7 Benefits of Drinking Water

Most people don’t quite get the health benefits of drinking water yet. They usually think that water is only needed when you feel thirsty and there couldn’t be a bigger mistake than that. About 66% of our bodyweight is water. Our muscles contains about 75% water, our brain tissue contains about 85% water, 83% of our blood is water and even 22% of our bones is water. Because our body contains so much water, it’s vital to keep drinking plenty of water. Without water we would dehydrate. And dehydration can result in our organs not functioning properly which can end in death.

1. Keep your brain healthy As described in the introduction of this post, our brain tissue contains about 85% water. Drinking water regularly will keep the brain functioning properly. Studies have shown that not drinking enough water, dehydration, can be a key element in causing headaches, migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression.

2. Water regulates body temperature Water helps regulate body temperature, especially during exercise. When you exercise, you lose water through your breath and by sweating. As the sweat evaporates, your body cools. Replenishing water loss during exercise is crucial for physical performance and good health. Too much water loss will increase your risk of heat exhaustion. In addition to your normal six to eight glasses of water each day, drink a glass before you exercise. Then, for each 20 minutes of exercise, drink another cup or more. Be sure to drink a cup or two after you finish.

3. Flush out the toxins The function of our kidneys is to remove waste from our bodies. They help to lush toxins such as uric acid, urea and lactic acid the kidneys out of our blood stream. These are the toxins that make us feel sluggish and unwell. The toxins can also put a harmful burden on the other systems in the body. Drinking water regularly lessens the burden on your kidneys keeping us pollution free.

4. Decrease risk of heart attacks Researchers at the Loma Linda University in California studied more than 20,000 healthy men and women and found that people who drank more than 5 glasses of water a day are less likely to die from a heart attack than people who drink less than two.

5. Raise your metabolism As described in the post about metabolism, metabolism is the means by which the food we consume is turned into energy. The first chemical process that takes place is digestion. This process will prepare the nutrients in the food to be absorbed by the body and transformed into energy. Drinking plenty of water is essential to maintain a good digestion which in turn keep your metabolism going. The health benefit of water is better utilization of the nutrients you consume resulting in more energy.

6. Fresh and healthy skin Water primarily stimulates the circulation of blood, fluids, and the necessary elements inside our body. Additionally, it also controls and regulates the skin’s natural balance. When water is warm, it has the power to hydrate, revitalize, detoxify, and oxygenate the skin. Warm water also gets rid of blackheads and makes large pores smaller. Drinking water makes the body more relaxed and invigorated. It also replaces the moisture lost due to everyday activities. Simply put, these are all the benefits of drinking water for skin.

7. Lose weight by drinking water Drinking water is important if you’re trying to lose weight, some studies have shown that thirst and hunger sensations are triggered together. If there is a slight dehydration the thirst mechanism may be mistaken for hunger and one may eat when the body is actually craving fluid. As most food contains some water, if one doesn’t drink much they may be subconsciously driven to eat more to gain the necessary water supply however, you also gain the undesired effects of increased calorie consumption. Drinking more water can help to prevent overeating and benefit weight loss.

http://sportsandcooking.com/health/7-health-benefits-of-drinking-water

Whats the truth about HCG?

The following is from Mike's Blog. I feel like it is worth noting to all of you who read my blog. Thanks Mike.




By now either you know someone who has done the HCG diet, or you have at least heard about it. Here are some links to some studies done on the HCG diet...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=2405506&dopt=AbstractPlus

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/29/9/940

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=792477

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/12/3/230

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1237915&blobtype=pdf

http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/137/2/151

Interesting!

3 Rules to Burning Fat

Being in the profession of health in fitness, I meet people all the time who are currently experiencing a plateau. They have decided to change their lives, eat healthier, and start a regular exercise program. But somehow, they are no longer losing weight. 99% of the time, it comes down to the fact that they are not following these 3 rules.

1. Eat every 2-3 hours. The biggest misconception with fat loss, is that you have to starve yourself to lose weight. IT IS ABSOLUTELY OPPOSITE. Your body needs fuel and if you starve it, you do not lose fat. In fact, its quite opposite. You lose muscle. Keeping your body filled with healthy, low calorie foods all day is the fastest way to speed up your metabolism and your body's fat burning capability. When my clients miss meals during the day, their results slow dramatically.

2. Balance your protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Does this mean you need to count calories? No. Think of your metabolism as a car engine. A car needs several ingredients to run smoothly and properly, i.e., gasoline, motor oil, engine coolant, etc. If you leave any of these out, its only a matter of time before something WILL go wrong. The engine dies and you call you mechanic and he tells you that a service is way overdue and now the cost to get your car back to working order is tons of money and could have been prevented with simple maintenance. Our bodies work the same way. Our metabolism needs protein, carbohydrates and fats to burn excess body fat. These nutrients needs to be balanced at every meal. Not just day to day. An easy way to make sure you are doing this is, is to always remember the 3:2:1 rule. 3 parts carbs (1/2 grains, oats, rice, etc, and the other 1/2 veggies or fruit.) 2 Parts protein(lean meats, low-fat dairy, etc) 1 part healthy fats ( you do not necessarily need to add these to your diet. As long as you are choosing low fat meats, dairy and carbs, you will get enough in your day)

3. Plan for your activity level. If you are going to be more active, you need to have the fuel to do it. So think to yourself every time you eat, what am I going to be doing for the next 3 hours of my life. Morning time would be an obvious time to have a larger meal, and so would the meal just before a workout. As for eating before you go to bed, it does not need to be large, nor does it need to contain a large amount of carbs. (those are for energy)

It all comes down to these 3 rules. Nutrition can be your friend or your enemy when it comes to fat loss. No one should have to starve themselves, and unfortunately it wont get you the body you want anyways. When these rules are implemented, results are immediate.

Picture by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rdicker/2355994776/

Best Meal Replacement Shake on the Market

Features:

1. 4.5 grams of fiber
2. High amounts of branched chain amino acids for recovery
3. Bromelain and Papain which are enzymes that helps break down protein
4. Amalayse is an enzyme that breaks down complex carbohydrates
5. Lactase is an enzyme that breaks down milk and milk products
6. Lipase is an enzyme that breaks down fats
7. CONTAINS NO ASPARTAME

Positive Reinforcement

Rainy days are great. Some people may maybe not agree. But as for me, rainy days remind me of living in Holland. The green grass and trees make the air so fresh and clean that I look forward to a morning jog just so I can breath it in.

This brings me to my next subject of conversation. Once you have found your "why" you need to start looking for the positive sides of everything. I tell everyone I work with, "you are what you eat." This applies to our attitudes as well. We are only as happy as we believe we are. Feeling healthy and looking healthy go hand in hand. So much of how you live is attributed to your attribute that it cannot go without mention.

I challenge you to look at your life. Look at all the challenges you are faced with, and look for the positive. It would be so easy for me to wake up and loathe running in the rain. Its cold, wet, uncomfortable and inconvenient. But that's not what drives me to succeed. Happiness is a state of mind. So the challenge of the week is to take your personal wellness to the next level. Now that you know why you want this, enjoy the ride. They reward at the end of the road is wonderful, but the road ahead is beautiful.





Picture by: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://serbian.wunderground.com/data/wximagenew/g/gatorgal/1152.jpg&imgrefurl=http://serbian.wunderground.com/blog/ozcazz/comment.html%3Fentrynum%3D14&usg=__qVIyLQkAOMAMV1ZhlWV8ACehzjo=&h=426&w=640&sz=192&hl=en&start=26&sig2=5s8DfH13D-yfzk9vVL117Q&tbnid=sfY_8EQ7z2YEWM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=137&ei=pKyaSarxCor0sAOXv5SxBw&prev=/images%3Fq%3DHolland,%2Brainy%2Bpath%26start%3D20%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

Find Your Why

I would like to mention some of my thoughts on desire and drive. I have had clients come to me with unclear desires and no real end goal in sight. This is not good. This is a recipe for failure. Most us WANT to have the body we desire, but what is the real underlying reason? That's the real motivation. For each one of us, it is very different and that's why there is no easy answer.

To truly be motivated, you need to ask yourself why you want it. If you know why, then you will be willing to put in the work to get it. You need to be able to wake up in the morning and remember why you are going to exercise. You need to be able to pass up that cookie, or spend time preparing all your meals before you leave your house for the day. It is so easy to just stop somewhere for the cheap fast food deal, but that is not the way to get what you want. You need to be able to push yourself out of your comfort zone each and every day. Believe it or not, your battle is with yourself. Your body doesn't want to change. The only way to change your body is to do things your are not comfortable with. By that I mean work out a little harder. Eat that sandwich, even when the hamburger is calling your name. Bring your healthy snacks to your business meeting and eat in front of everyone. Stock your car, your office, your house with things you can eat. There is no worse punishment on your metabolism than skipping meals. Reward comes from hard work and determination. Without motivation, you are nothing.

So what I ask, is for you to ponder today and everyday. What do I want? Why do I want it? What am I going to do to get it?




Picture by: http://flickr.com/photos/keylosa/76039727/

No Secrets, Just a healthy lifestyle

Extra Benefits of Cardio Training

Cardio training is good for your heart - The increased heart rate you will achieve during your cardio workout will improve the condition of your heart and lungs, by training your heart to pump more blood in fewer beats and your lungs to move more oxygen with less effort. The improvement you will gain in your cardiovascular health will reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Aim for 30-60 minutes at least 3 days a week in order to achieve the best results for improving your heart.

Cardio training will help improve muscle mass - Yes, it's true - You need strength training to gain muscle, but the thirty minutes you spend on those elliptical trainers will help improve your muscle mass, too, especially if you combine the two as part of an interval training program. By going back and forth between cardio training and weight training, you are working your muscles and then letting them relax several times during a workout, which will improve your ability to build that great toned look. In addition, regular aerobic exercise causes the capillaries in your muscles to grow, which helps them to remove waste, such as lactic acid, from your body more easily. This will help improve the health of your muscles, and reduce muscle soreness after your workout.

Cardio Training Burns Fat - Adding four thirty minute cardio sessions a week to your current training schedule will help you rev up your fat burning capability. The fat loss you will see will help your toned muscles be even more noticeable.

Cardio Training Revs Up Your Metabolism - In addition to the fat you will burn during your workout, regular cardiovascular training will boost your metabolism for hours after your workout, too, helping you to maximize fat loss all day long.

Your Immune System Can Improve - People who spend thirty minutes in cardiovascular exercise at least three times a week are less likely to catch colds and other viral illnesses. It is believed that aerobic exercise improves your immune system, making it better able to fight off infection.

Your Mental State Will Improve - Cardio training causes your brain to release endorphins, the body's natural high. Endorphins act as natural painkillers and stress reducers.

You Are Likely To Live Longer - The New England Journal of Medicine has found a direct link between regular exercise and longevity.

Article;
http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Reasons-to-Add-Cardio-Training-To-Your-Workout&id=68367


Picture by Geff Rossi,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93852598@N00/297671536/

Back To Work

Hey Everyone! I know, I know, its been a REALLY long time since I have posted anything. Hopefully the holiday season was as good to you as it was to my family and I. We had the luxury of spending the holidays in the warm weather. To my surprise, the majority of you lost weight over the holidays. That was very nice to come home to. Some of you have asked me how this is possible. It is an interesting phenomena. First of all, despite the fact that we all were not as disciplined at staying away from some of the sweets and unhealthy foods as we would have liked to have been. We have instilled several habits into our daily diet routines, that were not there before. Let me explain.
Breakfast. As your have all at one time mentioned to me, you wake up like a ravenous wolf. Ready to eat your pillow. (ok, that was an overstatement, you can't not agree) Breakfast, first thing has become a habit. The next thing is that you now are not afraid to eat. Even if you had some sweets here and there, you were trying to eat every 2-3 hours. This keeps that metabolism firing. A major mistake people make over the holidays to eating a really large meal and feeling gross afterwards. In an attempt to combat this feeling and in hope of not consuming more calories, they skip the next couple meals and end up doing this all over again.
The last reason why most of you continued to lose fat over the holidays is that you were aware of the situation you were in. Whether or not you failed in one area or not, you made better decisions than the rest of the company and you attempted to maintain your exercise regimen.
I know this sounds familiar to most of you. To all the rest, you are still learning. Life is about living and enjoying. There is no reason why you can't have the body you want at the same time. Its about simple principles and lifestyle changes that you need to make that allow you to have both simultaneously.

You are all great and I love working with you. Keep the questions coming and remember that everyday is a new chance to give 100%.

-Jared

Childhood Overweight and Obesity

Sorry everybody. Its been a while. Holiday's keep us all busy.

This is unreal. I pulled this straight off the CDC' website.

" Obesity is a serious health concern for children and adolescents. Data from NHANES surveys (1976–1980 and 2003–2006) show that the prevalence of obesity has increased: for children aged 2–5 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 12.4%; for those aged 6–11 years, prevalence increased from 6.5% to 17.0%; and for those aged 12–19 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 17.6%.1, 8

Obese children and adolescents are at risk for health problems during their youth and as adults. For example, during their youth, obese children and adolescents are more likely to have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes) than are other children and adolescents.2

Obese children and adolescents are more likely to become obese as adults.3, 4 For example, one study found that approximately 80% of children who were overweight at aged 10–15 years were obese adults at age 25 years.3 Another study found that 25% of obese adults were overweight as children.5 The latter study also found that if overweight begins before 8 years of age, obesity in adulthood is likely to be more severe."

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/childhood/index.htm

Keep up the great work everyone. We first start with ourselves, then we help our children. There is no better way than to lead by example.

-Jared