It’s Summer — and the start of Marathon training season – so what better time to talk about hydration before, during and after exercise.
Personally, drinking water has always been a struggle for me. I never liked it until I started forcing myself to drink it and now I actually do like it. Sure, it can be boring at times but it beats the tiredness, grogginess, crankiness and cravings I feel when I’m dehydrated.
Most people don’t realize that they’re not drinking enough water and spend their lives chronically dehydrated.
Nathan Sports, a provider of hydration, visibility and performance essentials has started a “What Color is your Pee” initiative to remind all athletes and people who sweat (that’s everyone), about the importance of hydration before, during and after exercise and activity.
Your pee can be a key indicator for knowing if you’re ready to go or need to top off the tanks.
There’s nothing worse than not knowing how much water to drink and when, so here are a few guidelines:
- Before: Drink 16 – 20 ounces of fluid one to two hours before activity
- During: Drink 4- 6 ounces every 15-20 minutes to stay hydrated. If you’ll be working out for an hour, plan on drinking 16 ounces throughout
- After: Drink 20 ounces or until your pee runs clear
- Throughout the Day: Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces (more if you live at a high altitude, you’re very active or you’re pregnant or nursing)
Remember everyone is different so there is no one rule of thumb. Listen to your body and you’ll know when you need to drink more.
If you’re really struggling with drinking water, this is THE simplest way to drink more water.
And here are a few more:
- Use an App to make it a game. I like the Water Your Body app
- Carry around a container you like or keep one on your desk as a reminder to sip throughout the day.
- Set a hydration goal for the day
- Set an hourly alarm on your phone or computer and drink a glass of water each time it goes off move around too if you work in a sedentary desk job).
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