22 June 2018
Replacing Lost Fluids when exercising is crucial as dehydration can lead to a loss of stamina and affect your immediate performance. It can also lead to exhaustion, headaches and poor concentration.
You need about 1 1/2 cups to 4 cups of liquid for every hour of exercise, depending on the intensity of the exercise and on how much you sweat.
Many people turn to sports drinks when training but are these really better than water?
The main advantage of sports drinks is that they tend to include electrolytes which are minerals found in the body which have an electric charge. They play a role in a number of important functions in the body such as muscle contraction, fluid balance and maintaining a good pH balance.
Electrolytes include potassium, sodium, magnesium, chloride and calcium. Eating a healthy, varied diet will ensure your body has an optimum intake of all of these electrolytes. If you are eating well and replenishing lost minerals over the meals post workout, then you do not need to worry about getting electrolytes in sports drinks during training.
Another advantage of sports drinks is that they are flavoured. Some people do not like the taste of plain water. I would recommend though that you acquire the taste for fresh plain water as this is the most important fluid for your body and you should be drinking at least 2 litres per day, more if you are training. However a simple trick can be adding slices of fresh fruit, cucumber or mint in your water for flavour.
The main disadvantage of most sports drinks is their high caloric content. These calories come from sugars, which usually make up around 9 percent of the drink. Although these sugars could give you greater endurance if you drink them during long exercise sessions, a banana or other healthy whole food carb would be much better for you. Drinking beverages that contain a higher percentage of sugars to replace fluids will delay absorption of the liquid.
In summary, you are always better off sticking to water and ensuring you have a healthy diet to support your work outs rather than opting for highly manufactured and over priced products which you really don’t need. Drink plenty of water in the build up to your work out, sip water during your work out and replenish post work out to ensure maximum results.
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