exercise hydration before during and after physical effort

Exercise - Hydration Before, During and after Physical EffortWriten by Isabel Curini

Hydrating, like diet, is extremely important in fitness and in sport in general. If the body does not get enough calories during physical effort, it can take them from its own 'deposits' of adipose tissue, or even from the muscular proteins; but when water is insufficient, things are much more complicated and there are bigger risks for the body.

Water is involved in all the metabolic processes, so not providing the body with enough liquid can have as a consequence perturbation of the bio-chemical reactions, which directly influences the effectiveness of the training and even the practitioner's state of health.

Physical effort, especially the aerobic one, leads to dehydration through perspiration (which regulates the temperature of the body, preventing over-heating). There is a very strict rule which imposes drinking water (liquid) before, during and after physical effort. Besides regulating the body temperature, correct hydrating helps eliminating the toxic substances resulted during and after the training (urea, sodium, etc.) easier; hydration acts like a 'means of transport' through perspiration and urine. Thus, the metabolism of blood sugar, lipids and proteins is developed in good conditions, ensuring contraction force for short time and especially for resistance efforts.

There is also the opposite of dehydration over hydration, due to excessive consume of water. In this situation, besides the inconvenient of very frequent urination, the blood vessels are overloaded and this leads to making the work of the heart, which must provide a much too big volume of pumping, more difficult. As a consequence, the effectiveness of the training is hindered and the sport performance does not get to the expected level. The sensation of 'heavy body' can also appear for the practitioner of common fitness.

As for the type of liquids, the sportsman must supervise the level of effort which produces dehydration and melting of the glycogen reserves. Besides water, the practitioner can use isotonic drinks, (which have an electrolytic composition similar to the one of the body) or liquids containing sugar easy and quick to absorb by the body (fructose, glucose, dextrose, etc.). All of these can contribute to fast restore of the glycogen reserves of the body. It is advisable to drink the liquids in small and frequent doses, so that the body assimilates them better and they do not briskly overload the body during effort.

Both in over hydrating and in dehydrating, there is the risk of 'putting to work' too much the renal excretory function. Over hydrating can have as a consequence significant elimination of electrolytes, which are precious for the body (potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, etc), and they need to be replaced from sources as natural as possible (fruit, vegetables, mineral water, etc.). In case of dehydrating, the volume of urine will be severely diminished because the body will try to retain mineral salts and vitamins. Besides unwanted deposits, renal lithiasis, gout, etc., a very severe consequence of this effort of the body to retain liquid is renal blocking.

Correct hydrating involves a certain discipline, which means that liquids must be consumed repeatedly during the day, not only during physical effort. A person must not get to feel thirst. This is only a very late alarm, signaling that the right quantity of water has been missing from the body for a couple of hours. Except while eating and immediately after, in order not to perturb digestion by excessive diluting, a real prophylaxis of dehydrating and over hydrating can be made through correct, constant and preventive consume of liquids.

Isabel Curini, fitness trainer and editor at http://www.healthfitnessworld.com. HealthFitnessWorld.com - Health, Fitness, Body Building, Weight Loss, Nutrition - Articles and Resources.

HealthFitnessWorld.com is dedicated to providing high-quality, free advices, tips and resources on health, fitness, body building, supplements, nutrition, weight loss, beauty, massage, acne, medicine, depression, massage.

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exercise tips for people with no time

Exercise Tips for People With 'No Time'Writen by Sheri Zampelli

As our lives become more complex, we need creative time-management twists to juggle all the things we want to do. This article will give you tips on how to fit exercise into your busy schedule, even if you have a sedentary lifestyle.

The first step is to drop the all-or-nothing, perfectionistic thinking that says It has to be at a gym. It doesn't count if you don't breathe hard. It doesn't count if you don't do it for at least 30 minutes non-stop, etc. Any physical activity is more beneficial than NO physical activity. So open your mind and let's create new solutions.

We all get stuck from time to time sitting at our computers, waiting for one thing or another:

*Long print jobs

*Slow or large downloads

*Large files to open

*Inspiration on what to write or do next

*Instant messages

*iPod Updates

Here's how you can put that time to use:

1. Get a medicine ball and/or exercise band at your local sporting goods store or on-line.

2. Put these items near your computer in an easy to reach location.

3. Begin compiling a stack of exercise ideas from magazines or books which you will also keep near your computer (consider starting a three-ring binder so you can easily find the book and flip through it at will).

4. When you encounter a wait period (or just need a little break), do a set of arm or leg exercises. Heres a list of ideas to get you started:

Chest Press: Strap an exercise tube around the back of your office chair and do occasional chest presses. Hold one handle in each hand and position your hands so they are at chest level. Sit up straight. Push forward and extend your arms straight in front of you or, for variation, cross your hands in front of you. Repeat 10-15 times or until you become fatigued.

Overhead Tricep Lifts: Hold a 3-5 pound medicine ball in both hands. Lift it over your head with arms extended. Bend at the elbows and slowly lower the ball so that it ends up behind your neck. Continue lifting the ball from behind your neck to over your head. Use slow, steady, controlled movements. Repeat 8-10 times or until you become fatigued.

Bicep Curls: Depending on your strength level, you can use one or both arms for this exercise. Hold the medicine ball in your hands in front of you as if you are offering a gift to someone or holding a large cup or bowl in your hands. Your arms should be in an L shaped position at your sides. Bring the ball up to your chest slowly and then back down slowly. If you are strong enough, you can also do one arm at a time lifting the ball from the L shaped position up to your shoulder and back down again. Repeat 12-15 times or until you become fatigued. Perform equal amounts of repetitions for each arm.

Leg Lifts: Stretch your legs out in front of you and put your ankles and feet together. Place the medicine ball in the cradle created by your ankles so that the ball is resting on the top of your foot and your lower leg at the same time. Depending on your strength level, you can do this exercise a variety of ways:

Lower Leg Lifts: Lift your legs from the floor until they are almost completely extended. Maintain a small bend in the knees, do not lock your knees. For more of a challenge, hold your legs in the lifted position until you begin to feel your muscles shake or burn, then lower. Repeat 10-15 times.

Full Leg Lifts: Scoot up in your chair so that your buttocks are almost at the edge of your seat. Put your hands on the armrest to support your body. Extend your legs in front of you with your knees slightly bent. Lift your legs as high as you can off the ground. For extra challenge, hold your legs in place before lowering. Be sure to continue sitting up straight as you do this exercise and hold in your abdominal muscles for support.

Copyright 2006 Sheri Zampelli

Sheri O. Zampelli, M.S., CCH is a clinical hypnotherapist in private practice. She is the author of From Sabotage to Success How to Overcome Self-Defeating Behavior and Reach Your True Potential. She helps people create liveable solutions for their weight and eating challenges. For more information, visit her website at http://www.donateyourweight.com.

exercise fact or fiction

Exercise Fact Or FictionWriten by Paul Hegarty

Did you know that the average life span of men and women is around 80 years? Unfortunately a lot of us feel that age before we get to 50. Some of us, men especially, will go out and buy a fancy car and take extreme care of it. Then when were done detailing the car, we will go and eat a burger and fries and maybe drink a beer to wash it down. The other thing I find amusing is when I go to the gym and find myself fighting to park as close to the building as possible. Here I am paying to exercise and then I refuse to walk more than 20 paces to enter the complex.

These days there are many supplements on the market to loose weight, however what is important to note is, that they do not substitute for exercise. Many of us of course have a busy schedule, and find it hard to fit it in to our busy working days. I heard in the news recently that a vast majority of Americans are having difficulty sleeping. This makes sense since many people do not exercise.

The human body needs to move in order to maintain and increase strength. The heart needs to beat. Oxygen needs to circulate through the body. Aside from anyones aspiration to look good, exercise is essential. Lack of exercise leads to premature aging, sagging skin, aches and pains, and much more. These are the external effects; internally you could be dealing with clogged vessels, diabetes, nervous tension, and high blood pressure. The sad part is that these symptoms can set in when it is almost too late. You cannot turn the clock back, and as I have often said regrets can be extremely depressing.

The human body is mind blowing in its complexity and functionality. Take sure simple steps to fit exercise into your day. Simple things just like stretching, breathing, weather permitting a short walk. Yoga is a great way to fit exercise into your work days. Just by breathing or stretching you can help the body. When going to the store, park far away and walk. Do the simple things, do not beat yourself over the head and make it a chore to exercise. Write down the things you like to do that involves exercise, such as hiking, golf, cycling, gardening, swimming, and then do more of that. Vary the fitness routine. Variety promotes interest. When traveling, if in a hotel use there gym, it is free when you stay there. Most Importantly !Start Today!.

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Paul Hegarty is the owner of learningfromdvds.com. A guide to educational DVDs with price comparisons, reviews, and free E-books. Read this months e-book on How To Spot A fraudulent Email. Grab your free copy today.