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Dear Chrissy:
As a workout partner, water's clearly the winner. And here's why: about 60 percent of your total
weight is made up of water found in your body fluids. So it makes perfect sense that the best
replacement for this water is good ol' water itself (as opposed to some fizzy fluid filled with
artificial sweeteners and other icky stuff). But let's dive right into the scientific reasons:
drinking water helps keep your body humming along smoothly and can even make you a better athlete
before and during exercise. After all, water helps maintain your body's correct temperature, along
with the many chemical reactions taking place inside you. And it will do its job best if you
replace it while it's being lost as perspiration (and expired air), especially since you can sweat
out more than two quarts of fluid per hour. Keeping a water bottle handy during your workout is a
smart idea; otherwise, dehydration could set in and dry up your chances of staying fit.
So what's wrong with diet sodas? After all, they're mostly water, too, right? True, but
they're also full of some things that Mother Nature never even heard of. For one thing, they
contain an artificial sweetener called aspartame, which has unknown effects on human health over
time. Many diet sodas also have caffeine, which acts as a diuretic. In less scientific terms, that
means it makes you pee more and become dehydrated. To top it all of, carbonated soft drinks are
high in phosphorus, a substance that might hurt your body's ability to absorb calcium and weaken
your bones as a result.
Thirsty for some practical tips on staying fit with water? Then take care of yourself by
drinking about 8 ounces of H20 (more in hot weather) for every 30 minutes of heavy exercise. And
drink cool water (40 - 50 degrees) since it'll get absorbed by your body more quickly than warm
water. It's also less likely to cause cramps. By following these simple bits of advice, you won't
be left high and dry when it comes to staying in shape.
Signed,
Wendell
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