Friday, August 26, 2011

Healthy Eating Tips Continued

Success is steady progress toward one's personal goals.
Jim Rohn
Remember with each eating tip try to incorporate one suggestion to your life style; make small changes and stick with them!
Remember, make it S.M.A.R.T.:
S=Specific
M=Measurable
A=Action oriented
R=Realistic
T=Time bound

Make it specific enough that you know exactly what you are striving for, measurable so you can tell exactly when the goal has been reached.  What's the action that will produce the results and realistic in that it is practical and can be achieved.  Time and resource constrained means that it has a definite deadline for completion.

Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats

Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails.  Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia.

Add to your healthy diet:

§  Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
§  Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts.

Reduce or eliminate from your diet:

§  Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
§  Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective

Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily.

Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:

Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.
§  Beans:  Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
§  Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are great choices.
§  Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and veggie burgers for a change.
§  Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.
Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.
Nothing will change in your life if you don't do something different from what you have been doing.
E. Perry Good

Monday, August 22, 2011

Healthy Eating Tips Continued

When you do nothing, you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.

Author Unknown
Remember with each eating tip try to incorporate one suggestion to your life style and tell somebody about your commitment; make small changes and stick with them!

Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables 

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet—they are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.
Fruits and vegetables should be part of every meal and your first choice for a snack—aim for a minimum of five portions each day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases.

Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day—the brighter the better.

The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits. Some great choices are:
§  Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
§  Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
§  Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.

Don’t forget to shop fresh and local whenever possible

The local farmer’s market, fruit stand or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group are great ways to get access to fresh, local produce. To find local growers, farmer's markets, and CSAs in your area, visit Local Harvest.

Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains

Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.

A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs

Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.

Tips for eating more healthy carbs


§  Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
§  Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran, can be deceptive. Look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” at the beginning of the ingredient list. In the US, check for the Whole Grain Stamps that distinguish between partial whole grain and 100% whole grain.
§  Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains, like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.
Avoid: Refined foods such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.
Our achievements of today are but the sum total of our thoughts of yesterday. You are today where the thoughts of yesterday have brought you and you will be tomorrow where the thoughts of today take you.
Blaise Pascal

Friday, August 19, 2011

Healthy Eating Tips #2

The day you decide to do it is your lucky day. Japanese Proverb
Remember with each eating tip try to incorporate one suggestion to your life style; make small changes and stick with them!

Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key 

People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation.  Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.
§  Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
§  Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrĂ©e, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms and start small.  Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case.

Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat 

Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.
§  Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
§  Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
§  Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
§  Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change. Confucius

Monday, August 15, 2011

Healthy Eating Tips

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

George Bernard Shaw

Healthy Eating

EASY TIPS FOR PLANNING A HEALTHY DIET AND STICKING TO IT


Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you.
Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”—it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as defend against depression. Additionally, learning the habits of healthy eating can boost your energy, sharpen your memory and stabilize your mood. You can expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet.
In the next few mervmails I will discuss 10 healthy eating tips; With each eating tip try to incorporate one suggestion to your life style; make small changes and stick with them!

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success  

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.
  • Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness—then it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
  • Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart.  Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking.  As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
  • Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet.  The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.

Think of water and exercise as food groups in your diet.

Water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins. Yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.
Exercise. Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit. I recommend at least 3 times a week strength training, and at least 5 times a week for ½ hour cardio!
Rather than wishing for change, you first must be prepared to change.
Catherine Pulsifer

Friday, August 12, 2011

building muscle

The future depends on what we do in the present.

Mahatma Gandhi
if you're working hard in the gym, you must work harder in the kitchen. Meal preparation and planning are essential for forging a muscular figure, so get ready for a crash-course on muscle-making nutrition.

·         To add muscle, you need to be consuming more calories than you're burning. It's difficult to pack in all of those muscle-building meals, but it's definitely possible.
·         To build maximum muscle, you'll be eating every 2-3 hours, consuming 5-6 quality meals throughout the day.
·         Constantly eating small, nutrient-rich meals will get your body primed for muscle growth and make it much easier to take in the calories you need. Eating frequently also ramps up your metabolism, which helps keep you lean while you're building muscle.
·         To eat every few hours, you'll need to be prepared.
·         You'll be preparing meals ahead of time. If you don't prepare your food in advance, be prepared to fail.
·         Keep yourself on the right path by loading your desk or bag with portable fuel like trail mix, ready to drink protein shakes, protein powder, and bars.
How Many Calories:
·         calculate your maintenance calories (how many calories you need to consume to stay the same weight). This is calculated by taking your current weight and multiplying it by fifteen. (Ex. 150lbsX15 = 2250 Calories). From this you want to add 500 extra calories per day.
·         Your macronutrient ratio is simply the amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fats that you have in your diet. Since you want to be lean, your ratio is going to be 40/40/20, which means that 40% of your calories will be from protein, 40% from carbohydrates, and 20% from fat.
Protein:
·         Protein is responsible for tissue growth and repair, and guess what: muscle is tissue. Start eating a fist-sized serving of protein with every meal. Lean cuts of meat like grilled chicken or turkey, eggs, tuna fish or salmon, and protein shakes are perfect.
·         For optimal muscle-making, eat at least 1 gram of protein per body pound every day.
Carbohydrates:
·         Also include a fist-sized serving of carbohydrates with each meal. Carbs are your body's preferred source of energy-you need them to stay energized throughout the day, and for intense training sessions.
·         Complex carbs like whole grains, wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, oats, vegetables, and sweet potatoes are all good choices. Avoid simple sugars or refined carbs like sweets, candy, and other junk food. All carbs are not created equal.
Fats:
·         Healthy fats like fish oil can promote cognitive function, support cardiovascular health, and support normal, healthy hormone production. Healthy fats are an integral part of building new mass on your frame, so add a small amount of olive oil, fish oil, peanut butter, or almonds to each meal.

Timing, Timing, Timing:
·         Adding muscle mass is about consuming more calories than you're burning off, then using those calories to their maximum benefit. Add an extra 200-300 calories on training days to fuel your growth, and your gains will be just around the corner.
·         Protein is essential for muscle growth and repair, which makes it especially important pre- and post-workout. Eat a meal with lean protein and complex carbs-like protein shake with oats about 30 minutes to one hour before you train.
·         After you're done with your workout, recovery is of the utmost importance. You've just broken down muscle fibers and depleted your glycogen levels. You need a fast digesting carb like maltodextrin, white bread, or any simple sugar to recover your energy.
·         To get your muscles up and running, a quick-absorbing whey protein shake is essential, preferably from whey isolate or hydrolyzed whey.

Adjustment:
·         Keeping your routine up to par is essential, but be aware that you will always have to make minor adjustments. That's why constantly tracking your progress will ensure that you're moving in the right direction.
·         If you aren't gaining weight, then eat more food. Instead of adding an additional meal, try adding a little to each meal throughout the day. Extra protein, olive oil, or almonds with a few meals will bump up your calories and push that scale in the right direction.
·         If you're adding weight in the wrong spot, that means you need to adjust where you're getting your calories from. If you start to see a little pudge in the stomach, then reduce your carbs and bump up protein as a replacement. Protein is extremely hard to convert to fat, so it will be a great adjustment.

Water:
·         Our bodies are made of primarily made of water, so hydration should always be a daily goal. The staple "couple glasses of water a day" doesn't pertain to the active individual.
·         Since you will be eating properly, training, and constantly losing fluids, you will need to drink between a half-gallon to a gallon of water per day. Water is a crucial component of nutrient delivery, cooling regulation in the body, and it helps activate muscle fiber.

Going Out:
·         If you go out to eat, order a chicken breast or steak and make sure they don't cover your dish with greasy cheeses or toppings. Just ask your waiter to prepare your food without the mayo or cheese, and skip out on the soda or cocktail. Stick with water. Make sure the bulk of your calories from quality sources, not the toppings and liquids that come with your meal.
Though these tips don't have to be followed perfectly, here are some guidelines for adjusting your diet:
  • Eat every 2-3 hours.
  • Include a lean protein source in every meal.
  • Make breakfast your largest meal.
  • Make sure to include carbs and Protein in your pre and post workout meals.
  • Avoid skipping meals.
  • Always stay properly hydrated (shoot for a gallon of water per day).
Success does not consist in never making blunders, but in never making the same one a second time.Josh Billings

Monday, August 8, 2011

getting strated with weight training

No one can become rich without enriching others. Anyone who adds to prosperity must prosper in turn.
G. Alexander Orndorff


Cardio Warm-Up:
When you first get to the gym, hit the treadmill, bike, or any cardio equipment for 5 to 10 minutes to get blood pumping in the muscles and loosen the joints. This helps prevent injury, lowering the chance of a muscle pull or joint damage.
This isn't just a safety precaution your fat 45 year old Personal Trainer recommends, warming up actually helps peak your focus, enhance your pump, and gives you a better workout.
Warm-Up Sets:
Once you're done with your cardio, you've got to focus on the specific muscles you're about to train, and fill them with nutrient-rich blood.
For your first two sets of each body part, do some light lifts to activate the muscle fibers and have them prepped for your upcoming massive lifts.
2 sets of 15 reps will do the trick, but be sure to use only 60% of the maximum poundage you could lift. Don't worry about anyone gazing at the 10lbs weights you have in your hands - your warm up is crucial, and you should keep your ego out of it.
Form:
Form is one of the most important aspects of training. Whether you are brand new to the iron or have some experience, form should always be in the back of your mind.
If you have improper form, you might be working the wrong muscles and also risking injury. If you get injured then you can't spend time in the gym, and you will lose the mass you've already packed on.
Guidelines for form are:
  • Stay strict
  • Use a weight you can manage
  • Mentally focus on the muscle being worked
Focusing on the mind muscle connection is key to targeting muscle growth - if you are lifting biceps, then imagine your biceps expanding and forcing a contraction.
.If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.
Vince Lombardi

Friday, August 5, 2011

Chronic Knee Pain

·         Problems can’t stop you. Problems don’t exist! If you have a problem you can solve it, and than it’s not a problem. If you can’t solve a problem, it’s not a problem, it’s a fact and you have to accept it!
·         Only you can stop you!
Have You Been Suffering From Chronic Knee Pain?


Chronic knee pain is notoriously difficult to treat successfully. Persons with these problems often become discouraged as they shuttle from specialist to specialist, from rheumatologist to orthopedic surgeon to physical therapist to acupuncturist and back again. Lack of progress and improvement becomes understandable when one considers that typical evaluation and treatment are directed at the symptoms. But with chronic knee pain, and many other pain syndromes, actual benefits may be obtained by addressing underlying biomechanical problems.

Faulty biomechanics are at the root of many ongoing knee problems. Of course, various other diseases and orthopedic conditions may cause the same type of chronic pain. The most likely of these possibilities need to be considered and ruled out before a diagnosis of biomechanical knee pain is established. Osteochondritis dissecans, a torn meniscus, and synovial effusion are all frequently encountered in persons over age 40 with chronic knee pain. Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and ankylosing spondylitis are a few rheumatologic conditions which may result in sporadic or chronic knee pain.

When these medical entities have been eliminated as possibilities, a biomechanical causation becomes probable. How does a person develop "faulty biomechanics"? In fact, most of us have never received effective instruction in how to use our bodies. We stand and sit in all kinds of unsound postures, slouching and slumping and generally giving in to every available force of gravity. We stand with all our body weight on one leg, neck and shoulder muscles gripped tightly and abdominal muscles sagging and protruding. When we sit we slump down, stressing the lower back with poorly tolerated mechanical forces, or sit for hours with legs crossed, stressing the lower back, hips, and knees.

Over the course of a lifetime, our bodies have continually tried to adapt to a range of inefficient and stressful postures and habits. But eventually no more adaptation is possible. As a result joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons break down and fail. We experience this failure as pain. And once this type of pain has started, it is not going to go away unless the underlying causes are corrected. Specifically, the person's biomechanics need to be restored closer to normal.

Correction of posture takes time and can only be accomplished gradually. The key is to learn what to do, learn how to do it, and to be working on posture every day. The most important thing is to begin. Three basic biomechanical corrections are as follows:
(1) When standing, be sure to have your weight over the balls of your feet and to have your weight evenly distributed on both legs.
(2) Activate your deep abdominal muscles by visualizing an "inner lift".
(3) Have straight lines of force running down your legs (rather than lines of force crossing at your knee, creating torsion and tension).
Visualize "straight energy" flowing from your hip sockets, straight down through the center of your knees, straight down to your feet, between your first and second toes.

Visualizing and implementing these three biomechanical corrections on a daily basis represents the first series of steps toward improving knee mechanics and reducing chronic knee pain.

Nothing can add more power to your life than concentrating all of your energies on a limited set of targets.
Nido Qubein

Monday, August 1, 2011

Drink Up

Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.

Denis Waitley

Drink Up

Aim for optimal hydration for your health

Ok, you think you’re committed to a healthy lifestyle. You make sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and you’ve cut out most of the saturated fat in your diet. You watch your weight, exercise consistently. Still, you may be neglecting an important component of your body’s health—your hydration..
Why We Need Water
There are both health reasons and physical performance reasons that make proper hydration important to all adults and children. Our bodies are made up of 60 percent water by weight, and we need to maintain that water for proper functioning of our cells and our body organs. For example, the circulatory system includes blood, which is primarily water, and the inside of our cells contains primarily water; thus, it’s important to replace the water each day. Our bodies also use water to convert food into energy, remove waste, regulate body temperature and carry nutrients and oxygen throughout our bodies.

The Mechanisms of Thirst

It’s easy to be dehydrated and not even realize it. When we do feel thirsty, we’re already about 2 percent dehydrated, so the feeling of thirstiness is actually a symptom of dehydration. (Dehydration is measured in percentages relating to body weight—for example a 150-pound person who is 1 percent dehydrated has lost 1.5 pounds in water weight.

Just how does the thirst mechanism work? Your brain reads the concentration of your blood constantly, and when your body water level has been reduced by about 1 percent or 2 percent you’ll feel thirsty and presumably drink something. The problem is people often don’t drink enough to make up the difference and maintain that 1 percent to 2 percent level of dehydration over time.

At the gym, this can translate decreased performance. "When you lose about 1 percent of your body weight, your body begins to show signs of strain that it’s experiencing in terms of increased heart rate and increased core body temperature. At 3 percent body weight loss, endurance performance begins to decline, and at approximately 5 percent body weight loss, strength and power performance degrade. Even mild dehydration can affect your day-to-day life—you may feel lightheaded, dizzy, tired, headachy and have trouble focusing or concentrating as well.

Getting What You Need

So how much water should you be drinking? It’s probably more than you think—the average sedentary person loses about 2.5 quarts of water a day through ordinary activity alone. And if you exercise, you lose between .8 and 1.5 quarts of fluid each hour in addition to that. All of this fluid must be replaced to maintain optimal hydration.

You’ve probably heard or read that people need eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, but that’s not necessarily true. That recommendation came from literature on weight management, but there are no studies proving the average person needs eight 8-ounce glasses of water. In fact, your water needs are probably higher than this baseline. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends people drink 14 to 22 ounces of fluid two to three hours before exercise, 6 to 12 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise, and 16 to 24 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during exercise.

While water is always your best choice, you don’t need to rely on H2O to satisfy your fluid needs. Beverages like tea, soda, coffee and juice all contribute to your daily total as do foods like soup, fruits and vegetables that are naturally high in water content (just be sure to read the nutrition labels on teas, coffees, juices and soups, as they can also contain sugar, sodium and extra calories). Because beverages that contain caffeine or alcohol can be dehydrating, you’ll want to make sure you drink plenty of water to offset your coffee or beer consumption. You can increase your intake by having a big glass of water first thing in the morning; keeping a bottle of water on your desk at work; drinking a glass at mid-morning and mid-afternoon; and being sure to drink before, during and after exercise.

There are two ways to easily monitor your own body water status. Weigh yourself first thing in the morning and before and after exercise; then drink a pint of fluid for each pound you lose during your workouts. Or simply pay attention to the volume and color of your urine—it should be straw-colored or pale yellow.

Make it one of your fitness priorities to aim for optimal hydration. If you’ve been drinking too little, you may notice a marked improvement in the way you look and feel when you increase your water intake. Even if you don’t notice a difference, by drinking more water you’ll be helping your body function at its best.

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing – that's why we recommend it daily!
Zig Zigla