“Hydrate Your Life”

“Water is vital for life” (1) 

Everyone knows that water is crucial for our existence, but are you actually hydrating enough? Probably not!

Here’s a little science behind the importance of water. “Total body water comprises approximately 45–75% of a person’s body weight. Muscle mass is 70–75% water, while water in fat tissue can vary between 10 and 40%. Water acts as a transporter of nutrients, regulates body temperature, lubricates joints and internal organs, provides structure to cells and tissues, and can help preserve cardiovascular function. Water consumption may also facilitate weight management. Water deficits can impact physical performance, and recent research suggests that cognitive performance may also be impacted.” (2). Even a 1% body loss of water can cause mild cognitive issues! At a 1% loss a signal is sent to the brain that you are thirsty…so know that if you become thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

We tend to recommend to our patients that they should be taking in at least half their body weight in ounces- assuming there are no contraindications with a health issue they have such as kidney failure, electrolyte imbalance, or congestive heart failure. For instance, if you weigh 150lbs you should be drinking at least 75 oz of water a day. This amount varies with both water-based food consumption and activity level. Someone like myself who performs high intensity interval training workouts regularly should try to hit their total body weight. I would be lying if I said I hit that amount every single day as it’s not an easy goal to reach, but here are some helpful tips that can help you (and me!) with this necessary task.

1) Pick up a decent sized water bottle (24-32 oz is a pretty realistic size to have) and take it with you EVERYWHERE. You’re much more likely to actually drink it if you always have it on hand. There are a ton of fun water bottles on the market these days. One that I highly recommend is the Zak! Designs HydraTrak Tumbler. It provides a great way of tracking your water intake with fun colored bands that you roll up each time you finish a bottle.

2) Make drinking water part of your morning routine. Personally, during my workouts in the morning I consume 1-2 bottled waters (16-32oz). I really don’t recommend increasing your water intake at night time—due to obvious reasons! If you are not a morning exerciser like myself, try setting a bottle or two of water beside your bathroom sink and drinking it before you wash your face or brush your teeth. Various sources support drinking at least 16 oz of water upon awakening as it increases energy, improves digestion throughout the day, and clears your complexion!

3) Set a timer on your phone. There are even apps on your smartphone that remind you to drink water, like this one called Hydrate Daily . It tracks your intake and reminds you to drink water throughout the day.

4) Make water fun! If you are not one who can drink “just plain water,” trying infusing your favorite fruits in it to give a sweet, yet healthy alternative. I personally love to infuse the core of a pineapple or sliced cucumbers and mint. You can either infuse in a large pitcher like this one Vremi or, if you want a bottle to carry with you, we like this one by Fresh Fusions. Its durable, 32oz, comes with 25 different infusion recipes, AND IS SUPER CUTE! Who doesn’t love a Rose Quartz water bottle to carry?!

If all of these suggestions above still don’t convince you to make sure you are hydrating adequately, here is some science in regards to the benefits of water intake on weight loss. A study published in 2010 in the Obesity Society Research journal (3) found that subjects who consumed 2 cups of water prior to 3 meals a day (in middle-ages/older adults on a lower caloric diet) showed greater weigh loss than subjects who were just on a low calorie diet alone. Did you know that for every 2 liters you consume you burn an extra 100 calories a day?! Bet you’re thinking about upping that water intake now, aren’t you.

Water is working for you, not against you. It’s just up to you to actually do the work! And I’m not going to lie, it is work. If this is something new to you, you will likely at first think “Oh my god! I am going to drown! My eyeballs are floating! I can’t go to bathroom anymore!” But I promise, once the habit kicks in (and don’t forget, it takes 2-3 weeks for a habit to stick) you will feel a world of a difference. Clearer skin, clearer mind, more energy, easier digestion, and hey, you might even be able to shed off some of those unwanted pounds right before summertime! What’s there to lose? The answer: Nothing. Because the benefits of hydrating yourself far outweighs the alternative of not feeling your best self!

Hope you enjoyed this blog post and like always if you have any questions, suggestions or just want to send some kudos email us at info@followyourgutmdnp.com and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Continue to Follow Your Gut,

Jaci