Water And Exercise

According to research, the human body is made up of over 75% of water, and as we all know, we cannot live without water.  The fact is, we can only survive for a total of 3 days without water.  Water has however, been replaced in most diets by soft drinks and other sugar sweetened refreshments.  Keep in mind that water is a healthier and necessary for you to achieve a better health and longevity.

Your own personal need for water can vary greatly due to exercise, weight, and temperature.  Research has proven that over 2/3 of adults don't get the water they need on a daily basis.  By drinking water on a regular basis you can replenish your body and keep it well hydrated and functioning as it should be.

A majority of us wait until we are thirsty before we drink water.  Bear in mind that by so doing you cannot meet the gauge of the water needs for the body.  By the time you are thirsty you have already lost two of more cups of the body's water supply.  Therefore, drinking water regularly is much better than simply waiting until you are thirsty.

It is very important that you don't substitute beverages with alcohol and caffeine for water.  The reason being that those beverages act as a diuretic and can cause you to lose more weight through increased urination.  You may think and feel as if you are getting more water through these beverages, although the fact is that you are letting it go almost as fast as you consume it.

Anytime you exercise, you need more water. Due to perspiration, your body will lose quite a bit of water.  For each pound lost due to exercise, you need to drink 2 cups of water.  Even when you lay down to sleep, your body loses water.  By drinking a glass or more of water before you go to sleep, you can wake up with your body functioning as it should be.

It should become more obvious that when you are sick you will need more water than any other time.  When you get a cold or flu, your body can become dehydrated quickly.  You can help to prevent this by drinking more water when you are sick.

Always make it a habit to drink water on a daily basis.  You should keep a bottle of water with you at all times and drink it throughout the day.  You should also learn to drink water instead of other beverages that cannot take the place of water in your body.

Buttocks Exercises

Most people are not happy with their buttocks. Many think they are too small, too big, too saggy, too flabby and so on. Engaging in the right cardio exercises and weight training activities can give you your desired backside, depending on your body type and genetics. This should include thighs exercises, hip exercises, glutes exercises and lower body exercises. Here are the best cardio and strength training exercises for strengthening and toning your glutes, hips and thighs.

1. Squats

One of the best exercises you can do for your hips, buttocks and thighs are squats. They are functional exercises that help us in building strength for our daily activities.

How to squat:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and, you can, hold weights at shoulder level or at your sides for added intensity.
2. Bend your knees, and lower into a squat, keeping the knees behind the toes and  keeping the torso upright and contracted.
3. Put Pressure into the heels to stand up.
4. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps

2. Lunges

These are challenging exercises because they work on so many muscles at the same time. On the front leg, you work the glutes and hamstrings while on the back leg, you work the quads and calves. There are a variety of lunges to choose from such as:

• Static Lunges
• Side to Side Lunges
• Sliding Lunges
• Low Lunges
• One-Legged Lunge
• Step by Step  Lunges

3. Step Ups

This is another great exercise for the glutes. Place one foot on a step or platform and push through the heel to lift the body up. To get the best result concentrate all your weight on the stepping leg. Lower down gently, barely touching the toes of the other leg to the ground. Take it slow and concentrate on the working leg.

4. Hip Extensions                                                                                 
 Hip extension is an exercise that specifically targets the largest muscle in the body...the gluteus maximus. You can hold a dumbbell behind the knee or use ankle weights for added intensity.

5. Biking

Bike riding is great for the heart. It targets almost every muscle in your hips, thighs and buttocks. You burn a lot of calories biking.

6. Running

Running is easily accessible, reduces stress, helps in weight loss, and also makes you feel good. Added to that, it works your buttocks, especially when you run on a hilly route. Sprints are another option if you want to burn more calories. 

7. karate/Taekwondo

Karate and taekwondo are excellent workouts for the entire body, including the hips, glutes and thighs.  Controlled front kicks, roundhouses, sidekicks and back kicks work your hips, thighs and buttocks while complex combinations that include punches will target your abs to make them stronger.

Eating And Exercise

The main purpose of engaging in regular exercise is to maintain good health. To have the energy needed to exercise and to carry out your day to day activities properly, you need a proper diet and a healthy eating habit. To get the best of your exercise, what you eat before and after you workout is very important.

It does not matter if you are doing a cardio workout or a resistance workout, always make sure you eat a balanced diet containing a mix of protein and carbohydrates.  What determines the percentage of carbohydrate and protein you consume is the type of exercise you are doing and the intensity level you plan to work at.

The ideal time for you to eat your pre workout meal is at least one hour before your workout time.  If you plan to work at a low intensity level, your calories intake during your pre work out meal should be kept low.  If you plan to exercise at a high level of intensity, you will probably need a high level of calorie intake in your pre workout meal.

Eating a mixture of carbohydrate and protein will give a longer sustained energy from the carbohydrates while the protein will keep the muscles from breaking down during exercise workout. 

Eating after you exercise is just as important as your pre workout meal.  Anytime you exercise, regardless of the form or type of exercise you went through, you deplete energy in the form of glycogen.  The brain and central nervous system rely on glycogen as their main source of fuel, so if you don't replace it after exercise, your body will begin to break down muscle tissue into amino acids, and then convert them into usable fuel for the brain and the central nervous system.

Keep in mind that mostly during resistance exercise, you'll break down muscle tissue by creating micro tears.  What this means, is that after a workout, your muscles will instantly go into repair mode.  Protein is the key here for muscle repair, and you don't want further muscle breaking down even to create fuel to replace lost glycogen.

Once you have finished an exercise session, you'll need to consume mainly carbohydrates and protein, preferably those with high fiber.  Rice, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, and fruits are excellent sources. The protein will help to build up and repair muscle tissues so that the muscles can increase in size and strength. The carbohydrate will not only replace the lost muscle glycogen but will also help the protein get into muscle cells.