Do you know that the body is made up of nearly 70% water?
Water is vital to the human body, central to almost every physical and mental process, and the health benefits of drinking plenty of fresh water are striking.
From visible effects like glowing skin, glossy hair, and a leaner physique through better muscle tone (proper hydration helps with weight loss), to creating stronger bones and healthier organs. Water is the most natural way to benefit your health.
Increasing your water intake can make you feel better overnight. Brain tissue is more than 80% fluid, so drinking plenty of water helps to keep your brain functioning and keeps your mind strong and alert. Productivity increases when water continually flows through the body.
Water also helps with energy. The minute you feel dehydrated, tiredness hits, stomach or headache can occur, perhaps lack of concentration. Water helps the cells to function correctly. The minute you feel tired, drink a glass of water and watch the benefits it has on your energy level. The natural thing to reach for is something with caffeine. Next time, reach for water and see how much your energy increases throughout the rest of the day.
Most people don’t really even know that they are dehydrated. By the time a person feels thirsty; your body is past dehydration. Dehydration can sometimes mask itself making the body feel irritated or hungry instead. Drinking 1-2 glasses before every meal can help you eat less at that meal because a lot of your hunger pains were most likely dehydration.
The recommendation for water intake varies all over the health industry. The typical eight glasses or 64oz. per day doesn’t even take into consideration the water and sodium loss during exercise. But yet, most active people rarely get the recommended 64oz. You first goal is to get that recommended 8 glasses in every day. Add another glass for every 30-minute bout of exercise you complete. Add another glass for every beverage that contains caffeine since this is a dehydrator.
What I recommend to my clients at Premier Fitness Camp is to make little goals for the day. Try to get in two glasses of water the minute you wake up. Then make a goal to have 2-3 glasses before noon. Try to have another 2-3 glasses in by 3pm. By dinner, you may only need 2-3 glasses more. If you meet your recommended water intake, then have something of pleasure like a low sugar minute maid drink, crystal light, a small can of diet soda, or a glass of wine. Try to use that beverage that brings you pleasure a way to reach your water goal. Try to not have it if you haven’t met your water intake goal. If you are drinking ice tea, diet soda, fruit juices, milk, or coffee all day, you’re definitely not coming close to reaching your water intake goal, and your body isn’t going to really crave water. Instead, your taste buds are craving that sweet taste all day and water won’t necessarily taste good. The minute you cut out those sweet drinks and start drinking water, your body will crave it and realize that is what it needs to reach optimal health.
Jessica Janc, Director of Nutrition, Premier Fitness Camp
Jessica Janc has been a part of the Fitness Industry for 20 years. She attended the University of Utah where she studied Exercise Sports Science with an emphasis on Nutrition. She has been an ACE certified Aerobic Instructor and Personal trainer for nineteen years. She studied under the Stott Pilates Method, is Bosu Certified, Madd Dogg Spin certified and teaches many other fitness classes at Purefitness Sports Center in Carlsbad. Jessica is Ace Certified in Lifestyle and Weight Management and is a Sports Nutritionist certified through the National Association of Sports Nutrition (NASN).