Why You Should, And How To, Stay Hydrated While Exercising
The human body is over 60% water. That means you need a lot of water just for your ordinary functions and exercise adds to those requirements because you have to replace the water that you lose when you perspire. These are some basic facts about staying hydrated and strategies to make it easier.
Even though bottled water is a big business, many Americans are chronically dehydrated. Individual needs vary, but the old rule about eight glasses of eight ounces of water every day is still a good ballpark figure for most people. If you’re consuming liquids that act as diuretics like caffeinated coffee and tea and soft drinks, you may need even more. Some signs that you’re not getting enough can include fatigue and joint pain or headaches. Other signs may be less visible but are still important. Adequate water consumption keeps your blood flowing smoothly and transporting oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. Chronic dehydration can make you look and feel older, elevate your blood pressure and interfere with your bowel movements. So how do you know if you’re getting enough? One of the most obvious signs is the color of your urine. If it’s pale or clear, you’re probably in good shape. On the other hand, you may have heard news stories about deaths from excessive water intake, which is called hyponatremia. Be assured that this is very rare and unlikely to affect people engaged in casual exercise.
To stay hydrated while working out, recognize that hot weather and dry winter air can both increase your needs. During the warmest months, you may want to work out in the early morning or after dusk or stick to air conditioned facilities. Remember that cement and sandy surfaces can drive temperatures even higher. Don’t trust your thirst to guide you. By the time you’re thirsty, you’re probably badly depleted. One good technique is to drink about 16 ounces of water starting a few hours before you become active. Then drink about 16 ounces during every hour of exercise. Finally, continue drinking water after your workout is over. For most people, plain water is fine if you’re active for less than an hour. For more prolonged and intensive activities, consider diluted fruit juice or commercial sports drinks with added sugar and minerals that can help your body absorb more fluids and replace electrolytes like sodium and potassium that get lost when you perspire.
Yes, keeping yourself hydrated is a must in exercising and achieving your goal to lose weight, build muscle and be healthy. Also, you can take workout supplements that can support you in seeing results faster. You can also upgrade from whatever type of water you are using today whether it be tap, municipal, well, spring, bottled, etc., for this really cool advanced technology that produces a high quality super-hydrating alkaline water ideal for sports and health enthusiasts known as Kangen Water.
