Keeping Your Cool With H20

Did you know that on a regular day, your body loses 2 to 3 quarts of water — enough to fill a 2-liter bottle of soda? You probably already know that you lose water when you go to the bathroom or sweat a lot on a hot day. But water also escapes your body through your skin and breath. That’s why, particularly if you are active, it’s so important to keep chugging that water. Whether you’re a sipper, gulper or guzzler, here are some tips to keep your body cool and your performance at its peak:

• Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water — by then your body is already dehydrated.

• Well before you hit the gym, the field or even for a walk, drink at least two cups of water.

• During high activity, keep a bottle of water close at hand and try to drink about 10 ounces — that’s about 10 big gulps — every 15 to 20 minutes.

• Even after the big game or routine exercise, you need to replenish what you’ve lost. Drink bottled water, water fl avored with juice or just straight out of the tap.

• Avoid beverages with caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning that it causes you to urinate, leaving you more dehydrated than before.

• If you find plain old water a bore, jazz it up by adding some pre-packaged calorie-free flavored powder or a simple slice of lemon.