Stay Hydrated!

Hydration - the process of providing an adequate amount of water to body tissues.

Over the past few weeks we have been having record heat temperatures here on the East Coast. When you combine the heat with high humidity it forces our bodies to regulate proper temperatures; and how do we react??? We Sweat!

Personally, I love the heat and I love to sweat. Especially, when I exercise! But proper hydration is key for not only good health but good sports performance.

The Problem
I was personally moved to write this because of a story that a client shared with me today. He went golfing last Sunday (it was in the high 90's that day) he said when he came home he was very thirsty. After drinking some juice he laid down and felt sick. His wife noticed how pail he was and got a doctor to come visit. It turned out that his blood pressure hit rock bottom and he was suffering from heat exhaustion!
During exercise it is common, in high temperatures, for the average person to lose between 2-4 lbs of sweat. Here is the interesting part. Studies show that even a 1% loss in body weight due to sweat impairs performance. That means in less than 30 minutes your athletic performance goes down!

The Solution
There are several ways to ensure proper hydration, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
First, start with a large drink, about 16oz., 2 hours before going out to exercise. This gives your body plenty of time to regulate its fluid levels prior to exercising and helps delay or avoid the effects of dehydration during exercise.
Second, during exercise it is very important to drink before becoming thirsty and to drink at frequent intervals to replace fluid lost through sweating. It takes approximately eight fluid ounces of fluid to replace each pound of body weight lost. Third, studies show that people drink more if the drink tastes good. In other words, using a sweetened or flavored drink, such as an energy drink, decreases the likelihood of dehydrating.

My Preferences
I personally have hydration preferences. I recommend to put a slice of lemon or lime in your water bottle. These fruits are high in vitamins and minerals that will hydrate you faster. And they flavor your water :-) I also use Propel, G2, and even Coconut water. Actually, Coconut water is becoming very popular in the field of fitness. Specifically, the Vita Coco brand http://www.vitacoco.com/ This brand is 100% coconut water and has twice the amount of potassium as a banana. It also has natural sugar which can give you a little boast. Try one, I have really enjoyed it!
Now you have the knowledge and motivation to stay hydrated; I hope you enjoyed reading my blog!

Stay Healthy and Strong,

John Edwin
Principal
Strength Personal Training, Inc