Hydration

Majority of people do not drink enough water in their day.  Sometimes we think we’re hungry, when actually we’re just thirsty. During exercise, people might not drink enough water, drink too much water, or don’t replenish their electrolytes properly, which can result is multiple problems in our body. This is why knowing how to hydrate yourself during your day is so important to keep your body functioning properly.

Facts

  • The human body is made up of about 60% water
  • Adipose tissue (fat) is made up of about 25% water
  • Muscle are about 75% water
  • Skin is about 65% water
  • Eyes are about 95% water

Benefits of staying hydrated

  • Keeps joints lubricated in your body (shock absorber)
  • Helps deliver nutrients to your cells
  • Helps you regulate your body temperature
  • Improves your concentration, focus and mood during your day
  • Flush bacteria and waste products from your body
  • Stools will be softer (and your pelvic floor will be happier since you’re not bearing down to go to the bathroom)

How much water you need to drink varies from person to person. It depends on your overall health, the environment in which you live, how much you exercise, what you are eating and if you’re breastfeeding or pregnant. On average, adults should consume 3 L of fluid each day. This calculates to about 40 mL of water/ kg of body weight.

Water is best to consume to get your daily recommendations in.  But, coffee, tea, electrolyte drinks, fruits/vegetables and unsweetened juices can count towards the total amount of water you get each day. Just be mindful of how much caffeine or sugar content of the drinks you’re having and how this might affect your body. Alcohol will dehydrate you, so try to drink 8 oz of water in-between each drink … you’re body and head will thank you the next morning!

Signs of Dehydration:

  • little to no urine
  • dry mouth
  • headaches
  • feeling light headed or dizzy
  • confusion
  • low blood pressure
  • rapid heart rate

Exercise and Electrolytes

Athletes or people who exercise at higher intensity rates, are at risk for hypoatremia (too much water vs sodium content in their body) or hypokalemia (too low of potassium vs water in their body) because of the excessive fluid floss during exercise from sweating. They might feel thirsty and drink and excess of regular plain water, vs replenishing themselves with an electrolyte drink that is less then 10% concentration.    Having a balance of electrolytes is essential for our body to function properly.

Tricks for drinking more water

Here are my tricks to drinking water in my day:

1. I fill up 3 contigo water bottles and my workout water bottle every morning and place them around the house where I know I hang out the most. ( Kitchen table/ living room, car, my studio and beside my bed). Before I even start my day, I drink 16 oz to get my systems rolling.

2. I add cucumbers, oranges or limes to one of my waters to change up the taste.

3. I drink 8 oz of water before each meal.

4. In my kettle, I bring to a boil lemon and ginger.  I will drink it warm, or let it cool and put it in a mason jar in my fridge and drink that during my day.

Tell me: How many ounces do you drink a day? What are your tricks for staying hydrated?