Hello Hydration

In the thick of a heat advisory (aka BEYOND HOT) summer, I have decided to dedicate a whole blog post to the importance of staying hydrated each day. Yes, you have probably heard all of this before, but listen UP, this summer takes the cake when it comes to heat waves, and it is extremely important, for both your overall health and bikini body to get enough water all day long.

Experts suggest that the average person should consume at least 64 ounces of water a day. That’s eight cups of water. Since it can be hard to measure out such an obscure amount, think of it in terms of larger containers such as the tall bottle of Smart Water or Ozarka bottles. In other words, that means the average person should be drinking at least 2-3 large bottles of water each day (add an additional large bottle of 30+ ounces of water on days that you workout). Wow! That’s A LOT, you say…well, brace yourself, because the amount listed above is just for maintaining your current weight. If you are trying to lose weight, you need to be drinking EVEN MORE! What?! Let me explain…

Drinking enough water each day can help your metabolism burn calories 3% faster. Since your metabolism plays such a big role when you are trying to lose weight, it is extremely important to give your body what it needs in order for it to work the way you want. In fact, if you are not getting the correct amount of water each day, you are actually making it harder for yourself to lose weight! Just some food for thought…

Another reason to drink enough water each day is linked directly to the amount of processed foods we consume on a daily basis. Processed foods are high in sodium, added sugars, and fat, all of which will dehydrate you. In today’s day and age, we are constantly on the run, often times grabbing snacks on the go (which are usually packaged and highly processed. These processed foods, (yes, even your so called “healthy granola bar”) will dehydrate you throughout the day which can make you feel lethargic, and many times “constantly hungry”. These feelings are your body’s way of telling you to reach for a big glass of water. Unfortunately, we usually mistake this dehydration for hunger and instead of hydrating, we start eating again. There again, another reason that being dehydrated will counter-act your weight loss efforts.

To avoid this cycle, try to incorporate more water in your diet through food. Melons, cucumber, tomatoes, and zucchini are all great produce that have high water contents. While these do not replace the benefits of drinking water directly, they help to provide some hydration along with other vital vitamins and minerals that are needed in your diet each day.

Now, listen up DASHERS, because this is arguably the most important fact I have mentioned about staying hydrated. If you are regular coffee drinker or consume more than one alcoholic drink per week (and don’t worry, I include myself in this category as well, so don’t be shy) you should be drinking even more water than the recommended amount above. This is because, coffee and alcohol, as well as sodas, and juice drinks, act as diuretics and will dehydrate your body. So as a general rule of thumb, you should be drinking an 8 oz glass of water (standard glass size) for EVERY diuretic drink you consume.

Well, there it is … the 411 on staying hydrated this summer. And, just so you have absolutely no excuse to be dehydrated, I have listed some water substitutes and/or modifications that can give you a break from your plain jane tap water:

Try pairing sparkling water with summer fruits (melons, oranges, strawberries, etc.) It is quite refreshing and the fruit adds natural flavor… yum! Not a sparkling water lover? Add summer fruits or even some lemons or limes to plain water and you have an instant flavor kick

Add a splash of cranberry juice to sparkling water, squeeze some limes in and enjoy a snazzy summer cocktail (sans alcoholic)

Try Crystal Light - As my roommate would attest to, I am a huge fan of crystal light flavors because they can disguise any type of plain tap water. And with on the go travel packets in a variety of flavors, you can easily keep a couple packets in your car and add to any bottle of water

Another one of my favorite summer water substitutes is iced green tea. Add a couple green tea packets to any pitcher of water, pour over ice, and throw some strawberries or melon in and sip on a very refreshing and hydrating summer drink…(umbrella in drink is optional)

If you are not a green tea fan, try the same process with black tea, and try adding some berries instead (I recently had blueberry iced tea, and it was absolutely delicious!)

I will occasionally recommend that some of my clients drink a Vitamin Water Zero or a low calorie Gatorade before and/or after their workouts in lieu of water so that their bodies can get the necessary electrolyte balance needed to perform optimally. Don’t make this a habit or start using it instead of water at other times of the day, because these types of drinks will not keep you hydrated throughout the day. But occasionally, it can be a nice substitute to water before/after a workout.

To sum it all up, on days when your car thermometer reads 108 (like mine did yesterday) remember the importance of staying hydrated and the benefits it will have on your overall health. So raise your glasses (hopefully filled to the brim with refreshing water after reading this) and let’s cheers to keeping our bodies HYDRATED and HAPPY this summer!