Water & Workouts

As if you did not already know that water is important.

I think it’s safe to agree on: we need water, air, food, shelter and hope.

Pretty much all else falls in after those.

Summing up the importance of water to the body

The body is made up 50-65% water

Percentages

79% Heart

82% Kidneys

75% Brain

85% Liver

65% Skin

80% Blood

25% Bones

75% Muscles

80% Lungs

83% Joints

94% Lymph

How and why does it play an important role in your workouts?

Why is hydration important to your workouts?

Being hydrated means having the right amount of water before, during, and after your workout. My favorite role of water in the human body is its ability to carry nutrients throughout your entire body to vital organs to help them function at peak levels as well as carry toxins out of your system. The role of water also regulates and stabilizes your body temperature, acts as a lubricate for your joints all while giving you energy and keeping you healthy. All that’s means is if you are not hydrated your body ca not perform at its highest level or up to its full potential.

My battle with water was simple, I was not getting enough though I thought was. There a period in my life where my workouts were plateauing. No matter how much caffeine I was drinking(coffee, energy drinks and pre workout) my performance levels did not increase.

My face was blotchy and red, I was not sleeping well, and I always felt fatigued.

Now I am not going to claim water was magic answer, but it was part of the solution and when I started tracking my intake I saw immediately; I was not having enough in my day, which made the lack of water as part of the problem.

Things I do:

1. Drink 16oz of water immediately when waking up
2. Drink 12 oz of water before meal: helps with digestion
3. Drink 12oz Before taking a bath: help lower blood pressure
4. Drink 12 oz Before taking a bath: helps avoid strokes and heart attack
5. Drink Water: Before, During and After Your Workouts.

To get into the nerdy exercise side of the importance of water, whether you are working out, running, or any physical activity for that matter water is an important tool in your success.

In one hour of exercise your body can lose more than a quarter of its water. Yes, I said 25% of a vital element of your existence. Losing 25% of my family, income and wealth would scare the crap out of me. Losing 25% of my ability to live should frighten you to hydrate.

Why Performance is Important

Your performance is your body’s ability to achieve your goals, strength, power, endurance, weight loss, fat burn etc. Your focus is on maximizing your body’s ability to performance if you don’t, your ability to succeed will greatly diminish.

Your Lack of Water

Dehydration leads to muscle fatigue and a loss of coordination.

Fatigue will lower your ability to perform long with your ability to perform exercises. A breakdown in your ability to perform and move will increase risk of injury as you will begin to breakdown your movements, move incorrectly and decrease the total time you can exercise.

That lack of hydration will affect your energy levels and ultimately lead to muscle cramps along will a high risk of your endocrine system (system that regulates your hormones) malfunctioning. A dysfunctional endocrine system will take months to correct at a minimum.

Lean muscle tissue contains more than 75 percent water, so when the body is short on H2O, you deprive your muscles of water and you will most certainly fatigue them.

If you have goals with your workouts staying hydrated can prevent the declines in performance in your power, strength, aerobic and anaerobic capacity during your workouts!

If that does not get you to jump on your water consumption this better

And finally. Your heart must work harder to get blood to your muscles in the absence of water. In the presence of lack of water, your blood volume and blood pressure drop, which can and does cause dizziness and fatigue. No thank you!

Simple answer: Drink more water!

Here are a few tips that will help you drink more of that all-important vital liquid:

1. Carry a bottle of water with you during the day
2. Set water goals
3. Track your water in track with app
4. Hate water? Drink with electrolytes or a hydration supplant. Infuse it with fruit or fresh squeeze a lemon or lime into your glass
5. If you drink caffeinated drink remember they are diuretics, they dehydrate you. Follow them up with water!

As you hydrate don’t forget to rehydrate. Your exercise and activities are also a source of losing hydration.

Be proactive not reactive. Don’t wait for your body to show or tell you it needs water.