Water and Sports Drinks
Newsletters
When the heat is on and you're exercising for health and weight loss, what should you have in hand? Plain water? Or a sports drink, which is designed to both rehydrate and replenish electrolytes, but which also contains calories?
Certainly electrolyte replacement is necessary for someone running a marathon, or playing a football game in 90-degree weather. But what about more typical exercise? By following these suggestions you'll be able to hydrate yourself for exercise without adding extra calories:
- Two hours before you exercise, drink about two 8-ounce cups of fluid, water being the best choice.
- During exercise, carry a water bottle and take a drink about every 15 minutes.
- If you exercise for more than 60 minutes, your performance may benefit from a drink containing a small amount of carbohydrates, such as a sports drink. But watch the calories, or you may negate the calories burned by the exercise. And unless you're exercising under extreme conditions (e.g., duration, intensity, heat), you shouldn't need to worry about electrolytes.
Unfortunately, thirst isn't a reliable gauge of your need to hydrate. When you feel thirsty, you are already starting to become dehydrated. So be safe, and be sure to drink plenty of liquids before, during and after exercise.
When you're not exercising, stay hydrated by drinking water or other fluids that don't contain sugar, caffeine or alcohol.
This summer, hydrate the right way without adding extra calories.
Healthy regards,
Megan Porter, RD
