| Water. We all know how essential it is to athletes, | | | | smaller athletes in mild environmental conditions |
| but how much is enough and when should we | | | | and more is required for larger or more |
| drink it? How will it affect our performance? | | | | competitive athletes, at higher intensities, in |
| The answers to some of these questions are | | | | warmer environments. |
| complicated, but can be critical to the endurance | | | | Endurance athletes, in most cases, should drink |
| athlete. Many factors determine the proper | | | | fluids containing sodium, which you lose through |
| amount of fluid intake, including your weight, body | | | | perspiration. These are athletes who are |
| chemistry, fitness condition, diet, and the | | | | performing at a high intensity for 90-minutes or |
| environment in which you plan to compete or | | | | more. During normal training, it is not necessary to |
| train in. | | | | replace losses of sodium, potassium, or other |
| Dehydration in a competition can be very serious | | | | electrolytes since you’re unlikely to deplete |
| and inadequate water consumption can be | | | | your body’s stores enough to make a |
| physically harmful. A loss of 2% of body weight | | | | difference. |
| due to sweating can lead to a drop in blood | | | | Researchers have found that many sports drinks |
| volume. When this occurs, the heart works harder | | | | lack enough sodium to do much good, but some |
| in order to move blood through the bloodstream. | | | | can be better than none. Before a long workout |
| Pre-hydration and re-hydration are vital to | | | | or race, consider consuming extra sodium with |
| maintaining cardiovascular health, proper body | | | | meals and snacks. Those who are competing in |
| temperature and muscle function. | | | | extreme conditions over five or six hours, such |
| All exercisers can increase performance and delay | | | | as an Ironman or ultra-marathon, will want to add |
| fatigue and muscle pain by staying properly | | | | a complex meal replacement drink with |
| hydrated. Athletes are more prone to suffer | | | | electrolytes. |
| symptoms of dehydration, however, drinking 12 | | | | Many commercial sport drinks are effective and |
| – 16 ounces of water one-to-two hours | | | | contain water, sugars, and electrolytes. However, |
| before exercising helps to pre-hydrate before an | | | | most commercial sport drinks contain just slightly |
| event. | | | | less than the amount in your average soft drink |
| You can also get a very good idea of how much | | | | or juice. You can make your own sport drinks by |
| you need to re-hydrate by weighing yourself | | | | diluting two parts of a sugared soft drink with one |
| before and after your workouts. Any weight | | | | part water and adding salt, about 1/8 teaspoon |
| decrease is probably due to water loss (sorry, but | | | | per quart. |
| you didn’t just lose two pounds of body fat). | | | | The best advice is just to drink plenty of fluids on |
| If you have lost two or more pounds during your | | | | all days, training or not. Do not wait until a |
| workout, you should drink 24 ounces of water | | | | competition to work on hydrating yourself |
| for each pound lost. | | | | adequately. Drink, drink, drink and do not rely on |
| Another regimen is to consume three to six | | | | thirst to regulate your fluid intake. By the time |
| ounces of water for every 20 minutes of | | | | you get thirsty, you are probably already entering |
| exercise. Keep in mind that each person’s | | | | the early stages of dehydration. |
| sweat rate is different; slightly less is required for | | | | |