Workout Wednesday: 8 x 8 Rule

The human body is composed of about 70 percent water and, not coincidentally, water is a crucial part of how the body functions.  Muscles, lungs, and the brain all contain a lot of water, and blood is mostly water. Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs.

It is essential to keep hydrated so that your body’s organs are working at their optimal level. Drinking 8 ounces of water at least 8 times a day will help keep you hydrated and healthy.  The American Council on Exercise (ACE) suggests sipping an additional 17 to 20 ounces of water 2 hours before physical activity. In 1 hour of exercise, the body can lose more than a quart of water—especially when it’s hot, so keep water handy!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 at 7:06 am and is filed under Fitness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.