Last week I looked at the importance of getting enough sleep each night to drive your fitness success and setting the challenge of establishing a consistent bedtime and wake time regardless of weekday vs. weekend.
I hope you took me up on the challenge and are starting to see a difference in how rested you feel.
Today we will talk about the wild world that is all things water. Water consists of two hydrogens and one oxygen atom; this gives water its moist and smooth texture. I bring this point up because this is all I know about water and its construction in our world.
We are quickly moving on to facts about water that is useful in your life.
Why you need to drink more water four facts (some might be fun)
- Prevents dehydration: the average person is 60% water.
- Optimizes brain function
- Lubricates and protects joints; drinking more water can help decrease inflammation.
- Increased water consumption leads to healthier eating or at least eating less because dehydration cues are similar to hunger cues.
How Much Water Do I Need?
You could use this calculator.
Other ways to know how much water to drink are to follow these guidelines.
Males: 15.5 cups a day/ 124 oz a day
Females 11.5 cups a day/ 92 oz a day
Or take your bodyweight at drink between a half oz to an oz of water per pound of bodyweight. For example, if you weigh 175lbs, you would drink between 87 to 175 oz a day.
The Challenge
This week have two glasses of water before each meal. Make a note of how you feel. If you drink little to no water each day, start with one glass before each meal.
Next week, we will look at food’s role in living a healthy lifestyle.
Your Fitness Sherpa
