Megan

Drink 8 glasses of water a day…remember this?! Health class in high school and what do I remember? When it comes to hydration, drink 8 glasses of water a day. Crazy, huh? Have you ever kept track of your eight glasses? Were you counting from a water bottle or a juice glass? Although this 8 glasses of water a day thing is a specific recommendation, to me it sounds unclear. People come in all shapes and sizes with different activity levels. Does that mean we still only need 8 glasses of water a day? Ummm, no. Time to get up and get hydrated.

I have come up with a list of 5 Every day, Real Life Tips to remember to stay hydrated:

1. Drink a tall glass of water when you make up in the morning. That’s right. You have just been sleeping for 6+ hours (hopefully) and your body is thirsty. So many of us (me mostly) are used to waking up and the first thing to grab is a cup of coffee. Caffeine loaded beverages have a diuretic effect meaning they cause our body to lose more water. So, before you grab that cup of coffee in the am, start with a glass of water. To fancy it up add some lemon or sliced cucumbers.
2. Have water handy. Yup, simple huh! But the truth is, if you carry around a fancy water bottle with a slice of lemon inside, chances are that you will drink it. Long hours at a desk every day makes it easy to forget to drink water. But with that fancy water bottle in front of you, you are more likely to stay hydrated. Plus, when you start your work day off with only a cup of coffee and it is not almost lunch with maybe a second cup of coffee in, you are way behind in your fluid intake.
3. Hydrate before activity. Going out for a jog, water tubing, snow skiing? Doing anything strenuous and you should down a glass of water first. Staying well hydrated is good for your heart, especially when physically active. And if you are going to be active for more than an hour, drink something to replace electrolytes as well.
4. Eat Foods High in Water Content. It’s much easier to remember to drink fluids during warm weather because in the heat you are more likely to feel thirsty. However, consuming foods that are high in water can help you even more to stay hydrated. Fruits that contain >90% water include watermelon, strawberries, grapefruit, and cantaloupe. Vegetables in the same category include cucumbers, cauliflower, celery, spinach, and peppers. The next time you go for a run, try munching on some watermelon for your post-run snack
5. Drink a glass of warm tea or water before bed. Preferably choose the non-caffeinated tea, but either way you will increase your fluid intake and calm your mind before going to bed. Two birds with one stone…

Benefits of Adequate Hydration

Water is essential to life. It is the most important nutrient that we consume even though it provides no energy. Therefore, it is pretty important that we drink enough fluids everyday. The Institute of Medicine has set an Adequate Intake for water. For males 19 years and older, it is set at 125 ounces per day and for females, 91 ounces per day. These values include all sources of water such as food containing water, water itself, juice, and any caffeinated beverages consumed throughout the day. Below is a list of some of the benefits of adequate hydration. Check them out!!

• Healthy looking skin
• Removal of toxins from the body
• Prevention of overeating and weight gain
• Clear thinking
• Cardiovascular Health
• Aids in Digestion
• Reduces Fatigue

Since this is a food blog I am going to focus in on the role hydration plays in weight maintenance. Everyone fits in to a different category in regards to where they are at with their weight. Whether it is maintaining your current weight, trying to lose weight, or even trying to gaining weight, the principles of adequate hydration apply to all of us.

Epidemiological studies have suggested that people who drink water regularly instead of sugar-sweetened beverages consume about 9% less calories every day. Interestingly, a randomized controlled trial studying the effect of water consumption related to weight loss in middle aged+ men and women has shown that increasing water consumption leads to greater weight loss. Participants that were instructed to drink 500ml of water 30 minutes before 3 meals every day had a 44% increase in weight loss compared to participants who were given water but without instruction. It is likely that the participants who increased consumption of water had greater feelings of fullness and satiety which led to fewer calories consumed at meals. One consideration to remember is that the sample size in this study was small, with only 41 people completing the study. Yet, it is important to not underestimate the effects of water on health and its role in maintaining physical and mental health.

The key to hydration is awareness. Get up and get moving, get hydrated, and feel good!

References
Dennis EA, Dengo AL, Comber DL, et al. Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults. Obesity. 2010;18(2):300-307.

Cunningham E. What Impact Does Water Consumption Have on Weight Loss or Weight Loss Maintenance? J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014; 114 (12):2084.