Hydration 101

Why stay hydrated? On average the human body is made up of 50-75% water. Water is key to flushing fat and toxins out of the body as well as ensuring cells, tissues, and organs function properly.

How much water is needed daily? 6-8 eight oz glasses of water a day so 48 to 64 oz a day at least! But, too much water can also be problematic so try to hover within 16 oz of this recommendation.

10 Tips on how to stay hydrated:

1. Make sure your urine is clear or faintly yellow (Vitamins will cause urine to be a darker yellow because we release the vitamins and minerals that our body cannot absorb)
2. Drink a large glass of water in the morning when you wake up because sleep uses up our water stores due to cell restoration
3. Drink at least 16oz of water after consuming coffee, tea, or other dehydrating beverages
4. Snack on water rich foods such as watermelon or celery (Fruits & Veggies)
5. Try not to forget drinking plenty of water after consuming alcohol (We all know alcohol is a drying agent!)
6. Always order a glass of water when out to eat, even if having another beverage
7. Avoid coffee and tea if you struggle drinking enough water
8. Always carry a water bottle
9. Coconut water is an efficient way to hydrate the body
10.  If plain water does not interest you, then add lemon, lime, or other tasty fruit flavors

-KO

Nothing Sweeter Than a Great Date

Want to make healthy, nutrient-dense desserts? Then may I suggest you have a date with some dates. Dates make the perfect sweetener because they are unprocessed and retain all the properties of the whole food. Even date sugar uses the whole fruit; the dates are simply dried and ground into a granular form.

Date sweetener is not foreign to our bodies like processed sugars and artificial sweeteners, so it is less likely to be automatically stored as fat. Be sure to look over date dessert recipes at Yummly. Also, bacon wrapped dates are super delicious!

-KO

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses!

Let's be honest, nobody has time for excuses including ourselves. We all are guilty of trying to justify our bad habits with our busy daily routines, but aren't we just cheating ourselves? The common denominator between my clients, friends, and family is the excuse that they all simply do not have time to eat healthy or exercise. My response is always YOU MUST MAKE TIME! Without our health we have nothing.

The best way to make time for a proper diet and adequate exercise is to prioritize, make sacrifices, and develop a more efficient daily routine. For example, the best time for most people to prepare healthy meals is in the evening or at night. Most of us are running around the house like crazy in the mornings trying to get to work on time, get the kids to school, feed the animals, etc. So, evenings are typically an ideal time to pre-cook foods, put them in containers, and store them in the refrigerator for easy access throughout the week. (*Attn College Students/Low-Income*) This is also a more affordable way to stick to a healthy diet while on a budget.

Exercise can be a bit trickier because nobody wants to come to work dripping sweat and its hard to find the energy after a full work day. Ideally, I recommend reserving an hour each day to get in some cardio and weight training. However, I know this can be an unrealistic expectation for some. An alternative solution involves making subtle changes to ones daily habits. For example, while running errands make a point to park your car far away in the parking lot. Calories will be burned and your car will acquire less door dings. It is a win win!! Also, always take the stairs unless you are visiting the empire state building of course. Leave elevators to those who truly need them. Other great ways to burn calories are:

- Washing your car
- Cleaning the House
- Laundry
- Organizing
- Yardwork
- Dancing
- Sex
- Playing Dress Up
- Game of Catch
- Walking the Dog
- Laughing
- Shopping at Outdoor Malls
- Actually Cooking, not Delivery

Becoming healthy and in shape can be a fun endeavor, but it requires some "out-of-the-box" thinking. Hopefully these tips help make your personal fitness goals more achievable, as well as enjoyable.
You will be a Knock Out in no time!

-KO

Multi-faceted Approach to a Healthier You!

You know that friend of yours that can eat whatever they want and still look fantastic? Well, chances are most of us are not that friend. Nor should most of us aspire to be that friend because great external appearance does not always indicative great internal appearance. Health and wellness is a function of our everyday efforts to avoid that which we know is bad for us and welcome that what we know is good for us. However, we are all still humans that make mistakes and lack continuous self-control. The goal is to not eliminate but rather reduces our unhealthy errors to restore a healthy balance in our lives.

The path to a great body, fully functioning organs, radiant skin, silky hair, and a smiling soul is a long path that requires 3 P's (persistence, patience, and passion) and 5 foundational pillars.

#1 The first stone on this path is your Diet.
What and how much are you putting in your mouth on a daily basis? We all need to be asking ourselves what foods do to us and what they do for us. Also, don't forget to drink lots of water during the day!

#2 Exercise. A body in motion remains in motion!
Diet alone can produce remarkable results, however exercise expedites these results in addition to offering many other great benefits. Some other benefits include increased muscle mass which protects our bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Exercise also reduces HDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and is great for our hearts and pulmonary systems. Being active also reduces stress, which has been linked to obesity.

#3. Sleep
If you find yourself saying "I'll sleep when I'm dead" you may want to rethink that motto. Sleep is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle and staying at a healthy weight due to its connection to metabolism. Its an added bonus that we burn calories in our sleep also!

#4 Relax
Engaging in relaxing activities reduces stress and eliminates the stress hormone Cortisol that is linked with fat production. Sometimes relaxing can lead to a feeling of laziness, but trust me we all deserve a little relaxation because it helps us recharge ourselves so we are prepared for what life throws at us next.

#5 Address Underlying Emotional Issues
For most women, including myself binge eating is not uncommon. When our love lives take a turn for the worst or when work is stressful, we find ourselves searching for sweets. Its only natural for humans to feel as though they are missing fulfilling aspects to their lives, but these issues need to be addressed with more healthy means such as making necessary adjustments to achieve happiness and satisfaction in our lives rather than temporarily seeking comfort in bad foods. Therapy, exercise, fun activities, good friends, and supportive families are all great ways to distract ourselves from turning to foods that will only exacerbate unhappiness.

These 5 components lay the foundation for a healthy and happy lifestyle.

 I will be discussing sub-factors that prevent weight loss and aid weight loss in my next blog post. Stay Tuned!

-KO