When mapping out an exercise program for someone, there are multiple variables involved. You need to consider the goal- improve mobility, strength, fat loss. You need to factor in their age, any past injuries, and current fitness level. Finally, you assess their current motivation to implement change. You mix that all up, and the outcome should be a well-designed program. I used to have two things that I recommend everyone adopted, no matter what, and have recently increased it to three. Drink more water, three- five liters daily, at a minimum. Eat more vegetables. Using the size of your fist as a portion size, consume four to five fists daily. The third and new addition is to get adequate sleep. I thank Dr. Mathew Walker, PhD. author of Why We Sleep, and his widely viewed Ted Talk for this one. Today’s blog post will discuss my first recommendation- hydration, and its importance.
Drinking enough water each day is important for many reasons. We’ve all heard the rule to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Water regulates our body temperature, aids in the fight of infection, keeps joints lubricated, delivers nutrients to cells, and keeps our organs functioning properly. The importance of hydration is magnified regarding exercise. Stroke volume is the amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute. Since most of the total blood volume is water, efficiency in training or performance in exercise could be compromised if a person fails to hydrate properly. As cited in the American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) Advanced Exercise Physiology (2nd ed.):
“In bouts consisting of an hour or more (especially in intense, hot, and humid conditions) hydration levels are especially important due to the fact that oxygen carrying red blood cells will struggle to deliver adequate amounts of oxygen to working muscles. The primary function of red blood cells during exercise is to transport oxygen from the lungs to muscular, nervous, connective, and epithelial tissue.”
The American College of Sports medicine recommend you drink 17oz. prior to exercise and as much as tolerated during. I like to use the rule of 3 oz. of water every 15 minutes, at a minimum during exercise. You should sip the water and avoid guzzling for better absorption. This also helps you from having the sensation of a full belly of water right before performing an exercise that may have you inverted- example TRX pike.
The popularity of Paleo, low-carb, or ketogenic diets has also brought another issue to the surface. When many convert to the low carb regime, they experience some fatigue, crankiness, decreased physical performance, and brain fog. Some refer to it as the “keto-flu”. The culprit is not lack of carbs or sugar, but lack of sodium. It’s the elimination of processed foods coupled with the low carb diet which has a diuretic effect, which has the kidney’s eliminate electrolytes at a higher rate. Supplementing with additional sodium and electrolytes has appeared to remedy this issue. As shown in a 2011 research article published in the Journal of American Medical Association, the enemy isn’t sodium, but sugar.
While physiologists offer precise ways of determining your hydration status, I’ll use the simple system of looking at your urine. If it’s the color of straw, you’re good. If it is bright yellow or slightly brown, you are probably dehydrated. A strong odor can be another sign of dehydration. Below is a simple chart you can use as reference.
So, get your sleep, eat your veggies, and drink plenty of water. It does not have to be complicated. I’ll see you at the studio.