Staying Hydrated this Summer

June gloom is finally over and it's getting hot in San Diego so I know it's hot in the rest of the country!  Staying hydrated during your workouts is especially important this time of year, so I wanted to give you a few tips to make sure you are staying well hydrated.  

The first step is to make sure you are starting your workout hydrated.  Aim for 1/2 your body weight (pounds) in ounces.  This will need to be adjusted based on activity levels, heat, and humidity.  Always keep a water bottle with you.  Bring it with you in the car, have it at your desk, and keep it in your line of sight at the gym. Take a drink between each set, or after each round of a circuit.  When we begin to sweat we lose sodium chloride, potassium, magnesium, and glucose.  Just a 2% loss in water body weight during a workout starts to hinder performance. During exercise in hot humid environments, drink your body weight divided by 30 in ounces every 15 minutes.

The minerals lost through sweat need to be replaced especially if you eat a plant-based diet and minimally processed foods. If you have any health conditions that require low sodium diets then definitely discuss hydration with your doctor.  When we think about hydration during exercise sports drink probably come to mind the most. Most sports drinks contain too much sugar and not enough salt with almost no magnesium or potassium.  Hydration packets typically have a good ratio of sodium to potassium.  I prefer the sugar-free sweetened with stevia or only a gram or two of sugar but that works best for me.  Coconut water has plenty of potassium and sugar that's ideal for post-workout, just needs the addition of sodium.  

In the morning, I take a half of lemon, water, a dash of salt, and a splash of ginger kombucha, for added flavor, in the car so I can hydrate between clients.

After my midday run, I  add a scoop of my hydration powder to coconut water, so I can quickly rehydrate and refuel the carb stores so I'm ready for the next morning's gym session.  

Eating plenty of fruits and veggies is another great way to increase water intake.  Many are 80% water plus are pack is with vitamins and other nutrients.  Some of my favorites are watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, apples, peaches, oranges, pineapple, spinach, broccoli cucumber, zucchini, carrots, and tomatoes.

I found a great youtube from Andy Galpin called 3 Steps to Optimize Hydration if you'd like more information. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw8ZqF58chg