Hydration tips all athletes (young and old) need to know
We’ve been told all our lives that water is important, hydrating is important, and necessary for survival. But do you actually know why? Or the best ways to stay hydrated? It can be trickier than you think, especially for athletes who are sweating a lot. Below are our top 10 tips for staying hydrated that every athlete, despite your age, needs to know.
Sometimes just water doesn't cut it: While drinking water is the simplest way to keep hydrated, athletes sometimes need more than just water. When we sweat we are releasing electrolytes. These electrolytes help keep a lot of our bodies processes in check and running smoothly. They include sodium (salt), magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and chloride. Sports drinks or electrolyte packets put these electrolytes lost during exercise through sweat back into your water and back into your body to get you hydrated quicker than just plain water. If you are working out for longer than an hour you may need to include electrolytes into your workout routine.
Not everyone sweats the same: Some people lose a lot of electrolytes in their sweat, so they need to consume more post workout in order to become hydrated. You can tell if you are a salty sweater by looking at your hats, headbands, or clothes after a workout. If there is white bands or rings on anything you were wearing, chances are you are a salty sweater.
You have to hydrate all day long: Drinking a bottle of water before a workout when you haven't had any water all day is not going to hydrate you, it needs to be consistent in order to stay hydrated. Same goes with post workout, if you are dehydrated to begin with, then you work out, drinking one bottle of water after your workout isn't going to cut it unfortunately. Always keep water on you to keep up with hydrating.
Check your hydration status: Besides just keeping track of how much water you’ve been drinking; you can measure your hydration status in other ways. One way is to weigh yourself before you work out, and then again after you work out. The difference in weight can be directly correlated to how much water and electrolytes you have lost. If you lost 1-3% of your body weight, chances are you are dehydrated and should consume some electrolytes and water. 1 bottle of water/electrolytes should be consumed for every pound of weight you lose during a workout. You can also keep a rough estimate of this through your urine color, the clearer or urine is the more hydrated you are; and the darker yellow it is the more dehydrated you are.
Use visual aids: As we age, we slowly lose our ability to sense hunger and thirst cues. Using a water bottle that has time markers on it can help you keep track of how much water you should have consumed by that time of day and how much you should have consumed. These kinds of bottles can help you stay on track with your intake!
Foods can also hydrate: There are many foods that have a high-water content that can contribute to your overall hydration status. Watermelon, cucumbers, lettuce, strawberries, and melons all have very high-water contents. Consume these throughout the day along with water for extra hydration boosts.
Control caffeine intake: While it is a myth that caffeine completely dehydrates you, it does play a little role in dehydrating. If you are going to have caffeine containing beverages, for every beverage you have, drink a bottle of water as well. This way you will be keeping up with your water intake and offsetting any dehydrating drinks you have.
Freeze your water bottles: If you are going to be leaving your house for an extended period put a couple of water bottles in the fridge the night before to freeze them. This way your water will stay cold throughout the day, and you make sure you have enough water for the whole day.
Rule of 8: The easiest way to know how much water to have throughout your day is to follow the Rule of 8. This rule says that you should have 1 glass of water 8 times per day. Of course, with extra exercise this increases, and those prone to salty sweat or heavy sweating should add in extra water and electrolytes.
16 oz before exercise, 4-6 oz of water every 20 min of exercise: These are the baseline rules to go by. 1-2 hours before you exercise, have 16 oz of water. Then during exercise, you should have 4-6 oz, which is half a glass, of water or sports drink every 20 minutes.
Hydration shouldn’t be the factor holding you back from your workout/sport goals. Follow these 10 tips to ensure that you are staying hydrated throughout your day. Dehydration can lead to confusion, lowered performance, difficulty making decisions, headaches, muscle cramps and more. Keep your body hydrated in order to be at your best!
For more sports nutrition tips, grab our free sports nutrition guide!
