Hey, FitFam!
In case you haven’t noticed, Houston is pretty hot these days. Every time I go outside I question the lunacy of living somewhere with a 109 degree heat index and a 1000% humidity. Summer on the Gulf Coast is cranking up, and the hotter and more humid it gets here, the more water you need to drink to stay healthy. Here are three great reasons to stay hydrated:
More Energy and Focus
Being dehydrated can slow down your circulation and affects the flow of oxygen to your brain. Dehydration also causes your heart to work harder to move oxygen throughout your body. In addition to the physical impacts, as little as a 2% fluid loss can affect your memory, concentration, and reaction time. A few extra glasses of water will help prevent dehydration and give you an extra boost of energy to make it through these hot summer days.
Appetite Control
Drinking water can help you feel full longer in between meals. Some studies show that adults who drank additional glasses of water before meals consumed fewer calories. They also reduced their sugar intake, as well as sodium and saturated fat intakes. With all the seasonal backyard barbecue temptations water could be just the thing you need to keep your eating habits on track.
Digestive Happiness
Is there anything worse than feeling gassy and bloated? What about feeling gassy and bloated and hot? Water can help with that. Water helps your body digest food. Without enough of it you could experience indigestion, heartburn, and even irregular bowel movements (yup… I went there…). Drinking more water helps break down soluble fiber from your diet and keeps your digestive process on track. Good thing, too… God knows no one wants to do constipated squats.
Keep the water flowing, friends!
Meghan