Being that it's consistently blistering hot outside, I think it's safe to say that many of you are thinking about the same thing... ice... cold...watttteeerrr...ahhhh, refreshing. I drink lots and lots of water daily but am I getting enough? Some days, I'm not. The other day I woke up with a screaming headache, zero energy (after a good 8 hours of sleep), foggy brain, and my eyes seemed like they were shaking because my vision was blurry. Have you ever been startled awake and you're jumpy, anxious, confused... as if there was an earthquake while you were dead asleep and you don't quite know what's going on yet? That's how I felt for most of the day. It wasn't until later in the evening that I thought "hmm maybe I'm dehydrated?" Well that would make sense because it was 4pm and I'd only had a few cups of water, if I'm being generous. I felt like my brain was shutting down so I needed to do something quick. I grabbed 3 bottles of water and chugged. It only took about 30 minutes for me to start feeling somewhat better. What was I thinking? It's 8000 degrees outside! The FEW cups of water I drank I'd probably already sweat out, not to mention my negative oz deficit from my coffee. Smart, I know. I wont make that mistake again that's for sure.So how much water do you actually need?
Everyone's water need is different. It depends on how much you weigh, your activity level, where you live, and your overall health. I'm sure you've heard "drink eight 8-ounce cups per day" right? Well yes, that's fine... if you're 130 lbs. The 8x8 rule is easy to remember so that's what many people shoot for. I've read many articles that recommend a simple formula that is personalized to every one's individual need for water maintenance. Maintenance. That means at the minimum, this is how much water your body needs to maintain optimal organ function, not including what you need to add with heavy exercise or other exerting activities. So what is it already? Easy. Take your body weight and divide that in half. The number you get is the minimum amount of water YOU need to drink just for your body to work properly. So for example (and because I like to look at numbers because I'm math geeky) if you weigh 125lbs ÷ 2 = 62.5oz of water. See that is just about 8oz of water a day, but wouldn't you think a much larger person would need much more? Lets look at another one... 225lbs÷2=112.5oz of water. One person needs only 8 cups, while the other needs close to double at 14. Just for optimal function.
What if you exercise...outdoors...in Phoenix? While it's hard to recommend a one size fits all solution because everyone exerts a different amount of energy and sweat and need different amounts of fluid to replenish, here is a little chart with some basic guidelines. I say though, after drinking your minimum and you feel like you need more while you're getting your butt kicked at boot camp, go for it. Drink up, buttercup!
You might ask yourself, "How can I possibly DRINK that much water?" Good news is you don't have to actually drink it. Because that could get boring. Keep in mind that you can drink your water with fruit, as green tea (some research says that caffeinated beverages count against your daily intake because it is a diuretic and causes you to lose fluid, some says otherwise...so take it with a grain of salt), coffee (again...diuretic), and don't forget that ice in your water counts towards the total. It's a little harder to measure, but you don't need to be exact. One of my favorite ways to get my water is FOOD.
Which foods have a lot of water?
Watermelon contains 92% water, 8% natural sugar, and essential electrolytes. Watermelon is rich in Vitamin C, beta carotene, and lycopene which will give the body protection from UV light.
Grapefruit contains only 30 calories and is comprised of 91%
water. Phytonutrients, called limonoids found in grapefruits, can be
detoxifying and may inhibit tumor formation of cancers.Avocado is comprised of not only healthy monounsaturated fats but also 81% water by weight! Results from a 2010 NHANES study show that the absorption of two key carotenoids, lycopene and beta-carotene, where increased by 200 to 400 percent when fresh avocado was added to meals. This is important to athletes in an effort to decrease recovery time.
Cucumbers have a 96% water content and a good balance of electrolytes. The mineral silica found in cucumber is essential for healthy, lubricated connective tissue, which includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone.
How does drinking enough water help with weight loss?
Drinking water can be one of the best tools in aiding your weight loss. When you exercise, your body breaks down fat, you need to drink lots of water to flush out all the fat that is being released. FLUSH THE FAT! Drinking plenty of water can also increase your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your body has to process the water and burns calories to do so. Studies show that drinking ice cold water burns even more calories because your body first has to bring the water up to your internal body temperature. You might be wondering just how many bathroom breaks you'll be taking if you'll be increasing your water intake drastically after reading this. The answer is A LOT. Just think though, all the upcoming frequent pit stops will be a part of your exercising program! Imagine how many sqauts you'll be doing, the cardio you'll get running to the john, stretching and hip-hinging while pulling up/down your pants, except the guys... lucky. After about 2 weeks though, you're body will most likely be used to it's new level of hydration and the pit stops will level out.
Drinking enough water helps your kidneys and liver function at optimal capacity. This is important because these organs are directly related to weight loss and more importantly fat loss. If you're not getting enough water, your kidneys can't function properly. When the kidneys don't function properly, the liver steps in to take on some of the kidney's work.
One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into energy. If the liver is helping the kidneys, it can't function as its optimal capacity, which results in less fat being metabolized.
So in conclusion......DRINK MORE WATER! For more guidelines, tips, advice, recipes, health and fitness chit chat, make sure to join us on Facebook in our Rock Star Boot Camp Fit & Healthy group.
