Cascade Ice

Thank you Cascade Ice for sending me a package of your  amazing sparkling water. It was delicious. My coach approved these for me to drink. As I am in prep and have a very strict diet so I was really happy when they arrived at my door! My favourite flavour was grapefruit.

What is Cascade Ice you ask? Well it is a sparkling water beverage that is ZERO CALORIES! Sodium Free. Caffeine Free. Gluten Free. Zero Grams of Sugar. And no Carbs.

According to the Cascade Ice website, "Cascade Ice is available in over 30 great tasting varieties. Cascade Ice water is a sodium free, caffeine free, gluten free flavored sparkling water with a clean crisp, delicious taste.  Cascade Ice water eliminates all the unnecessary, unhealthy “extras” found in other flavored waters like sugar, sodium, carbs, caffeine and gluten – giving you pure, refreshing taste."

 

Alicia Bell - GP8 Sport Water

Fitness isn’t all about working out hard in the gym everyday. It's a lifes It is much more than that. It not only includes exercise but diet and hydration. I call water, “liquid courage.” It gives your body life, regulates your core temperature, lubricates joints, gives your skin a healthy glow, and keep you from being bloated. “Liquid courage” is particularly important during exercise. Your body sweats to get rid of toxins and to cool off your body. However, you need to rehydrate yourself before, during and afterwards.

Dehydration can cause drops in blood volume that can cause muscle craps, extreme fatigue and/or dizziness. You should always have a water bottle close by when working out. I always say if your thirsty it is too late. This is because at this point you are already well on your way to dehydration. That means you need to make sure that you are drinking water all day long and not just during workouts. Stay away from juices they contain high amounts of concentrated sugar and no one needs those excess calories. Also note that the body wants to turn sugars to fat. If you are performing endurance exercises for long periods of time you my want to consider something that has electrolytes. I suggest more natural electrolytes such as coconut water rather than powerade or gatorade.

Follow these tips to stay hydrated:

1. Drink at least 2L-4L of water a day
2. Carry a water bottle
3. Avoid prolonged periods in the sun

So keep that “liquid courage” close because it will help you succeed in your health and fitness goals.

I always drink GP Sport Water: www.gp8.c0m

11 Suggestions To Avoid The Spring Break Hangovers

We have all had those nights that last until 5am or 6am in the morning and have had to be up at 8:30am for an important meeting at the office with a pounding headache, churning stomach, the room feeling like it’s spinning and smelling like a bottle of patron.

As we all know going to work with a hangover is never a positive outcome and can reflect badly upon your professionalism. The following are some suggestions that you can follow to prevent hangovers so you can enjoy the next day after a wild night, rather than dreading it.

yale - alicia bell - serving

Suggestion#1
Take vitamins on a regular basis.

Alcohol depletes the body of important nutrients. So you are doing yourself a favor, especially if you are regularly taking Vitamin B and C. The depletion of Vitamin B in the human body can lead to hangovers. Vitamins are particularly good to take because some are antioxidants that rid the body of free radicals. Which are the little buggers that cause damage at a cellular level. Some work directly on he liver which will help you fight off that hangover.

Suggestion #2
Make sure to eat before heading out for a big night on the town.

When you stomach is full the alcohol that you consume won’t be absorbed as fast into your blood stream. Also sometimes when you drink on an empty stomach your body can’t handle it and wants to expell the toxins. Vomitting at the club is never a good look.

Suggestion #3
Try to avoid mixing different types of alcohols at all costs.

When you drink different types of alcohol at once such as liquor, wine, champagne and beer you are usually concocting a mixture of disaster. Some people have sensitive stomachs. So remember that each type of alcohol is made differently and sometimes your own body can’t handle all of that at once.

Suggestion  #4
Try and avoid sweet drinks containing sugars or cocktails with a sweet juice base such as having too many red bull vodka, patron and pineapple, Rum and Cokes, Daiquiris, Margaritas or mojitos.

Sugar causes a spike in your insulin levels. You may feel great for a minute with lots of energy but your body will quickly crash. This is what is known as a high HIGH followed by a low LOW. This can cause the dreaded hangover so I suggest you stick to diet or sugar free mixes.

Suggestion #5
Keep your body hydrated during the day and while you are out at night.

I know we all hate running to the bathroom every five minutes but it is important to keep your body hydrated. Especially when you drink. H20 is the best thing one can take. Particularly PH water. I know when you’re out all you want to drink is alcohol but try and slip in a few glasses of water here and there it helps. Also try and down a glass or two before hitting the sheets when you get home. I guess Vodka waters kind of count in this department but don’t go overboard.

Suggestion #6
Eat Something when you get home before you go to sleep.

Just like rule #2 When you stomach is full the alcohol that you consume won’t be absorbed as fast into your blood stream. I find when you eat something before going to bed after a hard night of drinking it also helps. Something like a few soda crackers or a slice of bread to help absorb the alcohol helps.

Suggestion #7
Try to get a good sleep. 2hrs won’t cut it.

Sleep is when your body regenerates and recovers. Therefore the less sleep you get, the harder it is for you body to recover. A good amount is between 5 and 8 hours. Any less than that and you aren’t getting the proper sleep to help your body recover properly.

Suggestion #8
The next day, try to avoid caffeine.

A lot of caffeine will continue to dehydrate you, the opposite of what you want if you are trying to do to cure a hang over. So try and reach for some water instead of that regular cup of joe.

Suggestion #9
Take a Contrast Bath or a Shower.

Taking a shower always helps. Try switching between cold and hot water. This will help with sore muscles from a night of dancing and also help to wake you up. Plus it will help you not smell like the bar, the booze and the brauds that you encountered the night before.

Suggestion #10
Get some exercise.

Try doing some sort of physical activity when you wake up. Try anything that will keep you sweating. It takes a bit of willpower to move like that when standing seems like a challenge, but trust me sweat it out and get the endorphins going and you’ll feel 1000x better.

Suggestion #11
Call in Sick to Work if non of the above remedies works.

No one wants to tarnish their reputation or professionalism at their place of work. So It is best to stay in bed. Tell them that you think that you have the flu. You will already be In rough shape and most likely sound horrible on the phone so they will believe you. Just make sure that none of them saw you at the bar, and that you didn’t do anything to make the news or tmz the next day.

GOOD LUCK and happy hangover free partying!

 

I am in love with the Swell Bottle! They are the best looking water bottle that I have come across in a long time! I so want one for the gym!

swell

The Stone Collection is 500 ml/17 oz and has a durable finish that has a chip-resistant color coating.

According to their site the bottle:

  • Keeps your drinks cold for 24 hours, hot 12
  • Safe for you and Mother Earth: 18/8 stainless steel, non-toxic, non- leaching and BPA free
  • Ergonomically designed to fit in your hand and your cupholder (stroller too)
  • The subtle stone texture keeps your bottle in your grip after a long run or a hot yoga session
  • Water won’t bead on the outside: hands, bags and papers stay blissfully dry
  • Mouth is big enough for an ice cube, small enough for drip-free sipping
  • Polished enough for the office, tough enough for any adventure

Available in:

Citrine (orange), Peridot (lime green), Blue Tourmaline (cyan blue), Amethyst (purple), Smokey Quartz (grey) and Moonstone (white).

What do you think? Which color do you like the best?

Having trouble getting enough water. Pack to bottles and do this to them:

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This morning I woke up and grabbed a vitamin water as I walked out the door. I took it because it was available, not because I'm an advocate or even because I believe it has health benefits. I then started taking sips of it and kept taking it in and out of my bag. Then I noticed the cap was half screwed on and it had leaked all trough my bag. It's water right? It shouldn't do that much damage. As I was cleaning the bag out I noticed it was sticky. So clearly there is added sugar. Not so heathy. Right then and there I started to think more about the "vitamin water." I came to a realization I not only get it sometimes because I'm feeling that color but hve been known to buy xxx because of its name. I haven't even been drinking it to its health purposes at all. Who else does this?

Today I discovered Blk. Water at my local store. The product already has tons of celebrity endorsers. I am betting we will be seeing lots of this water in the future.

According to their site  it is pronounced " blk.(bee • el • kay) n." and  "blk is the first ever fulvic-enhanced all-natural mineral water. blk is what happens when fulvic trace minerals are added to pure water. blk is powerful electrolytes and a high pH. blk is serious hydration. blk is a delicious beverage without any sugar, carbs or calories."

Blk claims that their product contains fulvic minerals. What are fulvic minerals? "Organic minerals within the structures of prehistoric plants were deposited onto the surface of the earth, where they were combined with fulvic acids. This continued for millions of years, gradually forming rare Fulvic Mineral deposits"

In addition to the minerals it is also Ph balanced for your body and we all know how important that is in water and for the body. I give this product a 5 star Train It Right Rating and will definitely be drinking lots of it.