LET'S TALK WATER

When people talk about diet, they often forget about the liquid side of things, and focus solely on the food side. Water plays a vital role in our ability to function as a human. You can go weeks without food, but only days without water.  Did you know that we are made up of around 55-60% water? 

What does water do in our body?

  • Water transports substances

  • Water dissolves substances

  • Water starts chemical reactions

  • Water lubricates tissues, such as joints and muscles

  • Water regulates body temperature (Berardi, 2017, p. 264)

What happens when we don’t get enough?

  • A .5% body water loss increases strain on our heart

  • A 1% body water loss can reduce aerobic endurance

  • A 3% body water loss can reduce muscular endurance

  • A 4% body water loss can reduce muscular strength, reduce motor skills, and cause heat cramps

  • A 5% body water loss can lead to heat exhaustion, cramping, fatigue, and reduced mental capacity

  • A 6% body water loss can lead to physical exhaustion, heatstroke, and a coma

  • A 10-20% body water loss can lead to death (Berardi, 2017, p. 269)

As you can see, it doesn’t take much to start seeing the detriments of being dehydrated. Losing just a half a percentage has physical consequences, and when we reach 1% our performance drops off. For you athletes, or typical gym goers trying to get the most out of your performance, by simply not drinking enough you are leaving performance on the table. 

So how do we lose water?

We lose water a few ways. We lose water through breathing, skin evaporation, sweating, and excretion. There are a lot of factors that can affect how much fluid we need, including body size, illness, climate, altitude, and exercise. If we don't replenish the fluid lost, our fluid balance is thrown off. 

Tips for staying hydrated

  • First thing in the morning drink a glass of water. Before your coffee, drink 8-16 oz to start off on the right foot.

  • Spread it out throughout the day. Morning, afternoon, early evening, during your workout. Try to avoid playing catchup in the evening, or you’ll spend all night waking up to pee!

  • Drink while you eat. Water is better absorbed with food, and can aid in digestion.

  • Add a pinch of sea salt! The sodium helps prevent you from peeing everything out by helping to maintain a good chemical gradient in your cells. Sodium is a very important electrolyte, and this becomes more important when fluid is lost due to sweat. 

A Challenge!

For the next 14 days, drink 64 oz of water per day. Pure water only (seltzer water is fine, and feel free to put fruit in your water). No drinks are off the table, and you can drink whatever else you want, but only plain or seltzer water counts towards the challenge. See how you perform and feel!

Work Cited:

Berardi, John. The Essentials of Sport and Exercise Nutrition: Certification Manual. Precision Nutrition, Inc., 2017, pp. 261–283.

Justin BurlComment