That's Fit

Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

This week's superfood is not technically a food. It's a beverage. But it's the mightiest of all the beverages out there. It's refreshing, calorie-free, inexpensive ... and essential for life. Are we talking about Diet Coke here? No way. This miracle drink is, of course, water -- you know, that clear stuff that comes out of your tap and is sold in plastic bottles on stores.

As you probably know from the day you forget to bring your waterbottle to the gym, even mild dehydration can affect athletic performance. But were you aware that not drinking enough water can also affect your cognitive ability?

Water is vital for optimal brain function, as the dehydrated brain causes the release of cortisol. This stress hormone, which is also linked to an increase in fat storage and muscle depletion, can negatively affects the brain's capacity to store and create information.

Though the jury is still out on whether it's necessary to drink the previously suggested eight glasses a day, you'd do well to still drink at least half that amount. Your body and your brain (which are made up of 70 and 75 percent water, respectively) will thank you for it.

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Dear Fitz, I love the summer weather, and really want to use the large outdoor pool at my gym. I do water walking and swim a couple of laps, but then I get so bored! Swimming 20 laps in a row is not fun for me. I'm pretty sure swimming burns a lot of calories, which is my goal. Help! Deanna

A. Hi Deanna, I'm so excited to help you, cause I too love the benefits of training in the water. We always hear that it's a terrific workout for those who want to avoid trauma from high impact activities. It also happens to be a fantastic workout for those who want to burn a massive amount of calories! Quick personal story. About eight years ago, while in the midst of a competitive kickboxing career, I tore my right hamstring. This made it impossible for me to do almost any sort of activity that involved any sort of impact. I also happened to be about 5% body fat at the time. I thought there was no way in the world that I could lose another pound. At 5'6" and 114 pounds, I was sitting on my bones. Having said that ... after swimming most nights for three weeks I actually lost three pounds. I was sold! Swimming is awesome exercise!

Everyone of course! I recently returned from a fabulous vacation with my family at Walt Disney World in Florida. Our six-day adventure was non-stop fun, and a major highlight of this trip were our days at the Disney water parks. We enjoyed both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon to the max and would love to go back every sunny day of the year.

I had a little sad moment though as I chatted with a father of two little ones in the kiddie section of Blizzard Beach. We were commenting on what a challenge it was to keep perfect track of our children in such a busy, water-filled place. The poor guy told me he was alone with his children, because his wife didn't feel like she could go out in public in her swimsuit. He didn't want the kids to miss out on the water fun, so he took them himself. She stayed back at their resort.

It made me amazingly sad to think that this woman felt so uncomfortable in her skin that she couldn't even enjoy a beautiful day with her family at a ridiculously perfect place. I know we all feel self conscious at times (including me). And even as my profession is to educate and inspire others to be more fit ... I wouldn't want anyone to place their life on hold because of their body shape or size. That woman is a really special part of her family, and I imagine they missed her very much.

I adopted my son a year ago. Since then, I've been consistently amazed at how little time I have for myself nowadays. But it's important to take care of my health, my stress level, and even my appearance. I'm a better and happier person when I care for myself -- and, in turn, that makes me a better mom.

Whether you're a mom like me or if you're just bogged down with work and other commitments, don't forget to take time for yourself. Self Magazine compiled reader tips for taking care of yourself. They're quick, easy, and time-saving tips that help you remember to nurture yourself as much as you care for everyone and everything else in your life. Some of Self's favorite tips are:

• Keep track of the servings of water you drink by putting bangles on one wrist and transferring one bracelet to the other wrist with each water serving. You could employ the same idea with marbles in a glass.
• Find a role model. Whether you pick a professional athlete, a celebrity, or a friend -- finding someone who's fitness ethic you admire will help you stay on track with your own goals.
• Get your zzz's. If you're sleep-deprived (as many of us are) try to take at least one night a week to really catch up. (Disclaimer: If you have insomnia, this isn't a good idea -- a consistent sleep schedule is a healthier plan.)

The human body is made up of approximately 70 percent water, so you would think we should have a camel-like ability to go for extended periods of time without drinking any. However, as the slight thirst you may be feeling this very moment indicates, this obviously isn't the case.

This need for water is especially strong while we're exercising, when we're losing a great deal of fluids through our sweat. The need for replenishment -- and even the perceived need for it -- can have a significant effect on our performance in the gym, say researchers from Chicago State University. There, it was discovered that as little as three percent dehydration decreased upper and lower body power by seven and nineteen percent respectively. What's more, study volunteers reported a 70 percent increase of perceived fatigue at this same degree of dehydration.

For peak performance in the gym, be sure to stay hydrated throughout the day. Remember: when you feel thirsty, you're already in the very early stages of dehydration. Aim to avoid letting this thirst occur by regularly sipping on water.

• Eat right

• Exercise

• Get lots of sleep

• Drink plenty of water

• Brush and floss your teeth

• Stay safe

For years, Gatorade has been promoting its electrolyte-based drink as the athlete's choice. When we exercise, we lose a great deal of these body salts in our sweat, making their replenishment almost equally important as fluids. This is where Gatorade (and in recent years, Powerade) has excelled over other so-called sports drinks, and probably why most football coaches don't have tubs of Ensure dumped over their heads.

But in an ever-changing economy, many people find their disposable income to be less and less worth spending on things like sports drinks (that's assuming there's any disposable income to speak of at all). So, if you'd prefer to tuck your money away for what you consider to be more worthwhile things than electrolyte-replacing sports drinks, you can always make your own version of it at home.

Men's Health magazine suggests the following DIY recipe for a Gatorade-like, isotonic drink:

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 large pinch of salt

While it may not taste as good as Fierce Berry or Frost Glacier Freeze Gatorade, it should still provide you with approximately the same replenishment as those more expensive drinks.

There's a swimming pool in my neighborhood and while it's full of kids and families during the days and on weekends, early mornings and late evenings are pretty peaceful pool times. No canon balls. No "Marco," "Polo." No screaming. No shouting. No inflated tubes. No rafts. No water torpedos. No dive sticks. Just quiet. And stillness. Which makes it perfect for a water workout.

I'm about to make my splash in that pool. I'm about to stretch and run and jump and swim until my muscles are strong and lean. Julia Roberts is doing it. I can too.

Celebrity trainer Kathy Kaehler has Roberts in the pool and has tasked her with a range of shallow and deep-water activities, cardio exercises -- like jumping jacks, water walking, and water running -- and for toning, Kaehler has Roberts doing scissors, heel lifts, leg circles, and knee swivels.

If you pound a couple cans of soda per day, you're drinking your waistline bigger with each gulp. Even drinking one regular soda a day really isn't the best idea, for it drives your blood sugar through the roof and boosts insulin levels -- both have been linked to a number of health complications. So is drinking diet soda the answer?

Not so, says a growing body of evidence. Studies show that people who drink diet soda daily have higher obesity rates than non-drinkers. As if that weren't enough, there's plenty of information out there suggesting that dark soda (diet or regular) can contribute to the growth of kidney stones.

If you're already rolling your eyes in anticipation of what you know I'm going to say next (you're right, I am going to say it), please allow me to at least offer some tips on making a more interesting drink out of it. Here it is ... ready? Drink water. There, I said it. Now let me say this much -- if H2O is a bit too boring and flavorless for you, try adding fresh fruit to your water jug, such as berries or lemon or orange slices. There's truly no better way to stay hydrated and replenish your fluids than drinking copious amounts of water. Sorry for sounding like a Boy Scout about it, but it's the truth.

Woody Harrelson is no stranger to fasting -- he completed a 38-day green juice a couple of years ago (he tried to make it to 40 days, but was tempted away from it when some friends offered him homemade Indian food). He really enjoyed the experience, and "definitely felt my electro-magnetic field expanding." And so, he's doing it again, but bigger.

The actor plans to go to a remote island and drink only water for 40 days. It's not for weight loss for a movie role or anything like that -- he just wants to experience it. Woody said, "I've always wanted to do it. I know it's going to be really hard. But can you imagine it? Eating nothing for 40 days? Swimming and surfing every day in a remote place? Where does the mind go?"

I'm kind of wondering where the mind went, but that's just me. I recognize that there may be some benefits to fasting, but 40 days on nothing but water just can't be healthy for one's body.

If forced to choose between a snack of fresh or dried fruit, I'd go fresh. Mostly because I like fruit in its freshest state but also because I've always assumed it's the healthiest choice. But is it?

Yes, fresh fruit is healthier than dried fruit. Here's why.

When fruits are dried, they lose water and nutrients and acquire more calories and sugar. Consider apricots. One cup of the fresh stuff contains 75 calories. The dried variety: 313. Fresh apricots also have more fiber, more vitamin A and C, more beta-carotene, and more potassium.

Stay hydrated. If there's any one thing I remember from the somewhat forgettable war flick "Jarhead," it's the importance of drinking enough fluids. This is especially true while you're exercising.

On average, most people will lose anywhere from 0.5 to 2 liters per hour of water during high-intensity workouts. Signs of hindered performance manifest as early as 1 percent dehydration, though we generally do not feel thirsty until we are about 2 percent dehydrated, says a recent article in Muscle & Body magazine. This clearly illustrates the need to replenish your lost fluids during vigorous exercise.

Beyond dehydration, extensive bouts of exercise can increase the risk of developing dilutional hyponatremia, an electrolyte imbalance that plays a part in muscle cramping and an upset stomach. To help prevent against an issue of this kind from occurring, the folks at Muscle & Body suggest drinking electrolyte-replacing drinks such as Gatorade. Specifically, the ideal sports drink should contain 20-30 milliequivalents of sodium chloride per liter; 2-5 milliequivalents of potassium per liter; and 6-8 percent carbohydrates (but not any more, since higher concentrations of carbs can cause GI issues).

Water is good for everyone, right? Not quite. Doctors at John Hopkins Children Center are spreading the word that for babies under six months, water can be dangerous. That's because these tiniest kiddos have a strong instinct to drink. They can take in too much water, which leads to water intoxication. This affects sodium levels in the body, which can lead to mental changes, puffiness, low body temperature, and seizures.

With summer's heat on its way, it may be tempting to give your young infant water. But experts urge parents to stick with breastmilk or formula instead. Older babies can have small amounts of water, but doctors still say to stick to one to two ounces at a time and to check with your doctor first.

For tips on how to keep your baby cool this summer, check out the gallery below.