Optimal Performance
Water. Seldom is water thought of as a nutrient because it is fat free, calorie free, virtually everything free. However, it is so important in maintaining your life second to oxygen. You can’t live without water, so why deprive your body of on of the most important nutrient, especially in the summer. Water makes up about 50% of a woman’s total body weight! Yes, that is half of your body weight. Studies have shown that women (and men) can survive losses of up to 40% of our body weight in fat, carbs, and protein, but any more than 10% water loss of body weight can be fatal.
Not only does water help you maintain a healthy weight, it also helps keep you from getting headaches, as well as getting your skin from getting dry and dark circles under your eyes! Water is actually a source of energy that will help give you a boost in energy. The reason that water will help you maintain a healthy weight is because most people mistake hunger for being dehydrated. So, next time you think you are hungry, you are probably dehydrated….drink a big glass of water instead of eating that snack.
Water plays several different roles in our exercise and the benefits it provides our body. Water helps regulate body temperature, transports and delivers oxygen to different tissues, and helps maintain your blood pressure for proper heart function. Water loss can occur very quickly in hot and humid climates (such as in South Carolina). The four main ways to lose water are sweat, evaporation from respiratory tract, urination, and excretion from large intestines. Lack of water (dehydration) can cause many harmful effects on the body. It can cause you to:
- Be Tired
- Have migraines
- Constipation
- Muscle Cramps (especially calves)
- Irregular blood pressure
- Kidney problems
- Dry skin
- Even risk of death
If you are an athlete, or just like to train outside, be careful in the summer especially in the humidity. Be careful of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and even heat stroke. I speak from experience with heat exhaustion and let me just tell you, it is no fun being carried away in an ambulance because of the total lack of water in your body. It hurts, it is scary, and it is not a fun experience. You WILL know when you hit the heat exhaustion level because you will experience extreme fatigue, extremely high heart rate, dizziness, fainting, vomiting, cold and clammy or hot and dry skin, and low blood pressure. If you start to experience any of these symptoms while exercising outside, get inside to a cool area and get water in your system fast if you can’t get to a doctor quickly. And BE careful. Make sure you are constantly drinking water during the day leading up to exercise and even the days before. Water really is one of the most important things you will put into your body.
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