Hydration 101

The low-hanging fruit of nutrition is hydration. Over the years, I have watched countless clients overestimate how much water they drink and underestimate how much they need. This creates quite the gap! 

Why are hydration levels important? 

• A small dehydration of 2% has been shown to affect reaction times. From a sports performance standpoint, slower reaction times can be the difference between Olympic gold and making the Olympic team. In day-to-day life, a delayed reaction time can be the difference between catching oneself from a potential fall or experiencing a crippling broken bone. 
• Feelings of dehydration can be mistaken for feelings of hunger. This can result in overeating and unwanted weight gain or body recomposition. 
• Dehydration can result in feelings of decreased energy. ​

What can you do? 

The first step is to get a better understanding of the amount of water you should be aiming to consume daily. There are plenty of different formulas out there to calculate this and each person is going to have a slightly different need. That said, it is good to have an idea of where to start. Here is the formula I have been utilizing to calculate individual hydration needs. 

Daily Ounces=(Bodyweight in lbs x 2/3) + 10 for every 30-minutes of structured activity 

This calculation is focused on water consumption ONLY! While I am a sucker for a good cold brew, starting with a foundation of water is critical. The next step is to get out the water bottle you utilize daily and calculate how many bottles you need to drink to hit this goal. 

Water Bottles Per Day=Daily Ounces/Water Bottle Ounces 

Now you know how many water bottles you will need to drink throughout your day to set a foundation of hydration. If I had to guess, this is much more than what you expected or have been achieving as of late. ​

Tips for success

1) Set daily hydration reminders on your phone. I like to set four hydration reminders each day. Set one for mid-morning, early afternoon, dinner time, and 1.5 hours before bed. These are good times to perform check-ins and make sure you are staying on track.

2) Start your day with 24-ounces of water at first wake. Drink 24-ounces of water before each meal. These two simple tips can help you knock out a major portion of your daily hydration goal. Starting your morning with water will help you get out of the dehydrated state from the night of rest. Drinking water before each meal acts as a natural caloric manager. 

3) Add some natural flavor to your water. Adding some lemon, lime, or cucumber slices to your water will give it some nice flavoring and a change of pace. ​