It’s May and, depending on
where you live, the summer heat is either just around the corner or it’s
already here! As the temperature rises, you lose more fluids through sweat and,
consequently, you must hydrate more frequently during exercise. However, while
many of us understand that we need to drink more fluids in balmy conditions, we
tend to drop the ball when it comes to actually implementing our
“during-workout” hydration strategy. Fortunately, there are a number of tactics
we can utilize to combat our impediments to optimal hydration.
-
I forget to drink when I’m in the middle of an intense
workout or a game.
o
Ask your coach to
interrupt practice for more water breaks, even as often as every 15 minutes if
it’s really hot.
o
If your coach
isn’t onboard or you workout independently, wear a watch and set a timer for 15
minutes. When it goes off, ask yourself, “Could I use some water?” and follow
through appropriately.
o
Gear option:
Wear a wrist water bottle, which is a completely hands-free option, and refill it at regular
intervals. This unique device ensures that water can be easily accessible and
visible at all times.
-
There’s no time!
o
We often feel
this way when we have to interrupt our workout to seek out water. Thus, the
solution to this is to carry water with you at all times – if you make it a
convenient option, time will not be an issue. Any water bottle will do, but
large ones may be more convenient if you are engaging in an activity where you
are remaining in the same general area; the larger the bottle, the less you
have to refill it.
o
Gear option:
if you are engaging in an activity where you are covering distance, carrying
water becomes important. There are many options for this, ranging from simply
carrying a 50-cent, light recyclable water bottle to a hydration pack system that you wear on your back. Depending upon your
sport, finances and individual preferences, one of these options may make more
sense for you. Other popular options include water belts
and hand-held systems.
-
I hate carrying a bottle on runs.
o
Some of us are
irritated by any extra weight while running, and even a small water bottle
feels like too much. The solution is to make sure there is water available on
your route and this can be accomplished in a few ways. 1) Recruit a very sympathetic
running partner to carry your water bottle in their hydration pack, 2) run
along a route where public water fountains are accessible, or 3) create a
route, such as a circle, where you can run by your water bottle at regular
intervals.
-
I’m not thirsty.
o
For athletes,
thirst is generally a good guideline for water consumption to avoid
hyper-hydration or hyponatremia. However, when considering hypohydration, some
level of dehydration is an inevitable reality the longer we exercise. Research
has demonstrated that, even with forced water consumption, it is nearly
impossible for our body to consume and absorb sufficient fluids to keep pace
with fluid losses in extended exercise situations (think longer than 1 hour)
(Dunford, 2012, p. 255). Consequently, dehydration is frequently progressing
even though we may not be thirsty. The practical solution? Drink at least a
small amount of fluid every 15 minutes during exercise if you are exercising in
hot conditions; you will likely be thirsty at this rate. Use flavored water if
necessary to promote consumption. An even better solution? Work with a registered dietitian to come up
with a personalized hydration plan based upon urine color or specific gravity,
sweat rate, level of activity and electrolyte needs. Such a strategy can also
address optimal sport drink usage, gastrointestinal issues and other factors
that may be impacting thirst.
Dunford, M., & Doyle, J. A. (2012). Water
and electrolytes. In Nutrition for sport and exercise. Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Laura
Jane Nitowski, BA, is a 2nd-degree undergraduate Nutrition and Dietetics
student at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. For her first undergraduate
degree from West Chester University, she majored in English Literature and
minored in Psychology. Laura
is interested in writing about human nutrition and psychology. Within the broad
realm of nutrition, Laura is fascinated by the role of nutrition in human
athletic performance; the effects of macronutrient variability on appetite and
health; as well as human behavior surrounding food and the behavioral impacts
of our food environment. She is also passionate about integrative and holistic
nutrition approaches that treat people as complex and unique individuals. Laura
is happiest when she is in-motion: running, hiking, and weightlifting. Visit
her at https://seeljane.wordpress.com/.
