Week 4 of Body Recomp – HYDRATE! HYDRATE! HYDRATE!
Let’s First Recap… Before we get into HYDRATION, let’s take a moment to recap everything we’ve learned thus far and put the formula together to ensure you are still on the right track for a successful body recomp. ✅ Eat a High-Protein Diet while Maintaining a Slight Calorie Deficit✅ Perform Resistance-Training Workouts 3-4x Per Week✅ Don’t Neglect Cardio!✅ Sleep for recovery✅ Less Fat Tissue = Less Risk For Disease The final piece of this puzzle is HYDRATION!! Staying hydrated is essential for any fitness goal, but it’s especially important when you’re trying to lose fat and build muscle. When you’re properly hydrated, your muscles are better able to repair themselves after workouts, and your body can more efficiently metabolize fat. |
Why Hydration Is ImportantHydration is often overlooked but is equally important for body recomposition. Staying adequately hydrated not only supports overall bodily functions but also helps optimize metabolic processes and aids in recovery. It also helps transport nutrients to various body parts, improving the strength of the musculoskeletal system. You may not realize it, but water is an important key to feeling good. It helps regulate your body temperature, prevent infections, get rid of waste and deliver nutrients to cells. Water also plays a role in your mental wellness. Without enough, you could have trouble with sleep, memory, information processing and mood. HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD YOU DRINK PER DAY?To start, it is important to talk about the recommended amount of water you should drink daily. The Harvard University Health Department recommends, as a standard measure, drinking between four and six glasses of water per day (other water sources will come from various beverages you consume throughout the day along with the fruits and vegetables you eat). However, it also points out that the specific conditions of each individual affect the amount of water they should consume daily. These conditions may include the amount of water obtained from food, the level of physical activity, and medical conditions. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HYDRATE DURING PHYSICAL WORKOUT?Exercise is one of the main reasons the body loses water, as it is released through sweat. This water loss varies for each person, depending on the intensity and duration of the physical activity, age, sex, and weather conditions, so sweating rates can vary widely… especially all of us that sweat buckets at DRIP! That is why before, during, and after the workout it is very important to replace the amount of water lost since there is a strong risk of severe dehydration. Additionally, a hydrated body will be able to regulate body temperature during exercise. Dehydration Signs and Symptoms When you don’t drink enough water, you can become dehydrated. Dehydration is a common condition that occurs when your body doesn’t have enough fluids to function normally. When exercising, you may also experience muscle cramps, decreased physical performance, impact on heart rate, muscle spasms, risk of injuries, and increased fatigue if you do not maintain proper body hydration. These could be all signs of dehydration. Common signs you’re starting to dehydrate include: 🥵 Constipation 🥵 Dry mouth 🥵 Dull skin 🥵Fatigue 🥵 Headaches |
Benefits of HydrationBy being adequately hydrated, you can maximize workout sessions and gain more health benefits for the muscles. 💧 Boost blood circulation: Water helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to the bloodstream, enhancing oxygen exchange in the muscle fibers. As a result, you can prolong aerobic respiration and gain more muscle output. 💧 Reduce food cravings: Water can fill up empty space in the stomach, stopping hunger sensation and keeping your mind away from food. Minimizing fats due to cravings is also essential when trying to gain muscles. Water can keep hunger at bay, especially if you’re on a low-calorie diet. 💧 Improve mood: Not drinking enough water while gaining muscles can throw off dopamine and serotonin balances. Without these natural chemicals, you may feel more restless or tense while exercising. This is why it’s helpful to drink 7 to 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes during a workout routine. 💧 Regulate body temperature: The muscles produce 20 times more heat when exercising, and without enough water, the body may become too hot and feel adverse effects. The optimum human body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and sweating can maintain this number. However, you need to drink water to replace the fluid loss. 💧 Protect bones and the skin: Aside from muscle growth and strengthening, water supports the skin and bones. As you exercise, your joints and skin may also experience fatigue. This is why it would be beneficial to drink enough water to prevent the skin and bones from becoming vulnerable to injuries. 💧 Improve digestive system: Water can balance metabolism and maintain a healthy urinary tract. When exercising, you’re also burning fats and excreting waste through sweating. When there’s not enough water, the liver will help the kidneys filter out toxins, preventing the liver from burning fat at full capacity. |
When it comes to weight loss, what you drink is just one piece of the puzzle, and there isn’t a single beverage that will help you magically shed pounds and gain muscle. In fact, certain beverages can affect your daily calorie intake, hunger levels and metabolism, all of which play a role in our body recomp challenge. Furthermore, sipping on certain beverages might actually contribute to weight gain in the long run. For example, alcohol, sugar-sweetened beverages and coffee drinks loaded with sugars can all add extra calories to your diet, which could lead to weight gain over time. Several beverages can help promote weight loss (aside from water) while even providing some extra health perks. Here are a few of the best weight loss drinks, according to experts. Protein ShakesProtein is more satiating than fat or carbohydrates, and has a higher thermic effect, meaning that it burns more calories during digestion. Plus, adding more protein to your diet with protein shakes can help you feel full and make it easier to manage your portions, she says. Electrolytes or Hydration Drops Electrolytes are easily lost through everyday activities, such as breathing, digesting food, and even thinking. This loss is even more pronounced during strenuous activities and when we sweat, leading to symptoms like fatigue, muscle cramps, and dehydration. That’s why we need to effectively replenish electrolytes regularly. These four electrolytes—sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium—are often considered the main building blocks of electrolyte balance in our body. They are essential for various vital functions including regulating heartbeat, muscle contractions, and maintaining fluid balance. A deficiency or imbalance in these electrolytes can lead to significant health problems. Supplementing your diet with a high-quality daily electrolyte supplement like electrolyte and mineral drops may help ensure that your body’s electrolyte levels remain in balance, supporting overall health and well-being Green TeaSwapping soda or juice with green tea can help cut calories. Green tea contains electrolytes, contains 98% water, and is a good source of caffeine. Research generally shows that green tea is just as hydrating as non-caffeinated drinks, or it may hydrate you slightly more. CoffeeUnsweetened coffee is a low-calorie beverage that can be enjoyed without adding extra sugar or calories to your daily diet. Black coffee is also a good source of caffeine, which may further support weight loss via its role in thermogenesis, which is the energy used to digest food. It might also help by decreasing calorie intake and increasing fat oxidation. Kombucha These drinks are fizzy and have a sweet taste without adding a ton of extra calories or sugar like other beverages. What’s more, kombucha can be a tasty alternative to plain water and even boasts some gut-boosting benefits. Drinking kombucha can also help ease inflammation, enhance liver detoxification and balance the bacteria in the gut. Sparkling WaterSparkling water, without added sugars or calories, can be a satisfying alternative to sugary carbonated beverages. It’s also available in a variety of flavors, making it a good substitute for juice and other sweet drinks. Coconut Water Coconut water is a tasty low-calorie, low-carb addition to add to your drink options. It’s full of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and manganese and is especially good for exercise. Thanks to electrolytes, like potassium, sodium, and magnesium, it’s a great way to keep you hydrated and feeling replenished. More specifically, potassium helps remove extra sodium from your body. This helps reduce water weight and can support your weight loss goals. |
Foods That Hydrate YOU!Your body typically gets about 20% of the water it needs from the foods you eat throughout the day. Foods that typically provide the highest water content are raw fruits and vegetables. Eating a diet heavy in produce is a good way to give the body vitamins, minerals and fiber while increasing your daily water intake. Any fruits and vegetables with more than 80% water content are a great choice. But these foods (all with a water content greater than 92%) offer the best bang for your buck when it comes to getting the water your body needs: 1. Cucumber (96%)If you love the crunch of a cucumber, you’re in luck. Cucumbers have the highest water content of any solid food. 2. Iceberg Lettuce (96%)Darker greens do provide more fiber, folate and vitamin K. But when it comes to staying hydrated, crispy iceberg has the goods. 3. Celery (95%)In addition to being full of water, celery is a great source of fiber. Add some protein-rich nut butter and you have a healthy (and thirst-quenching) snack. 4. Radishes (95%)This root veggie is full of flavor, vitamin C and fiber but low in calories. Add them to a green salad or grate them into a summer slaw. 5. Romaine Lettuce (95%)This dark, leafy green packs in a lot of water but also provides many nutritional benefits. Romaine is a good source of vitamins C and A, folate and fiber. 6. Tomatoes (94%)Many people think of tomatoes as vegetables, but they are actually the fruit with the highest water content. They also contain lycopene, which helps prevent cell damage. 7. Zucchini or Squash (94%)Whether you eat squash cooked or raw, it provides the same amount of water. So don’t be afraid to throw some zucchini on the grill next to your turkey burger. 8. Asparagus (92%)With its rough texture, most people choose to eat cooked asparagus. But its water content is the same whether you eat it cooked or raw, so go ahead and grill up some spears. 9. Bell peppers (92%)All shades of bell peppers will quench your thirst, but green ones lead the pack in water content. As a bonus, bell peppers are high in antioxidants. 10. Cabbage (92%)All common varieties of cabbage contain a lot of water raw and even more when cooked (94%). Some Chinese cabbages, such as bok choy, are 96% water and taste great tossed into a salad. 11. Cauliflower (92%)If you love riced cauliflower, but don’t like to eat it raw, you’re in luck. Cooked cauliflower, like cabbage, provides even more water (93%) than eating it raw. 12. Mushrooms (92%)Mushrooms contain health-boosting vitamins and minerals, along with protein and fiber. Mushrooms also contain compounds (including polysaccharides and sterols) that may help protect your health and prevent diseases. But to get the most water from your shrooms, eat them raw. 13. Spinach (92%)Spinach is a great summer staple for salads and smoothies. In addition to its high water content, it’s packed with nutrition including calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium. 14. Strawberries (92%)These sweet berries are a great choice when you’re hot and sweaty. They’re low in calories, but high in water, fiber and vitamin C. 15. Watermelon (92%)It’s no surprise that watermelon will hydrate you. But, like tomatoes and other red fruits and veggies, it’s also a great source of lycopene. ——————————————————- In a Nut Shell… Body composition is the opposite of a fad diet. It requires patience and time to transform your body. It’s time to educate yourself and make SMART goals for yourself. These are milestones that are… Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely. |
Disclaimer: As always, please consult with a healthcare provider before beginning any new exercise program. |
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