You probably hear all the time that drinking water is important for both health and performance in the gym. Our bodies are made up of around 60% water (on average), and yet still we underestimate it. Our body craves it, but not everyone is so in tune with the signaling.
Water: Why is it important?
Cell composition, cell signaling, digestion, hormonal function, homeostatic regulation, nutrient delivery, waste removal, joint lubrication, (the list goes on) all require water.
When improperly hydrated you probably feel tired or foggy-brained. You might have dry mouth and/or dry skin, you may experience headaches and muscle cramps. You will definitely have decreased performance in your sport, gym, or job activity.
Feelings of thirst and hunger are often confused. Why would our bodies do that? If you are depriving the boy of the water it needs, it will figure out how to get it in a different way. Food also contains water, and your body couldn't care less about that new diet you are trying to stick to.
How Much Should We Drink?
I am constantly hearing numbers being tossed around and everyone prescribing set amounts to people regardless of their size and activity level. "You need 8 cups!" "You need a gallon!" Well a gallon is 16 cups, so these numbers are VERY different. I caution as always, BEWARE of a one size fits all to anything, diet, exercise, even those leggings that everyone is mad about. Not one program or one cookie cutter diet plan can work for everyone, and those leggings, yes they stretch, but even those have their limit!
Water is no exception to this. Do you think a 225 lb man who does construction in the Florida heat, and is in the gym 5 days a week has the same needs as a 160 lb man who works in an air-conditioned office and does Pilates on the weekend? Probably not. Things that need to be considered include body weight, age, activity level, the amount in which you sweat, and even the climate in which you live.
I still haven't answered the question, "How Much?" A baseline recommendation is 35 mL /kg body weight in adults. In America we go by ounces and pounds, so this is a little over an ounce per kg or about 1/2 an ounce per pound of body weight. So for someone who weighs 128 lbs, 64 ounces (8 cups) will be adequate as a baseline daily intake. Someone who weighs 200 lbs need about 100 ounces or 12.5 cups approximately. But remember, this is the starting point, what you want to hit if you are someone who has a relatively low active lifestyle. If you exercise, or have a labor intensive job the requirement only goes up from here.
Exercise and Water Needs
The goal for the athlete or more active individual is to stay in a state of euhydration. This means not only drinking enough water the day of the increased physical activity, but the days leading up to it. The guidelines for us are intended to be sure that we are hydrated before our workouts, and then to replenish all fluid lost during exercise.
Before working out it is recommended that you drink 5-7 ml/kg body weight prior to exercise. So for someone who is 128 lbs this equates to between 10-14 ounces. For the 200 lb athlete, this is approximately 16-22 ounces.
During the workout you should consume water liberally. The body can only process a certain amount of water in a given time, so it is not entirely possible to stay completely hydrated during your event or training period, but the goal is to stay out of the state of dehydration. The amount during your training will vary dependent on your sweat rate, the climate that you exercise in, and even the clothing that you are wearing. The starting point for this is between 14-27 ounces of fluid per hour.
After your training the goal is to replenish all the fluids lost during exercise, which again is going to depend on a number of factors such as sweat rate and exercise duration. This is an amount more difficult to decide on because the determining factor here is how much weight in water was lost, and let's face it, most of us do not weigh ourselves both pre and post workout. If you are a long distance runner or cyclist or your workouts last longer than two hours, I would recommend you consider doing this because it is a more accurate way to make sure you are meeting your needs. For every pound that is lost during exercise, it takes about 23 ounces of water to replenish, (conversion to ounces and pounds from liters and kg makes this number strange, I know, but I'm trying to make it easier on you).
A much more practical way of tracking hydration status is by looking at your urine. If you are an athlete you should make habit of looking to see what color you pee. Your urine should consistently be pale yellow to almost clear if you are properly hydrated. Darker urine, USUALLY indicates that you are dehydrated. I say usually, because if you are like me and take a multivitamin, it may contain higher levels of B2 (riboflavin) than your body needs and will just excrete it, turning your urine almost fluorescent an hour or two after taking it. Some foods such as beets may also contribute to a darker color, but it usually takes a larger portion than most people would normally consume. I
If you use choose this method to re-hydrate, take notice of your urine right after you workout, and then aim to return your urine to pale yellow in the hours post exercise. Again, you want to make sure you return to a state of euhydration, especially if you plan on training again the next day.
**If you are not someone who has an easy time drinking adequate fluid throughout the day, don't worry, I will be writing a separate blog on tips/tricks on how to stay hydrate**
Replenishing Electrolytes
This is a large and very important topic on its own, which I plan on discussing in later blogs, but I do need to mention it here. In general, most people consume enough electrolytes (sodium especially) in their diet to support their training. However, if you are an athlete who trains for two or more hours or are a salty sweater (you will know because you will see white residue on your skin or clothing) then plain water is not enough and it is HIGHLY suggested that you also consume a drink containing electrolytes. Again, I will cover this topic at a later date.
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask, and remember to drink up!!
Mahan, L. Kathleen, Sylvia Escott-Stump, and Janice L. Raymond. Krause's food & the nutrition care process. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2012.
Dunford, Marie, and J. Doyle. Nutrition for sport and exercise. Cengage Learning, 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment