A couple years ago I wrote a blog about Hydration Basics, and it shocked just about everyone that read it. I know you’re probably thinking to yourself, “how could hydration really be that interesting?”.. Ponder these questions for a second:

• Do you know why water is good for you? Most people don’t know why, they just know it’s GOOD for them.
• Do you know water is only part of the equation? Electrolytes are a major player, too.
• Do you know what electrolytes are, what they do, or why you need them? It’s okay, I didn’t know either.

Maybe you never thought about these questions, but they’re important to understand if you care about your health and your body. Why? Because the human body is about 70% water. 

For starters, water is something we have to replenish every day. Meaning- our body doesn’t spontaneously create it’s own water, we must find it and consume it every single day in order to survive and function optimally.

One of the most popular questions I receive is:

How much water should I drink per day?

Though the answer will vary from person to person (bio-individuality is king) this is my rule of thumb and what I tell each of my clients:

Take your body weight and divide it by two. That’s how many OUNCES of water your body needs in a day- generally speaking. So for example, a 150lb person should be striving for 75 ounces of water. That’s about 3 medium-sized water bottles per day. Not too hard to achieve!

A lot of us get hung up on two common problems:

1. I can’t remember to drink enough water throughout the day.
2. I would drink enough water, but I hate peeing every 10 minutes.

The first one is a personal problem. Totally valid, but also a totally weak excuse. If you cared enough, you’d do it. Replace “I can’t” with “I won’t” and see how that feels. It’s truly as simple as getting a water bottle you like and taking it with you through your day.

The second one, however, is something I can absolutely help you with and help you avoid.

How can I stay hydrated without running to the bathroom every 10 minutes?

A big thing to understand with hydration is that we need Electrolytes to actually stay hydrated. Simply put- Electrolytes are minerals that aid in the cellular absorption of water. Even more simply put- electrolytes pull water INTO the cell. (Side note: our cells make up our tissues, our tissues make up our organs, our organs make up our organ systems, our organ systems make up our entire human body). Without electrolytes, we can’t stay hydrated or function properly.

Mistake number 1 when people start drinking more water: they skip the electrolytes and CHUG plain water all day.

Here’s what your body is thinking:

• “Oh wow, that’s a LOT more water than what we’re used to..”
• “Hmm.. I don’t have enough electrolytes to pull all of this new water into my cells to keep me hydrated”
• “I cant hold onto water if I don’t have electrolytes, so we’re just gonna push this stuff out”
• *Ques an outrageous number of bathroom breaks*

This is obviously a very scientific description (I’m being sarcastic) but you get the idea.

Where should I get electrolytes from?

You might be thinking electrolytes are only for elite athletes who sweat for hours on end every day, but that’s simply not true. We ALL need electrolytes.

Does an elite athlete need MORE electrolytes than a leisurely person who likes to go to the gym 3x/week- absolutely.

So where do we get these amazing minerals that keep us hydrated? Nope- the answer is not Gatorade. Maybe it was when you were 5 and didn’t know anything about food quality of the harms of processed frankenfoods, but we know better now.

I get my electrolytes from mineral salt in my foods and Ultima Replenisher that I add to my water every day- and this is exactly what I suggest all my clients do as well.

I happened upon Ultima at the grocery store about a year ago when Stu and I ran out of another expensive electrolyte tablet we were using. It was a staff favorite and has quickly become our favorite brand because of some key features. Ultima has:

• No corn syrup- sweetened with stevia
• No artificial colorings or flavors- bright colors come from real fruits + vegetables that taste + look great
• ALL 6 electrolytes + support minerals: Potassium, Magnesium, Chloride, Calcium, Phosphorus, and Sodium
• Each canister has 30-90 servings- it lasts forever and is extremely economical!
• The flavor is delicious but not overpowering and not too sweet

When should I consume electrolytes?

I like to bring a water bottle full of them to the gym to sip on during and after my workout. We lose electrolytes as we sweat, so bringing a bottle to the gym is a perfect option. This also applies for outdoor sports like mountain biking, running, snowboarding, skiing, etc.

If I’m not working out, I still want to get my electrolytes in to stay properly hydrated. Therefore- I usually have 1 scoop of Ultima every day whether I workout or not. I’ll usually consume 3 medium-sized water bottles per day and simply add 1/3 scoop to each bottle to make sure I’m hydrated properly without the annoyance of running to the bathroom every hour.

Where to buy Ultima Replenisher?

We buy Ultima off of Amazon because it’s just too easy and convenient for us.

As followers of What Cait Ate, Ultima wanted to offer you an exclusive code for 10% off any orders: “WCATEUR10”

Amazon.com/shops/ultimareplenisher

*This post is sponsored and paid for by Ultima Replenisher, an electrolyte company I use frequently and truly love! All opinions are my own.