Fitness Book

So you’re training for a marathon and want to improve your endurance? Are you a weight lifter who wants to progress to the heavier dumbbells? Or maybe you’re a weekend warrior and you want your exercise routine to feel effortless and invigorating. What you need is a boost in your performance: a direct route to the next level.

Staying active fuels your body. When you get your blood pumping, more oxygen circulates, feeding your muscles. There are two basic resources we can’t live without – oxygen and water. Using these two vital ingredients of health properly just may make the difference between a mediocre time in the race and a stellar finish.

 

Oxygen

 

Who would have thought that something as basic as oxygen could make the difference in performance? It’s in the air after all -- not that hard to come by. But something as basic as breathing can make all the difference.

 

Cardio workouts can increase the level of oxygen in your body, because as you start breathing hard you heart begins to beat faster and pumping harder. Oxygen is taken through the bloodstream to your muscles.

 

Inside the muscle, oxygen helps burn fat and carbohydrates, converting them into fuel to keep us going. This process is called “oxygen consumption.” When we exercise regularly, our muscles become efficient at consuming oxygen and we become fit. We can sustain activity longer, and can perform at a higher level.

 

Oxygen Supplements

 

Some athletes and weekend warriors report that oxygen supplements increase their energy level, their stamina, and their performance. To convert the potential energy in dietary nutrients into usable energy in the body, oxygen must be present. Some argue that with stress, anxiety, environmental pollutants and dietary deficiencies becoming a part of modern life, we are robbing our bodies of oxygen faster than we can replace it. Consult a nutritionist and see if oxygen supplementation is right for you.

Water

 

We all know that the body is mad up of 80% water. And that when we work out, we sweat, literally pouring water and sodium from our bodies. To function at peak performance, athletes or weekend warriors need to replenish this loss through water and sports drinks. If we don’t, we could become dehydrated, which decreases our ability to focus, impairs energy metabolism, and causes an imbalance in electrolyte – or electric conductor - levels. We get fatigued fast. And it all goes downhill from there.

 

It’s a good idea to drink 16 ounces of water 2 hours before you go workout. Then, 30 minutes before you should drink another 8 ounces. And keep on drinking!  Drink a cup or two more than thirst tells you to, as thirst is not the clearest indicator of hydration levels.

 

Water or Sports Drink?

 

If the exercise is not all that taxing, and lasts for less than an hour, plain water is the best source of fluids. Because water is absorbed by the body more quickly than any other liquid, it offers the fastest hydration relief. If you add other ingredients to water, absorption slows. Therefore, for exercise that requires endurance and lasts longer than an hour, you will need a drink that contains sugar, salts, and water. Otherwise you could experience muscle fatigue. And who wants that when you’re out to perform at your best!

 

If you’re in an endurance sport, or go for a jog that lasts more than one hour, sports drinks best help prevent dehydration by combining water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes (sodium and potassium).

 

Using Nature to Obtain Peak Performance

 

Sometimes the best resolutions are the simplest. By taking a basic understanding of how oxygen and water combine to produce a well-oiled machine (or in this case, body), you can take charge of your performance.