Feeling Stiff & Sluggish?
Up to 60% of Your Body is Water!
Water makes up 79% of your muscles, 73% of your brain, and even 31% of your bones.
Overall your total body weight can be 45-65% water!!
Without proper hydration, your body can’t function at its best.
Water helps regulate internal body temperature, transport oxygen and nutrients, lubricate joints, and flush out waste.
Despite its importance, drinking enough water often falls to the bottom of the priority list.
If you’ve ever caught yourself wondering, “When’s the last time I drank water?”, it’s time to build a hydration habit.
Why This Matters
Nearly all major body systems rely on water. The recommended daily intake is in the vicinity of 90 ounces (2.7 liters) for women. Hitting your daily target can improve brain function, sleep quality, and even your mood.
FITNESS SIMPLIFIED
Did you know that your fascia is made up of 70% water?
Fascia is connective tissue that surrounds every muscle, nerve, and organ.
When properly hydrated, it allows your muscles to move freely without restriction, supporting smooth, pain-free motion.
In fact, the fascia + hydration connection is so essential for movement that specific water drinking instructions are included in many injury healing protocols!
Fitness Tip To Stay Hydrated
Tap into your “hydration network” with dynamic stretches
A simple way to keep your fascia hydrated and mobile is through stretching sequences that combine lengthening and compression.
This approach helps your body’s natural "water pumps" move fluid more efficiently, improving flexibility and mobility.
Try adding the stretch below to your warm-up, cool down, or anytime you need a full-body release.
Side note: this move has single-handedly increased my own flexibility like crazy!
World’s Greatest Stretch
- Deep lunge with elbow to ankle (or as close as you can get it)
- Rotate & reach up to the sky
- Plant your hands and straighten out the front leg
- Sit up tall for the hip flexor stretch at the end
Extra tip: Alternate sides for 3-4 reps per side, moving fluidly through the sequence like a graceful dance. Your aim should be to never feel “stuck” in any position of the sequence.
Did You Know...
- “Dynamic” style stretching (like this 👆) is more effective for improving your flexibility and general mobility. It lengthens your fascia and improves its texture, along with lengthening your muscles.
- Yes, fascia is one more thing impacted by aging and menopause. Along with water, fascia is primarily made up of collagen and elastin, two proteins that rely on estrogen for their production. As your skin begins to feel thinner, drier, and more wrinkly…your fascia is most likely experiencing the same thing.
- Your fascia is a gelatinous-like tissue. You can manipulate it in several ways - including pressure from massage, foam rolling or dynamic stretching - allowing the tissue to become more gelatinous and increase its mobility.
NUTRITION SIMPLIFIED
Don’t Forget About Drinking Water!
When it comes to nutrition, we often focus on what and how much we’re eating, but drinking water is just as important.
Nutrition Tip To Stay Well Hydrated
Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day.
Many food cravings and hunger cues are actually confused hydration cues.
If you’re not drinking enough water, you might feel sluggish, constipated, or even unmotivated to stay on track with your fitness and nutrition goals.
And now you know that your fascia can even lose its gelatinous-like properties, making you move with more stiffness!
A good rule of thumb? Aim for half your body weight in ounces of water each day.
You’ll know you’re on the mark if your urine is a pale yellow.
Start by adding a glass of water to your meals, and keep a water bottle nearby to make it easy to sip throughout the day.
Bonus: You can eat your hydration too!
Try this chicken salad with grapes and celery—both high in water—and serve it over leafy greens for an extra hydration boost!
Easiest Chicken Salad:
More Ideas To Stay Hydrated:
- Add melons, strawberries, pineapples, peaches or oranges to your breakfast. All of these delicious fruits have high water content.
- Use sliced cucumber, carrots or bell peppers instead of chips for dips and salsas.
- Use a big water tumbler with a handle to easily carry with you wherever you go. And using one with a straw can make it more likely that you’ll sip throughout the day. Try it!
MINDSET SIMPLIFIED
More Isn’t Always Better
Hydration is a great example of why balance and moderation matter in your healthy habits.
It’s easy to fall into the mindset that more is always better—more exercise, more vitamins, more restriction, and yes - even more water.
But when habits become extreme, they can tip into unhealthy territory.
The key is finding a sustainable balance that supports long-term health and well-being.
Balance and moderation means:
- Understanding your goals and what it takes to reach them.
- Recognizing when you're pushing too hard or not enough.
- Keeping perspective and adjusting as needed.
Ask yourself: “How is this working for me?”
If your habits aren’t helping you move toward your goals, it’s time to reassess to create more balance and moderation.
If they are, congrats, keep going!
Mindset Tip of The Week
Practice balance and moderation.
THE TAKEAWAY
Staying hydrated is essential for your overall health. And finding the right balance ensures you’re supporting your body without overdoing it. Whether it’s with water intake, exercise, or nutrition!
- Tap into your “hydration network” with stretches
- Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day
- Practice balance and moderation
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Self Care Simplified podcast
Ep 428: Drinking Water - Are You Making These Mistakes?
Ep 424: Unlocking Fascia: The Secret Key to Lifelong Energy & Health with Anna Rahe
Ep 397. How to Manage Joint Pain & Inflammation in Midlife
SPECIAL RESOURCE
Looking for some exercises that also includes some fascial release work? These hip pain relief stretches are great for helping to relieve deep hip pain and hip tightness. I've put together four simple stretches you can do almost anywhere to help instantly relieve your pain and tightness.
Stretches for Deep Hip Pain Relief.
Until next week... Be strong
