Water and Hydration

WATER

Water constitutes about 75% of our muscle tissue, 22% of bones, 74% of your brain, 25% of fatty tissue and works within every single cell in the body to transport nutrients and remove waste products. It regulates body temperature allowing heat to evaporate from the skin in the form of sweat. Put simply, the body breaks down without adequate fluid! When we are dehydrated, blood becomes thicker so the body must work harder to transport it to the brain so we lose concentration and feel fatigued.

It is also important to note that too much water is detrimental to performance. The latest research from the American College of Sports Medicine and USA Track & Field says that thirst is an appropriate guide as to when fluid replacement should be commenced. This means drink when you feel your body needs it and stop when you feel satisfied. From this point on in your session consume water regularly.

Bottled water has nudged past milk to become the second most-consumed commercial drink in the country. Due to this there are purified, fortified, enhanced, flavoured waters and more and so it’s worth considering which type is best. I would say simple bottled is best wherever possible and this is due to the endless amounts of research detailing contaminants in tap water and realistically it varies region to region so much that I couldn’t hazard a guess at the quality we drink daily.

Hydration after Exercise

· Weigh yourself before and after training.

· Drink 500-600ml water for every 1 lb lost. You can include your water used for mixing the recovery drinks and protein.