by Mandi Kowal
February may seem like an unusual time of year to talk about hydration, but it is important year-round, not just in the hot summer months. We all know that water is good for us, but did you know that you can improve your athletic performance by drinking water?
Our bodies rely on water for proper brain function and to remove toxins and acids from the body, metabolize fat, regulate body temperature, aid in digestion, increase oxygen in the blood, lubricate the joints, and transport nutrients. Those are critical for everyone - not just athletes.
Despite knowing all the benefits of water, and having read about it more than once, it's still hard for me to drink adequate amounts water. So join me as a WATER WARRIOR! Make the pledge to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. (So if you weight 150 lbs, that would be 75 oz of water.)
Let's make it a goal to do so for 100 straight days, which should be enough time to form a habit. Become a WATER WARRIOR and together we will positively impact our health and athletic performance one day at a time.
Need more compelling evidence? Read this opening statement from a study regarding dehydration and its effects on performance:
"Fatigue toward the end of a prolonged sporting event may result as much from dehydration as from fuel substrate depletion. Exercise performance is impaired when an individual is dehydrated by as little as 2% of body weight. Losses in excess of 5% of body weight can decrease the capacity for work by about 30%"
from Armstrong et al. 1985; Craig and Cummings 1966; Maughan 1991; Sawka and Pandolf 1990. (Available online here.)
Don't let something as simple as water/hydration diminish your performance in training or on race day!
If you are interested in solidifying your water drinking habits, join me as a WATER WARRIOR. It’s free and good for you.