It can be challenging to stay hydrated while working out, especially in the hot summer months. It’s extremely important to keep your body hydrated though. Here are some key tips to help you figure out how to stay hydrated while working out.
Why Worry About Hydration?
To understand how to stay hydrated, it’s important to understand why you should make hydration a priority. Drinking enough water helps keep your core temperature regulated, keeps your joints well-lubricated, keeps your immune system functioning well, and helps your organs work correctly. It even impacts your sleep, thinking, and mood.
It should come as no surprise that staying hydrated is especially important while working out then. Hydration helps maintain blood pressure, which means keeping your heart functioning properly when your heart rate is elevated. It also helps your circulation and blood flow, meaning it helps deliver nutrients and oxygen to muscles that are working hard for you.
Hydration is More Than Water
In addition to water, your body sweats out minerals. That means it’s important to restore these minerals while you’re sweating and to intake plenty of minerals throughout the day in order to be ready to sweat heavily. Everyone sweats different amounts of water and sweats different amounts of minerals. This means some people are likely to sweat a lot of water but not a lot of minerals and vice versa.
Pay attention to your sweat and supplement accordingly. Weighing yourself before and after a tough workout can help you understand how much water you sweat. Checking your face and clothes for salt build-up will help you understand how much of your mineral balance you’re sweating as well.
Protein to Hydrate
Now that you know it’s important to keep your minerals and your water in balance, here are some ways to do so aside from drinking water or electrolytes during a workout. If you’re an athlete, you’re probably already taking a protein supplement. Taking collagen protein can actually improve skin hydration, along with having other benefits. Use collagen protein in your post-workout shake to help restore your hydration.
Salt and Mineral Supplements
Unlike protein, most people get enough salt in their diet. This is especially true if you eat out regularly or eat processed foods. If you cook most of your food at home and don’t add salt, you may need to supplement your minerals to keep your body hydrated and in balance. This is especially true if you’re taking on long workouts during the summer.
Not only will salt tablets help rehydrate you during a long-distance workout, but they can also help you keep some of your electrolytes in balance. They also help you retain fluids during a long workout. They can help aid your recovery as well since they restore minerals that your body needs which can help with muscular and cellular recovery and function.
Electrolyte Supplements
Electrolytes play a role in keeping you hydrated. Electrolytes are a form of mineral that’s found in the body that regulates and controls your internal balance of fluids. They help regulate blood pressure, can keep your muscles from cramping, and just keep you functioning properly.
Unless you are sweating, you probably don’t need to restore electrolytes in your body. Likewise, not all electrolyte drinks are the same. Read the label before taking a swig. Sugar isn’t a bad thing in these drinks, but they should also have potassium and sodium to really do you good.
Food for Hydration
Food can also help hydrate you and restore minerals in your body. After a workout, eat foods that have sugar and minerals like potassium and magnesium. Bananas are a great example. Like most fruits, they contain a lot of water, and they’re also high in potassium. Your body needs these sugary carbs after a long workout to restore muscle and cell health.
Hydration is more than water and it’s important to proper body function. If you’re exercising and sweating a lot, make sure you drink enough water and replenish your minerals for good overall health.
Tags: dehydration, drink water, hydration, water
