Staying hydrated during exercise: How to get it right
The American College of Sports Medicine notes that drinking water helps functioning of the joints and body tissues, the regulation of body temperature, and the transportation of nutrients.
But some of us don't drink enough, says Nancy Clark, R.D., a sports nutritionist and author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guide Book. Here's how to get it right.
Staying hydrated during exercise: How to get it right
Choose the right beverage
"If you're an average person, then water after a workout is just fine," says Clark. But if your workout is more intense and you spend more than three hours at a time doing it, then Clark recommends chocolate milk. "It's got sodium and calcium, which we lose when we sweat. It's also got carbs to refuel and give energy, and the protein also helps to repair any damage."
If milk or water isn't your thing, sports drinks, coconut water, or other beverages are fine. Don't worry too much about electrolytes; Clark says food can provide those lost in sweat.
Staying hydrated during exercise: How to get it right
Consume the right amount
But there are ways to calculate your sweat rate, which involve weighing yourself before and after you run, and doing a few calculations. Clark says that if you lose a quart of sweat in an hour then you should be drinking about eight ounces of water every 15 minutes.
If you want to skip the math and you tend to sweat a lot, 4 to 6 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during your workout is a good rule of thumb.
Staying hydrated during exercise: How to get it right
Don't drink too much
Symptoms include bloating, nausea, confusion, disorientation, and seizures.
But really, over hydration is "rare," says Clark. "Most people don't drink enough."
Staying hydrated during exercise: How to get it right
Pack in some protein and carbs
But it's not just about protein, she says. Because you expend substantial amounts of energy when exercising, "you want about three times more carbohydrates than protein," which is why she recommends flavored milk as fluid replacement.
Staying hydrated during exercise: How to get it right
Know the risks of dehydration
If you don't drink enough water then "your blood gets thicker from lower water content and your heart has to work harder, which means you get tired," says Clark. "A dehydrated person will get fatigued."
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Staying hydrated during exercise: How to get it right
Drink before and during exercise
Also, drinking fluids during a workout isn't a bad idea either. "We don't drink enough during exercise and that puts you in a hole when you finish and then you have to rehydrate," says Clark. "It's better if you don't put yourself in that hole in the first place."
While it might be cumbersome to carry water with you on a run, it's worth it, she says.