I find it amusing when I hear people talk about water consumption as if somehow it doesn’t count when something is added to the water. Some athletes actually believe that flavored drinks (the good or bad drinks) can’t be counted in the daily water consumption measurement of ounces. Of course, that is a false perception…”water folly”, if you will.
Need validation?
“Since most powders quickly dissolve after mixing with water, powdered drinks are mostly comprised of water. According to the World Health Organization, the average woman requires 2.7 liters and the average man 3.7 liters of water each day to meet their body's needs. If you regularly engage in strenuous physical activities – such as sports or athletics – you may require more water in order to replenish your fluids each day. One common method of gauging your daily fluid intake is to make sure you drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Since powdered drinks contain mostly liquid, an 8-ounce glass of water mixed with a powdered drink mixture can count towards your daily water requirement.” ¹
Why not add something beneficial to your water, when appropriate throughout the day? Do this for exercise.
For example, rather than consuming 3 to 4 or more cups of coffee per day you could easily substitute with a really good pre-workout powder that could provide a healthy alternative for 2 of those cups of coffee, and a nice jolt prior to your workout too.
And…
Why not mix a powder branch chain amino supplement during and after your workout into your water for muscle recovery?
This is smart hydration.
Give your body what it needs, when it needs it.
For workouts, it needs electrolytes and aminos, especially during the hot workouts. Electrolytes are needed to replenish what is depleted during the workout and aminos are necessary to accelerate muscle repair at the moment of distress!
Importance of electrolytes:
“When we sweat, we lose water along with electrolytes like sodium, potassium calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and chlorine. Without enough of these minerals in your body, you won't be able to retain the water you're chugging during workouts or on a hot day, which could lead to dehydration.” ²
Importance of Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's):
It is vitally important to give your body BCAA’s during and after workouts. During workouts, especially hot exercise, your body depletes itself of stored energy known as glycogen and it needs a secondary source of energy to make up the difference. When you are eating lean and reducing calorie intake as a part of your fitness program, it is even more important to supplement with BCAA’s.
When dieting your body fights to preserve fat stores. This is known as the catabolic crisis. You can solve this crisis through the properly timed intake of BCAA’s.
“BCAAs are responsible for stimulating protein synthesis, and also improve each cell’s ability to perform its own protein synthesis. So not only do BCAAs complete this process on their own, but they provide support for the process to be carried out by other agents of the body. Talk about double duty! Another important function of BCAAs is their ability to slow down the rate of protein breakdown, decreasing overall protein loss. These two benefits halt the “catabolic crisis,” and directly support the preservation of your hard-earned muscle mass.” ³
Stay tuned for next week’s follow up blog post. We will explore in detail the importance of blending nutrients with water throughout your daily 8 glass (more or less depending on your body type) water intake.
For now, just know that water is water, and unless you blend a diuretic with it, every drop of water counts toward your daily need, even when blended with powders.
Steve
