7 Great Ways to Freshen Up Your Water
By Denis Faye
Thirsty? You should be. If you're reading this, it probably means you're working your tush off every day with Slim in 6®, P90X®, ChaLEAN Extreme®, or another fine Beachbody® program. And when you do that, you perspire. And when you perspire, you need to replenish the water in your system.
Sadly, you may be one of those lost souls who can't stand the taste of water. Sure, you could hydrate with juice or sports drinks, but then you'd be adding a bunch of sugar or artificial sweeteners into the mix. Yes, these drinks can play a role in a healthy diet, but 8 glasses a day of orange juice would be far more vitamin C than you need, as well as hundreds of sugar calories that you shouldn't be consuming—calories completely unchecked by the fiber you get from eating actual oranges.
Actually, water is the way to go, so to help you get the stuff down, we've come up with a few simple tips. But before we get started, we'd like to make a preemptive response to all of you who will write in to "inform" us about that widely touted 2002 study in the American Journal of Physiology that discounts the old 8-ounce-glass-of-water, eight-times-a-day rule. According to the study, a normal, healthy adult just needs to drink when he or she is thirsty to stay hydrated.
Well, before you hang up your squirt bottle, keep in mind that the study includes a huge disclaimer: the light-and-easy hydration rule doesn't apply to people with medical conditions requiring fluid control, athletes, people living in extreme conditions, and people involved in prolonged physical activity. The way I see it, if you're doing P90X, that's going to put you in at least one of those groups, if not two or three.
In other words, here are seven ways to make water more palatable. Use 'em.
1. Get fruity. A squish of lemon, lime, or orange goes a long way toward giving water a little zing. It's almost calorie free, and you get a bonus blast of vitamin C. Furthermore, if you happen to be doing our programs while you're out at sea, it can help with any unwanted scurvy.
2. Herbify yourself. Make yourself a big tub of caffeine-free, herbal tea, or "tisane," as the French call it. Technically, it isn't made from the Camellia sinensis (aka "tea") plant, which means it doesn't have the antioxidants of tea, but it tastes good and has no negative effects. There are hundreds of flavors to choose from. Mint and raspberry are a couple of our favorites.
3. Bubble up! According to a 2001 study out of the Creighton University Osteoporosis Research Center in Nebraska, the notion that carbonated water leaches calcium from your bones is completely untrue. So, if you want to hydrate with a big glass of Perrier, go for it.
4. Minty fresh. Crushed mint is another great way to liven up your water. If you want to get the most out of the leaves, put them in the glass first and grind them down. This will release a ton of flavor. Mint is also known to soothe upset stomachs and, more importantly, freshen your breath. Mix the mint with the lemon for a real taste sensation!
5. Filter flavor. It's a subtle shift, but sometimes the filtration process can alter the taste of tap water. Get yourself a Brita filter or similar brand and give it a go. Even if the flavor doesn't change, you'll be drinking purer stuff.
Brush your teeth. A good scrub of your teeth and tongue overpowers the taste of almost everything you put in your mouth for several minutes afterward. Take this opportunity to knock back a glass of H2O. You won't taste a thing.
6. Cuke you. This one is a little wacky, but if you like new tastes, give it a shot. Chop up a cucumber (yes, a cucumber). Add it to a pitcher of water and chill it for 2to 3 hours so that the cucumber flavor can permeate. Serve the water with ice. It's the perfect refreshing drink for a hot, summer day.
Freshen up your Water
10 Fun Ways To Become More Active – Every Day
You know you should be getting some sort of exercise, you know of all the health benefits that come with a more active lifestyle. You’ve tried the whole Gym thing, but it just wasn’t for you. The temptation to just sit in front of the TV, to curl up with a good book, or to spend a little extra time at your computer is just too big. Who wants to head to the gym right now anyway?
There are many other options to get more physically active that don’t include jogging, weight lifting or other “traditional” ways to work out. Here are a few ideas to get you moving.
1) Chase your Kids around the Yard
You’d be surprised at how much of a work out you’ll get playing catch with your kids. Time will fly while you are having fun and your children will enjoy the extra time with you. Just get out there and play.
2) Turn up the Music and Dance around the Living Room
While you’re dusting, putting up dishes, straightening up the kids’ rooms, or after you’ve been sitting around for too long, just play some of your favorite upbeat music and dance around in the house. Not only will you get your heart rate up, but you’ll also have more fun doing some of those chores.
3) Plant some Flowers
When the weather is nice, just get out there and plant some flowers. Or you could start a little vegetable garden, trim some hedges, cut the grass, or plant a tree. You get the idea. Just get out there, enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, and play in the dirt. Yes, this actually counts as exercise in our book.
4) Go for a Walk with a Friend
Take a walk and invite a friend to come along. I’ve had some of the best conversations while on a walk. Getting to chat with a friend makes the time fly by and before you know it you’ve been walking for 30 minutes.
5) Listen to some Music or an Audio Book while you Walk
Again, keeping your mind on something else will make the time fly by and you’ll get some extra fun out of your walk. You may even want to consider getting an MP3 Player. You can easily add what you want to listen to and go for your walk.
6) Sign up for a Yoga or Pilates Class
Consider starting a yoga or Pilates class. Both of these workouts are pretty low impact and won’t leave you sweaty and sore (mostly). You may also enjoy meeting some new people in the class.
7) Take some Dance Lessons with your Partner
Ok, here is the tough part: Convince your partner to take some dance lessons. Dancing will give you quite the workout and it’s just plain fun and of course romantic. Think about all your options here. You can pick from anything from Ball Room Dancing, to Line Dancing, to Latin etc. Pick something that sounds fun to you and go for it. You’ll enjoy the extra one on one time with your partner as well.
8) Go for a Swim at Your Local YMCA or Aquatic Center
Swimming makes for some great exercise. It is low impact and easy on your joints. Start by swimming a few laps, or play in the pool with your kids.
9) Go for a Bike Ride
Take the entire family on a bike ride. You can ride through your neighborhood in the evenings or plan a longer trip for the weekend. Pack a picnic for extra fun and start peddling.
10) Go for a Hike
Look for some hiking trails in your area and go for a hike. This could be a fun activity for you and a friend, or take the entire family along. Start with some easy trails and work yourself up to some longer or steeper trails.
Get Rid of That Excess Abdominal Fat
Lots of people nowadays have excess abdominal fat. Most of them become self-conscious, especially women, they tend to hide it with the help of stylistic clothing.
They did not realized that excess abdominal fat is not just hideous but is also a threatening risk factor to their health. Generally, it is unhealthy to have excess body fat in all parts of your body. Nevertheless, did you know that where that fat appear on your body has an implication? And, what is the most dangerous part to have excess fat? It is in the abdominal area.
If you have pear-shaped body, larger around the hips than round around the abdomen, you are harboring subcutaneous fat. These fats covers up your abdomen from being obvious, and positioned directly underneath the skin and on the top of the abdominal muscle.
More over, possessing an apple-shaped body is harboring visceral fat. These fats rest deeper in the abdomen, underneath your muscles and surrounding your organs. Have you noticed some men with “beer belly” appearance, with their abdomen protruding and if you push it, it is somewhat kind of hard? It is visceral fat!
To be pear-shaped is healthier than to be apple-shaped. However, having any of these shape is a serious health risk factor. Having excess abdominal fat increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, sleep apnea, variety of cancers and other degenerative diseases.
If you possessed excess abdominal fat now it is not too late yet. Right diet, healthy lifestyle with much stress on exercise, some help from health specialist and a determination to get rid of that unwanted baggage will help you achieve your goal.
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