Hydration: What You Need To Know
Your workouts are on point, and your proteins are measured along with the optimal intake of quality carbs and healthy fats throughout the day. But, while so much attention has been spent on what you are eating, not enough attention is spent on the most basic of needs: WATER!
Hydration is essential, and optimizing it can make or break both your physical and mental performance.
How much should you drink?
At the most basic level, I recommend drinking at least 64 ounces each day. Get yourself a large reusable water bottle and keep refilling it throughout the day. If drinking that much water sounds daunting, keep in mind that water isn’t the only way to hydrate. In fact, many liquids you drink, besides for alcohol, can count, which means tea and seltzer too! Also, water infused with fruits and vegetables are another tasty option.
How does water impact performance?
Water transports nutrients, regulates body temperature, lubricates joints, organs and helps cardiovascular function. Further, water is about 45-75% of a person’s body weight (and muscle mass is about 70-75% water), making even the slightest bit of dehydration a negative. In fact, a 1-2% loss of body weight from fluids can start to have a negative effect on how you feel, act and perform by impacting cognitive performance. One to two percent may seem like nothing but to put that into perspective - if you weigh 160 lbs, 1% body weight loss is less than 2 pounds.
What are some ways to optimize your hydration?
Hydrate when you wake up and before every meal. The first liquid you should put into your body each day is water. Fill up a bottle the night before, put it in the fridge and aim to drink half of it before your first sip of coffee. Next, aim to drink 1-2 cups of water before each meal. At first, drinking enough water may feel like a job, but I promise it will become easier and you will form the habit of hydration!
Sip Water During Workouts. Always keep a water bottle within reach during your exercise class or at the gym and aim to finish it by the end of the workout. Sip small amounts as you need.
Eat Your Water. Certain fruits and veggies are full of water, so make sure you’re enjoying those throughout the day.
Make Your Water More Exciting. Consider seltzer or add fruit or vegetables to your water to flavor it and make it a bit more palatable if drinking water is a challenge for you.
