The Gatorade G Series

I don't know how many of you have heard of the new line of products that Gatorade has come out with, but it is called the "G Series." It consists of 3 products that aim to improve your athletic performance: one for before you workout, one to drink during your workout, and one to refuel you after your workout.

The first step of the G Series is the PRIME. This is a 4-oz. pouch you take 15 minutes before your workout/competition and it is designed to prepare you by giving you carbohydrates, B vitamins and electrolytes. These three things give you energy and the power to complete your workout.

The second step is the PERFORM and you take it during your workout/competition. For this step you can use the Original Gatorade drink, the Low-Cal G2 drink, the Original Gatorade powder or the Low-Cal G2 powder (which you just add to water). These will keep you hydrated and and help you maintain a good performance.

The final step is the RECOVER, which is taken after your workout/competition. This drink has protein and carbohydrates to help you replenish and rehydrate after a tough workout.

I recently saw the following commercial and I was curious about it. I just had to try the G Series for myself.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwhatsg&v=nWAjioAfDW0&feature=player_profilepage

So I did. I took the Prime before I went on a jog this morning and I brought along a bottle of Original Gatorade (step 2, Perform) for the duration of my jog. It actually worked pretty well. I felt like I got a stronger start to my jog and I was able to jog a little longer before giving up. Drinking the Gatorade throughout my workout helped me to continue running when I thought I was going to have to stop. After my jog I drank step 3 of the G Series, Recover, and surprisingly I didn't feel exhausted for the rest of my day, I felt refreshed. I thought that the G Series was great, so my advice to you is to try it. I think it would be a great thing to have on those days when you just don't feel like exercising because it gives you a little extra energy and the strength to endure more during your workout.

The different steps of the G Series come in different flavors like berry, fruit punch and orange, and you can get them at almost any grocery store. I really liked it so hopefully you will too!

Stretch, stretch, stretch

Stretching is an important part of healthy living, whether you exercise daily or not. It can help you increase your flexibility, improves your muscles' range of motion, improve circulation and even relieve stress. Stretching before a workout will help to prevent injury and soreness and it will also improve the quality of your workout. Also, stretching daily even when you do not exercise will make you feel healthier because you will have better circulation and motion range of your muscles.

In the following pictures, my roommate Brooke is demonstrating basic stretches that you should do before every workout, as well as a few times per week. These stretches will stretch the main muscles your body uses when you exercise: the calves, hamstrings, quadriceps ("quads"), adductors, lower back, and arms. Each stretch should be held for at least 30 seconds for it to be effective, and should be repeated on each side of the body (i.e. left leg and right leg, left arm and right arm). You should stretch only until you feel a light pull of the muscle and it should not be painful, if pain occurs, you should stop the stretch and talk to your doctor about it.

In the pictures: Brooke Carpenter, 21, Ohio University.

My top 5 "Super-foods"

Making little changes to your everyday diet can really do a lot in your journey to a healthier life. Here are my top 5 "super-foods" that I think everyone should include in their diet:

1. Almonds

If you begin to feel hungry in between meals, a handful of raw almonds (not salted, smoked, etc.) can do your body a world of good. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals that benefit many parts of the body, including the brain, making them the perfect snack for the college student. Almonds have many health benefits, but here are a few of the most important ones:

They are very nutrient dense, making you feel fuller than many other snack foods. They can aid in weight loss by making you feel nourished when you eat, curbing your cravings for other snacks.

Rich in manganese, riboflavin and copper, they can help you to boost your energy and make it through a long day filled with classes, homework and meetings.

They contain the chemical phenylalanine, which helps to improve brainpower, making them the ultimate study-time snack.

Photo courtesy of: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~wellness/wpp/nutri/images/food/almonds5.jpg


2. Power breakfast: A rice cake with peanut butter and honey


Breakfast is often considered the "most important" meal of the day, so it's important to make it a good one. Eating breakfast gives us the energy to start our day and can help aid in weight control. Here is one of my favorite power breakfasts to help me get through a long day, as well as my morning workout:

A plain rice cake with low-fat peanut butter spread on top with a drizzle of honey.

Rice cakes provide carbohydrates, which can give us the fuel to start and continue our day. Peanut butter is a good source of protein and will leave you feeling full. It also has calcium, which supports healthy bones and prevents muscle spasms. Honey is a natural sweetener, making this breakfast both delicious and nutritious. It also gives us carbohydrates for strength and energy, and can help us boost performance.

3. Green Tea

This is a great drink for promoting good health. It is packed with antioxidants, and has been said to help fight cancer and heart disease, but also to speed up metabolism. It has been shown to lower cholesterol and combat obesity.

So instead of reaching for a soda or water, try drinking a cup of green tea. You can find it at any grocery store and there are many different flavors such as lemon and berry. Try drinking it hot, or brew it and pour it over ice for a iced green tea on those hot spring quarter days.



Photo courtesy of: http://www.aeromedi.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/green-tea.jpg

4. Whole Wheat

Switching your bread products such as pasta, bread and crackers from white to whole wheat products can help you live a healthier life. Whole wheat products are high in dietary fiber, which is necessary for a healthy diet, compared to refined (white) products which are stripped of their natural goodness.

5. Eggs

Eggs are great for any meal. They are high in protein and very nutrient dense, meaning they will leave you feeling fuller longer so you aren't reaching for the chip bag any time soon. Also they contain the nutrient choline, which supports healthy brain functioning and memory.

The best thing about them is that they are so versatile; you can scramble them, fry them or hard boil them. They can be paired with veggies, cheese or meat to make an omelet, or hard boiled and put in a salad. There is so much you can do with eggs, get creative!

My favorite egg-based meal is an omelet with tomatoes, onions, peppers and mushrooms on top of brown rice with a tiny bit of hot sauce. Yum!


Photo courtesy of: http://www.panix.com/~clay/cookbook/images/eggs.jpg

Say "goodbye" to the gym and "hello" to spring weather

What's better than spending hours in a gym with about 600 other college students fighting to find a treadmill? For me, just about anything. Luckily there are plenty of other ways to get exercise on a college campus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that adults get a total of 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week and do muscle-strengthening activities twice per week. Walking is a great way to meet those guidelines- that's 30 minutes five days per week. Whenever you have spare time, grab a friend and go on a walk. I've found that taking walks with my friends is a great way to catch up and also a great way to relax and relieve stress. During the day, I always find myself stressed out about classes, homework and a bunch of other little things, but walking at night has helped me to relieve at least a little bit of that stress.

Another one of my favorite things to do to get exercise is rollerblading. The health benefits of rollerblading can actually match those of running and cycling, and rollerblading is fun. Its a great alternative to running and it helps to strengthen the muscles and the connective tissues surrounding the ankles, knees and hips. On campus here at Ohio University the bike path out by the river is a great place to rollerblade- but if you are new to rollerblading i would suggest protective equipment, such as wrist guards, because it can be a little tricky.

There are so many other things that you can do to get exercise on a college campus, like playing any kind of sport (example: lacrosse, soccer, basketball) outside with your friends, but rollerblading and walking are two of my favorites. With activities like that you can enjoy the beautiful spring weather and get your workout in without all the craziness of a crowded gym.