Enjoy the sun...
Happy Saturday all, Sam here!
I hope you are all enjoying this glorious weather I am is currently with my friend Holly in Wales, while Ash is celebrating one of his best friend's birthday (it is also his husband's birthday but he is away in China with work...and apparently also the Queen's!). Happy Birthday Simon, Iva and Elizabeth!
With this sudden heatwave we realised that we haven't written about the most important part of nutrition.... HYDRATION!! Water is THE most important part of our diet as our bodies need it for life! Its needed to break down the food we eat, to utilise the energy we take and make and to cool us down! It helps us flush out toxins from our body which are created when we train or when we are sick and it also keeps our skin in good condition.
One of the symptoms of dehydration is also similar to hunger... its a tip you may have heard before but drinking a glass of water before snacking may be all you need and will cut down on unnecessary eating.
In this weather we lose a LOT of water to sweat - the same when we are training hard, so its important that we replace what is lost. The effect of dehydration can range from feeling a little thirsty to feeling tired and snappy and to the extremes of being really sick and dizzy.
I've suffered the effects of dehydration due to the sun before at my first ever Glastonbury festival... it was 2010 and the hottest Glasto on record - with no shade there was a lot of people suffering in the sun. It's made me even more aware of the importance of topping up the water supply. So much so that it became a running joke on our SMASH Valencia holiday last June! I wouldn't go anywhere unless I had my water in hand!
Top tips for staying hydrated...
Always keep a bottle of water with you - having it there will encourage you to drink more often.
Buy a long lasting bottle - at least 1 litre and fill it up at least once through the day (invest in a permanent water bottle so that you can do your bit for the planet and use less plastic!).
Eat plenty of fruit, salad and veg - the water content in these food is massive and will also help keep you hydrated.
Tea, coffee and fruit juice all help aid hydration but try to ensure that only 20% of your daily fluid intake comes from sources like these.
Experiment with water - add orange or lemon or make fruit flavoured ice cubes, anything that will help you drink more water!
If consuming alcohol try to have water in between drinks - alcohol will dehydrate you, especially in the heat.
Have at least 2 litres daily - 3 litres in hot weather like this or when working out
Water is vital to our wellbeing - physically and mentally so make sure you are drinking enough, every single day!
Have a fantastic weekend and be kind to yourself
Sam & Ashley
