Stay Hydrated |4 Essential Water Facts You Can Use

Hydration, a word that most of us know but few of us pay enough attention to. Do you know the 4 essential facts you need to stay hydrated?

Staying hydrated during these long runs was nearly impossible with how much I sweated and how my body tolerated re-hydrating while running. I would lose 3-7 pounds of fluid every run and then struggled to recover and rehydrate for the next few days.

I had a few runs I even became so dehydrated I was close to not finishing. I would get 14-18 miles in and stop sweating, start getting chills, become dizzy, fuzzy headed and even have to stop and walk.

These runs were not a fun experience and it forever changed the way I sweat. To this day I am permanently a heavy sweater and have to closely watch my hydration. It was a powerful learning experience and I will no longer underestimate how essential water is!

Through those experiences, I learned why hydration is so critical and I want to help you avoid these types of challenges yourself. And if you want some good tips for running in the heat check out this Runner’s World article.

Now Let’s look at 4 essential facts you can use:

I calculated my hydration needs using this easy formula that you can use too.

• Take your body weight in pounds
• Divide it by 2
• This equals the number of ounces you should drink each day.

Example: Meet Betsy

Now the real debate begins… Do your hydration needs have to be met with plain water? Or can you use other foods and beverages to meet your hydration needs?

My recommendation is that you aim to meet your needs with plain water because it is best absorbed and utilized by your body. Then you can consider any extra hydration you get bonus for your body.

More questions that pop into your mind now might be:

What if I hate plain old water? What can I do to make myself drink more? Are there best brands of water to drink? What about alkaline water? What about infused water?

While this article is too short to answer all of these, check out this post for more answers

Here are some quick ideas to get more water in your day.

• Start your day off right with drinking 20-30 ounces of water before you do anything else
• Get a tough, portable water bottle or cup to take with you on the go so you can drink all the time
• Know exactly how much water your cup or water bottle holds so you can remember how much you get each time you drink it dry
• Set an alarm or reminder on your phone, watch or computer to help you remember to drink 4-8 ounces every hour
• Drink water as cold as you can get, it can help it taste better
• Add a slice of citrus or cucumber to your water if you need a little taste to help get it down.
• You can also use an infuser cup or bottle to add a more creative flavors to your drink

• Write everything you drink down on your calendar
• Keep a hydration journal
• Use an app on your smartphone to help you track
• Have an accountability buddy so you can help each other stay hydrated

Did you know that foods can provide about 20% of your daily hydration needs? Fruits and vegetables are especially great sources of water. But which ones are the best for hydration?

Here is a list of 10 perfect summertime foods, healthy for you and full of water! Be creative with how you can get them into your daily diet!

1) melons- 91% water

2) celery- 95% water

3) citrus- 90% water

4) iceberg lettuce- 96% water

5) radishes- 95% water

6) tomatoes- 95% water

7) green peppers- 94% water

8) cauliflower- 93% water

9) strawberries- 91% water

10) cucumbers- 97% water

Hydration is critical to your body. But it doesn’t have to be hard or boring. Know your number and be creative to get hydrated every day!

You can also give this fun recipe a try for healthy hydration and wonderful taste.

What other hydration ideas do you have? Comment below so we can learn together.

And make sure to share this article with those you care about. Let’s stay hydrated and healthy together!