Water, Drink It!

This week's Monday challenge on facebook.com/trainervicki

Drink More Water!!!

When you FEEL thirsty, you are DEHYDRATED!!  When you eat salty or sugary foods (breads, crackers, lunch meats, soups, cookies, muffins, latte's, alcohols, anything boxed, very flavorful foods/highly seasoned foods aka just about everything!!!) they make you THIRSTY!! When you sweat, whether your outside watching a game or exercising, you lose water and need to replace it!!  (Water IS 60% of your body weight.)

Water makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells, helps your blood flow, helps your organs function properly and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.
Lack of water can lead to dehydration,which is basically when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.
So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult need? The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The average for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

During Exercise:
 

“'When you’re working out, you’re more likely to be losing water, both through your breath and through sweat,' says Renee Melton, MS, RD, LD, director of nutrition for Sensei, a developer of online and mobile weight loss and nutrition programs." Most athletes, and I would venture to say the average exerciser, start out dehydrated! "If you start out dehydrated, you won’t get a good workout. You’ll get dizzy, lethargic, your muscles won’t work as well, you won’t feel as sharp mentally, and you’ll get cramps sooner."  Not to mention you'll be super exhausted afterwards!

"...water helps your body to exercise efficiently. It lubricates your entire body -- without it, you’re like the Tin Man without his oil. It’s a vital part of the many chemical reactions in the body. 'If these reactions slow down then tissues heal slower, muscle recovery is slower and the body is not functioning at 100% efficiency,' says Trent Nessler, PT,
DPT, MPT, managing director of Baptist Sports Medicine in Nashville.

By contrast, a well-hydrated athlete feels stronger and can work out longer and more effectively. 'The heart does not have to work as hard to pump blood to the body, and oxygen and nutrients can be transported more efficiently to the muscles you’re working during exercise,' Nessler says.

So, How much Water do you need?

Without Exercise:  

For men roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups or 101.75oz) 

For women 2.2 liters (about 9 cups or 74.4oz) of total beverages a day.

With Exercise: 

One to two hours before your workout, drink 15 to 20 ounces of water

15 minutes before you begin, drink between 8 and 10 ounces of water

During your workout, drink another 8 ounces every 15 minutes.

With Exercise Outdoors:

For every pound lost, replace it with 16 to 20 ounces of fluid

(1lb / 16-20oz) she suggests. In order to know this, obviously, weigh yourself before and after your exercise.  If you lose weight during the workout, drink a bit more next time.  Or make sure your urine is colorless or light yellow during the day.

Sports Drinks during a workout:  Are not necessary unless, you will be exercising more than 90minutes and especially outdoors when you will be sweating a lot, but that’s generally not necessary unless you’re working out for an extended period of time. 

In order to keep track of how much water you've had, you can carry around a gallon (128oz) water jug (people will know you drink a lot of water and not wonder why you have to use the restroom so often.)

Or you can take a water bottle from the store and determine how many times you need to fill the water bottle.  Mine holds 36oz. So I need to fill it about 3 or 4 times on a heavy sweaty workout day. (I take a rubber band off every time I fill it. See Picture)

You may need to modify your total fluid intake depending on how active you are, the climate you live in, your health status, and if you're pregnant or breast-feeding. For more info on one of these situations: www.mayoclini.com search Water: How much should you drink every day?

Info found on www.WebMD.com, topic: Water Tips for Efficient Exercise

B
ottoms up!! :D

Diabetes

Here you go!! You may want to copy, paste & print.

Diabetes is your body not able to break down sugars, therefor having too much blood in your blood stream.  This throws of the blood's pH and can affect everything in your body, your brain, your heart, your kidneys, your pancrease, your muscles, your senses!!

The following is the 101 & 201 that you NEED TO KNOW!!

If you would like some more medical and visual info:  http://diabetes.webmd.com/ss/slideshow-type-1-diabetes-overview 

#1.  DRUGS COVER UP SYMPTOMS!! THEY DO NOT TREAT THE DISEASE!!

Let me say it a different way.  If you are taking medicine for Diabetes, Your Body is STILL MESSED UP!!  It WILL catch up to you!!  I am watching my dad suffer the effects of Diabetes and have been over the last 10 years, but especially the last 3 years when his systems are starting to shut down. (but taht is in another blog)

#2 NUTRITION CLASS

CARBS:  All Carbs are broken down into sugars (-ose) once they enter the body.  Carbs are: breads, rice, pasta, fruits (fructose), vegetables, milk (maltose), desserts obviously (sucrose) even beans.

1.  In order to keep the sugar levels in your blood even/stable you need to eat every 2-3 hours.  This includes Breakfast as soon as you wake up since you've been without food for at least 6-8hours. 

2. It matters WHAT and WHEN you eat!

a.  Fats: Your body NEEDS fat to function. Your brain is made of fat tissue! The neurons that send signals to your brain and body that your hurting or feeling something are protected by layers of fat! So, don't avoid fat, just eat Healthy Fats! (As opposed to the unhealthy kind that clog your arteries like oil from fried foods!) Healthy Fats are: grape seed oil or coconut oil to cook with, avocados and nuts like almonds and cashews are great to add on to sandwiches or salads.  

b. Protein:  You need to eat some kind of protein with every meal, aka egg whites, lean meats-chicken, turkey, fish, beans & rice together in small portions (1/2cup each is probably 1 serving), nuts in small portions are great snacks (usually no more than 2-4Tbsp depending on when you're eatting them), Cottage Cheese & Greek yogurt are higher in protein, but beware of the milk sugars and the added sugars that come with flavors (I like to add my own berries and sweetner like Stevia, Truvia or Ideal). 

c. Carbs: Complex Carbs aka Multigrain foods are what you need because they take longer to digest, therefore keeping your sugar level more even. But beware!! Look at the ingredients listed on your foods. If "stone ground" is listed first, it's a good carb. If "bleached flour" is listed first, it's not so much.

3.  Veggies and fruits are very good for you and we rarely eat them!  You should have some at every meal, BUT be careful! 

a. Fruits are FULL OF SUGAR!!  Especially bananas! So eat them at the beginning of the day. Avoid them after lunch. Berries are the lowest in sugar, so if you need something sweet at the end of the day, they are a good option.

b.  Veggies are full of vitamins and minerals that you need, not to mention they help your body work the way it should, i.e. digestion and healing! Sauteed veggies like bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, squash & zucchini are great.  Salads with GREEN lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots & tomato (both higher in sugar, so not too many), witha light balsamic vinagrette. 

Party Everyday!!  Forget using crackers & chips to dip. Instead use veggies like bell peppers, cucumers, carrots, celery.  Who sais veggie trays are only for parties!! Make one everyday!!  No, they don't taste the same, but you're doing this for your healthy right?!  You'll get used to it and start to enjoy it!  Save the processed chips and crackers for a special occasion, which means you eat them every once in a while.  If you absolutely can't resist, then take 1 serving (7 tortilla chips, 5 ritz crackers) and crush them and sprinkle them over whatever it is you want to eat. Salsa, Salad, Hummus, Soup.

4. Schedule your day and Plan your Meals so that you won't have to fill your body with chemicals simply to cover up  symptoms.  What I have written out for you is HOW I EAT everyday!! It's how most of my personal trainer friends eat!!  Make these tips LIFESTYLE CHANGES!!  A diet is temporary and will just bring you back to where you started.

 

Here is an example of a meal plan: 

BREAKFAST 6a:  1c Kashi Cereal with 1c blueberries and 1c unsweetened original almond milk 
6oz coffee, 2Tbsp milk, sweetener
SNACK 1 8a:  6 egg whites, 1/2c sauteed onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, 1 med apple 
12oz water
SNACK 2 10:30a  Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp Honey, 1/4c chopped strawberries  
6oz coffee or tea, 12oz water
LUNCH 1p: Sandwhich (flat bread or Ezekiel bread), 6oz lunch meat, green leaf lettuce, 3 slices of tomato, 4 lg slices of cucumber, mustard, maybe 1 thin slice of cheese, banana 
12oz iced tea
SNACK 3 2:30p  Protein Smoothie-made with almond milk, berries, veggies (carrots, spinach), protein powder 
12oz water
SNACK 4 5p (drive home): 1-2 depending on size turkey meat balls (obviously make it at home. Use lean turkey meat, egg whites, veggies, sugar & salt free dry seasonings) 
12oz water
DINNER 6p: Lean Meat - chicken breast, pork loin, sirloin, 93% fat free beef or turkey, 1 cup carb - whole wheat pasta, rice, potato (baked or sweet) (or none if you had some 2-3 times already), Veggies - steamed broccoli, green beans, green peas, zucchini, squash
12oz water
SNACK 5 8:30p: I would suggest water first!!  If you feel starving, then have some protien. Your body does NOT need any carbs, i.e. ice cream, crackers, bread.  Carbs = Energy and you're about to go to sleep!!  Try some lunch meat or meat balls or some hummus and veggies and see if that helps you. 
12oz water

(fyi that equals 84oz of water)

However, remember this!  If you happen to be overweight and this diet causes you to eat less calories than you're used to, then you WILL FEEL HUNGRY = YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT.  I'm not saying you should be starving, I mean, seriously, did you read the meal plan?  That's alot of food! But if you deprives your body of the calories that it's USED to eatting, it's going to want more.  Feeling hungry is a normal part of losing weight.  Just drink some water...and go to bed :)
 

Confession Time...Again!!

I wanted to start by saying, "I have a confession to make", then I realized how familiar that sounds. It's not the first time I've said it/ emailed it/ blogged it.

I'm sooo off track...AGAIN! Well, I certainly feel like I am. I know I've had "pulmonary" issues. And it seems that SO MANY people are coming down with it. I know I shouldn't give myself a hard time. The pulmonologist actually told me not to exercise on the steriod and antibiotic I was on. But I'm off of them and the congestion is not completely gone, so i'm trying not to jump right back in like I normally would. But not exercising actually affects my appetite. I've been logging my calories on http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ to try to get back on track. I keep going over my goal, not tooo far, but enough to frustrate me to no end. I feel like I am setting a terrible example to all of my clients and so I am going to try harder. Being able to do my normal high intensity, 500-600calories workout is just not an option right now. So, I must set the example and control my food and calorie intake. My goal is not just my calories though. It's the QUALITY/KINDS of calories I'm taking in. I could LIVE, serouisly LIVE off of ice cream! 1400 calories worth of ice cream is alot, but all that sugar in my brain would make me crazy enough to do it!

So here's the deal. There are 5 steps to get back on track. I've already been attempting #1, I got started. I logged my calories. I wasn't perfect, but I did it. Which leads me to #2, to forgive yourself for not perfectly meeting your goals. My goal is to net 1400 calories. (i.e. If I burn 400calories, then I would eat 1800cals. Therefore no exercise means I only eat 1400 calories.) Well, that is not very much food. And eating your kid's left over pb&j plus a cookie or two will take you right to that number before dinner even hits!! HOWEVER! #3 is recognize progess. Normally I would eat 2000+ calories when I'm not counting or motivated, but I've been staying under that number, even through my emotional ups and downs! So, that's progress in my mind. #4 is to focus on solutions. I kind of have an excuse, the whole pulmonary thing. But instead of using it as an excuse to do nothing (if you know me, you know I can't be completely sedentary), I've been taking yoga and reformer pilates and walking on the treadmill or doing light..."er" weights than I normally would. I'm waiting for the doctor to give me a little more guidance on an actual solution to my pulmonary stuff, but in the mean time, I'm doing #5. Taking It One Day at Time. And it's the only thing keeping me from being really mad at myself. I mean, I AM a personal trainer. I have integrity and I take pride in walking the walk and not just talking the talk of living a healthy lifestyle. But Life happens. If you're not able to workout, for whatever reason life is throwing at you, you still CAN control your food. Even when those emotions try to take over (like me!!). It takes more work, but it is not impossible to keep your self-control.

So thanks to my trainer friend for sending out an email from another trainer mom blogger about getting back on track. Boy did it come at the right time. Just when I was really beating myself up (see #2). Y'all have a GREAT week. Be good so you can enjoy your Easter guilt free. (Easter is about forgiveness!!!)

1. Just Start

2. Forgive

3. Recognize Progress

4. Focus on Solutions

5. Take it One Day at a Time

http://www.getfitandyummy.com/5-get-back-on-track-tips/?inf_contact_key=444f8c95089d410e769aa55898c33aecbafc0f400e6c8d41010c99580fa8ce85

In A Bad Place, but Pressing On

So, I'm totally in a bad place today.  Very negative, very self absorbed, but trying hard to keep going and get stuff done so my depression today doesn't lead to more stress this week.
Don't be worried though, I go through these phases, as I'm sure most people do whether they're aware of it or not.  Mine could be due to so many things right now: still feeling sick (coughing every 30minutes), on 7 different drugs trying to get the coughing to subside/die down/but ultimately GO AWAY!), the gloomy cloudy day we're having, hormones... or possibly the left over sugar binge I had last night. 

All in all, it's a place I've been several times, in and out.  I pretty much don't want to do much of anything; my kids drive me crazy at all their wants, and then I drive MYself crazy not giving into their unhealthy desire to watch t.v. all day, because let's face it I WANT TO WATCH T.V. ALL DAY! Mommy's turn!!!  (kidding...kind of. I need to do laundry, thus a t.v. show or movie is my reward & distraction from the tedious chore).  Oh, yeah and then I hate everything about my house!  The clutter, the old carpets, the old paint that is all scuffed up, the clutter, the dust (that apparently I'm extremely allergic to!), the lack of money to fix anything that needs to be fixed or that I would just like fixed or repaired or replaced. AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH It all adds up and it drives me nuts!!

But truly, my point is, we ALL have these moments.  They could last a few hours, a few days, a few weeks, even a few years of pain, drama, stress, depression.  For everyone it's different.  It could be life changes, divorce, loss of a loved one, the dreaded "teenage years" (which is a whole 'nother topic that I could get on my soap box about, but I won't right now....); it could be goals that you've tried to attain or never even have able to get started at attempted, but it's all a matter of patience and perseverance.  When we get into these ruts of negativity we have a choice!! We can wallow in self pity and "woah is me!" and run our butts to the pantry or fridge or freezer then to the couch to watch a movie and just freeze in the depressing moment, or we can CHOOSE to keep moving and focus all of that negative energy onto something positive!  I'm not saying that the negative feelings will go away.  I'm putting blinders on to every corner of my house (dinner room, office area, bedroom - OH DONT' EVEN get me started on my bedroom!!, the kid's closets, every counter space under every sink!!  FLY LADY HELP ME!! again, another topic I'll mention at the end). Instead I am focusing on my new Sunday goal - get all of the laundry done and make sure I have a dinner meal plan for the week.   I don't want to do any of it!!  (thus 1 reason I'm here -- at the computer  --  typing --- prooooooocraaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssttiiiiiiiiiiiiiinaaaaaaating!! I've drawn it out too long)


No matter how negative I feel, I'm going to do my best to:

1. NOT BINGE ON SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, COFFEE, ALCOHOL (ok, I wouldn't binge on alcohol, but a glass of wine to just relax my nerves sounds lovely, but will inevitably lead to tiredness, lack of motivation, and a desire to eat!)

2. STICK TO MY PLAN
My dinner is in the crock pot, my meal plan is done for the week, I even added a few things to a small growing grocery list of "this and thats"
2 loadsof laundry are waiting for me to fold, 3rd load is in the dryer, 4th load is in the washer, 1 last load of "delicates" is waiting to be washed and hung.

3. PATIENCE I'm the only one in this funk, I don't need to spread the negativity to the rest of my family. I just forced my 2 little ones to have quiet time for 2 hours in their room.  I don't believe they slept, but it gave me uninterrupted time in the kitchen and some time to let off some steam, gather my thoughts, and get in a "somewhat" decent frame of mind.

4. I CHOOSE TO SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL  This funk will not last, this crud in my chest will not last, this laundry will not last.  I accept that there are things in life we just have to do to get us to the goot stuff. Isn't that how it always is? 

We don't want to "deprive" ourselves of those sweets or fun times or expensive stuff, so we give in and we reap the CONSEQUENCES.  Instead, we, as a society, need to GET OVER OURSELVES, our SELFISH WANTS & DESIRES; Practice patience, self control, and strength from a high power sometimes, to get to where we NEED and WANT to be.

Your past mistakes don't define you. Your current Choices define you.

Have a healthy week! I'm praying for health for myself and I can pray for you, too. Just let me know.  It's always confidential, but no gossip allowed ;)


p.s. FlyLady.net is a free on-line source to help you get control of the clutter in your life; your house especially.  She encourages 15 minutes of decluttering at a time, 1 hour of "home blessings" where you literally only vacuum the middle of the flour and clean off the open spaces and you are seriously only allowed that 15minutes or 1 hour and you must force yourself to stop!  She gives babysteps for each room, each day of each week, each month. Including family time on Saturday and a Spiritual reboot on Sunday.  check her out!   www.flylady.net