We’ve all heard to drink your 8 cups of water a day…but we never actually understood why and what that meant!
Being dehydrated can actually slow down your progress towards any goal; weight loss, mass
gaining, or fitness challenges. According to the Mayo Clinic, dehydration occurs when you use
or lose more fluid than you take in and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids
to carry out its normal functions.
There are some common symptoms you might notice when you’re dehydrated
headaches
fatigue
dark urine color
dry mouth
confusion
dizziness or lightheadedness
But if continued dehydration occurs you could notice even more severe symptoms
kidney stones
bladder infection
heat related sickness
trouble regulating body temperature
difficulty controlling blood pressure and heart rate
decreased metabolism
joint stiffness or pain
As a nutrition coach, I’ve noticed great changes in client results just by getting the appropriate
amount of water each day and staying consistent with that goal.
As water consistency increased clients noticed lower anxiety and depression, increased weight loss results, lower body fat percentages, less bloating, and improved energy. I usually recommend slowly increasing water in 10oz increments each week to help with behavior change and to make sure the client can maintain the goal.
The exact amount of water per day will vary on the individual and their needs for daily activity
and exercise. So the 8 cups per day rule is a good place to start, but may not be the exact
answer for everyone.
If you feel stuck in your tracks and that you’ve tried everything you can to reach your goals…it might be time to reevaluate your water intake!
1st Phorm - Ultra Performance Hydration Sticks
Depending on your training intensity and the heat, water alone may not be enough to keep you hydrated.
By using 1st Phorm’s Hydration Sticks you are not only replacing the electrolytes that you may sweat out, but research has shown that you are replenishing some of the minerals that are known to be deficient even before you started sweating.