Did you know that you could survive a month without eating, but you will last only a week without water? When we are dehydrated, water is removed from each cell in our body causing a variety of problems. Skin issues, sunken eyes , headaches. stiff muscles and joints, mood swings, depression and even disease can be caused, at least in part, by dehydration. But it’s not just drinking water that is important. Abstaining from food and drink that cause dehydration is another major component to staying hydrated. Foods high in sodium and sugar, as well as alcohol cause our cells to let off water, leaving toxins to build up and make problems.
Recent studies show that drinking water plays a role in the regulation of metabolism–your body’s calorie-burning engine. For one thing, if you become dehydrated, your metabolism tends to slow down, meaning that you won’t burn as many calories as normal while at rest. In addition, ample water may reduce appetite and control food intake by making you feel full. You can avoid dehydration–and the accompanying drop in energy and metabolism–by taking steps to protect yourself ahead of time.
Here are some guidelines for staying hydrated:
- Drink high quality water. Adding more toxins into your body can cause other issues, so stick with the good stuff.
- Upon rising, drink 2 cups of water to help cleanse and detoxify your
system. Most people tend to be dehydrated in the morning, so this is a good
time to replace fluids. - Drinking water during your fitness workout is a must. Consume 6 to 8 ounces of drinking water every 15 to 20 minutes while exercising and keep drinking water after exercise. Between 8 and 16 ounces will restore fluids depending on how much you sweat.
- Limit or eliminate caffeinated soda, tea, coffee, and alcohol. All of
these have a diuretic effect, causing fluid loss from your body. - Don’t like plain water? Flavor a pitcher of plain water with herbs
like mint or basil, or slices of citrus fruits or cucumber. - Invest in a water bottle that helps you drink UP!
- Although the traditional recommendation is to drink a minimum of eight
8-ounce glasses of water a day–which is a good move–it’s more
accurate to base your water intake on your body weight. For example,
try to drink at least half your body weight in ounces daily. If you are involved in athletic activity you need to drink one-half your body weight in ounces per day PLUS 16-20 more ounces for every hour of activity! So a 170 lb person should be drinking 85 ounces per day + 16-20 oz for every one hour he or she works out (so 101 oz to 105 oz).
Cheers to day 2!
Coach Michelle