Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

Excuse the title, this song has been stuck in my head ever since I started thinking about this blog post. And I only hope to share the stuck-in-headedness with the rest of the world!

Hellooo summer.

That's what Philadelphia's looking like for the next couple of days. And from taking a gander at the map of the country, it seems that way for most areas in the States. I rode my bike to school today for an 8:40 class. It's only a twenty minute ride, but by the time I got there...oof. I was feeling a little lightheaded! So today I'm going to talk about hydration. If not for anybody else, then for me!

In general, drinking a few glasses of water today is not going to keep you functioning at 100%. Especially if you're planning on exercising even a little bit. Which I hope you are! Keep it inside during the peak hours of the day if you can!

(From Pinterest)

I found this wonderful, wonderful idea on Pinterest to help keep track of your water intake! If you're clueless about how much water you need, take your weight and then chop it in half. That's how many ounces of water you should drink! I know for certain that Tone It Up supports this ideal, but seen it popping up other places as well. Also, you should hydrate before you go to bed as well! You'll have less of a deficit that you have to make up in the morning and you might feel more ready to go when that alarm goes off. I know I can definitely tell the difference.

EAT! According to WebMD, 20% of our water intake over the course of a day comes from food. I know, I know. It's hot. You don't feel like eating. I don't blame you!! But how awesome would it be to take a bunch of fruits (bananas are 74% water!), blend them all together, and sip on a cool refreshing drink? Yeah. I thought that would sound pretty awesome. Who doesn't love watermelon?

Especially this one! (From pinterest)

So you're finally exercising, you're hydrated and ready to go. The humidity is not going to do you any favors. I used to be very against drinking while running because I thought it caused my stomach to hurt. But if you drink the right amount of water at the right intervals, it shouldn't be too bad! FOR ME, I like to take a couple sips every fifteen minutes or so. Again, this is FOR ME. You need to find what works best for you!

My anatomy professor said something during the spring semester that I think is especially important now! Thirst is a delayed signal that you are getting dehydrated. If you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Maybe not to an awful extent, but you're dehydrated nonetheless. You wouldn't not eat until you're stomach is clenching from hunger. So drink before you get thirsty!

Can I drink sport drinks, Amanda? Water is just as good as any sport drink if you aren't spending more than an hour outside (WebMD again!). After that, you're going to want to start putting different electrolytes back in ya. The Tone It Up girls SWEAR by coconut water, but that can get really expensive. It also turns out it isn't a miracle drink as people are trying to claim. So find what works best for you!

Abby Wambach seems to prefer Gatordade. ;)

When all else fails, look at your pee. I know. It's gross. I said it. But taking a peek can indicate whether you need to step up your hydration game! Let's just say, it should be on the paler side. If you want to know more about pee or what YOU know about hydration head over to this quiz on WebMD. Stay watery, my friends!!

Do you have any tips for hydration?