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A Note From Fran
Finding new Sources of Energy

Windmills…windmills and more windmills, that's all you could see for miles and miles. Beautiful, gigantic, awe-inspiring pieces of machinery that lit up the desert canvas like Time Square lights up New York. These windmills served as the backdrop for my recent trip to Palm Springs, California, the site of our recent Inner Idea Mind/Body Conference for aspiring fitness professionals like me!

As usual, the conference was peppered with stimulating workshops and educational lectures to inspire us to become even more inspiring and motivating to our clients. But what I enjoyed most about the entire event was our opportunity to slow down and tap into our own energy stores. We took the time to reflect on what was already there within each of us…VITALITY, RICH EXPERIENCES and HISTORIES, that had brought us all to this beautiful place in the middle of the California desert to explore more about our great work of making the world a more fit and healthy place to reside.

Finding new sources of energy is particularly important for fitness aficionados like me. Mainly because we work very hard to inspire, motivate and stimulate other people everyday, all day from morning till night fall. And we are not alone, most moms, dads, managers, teachers, retailers, public servants (lets just say everyone on the planet…including our kids) can be included in the energy depletion category. While attending the conference I learned some very valuable energy tips on how all of us can manage and replenish our energy more effectively every day.

I'll be sure to share a few of these tips with you in my next column.

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This program consists of 90 day personal challenges (challenge yourself or a buddy) that keep you motivated and on track. Plus 24 hour access to our personal fitness coaches and trainers, you will have all the tools you need to meet and sustain your ideal fitness ability.

Here's what you get with your myequilibriumcoach.com Membership:

Track Your Calories
Our extensive database of foods has all the nutritional data you need. Use the drop down menu to enter the foods you eat and we'll update your journal with the calorie content.

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We've got thousands of activities in our database. Just select the activity and the duration, and we'll calculate the calories you burned!

Travel the Country
Tracking your pedometer steps daily will move you across a virtual map route. If you walk the minimum average steps per day, you will complete your route in 90 days or less!

Access a Personal Fitness Coach
Use our bulletin board to contact fitness professionals 24 hours a day!

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Can Sports Drinks Cause Weight Gain?

Natalie Nickerson
Program Manager

We have all been there. You just made it through your best 40-minute cardio session and you reach for something to drink…the thought comes to mind, "Should I drink water, Gatorade or PowerAde or some other sports drink favorite?"

Simply put, if you did LESS than 60-minutes of exercise in a controlled environment (not out in the scorching heat) then reach for the water and continue taking small sips to replenish yourself. If you did 60 minutes or MORE in the heat then go ahead and reach for that sports drink. What's the difference?

For the average individual, sweating in a controlled environment for less than 60 minutes would not normally cause an imbalance in electrolyte levels nor would it cause carbohydrate depletion, so drinking water would be best. Water replaces the water your body loses through the process of sweating. Water also helps cool your core temperature, regulate the thickness of blood, which in turn regulates heart rate, blood pressure and various other functions taking place in the body.

Exercising for short bouts of time will not cause a drastic loss of sodium, calcium, or chloride, and it will not usually cause a large depletion of carbohydrate stores. If you intake a sports drink at this point, you are possibly drinking back some of the calories you just burned off. In some cases, if you drink the entire bottle you may have just ingested all of the calories you were seeking to burn. If there is the urge to reach for something other than water, say something with taste, then reach for a sports water type beverage. Sports waters have a small amount of electrolytes added and they have fewer calories, plus a hint of flavor many individuals are looking for that cannot be found in plain water.

When engaged in an activity longer than 60 minutes or if you are subject to activity in the summer heat, go ahead and reach for that sports drink. At this point you are probably sweating enough that your electrolytes are becoming slightly imbalanced, you are probably losing more sodium than normal and your body is just downright craving the carbohydrate replenishment to maintain optimal performance.

We all know that with longer bouts of exercise the body burns more calories and uses up more of its available stored energy resources. At this point it is almost necessary to take a drink of something that has a bit more to offer. If you are still concerned with the number of calories being consumed, remember you can always drink a portion of the sports drink with water and get the same benefit with fewer calories.

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