Is Water Important for Achieving Your Fitness Goals?
By Korey Walz – NSCA Certified Personal Trainer, NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
Quiz question! Our bodies are comprised mostly of:
- Bones
- Water
- Skin
- Muscle
While I want to say the answer is D… our bodies are actually mostly composed of B. Water. How much water? Our bodies are about 60% water. So that has to mean water is an important function of our everyday lives. But how does water help us when it comes to our fitness goals like running, building muscle, or losing fat? Let’s dive in to see how water helps our physiology.
Thermoregulation- Water is essential for our daily function, especially when it comes to keeping our body the proper temperature. Water regulates body temperature through sweat. Without maintaining the correct temperature in our body chemical reactions do not happen correctly or at the proper speed. The shapes of protein molecules that act as signals in the body actually can change shape based on temperature and lose their ability to act as indicators.
Protective for Tissues- Water protects tissues of the body in general by acting as lubrication. Its presence is needed to maintain digestive, heart, lung and joint function.
Cognitive Function- Water helps with cognitive brain function. If exercising in a hot environment or very vigorously then water is lost at a much higher rate and test results show both mood and concentration decrease. In these conditions and with feelings of dehydration it is essential to remain hydrated.
Reduction in Chronic Diseases- Some evidence suggests good hydration reduces constipation, exercise induced asthma, hypertension, and urinary tract infections making water all the more essential to reduce these chronic diseases.
Skin- Water helps keep our skin hydrated. When you are dehydrated your skin will appear dry and lifeless especially when you are working out or in a hot environment. Water is essential in order for the skin to stay hydrated and clear.
Digestion- Drinking water is one part of ensuring that you are digesting properly and not dealing with constipation (the other is eating enough fiber). Water not only helps prevent constipation but flushes toxins and assists the kidneys and liver in their function.
So how much water should I be drinking daily?
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) recommends males should be drinking 3.7 liters or 15 cups per day of water and for females NAM recommends drinking 2.7 liters or 11 cups of water per day. Another way of ensuring that you are drinking enough water is by looking at the color of your urine. If it is clear to light yellow then you can be sure that you’re drinking enough water and are staying hydrated. Water is lost through sweating, exercise, and being in hot environments so hydration becomes even more important in these conditions.
Source information provided by https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/