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Toning Nutrition Athletics H2O We always hear that we should drink more water, but the truth is recent studies show that we really don’t get as much water as we should. While our body can survive without food for as long as six weeks, we won’t last one week without water. Water transports oxygen and nutrients to where the body needs them most while eliminating waste products.  Water is also necessary to kidney and bowel health, as well as regulating body temperature and cushioning joints. Everyone has different water needs. It depends on many factors, such as health condition, activity level and where we live. It is generally recommended to drink 8-8oz glasses of water everyday. Since water cannot be stored in the body, it is important to drink at least this amount, even if we don’t feel thirsty. This basic amount of water is needed to replenish the losses we experience and keep our kidneys functioning properly. Be sure to pay attention to your body when it is showing signs of dehydration, such as fatigue, dry mouth, headache, muscle weakness or cramps, dizziness, nausea and deep rapid breathing. Our water needs do not have to be met by plain water alone. You can spice it up some by drinking flavored waters, especially sugar free choices, such as Nestle Pure Life Water. Drinks like these can help us meet our water needs while also being refreshing and delicious. Herbal teas can also be a great way to sneak in more water, especially when drunk in place of coffee, which, due to the caffeine can cause water loss. Skipping soda with meals and choosing water instead is a great habit to get into as well. While exercising, be sure to drink water before, during and after the workout. If working out for an extensive amount of time, replace water losses by drinking 16 oz of water for each pound of body weight lost. Watch Here Fiber • Fiber is essential for bowel regularity, as well as helping us to achieve the feeling of satiety when eating. • A high fiber diet can help decrease the risk for heart disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. • The RDA for fiber is 30-38 grams/day for men and 21-25 g/d for women. Most Americans get only half the recommended amount each day. • Fruits and vegetables are a great place to start to add more fiber into your diet. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables with the skin on. Including the skin on a medium baked potato gives you 4 grams of fiber. Also, eating the whole fruit or vegetable, as opposed to fruit or vegetable juice is a very good choice, as you don’t get the fiber in the juice. Berries typically have twice the amount of fiber of many other fruits. So, try adding blackberries or raspberries to your yogurt or cereal. • Cereal is another excellent area to pick up a lot of fiber. Look for “bran” or “whole grain” on product labels, and be sure to always buy cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. High fiber cereals can also be used to top off yogurts, salads, soups, trail mixes and oatmeal. • Some other excellent fiber sources are beans and nuts. Try eating pinto, black or kidney beans as a side dish. Just a 1⁄2 cup of kidney beans has 8 grams of fiber. • Nuts, such as almonds, can easily be added to salads or eaten as snacks. A 1oz serving can provide 3 grams of fiber. • When it comes to breads, pastas, rices and crackers think whole grain. Again, scan the product label for whole grain or whole wheat and choose whole grain breads, brown rice, whole wheat pastas, and whole grain crackers. • The growing popularity of whole grain foods can be seen with the increasing whole wheat pasta and whole grain cracker options on our grocery shelves, so they should be easy to find. • There are also many different fiber supplements on the market these days. Check with a Registered Dietitian or your healthcare provider concerning the appropriate use of these supplements. • As you can see, there are many high fiber options out there, and a lot of the times it just takes a few small changes in our diets to meet the recommended 25 grams of fiber each day. Watch Here
 
 
Nutrition