Drink More Water in the Winter

We're often told that the heat causes dehydration and so we need to re-hydrate in the hot summer months. But did you know that your body also loses a lot of water in the winter? When it is terribly cold outside, you lose water through your breath as well. It is therefore just as important to hydrate in cold months as it is in hot months.

If you are an avid exerciser, this is definitely doubly true for you as you also lose water when you work out (in sweat). Dehydration can cause your muscles to be fatigued and your body to feel tired. I don't know about you, but my muscles are already always tired and stiff in the winter so the water loss makes it worse.

What should you do to stay hydrated? Drink more water! Also, eat less salty foods that cause you to feel bloated. This is especially important in winter as we tend to go for more comfort foods when it is cold.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Read My Article on Cosmopolitan Magazine

The Nigerian Cosmo magazine has featured an article I wrote about how to get nice abs. We all need a reminder about what to do besides sit-ups so check it out here.

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Abs: Standing Twists

People tend to forget a lot of muscles when they work the abs. The obliques are pretty important when trying to get some definition in your abs. 

The up-down movement of the sit-up shouldn't be your only abs strength training. Twist from your midsection and look to the left and the right as you turn. See the video below for a demonstration.

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Abs Work: Russian Twists

Working on the abs requires working on various muscles in the abdominal region. This is one of the reasons why solely doing sit-ups won't help. Another reason is that you need diet, cardio, and strength training to build better abs, but that is a topic for another day. 

For today, we'll focus on one of the large muscle groups in that region: the obliques (sides of the abs). You can work these by doing a variety of exercises, but one of the really good ones is called the "Russian Twist". 

I will show you two ways to do this exercise: the easier and the more challenging way.

Easier way

Keeping the heels on the floor and the upper body angled back, slowly twist side to side. This twisting motion should come from the waist, not the neck or the hips. Looking in the direction you are twisting towards sometimes helps with this movement.

More challenging way

To challenge your body, do the same exercise with your heels lifted off the floor. However, try to keep the torso in the same position and still twist side to side from the waist, not the legs. Be slow and precise with your movements.

Cheers Eights & Weights!