Optimal Hydration at FitStop

Hey! Are you hydrated enough?

Water alone may not be cutting it!

2 stories:

I was a teenager suntanning with my bestie, and a friend of the family told us we better be drinking water and eating something salty while we're tanning, b/c we were sweating and losing salt. I had never heard of such of thing, but I never forgot it!

Then, I remember learning about electrolytes when my oldest was very sick as a little one, vomiting a lot, etc. I brought her to the doctor and she told me to buy Pedialyte freezies so my daughter could rehydrate. Fascinating! I had never heard of such a thing!

With the heat we've been having here, and the workouts we've all been doing, it's well worth the chat about replenishing our electrolytes, which we are losing from sweating, mostly. Electrolytes are the driving force behind energy production in our cells, nerves and muscles. In particular sodium and potassium.

But how do we get that in? Are we supposed to drink salt? Well, maybe...

Here are some ideas on how to drink and eat your electrolytes:

Drinks:

• combine water with a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, and a touch of honey or pure maple syrup.

• unsweetened coconut water

• Sport drinks ---- but beware of added sugars.

LMNT is an awesome product to add to water. It has no added sugar, no gluten, and several flavors that you can choose from. LMNT is all about adding in the salt! It does taste salty, but then again, you can adjust with how much water you add. Lastly, it works. Here is a link if you're interested: drinklmnt.com

Foods:

• Potassium: Bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, beans, lentils, tomatoes, oranges, and melons. 

• Sodium: Pickles, cheese, and table salt (in moderation). 

• Magnesium: Leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, collard greens), nuts, seeds, whole grains, and peanut butter. 

• Calcium: Dairy products, fortified dairy options, and leafy vegetables. 

• Chloride: Olives, seaweed, tomatoes, and lettuce. 

Hey, notice how all these foods are WHOLE, NATURAL foods? Coincidence? Not at all. The foods the earth grows are meant to fuel us and fill us with the vitamins and minerals our bodies need. Electrolytes are no exception.

What are some symptoms of electrolyte imbalance (or dehydration)?

• muscle cramping and/or twitches

• weakness and/or fatigue

• heart arrhythmia (more severe)

• headaches

• nausea

• thirst and dry mouth

I hope this helps you out and maybe makes you more aware of how your body feels after an intense workout, or after being sick, or outside for quite some time. Replenish your electrolytes. Get salty! A dip in the ocean could be added to the list as well!

PSAs:

Mid month reminder: Birthday draw will be on August 28th this month (I won't be around from the 29th to evening of Sept 1st). There are lots of names in there already, so if you haven't put yours in and you're celebrating this month, enter the draw!!

A mirror is going up in the equipment room (little room with all the balls). This is for those of you who like to do their workouts in that room. Now you can check your form out!

Personal Trainer and Nutrition Program: Just a little reminder that FitStop offers both personal training with Glenda Costa and a Nutrition Program with Adrienne MacDonald. For more information, please go to our APP: sside.ca/FitStopApp and fill in the request info form!!

That's all from me today! Hope you enjoyed the read. Let me know of some topics you'd like me to do research on for the blog! I'd love to hear from you. tracy.jones@summerside.ca

your coach,

Tracy