Need energy? Just add water

Q: About halfway through my workout I start to run out of steam. Any suggestions for keeping my energy level up?

A: While you won’t hear it discussed much during the winter months, dehydration isn’t just a warm-weather dilemma. One recent study showed that nearly half of all exercisers arrive at the gym already dehydrated. Other research published in Perspectives in Exercise Science and Sport Medicine showed that as little as 2 percent dehydration can cause a 6 to 7 percent decrease in endurance. And Fallowfield, et. al report that exercisers who drink fluid may last as much as 33 percent longer per session than those who don’t drink anything during their workout.

Yes, there is definitely research to support tipping back the water glass. But many people don’t hit the water cooler because they just don’t like the taste. There’s good news for them, too. More than one study reports that people are more likely to drink a lightly-flavored beverage than they are plain water, therefore, increasing their chances for staying hydrated. Of course, the sports beverage companies quickly hopped onto that bandwagon, and you can now easily find lightly-flavored, lightly-sweetened, vitamin-enriched waters anywhere you go. You can also make your own flavored water at home by simply adding a few key ingredients.

"A simple way to get flavored water," says Leanne Ely, C.N.C., author of several books, including Saving Dinner (Ballantine, 2003), "is a slice of anything citrus—lemon, lime, orange—add fresh mint and let it sit on your countertop for 15 minutes to an hour. When you’re ready to drink, remove the flavor makers, add ice and enjoy."

Ely suggests being creative. "You can try kiwi and strawberry or something more exotic like rosemary and cucumber, too, if you like." Other flavors like cucumber and mint or orange and black peppercorns are unusual flavors that really awaken your taste buds.

Other suggestions: be sure to include the skin, especially for produce like oranges and cucumbers, as much of the flavor will come from the peel (clean it first!). If you don’t have the time to wait for the water to take on the flavor, try mixing in just the juice for an immediate flavor booster.

If you want to more closely imitate the flavor of the commercial waters, log onto www.prairiemoon.com. You can buy syrups specifically made to create flavored waters at home, at a fraction of the price for store-bought waters.

More than one study reports that people are more likely to drink a lightly-flavored beverage than they are plain water, therefore, increasing their chances for staying hydrated.

Do caffeinated beverages increase the chances of dehydration?

A review of several studies reported in the June 2002 issue of the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism showed that there is no solid evidence that moderate consumption of caffeinated beverages in healthy individuals increases dehydration risk. Caffeine has also been shown to increase an athlete’s performance. But as with anything else, there are two sides to this story. Many beverages containing caffeine also contain other substances that have been shown to have adverse or possible adverse side effects: sugar; artificial sweeteners, colors and preservatives; and in the case of many sodas, acid. Caffeine is also an addictive substance. And a closer look at one 2000 study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition shows they were comparing individuals who drank just water to individuals who drank water plus caffeinated beverages (as opposed to caffeine-only beverages). Balance appears to be the key here. If you choose to ingest caffeine-containing beverages, be sure you’re offsetting that with at least the minimum eight to 10 glasses of water a day.

Exercises for strong abs

Q: I’ve had two pregnancies and have been working my abs pretty hard the last few months trying to flatten them. I’m doing a lot of decline exercises, but now my jeans are fitting a little bit tighter. How can I get strong, muscular abs without losing a slim waistline?

A: My first recommendation would be to discontinue the decline exercises for now. I also suggest you check for a diastisis, a common occurrence in pregnancy, when the fibrous tissue holding the long, vertical recti muscles together splits. It’s simple to check for a diastisis (see side bar), and whether or not you have one—and how large it is—will determine which exercises are best for you to do.

If it turns out there is no more than a half-inch gap between the recti muscles, I recommend going back to basics with exercises that work on strengthening the core muscles, as well as flattening the abs. One of the best "flattening" exercises is the plank, which targets the deepest abdominal muscle, the transverse abdominus. Get down onto your forearms and knees. Bring your legs straight out behind you, on your toes. Tuck your pelvis under, and pull your abdominal muscles in toward your spine. Hold this position as long as you can, maintaining proper form and breathing (it’s tempting to hold your breath on this exercise!), for up to two minutes. As soon as you feel your form letting go, release and stretch back (known as the child’s pose in yoga). Repeat once or twice.

Other basic exercises include crunches, diagonal crunches, which hit the side oblique muscles, and the "bicycle." Do all these exercises slowly and with meaning, concentrating on pressing your lower back into the floor and pulling your abs in toward your spine. I also highly recommend beginning a pilates program, which emphasizes core development, including the abs.

Should you have a diastisis three finger-widths or more, it’s recommended that you begin a progression of very simple exercises to bring the muscles closer together. Elizabeth Noble, P.T., author of Essential Exercises for the Childbearing Year (New Life Image, 1995), recommends beginning with head raises, which activate just the recti muscles. Lie on your back, knees bent, arms crossed over your abdominal area to act as a splint. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, lift just your head off the floor, pulling the recti muscles together with your hands. Return to start position and repeat. Noble recommends doing at least 50 of these a day, in increments of 10 at a time. Once the gap has closed to within a half-inch or so, you can progress to crunches and gradually adding in the other core exercises.

One of the best "flattening" exercises is the plank, which targets the deepest abdominal muscle, the transverse abdominus.

How to check for a diastisis

Lie on your back, knees bent. Place one hand above the navel, the other below the navel, both on the midline. Exhale and slowly raise your head and shoulders off the floor. Do you feel a gap? If so, turn your hands so they’re perpendicular to your midline, and see how many fingers you can place in the gap to determine finger-width. A half-inch gap is normal. Noble states that a one to two finger-width gap isn’t a problem, and will probably close on its own. However, you may still choose to begin with just head raises to close the gap further. A gap of three finger-widths or more requires special attention. Follow the directions for exercise progression for a diastisis.