Have you ever been overcome by cramp after cycling for 60 km?
Do you sometimes feel dizzy or disorientated during a long workout?
These are all signs of dehydration.
-It decreases our blood volume, which is necessary for carrying oxygen to the heart and to fuel your working muscles.
Be aware of the warning signals of dehydration and the opposite; Hyponatremia, caused by drinking too much water.
Check the colour of your urine at the end of a workout: it should be a pale yellow colour.
Keep your fluid levels topped up, not only during your workout.
The British Dietetic Association has declared that the average person should drink 1 ½ - 2 ½ litres of fluid per day.
That should be increased during hot water or during and after physical activity.
For 1kg in weight loss you should make up with 1 ½ litres of water.
These are minerals necessary for the body to function properly.
Hyponatremia is caused by prolonged activities that involve heavy sweating. You drink so much water that the sodium concentration in the blood becomes too diluted.
We lose 2-3.4g of sodium per litre of sweat.
Some people can lose as much as 1 litre of sweat per hour during a race.
When it is really hot make sure that you keep up your salt intake with salty foods or salt tablets to minimise the risk of diluting you blood too much with pure water.
Fresh fruit, fruit juice or a smoothie straight after a run on a hot day make a delicious treat and will also help rehydrate you – try this Strawberry Mint Vitamin Rush.
Drink before you are thirsty: drink regularly throughout the day and drink generously before your workout, during your workout and again immediately afterwards.
Around 150-250ml sports drink with electrolytes and sodium every 20-30 minutes or so will keep up your energy levels and replace lost body salts. Practise during training so you know which you find palatable and your own tolerance for fluid in the stomach.
Click here for top #GoFaster hydrating drinks and meal suggestions.