Being hydrated is a way to prepare for yoga and pilates classes.  If you are pounding water before class STOP! These 3 things will help you!

1. USE YOUR CHANGE PURSE!  What? Yeah.  My gramma always told me to keep my change in a change purse and I’d always have a “little something” if I was short on cash.  Water works in a similar way! How? Well, it takes about 60-70 minutes for water to hit your organs and be ready for use.  If you pound water before class, your body can’t even use it until you’re almost done. Put the water in WAY before. Start the night before class and/or during the day before you go.  That way your body has plenty of water to function when you add intense exercise. When you reach for your change purse, you want to hear it jingle.

2. EAT YOUR VEGGIES! Another Gramma motto.  Veggies contain water, especially when cooked.  Fruits are full of water, too and guess what else fruits and veggies contain? Electrolytes.  We need water, yes and we need sodium, potassium, and magnesium, just to name a few essential electrolytes. The dizzies and the nausea are all part of dehydration and you can prevent them easily with good food and water.

3. DRINK THE RIGHT AMOUNT! You know when to stop eating because you feel full, but what about when to stop drinking water? When drinking water is new, it’s easy to go over board.  The easiest place to start is to take your weight and divide it by 2.  Start by drinking that many ounces of water per day and see how you feel.  Most people need another 8 ounces of water per 30 minutes of exercise.  So, you can play with that, too.  Take a 90 minute yoga class or 60 minutes pilates class? Drink an extra 12-24 ounces of water after and see if that helps with tomorrows hydration.

The more you practice, the more body awareness you gain, the easier it all becomes! See you in CLASS!