Drink Up Despite Cooler Temperatures
I tend to drink a lot of fluids regardless of my exercise climate, but sometimes I forget the importance in the cooler months of fall and winter. I can definitely tell a difference in my desire to drink when I go from exercising in the hot sun and humidity to the brisk air where I’m just trying to stay warm.
It can be easy to skip an extra sip of water when you aren’t so hot and sweaty, but the body still needs every bit it can get. As the body heats up even in cooler weather, the requirement for fluids increases.
Thirst is a sign that the body is already dehydrated. Using that sign as a reminder to take your first drink can leave you feeling sluggish and greatly affect performance.
The American College of Sports Medicine once provided specific guidelines for fluid replacement during exercise. However, with traumatic events taking place in recent years involving hydration and high school sports they released a new position stand on exercise and fluid replacement in 2007.
In the new publication the information is a lot less specific, stating that the rate at which fluids should be replaced is dependant upon various factors including activity and climate.
There are a few things from this article that you can incorporate into your workout to ensure you are properly hydrated for your health and performance.
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Hydration starts long before an event or exercise session. Consume a balanced diet and get plenty of fluids on a regular basis, paying special attention to these habits the day before a big event.
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Drink about 5 to 7 ml of fluid per kg (2.2 lbs) of your body weight 4 hours before an event or exercise session. This is about 750 ml or 25 oz for a 150 lb person.
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Regularly consume fluids throughout the activity. One point of reference is the recommendation that marathon runners consume about 400 to 800 ml of fluid per hour of the event.
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After the event keep drinking. If you feel excessive dehydration you should drink 1500 ml per kg of body weight lost during the activity.
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If you are sweating a lot or if the event is of longer duration (1 hour or more), include a sports drink to help restore your electrolyte balance and help with proper hydration. Use sweating as your guide as a sports drink may be necessary for shorter duration events if they are more intense or take place in a warm climate.
Photo by monosodium, morguefile.com
I am surprised there is no mentioning of salt. Personally, I get dehydrated pretty easily, I try to use sea salt in my food. I have heard this much better than the other kind of salt.