DEHYDRATION REDUCES PERFORMANCE AROUND A 5-8%
Summer, it’s hot, we train hard, we sweat, hard. How are we going to survive our intense workouts during the hottest season of the year? Short answer: if you are about to crush a regular 1 hour high-intesity session, drink fresh water in short sips before, during and after training. Long answer with a bunch of tips from an expert: keep reading!
The hotter it is the more thirsty we get, that is a fact. Our body reacts and we get the signal, but are we truly listening? Sometimes we don’t, and we forget that not responding to our body signals can lead to more serious stuff, like dehydration. We go the extra mile in finding ways to perform better but sometimes we do not pay attention to the simplest details, such as stayind hydrated.
When, what and how should we drink to avoid dehydrating? We reached out to Mireia Quijada, Sports Nutritionist and Eat2win Director, to give us light on the topic and some pro tips.
The importance of hydration in performance
Simply put, when we train our temperature goes up, we loose liquids and we could ultimately be facing dehydration. The most common symptoms are fatigue and dizziness and our performance reduces around a 5-8%.
When should we drink?
Before, during and after training, specially if the weather is hot and humid, because that’s when we sweat the most and we loose the most water and minerals.
Try to avoid drinking during the most intense moments of the training session or in the middle of the WOD (unless it is long), as it can cause digestive discomfort.
What should we drink?
• BEFORE: water, that works. If the training session looks extra-demanding we could choose a hipotonic drink; they contain carbohydrates that will provide us with prolonged energy.
• DURING: water again, but we can also include electrolytes. Sodium, potassium, magnesium… In nutrition, electrolytes are minerals that carry the electrical energy necessary for many essential functions like muscle contraction and transmission of nerve impulsses. They are found in our blood, sweat and urine, and we loose a lot of them while training.
The most common electrolyte sources are isotonic drinks, however, their electrolyte levels are really low and they include a lot of SUGAR. In her Eat2win nutrition plans, Mireia recommends consuming electrolytes as a supplement. You can add a little scoop or effervescent tablet to your water bottle to ensure you are getting a proper amount of electrolytes.
• AFTER: water, of course! But we can also go for something else to help our muscles recover. This would be the perfect time for a protein shake or a protein shake with carbohydrates to refill our glucogen deposits. If you are not down for protein supplementation, BCAA’s supplements will help your protein synthesis.
How to drink?
Fresh water is best served between 10º to 12º to promote optimal rehydration. Drinking a lot of liquid in one sitting is not ideal, do it in shorts sips every 15-20 minutes.
Thank you Eat2Win for these expert tips!
Photos by Progenex.