Are you dehydrated?

One of the first questions I ask a new client is how much water are they drinking. I'm amazed at how many people are drinking less than four 8 oz. glasses of water a day. The average sedentary person, this means no activity at all, requires eight 8 oz glasses of water to maintain metabolic health! Then I explain they will need to drink that minimum 1/2 gallon of water and up to an additional 1/2 gallon daily depending on what level of exercise I will have them doing. After that I start coaching them on their new water habit.

The first step is determining how are they going to track it. There are many ways to track water. It is rare to find people have fun tallying it up on paper. I suggest a water bottle or a favorite water cup or glass. My water bottle holds 24 oz. I know that I need to empty this bottle 3-4 times in a day. I have tracked that by putting 4 rubber bands on the bottle and moving them to the top as I empty the bottle. I've met people who use their wrists to hold the rubber bands. In the morning they put them on the right arm and move them to the left as they drink their water. Some people find having 3 water bottles is helpful. They know they must empty all of them in one day. Still others find that having a gallon jug that is refilled daily is the easiest solution. There are many options. Find one that works for you and stick with it.

 Then comes the taste obstacle. I understand that water is plain. If that bothers you there are some calorie and chemical free ways to add taste to your water. Slices of cucumber make water refreshing for some. A squeeze of lemon or lime is enough for others. I have fresh mint in my garden and enjoy bruised mint leaves in iced water. Lemon slices and thyme leaves are another wonderful water additive. The point is to increase your water intake without increasing your intake of other types beverages. While it may be relaxing or enjoyable to sip herbal tea all day long the body needs to have water for metabolic functions. One of those functions is the removal of unwanted fat from the system.

During a workout I will give my clients 2-3 water breaks. For about every 15 minutes of vigorous exercise you need to drink 6-8 oz of water. That means if you are doing cardiovascular exercise you need to be prepared with a water bottle for the entire time. When I run I use a Camelbak backpack that holds 1.5 liters of water. On a 5 mile run I'll drink about half of that. On  a 10+ mile run I will empty it.

Now the question is...Are you getting enough water to keep your body hydrated and metabolize fat?

This knitted water cup cozy is one way I have added fun to drinking water. I'm always looking for new ideas if you have one to share please do!