Hydration & Performance
3 out of 4 athletes show up for their training in a dehydrated state. Are you in the majority? Drinking adequate fluids is an easy, inexpensive, and effective way to support training and improve performance.
What are the benefits of good hydration?
Transports nutrients, oxygen, and waste throughout the body.
Provides lubrication to the joints.
Assists the body in thermoregulation via sweat.
Allows optimal athletic performance.
My guess is that everyone reading this has experienced dehydration to some extent. Maybe you’ve gotten a headache or felt lightheaded. Or maybe you’ve lost your appetite. Check out the image below for the full effects of dehydration on your body - some of them might surprise you!
Hydration is highly individualized, so the amount of fluids each person needs is different. Recommendations you might have heard of include drinking eight 8 oz glasses a water every day or drinking half of your body weight in ounces. While those are good general guidelines, your needs may be much higher based on your sweat volume, workout intensity & duration, weather conditions, or health condition (illness, pregnancy, and breastfeeding all increase fluid needs).
Here are some ways to assess your hydration status.
Observe urine color and frequency. Your urine color should be pale yellow and you should be urinating every few hours. Use the color chart below as a reference.
Notice if you are thirsty. Thirst is a sign of dehydration. It is your body’s way of telling you it needs more water to carry out its functions. If you are craving fluids or your mouth is dry, you are dehydrated.
Monitor your morning weight. If you are well hydrated, your morning weight shouldn’t fluctuate by more than 1% day to day. For a 150 lb individual, this is a 1.5 lb change. NOTE: I don’t recommend weighing yourself every morning; however, this could be helpful to monitor for a week or so if you are concerned about your hydration status (maybe during a particularly hot period or during a week of extra high training volume).
HYDRATION GAME PLAN FOR ATHLETES:
Keep in mind that hydration, just like nutrition, is highly individualized. Know your INDIVIDUAL needs. Be sure to experiment with your hydration plan to ensure that is is comfortable for you and supports your best performance.
Best tips for staying hydrated:
Focus on fluid intake all day long, not just around workouts.
Keep a water bottle with you all day - in your car, in your backpack, at your desk, etc. Invest in an insulated water bottle if you prefer cold water.
Add sliced lemons, limes, cucumbers, or mint to your water to give it some natural flavor.
Eat foods that contain a lot of water - such as watermelon, soup, strawberries, and salads.
If you struggle to remember to drink enough water, try drinking on a schedule. Challenge yourself to drink 4-8 oz each hour.
Monitor your hydration status by observing urine color and frequency.
Hi, I’m Anna!
Welcome to the Nutrition with Anna blog! Sharing recipes, sports nutrition tips, & inspiration to eat foods that fuel your lifestyle and athletic goals without rules or restrictions.