Your workout at the local fitness center can often benefit from moisture-wicking clothes, supportive footwear, and some motivational tunes. It also requires staying hydrated, whether you engage in weight lifting, interval training, or another type of sweat-inducing exercise. Learn what makes hydration so essential to working out and what you should drink here. 

Why Is Hydration Necessary for Exercise? 

Sweating equals water loss. If you don’t replenish what you lose during your fitness center visits, you become dehydrated and can experience symptoms such as headaches and fatigue. You might also have cramps since dehydration stresses the muscles, causing them to pull nutrients such as potassium and sodium from the blood. This extra work can cause the muscles to overheat and seize, resulting in painful cramps during or after exercise. 

Staying hydrated regulates your body temperature, so you don’t overheat and experience hyperthermia, otherwise known as heat exhaustion, that includes symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and a weak pulse. Hydration additionally prevents the body from holding onto water instead of releasing it and assorted toxins through sweat. 

What Should You Drink & How Often? 

Drink 15 to 20 ounces of water one to two hours before you exercise, then another 8 to 10 ounces 15 minutes before working out, so you’re fully hydrated. Consume 8 ounces every 15 minutes during your exercise regimen, or more if you’re seriously sweating to keep up with water losses.

You can also consume sports drinks to replenish lost electrolytes, minerals that regulate hydration, muscle contractions, and body pH levels, among other functions. Sports drinks work well if you’re engaging in HIIT or endurance training because they restore electrolytes lost from longer, more intense workouts and feature sugar that provides an energy boost. However, you should not consume them excessively or use the drinks as water replacements because their sugar content can ultimately cause dehydration. Consider one sports drink per session. Otherwise, stick to water.

Enjoy challenging your body and mind at Bombers CrossFit®. Our fitness center has helped residents throughout Dayton, Oakwood, Bellbrook, and Kettering, OH, reach their weight loss, endurance, and strength training goals since 2013. We pride ourselves on providing “precision-guided results while targeting excuses and delivering results” from certified trainers who guarantee exciting workouts every time. Call (318) 401-1538 today to learn more about us or visit our fitness center online for class information. Like our Facebook page for the latest updates.