You and hydration

This last week, we had a taste of very hot weather and many of you kept a full training schedule of cycling or running as you prepare for the many upcoming races. One of the most important aspects of leading an active lifestyle is staying hydrated while competing, keeping fit or having fun.

Dehydration can be a very serious problem for athletes and active people who spend a lot of time in the heat and the sun. When we are active, roughly 75% of the energy we expend during exercise produces internal heat. Our bodies are designed to regulate our internal temperature, so to do this, we perspire and also remove heat through exhalation. These mechanisms, which keep our body temperature in balance, tap our internal fluids and we often forget that 60% of our body is made up of H2O.

When you add environmental factors into the mix such has hot weather, humidity or arid climate, our bodies are put under a lot of stress to keep the balance of heat exchange and regulation. Even though we link dehydration together in the context of hot temperatures only, our dry somewhat arid regional environment also creates significant fluid loss, even when temperatures are less extreme.

It is very important to remember that hydrating your body is a constant requirement. You can’t drink 16 ounces in the morning and hope that keeps you all day. Once your body falls behind during exercise and activity, most people cannot catch up to keep their body at peak performance. For an athlete doing a triathlon, marathon or physically demanding competition that lasts longer then 2 hours, falling behind usually means disappointment, failure in a event and can lead to a serious health emergency.

So what is the right amount of fluid you should intake while being active or during exercise?

For now, I am going to stick with water as our fluid of choice since sport drinks and other beverages come with pros and cons that can impact your hydration process. The overall basic rule of thumb for water intake is 16 fluid ounces every hour. For daily non-active water intake, you should drink 1/2 ounce for every 1 pound of body weight in 24 hours. I am guessing that for most of us whether we are active or not active, we never get enough hydration.

Now 16 oz every hour during physical activity is an estimated average and will vary from person to person. A better way to define a person’s water intake requirement during exercise, athletic competition and elevated activity is to track your water intake and your body weight. By measuring your weight before and after physical activity along with the ounces of water consumed, you can get your individual rate of fluid lost so you can set your own fluid consumption. Now keep in mind, this is really only useful for extended physical activity that lasts over 2 hours or shorter events being done under harsh environmental conditions such as high temperatures.

The more active you are, the more water is lost via perspiration, breathing and urination. If inactive people should consume ½ ounce of water per body weight, very active people should consume up to 1.7 ounces per pound of weight. A person weighing 120 LBS being very active during warm weather may need 144 ounces of water in a 24-hour period for example. Also keep in mind food plays a role in hydration, so depending on the type of foods you eat, they can help provide part of the daily fluid requirement. When eating fresh fruits and vegetables, for example, you are resupplying your body with much needed nutrients along with water. Remember that the more water dense foods you consume, the quicker it digests.

Approach your hydration protocol by planning around the activity or athletic event. It is critical to have access to water, so you need to either have enough on-hand or know you will be provided with enough based on the activity or type of event. This is one area most people under estimate what they think they need verses the actual reality around the intensity of activity, temperature and other factors out of their control. Having access to more is always the best practice.

One great example of meeting hydration needs comes into play with events such as a half or full marathon. Race organizers will have water stations positioned with proper frequency on the course to fully cover all runners. On average, this works out to be one water station every 1.5 miles. Some full marathons will have water stations every mile so you can consume fluids at smaller volumes and at a convenient pace based on your body’s need and environmental conditions. The other aspect that I have not touched on for athletic events is the use of salt tablets and gel packs, which can give you much needed carbohydrates and electrolytes to maximize your endurance and also help reduce the chance of dehydration. Many elite athletes do not rely on course resources and carry their own water. If you choose to do this, you must factor in the convenience and feasibility of that decision.

Finally, any good hydration protocol will include a post-exercise or post-activity fluid replacement plan. Rehydration after your activity is key and can make a big difference regarding your physical recovery and healing process. Your body needs rehydration to correct any fluid loss accumulated during the activity or event. The best rule of thumb is to slowly rehydrate within the first 2 hours after your activity or event. Your body will process and rehydrate more efficiently by drinking smaller, more consistent amounts of fluids during your cool down and recovery period within that two-hour post event window.