Especially if youre hot and sweaty after a tough workout?
But whats the best way to do it?
What do we need to hydrate properly?
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When thinking about hydration, you may focus solely on the water aspect.
After all, youre losing fluid, right?
Though that is true, water isnt the only thing in your sweat that you gotta replenish.
Out of all of these electrolytes, sodiuma.k.a.
saltis the one lost in greatest concentrations when you sweat.
What are signs you better hydrate?
For adults, the two main indicators that your body needs more hydration are thirst and urine color.
Meaning whenever you start to feel the need to drink while working out, do so!
Urine color is also an important indicator of your hydration status.
Someone whos well hydrated will have light-colored urine, similar to lemonade, Pryor says.
If youre dehydrated, youll have darker-colored urine, like apple juice.
What are the best ways to rehydrate after a sweaty workout?
Here are some ways to ensure youre properly replenishing fluid loss after a tough workout.
As for how much to drink?
This largely depends on your exercise intensity, the environment, and your own sweat rate.
Shoot to replace 100% to 150% of your total losses, Pryor says.
The difference is the amount of water you lost.
Then multiply that by 1 and 1.5 to get your range in ounces.
It might even pull out nutrients from your body along with it.
Plus chugging water can lead to not-so-pleasant effects like extreme fullness or an upset stomach.
As we mentioned, there are two parts to hydration: water and electrolytes.
Those people might need upwards of 1,200 milligrams of sodium per hour just to replace what theyre losing.
Remember, sodium is the most important electrolyte for replacement in these cases.
Another quick way to rehydrate postworkout is with a smoothie.
Try putting some sea salt on your watermelon.
That would help with replacing sodium and potassium because watermelon naturally has a lot of potassium, Samuel says.
Eating snack foods that are a little higher in sodium can help your body retain water.
you could also enjoy saltier meals, like sushi with soy sauce or a tuna sandwich.
