Drink up...

     Good afternoon, Family...  I hope all is well.  I just need you to know that I have fallen, but I am getting up and moving again.  Stuff happens EVERYDAY, and sometimes you just give in and give up and that's okay, but you just can't stay stuck on the downside.  I have had my birthday, celebrations at work, a crazy work schedule, a holiday and I have pretty much eaten stuff I would NOT normally think about and a few pounds have appeared back on my frame.  But as Sweet Brown would say, "ain't nobody got time for that".  So, let's go.

     Prior to every Zumba class, my instructor, Jana makes an announcement, " if you are new to the class, come toward the front, go at your own pace, stay hydrated, and have fun"...
Last week as the weather changed from cool breezy times to hot and humid, the room where we do Zumba, Zumba toning, Guts and Glutes, etc...became a sweat box.  Controlling the temperature in the room was hard to do as the temperature modulated from 50 degrees to 80 degrees in a few hours.  Consequently,  there was a lot of suffering going on.  Ladies feeling light-headed, clothing soaked, floors wet from dripping sweat, and folks feeling like they were so hot they would never cool off again.  All of those are signs that we need to drink some water and rest as needed.

     Many people do not realized that they are dehydrated.  The first sign of dehydration is being thirsty.  Do not ignore the sign.  STOP and get some water.  What would be even better is if you would hydrate yourself prior to doing any exercise.  Starting 1-2 hours before exercising, drink 1 to 3 cups of water. During exercise sessions, replenish fluids at regular intervals, and continue drinking water or other fluids after you're finished.   Drinking water during exercise should be sufficient but some people like sports drinks--Gatorade,   PowerAde, Vitamin Water, etc...-- for hydration.  The reality is that unless you are vigoursly exercising in excess of 2 hours at a time you DO NOT have to drink that type of product.  those products provide you with carbohydrates and electrolytes that are loss during the process of you sweating.  You can also detect dehydration by paying attention to your urine output.  If the color of your urine is dark and the amount of output is small, more than likely you are dehydrated.

     There is a possibility that you could OVERHYDRATE yourself and cause a condition called hyponatremia.  Hyponatremia is when your sodium level is too low.  Hyponatremia can cause dizziness, seizures, confusion, and nausea , but can be extreme enough to cause a coma and death.   More than likely the average athlete will not be affected with a case of hyponatremia but but endurance athletes like marathon runners and triathletes have been known to experience this condition.

     Just remember that you need to hydrate not only during times of exercise but also DAILY.  Fruits and veggies are high in water content and they are good for you.  Drink water all during your day.  If you do not "like" it, find a way to make it more appetizing.  Add a little fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice to your water.  Try adding sliced strawberries, oranges, kiwi and a sprig of mint to a pitcher of ice water and drink it during the day...It's refreshing.  Try it...  Whatever you do, DRINK UP!!!  SMOOCHES...