It’s imperative to stay hydrated when exercising. Still, many must learn how much water to drink before, during, or after a workout or whether to add the best electrolyte drinks.
The heat encourages more people to work outside, whether lifting weights in the park or on the pavement daily. On the other hand, heat-related dehydration raises the risk of cardiovascular strain, glycogen utilization, and muscle lactate, making exercise much harder than needed.
Sports nutritionist Will Girling argues that hydration is important. According to research, even a 2% bodyweight dehydration can significantly negatively impact performance. So, it would be quite harmful if an athlete weighing 100 kg lost 2 kg of water.”
The good news is that you can control your fluid loss and take advantage of the benefits of the hot weather without getting sick or dying from heat-related illnesses by using smart hydration practices. Keeping that in mind, here are five summertime hydration tips.
How much water should I drink when exercising?
1. Consistently prehydrate
Your hydration strategy should start early, whether for an outside bike ride, run, or an intense inside workout.
Girling says, “Always hydrate before you do your workout.” “Drink 400–600 milliliters of water two hours in advance. To test for dark urine, go to the toilet and look at your passing. If it’s dark, drink another 400–600ml before your class or bike ride.
This is particularly crucial if you work out first thing in the morning.
“People wake up and leave right away in the summer, even though they’ve lost water through sweat overnight, so they’re not hydrated,“ explains Girling. “It can be really hot.”
2. Continue drinking
The type of exercise you’re performing will determine how much fluids you need to drink during your workout.
Ad libitum, or drinking to thirst, is acceptable if you’re heading to the gym, where your workout will likely last less than an hour. Nevertheless, you should always have a bottle and be as hydrated as possible, advises Girling.
But for prolonged endurance training, you need to follow a more rigid plan:
“An activity of 500–600 ml per hour is generally advised. If you want to stay longer than two hours, adhere to the 500–600 ml rate, or around one bottle every hour.
Plan your route so that you may stop to buy more water or refill your bottles, and use a watch or cycle computer to set reminders to drink.
3. Remember to take electrolytes.
Your body uses sweating as a defense mechanism to prevent overheating. Regretfully, though, sweating causes the loss of several vital minerals called electrolytes, such as potassium and salt.
Electrolytes help the body produce energy and maintain fluid equilibrium, among other things.
Girling says, “It’s critical to replenish the electrolytes lost through perspiration.“ You will, at most, notice an undesirable drop in your performance. In the worst-case scenario, hyponatremia—low blood sodium—can be fatal.
Thus, ingest an electrolyte source once every hour during vigorous exercise. 400 mg of sodium, or one electrolyte tablet, should be plenty for most people. It’s time to learn more about electrolyte drinks.
4. Recognise your physique
Understanding the symptoms is one of the greatest strategies to deal with dehydration problems. The easier it is to fix problems, the faster you identify them.
Dry lips and thirst are typical symptoms of dehydration. Still, headaches, nausea, and dizziness are present if you lose two percent or more of your body weight, according to Girling. “Nausea can also result from low electrolyte levels.”
If you notice any warning indicators, act fast to prevent further decline in your health. Knowing how to compute your sweat rate can help you stay even more informed about your body’s hydration status.
5. Stay hydrated at home
After you go home, your hydration regimen shouldn’t end.
Girling maintains, “Drink more after you’re done to replenish the fluids you lost during exercise.”
Before your urine has returned to its original pale color, drink one bottle every hour. Recall that you will continue to lose extra fluids at home from perspiration and sweating, so continue to drink well once you’re done.
