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Is It Possible To Eat Tasty Foods Without Ruining My Health?

Is It Possible To Eat Tasty Foods Without Ruining My Health?

So many unhealthy foods taste delicious that it’s easy to understand why the average American diet is so unhealthy. The salt, sugar, and fat in the food trigger a reaction that makes you feel good and crave even more. You can eat tasty foods without ruining your health, but you must make smarter decisions. You’ll also go through a certain amount of withdrawal from the sugar, salt, and fat. Once you conquer that, you’ll be amazed at how delicious healthy food can be.

Even some “healthy” foods are bad.

When you think of yogurt, you normally think of good health. So many people recommend it. You probably think that fat-free yogurt is even better. You’d be wrong. When they remove the fat, they remove much of the flavor and texture that makes it desirable and replace it with unhealthy additives like sugar to make it palatable. How do you combat that? Opt for full-fat yogurt. Mix a half cup with a half banana, fresh or frozen fruit, and walnuts, or layer it to make a parfait. It’s delicious and satisfies your craving for something sweet.

Fresh berries and other fruit are delicious and can curb your cravings for sugar.

Fruit contains sugar. So do cookies. But the sugar in fruit doesn’t impact your blood sugar levels the same way. The fiber in fruit slows the sugar absorption into the bloodstream and helps prevent the spikes that food with added sugar does. Those spikes in blood sugar can lead to insulin resistance, metabolic disease, diabetes, and other conditions. Switch to fresh fruit or go the extra mile and make frozen banana ice cream, half a frozen banana dipped in dark chocolate and nuts, or frozen grapes.

Skip the chips but keep the guacamole and salsa for dips.

Both salsa and guacamole contain healthy ingredients. The fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, hot peppers, and lime juice all are healthy ingredients, so keep the salsa. Mash the avocado and add those same ingredients for a deliciously healthy guacamole. Instead of tortilla chips, dip fresh vegetables like celery, broccoli crowns, carrots, or cauliflower. You can also use beet, kale, zucchini, or other types of chips.

  • Air-popped popcorn or homemade microwave popcorn are options for healthy snacks. Sprinkle on flavoring and spices for an additional treat. Nuts are another great snack.
  • Include sweet potatoes in your diet. They’re delicious and high in antioxidants, like vitamins A and C. You can make them in many ways, including slicing and baking them to create sweet potato chips.
  • At least part of that PB&J was healthy if you used peanut butter with one ingredient—peanuts. Combine it with chia jam and spread it on whole-grain bread for a delicious and healthy PB&J.
  • One key to eating healthier is to plan your meals. It starts with planning and at the grocery, where you skip the snack and candy aisle. Buy more whole foods and fewer, if any, highly processed foods to be on the road to healthy eating.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Delicious Healthy Breakfasts Without Bread

Delicious Healthy Breakfasts Without Bread

Starting the day eating healthy breakfasts without bread can help you lose weight. In Irvine, CA, many people are turning to creative options that keep you full longer yet are far healthier than their counterparts containing bread. Instead of toast, why not opt for sweet potato toast instead. Top it with homemade cashew spread and berries or spread mashed avocado and top it with an egg for the perfect healthy breakfast that keeps you full longer.

Speaking of avocados, why not use them to hold your egg?

Eggs, salt and pepper, and avocado create a delicious breakfast. Top it with bell peppers, spinach, bacon, or herbs for variety. Cut the avocado in half, remove the seed, and place in a dish. Fill each empty pit with an egg. For runny yolks, cut the avocado in half and put an egg in the center of each half. If you like your yolk firm, scramble the egg before adding. Add any toppings you desire. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Who needs toast when you have tomatoes?

Create a culinary dish your family will love that’s easy with medium-sized tomatoes, eggs, avocado oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Cut the tomatoes down the middle through the stem area. Scoop out the seeds and pulp. Spray the tomatoes with avocado oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Add other seasonings, like garlic powder, if you choose. Break the eggs into the middle of the tomato, top with Parmesan cheese, and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. It’s a delicious way to serve eggs without the need for toast.

Vegetable Frittatas can be keto-friendly and don’t require bread.

Combine eight large eggs with ¼ cup of milk or cream, salt, and pepper. Whisk them together in a bowl for the base of the frittata. In an oven-safe skillet—10″ cast iron is best, sauté your favorite veggies and meat. It takes about 2 ½ to 4 cups raw for the final 2 cups needed for the frittata. Pour the egg mixture and 2/3 cup of cheese into the pan and stir. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees until the center sets and the top is puffy.

  • Make a breadless breakfast sandwich with eggs for the outside instead of a muffin. Cook the sausage and eggs in a 3 ½ inch biscuit cutter for the perfect shape. Top the sausage with guacamole for even more flavor.
  • Omelets are filling and versatile. Add your favorite fillings and cheese to match your dietary and taste preferences.
  • Make chia pudding. Mix ½ C milk of choice, 2-4 T chia seeds, 1 T vanilla extract, and 1 tsp honey. Stir the milk and chia seeds, let stand for 15 minutes, and add honey and vanilla. Put in a blender, then refrigerate for at least two hours. Add your favorite fruit, nut butter, or topping.
  • Saute your favorite veggies and meats. Spoon the ingredients into large portabella mushroom caps with the stem and gills removed. You can omit the veggies and add an egg instead. Top with cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Foods That Might Combat Arthritis Pain

Foods That Might Combat Arthritis Pain

The more we know about the body and how it works, the more we realize that not all old wives’ tales were wrong. Maybe the lore behind eating certain foods was inaccurate, but the biochemicals in the food did help. You can improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and more by changing your diet. One amazing discovery is the ability to combat arthritis pain by including certain types of food.

The omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish like tuna can bring relief.

Whether you choose tuna, sardines, or mackerel, you’ll get a dose of omega-3 fatty acids when you eat it. You need omega-6, omega-9, and omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, but the average American diet contains far too much omega-6. Too little omega-3 leads to increased inflammation. Adding more can decrease it. Inflammation aggravates arthritis and can cause pain. Flaxseed, walnuts, and chia seeds are also beneficial.

Fruits and vegetables, especially berries, can help fight the inflammation.

Not all fruits and vegetables are alike when it comes to fighting inflammation. Cauliflower, mushrooms, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are especially good. So are berries, apples, and pomegranates. Berries, like blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, and strawberries all contain antioxidants that help prevent arthritis pain. The tannins in pomegranates curb the inflammation from arthritis.

Add spices to your dishes to decrease your pain as you add more flavor.

People used many herbs as remedies for thousands of years. Now, scientists know they contain chemicals that can help prevent inflammation and pain. Ginger is well known for its ability to calm an upset stomach, but it also has other health benefits, such as reducing arthritis pain. It’s the gingerol that provides both the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Curcumin in turmeric provides health benefits. It also acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Use it with black pepper to boost the benefits.

  • You probably never thought endless salsa and chips at your favorite establishment could help with arthritis pain, but it does. At least the salsa does. Tomatoes, onions, and hot peppers can increase antioxidants to help relieve pain.
  • Dark chocolate can relieve pain if it’s at least 70% to 85% cocoa solids. That leaves the rest to come from other ingredients like sugar or vanilla. Watch out for high sugar content. Sugar increases inflammation and pain.
  • Skip the highly processed white bread and opt for more whole grains. You can even include quinoa or bulgar in your diet. The extra nutrients and fiber keep you healthier and can help with arthritis pain.
  • Including more nuts in your diet can help protect you from pain. Nuts are a good source of protein, but unlike meat protein, they won’t create inflammation. The omega-3 in some nuts, like walnuts, provides additional benefits.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Can Weight Loss Cause Hair Loss?

Can Weight Loss Cause Hair Loss?

Many people in Irvine, CA, noticed a few negative changes occurring with weight loss. Hair loss was one of those problems. Unless there’s a health issue causing the weight loss, you aren’t destined to lose your hair or have other negative side effects. It’s all about how you lose the weight. Rapid weight loss causes acute telogen effluvium—TE. It starts after three months of rapid weight loss or other trauma that causes stress or shock to the body. It can occur due to nutritional deficiencies caused by restrictive diets but usually lasts only 6 months or less.

Crash dieting can lead to inadequate calories and nutrients for proper hair growth.

Extreme calorie restriction diets are stressful and don’t provide adequate calories or nutrients to allow hair to grow correctly. People constantly shed hair and replace it with new hair. If the nutrients to create the new strands aren’t available, it doesn’t stop the normal hair loss, so hair thins. Iron deficiency can cause hair loss. Crash diets can cause iron deficiency. Nutrients like zinc, essential fatty acids, protein, and vitamins B, C, D, A, and biotin, are also necessary to complete the growth cycle.

Your hair requires amino acids.

Keratin is necessary for hair growth. Keratin is made from amino acids found in protein. If you don’t have enough keratin, your hair will produce hair follicles slower than it loses them. If you’re vegetarian, vegan, or are on a restrictive diet, you may not have adequate dietary essential amino acids. Your body diverts the limited protein to vital functions such as hormone production, tissue repair, balancing water and pH, and digestion.

Stop hair loss with a healthy diet.

Even if you want to lose weight fast, it can take its toll on your body and show in the hair first. Fad diets may help you lose weight quickly, but that lost weight comes at a high price. Not only will you lose hair, but your metabolism will slow, muscles will wither, and it can affect your skin, causing it to be dry and wrinkled, or triggering a breakout. The slower your metabolism, the more the potential to regain the weight and a few more pounds. Losing a pound or two a couple of weeks before a special occasion is one thing but attempting to lose 15 to 20 pounds in a month is quite another. It can be dangerous.

  • Even if you eat adequate protein, if you don’t get all essential amino acids, such as leucine, valine, cysteine, and histidine, it can cause hair loss. Studies show deficiencies in these four amino acids are common in people who lose weight.
  • Lack of nutrients also creates weak hair that breaks more easily. Not only will it be replaced slowly, but it will also break off quicker, exacerbating hair loss.
  • Eating a whole food balanced diet can help stop hair loss. It will take a few months, but eventually, your body will have the necessary nutrients to create healthy hair strands.
  • While most hair growth supplements are safe, the best way to deal with hair loss is with a healthy diet that provides macro and micronutrients, plus phytochemicals that encourage hair growth.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Are Grapes Good For Dieting?

Are Grapes Good For Dieting?

Most people who are dieting look for options that satisfy their urge for sweets. Grapes can do that and even help you lose weight. They contain no fat, are high in fiber, and contain numerous nutrients. Those nutrients include copper, vitamins K, B1, B2, B6, C, and E, potassium, and manganese. A whole cup of grapes is only 104 calories.

The Resveratrol in grapes may accelerate weight loss.

Grapes contain antioxidants that have the potential to aid in weight loss. There are links between inflammation and oxidative stress that lead to obesity. Grapes are an anti-inflammatory food that also contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help reduce oxidative stress that affects all parts of the body. It can lead to diabetes, insulin resistance, and other health issues. Studies show that one antioxidant found primarily in red and purple grapes, resveratrol, can dramatically improve the potential for weight loss. It causes cells to turn food into energy rather than store it as fat. It also helped improve insulin resistance which can cause abdominal fat.

Grapes are high in sugar, yet improve insulin resistance.

Grapes have a medium to low glycemic index—GI, which means it doesn’t raise blood sugar levels quickly. The dramatic peaks and valleys of blood sugar can lead to insulin resistance. That doesn’t mean you can eat bushels of grapes daily without a problem. Studies show that consuming grapes helped improve insulin sensitivity, protected the cells in the pancreas that created insulin, improved insulin production, and increased the number of glucose receptors on the cell membranes so it used the calories for energy rather than storing it as fat.

Grapes may suppress your appetite.

Getting adequate sleep is one way to help control your appetite, but so is eating grapes. The anthocyanins in grapes may help suppress the appetite, reducing food intake. Anthocyanins also have an anti-obesity effect. In rat studies, rats fed a high-fat diet and given anthocyanins had less liver fat and gained less weight. There are still few human studies in this area but one thing is certain, grapes pose only benefits and no health hazards.

  • Lack of sleep can cause the body to produce more ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and less leptin, the satiety hormone. Eating grapes can increase melatonin and promote a better sleep-wake cycle.
  • While grape juice contains many of the same nutrients as grapes, it doesn’t have the fiber that can fill you, so you eat less. Always choose the whole fruit.
  • Studies show resveratrol in grapes activates genes that can slow aging. It also helps protect the cells from oxidation, slowing the aging process.
  • Consuming grapes is good for all parts of the body. Eating them can improve memory and cognitive thinking. It can benefit eye and heart health. The potassium in grapes can help lower blood pressure.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


What Is Low-Impact Cardio?

What Is Low-Impact Cardio?

There are a lot of reasons people avoid running. One of those may be joint issues. Running is a high-impact exercise that can cause musculoskeletal problems. High-impact exercises are those where both feet are off the ground at one time and come slamming back down on the feet—creating an impact that affects the joints, muscles, and bones. Pregnant women, those who recently gave birth, and people with joint issues, or other health risks should avoid high-impact workouts. Many people limit their cardio to running or jumping rope but there are also exceptionally good low-impact cardio exercises you can do.

What is a low-impact exercise?

If you run, there’s a point where both feet are off the ground. The front foot is in the air with the back foot lifting before it lands. Focusing on keeping at least one foot on the ground at all times can lead you to the ideal low-impact exercise. While step-ups work the muscles of the legs, including the tendons and muscles around the knee, they don’t jar the muscles or pound the joints, which can lead to potential injury. They build strength to make them more impervious to injury. Climbing flights of stairs is a good cardio workout.

Cardio is all about working your heart and getting it to beat faster to strengthen it.

You don’t have to slap your feet on the pavement for a higher heart rate. Riding a bike, whether it’s stationary or a regular bike, can work the joints and build cardio strength. If you have a knee problem, use a stationary bike on a low resistance level until the muscles around the joints strengthen. The movement can lubricate the joints without causing injury. If you like getting out in the fresh air, try speed walking. You can even modify calisthenics to change an exercise from high-impact to low-impact. Take the jump out of jumping jacks and step to the side instead of jumping.

You’ll work muscles harder when there’s resistance.

One of the easiest-on-the-joints workouts is swimming. Your body is buoyant in water, so there’s less pressure on the knees and joints. However, water has more resistance than air, so you work harder to move. Just walking in water can be a good low-impact workout. Swimming is another excellent low-impact cardio.

  • High-impact workouts help build bone density faster, are better for weight loss, and aid in reaching fitness goals. If you’re removing high-impact cardio, turn your strength-builder workouts into cardio exercises by turning them into circuit or high-intensity interval training.
  • A brisk walk is one way most people can boost their cardiovascular health. You can combine regular walks with gym visits for the perfect workout.
  • If you have an issue with your joints, get the help of a personal trainer to modify your workout and ensure you aren’t exacerbating the problem. Trainers can create an entire low-impact cardio workout to build joint strength.
  • If you have arthritis, stress fractures, joint issues, are pregnant, or are overweight, avoid high-impact exercises. Drink plenty of water to help lubricate your joints. Using a rowing machine or dancing are two excellent low-impact cardio workouts.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?

How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?

If you’re exercising with others, you’ve probably heard of the many protein supplements or foods that boost your protein intake. While it’s true that active people need more protein than sedentary ones, there is a limit on how much you should consume. Consuming too much protein can have consequences and limit your intake of other foods with nutrients necessary for good health. You require the right mix of macronutrients, protein, fats, and carbohydrates. The protein requirement also varies by gender, age, and activity level.

You’re an individual with special needs.

There’s not one right amount of protein for every person. Even your total calorie intake will determine how much you should have. People on a 2000-calorie diet for weight maintenance should have 10 to 35% of their calories from protein. If they’re active, that percentage will be higher. Additional protein is necessary to help mend and build muscle tissue. Sedentary people require a gram of protein for every 2.2 pounds they weigh. That gram grows to 1.3 grams if the same person is active and escalates to 1.6 grams if they’re an athlete.

Your weight, age, and gender also determine the amount of protein you require.

Women have less muscle mass than men do, so their need for extra protein isn’t as great. Since the amount of protein you require is based on weight it affects the requirement by gender, since women generally weigh less than men. Protein isn’t as bioavailable to older people, so they need more. To get the same benefit from protein as they did when they were younger, it takes more protein at a time when appetite is often less.

Some types of protein are more beneficial than others.

Protein is created from amino acids. Nine of them are essential. Essential amino acids are ones the body can’t make so they have to come from food. Animal products contain complete proteins, meaning they have all nine essential amino acids. Not all plant-based proteins are complete. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re inferior, but it does mean you have to be more careful when you’re planning menus. You can combine plant protein to get all 9 amino acids and create a menu with complete proteins. A chicken breast is a far healthier source of protein than processed meat or a poor-quality protein powder.

  • If you love beef but want the healthiest source of protein, consider beef and animal products from pastured animals rather than grain-fed animals. Pastured eggs are also more beneficial.
  • Protein is used in the creation of enzymes that cause biological reactions, such as creating connective tissue, boosting the immune system, building and repairing muscle, and providing energy.
  • Eating high amounts of protein for extended periods can damage the liver and kidneys. It’s hard to do if you’re using whole foods and not protein supplements. For a 220-pound person, that would mean eating 200 grams, the equivalent of 1 ½ pounds of steak or eight 3-ounce hamburgers daily.
  • Consuming a carbohydrate and protein snack after a workout can help speed recovery. It provides the energy and nutrition to repair and build muscle tissue.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Ways To Keep Mentally Fit

Ways To Keep Mentally Fit

Even though we focus heavily on physical fitness, staying mentally fit is just as important. California is a laid-back state, but there’s still a lot of stress that affects you both physically and mentally. Poor mental fitness makes every day a chore. It makes the thought of exercising and eating healthy seem like a chore. Good mental fitness can also help you muscle through the toughest exercises. It’s so important we had a blog last August about exercises that can help. Here are some other ideas to aid in improving mental fitness.

Learn to deal with stress before it becomes too stressful.

Positive thinking has gotten a bad rap. Most people think it’s about wishing their way to wealth and success, when in reality it’s more about finding something good that you can work with in every situation. If you’re out of a job, wishing won’t employ you, but focusing on the skills you have can help you find a job. You may have to dust them off and bring them up-to-date but that helps reduce stress, too. It puts you back in control of your destiny.

Eating healthier can help improve mental fitness.

Eating healthier improves the gut’s microbiome. These microscopic colonies can be beneficial or harmful. Beneficial microbes communicate with the brain by activating neural pathways. They can help improve your mood and reduce inflammation that can lead to depression and anxiety. Eating more anti-inflammatory whole foods and foods high in fiber, while cutting out food causing inflammation, such as those with added sugar, can help. Studies show a diet high in sugar negatively affects mental health. Beneficial microbes also produce short-chain fatty acids that help regulate the nervous system.

Get adequate sleep.

When you have mental stress, it can cause sleepless nights. In turn, those sleepless nights can lead to more mental stress. It’s a vicious cycle. Lack of sleep can create anxiety and depression. It can lead to mood and behavioral changes. When you don’t get enough sleep, you tend to be irritable. It can cause anxiety, anger, aggression, and depression. It affects mental fitness in other ways, like interaction with others, hyperactivity, and emotional outbursts.

  • Your mental fitness is vital for your physical fitness. Left unchecked, stressing out can lead to high blood pressure, hormonal imbalance, premature aging, and a shorter life span.
  • For a good overview of exercises to help improve mental fitness, check out the blog from August of 2023 called Workouts for Better Mental Health. Just increasing how much you walk can help lift depression and anxiety.
  • Get out in the sun and nature. Walking barefoot on grass is used by mental health specialists to help reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. It’s called grounding or earthing. Sunlight also increases the release of serotonin, which helps reduce depression.
  • Staying active, social, and laughing is good for mental health. If you aren’t a social butterfly, get a pet. Studies show having good friends, an active social life, or even a loving furry companion improves mental fitness.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


Tips For Boosting Immunity

Tips For Boosting Immunity

If you’re like many people in Irvine, CA, you’re constantly looking for ways to boost immunity. Preventing illness is far better than trying to cure it. Improving your immune system is the best way to do that. You can stay healthier by focusing on good immune health. Your immune system is your body’s first line of defense to prevent invaders from entering. If they do manage to enter the body, the immune system also weakens and destroys them.

The food you eat can strengthen the immune system.

Fruits and vegetables provide the phytonutrients, minerals, and vitamins you need for a robust immune system. Vitamin C is an immune booster. Three foods high in vitamin C are red bell pepper, citrus fruit, and cantaloupe. Phytonutrients like anthocyanin also boost the immune system. Anthocyanins are deep red, purple, and blue fruits and vegetables, like blueberries and eggplant. Food high in vitamin A also helps improve immunity. Consider carrots, strawberries, and Brussels sprouts. Zinc is also an immune booster. It’s in grains and meat.

Inflammation is either acute or chronic.

When your immune system works properly, it causes inflammation when you get a cut, sprain a muscle, or develop a fever. That’s acute inflammation and the immune system is working its hardest. If the immune system is unhealthy or subject to other conditions that negatively affect it, it can cause chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation causes conditions like arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes. Eating food with added sugar can lead to chronic inflammation and break down the immune system. Highly processed food is another culprit. They also negatively affect the gut microbiome which improves the body’s immunity.

Get plenty of sleep.

Americans are sleeping less, gaining weight, and getting sicker. The three are all related. When you lack sleep, it reduces the amount of leptin your body makes. Leptin is the hormone that makes you feel full. It increases ghrelin, the hunger hormone. When you lack adequate sleep, it can increase your blood pressure and your risk of illness. It can also make you fat, and obesity increases the risk of chronic inflammation. It’s not just about the number of hours you get, but the quality of sleep, too. Sleep in a dark room and don’t take electronic devices with you, like TV or computers. Studies show that people getting less than 6 hours of sleep are more likely to catch a cold than those who slept longer.

  • Get active and you’ll boost your metabolism and your immune system. It helps reduce chronic inflammation and improve the gut microbiome that boosts immunity. It helps produce antioxidants, too. Overexercising has the opposite effect, lowering immunity.
  • Practice safe sunning to build vitamin D. Exposing your body to the sun without sunscreen at midday for 10-30 minutes three times a week is enough. The lighter your skin, the less time you should spend.
  • Eating probiotic and prebiotic food can improve your gut microbiome, an important part of the immune system. Prebiotics feed the beneficial microbes and are food high in soluble fiber. Probiotics are foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut.
  • Put a lid on stress. Exercise helps burn the hormones of stress. Meditation, a healthy diet, and laughter can help relieve stress. Plan activities with friends you enjoy and have a healthy meal together afterward.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness


How Much Water You Actually Need To Drink For Your Size?

How Much Water You Actually Need To Drink For Your Size?

The body requires the amount of water necessary varies by weight, age, and other factors. How much water do you need to stay healthy? While your size plays an important role, your activity level also affects your intake. If you’re out in the hot sun, you’ll need more water than if you’re sitting in an air-conditioned room. How do you decide how much you need? You have to start with a baseline.

Establish your baseline first.

You’ve probably heard that drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day is enough. That’s an oversimplification. Sex, weight, and age determine how much you need. Men should drink more fluid per day than women. That fluid can come from any type of drink or food, such as watermelon. Men need as much as 15.5 cups a day, while women need approximately 11.5 cups. Most people get 20% of their water from food, which in the case of the average man, would be about 4.5 cups. Weight also plays a role.

Take half to 2/3 of your weight in pounds to find out how much water you need.

Just convert the number of pounds to ounces per day of water. If you weigh 150 pounds and are female, you’d need 75 ounces of water daily if you’re inactive. If you’re more active or older you need more fluid, so use 2/3 of your body weight, or 100 ounces. Add more fluid when you perspire more, whether it’s caused by the heat or sweating from exercise. If you live at a higher elevation, your body also requires more fluid.

Your body is mostly water.

Newborns’ bodies are almost 75% water. As you age, the body’s percentage of water diminishes. The more fatty tissues you have, the less fluid you have, since fatty tissues contain less fluid than lean muscle mass. Older people have less fluid and also dehydrate quicker. Since the brain is 70% fluid, dehydration is often mistaken for dementia in older people. No matter what your age, even mild dehydration can make you sleepy and mentally ineffective. Drink a glass of water if you want a mental lift that picks you up without making you jittery.

  • You can drink too much water at one time causes hyponatremia. It’s based on the amount consumed in an hour. The amount varies, but it’s upward of more than four to five cups an hour.
  • The easiest way to determine if you need more fluid is by checking your urine. The darker it is, the more dehydrated you are. If it’s clear, you’ve consumed too much water.
  • Vomiting, fever, or diarrhea increases the amount of water you need. Pregnant and lactating women also require more water daily. Exposure to heat also increases the need for more fluid.
  • Drinking a glass of water before a meal can help you lose weight. It can make you feel full quicker, so you eat less. Drinking more water can help prevent kidney stones and help lubricate aching joints.

For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness