Dehydration can happen to anyone. It takes place when your body loses more fluid than you can take in to compensate. If your body isn?t hydrated, it can?t carry out all its necessary functions and your body can actually shut down. There?s nothing to worry about though. Here are three easy steps to follow, so you can make sure you stay hydrated during your workouts.

1. DRINK:  The simplest way to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of fluids. Typically, you should drink .25 to .75 of a liter of water prior to exercising to prepare your body. Once you begin your workout, you need to replenish the fluids your body is losing during the activity. Water is the easiest way to make sure you don?t dehydrate, while you exercise. Water is very accessible, free and devoid of calories and sugar. Naturally, some people don?t enjoy the bland taste of water, so they opt for a sports drink. This is a great alternative to water, as long as you use these beverages in moderation. Remember, most sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade are loaded with sugar and calories. However, sports drinks replenish electrolytes, which water doesn?t do. Electrolytes regulate the amount of water in your body and can help prolong your workout. Gatorade 2 (G2) and Powerade Zero are fantastic alternatives to their sugary and calorie-ridden counterparts.
2. EAT: Some people actually get hungry during their workout. And if fluids are in short supply, there are many foods that can help you stay hydrated as you exercise. Vegetables and fruits are tops on the list of foods that you can ?eat to drink.? Cucumbers are an excellent choice, because they are 95% water. Salad greens are another good option, with 90% water content, and a couple of cups contain less than 15 calories. Strawberries, watermelon and papaya are also loaded with water. And regular, plain-flavored yogurt offers approximately 85% water content. Yogurt also offers your body B vitamins and, in some cases, probiotics. Check labels to know which yogurt brands have the most to offer you.
3. MONITOR:  As weird as it may sound, you can make sure you stay hydrated during your workouts by visiting the bathroom. Yes, you heard me right, because your urine can actually alert you to whether or not you need more fluids. If you?re properly hydrated, your urine will be clear or have a pale, yellowish tint. Watch for darker urine, because it reveals you could be heading toward dehydration. Also, pay attention to how you are feeling. If your muscles are getting too sore to continue, or you are feeling dizzy, these are danger signs that tell you that there is a need to hydrate.

Drink, eat and monitor! Remember these three easy steps, so you can stay safe and hydrated during your workouts. Always, remember to keep in mind that you will need more or less fluids depending on your particular workout intensity and environment.

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You finish up at the office for the day, hop in your car, and, head on over to the gym for your workout. Finishing up, you take a long satisfyingly refreshing drink of your favorite beverage ? Stop right there!

Maybe you have had a few sips along the way and maybe you have had some things to drink during the day, but are you hydrated? Are you really getting the most out of your workout? Hydration can make the difference in how well you exercise. It matters when you drink and what you drink for general well-being, for your overall hydration, and for your workout.

Let?s start with some basics. Hydrating for your workout should start long before you ever get to the gym. Make sure you are consuming fluids throughout the day. Drink in the hour previous to your workout, preparing yourself for the extra fluid necessary for sweating it out and burning that energy. The Mayo Clinic recommends that men drink 13 cups of fluid a day and women 9 cups of fluid a day, but even they admit that amounts vary per individual. Don?t go by when you are thirsty; if you get to that point, you are already dehydrated.

What about during the workout? It is even more important to keep your fluid levels elevated to have a good workout. According to the American College of Sport?s Medicine?s Health and Fitness Journal?s Beth Stover, M.S. CSCS and Bob Murray, PhD. FACSM ?dehydration decreases blood volume, makes blood?thicker, increases heart rate and makes it more difficult for the body to lose heat,? making exercise more of a challenge.

The fact of it is, if you don?t drink enough you might want to quit early because it is hard to push yourself through the fatigue and heat. A good rule of thumb, according to these experts, is to monitor your weight. If you weigh less after a workout than before, you are not taking in enough fluid during the workout.

There are a lot of different sports drinks out there, confusing us in what we should actually drink. The best thing you can do is to make sure you consume plenty of vitamins and minerals in the things you eat on a daily basis and drink plenty of water you don?t think you are getting enough in your diet, Elaine Magee, MPH, RD of WebMD recommends electrolytes and 14 grams of carbohydrates per 8 oz. of water. Caffeine may seem like a good way to propel yourself through your workout, but it actually dehydrates you.

Start your day out right by consuming  fluids throughout your day and then go hop in your car, head on over to the gym for your workout, taking in fluid as you work that body into a healthy shape.

Works Cited
– Magee, Elaine. ?What to Drink When You Exercise.? Web MD. Web MD, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
– Stover, Beth and Murray, Bob. ?Drink Up!: The Science of Hydration.? ACSM?s Health & Fitness Journal 11.2 (2007): 7-12. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
– ?Water: How much should you drink every day?? Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.

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