After watching the NY Giants surprisingly upset the previously undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, it's easy to ask, was the Patriots season all for naught?

Having a similar experience when my high school basketball team fell short of the 1987 Minnesota State Championship, it was hard not to question if all the hard work, time, energy and practice was for nothing, since we didn't achieve our ultimate goal.

Unfortunately, we are a society attached to outcomes by which we often measure our success and consider ourselves a "failure" if the outcome doesn't match our original aspiration. As a result, we have a tendency to negate all the time, effort, energy and passion that are a huge part of the process.

In my own experience, though the outcome wasn't quite what we envisioned, what I remember most was not just the fun, the thrill, and the excitement of the path in getting there, but mostly what I learned about myself and life along the way.

We've all heard it before: life is a journey, not a destination. The destination or goal gives us the direction and focus, but it is the journey where we gather our memories and the sweetness of life!

Lisa Brisse & the State of the Heart Fitness Staff

1. Think success, not failure: How you think is everything. What we repeatedly think will manifest itself. In order to be healthy, you must believe that you can do whatever it takes and that you have the resources available to you. A healthy attitude has a positive effect on the body. If you believe it, you will see it.

2. Decide upon your true dreams and goals: Keep a written record of your specific health goals (weight, cholesterol level, blood pressure, fitness level, etc) and review them every day; read them out loud to yourself. Do this first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Keep the list handy to remember them throughout the day!

3. Take action: Goals are nothing without action. Don't be afraid to get started NOW. Just do it. There is no better time than the present. Begin improving your eating habits today. Get out and walk today. Tomorrow never comes. Life is taken one day at a time.

4. Never stop learning: Read as much as you can about health. Learn how to shop and/or cook healthy meals. Hire a personal trainer or join a gym and find out more about the exercise regimen that is specific to your needs. Learn about your body and realize what an amazing miracle it is! The more you understand about your body, the more you are inclined to take care of it!

5. Be persistent and work hard: Success is a marathon, not a sprint. There are NO quick fixes...no magic pills! Never give up. Like all things, there will be some setbacks on the road to health - some difficult times ahead. This IS a part of the process. Setbacks don't equal failure, rather they are a part of your growth. You will encounter obstacles but they are not a sign to quit, but a challenge to strengthen your commitment to yourself and to your health.

That's all for this month, folks! Tune into April's newsletter for the next 5 secrets. In the meantime, have fun and feel good practicing these! -Adapted from Chef Jeff Novick, "10 Secrets of Success"

Water not only covers 70% of the earth, but it also makes up about 60% of the body. This alone should tell you how important water is to our health!

Water has two primary functions:

1.) To cool your system: when you exercise, there are several mechanisms that keep you cool, but if your body cannot cool itself through sweating, you'll overheat, creating the potential for nausea, light-headedness, heat exhaustion, and even heat stroke!
2.) To transport waste (through sweat or urine): if you don't drink enough water, your kidneys have to work harder as their job is to filter the water in your system so your body can use it.

How do you know if you're getting enough water?
Simply by monitoring the volume and color of your urine, you'll know if your water intake is sufficient. If well hydrated, you should urinate in significant quantity every 2-4 hours and it should be a clear, lemonade color. If the urine is dark, you need to consume more water... 8-12 glasses of water per day is recommended. Note: Though tempting to think you're getting fluid through coffee, tea, and alcohol, these beverages actually have a dehydrating effect, causing you to lose fluids. Of course it's okay to consume any of these, but remember to drink 2 large glasses of water beforehand to maintain a normal hydration level.

During exercise, drinking water becomes absolutely imperative to replenish fluid loss from perspiration. Dehydration can definitely impair your ability to exercise efficiently and optimally. In fact, just a 2% loss in water in the body can make your exercise feel 25% harder! Therefore, 8-10 ounces of water is recommended for every 20 minutes of exercise. However, when you perspire, you lose more than water, you also lose electrolytes.

What are electrolytes and what do they do?
Electrolytes are particular minerals that your body needs to perform certain functions. The two primary electrolytes are sodium and potassium. These elements serve very important functions, including the transmission of electrical signals through your body (like heart rate & muscle contraction) as well as the regulation of fluid levels. Sodium regulates the amount of water your body retains. If you eat something salty, you usually crave water afterwards as your body tries to keep your sodium level in balance. By the same token, with low sodium, you generally crave salty food in your body's effort to maintain equilibrium.

Potassium, on the other hand, regulates the transport of fluid into and out of individual cells. Without enough potassium, swelling can occur as water gets trapped inside your cells and can't be released. A lack of potassium can lead to muscle cramping.

Staying hydrated during and after exercise will help to minimize any kind of muscle discomfort. Keep your body hydrated and it will perform better and more efficiently for life!

State of the Heart Fitness'
1st weekend wellness retreat
@ the loews santa monica beach hotel!
April 18th-20th
a weekend of "feel good" - exercise, health & relaxation
call or stay tuned for more details!

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