Water - just drink it.

Water: Just Drink It.

Water is a critical enough part of being healthy that it deserves its own article.

Whether you are a recreational athlete, a high-performance athlete, or just someone who wants a hot body, you won't get to your goals without good old H2O.

We all know it's important to drink eight glasses of water a day right?  What we sometimes don't realize is how to really get eight, and how often we miss that goal.  Remember, it's a minimum of eight glasses a day.

We all drive 73 mph when the speed limit sign says 65, right?  That's the maximum speed limit, so why not go a few over the minimum eight glasses of water; besides, no one is going to write you a ticket for it and your body will actually thank you.

Further, if you exercise (pat on the back), eight glasses is not nearly enough water for you in a day.  In fact, depending on what your day is like you could need as many as sixteen glasses of the clear stuff.

City-goers are super busy and don't have time to figure out how much water you actually need.  Fortunately, your body comes complete with a simple hydration test.  Gross, yes.  Simple, yes.

The rule: If your urine is not clear and you are not visiting the bathroom at least every 2-3 hours, you need to drink more water.  It's that simple.

So take a peek the next time you take a leak and make sure you are hydrated.  If not, go pound some water before plopping back down in that cubicle.  Staying ultra-hydrated builds in natural, and I mean natural, breaks into your work day.  Smokers step outside to light up all the time, so why shouldn't you get extra breaks from work to pee more?

If you've made it this far down the article, do yourself a favor and buy a water bottle - and a big one.  Take your water bottle with you to meetings.  If you feel yourself dozing off, unscrew that cap and pound some water - it's hard to doze off when you have to "go", so not only is it healthy for you, your boss will think you're super attentive!

Specific Fluid Intake Recommendations:

1. Drink 17-20 oz 2 hours prior to exercise

2. Drink 7-10 oz every 10-20 minutes during exercise

3. Drink 24 oz. for each pound of body weight lost during exercise

4. Follow the simple tips above to add to your regular eight glasses a day are you are in good shape to get in good shape!

Water is a crucial element of health and maximizing your workouts.  Of course, you have to have the right workout as well.  For an affordable custom workout that suits your needs, visit LeanDream.

About the Author: Alan Zimmerer is a Certified Personal Trainer with over 8 years of experience in athletics, personal training, nutrition, and workout design.  Alan is the Founder of LeanDream a company centered around providing high-quality affordable custom workouts.

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