BENEFITS OF STAYING HYDRATED
Water is essential to stay hydrated, among about a million other things we need to happen daily with our bodies! Water makes up roughly 60% of our bodies, and we can’t store it like camels. Keeping a consistent flow of water coming in is essential for making sure our bodies have enough to stay on top of their game.
H20… probably the most recognized chemical formula, more commonly known as water. Think of water as the highway that moves nutrients and waste between cells and organs. Without it, our bodies will begin to shut down. It is essential for sustaining life and overall health and does so much for the body! Apart from drinking water, some water can be obtained through foods with high water content such as fruits and veggies. Here are some of our favorite benefits of staying hydrated and why:
| 1. BOOST METABOLISM AND AID IN DIGESTION
Water is necessary for all chemical reactions in our body to take place, and that includes metabolizing (burning) fat. If you don’t drink enough water, you will become slightly dehydrated. This slight change in hydration can wreak havoc on your body’s ability to metabolize, thus slowing down your metabolism as a whole. Slow metabolism = not burning calories efficiently = not burning fat effectively. Not drinking enough water is also linked to constipation and digestive discomfort.
| 2. BOOSTS SKIN HEALTH
Water is stored in the middle layers of your skin, so when your body is dehydrated, your skin is more vulnerable to aging and premature wrinkling.
| 3. ESSENTIAL FOR KIDNEYS AND OTHER BODILY ORGANS
The more water you drink, the more fluid runs through your kidneys. Our kidneys filter out toxins that need to be removed from the body through urine. The more you drink water, the easier and more effective your kidneys will become at excreting toxins. Also, drinking ample amounts of water helps to decrease mineral buildup in the kidneys… that build up can result in kidney stones which are NO FUN to get rid of. Help your kidneys, limit your salt and alcohol intake, and drink more water. You’ll feel so much better!
| 4. BETTER WORKOUTS
Want to crush your workout? Stay hydrated! Muscle tissue is about ¾ water by weight- that’s why those who have larger muscles need more water. To keep our muscles working at optimal performance they need to be taken care of and supported through proper nutrition, hydration, fatigue through exercise, and restful recovery. Water is essential for reaching fitness goals and recovering from a killer gym session.
| 5. BOOST MOOD AND BRAIN FUNCTION
Our brains are almost entirely made up of water, so it makes sense to keep ourselves hydrated if we want to be able to use our noggin’s at optimal levels. Being so densely made of water, the brain is extremely sensitive to dehydration- you can start to notice side effects being just 1% dehydrated! Those effects include mental fatigue, fogginess, headaches, and lack of focus. It can also increase the feeling of anxiety! Nobody has time for that! Dehydration doesn’t only come from going on a run and not bringing any water. You can get dehydrated simply but not drinking enough even if you’re sitting all day. So, stay alert and keep headaches at bay –drink more water!
| 6. REGULATE BODY TEMPERATURE
Water also helps us to “keep our cool”, so to speak. That’s right, water helps us regulate our internal body temperature. Think about it- the skin is our largest organ, and it’s responsible for helping to control our body temperature by sweating, or not sweating. You may not notice, because the human body is so wonderfully designed and efficient, but metabolism creates A LOT of heat. It is an energy producing side effect of breaking down literally everything! Because we create so much heat, the body has to be able to cool itself down and that’s where water and sweating comes into play. If you’re dehydrated, you may not be able to sweat enough to regulate your body temperature and this can result in hot flashes, dizziness, flushing or even a stroke if it’s really, really bad! Stay cool and don’t forget to carry a reusable bottle to remind you to drink water!
Dehydration happens if we use and lose more water than our water intake. Here are some ways to remind and entice you to stay hydrated:
Drink about 12oz upon waking, before and after working out (that’s 36oz already!)Replenish electrolytes after intense exerciseAlways have a reusable water bottle handy to remind you to drinkMix it up and add flavor to your water. Our favorite is our Reload BCAAs Island Fusion FlavorAdd water reminders on your phoneGet an accountability partner (or your co-workers and remind each other to DRINK MORE WATER every hour). Happy drinking!