True story: I picked up this sexy pamphlet on water from a registered dietitian so I could share the current “official” hydration standards with you.
“Water: The Beverage for Life”
I think water needs some better marketing 😉
Anyway, the upshot of the pamphlet is: drink water, not other monkey business. They recommend the standard 8 cups of water per day, plus about 1 more cup per 10lb of bodyweight over 110lb, plus about 1/2 – 1 more cup per hour of strenuous exercise.
So, if you weigh 180lb and take a Zumba class with me, your day’s water needs (according to the American Dietetic Association) would come in at around 14 cups!
Just to get TMI for a moment with you – the best way to judge your hydration is by the color of your output. (Don’t bring me any samples pleasethankyou.)
There are a ton of important reasons to drink water (like the ones pictured here from the pamphlet), but here are some that might finally win you over to the hydrated side:
If you’re dehydrated, your skin, hair, and nails will be dull.
Just can’t stop your skin from flaking and your hair from frizzing? Tired of seeing new fine lines pop up? Try drinking more plain old water and watch the “magic” happen.
If you’re dehydrated, your metabolism is slower than it could be…
…because water is important for all of your physiological processes and for effective muscle activation…
…and you are also likely to lose body fat at a slower rate than your properly hydrated counterparts.
Losing body fat might be high on your priority list, but to your body it’s a luxury. If you’re dehydrated and your body is therefore struggling to complete vital processes like eliminating waste products from your bloodstream and digesting food, you might not see any changes in your body composition, even if you’ve got your workouts and nutrition on point. The good news is that all you have to do is start drinking enough water to get your results moving.
Finally, you will be more sore from your workouts if you’re dehydrated.
Flexibility and the ability to circulate waste products (like the stuff hanging out in your muscles making you oh-so-sore after your workouts) are correlated to your hydration levels. So, improve your workout performance and recovery time JUST BY DRINKING WATER.
And THAT is why our Summer Challenge calendar takes one day each week to focus on hydration.
It’s that important. And it’s easily within your control! (Get the calendar.)
And now I’m thirsty.