Nutrition Class | 2nd Class: Hydration
Goodness, I love water. Yet somehow I often find myself forgetting about it –I would venture to guess at least 50% of the time I'm not feeling well is because I'm dehydrated. Excuse me while I go get a glass of water....
Ahhh, refreshing.
Not surprisingly, the 2nd day of Nutrition class was all about hydration. Here are my notes.
Hydration
Some general notes:
Standardize Weight
When you weigh yourself before & after your workout make sure you keep things consistent: towel off & clean clothes. Then you can see your weight difference. For every pound you lost, you lost 16 oz of sweat. Remember: you can't rehydrate in a quick period of time –drink consistent amounts of water over the next 24 hours after losing a lot of sweat.
Acclimation
We have to consider acclimation when thinking about hydration. We take about 10-14 days to adapt to a new environment. In that time our body makes more sweat glands (if needed) and we experience more fluid loss. Hot? Take off your hat and try dry fit or 100% cotton clothes.
Color of Urine
The color of your urine is a fantastic indicator of your hydration status. Your first morning urine should be the color of pale lemonade. The only reason it shouldn't be, well, clear is because then you can't monitor for overhydration. Dark concentrated urine indicates dehydration! As little as a 2% weight loss can negatively affect your performance.
You don't need sports drinks if you are inactive. However, these drinks come in handy in high-activity, high-heat environments. Like football in Texas! When you are losing excessive amounts of sweat over an extended period of time, you need to refuel on your electrolytes. Watch Hydration: Sports drink or water?
Cramping
95% of cramping is caused by one of the following:
Not in shape, lack of sodium, or dehydration.
Drink water! If you're losing a lot of sweat (and consequently a lot of sodium), make sure you're refueling –be it sports drink (see above), milk, etc.
Moral of the story: Drink your water! It's more than kind of a big deal.
Ahhh, refreshing.
Not surprisingly, the 2nd day of Nutrition class was all about hydration. Here are my notes.
Hydration
Some general notes:
- The human body is generally 60-70% water
- Once you note the above fact, this isn't surprising: changes in hydration can make big changes on the scale. Remember, the scale can only tell you if your weight is consistent.
- Your brain needs water: hydration affects the way you think. So drink your water!
- You cannot sweat off body fat.
Standardize Weight
When you weigh yourself before & after your workout make sure you keep things consistent: towel off & clean clothes. Then you can see your weight difference. For every pound you lost, you lost 16 oz of sweat. Remember: you can't rehydrate in a quick period of time –drink consistent amounts of water over the next 24 hours after losing a lot of sweat.
Acclimation
We have to consider acclimation when thinking about hydration. We take about 10-14 days to adapt to a new environment. In that time our body makes more sweat glands (if needed) and we experience more fluid loss. Hot? Take off your hat and try dry fit or 100% cotton clothes.
Color of Urine
The color of your urine is a fantastic indicator of your hydration status. Your first morning urine should be the color of pale lemonade. The only reason it shouldn't be, well, clear is because then you can't monitor for overhydration. Dark concentrated urine indicates dehydration! As little as a 2% weight loss can negatively affect your performance.
You don't need sports drinks if you are inactive. However, these drinks come in handy in high-activity, high-heat environments. Like football in Texas! When you are losing excessive amounts of sweat over an extended period of time, you need to refuel on your electrolytes. Watch Hydration: Sports drink or water?
Cramping
95% of cramping is caused by one of the following:
Not in shape, lack of sodium, or dehydration.
Drink water! If you're losing a lot of sweat (and consequently a lot of sodium), make sure you're refueling –be it sports drink (see above), milk, etc.
Moral of the story: Drink your water! It's more than kind of a big deal.
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