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Hydration during exercise is vital to your safety. Below are some reasons for why hydration is so important:
- It will impact performance. Being dehydrated may prevent you from being alert and/or performing to a level in which you are able to perform.
- Hydration helps to keep your body temperature from overheating. In addition, when you sweat, you are losing water and need to replenish your body with water.
- Hydration can help keep your muscles loose to prevent from cramping which will decrease performance.
These are only a few of the many reasons for why hydration is so important. Do you part and stay hydrated.
Hydration before, during and after exercise is crucial to performance and to maintaining the proper fluid balance in your body, especially if you sweat during a particularly vigorous workout. Just water will do, unless you exercise for more than an hour. In that case, you can drink a low-calorie electrolyte replacement drink to restore sodium and potassium lost through sweating. Unsweetened iced tea or a beverage lightly flavored with a bit of juice is a good compromise.
Avoid carbonated drinks, since they can create unpleasant gas and result in stomach cramps. Don’t justify caloric drinks just because you exercised -- you probably don’t need the extra calories unless you are trying to gain weight. If you prefer not to drink during your workout, make sure you finish an 8-to-16-ounce bottle once you wrap up your fitness routine.
Avoid carbonated drinks, since they can create unpleasant gas and result in stomach cramps. Don’t justify caloric drinks just because you exercised -- you probably don’t need the extra calories unless you are trying to gain weight. If you prefer not to drink during your workout, make sure you finish an 8-to-16-ounce bottle once you wrap up your fitness routine.
Continue Learning about How to Prepare for Exercise
Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.