Tuesday 20 November 2012

Acid vs Alkaline Diets


Acid vs Alkaline

Why add lemon to your water?  Acid vs Alkaline is a relative measure of acidity based on the pH scale.  However, when we look at nutritional quality of food, we actually measure the effect of the foods once they enter the body, rather than testing the food itself.  If you were to test a lemon before eating it, it would indicate a very acidic pH.  However, once in the body, this same food proves to have a very alkalinizing effects on the body. 

The food that enters our mouth gets digested leaving us with the nutritional qualities that we need to thrive.  Each food, once digested, leaves residues in the body.  Alkaline foods provide minerals that can help us to neutralize acids withing the body.  Acidic foods leave acids that need to be neutralized.  Unfortunately, the process of neutralizing these acidic foods takes minerals from within the body.  If you eat too many acidic foods, your body can run out of the minerals needed to keep you healthy.  Once your body runs our of minerals, dis-ease can set in.

So, what is the best ratio to consume of acid vs alkaline foods?  I like to recommend an 70% alkaline, 30% acidic diet to most of my athletic clients.  With that being said, diets are definitely person dependent and so it is important to look at your own lifestyle (ie exercise habits, stress levels, type of employment, and current health concerns) to figure out the best diet for you. 

Contact me if you would like to restore your body's Acid/Alkaline balance.  Together, we can help your body return to an optimal form:)


Tuesday 13 November 2012

Goal Setting 101


Preamble:  Proper goal setting is necessary to maximize your potential for success in order to minimize the stresses placed on your body and on your emotions.  Goals should be within your capacity to manifest in a healthy way, given the right conditions and a realistic time frame.
Ultimately, we want to plan at least 2-3 goals per season that are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.  In other words, your goals will be SMART! 
 
KEY TO GREAT GOALS!

Make sure your goals express who you are, not something that will impress someone or earn praise.  Do it because you want to do it!

Four Principles of Goal Setting:

 1) Your goal must be Measurable
       ·       Complete a 10km race in less than 1 hour or lose 5lbs in 3 weeks


2) Your goal must be under your control
       ·       You only have a measure of control over yourself, your training, and your motivation
       ·       Win the race is not in your control because you do not know who will show up
 

3) Your goal must stretch you!
       ·       Qualify for something; improve by a certain time; feel more energy (nutritional related)
 

4)  Your goal must be stated in the positive
      ·       Focus on what you want to happen, not what you want to avoid
      ·       Example:  don’t go out too hard at the start of the race....you will actually go too hard
      ·       Don’t get a running injury?  Rather try “lower the risk of injury by running only when recovered”

Goals should be racing-outcome oriented.  However, if it has to do with obstacles that have held you back in the past, such as overtraining, burnout, injury or health problems, than that is ok. 

IMPORTANT!!!
 
Don’t confuse goals with dreams.

It's ok to Dream!  Actually, it's quite HealthyJ   If we didn't dream there wouldn't be anything to look forward to in the future.  Remember, Dreams can become realities, but they usually take longer than one season to accomplish. If what you can achieve something within the year or a seaon, it’s not a dream...it’s a GOAL!

A successful individual typically sets his next goal somewhat but not too much above his last achievement.  In this way he steadily raises his level of aspiration ~ Kurt Lewin