When you workout, you lose a lot of water through your breath and through your sweat. Most athletes underestimate how much water they lose when they exercise. It is important to remain hydrated when you workout because water helps your body exercise efficiently. Water helps with the many chemical reactions in the body. When you’re not properly hydrated, your tissues heal slower, muscle recovery is slower and the body is not functioning at with maximum efficiency.
Even a small amount of dehydration can negatively impact your performance. One study showed that losing only 2% of your body weight in fluid can decrease your performance by up to 25%.
Fully hydrated, your heart works more efficiently to pump blood to the body. This means that oxygen and other nutrients move more efficiently to the muscles you’re working. The result of these interactions is that you have more energy to workout.
A rule of thumb to follow about hydration and working out is to drink 15 – 20oz of water 1 – 2 hours before your workout. Then before you begin your workout drink between 8 – 10 oz. During your workout drink another 8 – 10 oz every 15 minutes. Again, if you’re sweating a lot, drink more.
I always tell my athletes to drink at least 100oz of water in a day. However, you may need more especially during a hot day when you will sweat a lot.
