WATER WATER!

DRINK YOUR WATER! Are you thirsty now? If so, you are probably dehydrated right now. The thirst mechanism is weak and can be mistaken as hunger. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Lack of water is the #1 culprit for experiencing fatigue throughout the day! Water is essential to life. Your muscles and brain are about 75% water. Blood is 82% water. Bones are about 25% water. Your body needs water for many reasons. Water is a transporter--it flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues. Water assists to prevent bladder infections, regulates body temperature and blood pressure, keeps your heart functioning and eases joint pain. Recent studies have shown that drinking enough water can also reduce the incidence of many cancers such as colon, breast, and bladder.

How much water to drink??? Every human being on this planet should be drinking half of their body weight in ounces(example-If your weight is 140lbs, divide by 2-70 oz of water). Please keep in mind that this is just the basic amount without taking working out into consideration. While working out, it is important to drink an additional 4-6 ounces every 10-20 minutes during exercise to replace sweat loss and regulate body temperature. So fill up those jugs and bring 'em to boot camp! Then refill and keep by your side throughout the day.

So, what's the big deal with not drinking enough water and working out??? When it comes to even mild dehydration, your metabolism will slow down by 3%. Even when you have 1% dehydration, your performance while working out will be affected 10-12% in a negative way! A 2% decrease in body water trigggers fuzzy short term memory trouble. The message here is clear--Drink water before, during, and after working out! Get the most out of your efforts and stay hydrated. A good way to tell if you're drinking enough water is by the color of your urine. It should be pale yellow. If it's bright, then you're not getting enough water. If it's clear, then you're probably taking in too much.

Water vs. commercial sport drinks??? Water is the best choice for your boot camp workout, since it is less than 90 minutes in duration. Reach for the commercial sports drinks with less than 6g of sugar when it comes to activities more than 90 minutes. The excess sugar acts as solid fuel.