White Birch Martial Arts (330) 329-5990 April 26, 2007

By Joseph Galea

Obesity is a concern among adults and children despite the resources available for getting in shape. To help, the fitness industry's latest trend is in "wellness coaching" according to Jacqueline Stenson, a contributing writer for MSNBC. Why? Personal trainers are discovering that their clients may not achieve their goals just by eating healthy and exercising daily. Wellness coaches are taking aim at their clients' lifestyle issues such as: smoking, food choices, stress-inducing job factors, time management and even personal relationships. By focusing on all areas that impact on their clients' overall health, wellness coaches hope to increase their clients' success.

Tackling fitness obstacles from a broader wellness approach is an excellent idea because individuals have unique needs that may be limiting their success. One adult may have career demands while another may have family responsibilities. One child may be athletically inclined, while another may be preoccupied with computers or video games. Many forces can challenge an individual's ability to lead a healthy lifestyle and those forces need to be overcome to achieve overall wellness.

Millions of martial arts practitioners already employ this wellness approach and enjoy the complete workout for the mind, body and soul. Martial arts provide each individual with the tools that are needed for long term success and may be more effective than a wellness coaching system. A coach isn't always going to be there for support. The arts prepare students to rely on their own will through personal discipline and self-confidence. In a way, martial arts prepare you to be your own coach.

As your training provides you with exercise to help reduce stress, burn calories, build endurance and strengthen muslces, your instructor can direct your training towards your specific needs and goals. While most students share the goal of achieving a black belt, instructors understand that you may have other goals, as well. Communicate with your instructor and let them know what your needs are. Then do your part, train hard and attend class consistently to discover the powerful results of martial arts training!

By Jennifer G. Galea MS RD

Most athletes know the importance of adequate hydration. But did you know that some people could lose 3.5 to 4.5 pounds (1.5 to 2 litres) of fluid per hour? And that as little as one percent loss of body weight during exercise will impair performance?

How do you achieve adequate hydration? First, you need to ensure that you are fully hydrated when beginning exercise. To do this, the recommendation is to drink 12 to 20 ounces (400 to 600 ml) of fluid, 2-3 hours before exercise, in addition to drinking generous amounts of fluid throughout the day.

During exercise, athletes should drink enough to maintain fluid balance (to take in as much as they are using and sweating). To obtain this level of hydration, the recommendation is to drink 6 to 12 ounces (180 to 360 ml) of fluid at 15-20 minute intervals, beginning at the start of exercise.

But what type of fluid should you consume? Should it have sugar and if so, what kind? Should it have sodium? Do you really need a sports drink?

According to current recommendations, you should not drink beverages containing "fructose" during exercise, which means that you should not consume fruit juice. But do you need anything more than water? For intense exercise lasting more than one hour, experts agree that your beverage should contain both carbohydrate and sodium. The carbohydrate level recommded is 4-8%. This level aids in appropriate gastric emptying (passage through the stomach) as well as replacing blood sugar/muscle glycogen. Sodium is important because it may enhance the palatability of the beverage and the "drive to drink," with the end result being an increase in fluid consumed.

Despite the recommendtation of drinking regularly during vigorous exercise, most athletes do not consume enough fluids to compensate for their losses. This results in their bodies being dehydrated. Sports drinks, such as Powerade, are more efficient in reducing post-exercise dehydration. It contains sodium which aids in rehydration by maintaining plasma osmolality (concentration of the blood), which helps maintain the desire to drink.

So yes, a sports drink is definitely a better choice than water for optimal hydration for athletic performance, especially if the exercise is intense or lasts more than an hour. It's important to keep in mind that overall nutrition impacts on your hydration status, so eat right and drink plenty of fluids even when you aren't in training.