I wanted to address 'soreness' it seems this week we had a lot of
soreness going around - and that is totally normal. Since this was
the first week of camp, we expect you to be sore, new campers may
have a tendency to be more sore than the rest of us, but all of us
still get sore.

Here are some soreness to DO's:

1. Post workout nutrition: How many of you are replenishing your
body with proper post workout nutrition. We recommend one serving of
chocolate milk as soon as possible after the workout. Want to see
more information about the chocolate milk study here is a link to our
blog -where we have the information posted
http://nvabc1.bravejournal.com/ Posted on 11/30/07

Also, another thing to consider right after a workout is
antioxidants, you may consider different options, Jeff takes an
Isagenix Antioxidant capsule with his chocolate milk. Some post
workout drinks like Endurox add A, C & E.

What ever the form, antioxidants help reduce the free radicals that
are produced during your workout. Free radicals are trying to damage
your cells, which in turn contributes to soreness. Therefore use the
antioxidants to fight the free radicals that are trying to make you
sore -- and of course consult your physician and/or pharmacist about
what you should take.

2. Warm Epsom Salt baths. Some of you may have time to take a bath
and some of you may not But a warm bath with Epsom Salts will
reduce muscle inflammation. The salts draw out the lactic acid that
causes muscle soreness.

3. Stretching & Foam Rolling. If you haven't gone to Target or Big 5
or online to Perform Better to purchase a foam roller then you are
crazy. And I say that in the most caring and kindest way. A foam
roller is your sore muscles friend. And after the soreness goes away
the tightness may stay, you must roll to loosen and lengthen your
muscles to prevent and repair.

For those of you that are only coming to camp 3 days per week - don't
be still on the other days. If you are sore you need to move. Get
your muscles warm again and stretch them.

4. Hydration. You all received an attachment with the email that
came out the day before camp began. The water attachment is VERY
important. If you are not drinking at least half your body weight in
ounces of water per day then you are doing your body a real dis-
service. Hydration is vital to performance for one and for flushing
out toxins - such as lactic acid, which causes muscle soreness.

4. General Nutrition. Let me put to you in very general terms if you
put crap in your body all day, you should expect to feel like crap.
If you are not eating the proper amount of calories (you should all
know the proper amount if not use the calculator at active.com) and
if you are not dividing those calories up into 5-6 small meals a day
and eating a proper ratio of protien/fat/carbs then you are basically
telling your body -- I don't care how you feel, I don't want to be
stronger, I don't want to be leaner, I don't want to run faster.
Your body is just like your car: it needs a specific kind of fuel to
operate properly. If you put milk in your car's gas tank, it won't
go, if you wine in instead of motor oil, your car will not run, if
you put juice in instead of power steering fluid -- well you get the
picture. Your body is the same way, it can't operate on empty
calories like juice, mochas, cereal, cheeseburgers and such. And it
can't operate on insufficient calorie intake.

HOWEVER, if you know how many calories you should be eating and you
find out the 40% carb 30% fat and 30% protein ratio and divide that
up into 6 small meals per day and you keep track and make sure you
are fueling your body correctly, you WILL perform better, you WILL
get leaner, you WILL get stronger and you WILL be healthier and reach
your goals.

Oh yeah and it will help with muscle soreness.

Here are things NOT to do:

1. DON'T skip camp because you are sore. The #1 enemy of sore
muscles is lack of movement. You must get to class and use the
muscles again. You move, the blood goes to the muscle it flushes
good blood in and the lactic acid out.

2. DON'T keep your trainer in the dark. If you have pain tell us so
we can help you. We are available by email and phone ALL the time.
Use us.

3. DON'T be a complainer. We are all sore but we made a committment
to ourselves to improve our health. So be pro-active and take the
necessary steps to making yourself well.

We are dedicated to your success and are here to help you but we can
do it for you. As Jim Rohn says 'I can't do your push ups for you,
it won't do you any good.'

So please take good care of yourself and let's get stronger, faster,
leaner, healthier and reach some goals!!