Why is Hydration Important?
About 60% of your body is made up of water. The more hydrated you are affects the density and volume of blood in your body. When you are hydrated it allows blood to easily flow through the body and deliver nutrients and oxygenate working muscles. Being hydrated also positively impacts your organs, allowing them to function properly, help remove waste from the body, and lubricate your joints. It also keeps your mood up and positively affects cognitive function. Hydration is one of the top factors for recovery, and doing so will allow your body to continually perform well day after day. Here are a few more benefits of drinking water throughout the day:
Helps with weight loss
Positively boosts immune system
Helps digestion process and removing waste from the body
Improves athletic performance
Increases energy levels
Helps prevent kidney damage and kidney stones
We should be drinking water as much as we can throughout the day. It is recommended to drink about 1 ounce of water for every pound you weigh. So if I weigh 130 lbs, I should be drinking about 130 ounces per day to prevent dehydration. For athletes and those who tend to sweat a lot, be sure you are hitting or exceeding your daily ounce goal, depending on how much you sweat that day. Here are some tips to stay hydrated throughout your day:
Wake up with water - Start your day with a glass of water before you do anything else. Make this a daily habit.
Set an hourly alarm - Set an alarm on your phone for every hour. This will ensure you are staying hydrated and reminding you so you don’t have to think about it.
Your water bottle is your best friend - Bring a water bottle everywhere with you. This ensures you have immediate access to water no matter where you are or what your doing.
Choose water first - When you have the choice at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, make water your first go-to choice. Slam that glass of water and then feel free to have whatever else with your meal.
Hungry? Drink water - When you feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water before food. A lot of times that “hungry” feeling is confused with being thirsty. Sometimes a glass of water will do the trick AND you are hydrating at the same time.
Find water in food - Fruit and vegetables contains a ton of water. When you are tired of drinking water, try melons, berries, pineapple, oranges, grapefruit, cucumbers, zucchini, leafy greens, bell peppers, and many more.
Stay Hydrated BA Fam!
Coach Emily