FamilyInShape

National Water Day

Did you know that March 22 is National Water Day?  I didn't even know there was a day dedicated to water.  Not that the fluid that flows through our bodies isn't important enough to have it's own day, a month, a year....oh heck a whole lifetime.  After all, Earth is about 72% water, the human body is on average 65% water, nothing grows without water, we wouldn't be here without water.  So one could say that water is pretty darn important, at least enough to be recognized once a year.

Water is pretty amazing.  I was reading the website dedicated to celebrating water and the one thing that impressed me most was the fact that water connects us no matter where we are. Besides air, which we can't see, water is the one thing we can see, feel, taste, and hear that connects people from city to city, country to country and continent to continent.  

"In 2009, the theme for World Water Day is "Shared Water - Shared Opportunities". Special focus will be placed on transboundary waters. Nurturing the opportunities for cooperation in transboundary water management can help build mutual respect, understanding and trust among countries and promote peace, security and sustainable economic growth. " (UN Water)

I said earlier that Earth is about 72% water, yet with so much water at our finger tips, there are still so many without clean water and that is just sad.  Those of us privileged enough to have access to water are so spoiled.   How often do we leave the faucet running, or dump perfectly clean water down the drain...crazy huh?   

"Each day, more than a billion people in developing countries must walk long distances to get the water they need for drinking, cooking and bathing. Often, this water is contaminated. WaterPartners helps people in developing countries obtain safe drinking water and basic sanitation (toilets). Working in partnership with those in need, WaterPartners has transformed more than 200 communities in eight countries - Bangladesh, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Honduras, Guatemala, India, Kenya, and the Philippines - with access to a safe, reliable source of water and basic sanitation." (Water Partners International)

While we have access to all the water we choose to use in any way, many times we simply forget to drink water, knowing quite well how important it is to drink plenty of clear fluids.  I admit, I am guilty of not drinking nearly enough water on days when I don't workout or when I get busy doing something at home or when I don't feel like moving from my couch or desk.  I can come up with a million reasons, none good enough.  My most common reason, I get tired of the lack of flavor.  I sometimes want a twist of something except I don't always have something to twist into my water.  

I think most know that drinking water is important but there are always questions as to how much is enough.  I say, look at your pee -- if it's too yellow then you may need to drink more water, also if you exercise, if you sweat, if ...well, drink water everyday.  The Mayo Clinic reports that 

"Water is your body's principal chemical component, making up, on average, 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.  Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired."

To get a better glimpse of the functions of water in the body, check this out:

Recently I've been reading my water labels more often - I don't always buy water but when I do I read the label because--did you know, some waters have more sugar than a cookie.  What's that about?  Anyway, in my search for something a little different I came across HINT. It's an interesting name because I thought it was trying to give me a hint that I should drink more water.  In reality it's just water with a twist of something fruity, contains no sugar, no calories, no fat, so nothing, contains nothing.  I have never tried it but I will soon and then I will share how I really feel about this new beverage everyone is talking about.  Have you tried HINT?  Any thoughts?

In the mean time I will continue to do my part to preserve this precious resource as much as possible, do what I can to contribute to the improvement of water quality around the world and help in any way I can to bring water to those in need.  "Water is life. Turn it on."

Stay well,

(cross posted at BlogHer)

Teens and their bodies

(cross posted at BlogHer.com) 

Anyone with a teenage daughter (or son) will or has already experienced the blues about body image. Do I look fat in this? or Am I fat? are just a few of the questions I have heard from my teen15 whom I'll call M&M because she's sweet with a split personality (I'm kidding...well, maybe not).  Actually, that was a nick name we gave her way back in pre-school when she dressed up as a red M&M.  

It is no secret that today's teens have more health problems related to obesity then they did when we were growing up.  There's more junk food, less physical activity, and more false advertising about the way their bodies should look.  When I was growing up (ok I'm dating myself, but I'm not alone here) we played outdoors all day long, on our bikes, with home-made sports equipment, roller skates....I remember we used to play baseball  with a stick and some fruit that fell off a tree (or was that just me?).  Back home (Dominican Republic) we had access to fallen fruits like oranges and lemons and the weather was always conducive to outdoor games. Yes, it was messy at times but it was fun and I remember that fun. Then when we moved to New Jersey things were the same..."get outside and play" my parents always said. It was great no matter the weather.

Today, kids seem to spend more time indoors playing video games and watching TV.  My M&M loves the TV.  I almost feel I should install an alarm system so I know when she turns it on.  It's never good when the house is suddenly quiet and she's no where in sight. 

Another problem I encountered is that teen girls cling on to every word you or anyone says and they analyze it to make it like it was about them.  I am guilty of having said things like "I feel so fat today" (only once a month ) or my personal favorite, "do I look fat in these shoes?" That's just a joke to see if my husband is listening.  I honestly don't have a negative body image nor do I feel I'm fat, although I do have a few "baby pounds" I want to loose (working on it).  However, she overhears me saying anything related to my body and she will repeat it at a later date.  Then there are those girls in the magazines or on TV.  

I've learned to say lots of positive things about my body, even when I'm feeling a little bloated, and we've had many discussions about how those girls are made to look so "perfect" so I'm on the right track with this mini-battle.

I thought it would be easy to encourage her to participate more in sports, to go for walks with me, to go to the gym with me, etc. But then I remembered, I really don't know anything, her friends do.  It's frustrating.  Still, I realized that although she appeared to be ignoring me, she was actually listening.  I walked into her room the other day and found a workout plan she had written out and stuck it on her mirror (I was so proud).  I didn't want her to think I was snooping and I wasn't about to ruin what she was planning so I left.

Later that week she asked to go grocery shopping with me so that she could pick out foods that she likes that are also good for her.  So I asked, how do you know what 's good for you?  and she said, you ready for this? "Mom, you know, you do this all the time with your people at the gym, that's why I want to go with you so you can help me."  Oh wow, I'm knowledgeable after all.  She also asked her dad if she could go to the gym with him a few days a week, he picks her up after work 2 days a week.

So now my little M&M goes to the gym with dad 2 days a week and works on her strength and muscular endurance.  She goes to the gym with me where we do a variety of classes which she finds "too hard" but somehow the class makes her feel good in the end.  

She is eating much, much better. More fruit and still working on the vegetables, less bread, more yogurt, whole grain cereal and she does practice portion control most of the time.  I'm very proud of all the changes she's made and the fact that she's trying harder to eat well, not for weight loss but because eating healthy is just good for you.  

I'm glad we have come full circle and I'm excited to workout with her.  She has seen the effects obesity can have on a young person and an adult and she is by no means obese or even overweight, however, being physically fit doesn't mean she has to loose weight, it just means her heart will be stronger, her body will be strong and better defined and she will feel better and happier and that is my goal!

My top 10 rules to help improve your teens fitness and nutrition habits:

1. Talk to your kids about the benefits of the food they eat every day.  (i.e. Have a cheese stick for a snack, it has calcium which is good for your bones, your hair, your teeth, etc.) 
2. Teach them to read the food label as soon as they can read.  My six year-old, likes to tell me how much of everything is in food so she'll blurt out "Mom, this yogurt has 8 grams of protein, is that good?"
3. Let them help with meal preparation and talk about the ingredients.  
4. Don't bother buying the junk food but do supply healthy snacks such as granola bars (chewy or crunchy), dried fruit, popcorn, fruit, peanut butter, etc.  
5. Teach them portion control.  Chips with salsa and cheese, delicious mexican treat once in a while, but we don't have to finish a whole bag in one sitting.  Cookies? have a couple not a dozen.
6. Forget the sugary drinks (soda, "fruit" juice) - instead provide them with 100% juice, water, milk.  Get some lemons and make lemonade, at least you wont have yellow #8 in your drink.
7. Introduce vegetables at every meal. I will be first to admit that there are many vegetables I hated as a child and love today.  Sometimes it just takes a little longer but we continue to introduce the ones they do like to eat along with some they don't.
8. Lead by example.  Don't expect your child to eat healthy or even be concerned about fitness and nutrition if you're not.
9. Don't criticize a child with a poor self esteem about his/her body, instead, encourage physical activity and good eating habits by following #8.
10. Finally, support your child every step of the way and be patient.  Even when they roll their eyes to the back of the head, they're listening.

 Now about that teen attitude...sorry, still working on that one :-)

 Stay Well,

Revisiting my fitness routine

Women on Bicycles --- Image by © John Springer Collection/CORBIS

I recently started swimming, although I have not been as comitted to that activity as I would like to be, I have made great improvements in my endurance and form.  Aside from that huge change I basically teach my regular classes; Spinning, Muscle Conditioning, Senior Strength and Intro to Pilates.  The rest of the time I, somehow, find something more important to do at home and "I could always get a workout in later."  Ha! Yeah right!  Who am I kidding, when I'm done cleaning my bathroom I'm going to either take a nap or sit and relax, read, write, whatever, anything not requiring physical activity.

I decided to begin training myself outside of training anyone else.  I realize that the work I put forth in a class or during a training session is mostly adrenalin.  I needed to be challenged by others the same way I challenge those in my class. I find it amazing how I can push hard and work hard when I'm teaching but when I'm the student I feel the urge to quit every once in a while--I don't quit but I sometimes want to!  My teaching partners say the same thing so I know I'm not alone in this.

Anyway, I started taking a class called Total Body Conditioning (TBC) which is like boot camp training and it was then that I saw myself in the sand pitt with my old Marine Corps Drill Instructor at my heels making me do push-ups, mountain climbers, jacks, back to push ups, crunches, back to push ups....oh the nightmare.  This type of cross training is energizing, motivating, invigorating and super hard.  My first day, last Tuesday, was the toughest for me because there were other instructors in the class who are there regularly and expected me to keep up with them, which I did (barely).

I have been sore ever since.  My core muscles are screaming, every time I laugh, cough, sneeze, stand, sit, walk...I can feel everything, everywhere--oh what a feeling.  AND try teaching a class without showing the pain, oh yes, it's a challenge but I have to say, I feel fantastic.

Sometimes we get into our little workout routines and we're just happy to be in a routine at all so we stick with it and go about our business without taking into consideration how we might feel in a month or six weeks from now.  It is so important to switch workouts around from one week to the next and sometimes from day to day to ensure that we are working all the muscles and that we don't get bored with the same old routine.  When one activity becomes boring then we are not being challenged and there really is no point in doing it so we either make it more challenging by adding resistance or distance or we find something else that accomplishes the same goal.

I would strongly suggest to those of you who feel you are stuck in a rut, find a class or an activity that will keep you challanged, motivated and make you work hard.  One that will challenge your strength, cardiovascular endurance AND your mind!  Go for it!