The elixir of life
Welcome to our Women’s Fitness Blog of Personal Training Bangkok. We will post different articles every week about news in the fitness industry, nutrition guides, reviews of different diets out there on the market, restaurant guides, where to shop for healthy food, what to do during your lazy holiday, and much more. So check in once in a while, and see what there is new and interesting to read. And hopefully, you will incorporate some of this into your daily life.
As we started to think about the blog, and what we were going to write, I knew immediately what my first article should be about: water. Yes, just something as simple as water. Because I realized, that most of my clients as well as people around me didn’t know the importance of water. Chemically, it’s H2O. Three very simple molecules put together. Most people will tell you it tastes of nothing, smells of nothing, and still, many primitive cultures call it “the elixir of life”. Without water, there is no life. Looking back in evolution, we came from water. Our bodies are still made up of 70% water. Everything that happens in our body, from digestion, to the blinking of an eye, or running 1km, everything needs water. We can only live for around three days without water. And still, most people don’t realize what they deprive their body of when not drinking enough water every day. Long term problems can be constipation, dim vision, lethargy, irritability, less concentration, kidney infections, to name just a few.
But what is enough? The simple rule we teach our children is to look at your urin. Yes, it’s true. If it’s yellow, you didn’t drink enough! It needs to be almost clear! In liters, it depends on your daily life. In more moderate temperatures, 2-3l of water per day are recommended. However, in Bangkok, it’s more like 5l! Yes, that’s 3 ½ of those big 1.5l water bottles. You read right! You’ll think that I am crazy. But think about the heat and the humidity. You sweat so much during the day, you lose around 2l of fluids just through your skin. And if you workout every day, that’s even more! That’s additional to the fluids you exhale with every breath and the urination.
Ever felt tired and like sinking into a low during the day? Or getting headaches? Might be signs of not drinking enough water. Because the first thing that shuts down when dehydration sets in is your brain. If you feel tired, it’s likely you’re already too dehydrated. You need to drink before you feel the thrist coming. It’s hard in the beginning, acting like a little child, carrying you water bottle everywhere you go and drinking from it every free second of your day. It’s best to put the bottles out in the morning that you will need to drink during the day. That way, you can keep track of what you already drank during the day. Most people completely over-estimate how much they drink every day.
But of course, it’s not only important to drink any kind of water, but a certain quality. (Now, this is my favorite topic because I believe everyone of you still has something to learn here!) When you buy water, what are the aspects you look for? Price? Mineral content? Suitable for babies? Let me tell you this: it is so important to look for mineral water and NOT drinking water (also known as purified water, pure water, distilled water). I can’t stress this enough, especially in Bangkok, where in most shops and on the street you will only find purified water. But this will actually have the exact opposite effect. Kind of like drinking water from the sea when you’re thirsty. Purified water will actually make you even more thirsty and more dehydrated. As there are no minerals in purified water, there is no way your body is able to digest it. And instead of just not doing anything, the purified water will actually pull more water and minerals out of your body. This is a double negative effect! So please, always look for mineral water.The minerals in it aid your body to digest the water quickly, bringing it to your brain, your muscles, your heart and all your other vital organs. You will immediately feel more alive and full with energy. You will look younger and more radiant because the water will liven up your skin. And also, water can help you to reduce the first signs of hunger, that way aiding you in losing weight. It flushes away toxins and waste. And, yes, one side effect is that you will have to run to the toilet more. But I think you do get used to it. I know where a toilet is within my next 500m everywhere I go. You will soon figure it out, too!
Of course, you can also drink tap water. In many countries, tap water is monitored regularly, and it is safe to drink. Thailand isn’t one of them. The tap water here can have impurities such as a high chlorine content or pesticides from agriculture. In case you don’t want to buy water bottles every day, get a charcoal filtering system at home. It might be expensive to install, but eventually it will probably make the most sense.
Now, let me quickly talk about other fluids you drink that contain water. Yes, I know a lot of you like your coffee. A thumb rule: for every cup of coffee you have, have one more cup of water than the amount you would usually have. “What?! Even more water?” Yes! Beause coffee has a tendency to dehydrate you and in order to compensate that, have another cup of water. I’ll bet you’ll think before having that cup of coffee the next time J
Soft drinks aren’t a real alternative to your normal water. Of course, you can have them, and count them to your daily water intake, but you don’t want to live on them because of the high sugar contens (and no, zero or light versions aren’t alternatives!!!) and the extra calorie intake.
Juices also consist of water, however, you want them to be freshly squeezed to have any healthy side to them. But of course, also look at the calorie intake there again!
Next up, tea. As long as it is herbal or fruit infused tea (not black or too much green tea, as these also dehydrate just like coffee), you’re fine to base your water intake on that. Especially, if you should move back to colder weather, tea is a good alternative to cold water.
And of course, there is the alcohol a lot of you indulge in on weekends, and then start the week with a horrible hang over. Alcohol as a tendency to dehydrate you as well, so for every drink you have, have a glass of water. In most cases, this will already help you not to feel hung-over the next day.
All right, we’re almost done with all this information for today. Many of you tell me, “I just don’t like water.” That can’t be, then you have not really tried to taste it. What we do at home every few months when we see that our water intake reduces, is to buy all the different mineral waters out there. We number glasses, fill the water with them, and then try them anonymously. Close your eyes, really try to taste the water, juggle it around in your mouth a bit, and see, what you taste. And I do believe there will be a water, that you will actually like. You just have to experience it with all your senses.
As the global warming issue is all around us this year (and it is even the word of the year in Germany), I would like to appeal to your environmental friendly side. Instead of buying water bottles (1.5l) like crazy, try to get the big 5l jugs. Then carry around a fancy bottle, and refill it during the day. That way, less waste and a happier environment. You’ll think, in Thailand noone cares about this. But only one person can already make a big difference!
Ok, now for my last few words, I’d like to give you a challenge for this week. I know it’s hard to raise your water intake from probably somewhere around 1l to 5l immediately. So, every day for this week, try to have one more liter than you would usually have, and then try to slowly raise it up to 5l. Try to drink most of it during the day and not in the evening, so you don’t have to run to the bathroom every hour during your well deserved sleep. You’ll see, the more attention you pay to it, the easier it will become, and the more your body will actually scream for more and more and more. So have fun.
Oh, and by the way, I find they have very beautiful toilets at the Grand Hyatt. Go and check them out if you should ever be around there!
Martina from www.bangkokfitnessanywhere.com