Why is water intake so important? We’re glad you asked! According to the National Association for Sports Medicine, the human body is 60% water. The fluid levels in our body are constantly fluctuating depending on our daily activities, such as sweating, urination and excretion, as well as respiration. Water is KEY to keeping our bodies healthy. It helps us maintain our core temperature, transports nutrients to our cells, and keeps our pH levels balanced.
Inadequate hydration can also decrease your athletic performance. Dehydration can decrease strength performance by 2%, power performance by 3%, and high-intensity endurance by 10%. Whew, that’s a lot!
In an effort to protect our bodies and their functions, we’re unable to reach our maximum effort when we are dehydrated. Feelings of fatigue can take over faster and also reduce our mental focus and coordination. So, to get the most out of your workouts, hydration and water intake is key.
Besides sipping on your water bottle, the foods you eat can also play a role in your hydration levels! The average person’s daily hydration consists of the foods we eat (20%) and the beverages we drink (80%).
Some foods with high water content include, but aren’t limited to:
- Watermelon
- Spinach
- Grapefruit
- Berries
- Avocado
- Potatoes
- Roasted Chicken
- Broccoli
How much water should I drink each day?
For active individuals, a good rule of thumb is to divide your body weight in half and drink at least one ounce of water for half your body weight on a typical day. To figure out how many cups of water you should be drinking, divide that total by 8 (remember, there are 8 ounces in each cup). This number can be adjusted according to the outside temperature and activity level. This might sound a bit confusing, so let us help you break it down!
For example:
- Kat B. weighs 130 lbs. She should be drinking at least 8.2 cups of water each day!
- 130 lbs ➗ 2 = 65 lbs
- 65 lbs ➗ 8 ounces per cup = 8.125 cups of water per day (rounded up to 8.2)
Now, it’s YOUR turn!
- Your weight ➗ 2 = Half of your body weight
- Half your body weight ➗ 8 ounces per cup = How many cups of water you should drink each day!
Ready for even more hydration tips? Read this!
Leave a Reply