VBMFITNESS Personal Training NYC

Hydration: Your Not Drinking Enough H2O

2009-06-22T05:15:00.000-07:00

Hydration: Your Not Drinking Enough H2O

There are a lot of time in our hectic lives we forgo some things that maybe are essential. The hustle to get from point A-B...X,Y&Z. We forget the basics. The human body is made up of 50-70 % water. Dehydration occurs when you loss water either through urination, perspiration and in respiration. If one losses a large % of water; lets say 20% death will occur. At 10% water loss heat stroke and or heat exhaustion. (The body over heats due to lack of hydration, so the body can not cool / regulate it's temperature by the production of sweat). Adults can go for 10 days without water and children 5days max. We extract water from food and through drinking water.
Water also help in bodily functions:

That being said you may ask:

How much should we drink?
Does it differ on hot days vs cooler days?
How do I know if I 'm not drinking enough water?
If I drink other liquids other than water am I well hydrated?
Does salt (sodium) affect the water in my body?
Does drink water affect why weight loss goals?
Why am I constipated?
Does what affect my blood pressure?
What is an easy test for water / hydration levels?
Do I absorb water through the skin?
If I exercise how much should I in-take?

How much water should one drink?
You need to drink about 64oz or 8 x 8oz glasses per day. This done on days you are not working out. On workout days lets push it up to about 96 oz. I know it sounds like allot and in the beginning you'll become unstoppable in the bathroom. Here's a good tip get yourself purchase a 32oz bottle. Refill it 2 time throughout the day as after you have finished drinking it. Now you have just got your required amount in two easy steps. The days you go to the gym refill it for your during workout drink and one last time for your post workout drink. Guess what if you do that you've just drank 128oz of water. Remember during your day at work get your 64oz in then at the gym get your 32oz and afterward get your last 32oz.

Does it differ on hot days vs cooler days?
Temperature does affect how much you should drink. The hotter the day the more you'll need to drink vs the cooler the day the less but still follow the basic rule 64oz non workout days 96oz on workout days .

How do I know if I 'm not drinking enough water?
Check your urine. If it very dark and pungent. You are not drinking enough. If you have constipation it very possible there is lack of water. During your workout your not sweating.

If I drink other liquids other than water am I well hydrated?
This is a loaded question. You'd think if I drink a 64oz soda drink yea I got my drink on. No you did not Soda has high amount of sugar (high fructose corn syrup) and sodium. these two affect how your body deals with hydration. Sugary drinks make the brain crave more sugary drinks; not good for a weight loss programs. The sodium / salt affect the body by retaining water . too much sodium causes high blood pressure. Now coffee and some teas act as a diuretic. For these who are not getting enough water this can lead to dehydration possibly heat stroke and/or exhaustion. Good rule if you drink coffee (1 8oz cup) you'll need to drink at least 2 cups of water to make up for the water loss.

Does salt (sodium) affect the water in my body?
Salt make the body retain water so if you have high sodium diet you won't loss weight due to water retention.

Does drink water affect why weight loss goals?
Water helps to eliminate waste. This waste is excreted from the body three way for your urine , sweat and respiration. It is produced through our daily activities including eating and exercise. If you do not drink enough you urine will be more concentrated ; your body will retain any water this can cause the body to dehydrate and lead to heat stroke.
If you drink 8 oz an hour for about 8- 12 hour you should be well saturated. These means sip water throughout the day sipping it not gulping it. There is also over saturation where the water to sodium ratio is in imbalance. Sip your water , then when the time comes to check your urine in the rest room make sure there is a hint of color (yellow).

Why am I constipated?
Sold waste needs some moisture to help excrete it self from the bowls. If you fluid levels are low. It become harder to eliminate the solid waste. Check your hydration level and possibly your fiber in-take. If you have any question always consult your Doctor.

Does water affect my blood pressure?
Sure it does. If your water to sodium ratio is in imbalance your blood pressure either increases as sodium level increase then if water level increase your blood pressure decreases.

Do I absorb water through the skin?
Sorry The skin is a barrier . If we did we'd probably drowned just by swimming and or standing in the ran.

If I exercise how much should I in-take?
It really depends on a few factors:

How hot/humid?
What the intensity of the workout?

Usually on any given day you should have 64oz + another 32 to 64oz = to about 96 to 128oz.

Hydration is very important for our health and for peak performance; not just in the gym but in our daily live. So it time for all to say CHEERS to H2O. Bottoms up.

Calories: You and Weight Loss

2009-06-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

Calories: You and Weight Loss

Simple and easy way to find out what you daily calorie requirements is determined by how active you are in relation to how much food / calories you consume.

First lets figure out how active are you.
Are sedentary if so 14 times your weight = calories per day.
If you are more active (moderate) you'll multiply by 17 to your weight.
If your very active multiply 20 by your weight.

Activity Level Formula:

weight x 14 = cal/ day

weight x 17 = cal/ day

weight x 20 = cal/ day

Example:

200bls sedentary person would require only 2800 calories to maintain their weight.
then same person could try to lose weight by subtracting about 500 calories.

200 x 14=2800 to maintain current body weight
200 x 14 - 500=2300 possible weight loss
200 x 20-500(calorie)-500(exercise)=3000 great chance for weight loss

There can be some weight loss just by controlling the caloric consumption.
The same person changing their activity level and not the diet will have the same affect as number 1 example.
If they change both the in-take and activity levels they can greatly transform themselves.

How do get your body Fat % ?

2009-06-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

How do get your body Fat % ?

For the best weight loss results you will need to know what your exact weight is the. Best way is to be consistently. Weigh your self at the same time every time. Usually when you wake up, after you have eliminated the bodies waste and have disrobed. This method gives you the most accurate weight. Since you have eliminated excess weight. Also during the course of the day your weight will vary.

Now that we have weighed ourselves it's time to get our fat %. There are various means to do this:

Circumference Measurement
Skin Fold Test
Underwater Weighing
Bio-electrical Resistance Meters

These tests measure various stats.

Tape measure aka girth test measures different parts of the body :

Circumference Measurement

Neck -Across the Adams apple
Chest -Across the nipple line
Waist -At the narrowest point of the waist , Below the rib cage and just above the hipbone. If there is no apparent narrowing of the waist, measure at the navel.
Hips -With feet together, at the widest portion of thee buttocks
Thigh -Just below the buttocks or 10 inches above the top of the patella
Calf - At the maximal circumference between the ankle & the knee
Upper arm-At the maximal circumference of the upper arm, with arm extended , palm facing forward

All measurements are taken on the right side of the body. Add up all the sums the use the chart above.

Now add up the sum of all body point of measure. Find your number on the left hand column of the chart. Then find your age & gender at the top column. Where these points intersect this will be your fat %.

Skin Fold Test

Can only be performed with a skin fold calipers.

There are 4 body parts for measurements :

Bicep - A vertical fold in the front of the arm over the bicep muscle halfway between the shoulder and the elbow.
Tricep - Vertical fold on the upper arm, with the arm relaxed & held freely at the side. This skin fold should also be taken halfway between the shoulder and the elbow.
Subscapular (shoulder blade) - A 45 degree angle fold of 1 to 2 centimeters, below the inferior angle of the scapula (at the lower end of the shoulder blade).
Iliac crest (pelvic bone) - a 45 degree angle fold, taken just below the iliac crest (pelvic bone).

All measurements are taken on the right side of the body. Add up all the sums the use the chart above.

Underwater Weighing

Underwater weighing can only be performed at an institution or facility with proper gear. Equipment is expensive, time intensive and has a large space consumption. This is not typically viable for the average consumer.

Bio-electrical Resistance Meters

There are various devices which use this method. Some are hand held for ease of travel. Others have been incorporated in digital scale. The price varies by type.

Health & fitness Just does not happen you make it happen

2009-06-18T14:28:00.000-07:00

There are allot of myths concerning the magic pill for life long weight loss. If it were possible everyone would be in more trouble. We as species tends to find the most effective way to do the least amount of work. But as the old saying goes " the lazy man works the hardest" which translates you try to find the way out of the task at hand but only to end up doing the task after plus all the previous work in trying to avoid it.

Weight loss, fitness and healthy way of life. Is work but there are way to work smarter . Some people only do cardio. Some only do weight training and still other only do food control . When you combine them the right way. We are then able to create change.

Find out your weight including your fat % and Body mass index
Find out what your daily calorie requirement for regular day without a workout and then with a workout
How much water are you drinking? Most likely not enough so drink more.
What is your fiber intake? It is your long term energy .(WHOLE GRAINS, FRUITS VEGGIES ETC..)
When do you eat and how often what quantities and what types of foods.
What is your sodium ( salt) intake; do you put more salt on you food after it is served. Salt retains water increases blood pressure.
How often do you eat sugar / sugary food. What types of sugars are you in taking? CARBS
How often do you eat protein( MEAT, SOY PRODUCTS, DAIRY PRODUCTS).
Do you eat lots of fatty product? What fats do you eat ? Are you get any omega fatty 3 and 6's .( fish oils , avocado etc..)
How old are you ? As we age there are a few metabolic measure that change heart rate , fat % bone dense, blood pressure etc...
Your Sex Male Female . Metabolic Stats differ plus calorie, Vitamin & nutrient requirements.
Have been injured, had surgery, smoke , pregnancy, diabetic , hypertensive, thyroid issues if so these and many more can effect your progress and or prevent you from getting you to your goal.
When was the last time you had a annual total physical exam. I you can not remember it sway too late.
Are you on any medications( prescription or over the counter, cigarette, illegal drugs, alcohol) drug affect you metabolism heart rate, hormes, water retention, and many more bodily functions.

These are but s few things you must have done before you can start a weight loss and control fitness program.