Need to lose weight? Drink water. Need to calm down? Drink water. Want glowing skin? Drink water. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We're constantly being bombarded with how important water intake is. But is drinking enough water really all that important? The answer is – YES. Water is the world’s life force. It feeds the land and the earth. It is essential to our vitality and bodies. Proper amount of water intake is crucial for your health and fitness goals. Without adequate amounts of water and/or dehydration severely affects your performance. Studies report that fluid loss (as little as 2% of body weight) will negatively affect your circulatory functions and you will experience a decrease in performance levels. Water constitutes around 60% of the human body of an adult. You can “get-by” for a long time with nutrient deficiencies but try going for a week without water and see what happens (Actually no, please DON’T DO THAT!). 😂 How water benefits the body:
Improves liver functioning which increase the percentage of fat used for energy
Improves endocrine function
Alleviates fluid retention
Improves metabolic function
Helps move around nutrients in the body
Regulates body temperature
Maintains blood volume
So, how can you make sure you drink enough water? Well, for starters, determine how much water you need to roughly drink in a day? For those living sedentary lifestyles, the recommendation is as follows: Men – 3 Liters Women – 2.2 Liters For performance needs, it will depend a lot on…well, the intensity and endurance of your performance. Here are a few pointers in regards to performance:
Drink 6 – 12 ounces of water for every 15-20 minutes of exercise.
Drink 14-22 ounces of fluid 2 hours before exercise.
Drink cold fluids for rapid gastric emptying.
For exercise under 60 minutes - water is the best choice. For exercise over 60 minutes, a sports drink can replace fluid and diminishing muscle glycogen stores.
Here are a few tips to get more water in your body:
Carry around a reusable water bottle (the ones that are labeled with measurements)
Make it a habit to drink 10 sips every time you reach for the water bottle.
Drink water upon waking up.
Drink water before you begin eating your meal.
Of course, these are generic rules. You’ve gotta’ factor in age, weight and height for a more precise goal. For a more customized breakdown of your water intake, consult with your Functional Lifestyles coach. While you're at it, go drink a glass of water.
