Posts Tagged ‘fluid’

Exercise and Caffeine – Is it a good idea to mix the two?

Scientists also explain how caffeine increases the level of dopamine in your system which activates the reward center of your brain. In short, caffeine makes you feel good. The stimulant effect may make you feel more awake and more energetic for a short time, but will it affect how well you perform if you participate in sports or exercise?

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How Much Fluid should I Drink During and After Exercise?

How Much Fluid should I Drink During and After Exercise?

One of the most commonly asked questions in relation to health and exercise is also one with many more factors to consider than you may think: How much should I drink?

For quite some time, there was a universal answer of eight servings (consisting of eight fluid ounces) per day. Many people reach for this goal when considering their daily water intake.

The actual amount of water you are advised to drink is dependent upon different factors. Age, environment, level of activity and gender are all items to take into account when making the calculation of water intake.

In accordance to these new standards a healthy adult man should be drinking thirteen cups of water per day. For adult women who are also healthy, around nine cups are recommended over the same period of time. Determining factors for these amounts take into account the amount of water a person loses through excretions during the day, along with what is needed regarding bodily functions.

By consulting the following guidelines you will have a better idea of how much you should consume while exercising.

Before exercise: Drink eight to sixteen ounces of fluid up to two hours before you are planning on exercising. This will ensure your body is properly hydrated before you expose it to your preferred activity. Drink another half cup to a cup of water immediately before your exercise routine. If possible, weigh yourself before beginning your exercise routine.

During exercise: For every fifteen to twenty minutes you’re exercising it is suggested you consume one half to a cup of water. It may be difficult to keep track of, as well as practise this at first. However, once you and your system get accustomed to working out with fluid in your stomach while training, it will become second nature. The reality of it is, the more liquid you have in your stomach, the faster it will be emptied.

After exercise: If you weighed yourself prior to exercising, weigh yourself again afterwards. Since you need to replace any fluid lost due to exercising, weighing yourself after your regime is done allows you to know how much to drink. For example, if you lost one pound of body weight you need to replenish your system by drinking two cups of fluid.

For the most part, water alone is great for fluid replacement. Just remember to drink your recommended daily amount over and above the amounts needed when you exercise. If you intend on exercising longer than an hour, or participate in more strenuous activity such as marathon running, you need to consider an intake of sodium and electrolytes as well.

The main reason for this is to supply your muscles with the energy they need for the task at hand. Should this be the case for you it’s important to consider a beverage containing carbohydrate concentrations. Be careful with the amounts of sodium in sport drinks, however.

The average person doesn’t need to replenish their sodium levels, as long as they eat a meal following their workout containing some sodium. Don’t forget to factor in the nutrients from your sports drink into your daily recommendations.

To sum it up, everyone is different and should adjust their amount of water or sports drink in accordance with their own body and exercise routine.

The importance is for you to be properly hydrated before, during and after the fact. If you can maintain proper hydration with a little preparation and understanding you can achieve your personal goals in a healthy manner.