YOU ARE WHAT YOU DRINK

YOU ARE WHAT YOU DRINK 

By Gina Pongetti Angeletti, MPT

Drink More Water.

Period.

How many of you have heard that time and time again, or have said it to your teammates? Sure, we know water is good for us, but why? How much? When? And what happens if we don’t? Let’s take a closer look!

In the thick of competition season and with all of the activities cheer athletes are trying to balance, you need to be fueled with the right info for success in the gym and on the mat. Nothing helps keep a person healthier than maintaining a good intake of water each day. When fatigue sets in, schoolwork piles up, travel weekends get crazy and longer practices kick in, water can keep you super-leveled and ultra-primed for success!

Water makes up over half of our bodies! We need it to live each day, but we need even more when conditions place stress on the body. Some examples include: stress, fatigue, exercise, heat conditions, illness and more. Why do we need to be especially aware of our water intake with these situations? Water does numerous jobs for us – it helps flush and keeps our system up and running, hydrates, and provides assistance in oxygen transport and recovery. 

A complaint often heard from athletes (and people in general) is they get sick of the taste of water. So to spice it up, they drink a sports drink, carbonated water, or add squeeze-flavor, tablets or flavored powder to their water. It’s still water, right? Wrong! And here’s why. 

Sports Drinks = Sugars

These flavored, easily drinkable fluid replacements also come along with other bonuses. At times, they have electrolyte replacement (such as Gatorade, as it was intended to help football players replace fluids and essentials lost from sweat to prevent dehydration). However, with sports drinks also comes sugars. And lots of it. Drinks loaded with sugar for energy provide instant boosts for a long practice in hot conditions. They are, however, unnecessary for shorter practices and classes in good conditions and will most likely cause a mental and physical crash later in the day. Using them as replacement calories for what is burned is also not the best choice, as sugars provide minimal to no nutritional value for recovery and muscle rebuilding. 

Sports Drinks – Flavored, calorie conscious

This category has been a big boom for athletes who want to replace electrolytes and hydrate, but don’t want the added calories. The issue is simply that if you are working out, you are burning calories. Replacing them will help you last longer while working out. 

Caffeine/Energy Drinks

Very often “healthy” labeled drinks contain caffeine and anticipate you will be tired while working out. At times this is definitely true, but too much reliance on outside energy stimulation can give a false sense of recovery, energy, and a shifted focus for the athlete on true fatigue. You might feel like a rockstar initially, but it’s not going to last! This will undoubtedly lead to mistakes, sloppy technique, and an unnecessary risk for injury. 

Research is mixed on whether caffeine causes dehydration. It does have diuretic effects, making you go to the bathroom more, but the fluid you are consuming counterbalances the increased urination. The conclusion on caffeine from a hydration standpoint – we cannot say that it is bad. From a health standpoint – too much of it can lead to physical issues, such as headaches, and lifestyle struggles, such as mood swings and fatigue. 

So, what is and works best? Water!

When?

Drinking water throughout the day will keep you hydrated and prepare you in advance for your workout. You’ll be less fatigued, sleep better, think clearer and can even be shown to elevate mood and concentration. If you slam water before practice or a game, it will only make you feel full, as it can only be absorbed so fast. Drinking a sports or recovery drink (without sweeteners) when activity demand is high, is great. After a workout, food and water are both great options. If food is not an option for a while (that’s a whole other topic!), then replacement shakes, protein drinks, etc. can provide temporary replacement. Be sure you are drinking water after a workout as it helps to flush out lactic acid!

How much? 

Half of your body weight in ounces. So for example, if someone is 120 pounds, they will need at least 60 ounces each day just to maintain their body. If they work out, they need an additional six to eight ounces each hour. If it is hot outside and they are practicing or performing outdoors, add more. 

What?

Pure water. Soda, coffee, iced tea and juice do not count. To spice it up, squeeze a lemon, lime or orange in the water. There are numerous water bottles that have a strainer which sits within the water container that are built to place fruit in. Another option is to simply cut small pieces and add them in! Drinks with electrolytes and calorie replacement should be taken halfway through a long workout to help replenish the body not only during the workout, but also after, unless the preferred food is available. 

A healthy and hydrated body and mind will help guide athletes toward balance and you’ll be ready for tryouts, practices, competitions, game day and all the fun your season brings! Good luck!

Common Myth or Fact:

• A person can never drink enough water. False – too much water will actually draw out electrolytes within the system and can make you a hyponatremic. This can be avoided by simply replacing electrolytes while hydrating.
• If you drink too much water, you will have to go to the bathroom more. True, at first, until your body and bladder respond to the constant new and increased flow. It will expand, and your sensors for when you are “full” and have to go will also be delayed a bit. This will help to make it through class in school, car trips, as well as sleeping.

Gina Pongetti Angeletti, MPT

Owner and director of Achieve Ortho Sports, MedGym, and Partner at NeuroSport Chicago, Gina Pongetti Angeletti, grew up a gymnast for 14 years. She then went on to receive her Bachelors in Communication Studies and Masters in Physical Therapy from Marquette University. She has worked extensively with all levels of athletes, specifically gymnasts, dancers, theater, cheerleaders, and musicians (Performing Arts Medicine) and focused on the treatment, care, education, and long-term health of Elite gymnasts. She is nationally and internationally recognized as a leading lecturer, educator, and researcher in the sport. She presented for nearly 10 years for USA Gymnastics, National Congress, having largely attended courses for coaches on health care and gymnastics medicine.