Feeling Thirsty? Quench that Thirst Within.

 

Niagara Falls, Lake Erie, The Nile River…What do these places all have in common? Water!

Water makes up 71 percent of the Earth, and approximately 60 percent of our bodies. Water, for the most part, is stored in our brain, heart, lungs, muscles, kidneys, skin, and bones. Seems pretty important, right? Especially for people who exercise. And yet, many people still don’t drink enough water.

Water is essential for everything that we do, including metabolizing and transporting proteins and carbohydrates from the food we eat to our bodies for nourishment, maintaining a healthy body temperature via sweat and respiration, and helps to keep our joints lubricated. Depending on many factors, including activity levels and the food and beverages you’re already consuming, the amount of water you should be drinking can vary.

How do you know if you are or aren’t drinking enough water?

Sorry, we’re going to do a bit of math and talk about pee.

Take your weight in pounds, divide it by 2, and drink that number in ounces.

Confused? It’s okay, here’s an example:

A 180-pound person should aim for 90 ounces of water a day, or about seven to eight 12-ounce glasses.

If you’re not going to the bathroom a lot to pee, you’re probably not drinking enough water. Another great use of water by the body is to flush waste, mainly through urine. The more water and fluids you drink, the more your body maintains healthy water levels by excreting the excess.

“I don’t like the taste of water.” We get this ALL the time. While we’d say to definitely keep trying to drink water (try different kinds! There’s SO many), here’s some great options to help you reach that goal:

• Non-caffeinated beverages (caffeination is a diuretic, meaning it causes more frequent urination. You want to pee more from drinking more liquids, not lose too many from over-peeing). Some great options are orange juice, skim milk, or coconut water.
• Foods with lots of water, like cucumbers, strawberries, oranges, watermelon, etc.

Can you drink too much water? Yes, but that’s extremely rare. Certain medical conditions can put you more at risk for what’s called “water intoxication,” including congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and poorly managed diabetes, mostly due to an already existent fluid retention in the body.

Manage your water-drinking goals with Roller Derby Athletics’ next challenge! The Sleigh’d It Challenge is the perfect time to set your personal fitness goals (including water drinking) and December resolutions (with our help), and get fun mini-challenges, exclusive workouts, reminders, and motivation.

Already a Roller Derby Athletics member? You’re ahead of the curve – let your coach know that you’d like to participate in the challenge and we’ll get you set up!

The Sleigh’d It Challenge starts December 1st and we’d love it if you could join us! Free for Essential and MVP members.