Dr. Pepper is 500% my drink of choice. As a good ol' Texas girl, I was raised on that sweet nectar and still have a (not so good) habit of drinking one a day. As a fitness professional, it's something I've been trying to work on because I know it's not fueling my body. Sometimes I'll do well for a while, but usually lapse within a month and fall right back to my old ways. It's a process and something to continue practicing, but if that's the worst thing about me... I'm doing pretty okay in life.
But I do recognize that I feel better drinking water- I think clearer, have more energy, and can do more in my workouts. To improve my understanding of the importance of H2O, I recently took a Continuing Education course called "Hydration: Through the Lens of Fitness and Health" from the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. Learning the path water takes once it enters your system and how many processes it powers was enlightening and has since motivated me to increase my intake. Here are a few highlights:
Even a 2% deficit in our total body water can lead to underperformance, chronic fatigue, and a host of health issues.
Only 60% of our water comes from beverages, while 30% comes from the foods we eat. The remaining 10% comes from energy systems as a byproduct of burning fat for energy.
Water in the body is stored in one of 3 ways: intracellular (inside cells), intravascular (in plasma), and interstitial (all water not in the plasma or cells).
Electrolytes help your body absorb and retain water for faster rehydration. The most common in our modern diets include sodium (Na) and potassium (K).
There's so much more to learn about the miracle that is water. The way it restores and fuels the body from head to toe is pretty amazing. I've compiled more information from what I've learned into Water 101: A Beginner's Guide to Improving Hydration, which you can download below for free! It includes information like how much you should be drinking every day, how to calculate your sweat rate, how to increase your daily intake, and more.
FREE DOWNLOAD HERE
Before you go, settle an argument for me and my husband: ice water or room temperature?
Ice Water or Room Temp?
Ice, Ice Baby
Room temp for me!
-Madison
Life is better healthy
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