The Most Important Substance On Earth…

Guten Morgen Fit Soldiers!

Here at boot camp it's inevitable that your going to sweat.  I'm sorry, occasionally I ask myself why I got into such a sweaty industry, but I wouldn't change a thing.  We are coming at you today with some nutrition knowledge form Sarah Morgan of Simply Well Nutrition.

More than two-thirds of planet earth is covered in this important substance. The majority of the human body is composed of this essential nutrient. One billion people in the world lack proper access to this.

What is this substance? That’s right you guessed it…water.

Water is essential to life. Without water the human body would cease to live within a week. Every one of the 60 trillion cells in the human body requires water to function properly. Without proper hydration brain cells fail to function properly and start to deteriorate. And for you biochemists out there, water is the last acceptor in the electron transport chain that allows the human body to produce ATP or energy.

Without the proper amount of water the human body starts to suffer. Dehydration can cause problems with constipation, headaches, dry skin and eyes, fatigue (remember water is needed to make energy!), decreased mental function and improper digestion.

Are you getting the picture that water is essential for you? I hope so. So you may ask the question:

How much water should I be drinking?
As a general guideline, an individual should drink half their body weight in ounces of water. For example if you weight 140lbs, you should drink as least 70 ounces of water per day. Keep in mind this is a baseline. If you are physically active or working in warm weather, you need to increase your intake and even double it.

What kind of water should you drink?
There are many different kinds of water from tap water to spring water to purified water. I do not recommend individuals drinking tap water due to the high levels of contaminants such as chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals and other dangerous substances. I recommend drinking at least filtered water and at best purified water. There are many different filtration and purification systems on the market.

What if I don’t like drinking water?
I hear this question all the time from my clients. The most common problem is that we have programmed our taste buds to want a sugary drink such as fruit juice, soda, milk, mochas, etc. If you are in this situation I recommend that you start introducing water into your daily routine by diluting your drinks with water. This will allow you to change your preference from sugary drinks to water.

The other problem people have is the habit of not drinking water. Some people tell me they go all day without drinking water and have a few sips with dinner. Not good! If this is a problem for you, carry a water bottle with you to work, school, in the car, at meetings, etc. Measure out how much water you need to drink a day and challenge yourself.

If you are not getting half your weight in ounces of water, you are walking around dehydrated. By the time your brain sends the thirst signal you are already dehydrated. Take steps today to hydrate your body for better health.

Sincerely,
Sarah Morgan
Nutritionist
Simply Well Nutrition, LLC

So how much water do you drink per day?

Post your water tally and any other nutrition questions you may have!

Fit Soldiers

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Northglenn, CO 80233