I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know the answer to this question yet in practice they fail. Everybody I've talked to seems to know that 8-12 glasses of water a day is the recommended standard. But if I ask them how many glasses of water have you consumed today? The answer is usually none. Or the other standard answer at a corporate environment "does coffee count?"
While 8-12 glasses of water is great for the average sedentary person, many of us are fitness conscious or on the pursuit of some type of bodybuilding physique. With that in mind, I think the new standard for us should be 1-2 gallons of water a day.
As a bodybuilder, you are putting much more nutrients, food, supplements, and other stuff into your body. What your body does not use, it must rid itself of by any means necessary. Usually it does this via water. So drinking plenty of water becomes a necessity. Increasing protein puts a strain on your body and drinking lots of water can keep things "moving." Creatine monohydrate supplementation requires a lot of water. Creatine is all about cell volumization. Making sure your cells are completely hydrated helps with the volumization process. NO2, a hemodilator, requires water. Many other supplements require water as a transport and a flushing method.
The side effects of drinking too little water are an excess buildup of certain chemicals. Creatine can leave behind some buildup that overtime, becomes a bit hard to pass. Putting such a strain on the body is also self-defeating. But don't get me wrong, it's not just about Creatine and NO2. It's about making sure you are hydrated.
Being properly hydrated has it's benefits other then just the flushing methods and cell volumization discussed above. Your state of alertness is affected by your hydration levels. Performance in the gym by a hydrated body is enhanced. Your body is roughly 70% water. It makes sense to hydrate it. Drinking water is not just for hot days. It's for intense workouts in the gym. In fact, being hydrated has that perpetual pump that is so sought after.
There can be too much of a good thing. Drinking water to excess leads to water intoxication, referred to as hyponatremia. As you consume water, blood plasma increases and dilutes the salt content of the blood. While this is happening, you lose more salt by sweating. Consequently the amount of salt available to the body tissues decreases and over time, the loss interferes with brain, heart and muscle functions. Water intoxication is more commonly found in endurance athletes.
Drink plenty of water per day, but just keep in mind, there can be too much of a good thing. Being properly hydrated is necessary for optimum performance in the gym and for keeping your body performing well.
Marc David is a bodybuilder, writer, and author of the the e-book "The Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding" (BGFB): What Every Beginner Should Know but Probably Doesn't. Marc has written over 20 articles and has been featured in several health and fitness websites. Marc's opinionated and informative articles on bodybuilding, weight loss and training are featured regularly on: http://www.freedomfly.net
To subscribe to Marc's free b-weekly e-zine, visit the Freedomfly website here: http://www.freedomfly.net
Whatever diet you choose to live by, the food you... Read More
Is the thrill gone? Has the thrill gone out of... Read More
Creating Your Target is easy.What I use to help create... Read More
Understanding ocular nutrition and eye health can be one of... Read More
Detoxifying the body has become an apparent key preventative measure... Read More
Apple cider vinegar is a product of apple juice fermentation.... Read More
I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know... Read More
Random thoughts taken from valuable sources, what many nutrition experts... Read More
It would be fair to assume that almost everyone on... Read More
Heart Disease remains the number one cause of death in... Read More
As any student of chemistry will assure you, acids and... Read More
Because all of us have been brought up eating junk... Read More
Summer is the time when we sweat highly and beating... Read More
"To eat an apple before going to bed will make... Read More
Food in general has the distinction of being probably the... Read More
Cholesterol is an essential building block of every cell in... Read More
Nature works mostly on the principle of thing and no... Read More
Proper hydration is extremely important during exercise. Adequate fluid intake... Read More
Can a child thrive on a vegan diet? The answer... Read More
Most recipes end with instructions to "serve immediately." You could... Read More
You are what you eat is a simple, time tested... Read More
Mannatech's patent-pending glyconutrients complex, Ambrotose, is perhaps the greatest wellness... Read More
If you want to build muscle, lose body fat or... Read More
Information on potassiumWhen you read about potassium and senate document... Read More
How often do you pick up items at the grocery... Read More
express cleaning service Des Plaines ..If you have a business trip tomorrow morning, you've probably... Read More
Acid reflux disease, or GERD, is a common compliant of... Read More
Sprouts not only taste good, but they are also a... Read More
The Health and Nutrition Industry has come about as peoples... Read More
I'm sure by now you've heard all about the amazing... Read More
The Immune System is probably the most important system in... Read More
Vitamin EThere has been a lot of controversy about vitamin... Read More
It is ironic how something as obvious as nutrition has... Read More
Diet nutrition physiqueToday, learning about diet nutrition physique isn't all... Read More
You may have heard of the "Portfolio Diet" wherein it... Read More
People want to get the very best they can when... Read More
A flood of scientific evidence about fish oil points to... Read More
These are questions we have to ask ourselves? because after... Read More
The nutritional support in critically ill patients can be explained... Read More
Protein must be a part of a healthy diet for... Read More
Milk is highly underrated. Experts say, America finds itself in... Read More
Your healthOrganically grown fruit and vegetables are not covered in... Read More
Some of the things you think you know that just... Read More
According to the renowned research scientist and inventor of the... Read More
Have you seen those "fat free" foods in supermarkets? Have... Read More
Detoxifying the body has become an apparent key preventative measure... Read More
1880s - Characterization of monosaccharides by Emil Fischer.1952 - Fresh,... Read More
The Food Pyramid, first introduced to the US in 1992,... Read More
I had finally come to a place in my life... Read More
1. Enjoy what you eatWhether someone is following the Atkins... Read More
Nutrition |