The first thing I drank yesterday morning was 8 ounces of coffee, and then 12 ounces of tea and then a diet Canada Dry cranberry ginger-ale (don’t judge, I still had a few from the holidays). By 11am I was feeling a little anxious and wired. I don’t usually get the Sunday scaries especially that early in the day. So after some further analysis, I realized that I had no water at all that morning. So I filled up my 32 ounce nalgene bottle and chugged 12 ounces straight before putting the bottle down. I immediately felt better.
It can be surprising how little water we drink throughout the day. The cold weather of winter also makes it harder because we sweat less. Common thought is that if you feel the effects of thirst or dehydration it is already too late. But what are those symptoms that tell you that water is needed?
Here are common sensations that indicate that you should be drinking water:
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Elevated heart rate (at rest)
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Dry mouth
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Feeling anxious (for no reason)
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You are excessively cold (in the winter) and excessively hot (in the summer)
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You have a headache
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You feel hungover in the morning or as the day progresses
You don’t have to chug water like I did yesterday, but ingesting cold water is going to allow you to absorb it a lot easier. General rule of thumb for drinking is dividing your body weight in half and drinking that in ounces.
You can avoid reaching this point of thirst by carrying a water bottle with you everywhere you go, special points if you have a Hudson River Fitness branded Swell or Nalgene bottle (stop by the gym to pick one up!). Also drink 1:1 coffee to water ratio (every 8oz coffee ingested means drinking 8oz of water).
You might even notice that when properly hydrated you’ll have better concentration and you’ll be hungry less often. This is perfect if you notice that you have a tendency to overeat.
Your assignment today is when you hit your hydration benchmark (body weight divided by 2 in ounces) email me and I’ll send you a gift (shh it’s a secret), but you have to send it by 5pm today.
Ashley
*The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in the information provided nor will the owner be liable for any accidents, injuries or other damage, howsoever occurring to any person or property arising out of or in any way connected to the use or application of information obtained from this message
