Let's suppose you just bought a brand new, fairly expensive luxury car. (Whether or not this may be your taste in vehicles is not the point. Bear with me here for a moment.) So, you drive the car off the lot and into your driveway at home. What do you do next? Well, you probably grab the owner's manual and sit at the dinner table devouring the tips, how-to's and maintenance schedules. You review and memorize what type of motor oil, transmission fluid and windshield washer fluid the manufacturer recommends for your beautiful new car. You commit to memory how often you should check the levels and top off as necessary. This is your new baby, and it deserves only the absolute best of care.

Sound familiar?

Well, maybe you've never owned a brand new vehicle, but I'm sure you can identify with my analogy.

I have a question for you: what kind of food and supplements are you putting into your body? Are you eating crap and expecting your body to function at its best? Are you buying your vitamins and supplements at the grocery store and wondering why you're not getting the results you desire?

Shame on you!

I have something to tell you. You only get one body. When this one wears out, there is very little you can do. There is no engine rebuild for your body. Granted, medicine has come a long way in organ replacement, etc., but, in the long run, everything will wear out sooner or later. Shouldn't you be giving your body the absolute best nutrition you can afford? Isn't your longevity thousands times more important than the life of your vehicle? Get your priorities straight!

If you eat junk, sooner or later, your body will show it. If you use cheap supplements, sooner or later your health will suffer. I promise. It reminds me of the old commercial for (I believe) Fram Oil filters. The mechanic says to the camera, "You can pay me now, or pay me later."

I, for one, believe that it is much wiser and more cost-effective to eat properly and use the higher-quality supplements now, rather than pay a surgeon later.

And, when you are shopping for supplements, do us both a favor: read the labels. Compare the cheap with the expensive. Research the manufacturer, their methods and their quality control practices. Trust me, it all makes a difference.

Just get it straight in your head. Food and supplementation is one of those areas where you get what you pay for (most of the time). Cheap vitamins are cheap for a reason. Spend your money wisely, but be aware that cheap is not necessarily best, and may cost you in the long run.

So, you've gained a few pounds, maybe more than a few. You decided that it is finally time to get rid of the extra weight. You decided that it is finally time to get back to your old healthy self. So you went on a diet. The checkout counter magazines, the daytime TV shows, even your friends tell you that you need to diet to get back into shape. I’m talking about the commercial diet plans such as Atkins for Life, The South Beach Diet, The DASH Diet, The Best Life Diet and others that are similar. Are you on one of these diets?

Well, if you are, I may have some bad news for you.

Diets don’t work. Plain and simple. But beyond that, they may be killing you. And I’m not joking.

Diets don’t work because they rely on restricted calories and reduced macronutrients (carbs, protein and fat). Simply put, the human body does not understand the concept of dieting. When a person restricts her calories, her body perceives this as starvation. When the body perceives starvation, it does what it’s supposed to do, and holds onto the fat. This is survival. So instead of getting leaner, the person who severely restricts her caloric intake will get fatter, or at the very least, stay fat.

Furthermore, current evidence suggests that these diets and similar plans, are severely lacking in micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (“Prevalence of micronutrient deficiency in popular diet plans,” Jayson B. Calton, June 10, 2010) found that, “Six micronutrients (vitamin B7, vitamin D, vitamin E, chromium, iodine and molybdenum) were identified as consistently low or nonexistent in all four diet plans.” and, “These findings are significant and indicate that an individual following a popular diet plan as suggested, with food alone, has a high likelihood of becoming micronutrient deficient; a state shown to be scientifically linked to an increased risk for many dangerous and debilitating health conditions and diseases.”

So, while in the pursuit of better health, you may be putting your health at risk. Deficiencies in macro- and micronutrients are dangerous. Have you ever noticed when a person is on a diet, they are not the most pleasant person to be around? This is not just because they are miserable because they didn’t get to have that piece of cheesecake that they wanted. This is because their body is experiencing a shortage in the nutrients that it requires to remain healthy. These shortages can result in everything from mood swings to lack of energy and in some cases, severe lethargy and death. And all in the name of losing weight.

Do me and yourself and those around you a big favor. Don’t diet. There are much more intelligent and permanent ways to lose weight. Keeping the body in balance is the key to getting and staying healthy and fit. If you would like to know how, visit our website at www.MeetTheRhino.com or give us a call at 951-283-9473.

You're going to a Memorial Day Barbecue. And you're dreading the pain of having to deal with all of those tempting, fattening foods. Well, you can survive. In addition to the obvious things, (like avoiding too much beer) these tips can keep you from sabotaging your fitness success.

1.    Have a healthy meal prior. If you are satisfied, you are less likely to overindulge. Even if you just have a good old fashioned protein shake before you leave, you will feel more full and not be inclined to eat more than you should.

2.    Bring your own healthy dish, vegetables with low fat dip. Hosts won’t usually turn their noses up when a guest brings a nice plate of food. It is almost always welcome. So you get to have something nutritious to munch on AND you get to look like a gracious guest. It’s a win-win.

3.    Tortilla chips and salsa not potato chips and onion dip. There’s just way too much fat in potato chips. No one should be eating them. And then load them up with sour cream? That’s thunder thighs just waiting to happen. Opt for the lesser-of-two-evils corn chips and salsa. You’ll thank me later.

4.    Use small plates – practice portion control. Smaller plates get full faster, giving you the mental picture that you are eating more. Let’s face it, if the food is there on your plate, you are more likely to want to eat it. ALL. Less on your plate, means you’ll eat less.

5.    Don’t limit yourself – have fun, just make the right choices. Be smart, think about what you are putting on your plate and in your mouth. But enjoy yourself. Eating well is not a death sentence, if you make the right choices, you can still have fun.

Most importantly, remember the next day is Tuesday. Get back to the gym and get your normal routine exercising done. You’ll beat yourself up a lot less for a little overindulgence on Monday, if you make a point to try to burn it all off on Tuesday.

In previous posts, we looked at the reasons why we need to stay hydrated, especially during exercise, and how to do this. In this post, we will talk about the signs and symptoms of dehydration. If you are not getting enough to drink, your body will begin to show you through various symptoms. If these are ignored, they can get worse and eventually may lead to serious illness and death. It is crucial, therefore, that when you experience the FIRST sign of dehydration, you stop, hydrate and then decide if you can continue the activity. To be honest, depending on the degree of dehydration, it can be difficult to get hydrated quickly enough to continue. It can possibly take hours to consume enough fluid to safely continue, even in moderate dehydration.

The first signs of mild to moderate dehydration are:

•    Sticky, dry mouth (cotton mouth)
•    Thirst
•    Fatigue
•    Headache
•    Lightheadedness or dizziness
•    Muscle weakness

At these first signs, you should immediately stop activity and hydrate with some water or sports drink. It may be difficult to “catch up” your hydration level at this point. It should be pointed out that when a person first begins to feel thirsty, he is already dehydrated. Children are especially prone to dehydration, because their metabolic rates are higher and they generally require much more fluid than adults. In addition, their kidneys are not able to conserve fluid as well as adults’. Therefore, it is extremely important to monitor the hydration of children during physical activity.

Signs of severe dehydration include:

•    Extremely dry mouth
•    Extreme thirst
•    Rapid heartbeat
•    Confusion and irritability
•    Sunken eyes
•    Cessation of sweating
•    Fever
•    In extreme cases, fainting and unconsciousness

One of the best indicators of hydration or dehydration is the color of your urine. If your urine becomes dark yellow or deep amber color, this is a sign of dehydration. Clear or lemonade-colored indicates adequate hydration. As we said before, thirst is a good indicator or dehydration, however, it almost always comes too late. You must be sure you are already adequately hydrated BEFORE you begin any physical activity.

At the other end of the scale is a condition called, hyponatremia. This is technically water intoxication, but actually occurs as the result of a dilution of sodium (salt) in the body. You may experience this if you drink too much water without replacing electrolytes. This is why it is important to add a sports drink or some electrolytic replacement to your hydration regimen.

A study completed by the U.S. Army indicated that, “dehydration in excess of 2% of body weight consistently impairs aerobic exercise performance.” This study went on to caution of the dangers of hyponatremia as the result of hyper(over)-hydrating before, during or after exercise. It is absolutely critical to be sure you are not only getting the proper amount of water, but also electrolytes.

I hope this post has helped you to see how vital it is to be sure you are not only well hydrated, but that you are replacing the electrolytes in your body, before, during and after physical activity. If you have any questions, seek the advice a qualified professional. In my next installment of this series, I we will talk about some of the best ways to hydrate to maximize your training.

So you’re at work and the meeting ran longer than you expected. It’s way past lunchtime, you’ve got two more meetings in the cue, so you’ve only got about ½ hour to grab something to eat and you forgot to pack anything.

Or, everyone in the office wants to go grab some lunch at the local eatery and you sure don’t want to look like party pooper, so you agree to go. Problem is, it’s junk food. And it’s definitely not on your food plan.

How about this: After work, you head home and the hubby says, “I know I got home before you, but I forgot to take something out of the freezer for dinner. Can you just grab something on the way home?”

What do you do? Oh, what do you do?

I’ll tell you what you’re NOT going to do: you’re not going to use this as an excuse to blow it. Things like this are going to come along all the time, and if you give in every time they do, you are backsliding. We definitely don’t want that.

So, what do you do?

You get smart, that’s what. When you are faced with the drive thru speaker and menu, take a moment to really think about it. And I mean REALLY think about it. Forget the guy behind you who is wishing you would hurry up, or the kid behind the speaker who really wants to get to his break. You have an important choice to make. Take your time and make it wisely.

Let’s take a look at the average burger joint hamburger meal. Everyone knows you should probably leave off the bun. That’s a good start. But how about some of the less obvious things? For instance, do you really need the cheese? There’s a ton of calories right there, not to mention a truck load of fat. Leave off the cheese. Dressing? No, thanks. Most dressings are started with mayonnaise or some similar substance. Ketchup and mustard only please. Bacon? Come on! You know better than that! Are fries ok? Hmm…let’s see. Fries are made of potatoes, a white starchy carb. If I’ve taught you nothing, I have taught you to keep the white starchy carbs to a minimum. Plus, they are fried, yes that’s right, FRIED. Hence the name French FRIES. Get it? Do us both a favor and leave the fries for someone else. What else comes in these meals? Oh, yeah, a drink. You already know, soda is a big no-no. Opt for a water with lemon or unsweetened ice tea instead. You’ll be fine.

Well, that’s great, you say, but I’m going to a chicken place. Well, let’s hope it’s not one of the FRIED chicken places. However, most of the fried chicken places are now offering grilled chicken sandwiches. While they may not be truly grilled, they’re better than fried. And, no bun, no dressing, etc.

If you happen to go to one of the healthier chicken places, good for you! But watch for hidden surprises. Opt for chicken salads,  tostada bowls, etc. But don’t you dare eat the fried tortilla shell! (Sensing a theme here?) Again, stay away from buns and dressings, including dipping sauces.

Did you say Mexican? Oh boy, this is going to take some work. Same rules as above apply: no buns (or tortillas), no fried ANYTHING, and leave off the dressings. And yes, sour cream and guacamole are dressings. Salsa is ok, as long as it’s made of fresh veggies, not tons of ketchup and BBQ sauce. Salads and tostadas are good (again, no tortillas). Look really hard, I’m sure you can find SOMETHING to order.

Oh, Italian. That’s almost as tough as Mexican. However, there are plenty of Italian dishes you can eat without destroying your food plan. Try chicken and veggie dishes. I have seen a grilled chicken and veggie plate at some Italian places. Again, watch out for the hidden dressings, sauces or cooking oils. Oh, and by the way, stay away from the breadsticks and dipping bread with olive oil. No, no, no, no, no!

So, what I am telling you is this: be smart about what you order. Anywhere you go, you can find something to eat that is satisfying and won’t make you feel guilty. Just give it some thought. You’re smart, apply it!