Summer is here and staying hydrated during the hot months is crucial to help maintain fluid balance in the body. It doesn’t matter if you are an everyday exerciser or a weekend warrior, staying hydrated is important.
Registered sports dietitian at the RWJBarnabas Health Ambulatory Care Center, Renee Korczak, Ph.D., RDN, CSSD, LD, shares her tips on how to stay hydrated during exercise. The key is to ensure that you are hydrating properly prior to exercise, then tackling your during and post-exercise hydration needs. This will help prevent dehydration and optimize your performance.
Before exercise: Two to three hours prior to exercise, you should aim to consume between 16 to 24 fluid ounces of water1 or a sports drink with electrolytes (including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride). This provides enough time for fluid absorption.
10 to 20 minutes before exercise: Consume another 7 to 10 fluid ounces of water.
During exercise: It is important to monitor your sweat rate and fluid losses. If you are a person who sweats a lot, getting small sips of a sports drink with electrolytes or using an electrolyte tablet is not a bad idea to help maintain fluid balance and counteract losses. A 2% change in body weight (weight loss) due to sweating can have detrimental effects on performance and exercise1.
Post-exercise: Individuals should aim to replenish any fluids lost through sweat. While individual needs will vary, it is generally recommended to drink 16 to 24 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost.
Tips for Achieving your Fluid Requirements
While plain water is great for helping you reach your total fluid requirements, remember that fruits and vegetables count too, since many are naturally juicy and contain water. Including fresh watermelon, peaches, cherries, cucumbers, celery, radishes, tomatoes in your diet can help you meet your fluid requirements. Most other fruits and vegetables contain some water too. If you are uncertain about how to manage your fluid needs with exercise, consider working with a registered dietitian this summer.
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Renee Korczak, PhD, RDN, CSSD, LD, is an advanced practice registered dietitian nutritionist and a board-certified sports dietitian. She harnesses her expertise in gut health and her work with recreational and competitive athletes to understand the complex intricacies of gastrointestinal disorders and their relationship to diet and supplementation. Dr. Korczak is a published author, recognized speaker/media personality and has worked with professional athletic teams in the past including the Minnesota United Football Club. She continues to teach her online sports nutrition course through the University of Minnesota and has been a successful mentor to many undergraduate and graduate students.
Reference:
1. Thomas D.T., et al. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. JAND 2016; 116(3): P501-528.