Hot for the Holidays: Post 3

Hi everybody! I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving with loved ones if you celebrated. It was a busy day around here and I’m relieved that things are winding down.

Before I get any further into this post series, I wanted to introduce this topic so that you guys can implement it throughout the rest of the holiday season.

What topic is that, you ask? HYDRATION!

Did you know that most people walk around in a state of chronic dehydration? Before everyone vehemently protests that statement, let me clarify that this is very different from severe dehydration that requires medical attention.

I’m talking specifically about folks who aren’t eating and drinking properly so that their bodies are replenished with the fluids they need to be operating optimally, which includes aiding digestion, increasing energy levels, and carrying toxins out of the body.

Some people may argue that they’re getting plenty of “water” in the fluids they drink (coffee, wine, soda, whatever), because water is the base ingredient in all beverages. But where those people miss the mark is that those beverages are bogged down with sugar, preservatives, artificial coloring. . .basically a chemical sh*tstorm that are counteracting any benefits of the water that they may be ingesting when they drink them.

There is lots of conflicting advice about how much water you should be drinking. Most of us have heard the conventional wisdom about drinking eight 8oz glasses of water each day. This isn’t a bad benchmark, but there’s another way to calculate what you should be getting that is more specific to YOUR body. Take your weight in pounds, divide it by two, and drink that many ounces of water each day. So, for a person who weights 140lbs:

140 ÷ 2 = 70, so 70oz of water per day

This is a great general guideline that I follow as a bare minimum. If I’m supplementing my workouts with extra protein or supplements that have a track record of dehydrating you faster, I’ll up my water intake. The trick is to know YOUR body and when YOU feel it is operating at its best. For example, I can tell that I haven’t had enough water if I’m feeling sluggish by early afternoon.

So do your research, figure out what works for YOU, and get hydrating!

 

Disclaimer: I am not a licensed nutritionist, dietician, or sports medical professional. All advice in this post and on my blog are gathered through my own trial and error and personal research.

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