Don’t Forget the Water
During any fitness regime it is important to maintain your body’s fluid balance. This is something that can be so easily overlooked, and the effects of water depletion will place considerable stress on the ability of the body to cope with exercise, ultimately reducing performance.
Our body weight consists of about 60% water; muscles are 72% water. Even during mild exercise it is possible to become considerably dehydrated, as fluid is lost in sweat and from the lungs as we breathe. Prolonged dehydration can result in symptoms ranging from nausea and fatigue to — at its most severe — heat stress.
During moderate exercise, to ensure you replace fluid loses sufficiently, follow these guidelines:
- Before exercising: drink a large glass of water
- During exercise: drink 150ml of water every 15 minutes
- After exercising: a further 1-2 large glasses of water
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(a large glass of water is 300 – 400 mL)
The more strenuous the exercise the more fluids you will require, so increase the above amounts to suit; but remember, never wait until you are thirsty to drink – your body will not always signal thirst until well after fluids are needed.
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