Exercise AND Hydration: Why Water Is So Good For You & How To Drink More Of It

As we established in the first post of our ‘Exercise AND’ series, there is more to living a healthy life than just exercise. While it’s absolutely a significant part of it, it’s not the only part. Things like nutrition, hydration, sleep, self care/stress management, social support, stretching, and rest all together are some of the big areas that can make up our overall health. It’s important to not neglect any of these areas, but it can also feel daunting to take it all on at once. At Worth the Work Fitness, we’re all about making small, sustainable changes for our health and wellness so we can build habits that stick, so we’re spending time breaking down each of these big areas to remind you of their significance, and guide you in ways that you can put in the work to live a well-rounded, healthy life. Today we are focusing on hydration. Strap in folks - we’ve got a lot of great science-y information for you, as well as some great tips for staying more hydrated.

Importance of Hydration
Considering our bodies are made up of approximately 60% water, water is the most important thing for us to intake in order to not just thrive, but to function (apart from oxygen, of course). We have to intake it, because we have to replenish the fluids we constantly lose on a day to day basis through things like skin evaporation, breathing, urine, and stool. And if you are exercising regularly, you are losing even more. When we work out, our bodies shed water at an even quicker pace because of our faster, deeper breathing and increased sweat production. Therefore, when we are engaging in consistent physical activity, it’s all the more important to replenish ourselves with both nutrition AND hydration. Here’s why:
 

1. Water Helps Blood Flow | Our blood is made up of more than 90% water and it is what carries oxygen to different parts of the body, so water can help the heart more easily pump blood to the muscles (which is obviously important when you are working out). It also helps maintain blood pressure and prevents the blood from becoming too thick.
2. Water Regulates the Body’s Temperature | Sweat is a result of water that is stored in the skin coming to the surface when the body heats up. Then, when the sweat evaporates, it cools the body and prevents heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
3. Water Cushions & Protects Vital Organs | We’d consider your brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues to be a big deal, so let’s keep them protected!
4. Water Aids the Digestive System | Adequate hydration keeps everything flowing smoothly within your gastrointestinal tract. When you don’t have enough fluids coming in, your colon will pull water from your stool to maintain hydration which results in constipation, and nobody enjoys that!
5. Water Helps You Body Absorb Nutrients | Since minerals and nutrients dissolve in water, staying hydrated helps them to reach necessary parts of the body.
6. Water is Significant for Your Kidneys | If your body is not getting enough fluids, your kidneys will trap extra fluid for the bodily functions it helps facilitate such as sweating and the removal of urine and feces. Each day the kidneys filter the fluid in our body and remove what is needed, but if they can’t function as they should, waste products and excess fluid can then build up inside the body. 
7. Water Lubricates Joints | If you regularly don’t drink enough, the shock-absorbing ability of your joints decreases, which leads to joint pain.
8. Water Keeps Airways Clearer | If you are dehydrated, your body can restrict your airways to help minimize water loss, making it harder to breathe (this is especially significant for those with asthma or allergies).
9. Water Helps Energize Muscles | When muscle cells don’t have adequate fluids, they become more fatigued, which negatively impacts overall activity performance, and could also lead to muscle fatigue, cramping and an overall loss of energy.
10. Water is Important for the Creation of Saliva | Water is what forms saliva, which is what helps you digest food and keeps your mouth, nose, and eyes moist. Not to mention that drinking water also helps keep the mouth clean and reduce tooth decay.
11. Water Aids in Weight Loss | This is mainly because if you consume water instead of sweetened juices, sodas, or other beverages, you are taking in less sugar and chemicals. Also, when you drink some water before or during a meal, it can also help prevent you from overeating because it can create a sense of fullness. 
12. Water Improves Skin Health | The skin contains a great deal of water and it functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss, so by keeping it stocked up, your skin can stay and look fuller, clearer, and healthier.
13. Boosts Exercise Performance | In relevance to our overall topic here, and considering the massive ways that dehydration can affect your body, water plays a significant role in supporting and possibly enhancing your performance during strenuous activities. 

 
Does that seem like enough reasons to consume an adequate amount of water? And that's not even covering all of the other not-so-fun symptoms that result from dehydration such as dizziness, headaches, rapid heart rate, and more. It’s obvious from this that whether we keep a healthy level of hydration or not, we can severely impact our overall well being one way or another, especially when we are regularly exercising.

Exercise and Water
As mentioned above, your body loses more water than usual when you exercise, and just how much you lose is dependent on a few things. Your sweat rate, the heat and humidity of your workout environment, what clothes you are wearing, and how intense or how long you are exercising can all impact how much you sweat, and therefore how much water your body is losing. And if your body uses up its store of water it will be unable to cool itself through sweat, and could lead to dehydration and overheating. So if you are engaging in regular, strenuous, physical activity without increasing your fluid intake, you’re headed towards trouble. Therefore it is important to prepare your body by hydrating an hour or two before a workout, maintaining levels by drinking water every 10-20 minutes (or as needed) throughout a workout, and replenishing after a workout.
 
How Much to Drink
There are a lot of varied recommendations on what is the right amount of water to consume in a day, so it may be best to speak to your doctor to determine exactly how much is right for you, but a good rule of thumb is to cut your weight in half to determine how many ounces you should drink. For example, if you are 180 lbs, you should aim to drink at least 90 oz of water a day. Then if you exercise or exert yourself physically, you should add onto that amount to replenish what you likely lost. Other factors should also be taken into consideration, such as how heavily you sweat, if you are on any medications that act as diuretics, or if you have any medical conditions that require higher levels of hydration such as diabetes, heart disease, or cystic fibrosis.

Also, probably the best indicator of if you are getting enough to drink is paying attention to your urine. Dark, yellow color, and often more odored urine signifies dehydration, while pale, clear, and odorless urine means you’re doing well. 

What To Drink
There are of course a variety of ways to consume fluids for hydration, but it is imperative to realize that not all varieties are the same. We’ve talked a lot about water, because it is hands down the best thing for you to drink in order to stay hydrated, and obtain the many benefits listed above. While we’re not going to tell you to swear off any particular drinks, we at least want you to be informed about the effects some can have on your body so that you make the best decision for you. 

In some cases, it can be beneficial to hydrate after a workout with a sports drink to replace electrolytes that are also lost through sweat. This is especially beneficial for those who are doing high intensity exercise in very hot weather. But this is a category of fluids that should still be handled with caution as many sports drinks are high in calories because of added sugar or high levels of sodium. Some also contain caffeine, which has a diuretic effect on the body and can lead you to urinate more, which defeats the purpose of trying to hydrate. So pay attention to nutrition labels, serving sizes, and ingredients if you choose to hydrate with these kinds of drinks.

We also encourage you to be weary that fruit juices or sugary drinks, like soda, can be hard on your stomach - especially if you are dehydrated. And it’s also important to recognize that alcohol consumption can interfere with muscle recovery from exercise and negatively affect a variety of aspects of your performance, so be mindful of these things when choosing what to pair with your meals. Or, if you’d like to indulge yourself, be sure you’ve gotten enough water in throughout your day and consider these drinks as a treat, not a form of hydration.

Tips for Drinking More
​So with this information overload of all things hydration and water, let’s make this a bit more practical. Because it goes beyond just knowing WHY hydration is important. It’s also a matter of making proper water consumption a habit in your life, which is where many people tend to struggle. Contrary to popular belief, simply feeling thirsty is not the best indicator for your need for water, because typically that's a sign that you are already dehydrated, so don't wait around just to drink when you feel thirsty. You want to be proactive about staying hydrated all throughout the day, so here are a few tips to help you do just that:

1. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning | It can get your body replenished after a good night’s rest, and also help set the tone for your day.
2. Drink some water with every snack and meal that you have | By grouping it together with another activity you will likely remember to do it more often.
3. Get a water bottle that will encourage you to drink more | We’ve seen bottles like this one that have time stamped lines to give you a guide on how much to drink by when, or ones like this that light up to remind you to take a drink.
4. Use an app to track your water intake as a form of accountability | There are some apps that are created solely for this purpose, but even common health apps like FitBit and My Fitness Pal can help you log how much water you drink in a day. Or just go analog and track it with good ol’ pen & paper.
5. Set alarms on your phone to remind you to drink throughout the day | For those of you who very easily can let a busy day pass by without giving water a thought, set a handful of alarms on your phone to trigger you to drink a glass.
6. Keep it accessible | Carry a bottle with you wherever you go, have a bottle in your car, or keep one at your desk - wherever it is you need it so that laziness can’t become an excuse.
7. Eat more fruits and vegetables | About 20% of your fluid intake comes from foods, and these ones have the best source of water of all.

We hope this helps you to further understand why focusing on exercise alone might not get you the results you want because there is more to health than JUST moving your body. Hydration plays a big role in keeping your body functioning at its best. So now that you know all the more why it is important for you, let’s get you drinking more water! Pick just one of the tips above to try out this week, and put it into action. Let us know what you are going to try in the comments. Bottoms up!

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Written by Kelly Pruim