Author: Alicia Bell

Fitness isn’t all about working out hard in the gym everyday. It’s a lifes It is much more than that. It not only includes exercise but diet and hydration. I call water, “liquid courage.” It gives your body life, regulates your core temperature, lubricates joints, gives your skin a healthy glow, and keep you from being bloated. “Liquid courage” is particularly important during exercise. Your body sweats to get rid of toxins and to cool off your body. However, you need to rehydrate yourself before, during and afterwards. Dehydration can cause drops in blood volume that can cause muscle craps, extreme fatigue and/or dizziness. You should always have a water bottle close by when working out. I always say if your thirsty it is too late. This is because at this point you are already well on your way to dehydration. That means you need to make sure that you are drinking water all day long and not just during workouts. Stay away from juices they contain high amounts of concentrated sugar and no one needs those excess calories. Also note that the body wants to turn sugars to fat. If you are performing endurance exercises for long periods of time you my want to consider something that has electrolytes. I suggest more natural electrolytes such as coconut water rather than powerade or gatorade. Follow these tips to stay hydrated: 1. Drink at least 2L of water a day 2. Carry a water bottle 3. Avoid prolonged periods in the sun So keep that “liquid courage” close because it will help you succeed in your health and fitness goals.

Why do you get sore the day after your workout? What causes you to feel stiff and and unable to walk up the stairs? No, you are not injured. The soreness that you are feeling is called DOMS and stands for delayed onset muscle soreness. It can be mild to severe and everyone can be effected by it. Do not be afraid to exercise when you feel it because the more you move the quicker it will go away. Muscle soreness is most commonly felt when you begin a new workout program, change your current routine, or increase the intensityof your workouts. DOMS is caused by microscopic tears in the muscle which creates build up of lactic acid in the muscles causing them to become stiff and tight. There are lots of methods that you can use to reduce the discomfortof DOMS. People often use static stretching, massage, cardio, epsom salts, or ice baths. You can prevent DOMS from being so severe by doing a proper dynamic warm-up rather than jumping into your workout cold. Make sure to always start with light cardio for 5-10 minutes before your workout. Prior to exercise use a foam roller to roll out your muscles. It is also recommended to cool down with light cardio followed by static stretching. A stretch should be held for a minimum of 30 seconds. Make sure to alter workout intensities each day in order to allow for proper recovery.  

I had the chance to sit down and talk with Cali who most of you know from being on the reality shows “Real Chance Of Love” and “I Love Money.”  I asked her who inspired her to be fit and active and she responded by telling me that she was always a natural athlete and not to let her looks fool you because she can pick up on things quick and loves a good competition. This beautiful bombshell has been playing sports since 6th grade. Cali has played volleyball, basketball and softball. Her favorite sports to watch are basketball and football. Being athletic from such a young age has taught her that it is important to stay in good physical condition. She also stresses the fact that it is important for women to stay in shape and be active just as much as men. Also being a television personality she is inspired to stay in shape and says “there’s nothing more uncomfortable than being able to feel stomach rolls..yuck!” Cali has used trainers in the past however, she currently is focusing on self maintenance and only gets a trainer when she feels like she needs a boost or needs to be more disciplined. She typically works out 3-5 days a week and occasionally she does two a days with her boyfriend.  Her workouts consist of a lot of cardio including running and the stair climber.  She loves to workout her legs on every leg machine and it gives her a nice firm butt too. Cali gave up on diets because she says when she would cheat she would gain weight fast so she decided to maintain by eating healthy and practicing good habits. She says that she is currently obsessed with “this greek type salad” and that she has been eating it regularly for the past six months. She does not eat read meat, pork or bread, but does allow herself to indulge in her favorite cheats every now and then. They consist of chocolate and chips. Hot cheetos, doritos and M&M’s to be exact and she makes sure to drink tons of water. Cali is currently focusing on real acting and is even training with Will Smith’s acting coach. Her words of  advice to other’s is “cut all the diets and diet pills out and learn to eat healthy and maintain healthy eating habits.” You can follow Cali on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/THISISCALILUV

It’s summertime and with that comes a lot of temptations. We have to choose between the good and the bad, the healthy and the unhealthy, and the naughty and the nice. The choice is all about will power and what our inner desires are. We have to choose between the nice and the naughty. This could bw diet, the opposite sex, or even fitness. At the end of the day you are the one who chooses between “right” and “wrong,” and you are at digression of choosing what it is that is “right” and what it is “wrong,” and if it is” verrrrrrrrrrrry right” or “verrrrrrrrrry wrong.” Which would you choose? DIET NICE NAUGHTY Dark Chocolate – Seventy percent dark chocolate contains the most flavonols (helpful plant substances that help decrease cholesterol.) Milk Chocolate covered fruit – Its high in calories and sugar, however Its an aphrodisiac (it will get your significant other in the mood for a naughty night in the sack.) Unsalted Nuts – Nuts are full of heart healthy unsaturated fat, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Pumpkin Pie – Contains carotenoids which fight free radicals in the body. It is also a good source of potassium and fiber. Beware: most pies are loaded with sugar not to mention the whip cream on top! Vodka & diet tonic with a twist of lime –  Basically about 64 calories depending on how much vodka you put in! Or Wine spritzer, 4 ounces (made with 2 ounces wine and diet ginger ale) which is about 49 calories. Mudslide – 1 cup is about 360 calories. It  can really add up. THE OPPOSITE SEX Nice Naughty Opening a door for a woman. Opening a door for a woman, then demanding sex in return. Texting a woman to say that you are thinking about her. Sexting a woman and sending a pick of what your thinking is doing to you. Bringing home a holiday basket. Bringing home a basket full of sex toys. Sending your girl a e-card letting her know she is on your mind Sending your girl  an e-card with a naughty picture of yourself attached. FITNESS NICE NAUGHTY Going for an early morning run. Waking up your significant other for a romp in the sack to burn off your calories. Going to the gym every day religiously. Saying you’re at the gym but you’re really on a date with someone else. Lifting heavy weights for your arms. Lifting your significant other up while you’re standing and giving it to her. Whatever you choose, make sure that you enjoy it to its fullest. Whether you are being “naughty” or “nice” enjoy your holiday season, and make the best of it! And remember your “naughty” could be someone’s “nice” or vice versa.

In this day and age we all do a lot of traveling in and out of different time zones. Even if you are in good health there is nothing that feels more awful than long travel days, not to mention the dehydration and swelling that you end up experiencing from the flights. With flying because of the cabin pressure you may not realize it but there can be de-oxygenation, less-than healthy processed airplane food. With connections, jet lag and in and out of hotels it is also hard to find time to exercise properly. Follow these tips to combat the lag from  travel so that you feel more like your normal healthy self. DRESS COMFORTABLE Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing so you are more apt to move around. STAY HYDRATED: When traveling the absolute most important thing is to stay hydrated,. Think about what happens to a bottle of water  or a liquid that you carry on the flight with you. It looks all sucked and indented in. Your body is mostly made up of water so this is pretty much what is hapening to your body as well. When you get dehydration you can feel de-energized and it will cause your skin to look dry and dull. Also when you are dehydrated you feel hungrier, and it will cause you to  eat more than you normally would. EATING If a flight is short, I suggest that you try to eat a meal before your flight. Most of the food at the airport are fast, unhealthy fixes. Although I found a great healthy store in the Chicago airport. I forget the name of it. But keep an eye out for it if you are connecting from Canada. Also be care of airport and plane salads. It’s the dressing that is bad for you, look for vinaigrette instead of fatty dressings.  If you can try to bring your own snacks such as fruits and veggies. STRETCHING Sometimes a flight can be up to 4 hours plus. This is a lot of sitting down. Your muscles build up tension and sometimes you can get stuck in a tricky position, get muscle cramps and this can lead to injury. I suggest trying to stand up and stretch your whole body. This includes arms, legs and back. Even simple static stretches held for at least 30s do the trick. Try getting up in the isle, and you can even use your seat as an anchor for the stretches. WALKING Get up out of your seat and use use the isle to do a few laps. You can even do this as your are stretching. Or walk in the airport in between connections instead of sittingng. Explore the airport, browse the shops, and if you’re lucky enough to have minimal carry-on luggage take a brisk walk around for 10-20 minutes. You will feel better and more relaxed on flight. I find most airports these days are like malls. There are endless shops that carry an array of items. Go get that gift for your parents or spouse and check out the duty free shops to stay active instead of sitting right at your gate. DESTINATION EXERCISING When you reach your destination, the best thing you can do to rejuvenate yourself and fight the jet lag. This can be done by simply getting your butt to your hotels gym to workout. It doesn’t have to be long, try 15 minutes on a full body machine like the ellyptical or do a quick circuit to get the blood flowing again. If you are tired as I always say  the hardest part is getting started, but once you start you will thank yourself afterwards. If your destination hotel or condo does not have a gym or you don’t want to be in a gym try traveling with a light weight jump rope, or do push ups and sit ups in your room, followed by a few stretches. After this first day get right back into your regular workout regime at your destination and you will feel back to your regular self! Enjoy your travels and don’t let them disrupt your exercise regime. Even if you are traveling it is possible to still be the best you that you can be with a little bit of adjustment and effort. So happy airplane and destination fitness!  

It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman, young or old you can have problems with your sex drive. This can seriously affect your personal relationships and/or marriage with your spouse. It has lead to separation or divorce in many cases.  In men a reduced sex drive is often linked to erectile dysfunction. Some Ways to Boost your sex drive include: Libido Enhancers Technology and medicine have advanced so that you can pop a little blue pill and get the desires that you were seeking in many circumstances. This pill does not solve the problem it is only a quick fix. Basically like just patching a tire instead of changing it. However, this does not always work.  When some people take these medicines they have minimal to know effects. Some people prefer natural libido enhancers. There are products out there from a lot of different companies that have pills that advertise themselves as being “natural.”  Oftentimes these products can be packed with random substances that aren’t scientifically proven. This is where the consumer should be careful. There are some that are packed with herbs and other natural ingredients  that can increase your sex drive with all natural ingredients that have been scientifically proven. Dietary Changes Also some studies have shown that by taking supplements that include tribulus terrestris, tongat ali, acai berry, chaste berry,  ginseng and ginkgo biloba, muira pauma have been shown to be effective.  Also Zinc has been proven important in testosterone production. It is found in a lot of meets. Also taking protein supplements. If one increases their protein intake It helps give you better recovery, more power and stamina and can also aid in naturally boosting testosterone production. Again I recommend Rivals products because I know they have been scientifically tested and proven. http://www.rivalus.net/online-shop/products/promasil-milk-chocolate-2-33-lb A low carbohydrate diet and low sugar diet. This is because carbs and sugar affect your body’s insulin level in the blood and that directly affects testosterone. The result of this is a decreased libido. Make sure that you are eating Essential Fats such as Omega 3s. Again they help naturally boost the body’s testosterone level, and blood flow.  Examples are fish oils, olive oils, nuts and flaxseed. Lifestyle Changes In today’s society more and more people are becoming sedentary and not physically active. This is why in today’s world more and more people are overweight or obese. Obesity has been linked to you guessed it, A low sex drive as well as, poor blood circulation which again effects your libido. This can also lead to erectile dysfunction. So get off the couch and stop being a couch potato and get active. Start out small and gradually increase your activity levels. It is important not to do to much too fast. Grab a friend to keep you motivated and as you shed the pounds watch your libido come back! Smoking and alcohol can also result in a poor sex drive. Smoking can cause breathing problems, is linked to cancer and can affect your circulation which in turn can affect your sex drive. Also Alcohol can cause a reduced sex drive due to mood swings, depression and again blood flow. So stay away from these two addictive substances if you are having problems with a low sex drive. Try and stay happy and stress free. Increases stress causes a substance in your body called cortisol to increase and again that will affect your natural testosterone levels. Try and stay calm and relax. Try meditation, pilates, yoga or tai chi to reduce your stress levels. Overall my advice is don’t abuse your body, stay active, stress free and try and stay away from things that are toxic for your system. This will keep your sex drive active, healthy and hopefully active for many years to come. Alicia Bell http://www.twitter.com/trainitright