Pack your water bottle for a successful fitness journey
The ideal human body is between 55 and 65 percent water. People can go as low as low 40 percent and still survive, but that comes at a cost: high blood pressure, low muscle tone and a whole host of other problems.
Water, while it is essential for all body functions, is most critical for the brain, blood and muscles. For example, if you spend an hour on a treadmill and are not properly hydrated, the body will work to preserve life support over movement. Water will go first to the brain and the blood before the muscles, ultimately reducing your muscle tone.
Often when people want to “lose weight,” they simply strip their systems of water. Yes, that shows up on the scale, but it also reduces water in the muscles and lowers the metabolism, diminishing energy and ultimately thwarting the “weight loss” goal. You need properly working and toned muscles—which require a great deal of water—to be fit enough to trim down and stay that way.
Although human body is designed as a water-based system, it doesn’t come with a meter to tell you where you are. You need to look for the signs. By the time you register thirst, you are already dehydrated. Indicators of dehydration include: fatigue, aches, pain, soreness, stiff joints, constipation, nausea, dizziness, dry mouth, or a feeling of overall tightness like you are wearing a jacket or shirt that’s too tight.
So what do you do? You have to pay attention to the amount of water you drink, as well as the frequency and timing. We don’t recommend a specific quantity of water per day because everyone is different. It depends on how much muscle you support, how active you are, what kinds of foods you eat. It is best to take constant sips of water throughout the day. Drinking water first thing in the morning is critical because you have been running through water and not replacing it during sleep. You also need water with meals so you aren’t pulling from other areas for digestion.
Once you start to understand how you feel when you are getting enough water, you will begin to tell when you need more.
What does this mean for your workout? If dehydration has made you sore even before you begin, you will perceive that soreness as muscular. You’ll pull back on your effort and won’t maximize your performance and its effectiveness. You won’t run as far, lift as much, or be as coordinated as you could be. When that happens most people fall off their program.
Now that you know about the importance of water and how it fits into the fitness equation, you need make sure you pack a water bottle for a successful journey.
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Brent Steepe, a personal trainer since 1992, is CEO of Advanced Training Techniques Inc. in St. Clair Shores. Brent, a former bodybuilder and powerlifter, worked at a number of gyms before founding Advanced Training in 2006. He earned a bachelor of science in Exercise Science at Michigan State University, and holds a number of certifications in personal training, senior fitness, sports nutrition, and from the American Red Cross. An avid recreational enthusiast, Brent is vice president of the American Ultimate Disc League. For more information, visit www.traininyourhome.com, email Brent at bsteepe@traininyourhome.com or find him on Facebook or Twitter.
