 Did
you know that the human body contains over 75% water and that we need
around 2 litres every day to stay properly hydrated? That’s almost
8 glasses per day!
Water actually makes up to 50-70% of our body weight and 85% of the
brain and although we can live for weeks without food, our bodies can
survive for only a few days without water.
Some water facts to aid you in training:-
A person weighing approximately 60kg usually carries around 36 litres
of water. 60kg is approximately 9.5 stones.
Water breaks down food, keeps your body temperature balanced and keeps
your skin elastic. Increasing your water intake can aid your digestive
system in the long term if you combine it with eating fibre rich foods.
When training it is recommended that a person drinks 1 litre of water
for every hour of exercise. This replaces any fluids lost during a training
session.
If you are feeling thirsty you are probably already dehydrated. Make
sure you space your 8 glasses of water evenly throughout the day to
keep yourself hydrated. Headaches are a sign of dehydration, if you’re
starting to feel headachey, drink a glass of water.
You may find that your complexion becomes spotty when you begin drinking
large quantities of water. This is completely normal and is your body’s
way of flushing out any impurities and toxins. It should only last a
couple of weeks and is worth enduring.
 If
you are feeling tired in the morning, try drinking a glass of water
when you wake up, it has been considered an energy booster so could
help make you feel more awake!
Water is needed to keep our kidneys clear of infections such as cystitis.
This is a common problem in women. A way of knowing whether you are
drinking enough water is by checking the colour of your urine when you
go to the toilet. If the colour is pale then you are taking in enough
water. If the urine is a very dark colour and/or has a strong smell
then you are not drinking enough.
A popular myth is that if you drink tea, coffee or cola drinks you
are drinking enough fluids. This is not true as they contain caffeine!
If you do not like the taste of water, try flavouring it with a slice
of lemon or dilute it with a fruit squash.
As an alternative to tea or coffee why not try a herbal tea? I can
recommend mixing hot water with one Echinacea tea bag, one Nettle tea
bag and one Chinese green tea bag along with a spoonful of honey and
the lemon juice from half a lemon. This is not only very refreshing
but is a great energy booster. Try drinking this about an hour and a
half before your training session and eat a banana, by the time you
start your training session you’ll be burning with energy!
Information kindly
compiled by Cassandra DeWale
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