Water, Water, You Want Water!
Copyright 2006 J Lance Curtis
If there was a substance that when consumed regularly can increase your workout performance by 15%-20%, would you take it?
Now wait, don't call the FDA or the DEA! I am not recommending that you take a drug or an illegal substance. This common substance is available almost anywhere, and even though some people pay ?big' money for it, it is available to most people for FREE.
You already know what it is because of the title of this chapter. And like a lot of very common and abundant things it is sometimes taken for granted. However, in the case of water this is especially true. Water is the essential substance, not only for life, but also for optimum performance.
Let's start with the basics.
On average your body consists of 70% water. Different tissues in your body have varying amounts. Your blood is 90% water, your bones 20%, and your muscles 70%.
Not only is water essential as a major component of your body tissue, water performs other major functions. One of which is waste transport. Water collects the waste of cellular processes and transports those to the kidneys for excretion.
This is of particular importance to you since exercise accelerates the creation of cellular wastes.
You may have experienced the common ?hangover' after consuming too much alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic and can cause semi-dehydration very quickly. The headache, dry mouth, and general lack of energy ?the morning after' are partly due to the dehydrated state of your body.
Most people don't drink alcohol everyday, but they do consume other diuretics like tea, coffee, and soft drinks. On top of that you may not drink enough water to meet your minimum needs. This can result in a permanent state of semi-dehydration.
How much is enough? You have probably heard the clich? of 8 glasses of water a day.
Well that is a good place to start. But it is only a minimum. The National Research Council of the National Academies of Science recommends 1.0 ? 1.5 ml per kcal of energy expended everyday. I do not doubt the scientific validity of this approach. However, you may not be willing to measure everything to this level of detail.
For the discussion below all measurements is U.S.
My ?personal-trainer-rule-of-thumb' is to drink a minimum of ? ounce of water for every pound of bodyweight.
So if you weigh 140 pounds, the least amount of water you should drink is 70 ounces. 8 ? 8oz glasses equates to 64 ounces.
For my very serious clients, who are extremely active, my recommendation is a minimum of one gallon of water daily.
Whoa! Drink one gallon of water everyday? You may not believe this is possible. I can assure it is not only possible, but once you are drinking water at that level, for as little as a few days, you will find your body craving more. What you once thought impossible will now seem like ?old hat'.
How can you reach the proper hydration levels when you aren't used to drinking that amount of water? The same way you eat an elephant. .
.one small bite at a time. Start out by having water with you all the time. Keep a bottle with you constantly.
Measure out your daily consumption ahead of time. I do that by filling a predetermined number of water bottles each morning and having those with me. If I am drinking three 1.5 liter bottles of water a day then I pace myself and drink a bottle every three hours.
The easiest way to do this is to constantly sip your water.
Small sips over the course of the day add up to your minimum water intake. Just like eating the elephant (one bite at a time).
Should you drink anything besides water? While I believe you should drink pure water, I know that from time to time you may want other beverages for variety. Personally, on occasion, I drink a variety of teas, including herbal, and coffee. Should you want a little variety you can add some of these drinks, in addition to, your water.
A few ?no-nos' that you should avoid include carbonated beverages (soft drinks, energy drinks, etc.), and drinks with a high sugar (of any kind) content. Carbon dioxide is a waste product we expel and, in my opinion, it doesn't make sense to put it back into your body in a drink.
Drinks with sugar, whether added or natural, raise the blood sugar levels faster than other foods.
Over time this can lead to insulin resistance and a host of other problems, including excessive fat gain.
I can tell you with confidence that all of my personal training clients have ?balked' at the idea of drinking the amount of water I advocate. But those that do follow this advice ?swear' that they can't get by without their water. Craving water like that is healthy and produces long lasting results.
.
Water, Water, You Want Water!
Copyright 2006 J Lance Curtis
If there was a substance that when consumed regularly can increase your workout performance by 15%-20%, would you take it?
Now wait, don't call the FDA or the DEA! I am not recommending that you take a drug or an illegal substance. This common substance is available almost anywhere, and even though some people pay ?big' money for it, it is available to most people for FREE.
You already know what it is because of the title of this chapter. And like a lot of very common and abundant things it is sometimes taken for granted. However, in the case of water this is especially true. Water is the essential substance, not only for life, but also for optimum performance.
Let's start with the basics.
On average your body consists of 70% water. Different tissues in your body have varying amounts. Your blood is 90% water, your bones 20%, and your muscles 70%.
Not only is water essential as a major...
Glasses > Water, Water, You Want Water!
Active Parents Growing Market for Baby Retailers Baby Sherpa Great for Families' Summer Vacations
(ContentDesk) June 7, 2004 -- Active and Travelling Families and Love 4 - in - 1 Diaper Backpack Active parents, hungry to simplify their lives, are eating up Baby Sherpa? ? the first 4-in-1 diaper backpack to hit the North American marketplace. In fact, many retailers are catering directly to active parents with special in-store displays featuring gear for families on the go.
"Dads (or soon-to-be Dads) especially love the sporty look and efficient 4-in1 combination of Baby Sherpa?," said company CEO, Heather Campbell-Dewar.
"And, with summer here many families are travelling and going to amusement parks,outdoor events and activities, Baby Sherpa is an active family favorite and 'must have gear'.Baby Sherpa? is a high quality, hands-free performer that outpacks the competition.
Technically and ergonomically designed, it features the following four gear bags in one:Cooler ? soft-sided storage for snacks & beverages Diaper ? large change pad, insulated bottle...
Glasses > Active Parents Growing Market for Baby Retailers Baby Sherpa Great for Families' Summer Vacations
Friends Are Everything by BJ Gallagher
Friends Are Everything (Conari Press, April 2005) is a heartfelt celebration of friendships and a perfect gift to share with a friend as a "Thank you," an "I'm sorry," or an "I can't tell you how much you mean to me" message.
Because, after all, there are some things you can only learn from friends.
Who else is going to let you know your slacking off is showing?
Who else is going to tell us you can let your feelings show?
Who else is going to leave you voice mail that makes you laugh so hard you run for the ladies?
Friends, true friends.BJ Gallagher's call for stories went out far and wide, and the stories came back ? about friendships new and old, friends who tell you the truth you might not want to hear, who don't place conditions on their love, who help you see your best self, who forgive you when you hurt them, who respect our boundaries.- Friends are like a magnifying glass ? they show us things we don't notice ourselves.- Friends are...
Glasses > Friends Are Everything by BJ Gallagher
Rainy Day Fun - Crafts For Kids
Rainy days can be so boring for a child?and just as hard on moms. So we give some ideas to brighten your day and chase their rainy day blues away!Shadow puppetsIn a room that is fairly dark set up a flash light so it is facing a wall. Have the children make hand shadows?If they get really good at them they could even put on a little play.My box homeAs a little girl some of my best times were spent making Barbie homes out of medium card board boxes. Paints, markers, crayons, fabric scraps, glue, and so on were used to fashion wall paper curtains and the like. The ideas and possibilities are endless!Little boys can make garages for there cars as well.Magazine StoryTake ten pieces of paper.
Staple them together. Have you child go threw a magazine and pick out 10 pictures to cut out. Tell him/her to paste one on each page. Now what ever order they are in the must right a story, the story should have some thing to do with the pictures on each page. This can be a real challenge but...
Rainy Day Fun - Crafts For Kids
Glasses > Rainy Day Fun - Crafts For Kids
Mini reading glasses are the solution to the bulk and weight of reading
For someone who has never worn glasses, carrying around a pair of reading glasses may seem awkward. The hassles of trying to fit them in a purse or pocket can be troublesome and lead some people to avoid using them when they are away from home. Mini reading glasses offer a lightweight and small option in reading glasses.Mini reading glasses are small sized reading glasses that fit in the palm of your hand. These tiny glasses offer the same strength as their full size counterparts, but with much less weight. Their light.
small style let them be easily tucked in a pocket or purse for ease in transporting them. Mini reading glasses are a good option for someone not used to wearing glasses because they do not sit heavyily upon your face. They are also great for people who only occasionally need to use them. For people that need to do both reading and distance work at the same time, mini reading glasses are small enough to look over the top without vision distraction. Mini reading...
Mini reading glasses are the solution to the bulk and weight of reading
Glasses > Mini reading glasses are the solution to the bulk and weight of reading
Natural Acne Treatment For Your Skin
Acne is an embarrassing problem affecting both adults and teens today at ever increasing rates.
Many of the prescription and over the counter treatments sold for this condition treat only the surface symptoms without ever addressing the underlying causes.
In the long run, these treatments can actually make acne worse by suppressing the symptoms, drying the skin and causing further imbalances.
Many of these treatments are expensive and have very serious side effects as well.
Natural acne remedies are less expensive and more effective than prescription medications in treating this common problem.
Most are made of plant extracts that dry up pimples and soothe the skin.
For example, tea tree oil has been used for thousands of years as a natural antibacterial and acne treatment with great success.
Many other natural acne treatments contain grapeseed oil, vitamin E, calendula and aloe vera.
Applied topically, these...
Glasses > Natural Acne Treatment For Your Skin