Today’s Blog Post is written by Sifu Mimi Chan
Sifu Mimi is known for ‘no water breaks’ during class…however, she truly believes in hydration and staying hydrated all day, pre, post, and mid workout if needed. Read on for her quick tips on best hydration choices.
Get a Drink.
No, not a drink…but maybe some water. Water is obviously the top choice for hydration, but what if water is too boring for you?
Everyone knows how important it is to stay hydrated, but there are always good choices, and better choices. I’ve been reading a lot about nutrition lately, in hopes of making better choices for myself.
We are all guilty of craving a Frappucino with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and the works right? Once in a while it might be ok to reward yourself, but what are the better choices for daily hydration and pre/post workouts?
If your goal is to burn fat, then put down the Frappucino. Most flavored coffees contain more sugar than a piece of cake! What about regular coffee?
While there are some health benefits to coffee (source of antioxidants), it also has its drawbacks (developing a tolerance i.e. needing to drink more for that boost).
But if you do decide to drink coffee, black is the way to go. Can’t go without a little cream? Opt for adding unsweetened almond milk instead.
Most importantly, never drink coffee post workout. It is proven to slow down your fat burning and impair recovery. Coffee not your thing?
Try a cup of tea! Tea may boost your fat burning rate, and has tons of health benefits like reduced risks of arthritis and improved body response to bacterial infection. Loose-leaf tea is the best, but bagged tea is still ok.
Don’t ruin that healthy cup of tea with artificial sweeteners!
My favorite option is coconut water. Is coconut water just a trend or fad? Let’s look at the facts: it contains 2x less sugar, 15x more potassium and 3x more natural sodium than a sports drinks like Gatorade.
In fact, it not only helps with hydration, but it rebuilds gut flora, and may increase your metabolism. I’ve been drinking coconut water for ages (since my mom is Jamaican and all), and it’s my post workout drink choice.
However, be careful to look closely and make sure it is unsweetened and contains no artificial sweeteners or ingredients. I’m pretty lucky, because I get my coconut water straight from the source!
*Many facts stolen from Health Nerd Nick Pineault
-Oscar
Wah Lum Kung Fu and Tai Chi
Control Your Health
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I know a lot of the time coconut water that comes in cans sometimes has bit of the coconut flesh. If you’re looking to hydrate should you avoid those ones and go for just the plain coconut water? And also, if you do happen to get a coconut, what’s the best way to open it so you can get the water? Cutting it open always seems like such a challenge…
Hi Iman,
Coconut water with the flesh is ok. More important is that it is unsweetened. Opening the coconut is a challenge when you first start opening them. After a little bit of experience, it gets much easier. I would recommend using a large cleaver. Here is video that might help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrBbGbIURFI