliminated for the most part. The soreness, tightness, and fatigue is usually your body telling you that it needs some post workout TLC to speed up the recovery process and help your muscles repair. Four easy and highly effective measures you can take to give your body what it needs are: (1) rest one or even two days per week depending on the intensity of the workouts performed on the other days, (2) immediately feed your muscles with lean muscle-repairing protein (protein powder, fish, eggs, chicken etc.) after a workout, (3) take a warm Epsom salt bath to relieve muscle tightness (removes toxins and relaxes the nervous system), (4) book a great massage with a registered massage therapist (also aids in the removal of toxins within the body).

Exercise and Depression

        

 Depression and exercise actually go hand in hand as most of the symptoms of depression are actually the opposite of the positive feelings brought about by engaging in an exercise program.  Let’s break down some of these symptoms one by one and then discuss the positive effects of exercise.  First, depression often leads to a lack of confidence in one’s self or a lack self esteem. People tend to bring themselves down by being too hard on themselves or by losing that feeling of self worth. They tend to see themselves in a negative light and often have a less than positive image of themselves in their head both physically and mentally. Second, depressed people tend to feel a lack of motivation. This can obviously stem from symptom number one and focuses on a person’s weakening ability to exert suitable amounts of effort when dealing with basic activities of day to day life, never mind more challenging projects that arise. This symptom creates a sense of laziness (“Why bother?” “Who cares?” “I just don’t feel like it”), and an inability to cope with life. Third, anxiety tends to be another powerful symptom of depression and will also stem off of the second symptom. The inability of the patient to cope with day to day life often creates a feeling of anxiousness in the person when they are confronted with situations they deem too stressful. These situations will vary in nature depending on the severity of the depression with even the most basic of daily activities causing anxiety in extreme cases. Fourth, lack of sleep can also occur when someone is depressed, which can go hand in hand with another symptom I’ll refer to as dwell and worry. Dwelling and worrying are two symptoms I group together due to their similarity in nature. You are dwelling on anything from the past to present situations to even what may happen in the future. You are worrying about the past returning or affecting the future, present situations, or even what the future may bring. Of course more symptoms exist but they are beyond the scope of this article.

                Now let’s discuss how exercise can combat each of the symptoms discussed above in order to validate the importance of incorporating exercise into a depression solution regimen.  First, exercise fends off that lack of self confidence by boosting a person’s self esteem. By setting attainable goals, that may be extremely simple a first, a person begins to feel a sense of accomplishment and knows what they have to do to reach those goals. By creating a plan, people are held accountable and as they accomplish more they realize just how strong they really are.  Second, a game plan developed with attainable goals also gives people the drive they need to stay motivated. As they see themselves accomplishing, feeling better, and looking better, they tend to become more motivated people overall. Third, as people become stronger both mentally and physically, stressful situations tend to seem easier and easier to deal with thus reducing anxiety. Exercise is a proven means of stress relief in general and will serve as an outlet for that relief. Fourth, higher self confidence and lower stress also increases a person’s ability to get a good night sleep. Just knowing they are more capable of handling daily tasks and stressful situations, and that they have a new outlet to release their stress, will put their mind at ease more so than before.  Lastly, after having strengthened the mind with thoughts of confidence, motivation, and a better night’s sleep, a person will tend to worry and dwell less, as their mind is now focused on more positive things like goals that have been set and what they intend on accomplishing.

The Benefits Of Putting On Some Lean Muscle

There are a several benefits to putting on some lean muscle than just the most known reasons of getting stronger and improving the appearance of your frame. Many people, especially women tend to associate the term muscle or muscular with being oversized or losing a nice feminine, tone, or lean physique. The fact of the matter however is that adding some extra pounds of lean muscle to your body can reap a number of benefits for both men and women. The focus is not on the size of the muscle created but on the fat to lean ratio of someone’s bodyweight. As body fat is converted to lean muscle weight benefits that arise are but are not limited to an increased ability of your body to burn all those extra unwanted calories (higher metabolism), lower risk of injury, and increased confidence and motivation levels. Overall, your body just plain functions better in a variety of ways whether it has to do with your physical body or your mind.