Enjoy the holiday season like an elite athlete!

   “Fly!"

That’s what Peter Frenette said he’ll be doing during the holidays. The Shaklee Pure Performance Team member will work to soar onto the U.S. team for the 2014 Games in Sochi. Peter is a ski jumper, so his flight is a bit more harrowing than the comfort and safety of a modern jetliner. Still, he’ll take some actions that will help him relish the holidays and still achieve his lofty goals. Likewise, Jamie Greubel and Curt Tomasevicz, both elite athletes and bobsledders on the Pure Performance Team, will also be “pushing” toward Sochi this month. And I guarantee they’ll repeat some of Peter’s holiday routines. And you can bet skiers Kris Freeman and Lanny and Tracy Barnes will follow the familiar formula for holiday success that most champion athletes have discovered.

Consider these essential elite athlete tips as you race through your holiday season:

Rest: The top athletes—as energetic and robust as they come—know that they’ll perform better with scheduled breaks or down time. Impossible as it may seem during this time of year, do what Kris Freeman does once in a while: glide downhill and enjoy the ride, even if just for a few hours a week.

Work: If you’re lucky enough to be away from the office or daily grind for several days, peel off of the couch and go burn some calories. You don’t need to push a 500 pound bobsled like Curt Tomasevicz, but some invigorating exorcise or fun physical activity can brighten your holidays immensely.

Give: Share the “spirit” with your loved ones!  It’s the spirit of joy, spirit of gratitude, spirit of giving, and spirit of life. It may be the spirit of Christmas or Hanukah, or any other meaningful celebration, but it will be more special to all if you share it exuberantly with those around you.

Gather: Most of the winter athletes on the Pure Performance Team are currently in the selection process for the 2016 Games. That means they’ll likely be far from their families, and possibly in a foreign country. But they’ll gather with their teammates and celebrate the bonds that last far beyond their competitive careers. How about us? Many of our loved ones are close by—grab them and squeeze tight for a three-heartbeat hug you’ll cherish forever!

Dream: What’s behind the gold medals, the championships, and incredible athletic feats or our Pure Performance Team heroes? The same magic that can help make your holidays memorable and great: dreams.

On behalf of the athletes of the Shaklee Pure Performance Team and the leadership and staff of Shaklee Corporation all around the world, I wish you a happy holiday season. You deserve it!

The Shaklee Pure Performance athletes are either Distributors or dedicated users who have received compensation for their partnership and/or complimentary Shaklee products.

MJ 

Info thanks to Shaklee Health Wise Blog 

Have a healthy finish to 2013! Shaklee, powering USA olympic medals winner: http://mjshealthyway.com  

Finding Your Inner Athlete Part 3

Smart Hydration for Better Workouts

Did you know the human body is made up of 60% water? Physiologically, fluids assist in the transportation of oxygen and nutrients through the bloodstream, provide lubrication in our joints and cushioning for our organs, and carry heat generated by exercise to the skin where it can be dissipated as sweat to cool the body. An adult loses about 2 liters of fluid per day through sweat, urine, respiration, and bowel movements, and that's why we often make the recommendation to drink eight glasses of water daily for proper hydration.

But as individuals, we all have different metabolic rates, we all live and exercise in different environments, and we all experience unique rates of sweat loss. Failure to replace lost fluids raises the risk of dehydration and increases the chance athletic performance and even health can be compromised. In addition to water, sweat contains electrolytes such as sodium and potassium that need to be replenished to support optimal fluid balance in the body.
Consider these hydration strategies to help get the most out of your workouts:

• Prehydration is a relatively new concept, but the goal is to prevent dehydration from occurring by properly hydrating and assuring normal plasma-electrolyte levels prior to exercise. Prehydrating can be accomplished by drinking water or sports drinks, and by consuming foods with a high water content several hours before exercise. Most of us can benefit by drinking two to three cups of fluid in the hours before exercise.
• Hydration during exercise helps to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalances and to minimize adverse effects on athletic and mental performance. Losing as little as 2% of body weight (or just 3 pounds in a 150-pound person) during exercise has been shown to compromise athletic performance. Drinking cool liquids early and often, and opting for sports drinks that contain electrolytes and energy-sustaining carbohydrates can be beneficial. In hot and humid conditions, you should drink half a cup or more of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes that you exercise.
• Rehydration after exercise is important to enhance the recovery process and to make up any remaining fluid or electrolyte deficits. In the hours after exercise, try to rehydrate with 2 cups of fluid (yes, 2 cups!) for every pound of weight lost during your workout. If weighing yourself is not an option, checking your urine color is a simple indicator of hydration status. A pale or clear color is usually a sign of proper hydration, whereas a dark yellow or tea-colored urine is a common indicator of dehydration.

So let's all get out and exercise—and drink up for peak athletic performance!

Have a healthy and productive day! 

MJ 

Shaklee, helping our planet stay green since 1956>> http://mjshealthyway.com