Many people prefer to drink sports drinks rather than water because they just plain taste better and they quench your thirst. There are a couple of important things to remember when substituting sports drinks for water. One being the overall purpose is hydration; therefore the drink should contain a small amount of sodium, carbohydrates, and potassium.
Here are some things to remember:
~Carbohydrates for sports drinks should contain between 14-19 grams per 8 ounce serving. A drink that has more carbohydrates could cause cramping, nausea, or diarrhea.
~The sodium level for sports drinks should be between 100-110 milligrams per 8 ounce serving.
~ One thing to remember is you don't sweat out vitamins when your sweat; therefore there is no need to buy sports drinks that include vitamins- although it wouldn't hurt.
~Water is adequate to drink if you are working out for less than an hour, if more than an hour than an sports drink will make up for the loss of sodium while sweating.
The important thing to remember is that when replenishing liquids with sports drinks be aware of what you are drinking and what your body needs.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Beat Your Cardio Boredom
Most of us don't enjoy doing cardio for one reason; it can become too boring. Whatever your fitness level may be cardio can be enjoying and you can progressively improve your stamina. Here are some suggestions to create an cardio workout that is not boring.
Begin setting the tone by creating and setting a goal. Make sure it is manageable, measurable, and attainable. If its running a marathon, or even just improving your running form, start by setting a goal. An ideal goal is measurable but also attainable . For example, if weight loss is your goal start by breaking down cardio such as running 3X a week for 30 minutes. Once your able to run for a straight 30 minutes set incremental goals to increase your minutes, or decrease your time.
Next, create a foundation. Implement steady times and days that you will do cardio. Also try involving others by doing cardio in groups for competition, or involving the outdoors. Once you create a steady foundation and something refreshing to look forward to you will completely avoid boredom.
Here are some suggestions of some alternative cardio workouts:
Workout 1:
Burpees
Jumping Jacks
Assisted Partner Sprints ( Have a partner pull you back while you propel forward)
Jump Rope
Lunges
Workout 2:
Interval Sprints
Mountain Climbers
Stair Runs
Jump Squats
Clap Pushups
Keep in mind that cardio will always be cardio and most of the time many of us don't enjoy it. As long as you mix up your workouts and set a goal you can overcome cardio boredom.
Begin setting the tone by creating and setting a goal. Make sure it is manageable, measurable, and attainable. If its running a marathon, or even just improving your running form, start by setting a goal. An ideal goal is measurable but also attainable . For example, if weight loss is your goal start by breaking down cardio such as running 3X a week for 30 minutes. Once your able to run for a straight 30 minutes set incremental goals to increase your minutes, or decrease your time.
Next, create a foundation. Implement steady times and days that you will do cardio. Also try involving others by doing cardio in groups for competition, or involving the outdoors. Once you create a steady foundation and something refreshing to look forward to you will completely avoid boredom.
Here are some suggestions of some alternative cardio workouts:
Workout 1:
Burpees
Jumping Jacks
Assisted Partner Sprints ( Have a partner pull you back while you propel forward)
Jump Rope
Lunges
Workout 2:
Interval Sprints
Mountain Climbers
Stair Runs
Jump Squats
Clap Pushups
Keep in mind that cardio will always be cardio and most of the time many of us don't enjoy it. As long as you mix up your workouts and set a goal you can overcome cardio boredom.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Continue To Stay Active and Eat Well While Traveling
Although most of us these days may not get the opportunity to travel, when the opportunity arises you may wonder how to eat well and continue to stay active while your normal routine is disrupted. In truth, it is simple as long as you have discipline and become aware of some easy ways to stay on your routine.
First and foremost, lets face it most of the time you will not have access to a treadmill, weights, or anything that includes your normal fitness routine or you may be limited with the fitness equipment that is available. This is the perfect time to pull out those still effective workouts that require no equipment, just your body and space. Some examples of some upper and lower body exercises include pushups, tricep dips, jump squats, lunges, and hip thrusts.
Secondly, is eating. Pack, pack, pack. Not only will you save time and money but you will also save hundreds of calories if you pack non-perishable healthy snacks such as almonds, dried fruit, and etc. This will help to avoid excessive overeating when going out to eat and the risk of picking up something unhealthy fast.
Third, is drink lots of water. Actually always keep a bottle on hand. You can never drink too much water and on the other hand it will decrease your appetite and hunger.
Fourth, is when going out to dinner and to drink avoid eating too much and consuming too much alcohol. When you order at a restaurant skip ordering appetizers, and order an entree that you can share with someone or several people. For drinking, stick to low calorie drinks such as light beer, wine, and simple cocktails made with low mixers.
By becoming more aware of your surroundings and simply adjusting a couple of things while traveling, your healthy lifestyle will be easy to maintain.
First and foremost, lets face it most of the time you will not have access to a treadmill, weights, or anything that includes your normal fitness routine or you may be limited with the fitness equipment that is available. This is the perfect time to pull out those still effective workouts that require no equipment, just your body and space. Some examples of some upper and lower body exercises include pushups, tricep dips, jump squats, lunges, and hip thrusts.
Secondly, is eating. Pack, pack, pack. Not only will you save time and money but you will also save hundreds of calories if you pack non-perishable healthy snacks such as almonds, dried fruit, and etc. This will help to avoid excessive overeating when going out to eat and the risk of picking up something unhealthy fast.
Third, is drink lots of water. Actually always keep a bottle on hand. You can never drink too much water and on the other hand it will decrease your appetite and hunger.
Fourth, is when going out to dinner and to drink avoid eating too much and consuming too much alcohol. When you order at a restaurant skip ordering appetizers, and order an entree that you can share with someone or several people. For drinking, stick to low calorie drinks such as light beer, wine, and simple cocktails made with low mixers.
By becoming more aware of your surroundings and simply adjusting a couple of things while traveling, your healthy lifestyle will be easy to maintain.
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