One question I always ask my clients is "are you drinking enough water and staying hydrated?"
We all know that drinking enough water and staying hydrated is beneficial to our health. But why is that?
The truth is, our body needs water to function optimally. From hydrating our skin to streamlining our digestion, drinking enough water is a must. Our bodies are made up of 60% water for a reason, and maintaining proper hydration is ultimately key to our survival and wellbeing.
Why is it important to stay hydrated in fitness and recovery?
In fitness, hydration matters a great deal. Hydration replenishes the water we lose in sweat during our workouts and fuels our muscles. It also reduces muscle cramping and helps to lubricate our joints.
Dehydration causes many negative symptoms like a lack of energy, headaches, and fatigue, which means we're less likely to exercise when dehydrated or struggle whilst we are.
When we don't drink enough water, ourbody will also start to confuse thirst with hunger, which will cause us to overeat, plus ourmetabolism slows down, both of which matter a great deal to your overall fitness and health.
Staying hydrated also matters when it comes to recovery. The reason we get so tired when we're dehydrated is that our blood volume decreases. It means your heart is working harder to pump blood to the rest of your body and your muscles have less blood flow to use in muscle recovery.
Overall, if you want to improve both your fitness and muscle recovery, hydration is vital.
Certain nutrients help your body hydrate more quickly and stay hydrated for longer. Electrolytes like potassium, sodium, and magnesium are excellent hydration boosters and can be found in many sports drinks. Just look out for electrolyte beverages with too much sugar.
Coconut water is an exceptional alternative as it's naturally packed with electrolytes for more intense hydration, usually without any excess sugar.
Coffee and alcohol are both ok in small doses, but too much can leave us feeling even more dehydrated than we were, to begin with.
Too much coffee or alcohol is bound to leave you chronically dehydrated, and your fitness will suffer.
You can also get your water fix from the foods you eat. Obvious choices are watermelon, cucumbers, and celery, but most fruits and vegetables are also secretly packed with water.
It's an easy and way to make sure you're getting enough hydration.
Finally, one of the best ways to drink more water is to track your water consumption.
Hope this helps.
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