Saturday, January 28, 2012

What you didn't know about sports drinks from Tony Tiamiyu

Want more tips on eating healthy and getting in shape? Click here and get on track to a healthy lifestyle!

As a personal trainer in Atlanta, it is extremely common to see sports drinks everywhere I turn. But I don't alway feel  that those drinking it are cognizant of what the sports drink is actually doing for them.

True, it is popular nowadays to have a sports drink while you’re working out. We all generally agree that they are beneficial to your workout regime, but do we really know how they work?

Gatorade was invented by a scientist at the University of Florida for their football players. These drinks were made to replace fluids and electrolytes lost due to heat and humidity during games and practices. When you sweat, you lose those fluids and electrolytes which provides energy for your muscles. They help with fatigue, post-exercise recovery, and fluid intake and retention. 

So what should you look for in a sports drink?
-4-8% carbohydrates in the form of glucose, sucrose, and fructose (try to avoid sports drinks with ONLY fructose which slows fluid absorption)
-Sodium. Your sweat is salty because it contains sodium, thus, it needs to be replaced.
-No carbonation. This will most likely cause you discomfort while working out.
-No caffeine. This can cause dehydration.
Be careful to monitor the calories in your sports drink. If you are trying to lose weight, be aware that you might be consuming the same amount of calories you are trying to burn. There are no- and low-calorie sports drinks out there, and it also helps to mix them with water. About half and half.

Sports drinks are more so for longer workouts, greater than 30 minutes of intense exercise. Longer workouts deplete the body's glycogen stores, and sports drinks help replenish them. The average person working out 30 minutes a day may not need such drinks unless their sodium and electrolyte levels are low or they are dehydrated.

So are sports drinks necessary every time you work out? Probably not, unless you work very intensely for a long period of time. You should be able to replenish your body with nutrition if you're just doing 30-minute workouts.

But remember to drink lots of
WATER, WATER, WATER!


-Tony T
Instant Fitness
Atlanta's #1 Personal Training Company
404.941.iFIT(4348)

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

New Year, New You? Have SUCCESS with these TIPS and why not join Atlanta's Best Bootcamp?!

Here are some tips that I’ve gathered throughout my experience that I believe will give you the most success within any and all fitness programs:
  1. Start Motivation from within. This means that you and you alone decided that you wanted to change your lifestyle. You should want to change your body because you want to live longer and be healthier. 
  2. Surround yourself with a good Environment. If your goals are to slim down and tone your body, it might not be a great idea to hang around people who are mostly sedentary and who consume many calories. Likewise, if you surround yourself with people who are beyond your fitness level, you may become discouraged. Try to find a niche within the fitness world where you can comfortable work out but still feel motivated.
  3. Try Everything! If you find that one exercise is not for you, try something else! There are so many ways to exercise your body! If you are burnt out on running, try a spin class or swimming. 
  4. Make time, don’t Find time. When starting a new fitness regime, you are making a LIFESTYLE change. This can be likened to a new chapter of your life such as starting a new job, having a child, getting married, etc. If you just “find time” your goals will become unattainable
  5. Keep Short-term Goals. Always picture yourself at your long-term goal, but remind yourself that you can’t get there without reaching all the steps in between. If you set short-term goals, and see that you are reaching them, you will become motivated to keep it up.
  6. Tell your friends and family about your goals. By telling your peers, you will receive feedback, reminders, and compliments. This is the best way to see if you are staying on track and reaching goals.
  7. Go to www.MyInstantFitness.com. Sign up for a free fitness assessment and talk to a fitness professional who will get you on the right track to reach your goals.
-Tony Tiamiyu
Instant Fitness
Atlanta's #1 Personal Training Company
404.941.iFIT(4348)