Since the return of hot weather, my outdoor workouts have become just a tad sweatier than usual. You know what I’m talking about: the routine that left you glistening in February now makes you look like you jumped into a swimming pool. I’ve always known it’s important to stay hydrated (duh), but today at the hospital I found several handouts that uncovered a few new-to-me facts about water:
- The average adult loses 2-3 quarts of water per day without exercise. Physical activity can cause you to lose up to 6 cups per hour!
- The 64 oz recommendation isn’t one-size-fits-all; the actual recommendation is ½ oz per pound of body weight (so if you weigh 150 pounds, you actually need 75 oz of water per day).
- In the 2 hours leading up to a workout, the recommended water intake is 4 cups; during the workout, it’s a good idea to drink ½ c-1c per 15 minutes of exercise.
- Thirst doesn’t occur until you’re already mildly dehydrated, so it’s important to drink even when you’re not thirsty.
- In warm weather, cold water is best- it helps to lower your body temperature. (Anyone else hate cold water? My sensitive teeth and Rinaud’s fingers like my water at room temperature!)
- If you’re planning a particularly sweaty workout and are concerned with proper hydration, weigh yourself before and after exercising and drink 2 cups of water for every pound lost (this one might not always be the best idea if weighing yourself brings a lot of anxiety, but if you’re at ease with the scale, it could be helpful).
Interesting stuff, huh? I’m horrible at hydrating before my workout, since I don’t want to take a bathroom break in the middle, but I’ve realized I should drink up anyway! Judging by how often I get thirsty, I’m definitely not drinking enough water- I’m officially making this my mini-goal for the week J
Onto the eats!
This morning I woke up early to exercise before heading to the hospital. I improvised the shape-up plan a bit, and did 20 minutes of deep stretching, followed by 10 minutes of abs and an easy half hour on the elliptical.
Breakfast was a humungous bowl of Nature’s Path SmartBran, raspberries and chocolate almond milk. My mom was flabbergasted by the amount I poured into my bowl…she’s not usually around when I eat breakfast!
I packed some “overnight” OIAJ to take with me for lunch. The almost-empty PB&Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams jar contained 1c So Delicious coconut milk kefir, ½ c oats, 1T chia seeds, 1T of flax seeds, a scoop of chocolate brown rice protein powder, and more fresh raspberries.
Despite the filling mixture of ingredients, this left me a little hungry. Luckily, I had a peanut butter cookie Luna bar stashed in my purse.
For three days last week, I kept a meticulous log of everything I ate for a diet analysis. Today, I entered all of my meals into a computer program, which gave me a thirty-page analysis of my diet. I was excited to learn that I exceeded every RDI of macros, vitamins and minerals, including the ones that people question in vegetarians/pescatarians, such as protein, iron and calcium. Solid proof that it is possible to be properly nourished on a near-vegan diet! (Don’t misunderstand me- I have absolutely no problem with carnivores. Any diet is a very personal choice, and I believe that it’s up to each individual to find the healthy balance that works best for them.)
I was done at the hospital by mid-afternoon, so I came home and spent the rest of the afternoon bumming it due to the dreary weather. Some serious snacking went down, including a peanut butter pretzel brownie and some sunflower seeds.
For dinner, I made my mom and I a simple but delicious meal of baked haddock with lemon juice and olive oil, cauliflower and carrots roasted in EVOO and sea salt, and green salad dressed with mustard.
Followed by one of my favorite desserts: fresh strawberries and half of this Whole Foods dark chocolate coconut bar.
This dessert combo never fails to satisfy! My mom remarked that the coconut chocolate reminded her of a Mounds bar...delicious J
Hope you all have a relaxing evening and a wonderful Thursday!
How much water do you drink daily? Do you make an effort to drink more before and after a workout? What other beverages do you drink on a daily basis? Most of my water intake occurs in the hour or so following my workout, but I do drink a ton of tea throughout the day.
What nutrients are you most concerned with getting enough of? For me, it’s calcium- my grandmother has osteoporosis and my mom as osteopenia, so I need to be extra careful!
50 comments:
I find it so challenging to stay hydrated, particularly in the warmer months. I'm thirsty all the time, especially after I run or eat salty foods, so I'll have to give that 1/2 ounce trick a try. Thanks!
I drink a TON of water throughout the day, but I do think I could do a better job of hydrating before and after my workouts. Other than water I drink tea and coffee...that's it! Although, a diet soda slips in there every once in a while ;)
That's so awesome that you exceeded every RDI!! I should probably do something like that one of these days. Iron and calcium are probably my main concerns as well. Even though I'm not a vegetarian or vegan I don't eat red meat much, and I rarely drink milk either. What website did you use??
Have a great night, doll! xoxo
I'm not sure exactly how much water I drink, but I do know that it exceeds the 64 oz recommendation, and that's mostly because I eat a lot of fiber. Since I'm still not able to do any exercise, I don't really have to worry about getting dehydrated because of a sweaty workout, but I do worry about all the fiber in my diet causing me some stomach problems if there's not enough water to keep things moving... which is fine by me because I love water :) The only other beverages I drink are coffee and tea.
I used to log all my daily nutrients, but it became kind of triggering for me so I stopped. Sometimes I find myself a little curious to see how I'm doing, though; it would be interesting to see if I manage to meet all the RDI's with my more or less intuitive eating. But the nutrients I worry about most would probably be calcium and iron.
Hope you're having a great night, girl <3
Gosh as much as I love water, I do horrible at drinking water before and after my workouts. I need to get better at drinking more. Very interesting stuff on hydration!
I never feel that I am getting enough water. I definitely do better during the week because I know my schedule and I actually make sure that drinking water is on task. But on the weekends, I know I am NEVER getting enough.
Good facts, thanks for sharing!!
I prefer room temp water too! Except when I get home from work and my body temp is soaring (it's highest around 4p-6p) and then I want ICE water!
I drink water like it's, well, water... which is good I suppose -- despite the fact that it forces me to get up at least 2 times in the middle of the night to go potty. Ah well, It's the price we pay I suppose :) Thanks for the info, girlie!!!
p.s. I'm just catching up on your posts now (eek, I feel so behind!) your brownies are just PURE brillianace and your avocado mousse yesterday made mine look like chopped liver. I'll definitely have to be trying out that recipe very soon. Perhaps tonight if I'm feeling ambitious in the kitchen ;)
Have a lovely evening my lovely lady!!!
Thanks for sharing all that info!
I'm terrible at staying hydrated lately! It's something I really need to work on because I find workouts go so much more smoothly when I've consumed enough water beforehand.
That would be so neat to get a dietary analysis like that! I'm sure if I got one it would tell me I'm slacking in the calcium department. Also maybe iron too, since I'm stopped eating red meat. Actually maybe it's better for me not to get an analysis... Ignornace is bliss, right? :P
I definitely do NOT drink enough water, at all. I'm so bad about that. I just don't get thirsty! It's actually a joke among my friends and boyfriend that I never drink anything, I'm like a camel haha but it's actually really bad for me I know.
That's really cool to hear you are hitting all of your big nutrition marks!! People always ask me where I get my protein (even though I still eat chicken and fish) but I get plenty! And if you think about it, many non-vegetarians usually don't get enough veggies and fruits! I know you and I have got the fruit intake covered ;)
I'm worried about my calcium intake as I have osteopenia. I've definitely upped it a lot!
Those oats and the pretzel bars sound SO GOOD!!!
love you girl!!!!
Great tips on hydration girlie. I get dehydrated a LOT so I have been trying to make a conscious effort to keep a water bottle in hand at all times
great hydration info! i drink tons of water - i am rarely without my nalgene, and refill it multiple times a day...and that's without a lot of activity. i was interested to read that cold water is best when it's hot - i'd always thought that wasn't the best since it makes your body work harder to reach that temp. point taken!
and that's awesome that you're hitting all your nutrient needs. right on!
I know I don't drink enough...but I try to stay away from caloric beverages AND artificial sweeteners and I get sick of plain old water. What's a girl to do?
I just tried Nature's Path Smart Bran for the first time today...so good! Such a healthy snack!
dark chocolate dream oiaj...jealous!!!
I sooo know I need to drink more water but I have trouble because we only get ONE "potty break" at work circa 10am and that's my only chance to go before my break! So I'm kinda limited..boo.
Great reminder to hydrate! I find I get very nauseous at the end of the day if I don't drink enough and am out in the sun or exercising.
And this post totally motivated me to finish up my DCD so I can put oats in it!!
dont get me wrong, i looove my water, but i cannot drink too much before or during a workout. i feel all sloshy and weighed down if i drink too much. literally, when i work out or go to kickboxing, ill only take a few sips the entire time. it amazes me how some people can guzzle down half a bottle during the workout! I would feel too queasy!
altho i do notice if I run outside on a hot day, i take a few more water breaks/sips.
I try to drink my fluids mostly after and earlier in the day, however, so it's all good :). I also drink 1-2 cups with my meals.
Congrats on exceeding the vitamin/mineral recommendations! If anything, I worry about calcium because apparently my birth control makes women calcium deficient, and now that I'm lifting I'm nervous about protein. But I trust that I eat a wide enough variety of veggies I should be fine.
As always, your salad pics are lust-worthy.
I drink SO MUCH dang water. I feel like I'm making bathroom trips every 10 minutes. Colorado is SO dry that I'm constantly thirsty. Especially in the summer.
Also, good for you for getting all your essential nutrients. You are great proof that you don't have to follow the "standard" diet to be healthy!
HEY BEAUTIFUL!!
please know i am DEF still reading even tho not commenting!!I feel ya on the calcium thing!! I think I get enough, but I still take calcium tablets!! :) LOVE that clif bar!! I drink a ton of water girl! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AND I LOVE YOU
Some days I drink more water than others. I tend to just follow my thirst, but it's important to remember that if you're thirsty you're already dehydrated! I always carry a water bottle around, so I will try and make better use of it, but it's hard to drink a lot when a bathroom isn't readily accessible!
Huge congrats on your macros! I would love to get mine tested just to see. I think my biggest concern is not getting enough calcium, so that would be interesting to check out.
Love baked haddock!
I drink water all day long during work. We have a filtered water dispenser-machine thing and I bring the biggest cup I have and continually refill it. The only time I know I don't get enough water is pre-workout since I usually run as soon as I wake up and don't even think about hydrating...oops
Oh man - I am so bad at drinking enough water. Almost every major trip I've gone on, I've become dehydrated - first day in Thailand, first day in Israel, even the first day of my spring break in Miami last year (my poor boyfriend had to take care of me and he got so worried when I didn't recover that he called an ambulance). I try to be conscious of it but I just ... fail. Miserably. Then, ironically, I get on everyone else's case about whether they're drinking enough water. I guess it's because I don't. And I can't stand drinking COLD water! It makes my teeth and my throat hurt, room temperature for me please!
Other thing I am not good at: balancing nutrients. I know I need to be concerned about iron because anemia runs in my family, and it probably explains why I'm so run-down all the time, but like I said, I fail at this stuff. I'm a little too lacksadaisical for my own good sometimes.
That dark chocolate looks fantastic!! I love coconut+chocolate! And overnight oats in a jar is definitely a winning combo in my book.
I drink on average about 60-80 ounces a day. I always have my water bottle with me and I constantly keep filling it up. This also results in a ton of bathroom trips through out the day though ;)
I definitely drink tons of water throughout the day and used to have to tell my teachers in high school that I was a cross country runner who drank a nalgene every two hours so I would have to excuse myself at least once a class...too funny. I still drink close to as much and usually have to stop for a bathroom break during a gym session but not as much when I am sweating it up outdoors. Like Jessica, I didn't think cold water was that important in the warmer months, but just water in general. The only other drinks I have are tea, coffee, and kombucha (which I guess counts as tea too)...
I looked for that coconut dark choc bar at WF's yesterday but they didn't have it, just an almond version. Sounds great!
I'm the opposite, i LOVE only cold water, room temp water makes me feel sick! Weird :/ and i wish that we had luna and larabars over here! :( xx
I'm a drinking machine, although I do need water to be at room temperature or it seems to hurt my tum. Chugging icy water isn't great for IBS. But since I'm a UK blogger I can only give measurements in litres ;) I get through about 3-4 per day, plus the two ish cups of decaf tea I drink and the rice milk I use in smoothies. I don't really sweat much when I run but in the gym I'm pretty drenched most of the time, and that's in rainy old England ;)
Serving sizes and suggestions of cereal are ludicrous ~ I definitely pour waaay more into my bowl than you do, and my Mum is equally astounded by it.
Calcium and protein are my nutrient obsessions because I'm vegan, looking to maintain muscle for running and already have osteopenia, so I have to be extra vigilant with those.
xxxxxxxxxxx
Wow, I knew I needed to be drinking water, but I had no idea it was that much! Thanks for providing such great info!
I take a multi-vit everyday and eat a balanced diet with lots of fruits and veggies, so I am not really worried about getting enough of certain vitamins/minerals.
I understand your concern for getting enough calcium. Calcium is an important vitamin and one great way to get calcium is from calcium citrate tablets. They mostly come in orange flavors and are the most easily absorbed source of calcium for the body. However, you may not need as much calcium as you think. The US's recommendations for calcium are significantly higher than what is recommended for the rest of the world. Why? Do American women need more? Not quite. Much of this spike of calcium has to do with the American dairy industries influence. They push calcium because it means that people will be more likely to buy their products. Another reason the US's calcium recommendation is so high is because of the amount of soda we drink. Soda has phosphoric acid, which leaches calcium out of bones. (However, since you don't drink that much soda, I don't think you need to worry about this!) I am not saying calcium is not important, because it certainly is an important part of keeping your bones healthy and strong. But keep in mind that your perception of how much calcium you really need may not be accurate, and that no matter how much calcium you put into your body, your body can only process so much at a time. Dairy products are also not the only sources of calcium. Kale and dark leafy green vegetables are abundant in this mineral as well, and so you may be surprised at how much unknown calcium you are already getting!
I drink an insane amount of water. Yesterday P and I actually totalled I was over nine glasses before dinner. I'm pretty much glued to my water bottle and can tell when I haven't drank enough.
I am bad at drinking water when I first wake up but keep refilling it all day at work! I drink a ton during and after workouts! I am concerned about iron levels because that was the only thing I was low in last time I went to the doctor! Better start eating more kale!
It's funny because right after my run yesterday I started thinking that I really wanted a Propel or something. I noticed that my sweat was kind of salty too so I think I definitly need to step it up or refuel after!
i definitely don't drink enough but i am trying to change that. i actually was hospitalized for dehydration my freshman year of high school - not good!!! water is SO important!! great post.
i'm always always thirsty, no matter how much i drink! i've been like that my whole life, though, so it's normal for me.
i really try to ensure that i get enough calcium in - i don't want my bones to be ahurtin'! i don't realy drink cow's milk, so i'm on the hunt for a calcium fortitied replacement of some sort.
I'm very vigilant about my calcium intake, too, because the women in my family have small statures/builds and are susceptible to bone loss later in life. I try to get half of my %DV from natural sources, and the rest I make up for with a calcium chew.
that last one is especially helpful because Im a HUGE exercise sweat-er. Im concerned about the calcium-magnesium combo because they both need eachother to work for bones/teeth. but i dont actively monitor any right now.
I think DCD OIAJ is the best thing ever pretty much!!! Yum!!
I drink alot of water daily, but recently started adding fresh squeezed lemon into it! Refreshing and detoxifying!!!
I dont drink alot of water though during pms time, I already feel bloated and water doesnt help. lol!
Love u!!!
look at you being a good eater! haha says the machine. well AND me because for obvi reasons. hahaha i love when my mom looks at my meals and is shocked by the amount on my plate or bowl. haha girl's gotta eat!
i drink about 4-5 liters of water a day! i'm a thirsty monster :)
Thanks for the hydration tips!!
oh my. Those watery facts are pretty interesting. I have to do much better in the water gulping department. But I never glisten. Not even in winter. I just sweat. ewww.
Of *course* you can get all the necessary nutriets with a vegan diet! I'm thinking of doing a Calcium post in the future...most people have bone loss for reasons other than calcium consumption (I mean, look at China...they don't consume dairy & they're the longest-living people in the world)!
Thanks for the reminder to drink more water. I'm terrible at remembering (and a lot of times I count coffee as water which it's sooooo not lol)
you KNOW I love those hydration tips girl!! you ROCK thank you for sharing with all of us!!
for me, my mom always worrys about my vitamin D levels so I take some vit D pills and what not
i had that SAME luna bar yesterday crumbled in my greek yog!! love it! have you had the peppermint one?!?! SO SO good!
YES I drink a ton of water...i love it!!
I just got up and grabbed a glass of water. I am usually pretty good about water but sometimes I forget about it.
I am concerned about calcium and folic acid so I cover myself by taking a chewy vitamin. I'm very mature for my age :)
I usually have a pretty big glass of eater after my workouts and drink ridiculous amounts of tea during the morning time.
The only nutrient I have to monitor is my fat intake. I'm pretty good about everything else.
Have a fabulous thursday darling!
I love the idea of bringing OIAJ for a portable lunch! I am mainly concerned about iron - I throw my intake into a nutritional program on occasion to see if I am getting enough. I take my vitamins and Calcium supplements so am less worried about those.
Now that it's summer I feel like I'm drinking water constantly. While I think I'm hydrated, it also means that I end up going to the bathroom every 30 minutes or so. It's a vicious cycle!
I think I eat a very balanced diet - I freak out if 2 of my meals aren't mostly plant based. It's all about a healthy and filling balance of fats, carbs, and protein, and I think I'm getting my fix but it would be really interesting to do an all out analysis one of these days.
That brownie looks incredible. They are my biggest sweet-tooth weakness for sure. I can rarely get myself to drink water while running. I get terrible stomach cramps from it. I definitely try to load up before and after since 2 hours in 90 degree weather is tough on hydration.
i would like household goods, lamps, end tables, patio furniture, anything they wanna give me :)
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calcium, you've read my dairy FAQs post, right. how milk and animal based dairy is NOT the answer and actually causes calcium to leech from the bones. dark green leafies and things like seeds...not milk. You probably already know this but just sayin. And most mainstream calcium supps are a HORRIBLE idea. They are not well absorbed and can cause your body harm. I posted about peter gillham's natural calm and why that's the ticket.
Sorry for the novel and the unsolicited advice :)
xo
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