It’s hot out and it’s now easy to lose a lot of fluids if you find yourself exercising or moving around in the heat.
Typically, many people use their thirst as a sign for the best time to reach for some water. Often, though, a strong thirst can actually be telling you that your body is already quite dehydrated. It could be a good idea to get some fluids in your tank before reaching this point- before you get a craving for an iced cold glass of something precious, and a yearning to be fanned like Cleopatra in the shade.
So, how much should you drink? For intense activity, active.com recommends drinking 2 cups or 8 ounces of fluid about 2 hours before hitting the trail or pavement. The site points out that this gives your kidneys time to process whatever you just ingested. It also gives you ample time to run to the bathroom and relieve yourself, and a chance to avoid those terrible moments of inconvenience once you’ve started your workout.
But how much you consume varied. Every person is different. Some recommend consuming approximately 6 ounces of fluid for every 15 minutes you move around. If you find yourself sweating more, drink up. If you feel you don’t need it, you could try cutting back.
How about once you’re done? It can also be important to ingest fluids once you’ve finished your activity. To be super scientific about it, you can weigh yourself before you exercise and then again, after you’re done.
It’s recommended that for each pound you’ve lost while being active that you drink 24 ounces of fluid.
And if you find that you’ve actually gained weight while exercising, have no fear- you’re now simply over-hydrated. In about half an hour you’ll likely pee it out.
Drink up and keep moving!
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