H2 OH!

Must…drink….water….

It sounds so simple but it is such a common problem among - well, everybody! Dry lips, dry skin, dry eyes, and headaches can all come from dehydration.  Alcohol, juice, soda, and coffee are all dehydrating so when you drink these you need to compensate with MORE water intake.  But how do you know exactly how much to drink to achieve proper hydration? Chances are you already THINK you drink enough water but truth be told you probably don't. There are many factors that can contribute to what your proper H2O level should be which include age, gender, health issues, environment, and activity level. Here is your BASIC STARTING point:  Drink at least half your weight in ounces each day.  Then factor in the following:- If you drink juice, soda, and caffeine you need to drink more fluid ounces of water to make up for this. For every single serving (8oz) of coffee or beer you need to compensate with double the amount of water (16 0z)- If you exercise more ounces more often depending on the intensity of the activity. One way you can judge this is to weigh yourself before working out and after and replenish the water weight lost. Water helps everything including metabolism, digestion, muscle function, and joint lubrication. If you don’t drink enough water you risk decreasing oxygen supply in your blood stream depriving the muscles and organs of nutrients they so richly deserve.  Here’s another startling fact - it takes 14 days to build up a baseline with proper hydration. It's not something you can do for a little while and it remains effective. You really have to do it daily. 
Let's use meat as an example. Put a filet mignon on the grill cooked medium and cooked perfect. It is juicy and tender and looks amazing. The meat looks smooth. Jerky is dehydrated meat that looks shriveled up and downright dry. Think about when you eat these things and the difference in texture. Which of these would you want your muscles to look like? Which of these situations do you think muscles and joints operate optimally in? You guessed it. You want the filet everyday and twice on Sundays!   Another thing about dehydration…it can cause hunger. So if you feel like snacking in the afternoon first trying drinking some water. Chances are you are feeling a little dehydrated and aren’t really hungry at all.  This note doesn’t have a lot to do with Whole 30 specifically. It’s just something I’ve always been big on with my training clients. Hydration is HUGE. Don’t forget about it. Drink your water!