You already know that your body needs some water while you are exercising, but have you asked yourself why is this habit so important to keep training or even living healthy? Basically, if you don’t drink enough water, you dehydrate and may feel some nausea, headache, elevated heart rate, dizziness, and lots of other signs that your body sends you to say “HEY, STOP MOVING AND GIVE ME SOME WATER”.
60% of body composition is made of water! In our muscles, that number increases to 75%. In simple words, it means that water is in all chemical reactions in our organism, regulates corporal temperature, and also helps to transport oxygen and nutrients. Ok, maybe this is the biggest reason why we should replace all the water our body loses when exercising.
How much water should I drink?
Remember, it is important to drink water before, during and after exercise. Exact amounts of water needed will vary from individual to individual – gender, exercise environment, type of exercise, and intensity of exercise are all factors.
In case of activities longer than 1 hour, such as 1.30hr INT/ADV classes, water shouldn’t be enough to replace all the losses, so you better choose sportive drinks. These products are rich in calories, vitamins, minerals, and essentials to replace electrolytes (sodium and potassium combination). Coconut water is also a good alternative in this case.
The most recommended way of hydration is drinking between 400 ml and 600 ml of liquids two hours before start training. During exercise, try to drink 100 ml of cold water each 20 minutes. Don’t forget to keep drinking water on the days off training: in this case, the ideal amount for an adult is 2 liters.
Excess hydration
Hyperhydration may drop sodium levels in the body and also leads to severe headaches, nausea, and vomiting. To avoid this reaction, it’s highly recommended to start hydrating two hours before training, as we already said, so in-between time your body will absorb all the liquids properly, increasing plasma on the blood.
To get the absorption fast, rather cold liquids or even with some sugar, if necessary, once it helps to make the whole process even faster.
What does water do for you?
– Assists in the regulation of internal body temperature.
– Protects and cushions vital organs.
– Aids the digestive system.
– Improves blood circulation.
– Helps with the appearance and health of skin, hair and nails.
Despite listing some benefits of staying hydrated, the biggest and best reason is just one: having a healthy and functional body.
See you on the mats,
Gracie Humaita Sydney
By Fernanda Monteiro.