Rising Star Fitness

Posted by amystebbins at 07:55 AM | Permalink

Staying hydrated in the heat of things…

Summer is just a few days away, and with the change of seasons comes heat and humidity.

Depending on what area of the country you live in, a change in exercise schedules is in order! It is often better to switch your workout schedules to early morning or later in the evening as to avoid what I like to call “peak heat”

During the “peak heat” hours, dehydration can occur quite quickly. It is very important to always have that nice bottle of cool water on hand nearby, not only quench your thirst, but replenish fluids lost during exercise, and expel toxins from the body.

It is a good idea to drink plenty of water before exercise, as well as during and after.

It is not necessary to consume sports drinks, unless you will be exercising for 2 hours or more. Good old water does the job just fine in most instances.

But how does one know when they are dehydrated? That’s easy! If you are thirsty, the body is already on its way!

Here are some signs of dehydration;

The Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration

• Thirst
• Loss of appetite
• Dry skin
• Flushing
• Dark colored urine
• Dry mouth / Cotton mouth
• Fatigue / Weakness
• Chills
• Head rushes

If the dehydration is allowed to continue unabated, when the total fluid loss reaches 5% the following effects of dehydration are normally experienced:

• Increased heart rate
• Increased respiration
• Decreased sweating
• Decreased urination
• Increased body temperature
• Extreme fatigue
• Muscle cramps
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Tingling of the limbs

When the body reaches 10% fluid loss emergency help is needed IMMEDIATELY! 10% fluid loss and above is often fatal! Symptoms of severe dehydration include:

• Muscle spasms
• Vomiting
• Racing pulse
• Shriveled skin
• Dim vision
• Painful urination
• Confusion
• Difficulty breathing
• Seizures
• Chest and Abdominal pain
• Unconsciousness

The average person looses between two and three liters of water a day through the breath, sweat, and urine. This number can increase or decrease based on the types of activities that a person engages in. Heavy exercise can cause a body to loose more than 2 liters an hour! To prevent dehydration you simply need to replenish the liquids that are lost throughout the day. Many resources and sites will tell you to drink 8 glasses of water a day, or give you a set number of liters to drink but the honest truth is that every BODY is different and only you will know how much your BODY needs.

Only YOU can know how much water YOU need to be at your best. That’s right, WATER. Not soda, not juice, not sugar-drinks. Pay attention to your fluid loss and take special care to replenish it as it is being lost. By the time you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated - you want to avoid becoming thirsty in the first place. Pay attention to the color of your urine, dark urine is usually an indicator that you are dehydrated. Drink more water.  

As you can see dehydration is no joke! The body just can not function with out WATER! So drink up my friends! Not only will you feel better, you will look better! Water is calorie free, and keeps the skin nice, firm and clear!

PS- dehydration + poor diet = WRINKLES AND WEIGHT GAIN.

TIME FOR A SHOE CHANGE!!!

There are some common complaints that I have heard all over the fitness community…

“My knees ache! My back hurts!”

Unless you are suffering from an obvious injury, I suggest you change your shoes!

Shoe change? What?

Yes it is time for new shoes, and possibly a time for a change of shoe type!

YES…Running shoes only last for 350 to 550 miles depending on your running style, body weight, and the type of surface you run on.

The lighter runners out there can get away with the 550 mile mark, while the heavy runners out there should replace shoes closer to 350 miles.

But how do you know how many miles you have run?

Just track your mileage. You should know how long your route is ahead of time, so that you can increase your time progressively (to improve!) For runners who run approximately 25 miles per week, they should replace their shoes every 3 to 4 months.

You can check for signs of wear and tear on the sole of your shoes by placing them on a table and looking at them from behind. If the soles are worn and leaning to one side, the midsole cushioning is probably worn out as well.

Here are some good tips on how to know if your midsoles are worn out:

Spotting Midsole Wear
A shoe's midsole cushioning may be worn out long before the tread shows signs of wear. Because the bottom and tread of the shoe may look fine, identifying when the cushioning is shot isn't easy to do. Here are some tips for identifying midsole wear:

·                                 First, pay attention to how you feel. As your shoes begin to give out, you may begin to get some aches or pains in your bones and joints. You may also notice slight muscle fatigue, new tightness, or possible shin splints.

·                                 Look for creasing of the midsole material in areas of high load (under the heel or the ball of the foot). A worn out midsole will have wrinkles and creases there.

·                                 Try to twist the shoe. A worn out midsole will allow the shoe to twist more easily than a new shoe.

·                                 Try on a new pair of the model that you are currently wearing. Compare this to your current shoes. If the cushioning in your shoes feels dead in comparison, it probably is.

It is also a good idea to have more than one pair of shoes. That way you can rotate through your shoes, so that you avoid overuse injuries.

As for Cross trainers….I DO NOT recommend them for running…no way! They are just not built for that sort of thing, and do not provide the kind of support the body needs for the repetitive motion of running. Use your cross trainers for lifting weights only, use your running shoes for running only and if you sprint, use sprinting shoes!

It comes down to this…you need the correct shoe for the correct body motion of your chosen sport or activity! You do not wear court shoes when hiking the Sierra Nevada’s, and you do not wear hiking shoes to play tennis!

Prevention is the best medicine….so avoid your next injury, and wear the right shoes for the job, and replace them when necessary.

GO DUCKS GO!!!!

Tonight is the big game! I am so excited I can’t stand it! The Stanley cup will be sitting in Honda Center….just waiting for the Ducks to take it away!! I feel lucky to have seen them play this year, and sitting at the glass no less!

 It was so fun to see “the guys” up-close, and to witness the actual size of these men….wow! Impressive to say the least! It was a thrill to have Teemu Selanne come up to the glass where we were sitting and toss pucks over the glass to the kids…what a nice guy.

The Calgary fans at our game were just the nicest people you could meet. I really have a fondness for Canada now more than ever.

So let’s hear it for “my guys” the Anaheim Ducks!! Soon to be Stanley Cup champs of 2007!!! GOOD JOB GUYS!! AND THANK YOU RANDY!!! You rock!

BTW- Lord Stanley’s cup is the oldest sports trophy in North America! PRETTY NEAT!

Posted by amystebbins at 04:19 PM | Permalink