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One of the most common problems experienced in the gym is dehydration. You may not realize it but the most gentle workout can be dehydrating. Take into account that most of us don’t drink enough water to START WITH. Then add the stress of daily life, and what that takes out of you. Strenuous exercise can cause a lot of problems unless you take measures to make sure you re-hydrate properly.

Exercise Requires Hydration
Whenever we exercise our bodies lose water – our body temperature increases and we start to sweat. This is a perfectly natural thing – if it didn’t happen we’d stand a real risk of overheating. But, if we don’t drink enough fluids before, during and after exercise then our bodies can’t function properly to start with, much less replace the fluids we lose. This can lead to all kinds of dehydration-related problems and illnesses.

Dehydration Slows Down Fitness Results
Dehydration leads to heat illnesses such as cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke and plays a huge role in the results of your fitness program. Meaning, you won’t see the full benefits of the exercise you do if you are attempting to train in a dehydrated state. Did you know that even a slight increase in body temperature slows down your aerobic power and endurance? Meaning, the strength you do have is unavailable to you and you can’t maximize the effects of your exercise program if you can’t perform at optimal levels. Optimal performance means keeping yourself hydrated so your body can function the way it’s supposed to. Why put yourself at a disadvantage?

Signs of Dehydration
You can tell that you are dehydrated if you display symptoms such as a dry mouth, a feeling of faintness and a heavy thirst. You may get a headache and feel like you haven’t got as much energy as usual. You’ll also notice that your urine will get darker and you may find that you need to urinate less often. If dehydration becomes more serious then you could see extensive problems with your kidneys, for example.

Hydration Starts Before Workouts
Staying hydrated during a fitness routine should start BEFORE you start to work out. You should take fluids a couple of hours before you exercise and then again around half an hour before you actually start. It’s also very important to make sure that you take regular drinks breaks (every 15 minutes or so) to replace lost fluids during your workout. If you are taking on a moderate fitness program then around 5-10 ounces of fluid should be enough for each break.

Finish It Off
Don’t forget to drink when you are done exercising. Some athletes actually figure out how much they need by weighing themselves before and after a workout. They can then estimate how much to drink by drinking 150% of the weight loss difference over the next few hours. You can work this out on the basis that a liter of fluid equals around two and a quarter pounds.

Too Much Of A Good Thing?
Drinking too much as part of a fitness routine can be harmful as well. There have been a lot of cases among athletes recently of hyponatremia – a condition instigated when you take on so much fluid that your sodium levels become dangerously diluted and low. The symptoms are very similar to those of dehydration – but if treated with water on that basis then they can lead to serious illness and even death.

What To Drink Then?
The standard advice works for the most basic every day living: Get your 8 glasses of water per day. If you’re going to exercise I always recommend that my clients get a 16 oz bottle of Gatorade or Vitamin Water and drink half on the way to the workout, then dilute the rest with water and finish that before the workout is over. Then refill the bottle with water for the walk/drive home and finish it before you get there.

The Personal Trainer Says
As always I expect my clients to entirely eliminate soda from their diet forever. There’s nothing good about it, and drinking ‘things with water in them’ is NOT the same as drinking 8 glasses of plain water a day. If you think you can expect your body to perform and give you what you want, but you refuse to address it’s most pure and simple basic needs like keeping yourself hydrated, you’re sadly, and I mean….sadly mistaken. The body WILL rebel. So prevent mishaps, remain healthy and give your body what it needs to perform at it’s BEST!

I get many emails from people asking me which is better …pilates or weight training. And my is answer is usually surprising to many. I say why is it one OR the other? Single-mindedness in a life of physical activity is good when it comes to focus and maintaining the desire to achieve. But, that same single-mindedness can also set you up for injury, boredom and hinder your ability to adapt.

There are many benefits to BOTH. Why limit yourself? Staying open minded and becoming well rounded and multi-functional will ensure that you’re able to remain physically active for the rest of your life. Let’s not forget it is also the sign of a great athlete.

Flexibility is a great thing, and I’m not just talking flexibility in the body. Remaining flexible in how you THINK can take your aspirations for your physical condition to heights you never dreamed of. Don’t cut yourself off from learning new things, or thinking you have to choose between one activity and another. You have a whole lifetime to study!

When you look at just some of the benefits of weight training and pilates it’s easy to see how they COMPLIMENT each other and can actually serve to enhance each others benefits through consistant study and training.

The benefits of Weight Training:

- Weight training raises basal metabolism= more calories burned.
- Weight training strengthens bones reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
- Weight training improves muscular endurance.
- Weight training decreases resting blood pressure.
- Weight training decreases risk of developing adult onset diabetes.
- Weight training increases blood level of HDL cholesterol (the good type).

Here are some of the benefits of Pilates:

- Pilates builds strength without bulk.
- Pilates increases flexibility and agility.
- Pilates develops core control.
- Pilates increases joint range of motion.
- Pilates improves circulation.
- Pilates heightens neuromuscular coordination.

Now each respective ‘camp’ has their own methodology, techniques and terminology, and are heavily invested in maintaining their respective status. That doesn’t mean you have to ‘choose’ one or the other. You can do both, benefit from both and take the best from both worlds without having to post a ’stake’ in either camp. In training your goal is to get as much physical experience as possible. The more experience you have doing different things, the less things your body can be ’surprised’ by…. Meaning you’re less likely to suffer an injury from a sudden move, a quick slip/trip and your body is more prepared for whatever comes your way.

Being in shape and being fit means also being well rounded, well versed and familiar with as many things as possible. Of course you can specialize, but keep your mind open to everything movement oriented! You’ll be surprised at the depth of understanding you’ll gain from seeing the world through another disciplines motions.

Wow. CitySearch.com voted me as their editorial winner for New York City’s Best Personal Trainer for 2007.

Wow. Wow. Wow. :) Thanks to whomever suggested or submitted me for consideration!

You can check it out here CitySearch Best Personal Trainers NYC

Let’s take a look at two common myths about working out in the morning on an empty stomach…

1. Glycogen is depleted = More fat burned

This is what most people use to support this position. Anyone with weight training experience has more muscle than is needed. The body has one purpose in life, and that is survival. Fat is a much more efficient source of energy for survival because it is not energy costly - it does not require calories to maintain. Muscle requires calories to maintain itself.

Just because glycogen stores are depleted upon waking doesn’t mean the body will just go straight to fat stores for energy. When glycogen is depleted, so is ATP. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is what makes your muscles contract

Weight training and working out depletes glycogen and ATP with each contraction. ATP also plays a large role in protein synthesis and muscle repair. After weight training ATP and glycogen are depleted and time is needed for glycogen stores to replenish. This can take up to 3 days. If you deplete more glycogen than is necessary you are putting your body through unnecessary stress, which will inhibit your bodies ability to build muscle!

So why does this matter ? Working out in the morning on an empty stomach means a workout with little glycogen, and, little ATP. The body also uses protein when carbs and/or fat energy are not available. I’m sure you heard that fat is the preferred energy source during cardio-based exercise. This is completely true for those who do not have any “excess” muscle sitting on their bones.

Weight training, however creates an environment in which the body is forced to synthesize new proteins in order to protect itself from stress. The body will not breakdown protein it doesn’t need. This matters because cardio exercise requires three things in going about meeting the energy requirements. It can…

a. Use stored glycogen.

b. Use stored fat.

c. Use stored muscle.

In the morning, after your 6-10 hours with no energy (food) liver glycogen will be just about depleted, blood glycogen will have been burned for energy, and muscle glycogen will have been severely depleted.

Having a light meal or protein shake before any activity will prevent this. The body will have immediate energy, and you wont use muscle as fuel. More effort going into your workout equals more benefits coming out of it.

2. Increased Metabolism = More Energy Throughout The Day

This is completely sensible. The amount of food and the amount or glycogen you posses have no effect on this. Workouts in the morning are NOT a bad thing; workouts in the morning on an empty stomach is the bad thing.

So the rule is have a little something before hand and give your muscle room to do it’s job burning fat :)