Rule of Thumb: Drink Half your Body Weight in Water Every Day!

July 5, 2011 12:00 am

We’ve come to that time of year again when it’s hot outside and in at Bikram Yoga, so what better time than now to start thinking seriously about hydration.

Hydration isn’t hard! There are many natural ways, as well as new products on the market, that can help you achieve a healthy and hydrated body. Start with the most basic of all, good, clean H20 and lots of it! Water is the most abundant and also critical component in the human body. Start practicing good hydration everyday by simply carrying a reusable water bottle wherever you go!

Why is hydration important?

Because, without proper hydration our bodies will stop working, end of story. Water helps our bodies to function properly day in and day out. The average adult loses more than 2 litres of water every day, simply by breathing, sweating and eliminating waste. Add a day of fun in the sun and your water levels will be getting pretty low. Did you know that air temperature and exercise intensity are also major factors in the amount of water you lose throughout the day?

Bikram Yogis face an even bigger challenge in the summer time when it comes to hydration.  Just one Bikram Yoga class can drain you of one full litre of water!  Even minimal dehydration can negatively affect your sports performance and can make your ability to recover from exercise harder and take longer. Dehydration has these effects on the body because when you sweat you aren’t just losing water. You are also losing vital electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and glucose – these electrolytes also keep your body functioning normally as they aid in proper hydration.

How to stay hydrated?

Here are some tips!

For Exercise:

  1. Drink a litre of water in the few hours before exercising; continue to drink at least a ¼ litre for every 30 minutes of exercise you participate in. (If you’re practicing Bikram try to listen for when the teacher tells you to drink, trust us, they know what they’re talking about!)
  2. Add at least ½ litre of a natural electrolyte to your day for every hour of exercise you do. Coconut water is a tasty and refreshing choice!
  3. After exercising, drink at least 1 litre of water to fully replenish the fluids you’ve lost from all that physical activity. Don’t be afraid to drink a little more, there is no such thing as too much water!

For Everyday:

  1. Take your body weight, divide by 2, then drink your weight in water! If you don’t want to do the math, a general rule is to drink at least a cup of water for every hour of the day.
  2. An easy way to replace your sodium levels is to add a sprinkle of sea salt to your water. Worried about the taste? Plug your nose and you won’t even notice!
  3. Can’t get through the day without coffee? Need that salty snack or sugar kick mid-afternoon? If you are putting foods or beverages in your body that dehydrate you don’t forget to drink an extra cup of water alongside them to balance out the effects!

Still have questions about hydration? Stay tuned, we’ve got more tips, tricks and truths about hydration coming up this week! For now, try this simple recipe for a naturally refreshing and homemade electrolyte drink!

 

DIY Hydration: Homemade Electrolyte Water

 

 Ingredients:

                3 cups organic fruit juice, look for one with no sugar added.

                1 cup filtered water, avoid the acidic distilled or deminerialized waters.

                ¼ tsp sea salt, it tends to be less salty tasting than refined table salt.

                1 tsp organic honey

Instructions:

Mix all 4 ingredients together in a juice jug with a spoon, drink and enjoy. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Try adding some fresh fruit for extra flavour!

 

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