HOW TO STAY HYDRATED BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER EXERCISE?

Before Exercise: Prepare Your Body

It’s crucial to start your physical activity well-hydrated. Common signs of dehydration, like thirst, dry mouth, dizziness, or fatigue, are late indicators. To check if you’re hydrated, look at the color of your urine. Dark urine or a long period without urination means you need to drink more water. Clear urine indicates that you’re well-hydrated and ready for exercise. Thirty minutes before your workout, take 1 teaspoon of sea salt with water. This helps maintain your electrolytes.

During Exercise: Maintain Hydration

During exercise, your body loses water through sweat, which can quickly lead to dehydration, especially in hot weather or during intense activities. A good rule of thumb is to drink between 400 and 800 ml of water per hour of exercise. The exact amount depends on the intensity of the workout and environmental conditions. If you’re training in hot conditions, increase your water intake to compensate for higher sweat loss.

After Exercise: Recover Effectively

After exercising, it’s important to replenish the fluids lost to ensure proper recovery. One simple way to check your hydration level is by weighing yourself before and after your workout. A loss of more than 3-4% of your body weight indicates significant dehydration, and you’ll need to drink more to restore your body’s water balance. Remember that hydration isn’t just about drinking water; isotonic drinks and quality sodium like sea salt or Himalayan pink salt can also help replenish electrolytes lost during prolonged efforts.

In Summary

The most reliable indicators of your hydration level are the color of your urine and weight changes before and after exercise. Clear urine means you’re well-hydrated, while dark urine or significant weight loss after exercise signals a need for increased hydration. During exercise, be sure to drink regularly, especially if it’s intense or in hot conditions. By following these tips, you’ll optimize both your performance and recovery. If you want to learn more about recovery, check out our articles on active and passive recovery.