Hydration thoughts going into Aug.

With the dog days of summer approaching, our hydration should always take center stage to make sure we perform our best. This August the gym I am working at is offering a challenge to help us maintain, and potentially improve, one of the most underrated contributors to our overall health - our Total Body Water. 

FAQs:

Why increase your Total Body Water (TBW):

Increasing our body water and maintaining a well hydrated system can improve muscle and fascial function, decrease joint pain (especially in the discs in our back), improve the functions of our endocrine and digestive systems, improve skin tone and elasticity, and lastly improve brain function!

Water intake recommendations: 

Remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint. We are looking to gradually acclimate to drinking more water. We can not make up for lost time, we can only look to improve our future selves. If you try to over indulge and binge water in the last week, you will put yourself at risk for water toxicity and hyponatremia. That said, I love the approach from the National Strength And Conditioning Association (NSCA) for increasing TBW safely. These recommendations will properly hydrate you without the risk of overhydration. 

Quarts/Liters Recommendation:

For Men under 200 lbs : 2.5-3 L a day (80-96oz)

For Men over 200 lbs: 3-3.5 L a day (96-112 oz)

For Women less than 150 lbs: 2-2.5 L a day (64-80 oz)

For Women more than 150 lbs: 2.5-3 L a day (80-96oz)

(Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, NSCA p. 218-219)

(“The Permanent Pain Cure,” Ming Chew, PT p. 54-58)

 

These recommendations are subject to change based on your activity level and your environment, but will cover your baseline needs. 

Getting started with drinking more water:

To reach your goal of 2-3.5 Qts/L per day without having to pound water in short bursts is to spread it out through the day. This will keep you from having to go to the bathroom all day and all night. Though it should be noted that you will be peeing more because you are drinking more water, prepare accordingly. I recommend that you drink one (1) pint of water immediately after waking up in the morning. From there drink one (1) pint of water 15 minutes before lunch and dinner. Lastly, drink one pint 15-30 minutes before bed. For most people those four (4) pints, or 2 Qts/L, will get you most of the way to your goal for the day. Fill in the gaps with a pint here and there through the day to make sure you hit your recommended number. 

Electrolyte Powders, Fad or Friend: 

There are a lot of powder products that are marketed towards improving your hydration ( i.e Liquid IV, LMNT, Pedialyte, etc.). While electrolytes are useful when replenishing the body’s salts after long bouts of exercise and/or excessive sweating, the average American diet provides enough salt to replenish what has been lost. Now if you are not on a traditional American diet, if there are days with prolonged exposure, and/or over 90 minutes of  exercise, using an electrolyte beverage can be a useful tool for battling dehydration. 

Alternatives to electrolyte powders include a diet rich in fruits, citrus, meats, cow’s milk, vegetables like sweet potatoes, pickles and pickle juice, and table salt. 

(Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, NSCA p. 218-220)

Water is boring: 

Correct! Water provides so many great benefits to us as people, but I do understand that it does lack in the taste department. When things get a little boring and you need to spice it up a bit. look to add things like fresh squeezed citrus juice (lemon, lime, grapefruit) to your water. Otherwise, learn to love it. It will pay off in the long run. 

What if I am already well hydrated? Can I increase my TBW?:

For well hydrated individuals there is a simple way to increase your TBW, increase your lean muscle mass. When you have an increase in your lean mass muscle mass, that mass needs more water to keep it hydrated. So increasing your dietary protein intake and lifting heavy weights will help promote that TBW increase.