The Ultimate Route to Hydration

Hydration is essential for maintaining overall health and well-being. Despite water not being the only way, we stay “hydrated” it does play a crucial role in almost every bodily function; from regulating body temperature to transporting nutrients and removing waste. Let’s face it; Water is the most abundant substance in the human body, accounting for about 60% of body weight!

Despite its importance, many people struggle to stay adequately hydrated. This ultimate route to hydration will bring awareness of water importance and provide you with sustainable pro to help you stay hydrated and healthy.

Before we dive into how much water to drink, and the pro tips let’s ask ourselves:

Have you ever felt hungry, ate a pretty good snack, and still felt hungry afterwards?

What about that midday 2pm crash that leaves you either reaching for a cup of coffee or with the desire for a quick cat nap?

Ok, how about this one; a lingering headache that gets worse as the day goes on?!

If any of this sounds familiar, you have experienced minor levels of dehydration.

This all comes with great news though-- because it’s a pretty simple fix!

Before we kick it, here’s some more things you may experience when mildly dehydrated.

- Increased thirst

- Food cravings

- Headache

- Dizziness

- Dry mouth

- Dry skin (especially when in the heat when you should be sweating)

- Bad breath

- Dark/Deep yellow urine

Summertime is coming! Which means we’re outside in the heat being much more active than normal. With this increased movement comes an increased need to stay hydrated or else you risk all the symptoms that come from an inadequate hydration level.

So, the big question is;

“HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD I DRINK?”

It's recommended that men drink 15.5 cups daily and women drink about 11.5 cups.

That equates to 124 oz. for men, and 92 oz. for women. This can vary based on a person’s activity level with amount of perspiration to caffeine use. Because Fun fact: Caffeine is a diuretic which means when you drink coffee, this increases urine production and can lead to dehydration.

Also keep in mind, not all men are the same, and neither are all women. A 250-pound person will likely need more water than a 150-pound person. The bigger you are, the more water you’re going to need every single day.

Our general rule of thumb is aim for a gallon of water a day 128 oz. anything more is a BONUS!

Water means water. Seltzer is Seltzer. The water mixed in your health stack powders is WATER. The water in your tea is water. This counts toward your gallon..

LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DRINK MORE WATER?

 It’s simple, but maybe not easy in the beginning as you are working toward building a habit. You just need to pay attention to your water intake and make it a priority. Track and target your water throughout your day so you can be aware how much you’re consuming.

If you always wait until you feel thirsty, stop. The feeling of being thirsty means your body is already dehydrated enough to send you signals to drink water.

Here are some great tips for staying hydrated and healthy:

•         Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning (keep in the bathroom upon waking up).

•         Hydration during exercise: Drink water before, during, and after exercise to replace fluids lost through sweat. For intense workouts lasting longer than an hour, consider a sports drink to replenish electrolytes (set specific target goals for during).

•         Monitor your Intake: Keep track of how much water you drink daily (use a water bottle that tracks oz. or time for extra accountability).

•         Carry a Water bottle- Always have a water bottle with you to encourage regular sipping throughout the day.

·         My 10 sip “rule” every time you pick up your water bottle/ jug; take 10 sips or 10 gulps, before you know it, you’ll see your water decreasing in your jug.

•         Flavor your water with fruit or a flavor enhancer to make it easier to drink more.

·         Drink Before Meals: Drinking a glass of water before meals can help with digestion and prevent overeating.

•         Set reminders throughout the day to drink water if it’s a difficult habit for you to do/ build.

•         Infuse your water: Add natural flavors to your water by infusing it with fruits, vegetables, or herbs. Try combinations like cucumber and mint, or lemon and lime.

•         Limit Dehydrating Beverages: Beverages like alcohol, coffee, and sugary drinks can contribute to dehydration. Enjoy them in moderation and balance them with plenty of water.

OK, LET’S GET A LITTLE COMPLICATED—Hydration is MUCH MORE than just water.

Ever chugged so much water your pee is as clear as the water you just drank? Let’s not even mention how angry your boss can get at you taking a trip to the bathroom every 15 minutes if you can even hit the head during your workday! (looking at you teachers and troopers!).

This is where Hydration is much more than just water comes into play. You can drink all the water in the world but if you don’t have enough of the right minerals (sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) aka your electrolytes to help your body use all that water, it may go right through you.

Both Sodium and Potassium have many important jobs inside the body, but one critical task they work together on is maintaining proper fluid balance. Sodium works to keep balanced water outside of your cells within your body’s extracellular water like your blood. It does this by pulling water out of your cells. The problem is, when you have too much sodium and not enough water and potassium (dehydrated) sodium will pull too much water from your cells which can increase your blood volume and increase your risk of high blood pressure. Potassium works to balance this out by keeping water inside the cells to maintain proper fluid balance.

You see, we need an adequate amount of both sodium and potassium to ensure all the water we are drinking is being used by our body. Sodium helps us retain water and potassium gets rid of what we don’t need!

We all start the day off dehydrated; this is simply because we can’t drink water while we sleep. One strategy we like to use to jump start our hydration for the day is to add electrolytes into our 16oz cup of water. This allows our body to get the right minerals it needs to absorb and utilize the water we just drank and check out this added bonus.

The reason we need to immediately reach for that cup of coffee in the AM is because we are so fatigued from being dehydrated. Adding in some electrolyte pumped water first thing will make you feel SO MUCH better than that cup of coffee does and want to know something even cooler/ another fun fact?! Because you just properly hydrated your body, that cup of coffee will give you MORE ENERGY!!

We all know the only way to start the day is Protein coffee but making sure to properly hydrate before, during, after= ALL DAY is the way!

Staying hydrated is fundamental to maintaining overall health and well-being. By understanding your hydration needs and incorporating simple sustainable strategies into your daily routine, you can ensure you're getting enough water to support your body's functions. Remember to listen to your body, monitor your intake, and make hydration a priority every day.

Cheers to a healthier and hydrated you!