Wellness Wednesdays

Water

There are two life giving substances that I drink daily; coffee and water. I used to hate water with a passion, yet my mom would tell me to drink more water as a solution to everything. Tired? Drink more water. Headache? Drink more water. Grumpy? Drink more water. You get the picture. Of course her being my mother, she was right. Your body is made up of about 60% to 55% water, depending on your fat ratio. (Fat cells hold less water).  Your brain is made up of about 80% water. If you're dehydrated your body is going to send you signals that you are in desperate need of some H2O, this includes headaches, being tired, hungry, or in a sour mood.

When you perspire it's water that has flowed though your cells and has picked up sodium and some electrolytes along the way. This is not a bad thing because it's flushing out toxins and cleansing the body. The problem comes when you aren't replacing the good stuff, electrolytes, fast enough. This is why sports drinks are so popular, it's an easy way to replace the electrolytes. Remember, sports drinks are only a replacement for water in the right situation, e.g., a hot day, excessive exercising, etc.

Now that the science and disclaimers are over, What about the rest of us? Most people complain about the taste of water. Water doesn't have a taste. A squeeze of fresh lime or lemon in a glass of water is a nice way to "give it some flavor." There are many other "water enhancers" out there that you can find at almost any convenience store, but water doesn't need "enhancing."

So how much water should you drink? There are a lot of factors that go into the exact amount, but the average is 8 glasses a day. Once you have it figured out add in water slowly, an extra glass per week at different times of the day. Make sure you are hydrated before you exercise as well. Trying to hydrate yourself while sweating is counterproductive and puts strain on the body. 

-Josie

Fundraising Update

I've been asked for a progress update on my fundraising for my Summer Intensive.

As of now I have raised two-thirds of the funds I need!  For those of you who have given, I cannot thank each of you enough! Your gifts of money and encouragement have meant the world to me! They have made me smile and cry a little (or a lot) with joy. They have touched me and are helping me realize my dreams!

Many of you have asked me for a deadline as well.  Since most programs require full payment before day one of the intensive, my final payments will be due on or around May 1.  

If you would still like to give (or give again!), since I am still short of my financial goal by $1,900, any amount you can contribute will be greatly appreciated. 

I'm extremely excited for what this summer has in store for me and within the next few weeks I shall be enrolling!  

Thank you for all your support!

-Josie

Wellness Wednesdays

Sugar

Last week I was going to post about sugar. Sadly I ended up with a bad cold and was unable to do much of anything, much less write and finish a blog post. Below is an excerpt of what I was originally going to say.

"...The Sugar Monster

Once upon a time, there lived a little red headed girl in a magical kingdom. Every morning she would have toast for breakfast at 8 o'clock. One day she decided to put some jam on her toast. At 9 o'clock the earth started to shake and something ripped off the top of her little house. A HUGE ugly monster looked down at her and...

Okay that story is a piece of poor fiction. But it's surprising how often the sugar monster can visit you as soon as you have some chocolate or jam. An hour or so latter you suddenly could really go for another piece of chocolate, maybe even some cookies? The trick to dealing with the sugar monster? Don't eat sugar. If you do and the sugar monster does come, ignore it. Starve the monster and the smaller he will become. And ladies, lets not use our hormonal imbalances as an excuse to eat the whole bag of M&M's. Yes we do crave it more, but using it as an excuse to not feel guilty about poor health choices is not a good idea..."

I must have been in a bad unforgiving mood when I wrote the above. I must have been hormonally imbalanced and dying to eat that whole bag of M&M's in the pantry.  Possibly I was feeling guilty about attempting to eat the whole bag weeks before. That attitude is the exact one you don't want to have with sugar. Yes, it's very delicious and we do make poor choices, but being harsh on yourself and acting as if it's the end of the world won't make things better.

This friday is Valentines Day. My Sweetheart has already given me a heart-shaped box of chocolate. He knows I love chocolate and it's ultimately the perfect gift for me. I have already opened it, and have been trying to slowly enjoy each piece through out this week. It's a gift to me, not a burden. I can't let sweets be anything other than a gift. Enjoy it, savor it, but don't over indulge.

-Josie

Pittsburgh Ballet Theater - Summer Intensive Auditions 2014

Early Sunday, January 26th, my Dad and I drove up to Charlotte NC for my PBT Summer Intensive Audition. We had some lunch and then found our way around Charlotte.

The Audition was held at NC Dance Theater inside the Rehearsal Hall.

Above, filling out my form beforehand. Below, standing in age line to receive an audition number.

The Audition went very well. It was very organized and informative about the program. I'm looking forward to hearing some news!

-Josie