When you exercise, you lose a lot of body fluids which might lead to dehydration. If your body is dehydrated, it won’t function as it should, and sometimes you may even face severe problems. Therefore, you should not take this problem lightly. You should find workable solution to it as soon as possible. Below are some tips that you utilize to obviate such type of dehydration.
Drink water before you exercise
To gain the best out of your exercise routine, your body needs enough fluids. Whatever your age and gender, you have to keep yourself hydrated. The first thing is to drink 1 cup water approximately 4 hours before your start exercising. This will start you off on a good note, and help you towards maintaining the required amount of fluid in the body.
Drink water/fluids during exercising
Be sure to drink half a cup water every 10-15 minutes while doing heavy exercises. Drinking cool water is preferable as your body will absorb this faster than hot water. If you’re exercising for more than an hour, you may drink your favorite sports drink which would restore the fluid and electrolytes you lose while exercising. Experts suggest diluting these drinks, to minimize the excess caffeine and calories, and get the best result from them.
Never drink any carbonated drinks while exercising, as these drinks only increase dehydration.
Drink water after your workout
After you finish your workout, drink some water again. Light colored urine after a workout is a sign that all’s well with your body!
Signs of dehydration
Recognizing when you are becoming dehydrated is imperative to avoid physical and mental fatigue during exercise. These are a few signs of dehydration, and if you spot any or all of them, you have to drink water or other fluids immediately:
- Dry mouth
- Thirst
- Excessive sweating
- Muscle cramps
- Fatigue
- Flushed skin
- Dizziness
If you have become severely dehydrated, take a break from your exercise routine and consult your trainer before starting to exercise again.
Take note of your surroundings
It’s also important to note the environment in which you are exercising. If you’re going for a run outdoors, you will perhaps need to drink more water to replace the fluids you lose due to sweat. Exercising outdoors would make you perspire more when compared to exercising indoors. Therefore, you should dress in loose fitting comfortable clothes to sweat less. Be cautious, because if your body becomes dehydrated, you may suffer from a heat stroke.
If you’re exercising indoors, within your home, you can use a cooler with wheels to keep the room cool and comfortable. This will let you exercise for a much longer time than in a hot room. Gyms are always air conditioned because this allows people to workout as long as they want to, without becoming fatigued in a short time.
So your surroundings play a part in determining the duration of exercising and rate of dehydration. If you are fond of exercising outdoors, schedule that for early morning and evening, when the temperature is cooler. It’s not a good idea to exercise outdoors at noon, even if that is the only free time you have!
Some miscellaneous tips to avoid dehydration
- If you are following a diet which is high in protein, you have to drink 8 -12 glasses water every day.
- Avoid alcohol in any form, whether it’s wine or beer or whisky etc. Alcohol increases dehydration, and if you’re on the path to living a fit lifestyle, you should avoid alcohol completely. Besides, these drinks contain a lot of calories which you should avoid.
If you follow the steps above, your body will stay hydrated longer during exercise. You will be able to exercise longer without any ill-effects and achieve your fitness goals easily.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
