What’s all the fuss about drinking water? Why is it so important to our health? Living in the desert I know what it’s like to be dehydrated. I even suffered a mild case of heat stroke a few summers ago which left me in a sad state for a few weeks. Beyond that, from my nutrition training I knew that water supports our cells but I didn’t know just how deep the story goes until I researched the facts for this story.
The U.S. Geological Survey was created 125 years ago by an act of Congress and provides scientific expertise on a variety of topics concerning our natural environment. Here’s what they say about water:
Our bodies are mostly water!
*Our brain and heart are 73% water! 
*Our lungs are about 83% water! 
*Our skin is 64% water! 
*Our muscles and kidneys are 79% water! 
* Our bones are 31% water! 
Why does this matter? It’s a thing called fluid balance (homeostasis for you science types). Too little water inside our cells and they shrivel up and die. Too much H2O and those cute little things up and burst! Fluid balance ensures the normal functioning of our body and its optimal health. It’s vital for physical and mental performance every day of our lives.
Here are just some of the jobs that water performs for us:
*It regulates our internal body temperature through sweating and breathing.
*Carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as food are metabolized and transported by water in the bloodstream.
*It helps flush waste through urination.
*Acts as a shock absorber for the brain, spinal cord and fetus
*Water forms saliva.
*Water lubricates the joints.
Replenishing this Water Daily
According to the USGS:
Men need to drink 3 liters (3.2 qts) of water each day (about 13 cups).
Women need to drink 2.2 liters (2.3 qts) each day (9 cups)
You’re probably thinking, “How is that humanly possible?” Well, take heart people. Here’s some good news. 20% of our water intake comes from food! We only have to make up the other 80%!
In my next article I will provide a list of foods that are rich in water. Many of them are already in your diet. I will also warn about some foods to avoid or at least eat in moderation because they encourage the body to dehydrate – not a good thing!
https://www.reference.com/science/fluid-balance-important-9336ab4013e84cf
I’m a strong believer in Creative Visualization. I have a list of goals in a little journal that I read before I begin my work each day. I call it “Visualization and Positive Goals in the Present” because they’re written as though I’ve already accomplished them. 
This a powerful tool for making your dreams come true. It works on your subconscious mind to create the things you want and programs your mind to make it happen.
I’ve discovered a way to feed my cats what they crave and thrive on…fresh, raw and as close to uncooked as I can get it.
Yesterday my little one ate almost an entire large can of salmon (pink wild Alaskan) in one sitting! I had to go to the store last night to buy more! 
Sardines and mackerel are not as popular as meat…but if they’re in the mood and it smells ok they’ll eat it…although not as much…the sardines are packed in water and the mackerel is in olive oil…good for their hearts and coats. I cut them up in small pieces but after seeing this picture I’m going to try giving it whole!
A little science lesson…cats are obligate carnivores…they are strictly meat eaters…and fish. They have small digestive tracts and cannot digest carbohydrates…all their nutrients come predigested from the kill’s prior eats…
Fitness is more than a healthy diet and daily exercise routines…but these are the basics…the prerequisites to building all the rest.
There’s Mental Fitness which covers developing a healthy self image, self discipline, lifetime of learning and growing, tolerance and respect for other people’s ideas…the willingness to listen without judgment, and engage in civil discourse in order to learn from others who are different from ourselves. I’ve learned from my own experience that it takes a quiet mind and body to listen patiently while another is speaking…especially if they have different ideas from my own. This is where a healthy diet comes into play. For example, complex carbohydrates like brown rice feed the nerves and provide a slow and steady stream of energy throughout the body. Proteins and other nutrients supply the nutrition that keeps the blood sugar on an even level…they feed the brain so we can think clearly, and react reasonably.
Emotional Fitness begins with self awareness and builds to understanding yourself so that you can deal with your emotions in a way that fits into your moral values.
show extraordinary compassion and empathy for each other, especially their young. These two qualities in humans can lead to a more loving and forgiving way of life.
…which can lead to self love…which can lead to loving others…which can lead to a more compassionate and loving society.
In Part 1 I wrote about the music I use for my workout and gave some general information about my routine. Now I’d like to go into a little more detail about it.
I like to exercise in my living room where I can control the elements…so I’m usually in some comfortable garb. On my wall are some Creative Visualization pictures that I look at during my workout…I’m a strong believer in Creative Visualization as a motivation tool. 
(You should see my office wall!) It’s a combo of some magazine photos showing some elegant and sophisticated women dressed in beautiful outfits. I aspire to have their shape (I’m almost there!) and wear their clothes (I’ll make them myself) so they motivate me to stay with it. The other picture is the cover of Fitness magazine. The gorgeous male blond hunk doing a pushup keeps me very motivated to work on my fitness!
I posted in Part 1 that I haven’t been doing my stretches on the carpet because of the discomfort factor…I’m happy to report that I got my exercise mat out of hiding and tried it…turns out it wasn’t half bad…the plastic is a little sticky and the height makes it a little awkward to stretch out comfortably (2″ high), but at least I can do them…and the plastic is cool…
unlike the prickly carpet. 
I’d like to share some personal experiences and some techniques I use during my workouts. Sometimes I’m not awake at the start so my eyes are closed as I listen to the music and begin to warm up with some gentle movements. It’s all intuitive for me…never the same twice…I just let it flow…I learn how I’m feeling by the way I move…slow and lethargic? Slow to more energized? Ready to rock?
As I wake up I find myself doing more energetic moves. If I really get energized I’ll add free weights 
and Taebo to my workout during the cardio phase.
My aerobic workout is a combination of techniques learned in aerobic classes, cardio and Taebo videos, and dance training, as well as my tennis lessons over the years. I’ve learned something from each and I’m grateful for that…even the videos that bored me and got trashed taught me something of value.
I set my time goal for 30 minutes…sometimes I make it…other times I don’t…that’s ok…my body tells me what is right for me each time.
I start off with steps side to side letting the music guide me intuitively. I add some swagger while stepping forward and back as the music moves me. Then I’ll add some arm movements and maybe some twisting as I move. I love Latino dancing so I often find myself moving to some Latin rhythm with Latin moves.
I alternate days with free weights because it takes 24 hours for muscles to repair themselves. On free weight days I’ll do the classic moves with 8 count reps repeating once or twice depending on how I feel. I don’t push past discomfort…I use it as a guide for how far I can go with each move and I never work a muscle when I feel pain. That’s a signal that I’ve reached a limit.
*Note…never stretch when your muscles are cold…that’s how you cause injuries. Muscles need to warm up and get the oxygen flowing to them first.
Stretching: I like to begin with classic calf and Achilles stretches…forward and back with flexed foot. Next are the classic thigh stretches…straight back, across the back of the body, and my favorite (a ballet move) lifting the thigh and stretching behind me (I hope to create a visual of my workout at some point.) Then I move into some easy backbends and side stretches. Much of what I do is ballet floor barre but they’re simple to learn. I like to work my feet in each ballet position while working the front of the foot and the toes. Then I move to the floor (carpet).
Final note: I keep an Excel journal that includes a sheet called Fitness and another called Tennis. I record experiences worth noting, and any thoughts or feelings that come up during workouts. It’s a way for me to track my progress.
CD #1…Alpheus…” Quality Time” by Studio One… Reggae music recorded in Kingston, Jamaica
CD #2…Yankee Dreams by Frank Ferrel, “Wicked Good Fiddling from New England”
Next time I’ll share more about my exercise routine. ‘Til we meet again!
After a month of 100+ temps here in the Old Pueblo which zapped my strength and desire to hit a tennis ball, I finally got out this morning and had some tennis fun! 
Be afraid only of standing still. (Chinese proverb)
I liked tuna sandwiches as a child…loved them with celery chunks. As an adult…not so much…in fact I’ve tried to like tuna but don’t like the fattening mayo and the high sodium content…I went through a phase of eating lots of canned salmon…too much hassle separating the bones from the fish…having more luck with canned boneless and skinless sardines in oil. I put them in salads with lots of french dressing. Not too bad…
Turkey Burger with Sardines
Moo! 
Tip: If milk is too “sweet” for you, trying sprinkling a little salt into your glass. I use Himalayan Pink Salt and it adds a little counterbalance to the flavor.