Hydration

Hydrate...To supply water in order to restore or maintain balance. As many of you know, I recommend (ideally) that you drink a gallon of water a day. And I mean a gallon of water--not liquid. I know that many of you don't like water--not plain at least--and find any excuse not to drink it. I wanted to give you a few reasons that you should...

75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.

One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

Preliminary research indicates that 8 - 10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen.

Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

The recommended guideline for amount of water you should be drinking is about half your body weight in ounces. So, if you weigh 200 pounds—you should drink 100 ounces of water per day. This is pure water—“liquid” is not the same as water. If you are having trouble with soft drinks, I recommend that you drink one glass of water for every soft drink. The goal is to gradually cut soft drinks out.

Makes you think a little more about the importance of drinking water huh? I drink it all day, every day. I feel bad without it. But, it wasn't always like that... I had to switch over from Coke a few years back. Speaking from experience--you really shouldn't just quit. The headaches are terrible! That's why I suggest you swap a water for a Coke until you get off of it. It's the lack of caffeine that gives you the headaches.

I hope this gives you some insight on the importance of drinking water. Stay hydrated in this heat--drink some water!

Simple Diet

Just a quick post today. I want to break what to eat down very simply--things to eat and things not to eat. It is a very broad but simple way to look at it. You don't have to count anything, measure anything, just make better choices. When you start making better choices, you will start seeing changes. Change your body, change your life...

Things to eat...

1) Fiber--vegetables, fruit, beans, fiber supplement
2) Raw vegetables
3) Berries
4) Nuts--1/4 cup is a serving size
5) Protein--at every meal

Things not to eat...

1) Pasta
2) Bread--except REAL whole grains
3) Commercial cereals
4) Soda--including diet
5) Packaged desserts--cookies, cakes, pies, crackers, etc.

This is a simple little diet to start with. It is not going on a diet but changing your diet. Change what you put in your body. Start today and see what happens!

Observations...

I am an observer of people--I love to people watch wherever I go. Just back from a quick trip to Chicago and wanted to write about some things I saw... Lots of overweight people with overweight kids. People who had trouble moving, breathing, functioning...living. These people are passing on their bad habits to their children, who at ages under 10, are already exhibiting the same trouble that the parents have. This is unacceptable. The western lifestyle has got to change--no exercise, smoking, consuming WAY too many calories and very bad food choices--too much sodium, fat and processed food. We are slowly killing ourselves and our children.


Although many people think I judge them because they don't "look" like me, that is not the case. I look the way I look because I choose too. I like having muscles and being bigger and I have worked very hard for many years to achieve my "look". My concern for my fellow Americans is not the "look" but the health. A 5'10" man is not built to weigh 285#. His joints are not able to handle the stress, his organs are not meant to work the way they have to work to support the extra weight. Ok, the body is adaptable so it will carry the extra weight and work extra hard to support and maintain but eventually--it will cause problems. The obesity problem in America leads to a whole host of health concerns.... Being obese can take years off your life--literally--and cause you physical and emotional pain. It can make you less healthy, active, productive and sexy. And can lead to a less professionally and financially rewarding life. A list of things that being overweight contributes to: type 2 diabetes, increased risk for cancer, interferes with cancer treatment and can make recovery difficult, heart problems, joint problems, fertility and makes pregnancy riskier. Is that enough for you? Unfortunately, there is more...


I am concerned for our overweight children who will most likely only continue to get bigger as they get older because they have been taught all the wrong things--portion size, poor food choices, lack of exercise. As the problem increases, so does the burden of our already inadequate healthcare system. The system simply can not handle the steady rise of obesity related health care concerns. The sad thing is that most of it is self imposed. The good thing is that it can be prevented in the first place and can be turned around with some effort on our part.


Be mindful of what you do to your body--what you put in it, what you expose it to, the way you treat it. Start today making better food choices, start an exercise program and stick to it. You will reap the benefits of a longer, healthier life. Isn't that what you want? Live long, full, healthy lives.


Change your body, change your life!

Motivation...

Motivation...something that motivates, inducement, incentive. Hmmm. So, what is it that motivates you? You want to fit into those jeans? Break from the kids/husband? You want to buy a smaller belt? Your 25th class reunion? Bonding time with your puppy? Use it--whatever IT is...

However, you have to do it for YOU. You can't go to the gym, change your hair, or whatever--for someone else. If you are working out (or starting to) because someone else wants you to, it's probably not going to last.

The point is to take control of your life, make some changes and get started down the path to healthy. Change your body, change your life...

Ready, set, GO!!!!!

More excuses....

Ok, so there is more... I hear more reasons NOT to start or continue an exercise/wellness program than people actually doing it. Basically, you have to get out of your own way. YOU are in control of your life. I know that many of us (us because I do this too), let other people influence our thoughts and behaviors. But ultimately, we are in charge of ourselves. I recently read a book that was talking about controlling your thoughts--pushing the negative out and replacing with positive ones. We are so bad with our thoughts! I'm sure that you have heard that we are our own worst critics. How many times have you said to yourself "I'm so stupid.", "I'm so fat." or something to that effect? Negative, negative, negative!! Why do we need anyone else to criticize us when we do such a good job of it ourselves?! We have to start practicing self love. That goes for our thoughts, our choices, our behaviors--everything. You are the only one that can control your thoughts and your thoughts control your actions. So, if you have good thoughts then you can have good actions. Simple huh? Yeah, right. I know. I struggle with it too but if I keep hearing about it, reading it, maybe one day I can get it just right. I'm sure you can too...

I read a great analogy the other day. Basically it was talking about letting other people have the remote control to your life. Wake up call for me. How simple is that? Men barely let the women USE the remote control in the living room. Why would you give anyone the remote control to your life? Think about it....

Take back the remote and get back to the business of your life! Make better choices, put yourself first. Take control of your thoughts and take control of your actions. Change your body, change your life. Just do it!

NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!

Excuses...

After 26 years in the gym, I have heard a lot of excuses. "I don't have time." "I can't afford to go to the gym." "It's too hot." "I'm too tired." Blah, blah, blah. You make time for what is important, right? What can be more important than your health? Trust me, if you don't take care of you--how can you take care of anyone else?


The hunters are out in the woods, in the cold, before the sun comes up, waiting on something to walk by so they can shoot it--or--AT it. ha! Same with the fishermen--how many hours do they sit in the boat waiting for something to jump on the line? What time do you get up to go shopping the day after Thanksgiving? How much time do you shop in general? What shows on TV can you not miss this week? You HAVE time, you just need to MAKE time. If you don't make time for you, who will???


I always say that you get one shot with this body and you better make it count. You want it to last in good working order too--not broken down and falling apart! The better you take care of your body, the better it will take care of you. And all you mommies out there--how do you think you can tend to your children (husbands, boyfriends, etc.) if you don't have what you need for your body to work--food, sleep, exercise? I don't have children but I observe people. I think back to my childhood... My brother and I were both in Scouts, I was a competitive baton twirler, we played sports and were in the band, etc. My mother was always "Suzanne's Mom" or "Stephen's Mother" or "Paul's wife". She was always about everyone else. She passed away of inflammatory breast cancer in 2004. I feel really sad for her in that she never really did anything for Helen... I never saw her have a passion.


Grown ups need to take a step back and look at their lives. It all starts with health. First of all, if you don't have your health--nothing else matters. But, in order to have your health--you have to take care of you. That means eating right, getting enough rest, exercise. You have to give your body what it needs to do it's job. If you don't have you in order, how can you be effective in ANY other areas of your life? Your health (or lack of) transfers to EVERYthing. Another part of health is your spirit. You have to take care of that too. You need to feed your soul. You need time for you to unwind your mind from all the craziness in the world. Read a book, take a nap in the hammock (I prefer to read and then nap in the hammock), listen to some music, take a painting class, go to a wine tasting, go for a walk, chill out, do NOTHING. People really don't understand the necessity of that. You don't have to be doing something all the time, every minute of the day. People's lives are over scheduled now. You need a break to think about you. Spend some time with yourself. Sit on the porch and rock or swing... Take up a hobby, find your passion. Spend some time ON YOURSELF...


I don't know if you have noticed but we are heading down a very bad path here in America. The long term health problems caused by obesity alone are tremendous. We are all going to die one day, I just prefer to take a slower trip and enjoy life a little more. People are too stressed out, over scheduled, over weight, feeling bad, losing it... I invite you to take this opportunity to step back and reassess. Take a look at what is REALLY important. Make the choice to improve your mind/body/spirit. Find your passion. Choose YOU. How can you not???

NO EXCUSES! Just do it!