170714 - Food Fact w/ Coach Bri - "Hydration"

With as hot as it has been recently, I thought I would discuss hydration and share an article I really liked from the CrossFit Journal: Top Five Hydration Myths Busted. Not only does staying hydrated keep you from getting a pounding headache, adequate fluid in your body aids in processes such as temperature regulation, balance of acids and bases, and the distribution of hormones, nutrients, and oxygen. We generally can tell when we need to drink more water. Each of us may have our own specific signals that we listen to in our bodies that let us know when we need to hydrate. If you don’t, it might be time to start listening for some! For me, I feel more sluggish and low energy if I haven’t been taking in enough fluid.

While your urine color is an indicator of how hydrated you are, it is not necessary to always have clear urine. Clear urine is a sign of overhydration, a state that, similar to dehydration, is not all that wonderful for your body. Also, listening to your thirst is a good place to start when thinking about rehydration. If you are feeling thirsty, your body is sending you a signal to hydrate, but it does not necessarily mean you are at a dangerous level of dehydration. On the other hand, while not getting enough fluid can have negative effects on your body, too much fluid can also have detrimental effects. If you are someone who carries around a water bottle and drinks from it all day, that is great! However, don’t forget to continue to listen to your body’s cues for thirst. Drink when you’re thirsty, stop when you’re not! Common advice that you hear is to drink eighteight ounce cups of water a day. However, fluid needs can vary significantly based on your body size, activity level, metabolic rate, and the environment. If you are truly listening to the signals your body is sending you, you are probably getting the right amount of fluid!

There are tons of options for hydration, and while sports drinks are one of these options, they are not a necessary beverage when you are trying to replace electrolytes lost in sweat. In addition to having electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, sports drinks also replace carbohydrates. If you are not looking for the extra sugar and chemicals that come with sports drinks, sticking with water might be a better option. Eating a snack that contains sodium such as nuts or jerky while drinking adequate amounts of water will help replace more sodium than a sports drink and provide other great nutrients like protein and iron as well.

For those of you that don’t really enjoy plain, old water, try some of these ideas to make your water more exciting:

●     Add a squeeze of lemon, lime, or orange

●     Infuse water with the discarded tops of strawberries

●     Infuse water with torn mint leaves

●     Add sliced cucumber and watermelon chunks

●     Add a splash of cranberry juice

●     Muddle berries with sparkling water

●     Make your favorite herbal tea iced

WOD - 
15 Rounds each
:30 Row
:90 "Rest" 
5 Goblet Squats
10 Hand Release Push-Ups
Score = Total # of Meters