Basic Hydration and Bodybuilding Principles

Hydration is the process of increasing fluid in your body, or say drinking water. I believe you know what bodybuilding is on the other hand. If you are going for bodybuilding, you are going to hydrate your body adequately. These two always are as dependent on another as a needle and a thread. One needs to drink a lot of water to stimulate muscle building and fat loosing from the body. Though being overlooked by many, it is one of the simplest technique to try for effective fitness.

The fact about body hydration is based on the science of the body itself where about 60 to 70 percent of the body is composed of water. This makes water very essential to promote good health and enhance a good physique.

However, many people are not into drinking water, making water one their least priorities intake. Cases of couch-dwelling inactive boobs are promoted by this ignorance. And not only these do suffer, in the sports section we have weightlifters, athletes among other fitness-minded individuals also facing diverse health issues for lack of proper hydration.

Merits of Hydration

The following is an enlightenment that indicates how drinking plenty of water is important for the body physique. The lists include specific effects and benefits of being hydrated:

1. Hydration again increases physical strength. While dehydration of 3% water loss effects into decrease in muscular endurance weightlifting power output, hydrating the body before the workout gets you empowered to train more intensively. This eventually gets you more strength and ready for building muscle.
2. Hydration will help you to reduce the water weight. On your dehydration status, you are likely holding a lot of extra pounds because your body is kept on suspense on its next reception. So, it must keep the balance of water to electrolytes ratio. Thus, you only excrete excess water weight upon sufficient hydration and this reduces the bloated look while increasing the muscle vascularity.
3. Hydration increases energy and focus. While hydration leads to reduced concentration and energy, increased exertion perception, negative mood changes and intense fatigue, hydration reduces those by enhancing your energy and clarity, and makes you much happier.
4. Hydration aids to wash away excess toxins. More toxins are produced in the process of dieting and fats metabolism which produces a great volume of waste byproducts. Drinking much water is therefore very important in times of losing weight because you need water to initialize the process of metabolism and also to clean the system afterwards.
5. Hydration aids the body to metabolize fats. If you drink appropriate amount of water, it gives your body a conducive environment for important functions to go on. Functions such as metabolizing fats requires sufficient water in the body and involves the kidneys and the liver. How does this happen? The liver does metabolizes body fat as the kidneys filters it for wastes and toxins. This only happens with proper hydration where the kidney filters effectively from a less concentrated medium composed of toxins. On the other side, if the body is dehydrated, kidneys will rely on liver for some vital functions hence the liver does not fully work to metabolize on dehydration.
6. Hydration reduces food cravings. Water fills up stomach to some extent. In turn, it turns off the feeling of hunger and shuts off the food thoughts for some time. Though this can work effectively for weight loss purpose. We attribute this to the effect of a restricted diet plan on hunger. Water is the best cushion for keeping your hunger on check especially when you are fasting.
7. Hydration reduces the chances of overeating. Drinking water before a meal will reduce bad food habits, even taking excess. It can be your rescue when you have problems with your eating habits.

Water Prescription

It has always been that a normal adult should take eight glasses of eight ounce per day. We deem this as inconsiderate to those who intend to build muscles or lose fat. Therefore, the lab geek’s equation of 8 by 8 did not well screen on to those lifting weight for this purpose. Thus, this is not up to the mark with the heavyweights. 8 cups of water just doesn’t cut it unless you’re an average Joe Couch-Potato, whose only form of physical activity involves reaching for heavily buttered-popcorn, clicking the remote, and the occasional “forearm workout” with the help of Baywatch re-runs.

Guidelines for Drinking Water

Majority of the people might resort to 1 gallon of water per day. However, this is determined by some factors involving the person as below;

1. Bodyweight

If your weight is more, you will need more water. Use baseline calculation of bodyweight (lobes)/2 = number of ounces of water to drink.

Replace Your Water Loss

To be properly hydrated replace every water loss from your body. You might have lost water through perspiration and excretion. Consider the two factors below;

1. On hot climate drink more water, if indoors and hot, do also increase water intake.
2. When on strenuous activity, do consider rehydrating to replace water lost through the exercises. You can take your weight before and after exercise also to determine the weight of water loss.

• Control Your Drinking Pace

It is not very wise to drink a large amount of water at once and forget about it. It needs to be consistent. You should therefore increase the pace and amount of water you drink before, during and after workouts and when the climate of the environment is hotter.

We recommend 1 gallon of water intake per day to avoid being precise every time which might consume your best part of concentration and might appear difficult to achieve.

How to Avoid Dehydration

• Strive for a Clear urine. That color of your urine indicates your hydration status. Enough water in the body is indicated by a clear or a very light yellow urine while a dehydrated body is indicated by a bright yellow or yellow-brownish urine. Be aware however when you take a strong multivitamin, it tends to turn urine into a bright shade of yellow even when hydrated. In addition, if you scarcely urinate, there is a possibility of dehydration.
• Don’t get thirsty. That sensation that makes you want to drink water is an already a sign that you have become dehydrated. The body signals when the water levels cannot support its functions related to water normally.
• Don’t get cramps also. Cramps are also an added signal of water being required in your body. During exercises that are strenuous, you are likely to get cramps – meaning you are dehydrated. However, this is not as clear cut as of thirst and urine determination because there are other variables such as electrolytes/sodium and low-carb diets that could be have effected to cramp. Yet generally, poor hydration is a likely cause of cramps.

Things to Consider Before Increase Your Water Intake

Your bathroom visits increases: You will be forced to pee much frequently until your body adapts the increase in intake of water. It will take some few days before you get back to a normal less frequent urination – very important when it comes to bodybuilding hydration. On the bright side of this; you have a legitimate excuse for leaving the room, a great thing if you are in school or have a boring job. Though you should not adapt an abrupt change of water into an enormous intake, just do it gradually and increase by time.

Don’t take excess water; Condition caused by overdosing water or taking it in excess is called hyponatremia. If this occurs, it can be fatal though, it is very rare to be heard of its occurrence. For someone to overdose, you would take a lot of water over a very short time and effect into soaking the body with water. You should not try this.

How to Stay Hydrated: 4 Tips

If you have water intake goals, these 4 tips will guard you with a formula to go about it. At times, they can be unbearable but you can attain them. They include;

Be strapped with a water bottle. It minimizes on frequent moves to the water source and readies you for frequent hydration. That would actually require effort.

Use the emptied milk containers to encourage you to drink water. Since you need about a gallon of water a day, you will conveniently use the milk jug once. Also, you can track how much water you drink each day. However, you probably don’t want to carry your milk jug in public unless you’re really that much of a meathead.

Keep drinking water. Schedule your water drinking times across the day. It is better than one gigantic jug of water intake. It ought to be your habit to continue sipping in small but frequent times. It is easier this way.

You can add flavor on your water. If the water tastes good, you will be motivated to drink it. Add lemons or maybe use the MiO Liquid Water Enhancers and any other flavored waters.

General Advice

Remember hydration is important for your bodybuilding. Don’t think twice just grasp a glass of water and do the gulping. It is more health and good for your step-forward exercises.