Life is often too busy to constantly worry about hydration, and men may have unique hydration needs when compared to women. If you're a guy struggling to stay hydrated throughout the day, we've got several tips to help with your fluid intake.
Part of the problem many men have with hydration is they don't understand their body's water needs. The average male adult should start with a benchmark of 13 cups of water on a daily basis. That may seem like an excessive amount, but don't worry, we're not suggesting chugging a ton of water all at once.
To keep fully hydrated, these 13 cups of fluids can be spread out throughout the day, and they don't all have to come from boring, flavorless water. We recommend spacing your fluid intake out over extended periods of time, maybe consume fluids every hour. Spacing your fluids out will allow your body to use them over time. Drinking too many fluids at once will force your body to pass liquids through your system rather than utilizing them. If you find yourself urinating frequently, you could be drinking too much too quickly.
Drinking nothing but water can become monotonous and cause guys to ignore their hydration routine out of flavor boredom. Try consuming beverages with some flavor such as coconut water or a TapouT Cherry Lemonade Blast. Keeping a cold TapouT in the refrigerator will give you a tasty option that you'll be looking forward to.
It may be hard to find your optimal fluid intake, so monitor the color of your urine throughout the day as you adjust the amount of fluids you consume. If you require frequent trips the restroom and your urine is clear, you may want to consider drinking less fluids. On the other hand, dark or yellow urine could be a sign of dehydration. If you notice that you're urinating infrequently, you may want to consider more water or TapouT Wild Orange to help your body utilize the fluids you consume.
Remember that not all 13 cups of water must come from drinking. Consuming fruits and vegetables can also supply your body with fluids and nutrients throughout the day.
What you drink can have a major impact on your hydration. Coffee, soda and other caffeinated and sugar rich beverages can actually lead to dehydration if you rely on them rather than water and other hydrating beverages. While it does contain caffeine, green tea contains nutrients your body needs and could help give men a mild energy boost while helping with hydration when used as a substitute for coffee or soda. Many sodas also contain excess sugar and calories that your body will have to process. While fine in moderation, you may be harming your overall health if you consume too many of these types of beverages.
Water seems like the perfect hydrating beverage, but exclusively consuming water can actually harm your hydration process. Your body need much more than fluids to properly function. You need vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. Minerals and electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium aid your body in retaining fluids. If you consume a beverage with these elements, you can stay hydrated longer without consuming more water.
All flavors of TapouT sports drinks contain 240mg of the sodium your body needs to stay hydrated. It also contains vitamins to keep promote health of the nervous system, improve cognitive performance and boost immunity. Besides a formula of nine vitamins, TapouT also contains all four essential electrolytes. Each bottle of TapouT contains:
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Chloride
- Calcium
- Vitamins A, C, E
- The Vitamin B Complex; B2 B3, B5, B6, B7 and B 12
Not only will including a TapouT in your daily routine help keep you hydrated, it will give your mind, physical performance and recovery after exercise a boost.
If you plan on working out or hitting the gym with the boys, make sure you up your fluid intake accordingly. Drinking one or two extra cups of water or a TapouT Citrus Kick an hour before your workout will give your body the fluids it needs for the intensity of your workout. If you plan on an extra-long workout, drink water or sip TapouT every 20 minutes.
Don't ignore your body's fluid needs after your workout. It's important to rehydrate to replace the fluids lost through sweat. Consuming a healthy beverage shortly after a workout can replace these fluids, but relying on water won't replace the nutrients that are also lost through sweat. TapouT beverages will not only aid in rehydration, but resupply sodium, vitamins and electrolytes that have been depleted during competition or training.
If you're a guy looking to build muscle, then you've probably cut carbs and added more protein to your diet. Protein requires water for proper digestion and fluids to carry muscle building nutrients throughout the body. Keep an eye on your fluid intake if you're on a high protein diet as you may require more than the average male when bulking up.
If you do spend a lot of time hitting the weights to build muscle, consider consuming a TapouT to give your muscles the electrolytes necessary for proper recovery.
Hydration becomes much easier if it's part of your daily routine. Stick to a ritual that will train your mind and body to make hydration effortless.