Stay Hydrated!!

Not drinking enough water during exercise is a common theme among today’s gym peeps. The key is that if you are thirsty, you are already in the beginning stages of dehydration. Get some water down ya neck sharpish. Below are a few more tips on avoiding the dreaded dehydration!!

Make sure you actually Drink enough! Duuuhh!!!

H2O is critical for re hydrating when your body has lost fluid, like when you’re sweating profusely after a hard HIIT workout. There may be dozens of sports drinks and protein shakes available, however your old friend water will do the trick just fine and dandy. Take a sip every 10-20 minutes during exercise to keep on top form. If you’re working out for longer than an hour or doing a particularly intense exercise (like running a marathon or participating in a tough training session), you will probably need to replace electrolytes too. This is where a sports drink can come in handy. However it’s also important to be wary of over-hydration. Too much water can lead to hyponatremia, which is when excess water in our bodies dilutes the sodium content of our blood. And that isn’t good news!!

Sports drinks and coconut water

Sweating causes our bodies to lose electrolytes, which are minerals found in our blood that help to regulate the amount of water in the body. Its suggested that sports drinks, like Powerade and lucozade, can help prolong exercise and re hydrate our bodies because they contain these electrolytes, which H2O unfortunately does not. An ordinary workout may not require you to replenish your electrolytes, but if you are participating in longer and much more intense exercise (e.g. running a marathon), your body will benefit from the electrolytes mid-workout. Coconut water, or a home made sports drink, are effective substitutes.

Fantastic Fruit

Many fruits are a great source of both electrolytes and fluids. However different fruits contain different amounts. Bananas and dates have high levels of the electrolyte potassium, meaning they are a fantastic option for refueling during intense workouts. You must also drink water while eating fruit, as fruit does contain some water, but this will need to be topped up by some good quality H2O.

Dry Mouth

A classic sign of dehydration is a dry mouth. If your mouth starts feeling like a flip flop, make sure to glugg back some of the good stuff. By taking a short water break in between sets can help keep dehydration during exercise at bay.