Adequate hydration is one of the most important things that you can do daily, to keep your mind and body healthy and active. Your body, which is made up of almost seventy percent water, thrives on consistent hydration to perform all its functions optimally. Besides regulating your body temperature and lubricating your joints, it maintains the electrolyte balance, regulates blood pressure, and ensures the proper distribution of nutrients.
Exercise heightens the risk of fluid loss as you sweat profusely while working out. So adequate hydration is crucial before, during, and after your workouts. These easy tips on how to stay hydrated while working out will ensure that you stay on top of your hydration game during your workout.
Why is it important to stay hydrated while working out?
Whether you are a fitness pro or are just starting to test out the gym equipment, adequate hydration at the right time is crucial if you exercise. During exercise, you tend to lose a lot of body fluids through sweating. If they are not replaced properly, dehydration may set in. This can affect you in multiple ways.
You may begin to feel more fatigued than usual, which may affect your workout’s quality. If you are already mildly dehydrated before your exercise session, then your heart will have to work harder to ensure adequate pumping of blood all around your body.
In most cases, by the time you realize that you are thirsty, mild dehydration would have already set in. A quick way to check this is by examining the color of your urine. If it is pale and straw-colored, you are hydrated. A darker color of urine is a signal to load up on fluids.
Dehydration can affect your muscles and even your cognitive functions. Severe dehydration may lead to dizziness and nausea. So, how to stay hydrated is a question that you must consider very seriously.
What is the right way to hydrate yourself while working out?
You may be diligently carrying your fancy water bottle to the gym to sip from and while this is a good habit, it is important to know that hydration begins even before you hit the gym. The tricky part about hydration is that it demands consistency. So, start your day with a tall glass of water, before reaching out for that shot of caffeine. Ensuring that you are amply hydrated before your workouts, will stave off mild dehydration, during your workout sessions.
It may be difficult to think about dipping hydration levels during a difficult set of exercises, but it is very important that you do not let your fluid levels dip during workouts. Water breaks are an easy and effective way to ensure that you stay hydrated. Set your phone or watch timer to go off every 15 or 20 minutes, as a reminder to top up your fluids. This is especially important if you do strenuous workouts or exercise for long periods of time.
The period after your exercise session is also important regarding how to stay hydrated. It is important that you replenish at least fifty percent of fluids lost during exercise. So, while cooling down, ensure that you sip your water consistently to avoid dehydration.
How do you hydrate your body quickly?
The most important factor to consider here is that you are consistent with your hydration. Guzzling down a liter of water at one go after a workout may not help you much, if you are already mildly dehydrated. The trick is to plan your hydration in such a way that you are drinking fluids before, during, and after your workouts. If you are doing moderate exercises, then chances are that you most probably don’t require that fancy sports drink.
Water is the best way to hydrate your body. If you are wondering about how to stay hydrated without drinking water, then coconut water is your go-to drink in between workouts. Rich in natural electrolytes, it will replenish lost fluids and help you increase the quality of your workouts. After your exercise, you can opt for water-rich fruits and vegetables like cucumber, watermelon, celery, tomatoes, etc. to help with your post-workout recovery.
How much water should you drink while exercising?
There is no one- size- fits- all answer to this question, as the requirements of each person may differ. There are many factors to consider, like the temperature and humidity in the place you are at, how long you are exercising for, how strenuous your exercise is, etc. In terms of quantity, the American Council of Exercise, suggests the following quantities to be consumed.
- Drink 17 to 20 ounces of water for 2 to 3 hours before you start exercising.
- Drink 8 ounces of water 20 to 30 minutes before you start exercising or during your warm-up.
- Drink 7 to 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise.
- Drink 8 ounces of water no more than 30 minutes after you exercise.
If you are doing high-intensity workouts or are an athlete practicing for an event, it is important that you seek the help of a qualified nutritionist, to help you reach your peak performance. But for most of the regular exercises, water may be sufficient to meet your hydration goals. If you are keen on a sports drink, then choose one without added sugar or caffeine as caffeine may have a diuretic effect. Also, check the nutritional facts and the serving size of each bottle, as a single bottle may contain multiple serving sizes and you may end up consuming triple the amounts stated on the label.
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Conclusion
Exercise has many positive effects on your body and mind, but a side effect is loss of body fluids, and if not replenished properly may cause dehydration. So, ensure that you are mindful about not only the quantity of water that you consume but also take care to ensure that you are hydrated before, during, and after your workouts so that your body will be equipped to perform optimally.
