By Katie Boscia, RD, IBCLC, CDE
Staying hydrated during a workout helps your body maintain blood volume and good cardiac output, as well as deliver oxygen to the muscles you’re exercising. It also helps prevent muscle cramps and helps regulate your core temperature. In order to stay properly hydrated while exercising, you need to make sure you consume enough fluids before you even begin.
Before working out, you should eat foods that are rich in carbohydrates and fluids such as fruit or vegetables. Other pre-workout snacks can include pasta, whole grain breads, yogurt, cereal or rice. Carbohydrate-rich foods will help keep your blood sugar regulated as well as give you some energy during the workout. Post-workout, you should choose foods high in protein. This will help improve your recovery time as well as help you get the most out of your workout.
Ready to exercise?
Follow these tips for a successful workout:
- Drink 3-4 glasses of water about four hours before beginning your workout.
- Make sure you drink during your workout to replenish the fluids lost through sweat.
- Try to take a quick break every 15-20 minutes to drink some water.
- After your workout, replace the fluids you lost by drinking 2-3 more glasses of water.
- Then, monitor the color of your urine to make sure you aren’t dehydrated. It should be a light yellow color. If it’s darker, you need to drink more fluids.
Eating and drinking the proper things before, during and after you work out will help your body maximize the benefits of all that hard work.
Need some motivation to workout? Joining an exercise class is a fun way to exercise with the support of your classmate and an exercise specialist. Find the class that’s right for you at Riverview Health Rehab & Fitness >>