Don’t under estimate the importance of water to the body. Not taking the time to properly hydrate could have you watching from the game from the sidelines.
Water is the most essential nutrient for the body. In fact, you can survive longer without food than without water. There is not one system in the entire body that does not depend on water. It plays an important role in digestion, brain function, circulation, waste removal, muscle building, transporting nutrients, maintaining body temperature, and the lubrication of joints and tissues. Because our body is made up of 60% water, it is important to be aware of our body’s need for hydration..
In the intensity of a practice or game, athletes don't realize the amount of sweat they lose, and that puts them in danger of dehydration.
Hydration is critical to athletic performance. In fact, the smallest loss in fluid can impair performance, decrease strength, cause cramping, slow muscular response, and increase fatigue. This is important because it's common for some athletes to lose between 3-6 pounds of sweat during a game. So it's very easy for an athlete to become dehydrated if they don't drink enough to replace what is lost in sweat.
Although the traditional recommendation is to drink a minimum of eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, everybody is different, so your intake needs may vary based on your size and how active you are. It's more accurate to base your water intake on your body weight. For example, try to drink at least half your body weight in ounces daily. If you weigh 200 pounds, your daily intake would be least 100 ounces. That's 12 glasses (8 ounces each) a day.
Below are a few other tips to ensure you are keeping your body hydrated.
● Upon rising, drink 2 cups of water to help cleanse and detoxify your system. You tend to be dehydrated in the morning, so this is a good time to replace fluids.
● Drinking water during competition or workout is important. You should consume 6 to 8 ounces of drinking water every 15 to 20 minutes while exercising.
● Keep drinking water after exercise. Have two 8-ounce glasses of water to restore fluids.
● Limit caffeinated soda, tea, and coffee, as well as alcohol. All of these have a diuretic effect, causing fluid loss from your body. If you enjoy caffeine or alcohol, follow them up with a water chaser just to stay in balance.
● If you feel hungry, you might actually be thirsty. How can you tell the difference? Simply drink a glass of water if you think you're hungry. If the water satisfies you, you were thirsty, not hungry.
● Don't like plain water? Flavor a pitcher of plain water with herbs like mint or basil, or slices of citrus fruits or cucumber.
● Watch liquid calories in general. If you're not careful, it's quite easy to get a lot of excess calories from beverages. Because they're liquid, those calories go down easily, and we can ingest a lot of them without even knowing it. The most common culprits are sodas and fruit juices. An average can of soda alone can have up to 60 grams of sugar--that's the same amount of sugar in four pieces of bread. That said, limit sodas and fruit juices and learn to enjoy drinking water instead.
These tips should keep you in the game and performing your best. Drink up!
Are You Dehydrated?
How do you know if you’re properly hydrated? Take a look at your urine. Generally speaking, the clearer the urine, the better hydrated you are. If it is a clear-pale lemonade color, you are hydrated. If it is a darker lemonade to apple juice color, you are dehydrated. And if it is dark and cloudy, you are severely dehydrated and should notify medical staff immediately.
