Shannon Meteraud's Fit Mom Blog: Water -- the most important thing for our bodies

Written by Shannon Meteraud, IFBB Pro Thursday, 02 February 2012 15:36

Water -- the most important thing for our bodies

Growing up, the hype surrounding the importance of water did not seem as grand as it seems now.  Keep in mind I'm getting up there in age so my memory does not seem to be what it used to be.  But one thing I do know for certain is that water was not advertised then as it is today.  No one spoke as often about the importance of water to our overall health, appearance, and well-being.  Today it's all we hear.  On top of that, how many bottled water companies are out there?  It's amazing to me how many "varieties" of bottled water are on the shelves.  I mean, it's all water right?  In my youth, water came from the kitchen sink.  It was available whenever you wanted it and it was free!  Maybe this is why I didn’t drink it so much.  It wasn't as hip or cool to drink water as it is today.  I believe drinking water is part of a fashion trend.  It's stylish to walk around with a water bottle.  You're even more stylish if you are drinking designer water from an expensive bottling company.

This blog is more so about the importance of water for all of us.

Water makes up almost 60% of our body.  It is needed for many different functions such as:

•    Water regulates our temperature when we are over-heated by allowing us to sweat, which cools off the skin. 
•    It cushions our joints by keeping fluid moving freely so we are not stiff and immobile.
•    It helps our nervous system function properly.  Our brain is made up of about 70% water.  The water protects our brain, spinal cord and nervous system tissues. 
•    Water keeps our skin moist.  Lack of water can cause wrinkling and dry itchy skin.
•    It helps us eliminate toxins and waste through our urine and bowels.

Water also plays a huge role in weight loss by helping you to feel full.  Often you may think you are hungry but usually it's your brain is signaling you it's thirsty.  Drinking water will help the hunger pains go away.  As I mentioned, it helps eliminate the toxins from your body so that you feel better and more vibrant.  Back in my competition days, I drank at least 1 gallon of water a day.  There were even days when I drank about 2 gallons!  It helped me flush out all the toxins, kept me full, and hydrated.  It also kept me running to the bathroom every 30 minutes!  I was part of the water jug gang.  I carried it everywhere. When I misplaced my water jug, it really screwed up my day because I couldn't keep track of my water intake.  Having my first daughter changed this.  It was difficult enough to remember everything the baby needed for the day, plus the baby, AND carry it all to the car.  Adding a gallon of water to tote around just made it too difficult.  So instead, I used a 1/2 gallon and did the best I could at remembering to have it with me.

My kids seem to have a hard time drinking water.  They complain they don't like the taste.  Therefore we give the water taste!  There are so many choices on the market to create a healthy drink.  Crystal light has some of my favorite flavors.  Ocean Spray also has some good ones.  You can even find sugar free kool-aid.  These things help water have some taste and at least gets my kids drinking it.  I still attempt to have them drink plain water, but if it's one of the struggle days, I will turn to crystal light.  And their own personal water bottle doesn’t hurt either! (see photo above of my kids with their water bottles)

Overall, water is probably the most important thing we can put in our body.  We cannot survive without it.  We can go without food for weeks but without water, we will die.  That is important stuff.  Water benefits us in so many ways.   What an incredible natural resource!  So train hard, eat right, and pour yourself a big tall glass of water!

Enjoy the journey to a hydrated "Fit Mom".

Please feel free to contact me with questions, tips, and or personal stories, regarding your path to “Fit Mom” at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Shannon Meteraud