Water…Your Key to Health and Weight Loss!

Did you know that many people live day to day in a dehydrated state? Our bodies are made up of 75% water and 25% solid matter. The average male needs to 3.7 litres of water everyday and the average female 2.5 litres of water in order to properly lubricate  joints, prevent kidney stones, to maintain good healthy skin, to ward off colds, flu and other winter ailments, as well as to maintain proper organ function. Most importantly, it keeps us from poisoning ourselves from our own waste.

Water is also the key to weight loss. Without water, vital chemical reactions aren’t present in order for proper digestion to occur, so your body won’t metabolise fat properly without it.  Paradoxically, by not having enough water, your body retains fluids in an effort to keep a reserve, and can cause ankle swelling and other conditions that make you appear bloated, overweight and unhealthy.

Exercise, salty foods, caffeine, and alcohol dehydrate the body. Drinking a full, pure, 8 oz. glass of water first thing upon waking is an excellent way to rejuvenate the body and reactivates your sleeping digestive system. Carry a refillable bottle of water with you and sip it throughout the day. Drink 500 ml of water an hour before any physical activity, then another 200 ml 20 minutes before, and then again every 15 minutes during activity and enjoy another 500 ml post workout.  

If you find it difficult to put back so many glasses of water, try drinking with a straw.  This facilitates ingestion as the water goes down much more quickly and easily.  Always keep it on you, and never let yourself get thirsty.  At this point you’re already dehydrated.

Remember that the well-known 8 - 10 glasses per day is the bear minimum to avoid dehydration.   Add an extra glass for every 25 pounds you are over weight.  If you are physically active or live in a hot or a cold dry climate, you can nearly double this amount. If you’re not currently drinking close to the recommended amount of water, slowly and gradually add a glass of water per day so that you don’t over work your kidneys all at once.  Stay healthy by staying hydrated.

For more information on how to stay healthy and fit, go to www.fit-anywhere.com

Fit Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an exciting and exhaustive journey. Whether you are trying to conceive or you are already a proud mummy, motherhood is a ceaseless, selfless struggle toward one of the greatest gifts we can receive as a human being, becoming a parent. From the moment that you decide that you are “ready” and the time is right, until…well, perhaps their University graduation, your child’s health and wellbeing are at the forefront of your priorities. Making healthy choices, such as having proper nutrition, and starting or continuing an exercise program are essential when trying to conceive, during pregnancy, and post natal.

The old fashion notion that pregnant women are fragile beings, who shouldn’t exert themselves, is no longer. Gone with it is the idea that a pregnant woman “eats for two.” We all know the importance of exercising and having good healthy eating habits for all people, so that importance becomes even greater during pregnancy. With the help of a good fitness trainer who is certified and experienced in training this special population and who works closely with your doctor, your chance of conception, your pregnancy and labour, and your post childbirth recovery can all be greatly improved.

Here are a few of the benefits of exercise during pregnancy:
Increased maternal aerobic fitness
Promotes appropriate body fat/weight gain
Facilitates labour (think endurance here)
Prevents the onset of gestational diabetes
Improves circulation and reduces the incidence of varicose veins
Improves posture and muscular balance (essential to counter the shift in your centre of gravity)
Improves core strength
Increases postpartum recovery
Increases self-esteem, self-confidence and helps you cope with the physical changes

Every pregnancy is unique and a personalized program should be developed with both a trainer and a doctor. However, in general and depending on which week of pregnancy you are in, exercise can be adapted to include 3-5 sessions per week, at a moderate intensity, for a maximum of 30 minutes per session, doing non-weight bearing, low-impact movements. Activity that imposes the risk of abdominal trauma, exposure to hot, humid or high altitude conditions should be avoided.
Fitness Anywhere trainers are educated and certified in Pre/Post Natal Fitness and follow the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as well as the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology’s guidelines very closely. If you have any questions, talk to your doctor. To learn more about the importance of exercise for pre and post natal women, call us today.

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Body Acceptance

No body is perfect. Accept your body and weight for what it is, and instead, aim for a healthy goal, such as having better fitness, to become a faster runner, or to be able to touch your toes. Avoid obsessing about imperfections by target training only problem areas. Work at your overall health and fitness and the rest will fall into place. Don’t expect perfection but strive to be you at your very best; healthy and fit.


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