Top 5 Tips For Staying Hydrated During Summer Workouts
When the weather gets hot, it can be tough to maintain the energy you need to get out there and work out. The easiest way to have successful workouts during the summer is simple: hydration. As much as 60 percent of your body weight is water, so maintaining that balance is essential for overall good health and successful exercise sessions. Here are five top tips for hydration during the hot months.
1. Proper Prep
Many people are great at guzzling the water while they exercise, but they fail to prep for their workout properly. Have 16 ounces of water at least an hour or two before you exercise, and then have about half that amount 10 to 15 minutes prior to your exercise session. It will help you feel better as you begin a tough workout in the heat.
2. Keep Your Water Close at Hand
Water is generally the best fluid for overall hydration, and it is incredibly easy to make sure you get enough if the water is always close at hand. Keep a sports water bottle with you during each and every workout, and drink from it frequently. Some people like to fill the bottle with a water and ice mixture so it stays ice cold even in the heat. Drinking water during workouts helps lower your heart rate, improve your blood flow, and keeps your temperature in check. It can also make you feel like you’re better able to work longer and harder.
3. Sodium Chloride After Exercise
After exercise, you still need to hydrate. Consider drinking something salty — sports drinks are a popular choice — or even eating a salty food as it helps you rehydrate faster. Naturally, you don’t want to use sodium chloride exclusively, but rather as a companion to sufficient water consumption after your workout.
4. Check Your Weight Loss
Check your weight immediately before and immediately after a workout. If you have lost weight, that means you have lost water. In this case, you need to work on getting that water back into your body by drinking between 16 and 24 ounces of water for every pound you lost during the workout.
5. Plan Ahead For Long Workouts
If you’re planning to be out in very hot weather exercising for over an hour, you’ll need to have more than just a bottle of water along for hydration. Exercise in extreme heat for over an hour tends to deplete blood sodium, a condition called hyponatremia. This condition can be extremely dangerous, and could even result in death. To avoid this, drink a sports drink that has added electrolytes, one which has between 6 and 8 percent carbs. Alternate water and an electrolyte drink to keep a good balance.
If you love to work out but don’t love what the hot weather can do to your body, the tips above may be very helpful. While you can’t make the blazing heat any cooler, you can definitely make yourself feel better while you’re dealing with it.